TNF Pick: Panthers-Saints

New Orleans (-2) over CAROLINA: A battle for first place in the putrid NFC South is on the line on Thursday night. I think the Saints will find a way to get their first road win of the year-even on a short week.

Week 8 Picks!

This week the NFL goes back to London for the second time this year with another game in their International Series featuring the Falcons and Lions. The difference in this game is that the game will kickoff at 1:30pm locally in London, so that means that the game will start at 9:30am here on the East Coast. It sounds like a pretty cool idea to me, and we'll see how it is to watch the game live at that time in the morning, but that might be the only cool thing about the London series at this point. I keep reading articles about how the NFL wants to either expand or move a team to London in the future, and I keep asking myself: Why? Who cares about London? Seriously, I don't mind having a regular season game there every few years, but this year there are three games there, and it looks like there could be almost eight in a few years. I get the idea of expanding markets and tapping into other revenue streams, but the London thing seems to be going too far. Just stop with the nonsense of expanding and putting a team there. If anything, worry about putting a team in Los Angeles or figuring out if the Rams and Raiders can move back there, but please one request for the NFL: Enough with the London stuff!

Onto the picks for Week 8....

Last Week's Record: 7-8
Overall Record: 48-53-5
(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)

Atlanta (+4) over Detroit (In London): I had the Falcons going to the playoffs this year, and at 2-5 they look dead on arrival. Maybe they can muster something this week against the Lions. Perhaps, Detroit will fall into some London hangover in this game, and the Falcons could shock them.

TAMPA BAY (-2) over Minnesota: Easy pick here. The Bucs are due for a big effort at home against the lowly Vikings.

Chicago (+7) over NEW ENGLAND: Going with my gut on this one. The Bears are so quirky that you could see them playing their best game on the year on the road in Foxboro this week. I think this is going to be a back and forth close game throughout.

KANSAS CITY (-6) over St. Louis: You have to like the combination of how the Chiefs are playing with the Royals amazing World Series run for this Sunday.

CAROLINA (+6) over Seattle: This game looks like this to me: Carolina leads the entire game and it looks like Seattle is heading for a 3-4 disaster, but Russell Wilson makes a few plays at the end to save them and win the game 23-22 or something like that.

NY JETS (-2) over Buffalo: The Bills are a 4-3 team, but they aren't really a 4-3 team. The Jets had 10 days off after losing to the Pats last week, and Percy Harvin will be ready to go. The Jets will get the job done at home this week.

Miami (-6) over JACKSONVILLE: Watch out for Miami. That was a big win on the road last week in Chicago.

Houston (-2) over TENNESSEE: Zach Mettenberger gets the start for the Titans, and I am licking my chops at the prospect of J.J. Watt chasing him down all day. I'll take the Texans on the road.

CINCY (PICK) over Baltimore: I just think that the Bengals have the Ravens number. They just match up with them pretty well.

Philadelphia (+3) over ARIZONA: I'll take the Eagles on the road on a hunch. Who would have guessed that this would be the marquee game in the NFC in Week 8?

Indy (-2) over PITTSBURGH: Indy's beatdown of the Bengals sent a message that they are for real at 5-2. I think they are too much for the Steelers in Pittsburgh today.

CLEVELAND (-5) over Oakland: This game is pretty weak. We just want to know when Johnny Football is going to start for the Browns.

NEW ORLEANS (-1) over Green Bay: The Saints season is on the line, so that is why I am picking them here. At 2-4, it is desperate times for them, and I like their chances at home.

Washington (+10) over DALLAS: The Cowboys will win, but they never cover as big home favorites.

Broncos Outlast Chargers 35-21 on Thursday Night Football

You have to look at the last four days and think that the Broncos chances of getting back to the Super Bowl are high after witnessing them demolish the 49ers on Sunday night 42-17 and racing past the Chargers 35-21 on Thursday Night Football. Denver now stands atop the AFC West with a 6-1 record, and they get a mini-bye here as they will have 10 days off before heading to New England to take on the Patriots on November 2^nd. The Broncos built another big lead at home and at 35-14 early in the 4^th quarter, you felt good about their chances to wrap this one up. There were a few moments in the final quarter that made you worry just a little bit, but Rahim Moore’s interception of Phillip Rivers put that all to rest. It was a solid win for the Broncos, who have looked really good since losing to the Seahawks in overtime in Week 3. Here are my thoughts and observations on the game…..

