PIGSKIN ~ WEEK 11 ~ The GIANT Fight For First

Welcome to the WEEK 11 Big BAGEL Roll-Out.  Last week family matters didn't allow me to post my picks before Sunday's games.  In Week 9 however, I had my best Sunday of the season even though I lost my first Lock of the Week.

Last week I was 7-3-1 for the Sunday games.  My record for Shmear of the Week is now 7-1 with the loss.
The Sunday games are worth one Bagel each and the Shmear of the Week is worth 3 Bagels. 

I am now +13 Bagels for the season which really means I am .500 on my picks and living large on the success of my Shmear picks.



The WEEK 11 BAGEL Roll-Out:
(Saturday's NYDN Line)


JETS -7 (Texans)
Winning a pair of games in O.T. can do a lot to boost Sanchez' confidence.  Jets have gotten big breaks but have maximized the opportunities.  They'll make their own breaks this time for a convincing win.
LOSS ~ 30-27 Jets

Giants +3 (EAGLES)
This pick is strictly from the heart.  The Eagles laying three at home?  What does that tell you?  Vegas doesn't like them that much either.  I smell a PUSH.  So why not take the points?
LOSS ~ 27-17 Eagles

STEELERS -7 (Raiders)
I've been riding the Raiders with much success.  They've been raining points upon their opponents lately.  But they haven't played a defense like PITT's.  It will be "Terrible" for the Raiders on the road.
WIN ~ 35-3 Steelers

Ravens -11 (PANTHERS)
When it rains, it pours!  Coach John Fox is left re-arranging deck chairs on the Titanic.  His team has quit on him.  This will be ugly.  The Ravens will have zero sympathy.  Lay the points in a romp.  The spread moved up a point from 10 yesterday.  That means even more people like the Ravens.
WIN ~ 37-13 Ravens

Redskins +7 (TITANS)
What's more discouraging than losing badly to Michael Vick's solo efforts?  Answer ~ losing again the following week in a close game.  The Skins will cover but lose.  Every time Daniel Snyder spends money they get worse (see McNabb contract).
WIN ~ 19-16 Redskins

COWBOYS -7 (Lions)
Will the real Cowboys please stand up?  Both teams are playing for pride but Dallas is vastly more skilled.  This may be a blow-out.
WIN ~ 35-19 Cowboys

Packers -3 (VIKINGS)
What Vegas is really saying is Minnesota is done and Green Bay will win by a touchdown.
WIN ~ 31-3 Packers

BENGALS -5 1/2 (Bills)
What reason would you have to believe the Bengals aren't 5 1/2 points better then the Bills?  The Bills first win isn't enough for me.
LOSS ~ 49-31 Bills

Browns +1 1/2 (JAGUARS)
I went with CLEV early in the season and lost.  Then I turned against them and lost.  The Jags were too lucky last week and laying *2 at home proves it.  The Browns aren't the same team they were in first three weeks of season.  Today they shaved 1/2 point from yesterday's line.  That rates as a 'BUY';  Browns win.
LOSS ~ 24-20 Jaguars

Cardinals +8 (CHIEFS)
That's a lot of points to be laying for a team getting worse (Chiefs).
LOSS ~ 31-13 Chiefs

SAINTS -12 (Seahawks)
Seattle can't score and the Saints can...and are home.  This seems way simple...(?)
WIN ~ 34-19 Saints

Falcons -3 (RAMS)
Coach Spags has the Rams playing good defense but the Rams won't be within three points.  This won't be a trap-game for ATL.
WIN ~ 34-17 Falcons

Bucs +3 1/2 (49ERS)
There is always at least one game a week that makes you scratch your head...asking yourself, "Huh?"
WIN ~ 21-0 Bucs

PATRIOTS -3 (Colts)
I like the Pats at home.  Peyton Manning has kept his team in the mix with mirrors.  There will be none of that Sunday against Coach Belichick.
PUSH ~ 31-28 Patriots


That's 14 more Bagels into the oven.


SHMEAR of the WEEK:
Falcons -3 (RAMS)



*Post Games ~ Sunday Re-Cap:
(Before the Giants vs. Eagles game)
8 WINS  4 LOSSES  1 PUSH   That makes me +21 Bagels!

I hit on the SHMEAR OF THE WEEK with the Falcons. 
That makes me 8-1 for the season on the Shmear.  The Shmear is a 3 Bagel game.
That makes me +24 Bagels on the season! After Giants game drops me to +23.

*I can't believe I got burned with the Browns...again!  I've been wrong about them every game this year. 
*What's gotten into the Bills lately?!
*Who the hell thought the 49ers should have been favored in that game?
*The Saints and Ravens were laying a lot of wood, and I nailed em.
*Freakin' JETS!  What the hell was that all about?
*I told you the Raiders were in for a "Terrible" time.
*The K.C. Chiefs called to tell me, "Shut your mouth"!
*Minnesota Vikings ~ R.I.P.







N.Y. Football Giants ~ Pre-Game:
The Birds; Battling Our Old Rivals for First Place.

If it looks like a duck, waddles like a duck, and quacks like a duck...., odds are it's the Eagles. And this game against Philly represents our most important game of the year. Let's call this game for what it is, shall we?

In my lifetime, it all started with Joe Pisarcik, Herm Edwards and "The Fumble".  Ron Jarworski and Randall Cunningham; Donovan McNabb and Michael Vick today; since the days of Harold Carmichael, Reggie White and Seth Joyner and even Brian Westbrook in more recent times, this Eagles team, for ever and a day, has represented nothing less than nightmarish Sundays for me.

This is the game heading into Thanksgiving which will decide who is in first place for the Holiday.  There! That wasn't as scary to say as it seemed now did it?  A loss Sunday would knock the Giants out of first place.  A loss Sunday is survivable.  I believe we'll win the second game at home regardless.  It's rare to beat division rivals twice in the season.  But do I believe we can beat the Eagles in their nest?  I believe it as surely as a pigeon can spot a newly washed car.  But because of all our injuries, an awful-lot of things need to go our way.  This game can easily turn into something very bizarre like Hitchcock's The Birds no sooner than kick-off.

This traditional NFC East battle is not for the faint of heart.  As a Football fan with a team in the NFC East, I wouldn't have it any other way.

The battles over the last 30 years between our Giants and our inner-division rivals have been nothing short of classic.  Without thinking too much about the final outcome, it's been one of my greatest joys as a Football fan, looking forward to games like this Sunday night's.  The battles over the years have been memorable to say the least.

There are few things better than having all the NFC East teams playing at high competitive levels together.  This division, Big Blue, my hatred for the other teams we play twice a year and the long histories of the Giants, Eagles and Redskins organizations, including the Cowboys, are what truly drive me as a fan.

Games like tomorrow are what great seasons are made of.  For me, the ride is so much more enjoyable than the arrival at one's destination.  But if there are greater moments in the Giants' near future, you look back on a game like this and say, "Damn!  That was great; Remember that?!  Autumn is the greatest time of year and Sunday's game is a supreme reason why.

However, as colorful as I try to paint this picture, the reality is this game is never fun until it's over..., and we win.

If you care to catch up with my last two posts leading up to this game, check them out HERE and HERE.

Enjoy Football Sunday!

WEEK 11

November 21, 2010

NEW YORK GIANTS

vs.

Philadelphia Eagles

@

"The LINC",  South Philadelphia

Mike.BTB