Week 8 Picks in the National...... Football..........League!

I have a few things I need to get off my chest before we get into the Week 8 picks. First, why can't the NFL schedule all the byes into a two week period? I hate how the bye weeks start in Week 4 and go until Week 10 or 11. Let's just give 16 teams a bye week at Week 9, and then the rest of the 16 teams a bye week at Week 10. That way everyone gets a bye week in the middle of the season, and it is actually beneficial. Also, it will avoid teams like Atlanta having to play three straight games against teams coming off bye weeks. If 16 teams have off, that still leaves 16 teams to play on Sunday and Monday Night for a total of eight games. You can have four early games, two late games, one Sunday Night game, and the MNF game. Plus, the Week 9 or 10 usually falls on the weekend of the World Series, so you can go without a Sunday Night game for one of the bye weeks. It makes sense. Instead of worrying about putting games in London, building a stadium in Los Angeles for a team that doesn't exist there now, and adding two more games to the season, the NFL should be fixing this bye week mess it created years ago. Also, many people are wondering if the Broncos would be 6-0 with Mike Shanahan and Jay Cutler at the helm of the franchise. I think it is tough to say because if Shanny was still the coach, then Bob Slowik would still be the DC. Also, who knows if Pat Bowlen would have given Shanny the freedom to sign the amount of players that Josh McDaniels signed in the offseason. There are too many variables to really get a definitive answer, but I would say that Denver would probably be at least 4-2. They always got off to good starts under Shanahan, and Cutler would have another year in the system with all that offensive talent that the Broncos have. Lastly, I don't know how either situation will play out this year, but I still think at the end of the year Cutler and McDaniels are going to think about how good the two of them would have been for each other in Denver. Onto the picks for Week 8....

Last Week's Record: 8-5

Overall Record: 51-50-2

(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)

CHICAGO (-13) over Cleveland: The Bears were terrible against the Bengals last week, but they get the perfect rebound game at home against the Browns. Cutler lights it up and the Bears roll easily to get to 4-3.

Houston (-3) over BUFFALO: I don't trust Houston, but I'm going with them in this spot. The Bills have played hard the last two weeks and save their season with road wins over the Jets and Panthers. This is the type of game that the Bills lose in the Dick Jauron Era. Unfortunately, this is the kind of game that the Texans lose in the Gary Kubiak Era. I'll take Houston close.

Minnesota (+3) over GREEN BAY: Brett Favre returns to Lambeau. This is one of the most anticipated regular season games in my lifetime. It ranks up there with 2007 Pats-Giants, 2007 Colts-Pats, 1990 Giants-49ers, 1994 49ers-Cowboys, and 1985 Bears-Dolphins. The Vikings take command of the NFC North in this statement game of their year.

San Francisco (+13) over INDIANAPOLIS: I just have a hunch that the 49ers will hang around with the Colts this week. Indy is due for a close game. I see Indy winning 20-17.

NEW YORK JETS (-3) over Miami: A lot of people will pick the Dolphins to beat the Jets because the Jets lost Kris Jenkins for the season, and Miami can run the ball effectively. Football doesn't work that easy. Miami does not do a good job of controlling the situations that they put their offense in; therefore, the Jets take control of the game and pound the ball themselves with Shonn Greene and Thomas Jones. The Jets win by 10 points.

DETROIT (-4) over St. Louis: Right now the Rams are worse than the Lions. This game shouldn't even be shown anywhere in the country. The Lions win the "Toilet Bowl" with a score of 9-3.

Seattle (+9) over DALLAS: I'm going to ride the Seahawks until they are dead in the NFC West. Dallas is up and down, and the Seahawks pull the upset in Big D.

SAN DIEGO (-15) over Oakland: The Chargers have won like 50 in a row over the Raiders. The demise of the Chargers is overrated, especially when they beat up on Kansas City last week, and they get to feast on the Raiders this week.

TENNESSEE (-3) over Jacksonville: The Titans get revenge for the 37-3 beating the Jags inflicted on them in Week 4. Tennessee gets their first win of the year. The only suspense in this game is if Vince Young will start or play a lot.

