So we have a new intern getting in on the picking action.  Unfortunately for him, we are sorting the standings by the number of correct picks, not the percentage of correct picks.  Good luck catching up Screw!

Jemp: 50-33

Reeb: 48-35

Pep: 48-35

Alx: 48-35

Screw: 0-0

Jemp has a two game lead on the rest of the staff, as Reeb stumbled last week, mistakenly picking the Bucs and the Bills.  Still, the important thing is that the Redskins are on top of the NFC East just as we all predicted.

Packers at Lions: 

Jemp: Lions,  Reeb: Lions,  Pep: Lions 32-20,  Screw: Lions

The Lions finally looked good on both sides of the ball last week.  I guess playing against the Eagles and Mark Sanchez is good for that.  Also, throwing the ball to Calvin Johnson helps.  The Packers did not have any such luck.  Maybe they took what I said too literally about Jay Cutler giving them the game.  Jay did a good job of not turning the ball over and was able to put up 17 points.  I guess that is all you need to beat the Packers these days.  The Lions defense has been playing well for a while now, so I think they are able to contain the Pack.

Prediction:  Lions win 24-16

 49ers at Bears:

Jemp: Bears,  Reeb: Bears,  Pep: 49ers 32-20,  Screw: Bears

The Bears have somehow warped into a team that plays good defense and doesn’t turn the football over.  Remember that this is the team with Jay Cutler at quarterback, and guys like Jarvis Jenkins on defense.  Still, just because they can stop Aaron Rodgers doesn’t mean they can handle Blaine Gabbert.  Not to mention Shaun Draughn toting the rock.

Prediction:  Bears win 30-17

 Falcons at Buccaneers:

Jemp: Bucs,  Reeb: Bucs,  Pep: Bucs 32-20,  Screw: Falcons

Screw is new, so he doesn’t understand the rule to never pick the Falcons again.  They are content with a six win season, so they have decided to give other teams some free wins.  Remember how good this offense looked at the beginning of the season?  I have already said that playing the Bucs is the test to see if your team is a legitimate contender.  The Falcons already failed the test once, and I don’t expect them to pass it the second time around.

Prediction:  Buccaneers win 23-13

 Cardinals at Rams:

Jemp: Cardinals,  Reeb: Rams,  Pep: Cardinals 32-20,  Screw: Cardinals

The Cardinals were actually disappointing in their win last week, but maybe we are being too hard on the 49ers.  Besides, the Cardinals may as well save their best for real competition.  The Rams do not qualify as real competition so maybe they keep it close, but I doubt it.  Their passing game is non-existent, but hopefully Todd Gurley can get back on track.  Remember he had his first big game against the Cardinals, so maybe he can do it again.

Prediction:  Cardinals win 34-17

 Jaguars at Titans:

Jemp: Jaguars,  Reeb: Jaguars,  Pep: Jags 32-20,  Screw: Jaguars

Who can wait for the rematch of that great Thursday Night battle.  Everyone is saying the Jaguars win again, but the Titans have been playing okay as of late.  Sure they haven’t won, but how much do you want from them?  They have been competitive, which is more than I can say about the Jaguars last week against the 2-8 Chargers.  I say the Titans take this one at home.

Prediction:  Titans win 20-17

 Seahawks at Vikings:

Jemp: Vikings,  Reeb: Vikings,  Pep: Vikings 32-20,  Screw: Vikings

So the Seahawks looked good last week, but still looked nothing like the Seahawks of 2014 or 2013.  They needed Russell Wilson to throw for five touchdowns to beat the Steelers in CenturyLink.  Now they go back on the road, and somehow I don’t think they will put up quite as many points against this Vikings defense.  The Vikings might not score as much as the Steelers either, but I can guarantee that there will be a lot of giving the ball to Adrian Peterson.  They might just give it to him all day.

Prediction:  Vikings win 19-17

 Bengals at Browns:

Jemp: Bengals,  Reeb: Bengals,  Pep: Bengals 32-20,  Screw: Bengals

Smart move by the Browns to start Austin Davis.  How dare the Johnny Manziel partake in the consumption of alcohol?  He should know that NFL players don’t party.  The Browns are right to not tolerate such things, but smart move drafting Johnny Football over Derek Carr and Teddy Bridgewater.  I mean, they don’t even have cool nicknames.  Anyway, the Browns blew their chance to beat the Bengals in primetime so they have no chance in the one o’clock slot.

Prediction:  Bengals win 42-23

 Texans at Bills:

Jemp: Texans,  Reeb: Texans,  Pep: Texans 32-20,  Screw: Bills

Okay well I picked the Saints last week because of everyone saying Brian Hoyer would be a top quarterback in fantasy for the week.  He wasn’t, but neither was Drew Brees.  The Texans have been playing well ever since they cut Ryan Mallett.  I still think the Bills are the better team, they played a good game against a Chiefs team playing as well as anyone, and took a loss to the Patriots before that.  I think they rebound this week even with JJ Watt coming to town.

