NFL Week V

[CountDeMoney]

OK, it's Thursday.  A new week.

Week 5back to top »
Cleveland at Buffalo    1:00 PM    
Dallas at Kansas City    1:00 PM    
Minnesota at St. Louis    1:00 PM    
Oakland at NY Giants    1:00 PM    
Tampa Bay at Philadelphia    1:00 PM    FOX   
Pittsburgh at Detroit    1:00 PM    
Washington at Carolina    1:00 PM    
Cincinnati at Baltimore    1:00 PM    
Atlanta at San Francisco    4:05 PM    
Jacksonville at Seattle    4:15 PM    
Houston at Arizona    4:15 PM    CBS   
New England at Denver    4:15 PM
Indianapolis at Tennessee    8:20 PM    
MON, OCT 12    
NY Jets at Miami    8:30 PM       m
·Bye: Chicago, Green Bay, New Orleans, San Diego

Mike Pereira, the vice president of NFL officiating, tonight supported the roughing-the-passer penalties against Haloti Ngata and Terrell Suggs of the Ravens during an officiating segment on NFL Network.

Pereira called the suggestion that officials are acting overtly to protect Brady because of his profile in the league "ludicrous ... That's not the way we officiate."

Oh, and I suppose somebody can take Timmay off Moderated status now.

[Neil]

Pereira says one thing, but his boss not fining Ray Lewis says something else.

[Admiral Yi]

Time       Favorite      Spread      Underdog

1:00 ET  Minnesota        -10       At St. Louis

1:00 ET  Dallas                -8        At Kansas City

1:00 ET  At Carolina     -3.5        Washington

1:00 ET  At Philly           -15        Tampa Bay

1:00 ET  At NY Giants  -14.5       Oakland

1:00 ET  At Buffalo          -6        Cleveland

1:00 ET  At Baltimore   -8.5        Cincinnati

1:00 ET  Pittsburgh    -10.5        At Detroit

4:05 ET  At San Fran    -2.5        Atlanta

4:15 ET  New England   -3         At Denver

4:15 ET  At Arizona     -5.5         Houston

4:15 ET  At Seattle       PK         Jacksonville

8:20 ET  Indianapolis  -3.5        At Tennessee

Monday Night Football Point Spread
   
8:35 ET  NY Jets         -1.5         At Miami

I'm picking St. Louis, the Gints, Shitsburgh, and the Petyoni Manning Show this week.

[jimmy olsen]

Patriots should beat the Broncos, but Denver has been surprisingly good, so I think it will be close.

[Tamas]

it will be close.

Unlike your timezone to the games. Welcome to my world!

[Neil]

Week 1:  10-6
Week 2:  11-5 (8-8 vs. the spread)
Week 3:  7-9 (6-10)
Week 4:  12-2 (10-4)

Sunday:
Bengals (-8.5) @ Ravens - The Bengals showed themselves to be the equals of the Browns last week.  The Ravens have been beating the spread every week, and would have last week if not for some creative officiating.  The Ravens, at home, should make short work of the Bengals.

Browns (-6) @ Bills - This one is tough, as neither team is very good.  The Browns defence has been savaged by injuries, and their offence is unreliable, but Derek Anderson is usually good against bad teams, and there might be some addition by subtraction with the elimination of Butterfingers Edwards.  The Bills running game should allow them to stomp Cleveland, and the Browns' secondary might be exploitable enough for TO to finally have a big game.  Still, I have a sneaking suspiscion that the Browns will cover.

Redskins (-3.5) @ Panthers - The Redskins are not credible as a real football team.  The Panthers are slightly moreso.  I think that the Panthers will beat the spread here, because the Redskins won't move the ball.  They are terrible.

Steelers @ Lions (-10.5) - The Steelers will tear the Lions to shreds without difficulty.  As much as I would like the Steelers to be humiliated, I have too much respect for their ability to play football to think that they'll let the Lions have a chance.  Daunte Culpepper is such a big target, the Steelers' linebackers can't possibly miss him.

Cowboys @ Chiefs (-8) - The Chiefs are terrible.  The Cowboys aren't very good, but they're at least a mediocre NFL football team.  The Chiefs are traditionally tough at home, but that was back when they had a strong, fundamental line.  These Chiefs are miles away from those 90s-00s Chiefs teams of old.  The Chiefs will not cover.

Raiders (-14.5) @ Giants - How does this game not have the highest line of the week?  The Giants could start Carr and they'd still crush the shit out of the Raiders.  Oakland can't score, and their defence has a better chance of stopping neutrinos than they do the Giants run attack.  Oakland won't cover.

Buccaneers (-15) @ Eagles - The Buccs are useless.  The Eagles are moderately mighty, and if they don't win, the subhuman scum that are the Eagles fans in the stands will tear them apart.  This should be a cakewalk and the Eagles should cover.

Vikings @ Rams (-10) - Yet another squash match.  The Vikings will cover.  With the ruin that is the Rams' line, I fear for Future Hall of Famer Kyle Boller's life, as that hillbilly Jared Allen might kill him.

Falcons (-2.5) @ 49ers - I think the Falcons have more offensive omph, but Singletary's got his defence playing at a very high level, stuffing the run, pressuring the QB.  Although I think that a lot of people are overlooking the Falcons right now, the 49ers are a better team right now.  They can shut down the run and make the Falcons one-dimensional.  They should be able to cover the spread.