Carolina (+10) over ARIZONA: The Cardinals have beaten me the last two weeks, but I'm going against them again. The Panthers haven't played well all year, and there is a chance this good be 21-0 Cards after the first quarter, but Carolina shows up and plays hard this week. They cover and might even pull off the outright upset.

New York Giants (PICK) over PHILADELPHIA: What a sports day in Philly on Sunday. Giants-Eagles from the Link at 1, followed by World Series Game 4 Yanks-Phillies. The Giants have lost two in a row, and they won't lose three in a row. The Giants are the better team and show it on Sunday.

NEW ORLEANS (-9) over Atlanta: The Falcons are not the same team on the road. The Saints get off to fast starts at home. That is a bad combination. The Saints jump out early on the Falcons, and the Dirty Birds can't recover. The Saints will remain undefeated.

BALTIMORE (-3) over Denver: This is tough game for the Broncos. The Ravens are 3-3, but they could easily be 6-0 or at the least 5-1. They lost to NE on a dropped pass, got beat by Carson Palmer late against Cincy, and rallied from 20 down against Minnesota in the fourth and lost on missed field goal at the end. Denver will have trouble being balanced on offense this game. The Broncos will try to attack the Raven corners, but the Ravens could get pressure on Kyle Orton. The Baltimore offense now has a dual threat with Joe Flacco and Ray Rice. The Bronco secondary should be able to cover the Ravens' wideouts, but Rice is the "X Factor." The Broncos undefeated run ends in Baltimore. Final Score: Baltimore-23 Denver-16

Week 7 Picks!

As the 6-0 Broncos head into their bye week, one statistic that I keep thinking about is the fact that since Week 2 Denver's defense has only allowed two first down conversions on third down in the second half. Think about that for a second. In a five game span, 10 quarters, against the likes of Tony Romo, Tom Brady and Philip Rivers, the Broncos have given up a first down only twice on all of their third down conversion situations. That is the main reason why they are standing atop the AFC West undefeated. Anyway, as Denver goes into the bye week, I need to step up my game and get over the hump on my picks. I currently stand two games below .500, so I'm poised for a big week to get me going and on the plus side. Here we go with Week 7 picks......

Last Week's Record: 7-7

Overall Record: 43-45-2

(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)

San Diego (-5) over KANSAS CITY: I can't put the nail in San Diego's coffin until they are officially dead and buried. The Chargers aren't the same Chargers right now, but I think they do enough to get by the Chiefs in Arrowhead.

Indianapolis (-13) over ST. LOUIS: Wouldn't be cool if the Rams left St. Louis and moved back to Los Angeles? With news that L.A. has cleared the last obstacle to get their new football stadium constructed, and the fact that the Rams are for sale, maybe a return to the left coast would be a good thing for the Rams franchise. We know the NFL would love it. In any event, Peyton Manning should have some fun at the expense of the Ram secondary. Colts continue their undefeated march.

CINCINNATI (-1) over Chicago: Jay Cutler's performance last Sunday night in the loss to the Falcons, summarized everything he did in Denver. He made some sick throws, kept his team in the game, and he almost carried his team to the victory. Of course, he also threw two costly interceptions, including one in the red zone, and his team lost a close one. Cutler is a franchise QB, but he is a few close losses away from getting the label of "Great QB Who Can't Win a Big Game." I like the Bengals in this one because they are going to ticked off after their performance last week against Houston. Carson Palmer outduels Cutler.

CLEVELAND (+8) over Green Bay: I have just a hunch on this one. You can always make the case for an underdog who is playing at home against a team from the opposite conference. Call it a lack of familiarity for the Packers against the Browns. The Browns shock the Pack in a rematch of the 1965 NFL Championship.

PITTSBURGH (-4) over Minnesota: I loved the Steelers all week. After quietly taking care of business the last two weeks over Division 1-AA Detroit and Cleveland, the Steelers will knock the Vikings off the perch of the undefeated. I'm thinking three picks for the Steeler defense.