Prediction:  Bills win 27-17

 Jets at Giants:

Jemp: Jets,  Reeb: Giants,  Pep: Jets 32-20,  Screw: Jets

Well the Giants looked bad last week, but the Redskins will do that to any team.  Still the Giants own the Jets, and they tend to heat up this time of year.  However, the Jets looked like started to get back on track last week and that was without Darrelle Revis.  Sure they let Ryan Tannehill get those garbage time fantasy points but my fantasy team won anyway.  Sorry I’m getting off track again.  So yeah, Jets playing well, Giants could be ready to heat up.  When in doubt, I go with the home team.

Prediction:  Giants win 23-10

 Ravens at Dolphins:

Jemp: Dolphins,  Reeb: Dolphins,  Pep: Ravens 32-20,  Screw: Ravens

So I actually wanted to change my pick to the Ravens right before the game, but I figured the staff might object so I stuck with the Browns.  I feel as though we don’t factor coaching into our picks enough.  John Harbaugh is clearly a better coach than Mike Pettine or Dan Campbell.  Against the Browns, the talent gap was small enough to pick the better coach, but in this game I can’t see Matt Schaub exposing the Dolphins defense.

Prediction:  Dolphins win 28-20

 Chiefs at Raiders:

Jemp: Chiefs,  Reeb: Chiefs,  Pep: Chiefs 32-20,  Screw: Raiders

So I think most have us have left the Raiders bandwagon, despite them narrowly edging out the Titans last week.  The Chiefs on the other hand have been on a roll.  Alex Smith also decided to prove that he could win by throwing to Jeremy Maclin.  I know he probably reads this column every week, which he uses as motivation.  I’m just glad I could help motivate you, Alex.  I’m picking the Chiefs every week from here on out, so don’t let me down.

Prediction:  Chiefs win 27-13

 Broncos at Chargers:

Jemp: Broncos,  Reeb: Broncos,  Pep: Broncos 32-20,  Screw: Broncos

Well looks like CJ Anderson put an end to the Peyton Manning era in Denver last week.  Maybe the Redskins will sign him to a huge contract where he can struggle for the rest of career.  Anyway, Brock Osweiler is doing a good job of taking advantage of having a dominating defense, a running game that is coming alive, and two pro bowl receivers.  Yeah he has a lot to work with, but it’s still no easy task to win in the NFL.  When Peyton Manning was 7-0 we didn’t give him credit for that, but let’s move on shall we.  Philip Rivers must dream about 2006 when he had just as good a team around him, but he couldn’t take advantage.  If only he had been the quarterback he is today, maybe the Chargers could have won a Super Bowl.  Now he has nothing, and is facing a probable loss to Brock Osweiler.

Prediction:  Broncos win 24-20

 Panthers at Saints:

Jemp: Panthers,  Reeb: Panthers,  Pep: Panthers 32-20,  Screw: Saints

The Panthers are the last unbeaten team in the NFL, and a real threat to go 16-0.  Who left on their schedule can beat them?  Definitely not the Falcons, who they play twice.  That just leaves the Saints, the Giants and the Bucs.  Maybe they let their guard down and lose one of those games, but they seem to be playing their best football as of late.  I can’t see the Saints defense stopping the Panthers offense, nor can I see the Saints offense scoring much against the Panthers defense.  I guess Screw is just expecting the Panthers to lose one eventually, but I can’t see it being here.

Prediction:  Panthers win 35-24

 Eagles at Patriots:

Jemp: Patriots,  Reeb: Patriots,  Pep: Patriots 62-0,  Screw: Patriots

Well Gronk is out, but Danny Amendola is back.  Fair tradeoff I would say.  Not that it matters against the Eagles, because they can’t stop anyone.  The team seems to have given up, despite being just a game back in the NFC East.  Nice try in the NFL Chip Kelly, maybe you will get another chance one day if you have another good run in college.

Prediction:  Patriots win 44-20

 

Colts at Steelers:

Jemp: Steelers,  Reeb: Steelers,  Pep: Colts 32-20,  Screw: Colts

Screw picking the Colts, despite being a Steelers fan.  Could Matt Hasselbeck get his revenge on Big Ben after being robbed of a Super Bowl by him and his refs?  I wish I could say that he would, but I don’t think he has enough to beat the Steelers.  The Colts are a more consistent team with Matt Hasselbeck at quarterback, but Andrew Luck gives them a chance against any team in the league.  He also gives them the chance to lose to any team in the league.  You can make up your own mind about which is better for the Colts right now.  I think Matthew has a chance against the Steelers but I say another bad call gives the Steelers the game.

Prediction:  Steelers win 23-21

 

Cowboys at Redskins:

Jemp: Redskins,  Reeb: Redskins,  Pep: Redskins 32-20,  Screw: Redskins

Well we are all in agreement that the Redskins will win this one.  Matt Cassel trying to beat the best team in the league?  I think the Redskins take it easy on him though, so the game doesn’t get too out of hand.

Prediction:  Redskins win 200-0

It’s time for the Thanksgiving edition of our weekly pickem.  What is better than a day of food and football?  Anyway, here are the standings:

Reeb: 39-28

Jemp: 39-28

Pep: 37-30

Alx: 36-31

Jemp made a run towards the top spot, while I remain at the bottom due to some terrible calls in the Redskins game that robbed them of an easy win.  I’m not one to dwell on the past though, so let’s look at this week’s games.