Texans (-5.5) @ Cardinals - I go with the Falcons on this one because they're at home, but I think that the Texans will cover.  The teams are pretty similar.  I think that Arizona has better weapons, but Houston's defence is a bit better.  Because of that, I think that Arizona will win at home, but Houston will cover.

Patriots @ Broncos (-3) - Come on, even at Mile High, there's no chance that the refs will let the Patriots lose.  The Broncos won't cover.

Jaguars @ Seahawks - Will Hasselbeck be back at 100% for this one?  I doubt it, and without him the Seahawks are worthless.  Pocket Hercules should shred them.

Colts @ Titans (-3.5) - Manning is a machine, and the Titans have gone retarded.  Cortland Finnegan isn't going to cover anyone, because he's a punk bitch.  The Titans' run game might be a problem, but they won't be able to keep up with the Colts.  The Titans won't cover.

Monday:
Jets @ Dolphins (-1.5) - Without Pennington, all the Dolphins have is the run.  Rex Ryan knows how to defeat the run.  Expect a big game from Jim Leonhard.  I don't think the Dolphins have a prayer of covering such a small spread.

[derspiess]

Ravens may beat the spread, but not by much.  This may be the most physical Bungles defense they've ever faced.  Plus Chad Johnson told me he's gonna catch 3 TDs.

[sbr]

Pereira says one thing, but his boss not fining Ray Lewis says something else.

I agree, I was shocked when I heard he wasn't fined.  The fact that Lewis wasn't fined becoming public was as close to an admission of guilt as you will ever see from the NFL.

[CountDeMoney]

Ravens may beat the spread, but not by much.  This may be the most physical Bungles defense they've ever faced.  Plus Chad Johnson told me he's gonna catch 3 TDs.

Yeah, I think it's going to be one big air raid.

[CountDeMoney]

I agree, I was shocked when I heard he wasn't fined.  The fact that Lewis wasn't fined becoming public was as close to an admission of guilt as you will ever see from the NFL.

Well, now you know, don't you?

[CountDeMoney]

I guess Rob's jealous of all of Rex's coverage.

Browns D-coordinator challenges FG
Associated Press

BEREA, Ohio -- He tackled last week's officials. Then, he roughed up Buffalo Bills quarterback Trent Edwards.

Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Rob Ryan handed out his own punishment on Friday.

During his weekly news conference, Ryan said Cincinnati Bengals kicker Shayne Graham missed his winning 31-yard field goal in overtime to beat Cleveland last week. Later, Ryan sent out a challenge to Edwards, whom the winless Browns will face on the road Sunday.

Without being prompted, Ryan, the twin brother of New York Jets coach Rex Ryan, referred to Graham's kick with 4 seconds left that gave the Bengals a 23-20 win.

"You can watch the tape," Ryan said. "I'm not saying anything, but man, maybe the posts were crooked. Look at it."

A TV replay from an end zone camera shows Graham's kick crossing the line of scrimmage and heading toward the right upright. Ryan believes it sailed outside of the post. Browns cornerbacks Brandon McDonald and Eric Wright both waved that they thought the kick was off the mark, too.

"I don't want to get fined," Ryan said. "I pay enough money already on the house I don't even live in in California. I don't want to make this a big story, but I was disappointed. I thought it missed. Of course, I'm not an expert. That's why I'm saying maybe somebody else should look at it."

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the league feels the correct ruling was made.

"The field judge standing right underneath the upright called it good and we have reviewed video from multiple angles and seen nothing to dispute the call," Aiello said in an e-mail response.

Ryan was initially asked a question about how the trade of wide receiver Braylon Edwards would affect the Browns when he turned the discussion to the field goal.

"I thought you were talking about the missed field goal," Ryan said. "Did I say that out loud?"

Later, Ryan alluded to Edwards making some negative comments about his defense when the assistant coach was with the Oakland Raiders.

Ryan was talking about Buffalo's offense when he steered the discussion to Edwards.

"I don't think that's [Bengals quarterback] Carson Palmer back there by any stretch," he said.

Ryan was then asked if he felt Edwards was not as good as Palmer.

"Absolutely. He's not. Not too many quarterbacks are," he said. "The guy can run and do some things, but we've played Brett Favre, we've played Carson Palmer. Those are two pretty good quarterbacks right there. This guy [Edwards] always seems to have a lot to say, so I'm going to say the same thing.

"Let's go. Let's get it on. We'll see what he's all about this week."

[Admiral Yi]

Are there any white defensive ends in the pros besides Jared Allen?

When ever I see a white dude playing all geeked up like that I suspect he's juicing.  What are the odds?  How ironclad is the league's testing program?

[Ed Anger]

Are there any white defensive ends in the pros besides Jared Allen?

You know, I can't think of any. And in college, it seems D-Lines are all black with the occasional islander.

[CountDeMoney]

Are there any white defensive ends in the pros besides Jared Allen?

Paul Kruger, DE, Baltimore Ravens.  Played for Utah last year.

[Admiral Yi]

Played for Utah last year.

Can't get any whiter than that.

Does he juice?