1)    After punting on their first two drives, Peyton Manning got dialed in and there was no stopping him from that point. His throw to Emmanuel Sanders on a deep post for 38 yards was a great throw and an even better catch by Sanders to go get it. Sanders hauled in the first touchdown in the back of the end zone on a rollout from Manning to make it 7-0. Sanders totaled three touchdowns on the night to go with his 9 receptions for 120 yards. Sanders brings an element to the Broncos that they didn’t have with Eric Decker last year-plus he was cheaper. It is really starting to click with Manning and Sanders.

2)    Manning was his usual magnificent self. He finished 25-35 for 286 yards and 3 touchdowns. After getting fooled a little bit on the first two drives, he came back and was on fire the rest of the way. You can fool Manning a few times, but after a while he will figure it out, and he did.

3)    Demaryius Thomas continues his amazing month of October. He finished with 8 catches for 105 yards. I love the catch and runs that Thomas makes-especially on deep in cuts over the middle. He continues to dominate and his route-running last night was just incredible.

4)    At 7-7, Denver caught a break when the official overturned a fumble by Andre Caldwell on a kick return. The Broncos got possession and on that drive Manning threw a touchdown to Sanders on a go route to make it 14-7 with just 32 seconds left in the half. That was the turning point for me.

5)    Great job by the Broncos to extend their lead in the second half. Manning found Sanders on another sweet play for a short touchdown pass to make it 21-7, and then a big pass to Ronnie Hillman down to the three on a blitz set up a Juwan Thompson touchdown run to make it 28-7. I like the play design with Thompson at fullback in the I formation and just letting him dive over the guard for the touchdown.

6)    Hillman had another big day running the ball, and Montee Ball might not get his job back when he returns from injury. Hillman just seems to hit the hole faster than Ball. Hillman ran for 109 yards on the night. You have to go with the hot hand and right now that is Hillman. Plus, he made some big catch and runs in the passing game.

7)    You knew the Chargers weren’t going to go away quietly, and Phillip Rivers never does in any game against Denver, so to see him hit Antonio Gates on a 4^th and goal touchdown to cut it to 28-14 late in the third wasn’t surprising. Also, the hit Gates again for another touchdown to make it 35-21 midway through the 4^th quarter. Rivers is like a cockroach, you just can’t kill him off.

8)    Once again, the Broncos defense was great for most of the game. Chris Harris’ interception on the first drive of the third quarter set up a Broncos touchdown to make it 21-7. Rahim Moore had a huge interception late in the 4^th quarter with the Broncos up 35-21 and the Chargers threatening to make it a one score game. Moore went up and grabbed it out of the air on a deep ball to make the play. Also, Von Miller was all over Rivers, and he was dominating once again against the run. Brandon Marshall continues to shine in his role as Danny Trevathan’s replacement. Marshall was all over the field last night. Also, the defense completely shut down the running game of San Diego.

9)    The Broncos definitely caught some breaks in this game. They got the official to overturn Caldwell’s fumble, they recovered a fumble by Sanders in the 4^th quarter, and they were the beneficiary of a lot of penalties on the Chargers. You take it when you get it because these things usually even out over the course of the year.

10) I was a little surprised that John Fox elected to try a 53 yard field goal on 4^th and 11 in the 4^th quarter. At 35-21, punt the ball and make San Diego go the length of the field to try and make it a one score game. Instead, Brandon McManus shanked the kick, and the Chargers had the ball with good field position. Thank God for Rahim Moore’s interception on that next drive. I didn’t like the decision by Fox, and I don’t trust McManus at this point. He has missed two field goal, and both were over 50 yards. I am worried about our kicker going forward. 