Eagles at Lions: 

Jemp: Lions,  Reeb: Lions,  Pep: Lions 30-28

The Lions became the first ever team to win back to back games scoring 18 points.  They are also the first team to start 1-7 and then win two straight after firing their offensive coordinator midseason and making the playoffs the year before.  Okay, I didn’t check that last stat but I think we can safely assume it’s accurate.  But if we are to learn anything from history, we know that the Lions will win by scoring 18 points, and of course Mark Sanchez will do something embarrassing.

Prediction:  Lions win 18-13

 

Panthers at Cowboys:

Jemp: Panthers,  Reeb: Panthers,  Pep: Panthers 16-10

Two quarterbacks who haven’t lost a start this year get to face off.  The Cowboys usually play well on Thanksgiving, but I remember a Thanksgiving where another mobile quarterback lit up the Cowboys, throwing four touchdowns.  2012 was the best Thanksgiving ever.  Anyway, I don’t know if Cam Newton will throw four touchdowns, but I don’t expect the Cowboys offense to start rolling just because they got Tony Romo back.  Sure they put up 24 against the Dolphins, but the Panthers defense is a little bit better.

Prediction:  Panthers win 27-13

 

Bears at Packers:

Jemp: Packers,  Reeb: Packers,  Pep: Packers 27-3

No one thinks the Bears can pull the upset on Thanksgiving Night.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m still not sold on the Packers, but when Jay Cutler goes to Lambeau, Aaron Rodgers doesn’t even have to show up.  He can just let Jay throw the touchdowns to his defense.  On the bright side, Matt Forte will be back for this game, just in time for me to play Pep in fantasy and he has Jeremy Langford on his team.

Prediction:  Packers 23-13

 

Dolphins at Jets:

Jemp: Jets,  Reeb: Jets,  Pep: Jets 23-7

Well everyone is going with the Jets, mostly because we believe in the Dolphins less.  The Jets have been struggling lately, so we don’t have much confidence in them, but they have more talent than the Dolphins, even without Darrelle Revis.  Besides, it has just been depressing to watch Brandon Marshall on Inside the NFL when the Jets lose, so let’s hope Phil and Boomer gave him some advice to turn his team around.

Prediction:  Jets win 17-10

 

Chargers at Jaguars:

Jemp: Jaguars,  Reeb: Jaguars,  Pep: Jags 40-21

Alright well I’m the only one who thinks the Chargers can win this one.  Okay, so Philip Rivers has no wide receivers, running game, or pass protection.  At least he has Antonio Gates and Danny Woodhead to throw to.  The Jaguars have had a much better fantasy offense, but let’s not pretend that their team is actually good.  Beating the Titans is certainly no indicator of that.  I know the Chargers seem to lose every time I pick them to win, but they have to end this losing streak sometime, right?

Prediction:  Chargers 30-21

 

Bills at Chiefs:

Jemp: Chiefs,  Reeb: Bills,  Pep: Chiefs 27-24

Both of these teams have been playing good football, but over the last four games, the Chiefs may have played the best football in the league.  Think I’m exaggerating?  Take a look at how they have dominated their opponents.  I mean, they got Peyton Manning benched.  The problem with their team during their losing streak was that they started to throw the ball to their wide receivers.  Now that Jeremy Maclin is irrelevant in fantasy, the Chiefs are back in playoff contention.  Just keep ignoring your receivers Andy Reid and your team will be just fine.

Prediction:  Chiefs 21-17

 

Raiders at Titans:

Jemp: Raiders, Reeb: Raiders, Pep: Raiders 13-2

The Raiders have been pretty disappointing the last couple of games, but none of us will pick them to lose to the Titans.  Amari Cooper had one catch for four yards last game, which was very disheartening for my fantasy team, although I still won in that league.  Unfortunately for the Raiders, the resurgence of the Chiefs may push them out of playoff contention.  Maybe next year, Raiders fans.

Prediction:  Raiders win 20-17

 

Buccaneers at Colts:

Jemp: Colts,  Reeb: Bucs,  Pep: Colts 25-19 OT

Strange that everyone is talking about how the Cowboys are so good with Tony Romo, since he is 3-0 this year, but no one is saying the same about Matt Hasselbeck who is also 3-0.  The Bucs have been playing well as of late too, but I like Matthew to take care of business at home.  Remember when Matt Hasselbeck led the 7-9 Seahawks to a playoff win against the Saints?  You probably only remember Marshawn Lynch’s run, but Matt Hasselbeck threw four touchdowns before that run which was the only reason the Seahawks were ahead.

Prediction:  Colts win 24-20

 

Saints at Texans:

Jemp: Texans,  Reeb: Texans,  Pep: Texans ‘Hoyer freakin magic’

No one else thinks the Saints can win this one.  Drew Brees has returned to form, and perhaps the defense can be at least somewhat competent after the coaching change.  Besides, Kirk Cousins could make any defense look bad.  Still the Texans have been playing well lately as well, beating the Bengals and the Jets back to back.  I still like the Saints coming off the bye.

