Broncos-Eagles Preview and Week 9 Picks

The Broncos head to Philly on Sunday to take on Carson Wentz and the 7-1 Eagles in a must win game for the 3-4 Broncos. Trevor Siemian is benched and in comes Brock Osweiler for the start on Sunday. If you would have told me in mid-August that Osweiler would be starting at QB for the Broncos this year, I wouldn't have believed it, but here we are. I'm actually a little excited to see him start, and I'm just happy that Trevor Siemian is done. I couldn't take much more of Siemian. I'm not expecting a lot out of Osweiler this week, but you never know what can happen. The whole offense has to play better. They can't drop passes, fumble the ball, commit turnovers, and make all the mistakes that a typical JV football team makes. In any event, I think the game will be close for a little while, but ultimately Brock won't be able to revive this offense, and the Broncos will lose for the fourth straight game.

Prediction: PHILLY(-7) over Denver
Final Score: Eagles-24 Broncos-14

Now, onto the picks for Week 9 in the National...............Football..................League:

Last Week's Record: 7-6
Overall Record: 60-55-4
(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)

NY GIANTS (+4) over LA Rams: Home underdogs have performed well this year, and eventhough the Giants are a dumpster fire, I can see them playing well enough to pull the upset over the Rams or even keep it close. I'll take the Giants at home to get their second win.

Tampa Bay (+7) over NEW ORLEANS: I think the Saints will win the game, but I think Tampa Bay has to play well at some point and put one good game together. At 2-5, they are in desperate need of a win, and I think they will make this a very close game.

Cincinnati (+6) over JACKSONVILLE: I know Jacksonville's defense is very good, but you can't trust them week to week because of their QB situation. I think Cincy is done at 3-4, but I could see them pulling the upset on the road. I just can't get a handle on the Jags just yet.

CAROLINA (+1) over Atlanta: The Falcons got a win over the Jets last week to get to 4-3, and the Panthers come in at 5-3, so this is a pretty big game in the NFC South. I like Carolina as a home underdog here. Atlanta was lucky to even beat the Jets, so I'll stick with the Panthers to get to 6-3.

Indy (+7) over HOUSTON: Andrew Luck was officially placed on IR, so he is done for the season. It will be Jacoby Brissett the rest of the way for the Colts. I think that the Colts can actually be somewhat competitive here because the Texans suffered a terrible blow when Deshaun Watson went down in practice on Thursday with a torn ACL. They now have to turn to Tom Savage once again, and I think the effects of that injury to Watson will kill their season. I'll take Indy and the points.

TENNESSEE (-3) over Baltimore: The Ravens got back to 4-4 with a win over the Dolphins last Thursday night. The Titans are 4-3 and are trying to take control of the AFC South. This is a big game in the AFC. Normally, I would take the Ravens in this type of spot, but I like the Titans here. I think they make a statement that the South is there for them to grab. I'll take Tennessee at home.

SAN FRANCISCO (+3) over Arizona: Drew Stanton on the road for the Cardinals. That statement right there is enough for me to take the 49ers as home underdogs. I think SF will finally get their first win of the year and continue the good vibes the organization is feeling after trading for Jimmy Garropolo this week.

SEATTLE (-7) over Washington: The Redskins are 3-4, banged up, and fading in the NFC East. I think the Seahawks are going to be there in the end in the NFC, so I think they continue their winning ways and bounce the Redskins.

Kansas City (PICK) over DALLAS: Zeke Elliot will be playing in this game as his suspension gets delayed once again. This should be a fun matchup in the late window on Sunday afternoon. The 4-3 Cowboys hosting the 6-2 Chiefs. I have liked KC all week long, and I still like them. This should be a fun game, but look for a late KC drive to win it and get them to 7-2.

