PIGSKIN ~ Football Sunday; WEEK ONE

National Football League

2011

"Football Sunday"

WEEK ONE

Who knows what will happen in Week One.  Training camps were compromised by the Lock-Out; new rules regarding practices and full contact drills; among other changes implemented in the new collective bargaining agreement may very well provide a very entertaining; if not sloppy; Opening Sunday of Football.


But I will say this much with confidence; stick with the Over in every game.  I believe Defenses will be far behind Offenses for at least the first two weeks.



Before we get started; a message from the author -

If you're going to the game Sunday; any game; don't beat anybody up! 

Thank you.  That is all. 

OK.  That said, let's do this.



Here's How This Works:
One Game = One Bagel.
SHMEAR of the WEEK = Three Bagels.


WEEK ONE ~ BTB's Big Bagel Roll Out:
(Friday's Line NYDN)


*Giants -3 (REDSKINS)
I'm not going to laugh because Rex Grossman was named starting QB for the Skins this week.  This is still a Mike Shannahan team we're talking about.  And the Giants have enough of their own problems.  But yeah; it's the Redskins.  And I haven't worried about winning a game in Washington D.C. since Bill Parcells was Head Coach.  So, I'm not about to start now.  Besides, I still think the Skins have been run like a joke since Daniel Snyder bought the team and Shannahan hasn't been there long enough yet to change things around and get things working his way.
LOSS; 28-14 Redskins
I'll have a lot to say about this!



*Cowboys +5 (NY JETS)
This is based purely on match-ups; Tony Romo against an old linebacker corp., and no real Jets' pass rush to speak of up front.  It's old news.  To beat the Cowboys, the Jets are best served keeping Romo in the pocket.  If the Jets let him move the pocket on them, Gang Green could be in big trouble.  I'm only thinking the Cowboys can cover the five points.  I'm not saying the Jets can't win.  But what Jet fan isn't eagerly anticipating a discernible change in Brian Schottenheimer's play calling, and removal of the proverbial leash on Sanchez?  Jets should be able to do just enough to win.
WIN; 27-24 Jets


Steelers +2 (RAVENS)
Big Ben wasn't around to start the season last year due to a suspension.  So I'm looking for PITT to jump out to a fast start this season.  It's probably folly to bagel-up against the Ravens at home.  I just have a hard time not taking PITT whenever! they get points.  And like I said up-top; I think Defenses will be struggling tomorrow.  Big Ben is best when he's stumblin' and bumblin' out of the pocket, so he'll figure out how to use Baltimore's aggression against them...(in a purely week one kind of way).
LOSS; 35-7 Ravens
Seven Steelers' turn-overs?  Go figure.



Lions +1 1/2 (BUCS)
Hey..., now that Matt Millen is long gone and far away from the organization, the Lions are a team on the rise.  The Bucs just try to outwork you.  They are as predictable as a Jennifer Aniston movie.  Take the points.
WIN; 27-20 Lions



Falcons -3 (BEARS)
The Bears think this is the 1950's.  They are terribly one-dimensional on both sides of the ball.  Nothing and nobody sticks out.  Everybody looks like Red Grange running on old film.  They are collectively average, which I guess makes them, relatively decent to mildly good?  Whatever, the Falcons are no joke and will win handily in Chicago.
LOSS; 30-12 Bears
Who were those guys? And what the hell happened to the Falcons?



CHIEFS -6 (Bills)
The only reason this spread isn't bigger is because the Kansas City Chiefs aren't that good either.  But the fact of the matter is, the Buffalo Bills have more problems than a math book.
LOSS; 41-7 Bills
They said, Kiss My Abbicuss.  Is this to say the way Buffalo ended last season was no fluke?



TEXANS -9 (Colts)
That seems like a lot-o-bagels to roll (-9)  ...But everyone seems to be saying the same thing; no Peyton Manning; no Indianapolis Colts.  And my Spidey Sense tells me there will be no miracle back-up QB story for the Colts season either.  What the hell, lay the points.  This seems like a perfect time for Murphy's Law.
WIN; 34-7 Texans


Eagles -5 (RAMS)
Here's the problem.  The Rams are a vastly improved Defensive team.  But they still struggle mightily on the Offensive side of the ball.  The Eagles made a big splash this off-season.  Now it's time for them to put all that hype into perspective.  Five points is showing the Rams and Coach Spags a lot of respect.  But I will give Philly, and more specifically Coach Reid, the benefit of the doubt and say they cover.
WIN; 31-13 Eagles




BROWNS -6 1/2 (Bengals)
The Browns are a SLEEPER!  They will destroy the Bengals; A) Because the Bengals are that bad, and B) the Browns knocked on a lot of doors last season.  This season, they bust some of them open (within their division).
LOSS; 27-17 Bengals
It's time this SLEEPER heard the alarm clock and woke up!  Hello?  They should be ashamed of themselves.  No better yet; I should be shamed.  I made the same mistake all year last season with the Browns.



JAGUARS -2 (Titans)
This is the toughest game for me to judge.  All I know is that the Titans are a mess right now.
PUSH; 16-14 Jaguars


CARDINALS -7 (Panthers)
See Jaguars/Titans game.  All I know is that the Panthers are a mess right now.
PUSH; 28-21 Cardinals


Seahawks +5 (49ERS)
Here it is folks! - The upset of the day.  This is a battle between two head coaches that not only have nothing to lose, but are both completely out of their minds.  For pure entertainment, this might be the game of the day.
LOSS; 33-17 49ers




CHARGERS -9 (Vikings)
This is my least confident pick in the lot because that's a lot of bagels.  But if anyone is going to take out his ever-mounting frustrations out on another team and want to get started post-haste, it's Phillip Rivers.  He's going to be one angry-ass QB this year, and we just might see the best season of his career thus far, in 2011.   The Vikings?  See Panthers; Titans.
LOSS; 24-17 Chargers



**SHMEAR OF THE WEEK:  (0-1)
Falcons -3 (BEARS)
LOSS

That's sixteen bagels heading into the oven.

Happy Football Sunday Everyone.  And Good Luck.


POST-GAME:
Record after WEEK ONE:  4-7-2
SHMEAR of the WEEK:  0-1
BAGELS in the BASKET:  -8


Mike.BTB