Prediction:  Saints win 34-27

 

Vikings at Falcons:

Jemp: Vikings,  Reeb: Vikings,  Pep: Vikings 31-28

Well the Vikings didn’t look great last week, but I don’t know if any team has looked as bad as the Falcons lately.  Matt Ryan was worried they were actually going to win last week, but he took care of that in a hurry.  I would not be at all surprised if the Falcons finished 6-10.  Although my fantasy team is still counting on Julio Jones and Devonta Freeman, so hopefully they still continue to produce.  Good chance for a bounce back game for the Vikings.

Prediction:  Vikings win 34-17

 

Giants at Redskins:

Jemp: Redskins,  Reeb: Redskins,  Pep: Redskins 18-17

Ah, the battle for first place in the NFC East.  I know I have been talking about the possibility of the Giants going to the Super Bowl, but we can’t pretend that they actually have a chance against the Redskins.  Look for Kirk to carve up this defense, and Alfred Morris will get a chance to hit some home runs again.

Prediction:  Redskins win 120-0

 

Rams at Bengals:

Jemp: Bengals,  Reeb: Bengals,  Pep: Bengals 34-0

Finally the Bengals are back out of primetime, so we actually think they can win again.  The Rams quarterback play has been so bad that their whole training staff lost interest and didn’t notice Case Keenum had a concussion.  Even though he didn’t remember what sport he was playing, no one thought that he looked any worse than before.  How about the Rams give the ball to Todd Gurley more, since they are going to lose anyway.

Prediction:  Bengals 30-17

 

Cardinals at 49ers:

Jemp: Cardinals,  Reeb: Cardinals,  Pep: Cardinals 44-10

Yeah so we all spent some time trying to think of how the 49ers can win this game.  We came up with nothing.  So start your Cardinals in fantasy or pretend you think the 49ers can pull the upset.  Have these two teams ever both been good at the same time?

Prediction:  Cardinals win 52-3

 

Steelers at Seahawks:

Jemp: Steelers,  Reeb: Steelers,  Pep: Steelers 23-21

All of you picking against the Seahawks in Seattle.  Oh how the twelves have fallen.  It’s still always a tough game against the Seahawks, but they can’t seem to beat any playoff teams.  The Steelers are looking like a playoff team so does that mean the Seahawks will blow another fourth quarter lead?  If they lose this one then I say they are done, but I’m going to pick them one last time at home before I give up on them.

Prediction:  Seahawks win 23-20

 

Patriots at Broncos:

Jemp: Patriots,  Reeb: Patriots,  Pep: Patriots 26-14

Wow what a game by Brock Osweiler!  He led his team to a whopping 17 points against the Bears defense.  Now all he has to do is lead his team to a win against the Patriots.  On the other side Tom Brady is running out of people to throw to, and the Patriots offense looked mortal last week.  I needed Tom Brady to score 14 fantasy points on Monday Night, and he had it after his long pass to Gronk, and then threw an interception right after, leaving him a point short.  I’m nervous about him playing against this Broncos defense, but there is no way I’m benching Tom Brady.

Prediction:  Patriots win 23-6

 

Ravens at Browns:

Jemp: Browns,  Reeb: Browns,  Pep: Browns 49-0

What an exciting Monday Night game, the injury-plagued Ravens against the Browns.  The Ravens have lost their best defensive player, best receiver, starting running back and starting quarterback.  The Ravens go into this game with no one.  The Browns do too, but at least they are used to it.  Good news is, Matt Schaub gets the start for the Ravens, wahoowa!  Still, watching UVA football has taught me to never expect them to win.

Prediction:  Browns win 24-16

Thanks Pep for filling in for me last week, but now I’m back and ready to make some picks.  Here are the standings.

Reeb: 31-22

Pep: 30-23

Jemp: 29-24

Alx: 28-25

I had a rough week, going 5-9 on my picks, leaving me in last place.  Maybe it was punishment for not writing this column, but I plan to take the lead after this week, so let’s get to it.

Titans at Jaguars: 

Jemp: Jaguars,  Reeb: Jaguars,  Pep: Jags 35-10

What a game to kick off the week.  I can’t wait to be blinded by having to watch the Jaguars play in those uniforms.  At least there are some relevant fantasy players in this game this year.  Last year we had to watch Clipboard Jesus (Charlie Whitehurst) lead the Titans to a near win.  I think Marcus Mariota will do the same.

Prediction:  Jaguars win 20-17

Redskins at Panthers:

Jemp: Panthers,  Reeb: Panthers,  Pep: Redskins 29-18

The Panthers have had a great season, and I still believe they are underrated despite being undefeated.  Their defense has played lights out and I think they will be able to contain the Redskins offense.  Still, we all saw Kirk Cousins throw four touchdowns last week with a perfect passer rating of 158.3.  I think he can get it up to 160 this week.

Prediction:  Redskins win 95-0

Rams at Ravens:

Jemp: Rams,  Reeb: Rams,  Pep: Ravens 34-15

Tough game for the Rams last week, and they turn to Case Keenum to fix their passing game.  Who won the Nick Foles for Sam Bradford trade?  The correct answer is every team other than the Rams and Eagles.  Well I guess the Rams got a better draft pick out of it. Too bad they will never get a quarterback that can do something with all the rest of the talent on the team.  On the other side, the Ravens were robbed of a win last week, and more importantly I was robbed of getting one of my picks last week right.  I think it should still count for me, but I guess if the Ravens can live with it then so can I. 

