Ministry of Pain
Footballguy
Contest rules are here...week 1
Anyone that submitted after the deadline was not counted.
Alright let’s jump to the games folks.
Oakland at Baltimore (-11.5) (34)
The Ravens looked really solid last week in beating the Bucs and the Raiders looked horrific losing by the same margin, 27, that the Ravens won with. The Raiders have no business being close in this game yet 11.5 in the NFL is just too much. I don’t expect the Raiders to look quite as bad…I do think the Chargers love kicking the crap out of them and it’s possible that the Ravens after a great game last week just might be in for a letdown at home. They win the game but it will be a bit closer than many think.
Baltimore 24…Oakland 14
Houston at Indianapolis (-13.5) (47)
Again we have a really big number here at almost 14. Big game last week on the road, broken record folks. Indy will win the game but will not cover the spread.
Indy 28…Houston 17
Cleveland at Cincinnati (-10.5) (42)
More double digits to lay at home. The Bengals are a good football team. They were in control long before they knocked out Trent Green in that game. Frye is gonna have a rough go of it on the road in the Jungle.
Cincinnati 30…Cleveland 13
Buffalo at Miami (-6.5) (37)
The Bills have a lot of problems in their secondary. Troy Vincent is gone for the season and they have little depth and a rookie to go with it. I expect Chambers to have an explosive game. I also think Losman will do some damage and this game will be higher scoring than some might think.
Miami 28…Buffalo 21
Detroit at Chicago (-8.5) (32)
One team held another team with a fairly explosive offense to 9 points last week…the other pitched a shutout. I’m sorry but I am not a believer that Chicago is a SB destination team just yet. Is Detroit all that good? Not really but 8.5 is another rich spread this week. It seems like Vegas is over compensating for the wins and losses from week 1. I’ll take the points.
Chicago 20…Detroit 17
Carolina (-2.5) at Minnesota (37):
Why is Carolina after getting beat down last week and without their best offensive player (Steve Smith) and arguably one of their best defensive players (Dan Morgan)…how can they be laying points on the road this week. Don’t be a fool and take Minnesota. Carolina will be out for blood this week. They are still very talented and do have depth but I think the Smith injury really shook them up last week. I don’t think the entire football community was wrong preseason but maybe the Panthers got a little ahead of themselves. I’m inclined to go against the grain and lay the points on the road this week. Minnesota was not all that great on Monday Night as much as Washington simply self destructed.
Carolina 23…Minnesota 16
NY Giants at Philly (-3) (37): Can you imagine the Giants 0-2? Philly 2-0? Maybe the Giants will be like San Diego if a year ago and become the best team to miss the playoffs and a team no one is interested in facing. Philly looked really really good last week…I know it was Houston but NYGiants are gonna be a little deflated after losing a close game like that. I find it hard to pick against Philly at home this week. Indy was able to move the ball on NY and I don’t see why Philly will have a huge challenge.
Philly 24…NYGiants 23
Tampa Bay at Atlanta (-6) (36)
Tampa stunk it up last week but their defense held the Ravens to just 3.0 ypc…I don’t expect the Falcons to run all over them the way they did on Carolina last week. I look for the Bucs to bounce back..BIG! That team has too much talent to be getting 6 against a team they do very well with. Falcons looked great last week but when they cannot run the ball that well this week, what are they going to do? Throw? I expect big games form Simeon Rice, Derrick Brooks, and Rhonde Barber. Mora on PTI this week said they got lucky against the Panthers. I know it’s a lot of coach speak but I also think that’s a terrible thing to say on national TV…Brian Billick didn’t say they got lucky against the Bucs…TB will respond in a big way this week.
Upset special
Tampa Bay 24…Atlanta 13
New Orleans (-1.5) at Green Bay (38): I know people will want to pile on GB and talk about a repeat blowout this week. Not going to happen. I fully expect the Pack to bounce back a bit this week. This team has some talent on offense. I was listening to national sports show hosts saying Brett Favre has no one to throw to…HELLO! Donald Driver is a good #1WR…he’s no Chad Johnson but he is a good target for Favre to throw to. The Saints go back on the road this week as a favorite. Road team 2 weeks in a row…gonna be thinking about getting home to their Superdome for the 1st time in 2 regular NFL seasons…I look for the letdown this week from the Saints.
Green Bay 20…New Orleans 17
St. Louis (-3) at San Francisco (43.5)
So the Rams suddenly are world beaters on defense? I think not. Lost in that big home opener was the fact they gave up about 160+ rushing on defense. The Niners will run Gore all day…even without Larry Allen I think they will find room to run on the Rams and keep their offense on the sidelines. This will be a great test for the Rams as I maintain till SF actually can stop someone good on offense, that their defense is among the worst in the league. However I have not like one single thing I have seen from the Rams yet this season, with their offense.