11) Overall, it was a solid win over a good team, but the Chargers aren't going anywhere, and they will be a different team and a challenge when the Broncos head their in December. At 6-1, the Broncos are flying. Both sides of the ball are getting it done at this point, but it is still a long way to go. As a Broncos fan, you have to just focus on that week and not look too far ahead. Denver now has 10 days to get ready for the Patriots and another Brady-Manning showdown in Foxboro on November 2nd. 

TNF Pick: Broncos-Chargers

DENVER (-6) over San Diego: Here is why I like the Broncos in this game: The Chargers are coming off a tough loss to the Chiefs and now have to travel to Denver for the short week. Denver lost to San Diego last year on a Thursday night in Mile High, so that will put the Broncos on notice. They know that the Chargers are good at 5-2, and they need to be at their best to beat their division rival. The Chargers are due for a stinker this year because their two losses were very close. Also, Peyton Manning is facing a Chargers team without Brandon Flowers and possibly Jason Verrett at CB. I might regret it, but I’ll take the Broncos on Thursday night.

Final Score: Broncos-27 Chargers-20

Broncos Thrash Niners 42-17, Manning Sets the TD Record

The storyline coming from Denver’s 42-17 demolition of the 49ers on Sunday Night Football was how Peyton Manning broke Brett Favre’s record for TD passes all-time. The one thing that wasn’t discussed was how the Broncos dominated the Niners and put together their best game of the season. This was their signature win of the year and put the Broncos at 5-1. Here are my thoughts and observations about the game….

1)    There isn’t anything else that you can say about Peyton Manning, but to watch him break Favre’s record was very special. You could see how much it meant to Manning to get to 510 touchdown passes for his career. Each pass was different, and each touchdown pass put the Broncos up and added to their blowout. Manning’s first touchdown pass was to Emmanuel Sanders gave Denver a 7-0 lead, and it was nice to see Sanders get his first touchdown of the year. The second touchdown pass was a sweet play when Manning faked the quick WR screen to Demaryius Thomas and he hit Wes Welker all alone down the sideline and a 14-0 lead in the 1^st quarter. The third touchdown pass that broke the record was a really great throw by Manning to Demaryius Thomas in the front corner of the endzone. You could see that Manning put everything into that throw to get the record. That score made it 21-3, and Denver was on a roll.

2)    Give the Broncos credit for not letting the Niners back into the game. Up 21-10 going into the third quarter, the Broncos got a key interception from Aqib Talib, and Manning went for the killshot on the very next play. His 40-yard pass to Demaryius Thomas on a deep post was a thing of beauty and a perfect pass to make it 28-10 and basically put the game away.

3)    Give Ronnie Hillman credit. He put in another good week and he has shown a lot of burst in the run game since taking over for the injured Montee Ball. He had 74 yards on 14 carries and added two touchdown runs-one that was 37 yards to make it 35-10 and then a 1 yard run to put it away officially at 42-10. Hillman has really stepped up the last two weeks, and I think that can only make this offense better.

4)    You know what makes this offense better? Demaryius Thomas playing the way he has since the beginning of October. Thomas finished with 8 catches for 171 yards and 2 touchdowns. Thomas made some big catch and runs throughout the game as well. Dear John Elway: Please pay this man!

5)    The Broncos defense completely shut down Colin Kaepernick from the first series on. They swallowed him up and only allowed a few big plays. The defense looked so fast during the game. I was worried that Kaepernick was going to extend some plays and kill the Broncos with his feet, but that did not happen. Demarcus Ware has been a beast all year and he continued that again in this game. He had 3 sacks and was in the backfield all night. The same goes for Von Miller. Miller looks dominating again the last few weeks. He finished with 2 sacks and was all over Kaepernick all night long. Also, Aqib Talib was solid again, and Chris Harris stood out once again. I love the way that Bradley Roby is playing in the nickel, and you have to give credit to LB Brandon Marshall for making some big plays once again with Danny Trevathan out. The defense was just nasty on Sunday night. They had 6 total sacks, 1 interception, shut down the Niners running game, and basically harassed Kaepernick all night long.

6)    The Broncos signature win of the season gets them to 5-1, but they have to play the Thursday night game this week as San Diego comes to Denver for TNF on CBS.