Prediction:  Rams win 27-17

 

Cowboys at Dolphins:

Jemp: Cowboys,  Reeb: Dolphins,  Pep: Cowboys 23-20

If anyone tallied up our picks from last week, then you might be wondering why Jemp is one pick better than what last week’s picks say.  You also should probably get a hobby.  As for Jemp’s picks, he picked the Dolphins last week but Pep screwed up and put him down as having the Eagles.  Don’t be too hard on him, it was his first time.  Anyway, Tony Romo comes back this week, which means the Cowboys will run the table right?  I mean, they never won seven in a row last year as a team that relied on Demarco Murray, but now they can win seven without Demarco Murray right?

Prediction:  Dolphins win 27-24

Buccaneers at Eagles:

Jemp: Eagles,  Reeb: Bucs,  Pep: Eagles 40-6

Looks like there is some faith in the Sanchise this week.  Personally I don’t think he is any worse or better than Sam Bradford.  The Bucs are no longer pushovers, but they aren’t that good either.  Playing the Bucs is like the test to see if you are a legitimate team.  Hopefully after the Eagles lose this one we can all agree that they are not.

Prediction:  Bucs win 17-13

Broncos at Bears:

Jemp: Broncos,  Reeb: Bears,  Pep: Bears 40-21

Reeb and Pep, are you guys really that skeptical of Brock Osweiler?  He doesn’t even have to play that well, the Broncos have been winning without offense all year.  As long as he doesn’t throw 5 completions and 4 picks like Peyton Manning did last week, the Broncos should be fine.  I’m not saying Brock Osweiler is better than Peyton Manning, just better than he played last week.  I guess I should give the Bears some credit for playing some good football as of late, but I see the Jay Cutler revenge game resulting in him trying to do too much and throwing some balls to his old team.

Prediction:  Broncos win 20-10

Raiders at Lions:

Jemp: Lions, Reeb: Raiders, Pep: Raiders 23-9

What a win for the Lions last week.  Despite Matthew Stafford’s best efforts, they were able to get a win in Lambeau for the first time in Jemp’s lifetime.  The Raiders couldn’t get past the Vikings last week, but I think they are able to perform on the road this week.  Sorry Jemp, last week’s win can be the achievement of the year for the Lions and they can spend the rest of the year working on their draft pick.

Prediction:  Raiders win 28-17

Colts at Falcons:

Jemp: Falcons,  Reeb: Falcons,  Pep: Falcons 20-14

Nobody believes in Matt Hasselbeck?  Are we forgetting the last time we saw the Falcons play they lost to Blaine Gabbert?  They lost to Jameis Winston, and they almost lost to Zach Mettenberger.  This should be a piece of cake for Matthew.  As long as the dementia doesn’t set in, I think Matthew Hasselbeck takes care of business.

Prediction:  Colts win 23-21

Jets at Texans:

Jemp: Texans,  Reeb: Texans,  Pep: Jets 21-0

A good job by TJ Yates against the Bengals.  Unfortunately, the Bengals seem to be the only team that he can beat.  However, the Jets seem to have hit a wall.  Chris Ivory, the best running back in the league according to Brandon Marshall, has averaged less than 46 rushing yards per game over his last four games.  Still, I can’t see the Texans doing anything against the Jets defense.  They will have Revis covering DeAndre Hopkins, and I would probably double him as well just for good measure. I’m with Pep and say the Jets get the shutout.

Prediction:  Jets win 16-0

Chiefs at Chargers:

Jemp: Chiefs,  Reeb: Chiefs,  Pep: Chiefs 9-6

The Chargers have really let me down this year, but not as much as they have let Philip Rivers down.  He now has even less to work with now that Keenan Allen and Malcolm Floyd are out.  Meanwhile, the Chiefs have sneakily been playing great, and could make a playoff push.  That secondary that was so terrible early in the season seems to have been revived with the return of Sean Smith and with Eric Berry getting back to pro bowl form.  Also Charcandrick West has picked up right where Jamaal Charles left off and has been the workhorse in that offense on the ground and through the air.

Prediction:  Chiefs win 27-20

49ers at Seahawks:

Jemp: Seahawks,  Reeb: Seahawks,  Pep: Seahawks 19-13 OT

Well I have officially lost faith in the Seahawks as an elite team.  People can say that they have lost to some really good teams, but that is only one way to look at it.  I say, every time they play a good team, they lose.  Their offense can’t do anything, and then their defense gets tired late in games because of it.  Good thing for them they are playing a very bad team this week, which means they will be fine.  Still don’t know if they can make it to the playoffs though.

Prediction:  Seahawks win 20-3

Packers at Vikings:

Jemp: Vikings,  Reeb: Vikings,  Pep: Vikings 28-17

Everyone is taking the Vikings over the Packers?  You might not believe me, but I picked the Vikings to win the NFC North before the season.  After week 1 when the Vikings got stomped by the 49ers, I regretted that choice, but the Vikings have been great ever since.  Adrian Peterson has been getting better and better each week, and I say he has a monster day against the Packers on Sunday.