Oakland (-3) over MIAMI: Talk about a Sunday Night Football stinker. The Raiders are struggling at 3-5, and the Dolphins are a bad 4-3 team. Both teams have offenses that are really struggling to move the ball and score points. This could be a snoozefest on SNF. I think the Raiders are not dead yet, and I could see them playing better in the second half of the season as opposed to the Fish. I'll take Oakland here to get to 4-5.

Detroit (-2) over GREEN BAY: Pretty weak Monday night game with Aaron Rodgers out with a broken collarbone. Brett Hundley just doesn't move the needle. I think the Lions will win the game because I just don't know what to expect out of the Packers without Rodgers, so until they prove me wrong, then I have to go against them each week.

NFL Week 9 TNF Pick

Buffalo (-3) over NY JETS

Broncos Fall to Chiefs 29-19, Third Straight Loss Puts Them at 3-4

The Broncos lost 29-19 in Arrowhead Stadium to the Chiefs on Monday night. The Broncos have now lost three straight games and sit at 3-4. What once looked like a promising season at 3-1 has now turned into a possibly disastrous year as they are looking down the barrel at 3-6 after the next two weeks against Philly and New England. The Broncos fell behind 14-0 early, rallied to make it a one score game at 20-13 late in the third quarter, but ultimately couldn't complete the comeback as the Chiefs pulled away and won 29-19. The Broncos made mistakes like they always seem to do the last three weeks. Three Trevor Siemian interceptions, a Jamaal Charles fumble,a fumble on a punt return, and numerous dropped passes just killed the Broncos in this game, and once again put them in position to lose. Here are my "Five Points" from the game....

1) Trevor Siemian was awful once again. He has poorly since the second half of Week 3 against the Bills. He missed an open A.J. Derby on the first third down of the game, and that set the tone. His interceptions were awful throws. The one to Marcus Peters in the first quarter down 14-0 looked like he was throwing to Peters instead of Demaryius Thomas. He took sacks when he couldn't, he looked skittish, and he looked like he was lost out there. Siemian deserved to be benched in the game. He hasn't played well enough for this team, and when he got hot later in the game, it was too little too late.

2) The Broncos defense played well once again. They had trouble stopping Travis Kelce, but otherwise they shut down Kareem Hunt, and they did a nice job on Alex Smith and Tyreek Hill. They play hard every week and they kept this game somewhat close, but they were put in bad situations all night long; however, at 20-13 in the early fourth quarter, they have to stop the Chiefs and get off the field on that drive. Instead, they allowed KC to go down the field and get a field goal to make it a two score game.

3) The Broncos turn the ball over and make mistakes like a JV football team. It's unreal. Three interceptions by Siemian were awful, but Jamaal Charles fumbled on the second series of the game when they were driving and Marcus Peters returned it for a touchdown to make it 7-0. Isaiah McKenzie has been shaky as a punt returner and he fumbled a punt once again. Bennie Fowler and Virgil Green each had key drops in the second half-Fowler dropped a sure touchdown. It is almost comical at this point. There turnover margin is second worst to the Browns in the NFL. It is just hard to watch and Monday night was a prime example of that.

4) I'm not going to kill Vance Joseph yet, but I felt like he didn't have the pulse of his team by not benching Trevor Siemian in the second half. You can't play any worse than Siemian did in the first half, and the fact that VJ kept him in there made me wonder for the first time if he can handle the moment as a head coach and decisions like this are something that needs to be looked at in the future.

5) This game was 14-0 and Siemian threw a pick to Peters, and the Chiefs were about to go up 21-0 or 17-0 when they had a first and goal inside the Broncos 10. KC called a halfback option pass to Tyreek Hill and he got intercepted it the endzone by Darian Stewart. That was the only reason why this game wasn't a huge blowout for the Chiefs. A poor playcall by Andy Reid prevented it from happening. The Broncos now find themselves at 3-4 and they head to Philly to take on the 7-1 Eagles. They have to bench Siemian and turn it over to Brock Osweiler while Paxton Lynch recovers from his shoulder injury. As soon as Lynch is healthy, then he should get a turn. I'm not expecting a miracle from Osweiler, but it is better than watching Siemian out there. Lastly, all is not totally lost for the Broncos. They are 3-4, but if they can somehow manage a split the next two games, which will not be easy, they can be 4-5 with Cincy coming to Denver on November 19th. It would help if they could cut down the turnovers. If they do that, then they will have a chance.