Week 7 Picks!

I have been able to put together two great weeks out of the last three to climb myself back into the gambling race this season. I went 9-5-1 last week, and I suffered two awful beats-gambling wise. The first one was the Geno Smith pick-six to Aqib Talib to allow Denver to cover the 8.5 point spread. The second one was the Kirk Cousins pick-six to allow Arizona to cover the spread late. Both were bad beats and both were examples why you should never, ever gamble. With that said, we are hitting the middle of October, and things are coming into focus. In the AFC, it is more wide open than last year. Denver, San Diego, Indy, Cincy, Baltimore, and New England remain legitimate contenders this year. In the NFC, Dallas and Philly have emerged in the East. Chicago, Detroit, and Green Bay are battling it out in the North, nobody wants to take control of the South, and Seattle, San Francisco, and Arizona are all fighting it out in the West. It still feels like one of those crazy years where anything is going to happen. Here we go with the picks for Week 7....

Last Week's Record: 9-5-1
Overall Record:41-45-5
(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)

INDY (-3) over Cincy: I'm still not sold on the Bengals. I know they are good, but I need to see more from them. The Colts are coming in at 4-2, but they haven't really beaten a great team. Big game in the AFC here, but I'll take the Colts at home.

WASHINGTON (-5) over Tennessee: The Skins aren't as bad as their 1-5 record says, but they need to get RG III back healthy because Kirk Cousins has basically topped out at this point.

CHICAGO (-3) over Miami: I can't figure out the Bears this year, but they haven't won a home game yet, so I think they will break out of that slump this week.

JACKSONVILLE (+6) over Cleveland: The Browns come in flying high at 3-2 on the heels of a beatdown of the Steelers. The Jags are winless, but I have a feeling they shock the Browns here and pull the upset.

Seattle (-6) over ST. LOUIS: The Seahawks traded away Percy Harvin on Friday afternoon, but I don't think that will have much of an impact on their offense. Look for them to play a great game in St. Louis after they lost at home to Dallas last week.

Carolina (+7) over GREEN BAY: I just can't figure out the Panthers at all this year. I don't know how to pick their games. I think the Packers will win this week, but look for Carolina to keep this one close.

BALTIMORE (-6) over Atlanta: At 2-4, the Falcons look to be in a freefall, and it might cost head coach Mike Smith his job. The Ravens are 4-2, and they are always very solid at home. I can't see the Falcons pulling the upset on the road in this spot.

Minnesota (+7) over BUFFALO: I don't trust either of these teams, and I guess I'll just go with the underdog here. I'm putting my faith in Teddy Bridgewater to get the backdoor cover.

DETROIT (-2) over New Orleans: The Saints just don't look the same this year. Something is off with Drew Brees too. The Lions can't be trusted-especially after they lost at home to the Bills two weeks ago at home-but I think they get amped up for this one and put the Saints in a hole at 2-4.

SAN DIEGO (-3) over Kansas City: The Chargers will not get caught looking ahead to Denver next week, and they will take care of their AFC West rivals at home to get to 6-1.

NY Giants (+7) over DALLAS: For some odd reason, I am taking the G-Men on the road in Dallas. The Cowboys come in at 5-1 and off a huge road win at Seattle. This is classic letdown spot, and I think the Giants take advantage.

Arizona (-3) over OAKLAND: How can you pick the Raiders in this spot? Carson Palmer returned last week, and he looked pretty good for the Cards, so look for them to take care of business in the Black Hole on Sunday.

PITTSBURGH (-3) over Houston: The Steelers were embarrassed by the Browns last week, and I would expect a big-time effort from them at home on Monday Night Football. At 3-3, the Steelers are at a crossroads here, and I would expect to see them be at their best against the visiting Texans.

DENVER (-6) over San Francisco: This is going to be a very tough game for Denver because they have trouble containing QBs like Colin Kaepernick. He is going to kill them at times on Sunday night. The reason why I like the Broncos here is that they are at home in primetime, and it is a big-time opponent coming in. Also, they are facing a very beat-up 49ers team, and I think they can take advantage of that. Plus, Peyton Manning is only 3 touchdowns away from Brett Favre's all-time TD pass record. You know Manning is going all out to get that record on Sunday night in primetime.

