PIGSKIN 2015: Week Ten

PIGSKIN

FOOTBALL SUNDAY

Week Ten

RESULTS

Week One 

Week Two 

Week Three 

Week Four 

Week Five
Week Six
Week Seven
Week Eight

Week Nine

Scoreboard:

Week Nine Record:  4-7
Overall Record:  60-46-3
Schmear of the Week:  5-4
Bagels in the Basket:  +14


Pre-Game:
NYG: Jerry Reese Facing a Reality 'Chick


1st and Ten:

• The Undefeated: Patriots, Bengals, Panthers.

• What is up with the NFC North?  Vikes competing with the Pack?  Who honestly saw that coming?   But, when you play in a division with the Bears and Lions, we all kinda shoulda sorta seen it coming.

• The Giants are in first place of the NFC Least.  Ponderous.  They'll be hosting the Patriots.  The Eagles will be travelling to South Beach.  How do you think this will end up?  Yeah, me too.

2nd and Long:

• Look what D-Generation REX did, again!  Buddy Ryan still has progeny to hang a hat on after all.   The old man must have been proud over how his son rumbled through Met Life Stadium like a herd of buffalo in a china shop and stuck it to his former team with a big win over the Jets, while also disrupting the entire AFC Wild Card picture to boot.  Good job, Son!

• If the Oakland Raiders aspire to be WILD, they must first defend the Black Hole from the Vikings.  Meanwhile, Big Ben's ability to stay on the field is becoming a big problem for Pittsburgh.  Todd Bowles' Jets are just becoming a big problem.

No Gain:

• The Colts lead the AFC South with a sub par 4-5 record.  Blame Houston.  C'mon man!

• Watch!  We'll probably go the rest of the season without another word about Greg Hardy.

PUNT!

• That's one small step for Crayola Crayons; one giant leap backwards for the NFL. Wut Is Up with this back to the 1960s Color Rush promotion?  After Thursday's game, I'm convinced the subsequent technicolor saturation telecasts will be best watched on radio.  It looked like an old Star Trek pick-up game between Klingons and Romulans.

WEEK TEN:
Friday Line ~ NYDN

Thursday Night JETS -3 (Bills)
Loss; 22-17 Bills
What a bad time for the Jets to play their worst game of the season.  I think someone got their feet rubbed after the game.

Patriots -7 (GIANTS)
The Curse of Eli?  Don't even fix your face to bring the Giants two Super Bowls over New England into this, or even that one of them came at the expense of a (then, like now..) undefeated Patriots team.  These aren't those Giants.  When it came playoff time, Corey Webster and Aaron Ross became shutdown corners.  The defensive line took care of the rest (because Tom Brady does not scramble).   This Sunday, the Giants will have neither good healthy corners, nor good, much less healthy pass rushers.  I know their defense made a modest appearance last week against the Bucs, and hell, the Patriots are banged up, but... you know.
Loss; 27-26 Patriots

PACKERS -11 (Lions)
Do you think the Packers made Aaron Rogers pay for that iPad/tablet he broke last week in disgust?   I thought pictures and clipboards used to work just fine...  The Ford family only started taking a wrecking ball to the Lions last week.  Gotta give them a few more decades to turn things around.
Loss; 18-16 Lions

Cowboys +2 (BUCS)
After watching how Dallas played the Eagles last week, I just feel like throwing them a bone, despite Jerry Jones' spineless position regarding, you know, the guy he called a defensive leader of the team.
Loss; 10-6 Bucs

Panthers -5 1/2 (TITANS)
That's twice I tried putting the mush on Carolina, and twice I failed.  Otherwise, I've picked them all year.  They manhandled the Packers last week, which is why my heart says this is a Trap Game.  My head, though, says learn from my mistakes.
WIN; 27-10 Panthers

RAMS -7 1/2 (Bears)
I like John Fox.  I just don't like his team, or his players, particularly his quarterback.  I also like the Rams bouncing back at home a week after losing a crusher at Minnesota in overtime.
Loss; 37-13 Bears

D.C. HOGS +1 (Saints)
Buddy Ryan must be absolutely sickened over his other son's defensive mismanagement. Right now, Rob Ryan is like the fourth pig whom built his house out of wet toilet paper.  His plan seems to be letting opposing offenses tire themselves out.  At least the Hogs still have a defensive backbone, I think.  By the way, how's that name change going?
WIN; 47-14 Hogs

Eagles -6 (Dolphins)
I'd really love reverting to my season opening thought regarding the Fish - that they'd be feisty, and give teams problems, minus the wins.  This won't be an easy cover for the Eagles, but cover they will.
Loss; 20-19 Dolphins

Browns +5 1/2 (STEELERS)
Note to Coach Pettine, your team sucks Bro!  You want Johnny Manziel learning how to become a more traditional quarterback?  Then, start him!  With a 2-7 record, you're deliberating whether to get eaten by sharks or mauled by lions.  You're gonna get fired eventually, so just start him.  BTW, Big Ben is probably OUT, again.  At best, he'll be ineffective playing on one good leg.
Loss; 30-9 Steelers

Jaguars +6 (RAVENS)
These are two teams literally passing each other in the night while heading in opposite directions.  In the blink of an eye, Baltimore became one of the most inconsequential teams in all the NFL.  They've sunken to the Jaguars level this season, in the same manner Ravens fans will be sinking in their seats by halftime.
WIN; 22-20 Jaguars

RAIDERS -3 (Vikings)
The Vikings are 7-1 vs. the spread this year.  How about that?  Let me know how that works out for them in the Black Hole this week.
Loss; 30-14 Vikings

BRONCOS -6 (Chiefs)
Peyton Manning can struggle, and still be free to break all the records he wants.  The Broncos defense got this.
Loss; 29-13 Chiefs

Cardinals +3 (SEAHAWKS)
This is my sentimental upset.  The Cardinals have been pursuing the Seahawks for a few years now.   This might finally be their day.
WIN; 39-32 Cardinals


Schmear of the Week:
Packers -11
LOSS

Guten Appetit:
With Thanksgiving around the corner, I'm keeping it simple. Just getting a six-footer, some antipasto, and some other traditional salads on the side.  I think a chips/salsa inferno is in order.  The weather keeps screaming Guinness at me, so I keep listening.


Good Luck, and have a great Football Sunday everyone!



Post-Game
Week Ten Record:  4-9
Overall Record:  64-55-3
Schmear of the Week:  5-5
Bagels in the Basket:  +6