Broncos-Chiefs Preview and Week 8 Picks!

The Broncos are 3-3 and have lost the last two games to the Giants and the Chargers, and there is a lot of hysteria surrounding the team right now-and there should be. The offense can move the ball and score points, Trevor Siemian is being exposed for being the backup level QB that he is, their offensive line can pass protect, and the defense is being wasted once again. Plus, their special teams is a mess, and there is heat on first year head coach Vance Joseph. The bottom line is the Broncos are a mess right now, and it is a long way away from 2015 and the Peyton Manning days. I know this team pretty well, and I have a good feel for them week-to-week and year to year, and I know what to expect, and this game in Arrowhead on Monday night is going to be a long night for the Broncos. I don't see any way that they stay competitive in this game-especially with KC coming off two straight losses. I see a very long evening for the Broncos, and look for the Chiefs to jump all over them early and often.

Prediction: KANSAS CITY (-7) over Denver
Final Score: Chiefs-34 Broncos-10

Last Week's Record: 6-7-2 
Overall Record: 53-49-4
(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)

Minnesota (-8) over Cleveland (In London): This should be an easy win for the Vikings. I don't see the Browns putting up much of a fight in London. The Vikings should get to 6-2.

Chicago (+9) over NEW ORLEANS: I think the Saints will win at home to get to 5-2, but I think the 3-4 Bears will keep this game close. I'm very surprised how the Saints responded after starting 0-2. They could be legitimate contenders in the NFC as the season progresses.

Atlanta (-4) over NY JETS: The 3-3 Falcons have been very disappointing and their offense has really struggled in recent weeks. I think they right the ship and get back on track with a big, road win over the 3-4 Jets in the Meadowlands.

TAMPA BAY (-2) over Carolina: What has happened to the Panthers? After a 4-1 start, they are now 4-3 and their offense looks bad again. They head to Tampa to take on the struggling Bucs. At 2-4, the Bucs are more desperate, so I'll take them to win the game, but I'm not confident about this game. This game seems like a coin flip.

San Francisco (+14) over PHILLY: The 49ers are winless but they have been in most of their games. The Eagles are 6-1, Carson Wentz looks like a MVP candidate, and they are home looking to go to 7-1. Philly wins the game, but the 49ers make them sweat a little bit.

Oakland (+3) over BUFFALO: This is a very interesting game in the AFC. The Bills are 4-2 and the Raiders come in at 3-4. This game has a lot of implications in the AFC playoff picture. I like the Raiders in this one, but it won't be easy for them. Look for a close game, but the Raiders will pull it out late.

Indy (+11) over CINCY: This is a very tough game to get into even for a diehard NFL fan. I'll take the Colts getting the points.

NEW ENGLAND (-7) over LA Chargers: After an 0-4 start, the Chargers have won three in a row and at 3-4 they have a little momentum going heading to Foxboro take on the 5-2 Patriots. I know it is tempting to take the Chargers here, but I think the Pats will play well-especially since this game is an early game on the East coast. Look for the Patriots to win going away.

SEATTLE (-5) over Houston: I like the Seahawks at home, but I'm interested to see what Deshaun Watson can do against this Seattle defense. You have to like the Seahawks chances in this game, and I think it will be close for a while, then their defense will take over.

WASHINGTON (+3) over Dallas: Big game in the NFC East as the 3-3 Cowboys travel to Washington to take on the 3-3 Redskins. I'm torn over this one and I think this game can go either way, but I'll go with my gut and take the Redskins in a very tight affair/

DETROIT (+3) over Pittsburgh: I think Pittsburgh is the class of the AFC right now at 5-2, but they lose focus in these games sometimes. Every game Detroit plays in is a battle, and I think this one will be the same. Look for the Lions to pull it out late on a field goal or a late Matt Stafford game-winning drive.