Final Score: Broncos-28 Niners-20

Jets-Pats TNF Pick!

NEW ENGLAND (-7.5) over New York Jets: The Jets fanbase is demoralized and despondent as they head to Foxboro at 1-5 to take on the 4-2 Patriots. This looks like an ass-kicking waiting to happen. I just can't see Brady and Patriots laying an egg here-especially when they are looking to finish off Rex Ryan and their hated rivals.

Broncos Survive Jets With 31-17

The Broncos were able to finally finish off the Jets at Metlife Stadium on Sunday 31-17 with the help of a late Aqib Talib pick-six to get the win and stand at 4-1. It wasn't easy at times, and the Broncos almost blew a 24-7 lead in the second half, but they were able to close out the Jets, and as every fan will say "A win is a win," and the Broncos are now 4-1 as they host San Francisco next Sunday night. I broke down the game on film with a little more depth than usual, and here are my extended thoughts and observations on the game....

First Quarter:
-The Broncos hit a big play to from Peyton Manning to Demaryius Thomas to start the game, but the drive stalled and Denver settled for a field goal and an early 3-0 lead. Not a bad start on the road.
-Denver's defense was all over the Jets run game on the first drive and for the entire game. Too much speed on their defense for the Jets.
-Jace Amaro killed Denver on the Jets second possession. Three big catches and a touchdown reception from Geno Smith put the Jets up 7-3 early.
-Broncos offense was awful on second drive of the quarter. Bad snap and miscommunication by Manny Ramirez and Manning got sacked by Muhammad Wilkerson. Just a bad series by the offense.

Second Quarter:
-Manning getting flushed out of the pocket again leads to a shaky throw and another punt. Also, bad holding call on Ramirez, and another sack of Manning leads to another punt. Awful series by the Broncos once again.
-After a Jets fumble on a punt return, Denver squanders the opportunity with another holding call and an awful screen setup from Manning to Ronnie Hillman.
-Denver's defense once again swallows up the Jets offense and forces a key 3 and out.
-Denver gets it going on the next drive with a sweet Manning to Emmanuel Sanders hookup on 3rd and 9. Play of day by Manning so far in the game. Good running by Hillman, who had over 100 yards on the day, sets up a sweet Manning to Demaryius Thomas 2-yard touchdown on a 3rd and Goal. Denver takes a 10-7 lead.
-A huge sack by Demarcus Ware and a great play by Bradley Roby on 3rd down force another Jets punt. The Broncos defense was locked in early on the Jets offense.
- With 3 minutes left in the half, Manning found Sanders on skinny post for a huge pass play. What a throw by Manning to thread the needle. Manning hits Demaryius for another first down, and then finds Julius Thomas on a great touchdown hookup on a skinny post to give Denver a 17-7 lead and all the momentum going into halftime.

Third Quarter:
-Another 3 and out forced by the Broncos defense, and Manning takes advantage. A big run by Hillman was aided by the Broncos recovering his fumble in Jet territory. Demaryius Thomas makes a huge catch on 3rd and 7, and that sets up an easy Manning to Julius Thomas touchdown on a quick slant to make it 24-7. The Broncos are rolling at this point.
-A big sack by Von Miller and Bradley Roby force another Jets punt.
-From here, the Broncos start to play sloppy. A false start, illegal motion penalty and a bad throw by Manning force a quick Broncos punt. They seem to lack the killer instinct in these spots so far this season.
-The Broncos got a ton of pressure on the Geno Smith all game long, but big catches by Amaro and Eric Decker keep the Jets drive alive and a field goal makes it 24-10. A great breakup by Roby forces the field goal attempt there.
-Lamin Barrow gets ejected for throwing a punch on the ensuing kick return and the Broncos start with bad field position.

Fourth Quarter:

-The Barrow penalty gives Denver bad field position, and the Broncos don’t get much on this drive as a result. A curious decision by Manning to dump it off to Juwan Thompson leads on 3^rd and 3 leads to a punt. Weird series by the Broncos offense.