St. Louis 21…San Fran 20
Arizona at Seattle (-7) (47)
Looks like a possible shootout. Fitz looks even better this season. Seattle is a little suspect in their secondary.
Seattle 34…Arizona 31
New England (-6) at NYJets (37)
Mangini going up against his former team. Should be fun to watch. Maybe the Pats pass attack will get on track. How bout the over?
New England 27…NY Jets 21
Tennessee at San Diego (-11.5) (38)
This smells like blowout. San Diego is a tight football team right now. No effects from the Foley incident. LT is running especially hard…Rivers looks good so far but has not been asked to do much. Most teams don’t blowout other teams 2 weeks in a row. Tennessee does not have a Randy Moss…no Lamont Jordan…and their QB is a mishmash of a turnover prone veteran and rookie. They have no OL, can’t stop the pass…probably not going to stop the Bolts run attack…and they fly cross country.
San Diego 28…Tennessee 6
Kansas City at Denver (-10.5) (40)
Stay away…far away. Denver get beat on the road and they magically turn it on this week in Denver? The answer is yes of course. The Chiefs are without Trent Green and will not be able to test the secondary much. Gonna be a long day for the Chiefs.
Denver 24…KC 10
Washington at Dallas (-6) (37)
Way too many points for Dallas right now.
Dallas 17…Washington 14
Pittsburgh (-1.5) at JAX (37)
Steelers in primetime again this week. They are stellar on MNF. Big Ben Big Who? Batch baby!
Pittsburgh 20…Jacksonville 10
My 5**** Locks of the week are
Carolina -2.5
Tampa Bay +6
San Diego -11.5
Short list of folks out of about 100 that went 3-0 last week.
Chihawk
Boot to the Head
MT…nice
Jevy
EastCOastBias
JohnMC
Rush
Isotopes
And And And my personal favorite log in name and now the person I will be pulling for every week…Fuente Opus X…sweet!!!
Urinal Mint was at one point last season 0-12, maybe even 0-15...we could literally take his picks and go opposite and win money. This year UM is off to a stellar 0-3 start. He's more valuable than the guy that makes it to 3-0 once every few weeks.
Please read the rules from week 1…anything submitted after the cutoff time is not counted, sorry folks.
Bristol...you can save your effort cause your not going to be eligible. PM me if you want to discuss further.
Have a great week, good luck everyone.
Anyone that submitted after the deadline was not counted.
Alright let’s jump to the games folks.
Oakland at Baltimore (-11.5) (34)
The Ravens looked really solid last week in beating the Bucs and the Raiders looked horrific losing by the same margin, 27, that the Ravens won with. The Raiders have no business being close in this game yet 11.5 in the NFL is just too much. I don’t expect the Raiders to look quite as bad…I do think the Chargers love kicking the crap out of them and it’s possible that the Ravens after a great game last week just might be in for a letdown at home. They win the game but it will be a bit closer than many think.
Baltimore 24…Oakland 14
Houston at Indianapolis (-13.5) (47)
Again we have a really big number here at almost 14. Big game last week on the road, broken record folks. Indy will win the game but will not cover the spread.
Indy 28…Houston 17
Cleveland at Cincinnati (-10.5) (42)
More double digits to lay at home. The Bengals are a good football team. They were in control long before they knocked out Trent Green in that game. Frye is gonna have a rough go of it on the road in the Jungle.
Cincinnati 30…Cleveland 13
Buffalo at Miami (-6.5) (37)
The Bills have a lot of problems in their secondary. Troy Vincent is gone for the season and they have little depth and a rookie to go with it. I expect Chambers to have an explosive game. I also think Losman will do some damage and this game will be higher scoring than some might think.
Miami 28…Buffalo 21
Detroit at Chicago (-8.5) (32)
One team held another team with a fairly explosive offense to 9 points last week…the other pitched a shutout. I’m sorry but I am not a believer that Chicago is a SB destination team just yet. Is Detroit all that good? Not really but 8.5 is another rich spread this week. It seems like Vegas is over compensating for the wins and losses from week 1. I’ll take the points.
Chicago 20…Detroit 17
Carolina (-2.5) at Minnesota (37):
Why is Carolina after getting beat down last week and without their best offensive player (Steve Smith) and arguably one of their best defensive players (Dan Morgan)…how can they be laying points on the road this week. Don’t be a fool and take Minnesota. Carolina will be out for blood this week. They are still very talented and do have depth but I think the Smith injury really shook them up last week. I don’t think the entire football community was wrong preseason but maybe the Panthers got a little ahead of themselves. I’m inclined to go against the grain and lay the points on the road this week. Minnesota was not all that great on Monday Night as much as Washington simply self destructed.