TAMPA BAY (+15) over New England (In London): The Pats will win, but the Bucs will cover the double digit spread. Also, can we please end the International Series in London? It is the dumbest idea the NFL has thought of since the two bye weeks back in 1993. I hate the London game.

San Francisco (+4) over HOUSTON: The Texans win on the road last week at Cincy was so typical for them the last few years. Everyone will buy back into the Texans, but I can't do it just yet. The Niners continue to surprise in a game that many people believe they will lose. Gary Kubiak's seat gets hotter after this loss.

New York Jets (-6) over OAKLAND: Last year, the Raiders actually showed up and played hard when they defeated the Jets in October, Denver in November, and Tampa Bay in Week 17. The Raiders showed up in Week 1 against San Diego, beat KC in Arrowhead in Week 2, and upset Philly last week. The Raiders go back to being the Raiders at least for another month. Things aren't so bad as Jet fans may claim. Forget about rookie QB, Mark Sanchez. The real worry for the Jets is the performance of head coach Rex Ryan. He has been awful the last two weeks. In any case, the Jets and Sanchez show up to play on Sunday and pound the Raiders.

CAROLINA (-6) over Buffalo: This game was actually tough for me to pick. I loved how the Bills played last week, and by losing Trent Edwards that could actually be a positive. Bills fans are calling Edwards, "Trentative Edwards" and "Checkdown Trent." As bad as Carolina started the season, they have gutted out two wins in a row. The Panthers get their third straight on Sunday.

MIAMI (+6) over New Orleans: The Saints can score on anyone, but the Dolphins are the best underdog team to pick. Miami is at home, can pound the shit out of the ball, and control the clock. The Saints are due for a letdown after the big win over the Giants, and Atlanta looming next week.

DALLAS (-4) over Atlanta: The Falcons are for real, but Dallas does enough to win a close game by a touchdown. The Cowboys will be in the playoff hunt all year, and the Falcons are just a different team on the road.

NEW YORK GIANTS (-7) over Arizona: The G-Men were embarrassed last week by the Saints. They will be waiting like a pack of wolves for the Cardinals to make their cross country trip to the Meadowlands. This game won't even be close.

Philadelphia (-7) over Washington: As much as the league and the teams change, one thing stays the same in Philly. Every year, the Eagles lose a game to a really crappy team, and everyone starts to doubt Donovan McNabb and Andy Reid. It wouldn't be crazy to pick the Redskins, but when your head coach had his play calling duties stripped of an offense he brought in, then you just can't pick them. Philly in a snoozer on MNF.

Lights Out for Chargers in San Diego

Move over San Diego, there is a new sheriff in town in the AFC West. The Denver Broncos defeated the San Diego Chargers on Monday Night Football to take a 3 1/2 game lead in the division and move their undefeated record to 6-0. I think we can confirm now that the Broncos are for real. This was a big test- on the road, division rival, and a supposedly superior team- and the Broncos aced it. The 34-23 win over the Chargers in the Whale's Vagina could potentially be the statement game in this season. It was so satisfying to beat the Chargers because of the dominance the Chargers has established over the Broncos the last three. Maybe this game turns the series around and shifts the balance of power just like it was shifted when the Chargers beat the Broncos in Mile High in 2006. As far as the game goes here are my thoughts. First, the big series of the first half was when Denver trailed 10-7. After Phillip Rivers hit Vincent Jackson for a touchdown pass, Denver needed to respond with points. Kyle Orton completed a few big passes on the drive and Denver was able to get a field goal to make it 10-10. Obviously, Eddie Royal's two returns were fantastic, but that drive was huge to get points. The other big aspect of the game, was how the defense completely shut down Rivers and the Charger offense. The Broncos defense get coming and coming the entire second half and harassed and dismantled the Charger offensive unit. I think Jon Gruden's quote for ESPN said it best. He commented, "The Bronco defense are a like sharks smelling blood in the water." Philip Rivers must have been shellshocked to face this new Bronco defense. Down 23-17, Kyle Orton went to work again and found Tony Scheffler on a hookup to take a 24-23 lead late in the third quarter. Once again, Denver's offense exploited a favorable matchup on the defense. Tony Scheffler killed the Charger secondary all day long. An Elvis Dumervil sack and strip of Philip Rivers, and the final nail in the coffin delivered by Orton to Brandon Stokley put the game away late in the fourth. It was one of the most satisfying wins in recent memory. The Broncos are 6-0 for the first time since 1998. The team has a commanding lead in the AFC West, and they head into their bye week as the surprise of the NFL. Monday Night in San Diego was the crossroads. Hopefully, this year the Broncos will stay on the right road and not collapse down the stretch. Perhaps this game has changed the balance of power in the AFC West. Can we start to talk about Super Bowl aspirations? I won't go there because I'm buying into Josh McDaniels philosophy of one game at a time. I'll take that approach and enjoy the bye week. The Broncos are 6-0, on top of the AFC West, and the story of the NFL. All I can say is that I'm going to enjoy the ride and enjoy the journey.