-Geno Smith gets a big first down with a huge scramble that sets up a Smith pass to Greg Salas, who breaks a long run on a 3^rd and 4. Now, the momentum has shifted into the Jets favor, and the Jets cap off the drive with a Smith to Decker touchdown pass to cut the lead to 24-17. Decker’s touchdown came off a pick play that the Broncos made famous in the redzone with Decker last year. At 24-17, the crowd finally gets into the game for the first time, and the Broncos are now in a dog fight.

-Andrew Caldwell tries to take the ball out of the endzone on the ensuing kick and gets dropped at the five yard line with 7:50 left in the game. What the hell was he thinking? What an awful decision, and now the Broncos are in trouble.

-A false start by Orlando Franklin backs up them further, but Manning bails them out with a ridiculous throw to Demaryius on the sideline to set up a 3^rd and 1. It was an amazing throw and an even better catch by DT.

-On 3^rd and 1, the Broncos get stuffed as Hillman gets knocked back. Awful job by the offensive line in that spot, but give the Jets defense credit for getting off the field.

-The Broncos defense needs to come up big again this season, and they do on the Jets next possession. Good pressure forces a Geno Smith throw away on 1^st down. More pressure forces Smith to throw underneath to Kerley on 2^nd down, and on 3^rd and 6 Aqib Talib makes the play of the game when he breaks up a pass intended for Decker. The Broncos defense has made key stops late in games all year long.

-With 5:10 left, the Broncos take over and a key Manning to Hillman dumpoff produces a huge first down on a 3^rd and 6. On the next 3^rd and 6, Manning throws a bullet to Wes Welker for a huge first down at the two minute warning. Welker had been held without a catch all day, but he saved his only catch for the biggest moment.

-With 1:13 left and no timeouts for the Jets, the Broncos try to end the game with a pass. The problem I have with this is the decision by Manning. Why try to fit in a skinny post to Emmanuel Sanders and risk the incompletion? That is what exactly happens, and it stops the clock. Looking at the game a few more times on replay, you could see Welker open in the flat, and even if he doesn’t get the first down, at least he catches it stays in bounds and runs more time off the clock. As a result of the misfire, the Broncos have to punt, but Britton Colquitt bails them out by pinning the Jets at their own five with 1:06 left.

-The Broncos defense then turned it up on the Jets to finish off the game. They get great pressure once again and knock down a pass on 1^st down. On 2^nd down, they get a sack by pressure from Ware, Miller, and Derek Wolfe. On 3^rd down, Geno Smith forces a throw and Talib picks it off and returns it for the game-clinching touchdown and the 31-17 win. There is nothing sweeter than a pick-six to end a game, and Talib put the finishing touches on this one.

-It was a weird game, and one that the Broncos slept through at times. Once again, they were sloppy at times on offense. Too many penalties and too many mistakes led to some really bad series. Their defense completely shut down the Jets for the most part, but once again they slowly let the Jets get back into the game once they were ahead 24-7. The Broncos traveled across to the East coast, played a really bad team, and had to deal with an early start. They didn’t look great at times, but they did enough to win the game and get to 4-1. Next week, the 49ers come to town and it will be one of the biggest tests of the season.

Broncos Roll Past Cardinals 41-20 and Week 6 Quick Picks

The 2014 Broncos looked like the 2103 Broncos after they dropped 41 points on the then unbeaten Arizona Cardinals in route to a 41-20 win at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on Sunday. It was a vintage performance in which the Broncos put up a lot of points, their defense forced some key mistakes, and they ambushed their opponent to finish the game. Here are my thoughts and observations on the victory….

1)    The Broncos decided to forget about the running game early, and let Peyton Manning spread out the Cards defense and pick them apart. That is exactly what he did. Manning finished 31-47 for 479 yards with 4 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. He threw his 500^th career touchdown pass to Julius Thomas to give the Broncos the 7-3 lead early. It was vintage Manning and it was about time that the Broncos let him do his thing.