Week 8 TNF Pick

BALTIMORE (-3) over Miami

Broncos Shutout in Awful Loss at Chargers, Drop to 3-3

The Broncos suffered another bad loss on Sunday as they got whipped by the Chargers in Los Angeles 21-0. It was the Broncos first time being shutout since 1992 (Tommy Maddox), and now the Broncos have dropped two straight games and stand at 3-3 with their roughest stretch of the year coming up. I was feeling good about the Broncos when they were 3-1 heading into their bye week and they had the 0-4 Giants and 0-4 Chargers coming up. Now, they are 3-3 after getting thumped by those two teams, and this team is definitely in trouble. I thought last week's loss to the Giants was bad, but this one might be worse. Here are my thoughts on one of the worst losses I have seen in a long time as a Broncos fan......

1) Trevor Siemian's days might be numbered. He had another bad performance. He looks gun shy, and he looks like he played down the stretch last year. Siemian has a nice story, and people are rooting for him, but he is just not a starter in this league and not the guy going forward for the Broncos. Yesterday, he did nothing. He got fumbled once, got picked off and he just looks at the first read and then runs. He looked scared in this game. I'm kind of getting sick of the Trevor Siemian era.

2) You can't blame the defense for this one. They gave up two touchdown drives but held the Chargers to 242 total yards of offense and only 3-12 on third down. The Broncos defense needs to force more turnovers, but you can't pin in on this unit. They can only do so much.

3) Our offense can't run the ball and C.J. Anderson and Jamaal Charles have no where to go. Our offensive line can't protect on the edges. Garrett Bolles looks like he will be okay, but Sunday was a rough day for him. Our RT spot is shot. Allen Barbre started in place of the injured Menelik Watson and Donald Stephenson and had a nightmare day trying to contain Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram. Our offensive line just couldn't protect in this game, and it was awful to watch. A big moment also came when a ticky-tack offensive pass interference call negated an 81 yard reception by Demaryius Thomas that would have put the ball at the Chargers 10. Instead, it backed us up and took away the Broncos only real threat to score in the game.

4) The Broncos special teams were bad again. This week they gave up a punt return TD in the first quarter to Travis Benjamin to go down 7-0. This stuff happens to us every week. It's either penalties on returns, missed field goals or a big return, but the Broncos special teams killed us again this week and put us in a hole.

5) Broncos are 3-3 and fading fast. Two horrific losses in a row and that 3-1 start is now 3-3 and they are staring at 3-6 after they have to go to KC, Philly, and then host the Pats the next three weeks. We don't have a quarterback, have scored only 26 points the last three games combined, and are the worst team in the AFC West. Plus, I remember the last time the Broncos were shutout in a game. In 1992, I was in 8th grade and the Broncos were rolling at 7-3 when John Elway went down with a shoulder injury. He missed the next game at the Raiders, and Tommy Maddox started for the Broncos and they got shut out 24-0. I remember I bet the Broncos on one of those betting sheets I got from school for like five dollars. I learned a gambling lesson very early on in my life. That was the last time the Broncos got shut out before yesterday's awful performance in LA. Good times indeed watching these 2017 Broncos.

Broncos-Chargers Preview and Week 7 Picks!

I'm still trying to comprehend how the Broncos lost that game last Sunday night to the 0-5 Giants. I think the part about it that really upsets me is that the Broncos got beat and got beat soundly. I just don't think the Broncos are a good team. I think the 3-1 start gave us false hope. I think Trevor Siemian has shown he isn't answer, our offensive line struggles in pass protection, our run defense is overrated, we still can't cover tight ends and backs, and our kicker is in a deep funk. Things aren't looking so good right now in Broncos Country. Sunday, the Broncos head to Los Angeles to take on the Chargers in a huge game in the AFC West. The Broncos are 3-2 and the Chargers are 2-4, winners of two straight. I'm really down on the Broncos, and to make matters worse, they are going to be without Emmanuel Sanders, Isaiah McKenzie, Menelik Watson, and possibly Brandon Marshall. I have no faith right now in the Broncos as they head into the most difficult stretch of the season. I think they will have a very difficult time winning this game in LA on Sunday afternoon. I just don't believe in this team after last week's letdown.