Week 6 Picks Are Here!

Last Week (8-5-1)

Overall Record (36-38-2)

(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)

Kansas City (+6) over WASHINGTON- The Jim Zorn watch continues. Jon Gruden in Washington in 2010 sounds pretty good.

Houston (+5) over CINCINNATI- The Bengals let down at home after an emotional win at Baltimore. I can't figure Houston out. This is a make or break game for Kubiak and the Texans. I'll take them one more week.

PITTSBURGH (-14 ) over Cleveland- The Browns got their first win last week. The Stillers couldn't cover over Detroit. Both of those facts mean a beat down at Heinz Field on Sunday.

Baltimore (+3) over MINNESOTA- I still don't believe in the 5-0 Vikings. The Ravens will attack and attack Brett Favre all day long. I like the Ravens to win it by more than a touchdown.

JACKSONVILLE (-8) over St. Louis- I feel bad for anyone that has to watch this game. If this was the game on in my area, that would make me go buy DirecTV on the spot. The Jags in the Chris Myers-Trent Green matchup of the week.

NEW ORLEANS (-3) over New York Giants- Best game of the week. I love this matchup. I will take the Saints based on these facts: Drew Brees, The Superdome, and Eli's suspect heel. The Saints win it 27-20.

Carolina (-3) over TAMPA BAY- The Bucs are feisty, but I gotta think that the Panthers can get this one on the road. If Carolina loses, then Bill Cowher can get his resume ready for Charlotte in 2010.

GREEN BAY (-13) over Detroit- The Lions are walking into a rough one on Sunday. Green Bay is angry and rested after their defeat at the hands of Minnesota two weeks ago. The Pack roll at home.

Philadelphia (-13) over OAKLAND- The difference between the good teams and shitty teams in the NFL is huge this year. It is not even close. Philly rolls easily in the Black Hole.

SEATTLE (-3) over Arizona- The Seahawks are such a different team with Matt Hasselback and when they are at home. The Cards shocked me with their win over Houston last week. Seattle takes care of business in this pivotal NFC West matchup.

NEW YORK JETS (-8) over Buffalo- The Jet fans are all jumping off the cliff after their head coach completely mismanaged the end of the game against Miami on Monday Night. Good thing for Jet fans because they get Buffalo this week. The Jets rebound nicely and get back on the winning track. Buffalo is awful and their game against Cleveland last week was worse than a high school game.

Tennessee (+9) over NEW ENGLAND- I don't know why but I like the Titans this week. I don't think they are that bad to be 0-5, and sooner or later they are going to get it going. Everyone loves the Pats this week, so why not take a shot with the Titans. Whatever happens this week, just remember that the real Tom Brady will be back soon, and the Patriots will get going very soon.

ATLANTA (-3) over Chicago- The Falcons at home are a tough team to beat. I love them in this game. Cutler is good on the road because he is so good, and when he makes big plays on the road it can kill the home crowd. This is a good Sunday Night game and should be entertaining, but I see a Michael Turner late touchdown run to seal the game for the Falcons.