2)    Welcome back Demaryius Thomas! Thomas broke out with an 8 catch 226 yard performance with 2 touchdowns. When Manning and Demaryius are on their game, they are pretty much unstoppable. His 86-yard touchdown reception was just amazing down the sideline to make it 21-13.

3)    The Broncos defense brought the pain on Sunday. We knew backup Drew Stanton would have some trouble against the Broncos defense, but the Broncos made sure he didn’t have too much success. Von Miller added 2 sacks and looked like the 2012 version of Von Miller. Demarcus Ware added another half of a sack. They pressured Stanton a lot on third down, and they forced 11 punts in the game. The Broncos defense was helped a little by some key drops on Arizona’s part, but they cranked it up in the second half and left no doubt that this defense is going to get better and better as the year goes on.

4)    With at 24-20 lead going into the 4^th quarter, the Broncos didn’t let the Cards hang around, and they finished them off in style. A Brandon McManus field goal made it 27-20, then a sweet Manning to Julius Thomas 12-yard fade made it 34-20, then Juwan Thompson capped it off with an 8-yard touchdown run to put it away at 41-20.

5)    This was probably the most complete game the Broncos played all year. Both units, the offense and defense, played at a high level, and it was the type of game that they should play like at home. The receiving corps finally clicked with all four big-play guys (Demaryius Thomas, Julius Thomas, Wes Welker, and Emmanuel Sanders) having really good games. The Broncos are now 3-1 and head to the Meadowlands to take on the Jets next week.

Here are my quick picks for Week 6....

Last Week's Record: 6-7-2

Overall Record: 32-40-4

(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)

CLEVELAND (-1) over Pittsburgh

Jacksonville (+5) over TENNESSEE

Chicago (+3) over ATLANTA

Green Bay (-3) over MIAMI

Detroit (+2) over MINNESOTA

CINCY (-5) over Carolina

New England (-2) over BUFFALO

Baltimore (-3) over TAMPA BAY

OAKLAND (+7) over San Diego

SEATTLE (-7) over Dallas

Washington (+4) over ARIZONA

NY Giants (+3) over PHILLY

San Francisco (-3) over ST. LOUIS

NY JETS (+8.5) over Denver: I think the Broncos are going to get a really tough test with the Jets this week. On the road, early start, and the Jets season is basically on the line. We know the Broncos won't be able to run the ball on them, so that will give Rex Ryan a chance to get after Peyton Manning. I just have a feeling that the Jets will somehow, someway pull the upset.

Final Score: Jets-24 Denver-22

Thursday Night Pick: Texans/Colts

Indianapolis (-2) over HOUSTON: Normally, you take the home team in these Thursday night games, but I have a feeling that Andrew Luck and the Colts are going to take down the Texans on the short week. It is a very intriguing matchup involving two teams at 3-2, but I'm not so sure the Texans are ready to challenge the Colts.

Week 5 Picks!

This NFL season is going to be topsy-turvy. Make no mistake about it every year we hear about how "Crazy" and "Wild" the current NFL season is, but this season seems just very unpredictable. The last two undefeated teams heading into Week 5: The Cardinals and the Benglas. The Patriots are 2-2 and look very vulnerable. The Saints are struggling at 1-3. The Broncos and Seahawks are 2-1, but look like they have some weak spots. Detroit leads the NFC North over the Packers and the Bears. The Colts are 2-2. Right now, if someone said that the Chargers and Bengals would be playing in the AFC Championship Game, and the Cardinals and Lions would be squaring off in the NFC Championship, then that wouldn't be so far fetched. This year the top teams seem to be closer to the middle of the pack than in past years. It is a long season and there is still a lot of football left to be played, but it just feels like this year is going to be more unpredictable then it has been for a long time. On to the picks for Week 5....

Last Week's Record: 5-8
Overall Record: 26-33-2
(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)

Chicago (+3) over CAROLINA: The Bears are 2-2 after getting thrashed at home to the Packers, and the Panthers are 2-2 after starting the year 2-0. I'll take the Bears on the road in this spot because I think the Bears are the better team, but the Panthers defense against the always unreliable Jay Cutler does scare me a bit.