Prediction:  Vikings win 24-16

Bengals at Cardinals:

Jemp: Cardinals,  Reeb: Cardinals,  Pep: Cardinals 49-7

Well both of these teams played in primetime last week, and one was not like the other.  Not even Reeb thinks that the Bengals can win this one.  Andy Dalton has to play on the road in primetime against a really good defense.  Not to mention he will still be recovering from those mean things JJ Watt said about him.  I can just imagine JJ Watt bullying Andy Dalton as a kid.  Anyway, if we factor in the Carson Palmer revenge game, this one could be a blowout.  He certainly stepped up in primetime last week, and Andy Dalton well… didn’t.

Prediction:  Cardinals win 35-10

Bills at Patriots:

Jemp: Patriots,  Reeb: Patriots,  Pep: Patriots 27-7

Well that Patriots Giants game last week may not have ended 38-35, but you can’t tell me you aren’t more convinced of them playing in the Super Bowl after watching it.  The Giants haven’t had a pass rush all year, but somehow got more pressure on Tom Brady than any other team this year.  The Pats still got the job done, and I don’t see them losing on Monday Night Football, even without Julian Edelman.

Prediction:  Patriots win 41-23

This week Alx and Jemp needed to take separate company vacations, so I’ll be relieving the duties of the week 10 pick ‘em. I’ll try my best to speak nicely but sometimes my emotions get the best of me. I’m also in dead last in the standings. It’s sad, really. I don’t ask for much, maybe just a win from the Jags here and there so we can get a postgame speech about spirit. Oh well, here’s the standings:

Reeb: 24-15

Alx: 23-16

Jemp: 21-18

Pep: 20-19

Reeb surged to the top after he picked the Titans and Bears to win last week. It took a lot of guts to make those picks, and a lot of spirit, too. Jemp thought Matt Cassel would win one for the Cowboys last week, and ultimately lost his position at the top of the standings.

Bills at Jets

Jemp: Jets 21-17, Reeb: Bills,  Alx: Bills 19-0

I don’t know what’s worse: Rex trying to troll a backup quarterback or the fact that he’s using a guy who got catfished by a “woman” named Missy Lee to do it. Pathetic. Still, you can’t help but root for Rex in this one. As a matter of fact, I hope he wins and his defense carries him off the field like they did for Jim Schwartz.

Prediction:  Bills 38-20

Lions at Packers

Jemp: Lions 35-0 Rodgers 9 INTs, Reeb: Packers, Alx: Packers 30-13

Look, we all want it to come true…but we just can’t pick the Lions. My record is at stake here. Jim Caldwell, one of the happiest coaches in the NFL might just lose his cool on Sunday.

Prediction:  Packers 32-20

Ravens at Jaguars

Jemp: Ravens 17-10,  Reeb: Jags,  Alx: Ravens 26-24

There’s going to be some magic this week. Spirit will be shown. The Allen’s have quietly become one of the best receiving duos in the NFL while Marcedes Lewis is somehow still on the roster. Guess they like jokes in Jacksonville, just like in Draft Day when they traded their first rounder for 3 2nd round picks after negotiating with an apparent intern who was a GM. Jokes, man.

Prediction:  Jags 26-20 OT

Browns at Steelers

Jemp: Steelers 24-17,  Reeb: Steelers,  Alx: Browns 24-21

The Browns are still, uh, rebuilding. Yeah. Give Josh McCown one more year and these guys will be in the playoffs. He’s the only guy whose been able to resemble what Derek Anderson was in Cleveland. Now they just need a Jamal Lewis and Braylon Edwards (Josh Gordon). Next year.

Prediction:  Steelers 27-25

Rams at Bears:

Jemp: Rams 24-10,  Reeb: Rams,  Alx: Rams 23-21

After thinking about what Jon Gruden was saying about Jay Cutler last week I almost picked the Bears. Then I remembered that the Bears only had 7 points until the 4th quarter of that game…kind of like most of their other games this season. Todd Gurley won’t stop playing well either. John Fox will chew his gum aggressively but come up short this week.

Prediction:  Rams 15-9

Cowboys at Buccaneers:

Jemp: Cowboys 23-13,  Reeb: Bucs,  Alx: Cowboys 24-13

I am sick and tired of seeing the Cowboys on primetime television. Nobody cares about them. Nobody. They’re bad. This is not America’s game of the week. Nobody wants to see Matt Cassel be average. Nobody wants to hear about the time he went 11-5 with a loaded Patriots roster that went 18-1 the year before. Absolutely no one, not even Cowboys fans. Leave it alone, they’ll lose. Make sure to tune in for the end of the game when you see Jerry Jones storm out of his box.

Prediction:  Bucs 35-10

Panthers at Titans:

Jemp: Panthers 31-17, Reeb: Panthers, Alx: Panthers 37-10

Last week I was under the impression that Mettenberger was starting for the Titans, but apparently nobody cares enough to cover the Titans so I never found out. And I’m sure as hell not going out of my way to find out who’s starting this week because the Titans have absolutely no chance of winning this game. By the way, Brian Orakpo sure seems to be doing well over there, doesn’t he?

Prediction:  Panthers 26-9

 Redskins at Saints:

Jemp: Redskins 27-24,  Reeb: Redskins,  Alx: Redskins 100-0

I fondly remember the last time these 2 teams played. Glad nothing’s changed since then…


Oh wait, things have changed. Robert might not even be wearing pads and I think Alfred Morris is probably tied up in a basement somewhere. I miss him.