SAN DIEGO (-4) over Denver- The last time Denver visited the Whale's Vagina Mike Shanahan was the head coach, Jay Cutler was the QB, and the AFC West title was on the line. San Diego destroyed Denver 52-21 and the game sent Denver's franchise into shockwaves and instability. This time Denver comes in 5-0 and San Diego is doubting themselves at 2-2. I know that San Diego is due and is desperate, but their defense is not the same that it once was. The Broncos should be able to move the ball, but the Broncos have to finish drives with touchdowns not field goals. The pressure is this game is on San Diego not Denver. The Chargers were supposed to be the big dogs of the AFC West, and they have been overshadowed by Denver's fast start. I think this game comes down to the Denver defense vs. the San Diego offense. The Broncos must get after Philip Rivers. He is a gamer, and I think he does enough to help the Chargers pull away. I see the Chargers pulling out the victory and keeping themselves in the AFC West race. The Broncos will get their revenge next time. The Chargers win in by 10. Final Score: San Diego-27 Denver 17

Are the Broncos Really 5-0?!?!

The Broncos extended their surprising start to 2009 with a 20-17 overtime win over New England on Sunday. The win gives Denver its' first 5-0 start since the 1998 Super Bowl season. The Broncos win over the Pats proved a few things. First, Josh McDaniels has done a very good job so far. Aside from all the distractions and offseason turmoil, McDaniels has proved what he was brought to Denver to do- he can flat out coach football. He implemented his own version of the "Wildcat," and he forced Bill Belichick to burn a timeout early in the game. When you are forcing Belichick to take timeouts like a basketball coach, you know you are doing well. Also, Denver was able to throw the ball at will out of that formation because they knew that New England couldn't change coverages in that look. McDaniels' handle of game management, attention to detail and game planning has been very impressive through his first set of games as an NFL head coach. Secondly, Kyle Orton is very underrated. He can make every throw. When you go 35-48 for 330 yards and two touchdowns against the Pats, then you are pretty damn good. His two touchdown drives were both over 90 yards, and he put together a nice drive to set up the game winner in overtime. Yeah, he is no Jay Cutler, but the guy does enough to win games. He is 26-12 as an NFL starter, and a lot of QBs would take that winning percentage. Thirdly, the defense makes great adjustments after halftime. It is so refreshing to watch a Bronco game and know that the defense will settle down and pitch a doughnut in the second half. It happened twice the past two weeks and the opponents were Dallas and New England. Mike Nolan continues to dial up the right blitz, and different guys take different turns at making the big play. Vonnie Holiday game up big with his strip sack of Tom Brady near the end of the game to send the game into OT. When was the last time a Denver defense made a huge stop like that on defense in a big game? Throw in the fact that it was against Brady and the Patriot offense, and it is completely stunning. Lastly, the Broncos are buying into McDaniels' program and the "Us vs. the World" mentality. Anytime you can get a team to believe in the fact that no one else believes in them, it can really motivate and help a team get going. Look, after the offseason that Denver endured, no one thought they would be 5-0. I'm stunned and so is everyone else, but as I said before I am just enjoying this ride. The offense is coming along, I and I really enjoy watching this defense every week. Seeing McDaniels get emotional after the win on Sunday was fun and contagious. Many people are starting to believe in these Broncos and why not? I'm going to enjoy this ride and see where it takes us. Who knows maybe McDaniels and company have some more thrills up their sleeves. For now though, the Broncos are back to respectability, and they head to San Diego for a date with the Chargers Monday Night. A lot has changed since the last time Denver was in San Diego. Here's hoping the ride continues.

Week 5 Picks!