TENNESSEE (-2) over Cleveland: It looks like Jake Locker will be back for the Titans-who desperately need him to return. At 1-3, the Titans need a win here, and look for them to get at home over the Browns.

PHILLY (-6) over St. Louis: Easy game to pick. The Eagles are 3-1 but aren't very impressive the first four weeks. The Rams are 1-2 and coming off a bye. Look for Philly to handle their business this week.

Atlanta (+4) over NY GIANTS: I still don't trust the Giants even after they evened their record at 2-2 after a blowout win over the Redskins. Atlanta comes in 2-2 and their offensive line is in such shambles that this game could worry you. I see a close game going either way, but I'll take the Falcons as a road underdog.

NEW ORLEANS (-8) over Tampa Bay: No way the 1-3 Saints lose at home to Tampa Bay. Give the Bucs credit for coming back to beat the Steelers on the road last week. I just can't see the Saints losing at home after they were embarrassed on Sunday Night Football to the Cowboys last week.

Houston (+7) over DALLAS: Give the Cowboys credit for their 3-1 start. They absolutely dominated the Saints last week on Sunday night. They have rebounded really well after their terrible loss to the 49ers at home in Week 1. One thing about the Cowboys: They suck at being a home favorite. They should find a way to win this game, but I'll take the Texans to cover.

DETROIT (-6) over Buffalo: You have to think that Detroit will win this game at home-especially since the Bills panicked and benched E.J. Manuel for Kyle Orton this week. I'll take the Lions in a landslide.

Baltimore (+4) over INDY: A very interesting game in the AFC. The Ravens come in at 3-1 and look very impressive the last three games. The Colts come in at 2-2, but they beat Jacksonville and Tennessee in the process the last two games. I'll take the Ravens slightly over the Colts at this point.

Pittsburgh (-5) over JACKSONVILLE: I'm worried about this pick because the Steelers just don't seem right to me. How the hell did they blow that game at home to the Buccaneers last week? I'll take them this week, but I can definitely see Blake Bortles helping the Jags get their first win of the year on Sunday.

Kansas City (+7) over SAN FRANCISCO: You have to respect how the Chiefs have responded after the 0-2 start. They just manhandled the Pats on Monday night. Look for the Niners to win, but this has all the makings of a really close game.

SAN DIEGO (-6) over New York Jets: This is the easiest game of the week to pick. The 1-3 Jets head all the way out to San Diego to face the red-hot Chargers. Look for Phillip Rivers to pick the Jets apart all afternoon. The chants for Michael Vick will grow louder after this one.

Cincinnati (-1) over NEW ENGLAND: I can't pick the Pats just yet. Normally, I would take them in this spot, but I am worried about them. I think they will bounce back and win the AFC East, but I think they will take their lumps in this game. Don't get me wrong because this game will be competitive, but I think Cincy finds a way to get it done on Sunday Night Football.

Seattle (-7) over WASHINGTON: What crummy Monday Night Football game this is. I can't see Seattle laying an egg here even though they are on the road. Look for Seattle to take care of business and get out of there 3-1.

DENVER (-6) over Arizona: The Broncos comes off the bye week at 2-1 and with some more questions about their team than anticipated. They also made some news with the release of K Matt Prater, putting a whole lot of confidence in Brandon McManus. Denver also comes in healthy on defense, as they get LB Danny Trevathan back from a preseason injury. Arizona will start Drew Stanton at QB in place of the injured Carson Palmer for the third week in a row. This has all the makings of a close game, but you have to be confident in a few things if you are a Broncos fan. First, Denver and Peyton Manning had two weeks to really dig into that Arizona defense. Secondly, the Broncos defense is facing the weakest QB they have played all year long. Third, they are at home and rested and healthy. In my mind, that all adds up to a victory.

Final Score: Broncos-27 Cardinals-17

Packers-Vikings TNF Pick

GREEN BAY (-6) over Minnesota: The Teddy Bridgewater injury and uncertain status for Thursday night's game really makes me lean towards the Packers. All the Thursday night games have been awful, blowout games, so hopefully this one will be at least close and entertaining.