Carolina 23…Minnesota 16
NY Giants at Philly (-3) (37): Can you imagine the Giants 0-2? Philly 2-0? Maybe the Giants will be like San Diego if a year ago and become the best team to miss the playoffs and a team no one is interested in facing. Philly looked really really good last week…I know it was Houston but NYGiants are gonna be a little deflated after losing a close game like that. I find it hard to pick against Philly at home this week. Indy was able to move the ball on NY and I don’t see why Philly will have a huge challenge.
Philly 24…NYGiants 23
Tampa Bay at Atlanta (-6) (36)
Tampa stunk it up last week but their defense held the Ravens to just 3.0 ypc…I don’t expect the Falcons to run all over them the way they did on Carolina last week. I look for the Bucs to bounce back..BIG! That team has too much talent to be getting 6 against a team they do very well with. Falcons looked great last week but when they cannot run the ball that well this week, what are they going to do? Throw? I expect big games form Simeon Rice, Derrick Brooks, and Rhonde Barber. Mora on PTI this week said they got lucky against the Panthers. I know it’s a lot of coach speak but I also think that’s a terrible thing to say on national TV…Brian Billick didn’t say they got lucky against the Bucs…TB will respond in a big way this week.
Upset special
Tampa Bay 24…Atlanta 13
New Orleans (-1.5) at Green Bay (38): I know people will want to pile on GB and talk about a repeat blowout this week. Not going to happen. I fully expect the Pack to bounce back a bit this week. This team has some talent on offense. I was listening to national sports show hosts saying Brett Favre has no one to throw to…HELLO! Donald Driver is a good #1WR…he’s no Chad Johnson but he is a good target for Favre to throw to. The Saints go back on the road this week as a favorite. Road team 2 weeks in a row…gonna be thinking about getting home to their Superdome for the 1st time in 2 regular NFL seasons…I look for the letdown this week from the Saints.
Green Bay 20…New Orleans 17
St. Louis (-3) at San Francisco (43.5)
So the Rams suddenly are world beaters on defense? I think not. Lost in that big home opener was the fact they gave up about 160+ rushing on defense. The Niners will run Gore all day…even without Larry Allen I think they will find room to run on the Rams and keep their offense on the sidelines. This will be a great test for the Rams as I maintain till SF actually can stop someone good on offense, that their defense is among the worst in the league. However I have not like one single thing I have seen from the Rams yet this season, with their offense.
St. Louis 21…San Fran 20
Arizona at Seattle (-7) (47)
Looks like a possible shootout. Fitz looks even better this season. Seattle is a little suspect in their secondary.
Seattle 34…Arizona 31
New England (-6) at NYJets (37)
Mangini going up against his former team. Should be fun to watch. Maybe the Pats pass attack will get on track. How bout the over?
New England 27…NY Jets 21
Tennessee at San Diego (-11.5) (38)
This smells like blowout. San Diego is a tight football team right now. No effects from the Foley incident. LT is running especially hard…Rivers looks good so far but has not been asked to do much. Most teams don’t blowout other teams 2 weeks in a row. Tennessee does not have a Randy Moss…no Lamont Jordan…and their QB is a mishmash of a turnover prone veteran and rookie. They have no OL, can’t stop the pass…probably not going to stop the Bolts run attack…and they fly cross country.
San Diego 28…Tennessee 6
Kansas City at Denver (-10.5) (40)
Stay away…far away. Denver get beat on the road and they magically turn it on this week in Denver? The answer is yes of course. The Chiefs are without Trent Green and will not be able to test the secondary much. Gonna be a long day for the Chiefs.
Denver 24…KC 10
Washington at Dallas (-6) (37)
Way too many points for Dallas right now.
Dallas 17…Washington 14
Pittsburgh (-1.5) at JAX (37)
Steelers in primetime again this week. They are stellar on MNF. Big Ben Big Who? Batch baby!
Pittsburgh 20…Jacksonville 10
My 5**** Locks of the week are
Carolina -2.5
Tampa Bay +6
San Diego -11.5
Short list of folks out of about 100 that went 3-0 last week.
Chihawk
Boot to the Head
MT…nice
Jevy
EastCOastBias
JohnMC
Rush
Isotopes
And And And my personal favorite log in name and now the person I will be pulling for every week…Fuente Opus X…sweet!!!
Urinal Mint was at one point last season 0-12, maybe even 0-15...we could literally take his picks and go opposite and win money. This year UM is off to a stellar 0-3 start. He's more valuable than the guy that makes it to 3-0 once every few weeks.
Please read the rules from week 1…anything submitted after the cutoff time is not counted, sorry folks.
Bristol...you can save your effort cause your not going to be eligible. PM me if you want to discuss further.
Have a great week, good luck everyone.
Last edited by a moderator:
For his career he is 55% against the spread.
etroit +8.5Car @ Min OVER 37NY @ Phi OVER 37