A few thoughts on Denver's 4-0 start. There are a few settings or scenes in the NFL that are noteworthy. Lambeau Field in Green Bay, the old Soldier Field in Chicago, the beat up RFK Stadium in D.C, the old Orange Bowl in Miami, Pittsburgh's cookie-cutter Three Rivers Stadium, and Denver's old Mile High Stadium come to mind as some of the best in my generation. A game just feels different when it was played at one of those stadiums. Although the old Mile High has been knocked down and demolished, that stadium just had a feeling to it. I can't really explain it, but when there was a big game or a primetime game, and it was from Denver's Mile High, it just felt special and unique. It hasn't really translated over to the new Broncos' stadium- Invesco Field at Mile High. Since Denver has moved into the new stadium in 2001, the best atmosphere was the 2005 playoff run. The Divisional Round victory over the Patriots felt like an old Mile High game, and the scene for the AFC Championship felt like an old 1980s Elway-Browns AFC title moment-except for the fact that Pittsburgh ruined the moment and buried the Broncos 34-17. Sunday's win over the Cowboys made me feel like maybe some of that Mile High magic is back. The atmosphere seemed really on par with some of the older Mile High crowds. Although the Cowboy fans travel well, the setting was perfect. Late game, national television, and Denver on a big stage. The Broncos are one of the top draws in the NFL. They have a unique spot in the league. They have become one of the flagship teams of the AFC in the past 30 years. Perhaps this new revival and new chapter of Broncos football can really bring back the home field advantage that Denver hasn't enjoyed since it moved into the new Mile High. Also, I loved hearing Josh McDaniels mic'd up for Sunday's game against Dallas. The way he was ripping the refs, talking to Orton and the offense, congratulating his team, rooting on the defense at the end, and the hug with Brian Dawkins was some really good television. I was impressed. It seems like McD was simply born to be a head coach in the NFL someday. Finally, the Broncos are a surprising 4-0, but maybe we shouldn't be so surprised. They got better on defense because they added a new DC, some unknown role player free agents, a veteran All Pro Safety, and they stressed fundamentals like tackling. Their offensive line was considered one of the best before the season, and everyone raved about the talented skill players at TE, WR, and RB. Orton was the question mark, but other than that it's not like Denver was starting from scratch with a 1-15 team and rookie QB. Let's hope the fun continues with the brutal four game stretch ahead of us. Onto the picks for Week 5.......

Last Week's Record (8-6)

Overall Record (28-33-1)

(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)

Minnesota (-9) over ST.LOUIS- Favre looked great on Monday Night. I'm still not sold on the Vikes, but they are starting to resemble a 12-4, first round bye kind of look.

KANSAS CITY (+8) over Dallas- Dallas and Tony Romo are overrated. Can we start penciling in Mike Shanahan in Dallas right now? I'm waiting for the Matt Cassel-KC breakout game. This might be it.

CAROLINA (-3) over Washington- Easiest game to pick on the board.

Tampa Bay (+15) over PHILADELPHIA- Giving 15 is too much. I think the Bucs are feisty, and Philly gives one of those ho-hum performances that they give every year when they are huge favorites over crappy teams. Philly wins, but they win ugly.

NEW YORK GIANTS (-14) over Oakland- The Giants are the anti-Raiders. Very professional, great ownership, fantastic organizational structure, and take care of business on the field. JaMarcus Russell vs. the Giants Defense- not a good matchup for Raider fans. Giants win big.

Cleveland (+6) over BUFFALO- Buffalo is done. They are shot. The Browns play loosey goosey and steal their first victory.

BALTIMORE (-7) over Cincinnati- I loved the Ravens in this one. Baltimore is too good at home for Cincy to pull the upset. Ravens harass Carson Palmer all day long.

Pittsburgh (-9) over DETROIT- Steelers jump on the Lions early in what could be a home game for the Steelers at Ford Field.

Atlanta (+3) over SAN FRANCISCO- Good game early in the NFC season. I just think Matt Ryan is really good. The Falcons aren't great on the road, but I'm not ready to buy into the Niners.

Houston (+5) over ARIZONA- Houston is the better team, and they will take care of business. Houston might be making their run. Arizona is in trouble.

SEATTLE (-1) 0ver Jacksonville- Matt Hasselback returns, and so do the Seahawks. Second easiest game to pick this week.