LA CHARGERS (-1) over Denver
Final Score: Chargers-26 Broncos-16

Now, here are the picks for the Week 6 of the NFL...................


Last Week's Record: 8-6
Overall Record: 47-42-2
(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)

Tennessee (-6) over CLEVELAND: At 3-3, the Titans have Marcus Mariota back starting after missing a game with a hamstring injury. I think they easily get to 4-3 over the winless Browns, who are going back to DeShone Kizer this week as starter.

INDY (+4) over Jacksonville: With it looking more and more like Leonard Fournette is going to be out for this game, I'll take the Colts at home. I know the Colts aren't good offensively, but I just like taking home underdogs this year, and I'll continue that trend with the Colts.

Cincy (+6) over PITTSBURGH: I think the Steelers made everyone realize that they are not dead yet, and they will be a factor in the AFC after their win in Arrowhead over the Chiefs on Sunday. This is a rivalry game, so anything can happen. I'll take the Bengals to keep it close and look for a close Pittsburgh win.

Baltimore (+6) over MINNESOTA: Give Case Keenum credit. He is playing well enough to hold down the fort while Sam Bradford is hurt. The Vikings are 4-2 and in first place of the NFC North. The Ravens are having trouble trying to get out of their own way. I still like the Ravens defense, but their offense is so bad right now. I think the Vikings win this game, but look for the Ravens to keep to it close.

MIAMI (-3) over NY Jets: The Jets got the best of the Dolphins in Week 3, and now some people out there are questioning Miami's heart. I think this is a game where they play one of their best games. They want revenge for what happened to them in Week 3, and I think they get it at home this week.

BUFFALO (-3) over Tampa Bay: This will be a tough game for the Bucs as they go on the road to take on the 3-2 Bills, who are coming off their bye week. I think it is a close game that could go either way, but I'll take the Bills at home to get to 4-2.

Carolina (-3) over CHICAGO: The Panthers had 10 days to think about their tough home loss to the Eagles two Thursday nights ago. I think they will take control of the game, and I think they will suffocate Mitch Trubisky and that Bears offense.

New Orleans (-4) over GREEN BAY: The Packers have to deal with life without Aaron Rodgers as he is gone for most of the season with a fracture collarbone. In his place, steps Brett Hundley, and I don't think it will be easy for him early on. Don't look now but the Saints are 3-2 and could get to 4-2 with a win in Lambeau on Sunday.

LA Rams (-3) over Arizona (In London): The Rams are a surprising 4-2 and the Cards are 3-3. Too bad this teams had to head over to London for this one. I think the Rams will get the win and get to 5-2 over the up and down Cardinals.

SAN FRANCISCO (+6) over Dallas: Dallas wins outright. There is no doubt in my mind, but this one will be close-like every 49ers game this year. The Cowboys hold them off to get to 3-3.

Seattle (-5) over NY GIANTS: I'm not buying the resurgent Giants after they upset the Broncos last week. The Seahawks will come to the Meadowlands and take down the Giants. There won't be a letdown with Seattle this week.

NEW ENGLAND (-3) over Atlanta: I can see the Falcons going into Foxboro and winning this game because we have seen some strange things take place this year. Both teams have issues on both sides of the ball, but I'll take the Pats at home.

Washington (+4) over PHILLY: Very good Monday Night Football game in the NFC East. I think the Eagles and Carson Wentz are the early story in the NFC this year. I see a back and forth game, but I think the Redskins are my gut pick of the week in the upset.