Prediction:  Redskins 38-31

Raiders at Vikings:

Jemp: Vikings 24-21,  Reeb: Raiders,  Pep: Raiders 28-23

I’ve asked this before and I’ll ask it again: Where the hell do all these receivers come from in Minnesota? Seems like Teddy’s throwing to a new guy every week. I’m torn on this one, I like both teams.

Prediction:  Vikings 19-12

Dolphins at Eagles:

Jemp: ?eagles,  Reeb: Eagles,  Alx: ?dolphins 23-13

Uh, yellow? Guess Alx and Jemp didn’t care enough about this one. Anyway, looks like Philly’s on a roll after beating the great primetime worthy Cowboys and they’ll probably continue the streak this Sunday. Bradford against Suh is a matchup I want to see.

Prediction:  Eagles 21-18

Broncos at Chiefs:

Jemp: Broncos 28-10,  Reeb: Broncos,  Alx: Broncos 17-10

Aqib Talib is out for poking someone in the eye, so maybe Alex Smith can expose his backup by throwing to one of those top notch receivers he has. I’m sure Andy Reid will challenge a call at some point in this game and win, as he has an NFL record for most challenges won…and that’s about the only good thing the Chiefs have going for them right now.

Prediction: Broncos 24-20

Patriots at Giants:

Jemp: Patriots 28-21,  Reeb: Patriots,  Alx: Patriots 38-35

Yeah, the Giants can only beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl. I think that’s all there is to say about that.

Prediction:  Patriots 20-17

Cardinals at Seahawks:

Jemp: Cardinals 21-18,  Reeb: Seahawks,  Alx: Seahawks 19-17

 Every Cardinals fan still feels the pain of their 56-0 loss in 2012. Well, with Ken Whisenhunt unemployed, it’s time to get that revenge. The Seahawks are overrated and Carson Palmer is going to expose this overpaid team. The Cardinals are kind of like a poor man’s Patriots in how they can take almost any player and make them pretty good. Take Chris Johnson for example, one of the NFL’s leading rushers. He got shot but he’s doing pretty well now.

Prediction: Cardinals 23-10

 Texans at Bengals

 Jemp: Bengals 41-21, Reeb: Bengals, Alx: Bengals 34-20

 Oh, Andy Dalton will do well on Monday Night Football, right? Right? Wrong. Hoyer freakin’ magic will be in full force on Monday night. I don’t mind picking against Andy Dalton.

Prediction: Texans 27-20

With another week of picks under our belt, here are the standings.

Jemp: 17-9

Reeb: 16-10

Alx: 15-11

Pep: 15-11

Jemp takes the lead after a good week for him, going 10-4.  I bet he wishes his Lions could get a record that looked like that.  Anyway let’s move on to this week’s picks.

Browns at Bengals: 

Jemp: Bengals 31-10,  Reeb: Bengals,  Pep: Bengals 23-0

Ah, Andy Dalton returns to primetime.  Last year, he played against the Browns on Thursday Night and he didn’t have his best game.  He had a passer rating of 2.0 so I guess it could have been worse.  This year though, the Bengals have been much better, and the Browns are much worse.  Andy Dalton had a bad game last week and the Bengals still won.  So he couldn’t possible screw this up, right?

Prediction:  Bengals win 17-13

Dolphins at Bills:

Jemp: Dolphins 17-13,  Reeb: Bills,  Pep: Bills 26-16

So I think the honeymoon is over for the Dolphins and Dan Campbell.  Now they get a chance to settle in and take on the Bills who just had a bye to recover from their struggles.  Reeb and Pep think a break was just what the Bills needed, while Jemp think the Dolphins can rebound from their loss to the Pats.  I trust Rex a little more than Dan Campbell so I’ll go with the Bills.

Prediction:  Bills win 20-10

Raiders at Steelers:

Jemp: Raiders 24-21,  Reeb: Raiders,  Pep: Raiders 35-30

Everyone is picking the Raiders this week.  I don’t think I’ve ever said that before.  Granted this is only our third week doing picks, but still.  Derek Carr could probably teach his brother a thing or two about turning around a franchise.  Well to be fair David didn’t so much have to turn around a franchise as he did start one from the ground up.  If only the Texans had drafted a talented receiver in David’s second year.

Prediction:  Raiders win 31-21

Titans at Saints:

Jemp: Saints 24-10,  Reeb: Titans,  Pep: The team that’s not the Titans 36-10

Pep says he stopped reading after “Titans”.  This is probably an effective strategy when picking games from here on out.  I know I said teams tend to play much better the week after their coach has been fired, so maybe these Titans will put up a fight, but I can’t see them actually winning the game.  As for the other side, you may have heard Drew Brees had a pretty good game last week.  I wish they would play the highlights a few more times.

Prediction:  Saints win 27-10

Jaguars at Jets:

Jemp: Jets 24-17,  Reeb: Jets,  Pep: Jags 22-21

So the Jets had a bit of a letdown last week.  I think after Geno Smith came in the game, the defense decided to just save their energy for next week.  They couldn’t have gotten one sack or something?  I lost by less than a point in fantasy because the Jets defense got me -1 points.  Still I went 12-2 for the week.  Maybe I’m getting a bit off track here, so I’m just going to say that I don’t think Allen Robinson is ready to play against Darrelle Revis so I’m going with the Jets.