Indianapolis (-4) over TENNESSEE- Peyton Manning is on another level this year. It reminds of Montana in 1989. He just has this look about him this year. The Colts officially end the Titans' season on Sunday Night.

MIAMI (+2) over New York Jets- I love the Dolphins in this game. Many people think that the Jet defense will feast on Chad Henne, but I just have a feeling that the Fish find a way to beat the Jets. I don't know why, but I see Miami-19, Jets-17

New England (-3) over DENVER: Denver's 4-0 start is so surprising that Sports Illustrated put the Broncos on the cover this week. This was the first time Denver was solely featured on the cover of SI since 2003, when Denver started 4-0, and Jake Plummer graced the magazine's cover. What happened the next week in '03? Denver lost to Kansas City 24-23 in the "Dante Hall Memorial" Bowl at Arrowhead. Will the SI Jinx strike the Broncos again in 2009? Forget the Jinx, Tom Brady and Bill Belichick are enough to strike down the Broncos and hand them their first loss. The Pats have put together two solid wins over Atlanta and Baltimore the last two weeks, and they might be able to figure out the Denver defense. If he gets time, Brady can shread any defense. The Broncos will play hard and be in the game, but I see the Pats taking over and finishing off Denver early in the fourth. Final Score: Patriots-27 Denver-17

The Orange Crush is Back in Denver!

The Denver Broncos won back to back Super Bowls in the late 90s with an explosive offense and a opportunistic defense. Trust me, Denver's defensive units in 1997 and 1998 were not lock down groups, but they made enough big plays and turnovers to compliment that historic offense. It seemed from then on that was the only way that Denver could get back to the Super Bowl. Everyone forgets they heyday of the suffocating "Orange Crush" defense that fueled Denver's run to Super Bowl XII in 1977. The Broncos were known for hard hitting and stifling defensive teams. For the first four games of 2009, Denver's defense and the orange crush is back. Denver's 17-10 win over Dallas was impressive because of the way the defense played after spotting Dallas to a 10-0 first quarter lead. The Broncos defense forced two turnovers- a strip sack by Renaldo Hill and a pick by Champ Bailey. They harrased Tony Romo, and they completely overwhelmed the offensive line of Dallas- thought to be one of the best in the NFL. The Broncos' defense made big stop after big stop and gave the offense a chance. Kyle Orton's 51 yard TD pass to Brandon Marshall with just under 2 minutes left gave the Broncos the lead, and set up the climatic series by Denver's defense. After Romo hit Sam Hurd on a broken play on fourth and 2, Denver stopped Dallas inside the five. Twice Romo went after Champ Bailey in the end zone and both times the All-Pro knocked the ball away to preserve the victory. The Broncos move to a surprising 4-0, and defense is the story once again at Mile High. The Orange Crush is back...How bout them Broncos?

Week 4 Picks!

Last Week: 7-9

Overall Record: 20-27-1

(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)

HOUSTON (-7) over Oakland

Tennessee (-3) over JACKSONVILLE

NEW ENGLAND (-2) over Baltimore

CLEVELAND (+6) over Cincinnati

KANSAS CITY (+9) over New York Giants

CHICAGO (-9) over Detroit

WASHINGTON (-7) over Tampa Bay

INDIANAPOLIS (-9) over Seattle

New York Jets (+7) over NEW ORLEANS

MIAMI (+1) over Buffalo

SAN FRANCISCO (+8) over St. Louis

San Diego (+6) over PITTSBURGH

Green Bay (+3 ) over MINNESOTA

DENVER (+3) over Dallas: Vegas has not given the Broncos respect all season long. It continues this week when they made the Cowboys a three point favorite in Denver. The Broncos come in 3-0, and this marks their real first big test. A lot of people don't think Denver is for real, and many expect the Cowboys to take care of Denver on their home field. I see this game being really close. I think Dallas will have success running the ball and will get some big plays in the passing game, but I see Denver being very resilient and making some big plays on defense. I think the Broncos will be able to run the ball better than people expect. Look for Kyle Orton to make one more big play than Tony Romo. Final Score: Denver:23 Dallas-20