Prediction:  Jets win 28-14

Redskins at Patriots:

Jemp: Patriots 41-7,  Reeb: Patriots,  Pep: Patriots 34-27

I guess the rest of the staff is making their little jokes, but this is not the place for that.  Sure the Patriots have been playing well, but did you see Tom Brady talk about playing the Redskins?  He looked like he was going to wet his pants because he knew he didn’t have a chance.  Still, he is one of the best quarterbacks of all time so I’m going to make a bold prediction this week.  The Patriots will score against the Redskins.

Prediction:  Redskins win 100-3

Rams at Vikings:

Jemp: Rams 21-17, Reeb: Rams, Pep: Vikings 27-24

What a great matchup this week.  They may not be on the field at the same time but this game features a battle between Teddy Bridgewater and Nick Foles.  These are two of the best handoff quarterbacks in the league.  Oh yeah and Adrian Peterson and Todd Gurley will receive most of those handoffs.  This game reminds me of when Adrian Peterson played against Ladanian Tomlinson in his rookie year.  Peterson ran for 296 yards in that game, although Tomlinson ended up being the league’s leading rusher that year.  I guess that could be an argument for either back in this case, but I’ll go with Peterson to rise to the challenge again.

Prediction:  Vikings win 24-23

 Packers at Panthers:

Jemp: Panthers 17-10,  Reeb: Panthers,  Pep: Packers 20-13

The Packers and Panthers played similar games last week but on opposite sides.  The Panthers dominated the Colts for three and half quarters, while the Broncos did the same to the Packers.  The difference was the Andrew Luck kept slinging it while Aaron Rodgers gave up on his team.  Luck may have played like Rex Grossman, but Rodgers played like John Beck, never taking any chances with his team down big.  I guess that prevented his passer rating from falling, but Luck got his team back into the game.  Anyway I trust that Panthers defense to hold the Packers down, and Cam to come through in the clutch once again.

Prediction:  Panthers win 20-17

Falcons at 49ers:

Jemp: Falcons 31-10,  Reeb: Falcons,  Pep: Falcons by default

Well I said the Falcons weren’t all that good last week, but I wasn’t bold enough to pick the Bucs to beat them.  This week, I am sure as hell not bold enough to pick Blaine Gabbert and the 49ers to beat them.  I really enjoyed Tomsula’s press conference where he was basically preparing for Gabbert to fail.  Although, Blaine was drafted ahead of Kaepernick in 2011, and he never really had a chance with that Jaguars team.  Maybe he will have better luck with this 49ers team…

Prediction:  Falcons win 24-3

Giants at Buccaneers:

Jemp: Giants 28-24,  Reeb: Bucs,  Pep: Bucs 32-21

Well I did say the Giants would play better on offense last week.  Too bad they forgot how to play defense.  Tom Coughlin must have had flashbacks to that Eagles game in 2010 where Desean Jackson returned the punt on the last play of the game.  Maybe he should spend some time with his punters explaining what not to do at the end of games.  Still, the Giants are a scary team if they make it into the playoffs.  They always seem to put the offense and the defense together at that time of year.

Prediction:  Giants win 23-20

Broncos at Colts:

Jemp: Broncos 28-10,  Reeb: Broncos,  Pep: Broncos 42-20

Peyton Manning must be laughing at Eli after last week.  Peyton threw no touchdowns and won, and Eli threw 6 and lost.  Still, this team has no chance if Peyton doesn’t step up his game.  When has a good defense ever won a team a championship?

Prediction: Broncos 24-20

Eagles at Cowboys:

Jemp: Cowboys 21-17,  Reeb: Eagles,  Pep: Eagles 21-16

Can’t wait to watch this game on Sunday Night.  We get to watch Matt Cassel and Sam Bradford go at it, and then we get Bears Chargers on Monday Night.  I guess there weren’t many other games to pick for primetime, just the top two seed in the NFC playing at 1:00.  Great job schedule-makers.  I guess Demarco Murray is playing his former team, and hopefully he can get more than 2 yards this time around.

Prediction:  Eagles win 13-10

Bears at Chargers:

Jemp: Chargers 34-24,  Reeb: Bears,  Pep: Chargers 23-9

I know I just bashed this game for being in primetime, but at least we get to see the Jay Cutler vs. Philip Rivers rivalry renewed.  Who can forget the last time these two quarterbacks played on Monday Night?  Well probably a lot of people so I will refresh your memory.  It was Christmas Eve 2007, and Philip Rivers started trash talking Jay from the sidelines after he failed to convert a fourth down.  Here is a link that really captures the intensity of this rivalry,

So after our first week of picks as a staff, here are the standings

Reeb: 8-4

Alx: 7-5

Jemp: 7-5

Pep: 7-5

So Reeb the intern leads the way with the rest of us a game back. I guess even Brandon Weeden throws a touchdown pass every once in a while. Anyway let’s take a look at this week’s games. The Redskins get a well-deserved bye week after thrashing the Buccaneers. Yes Kirk, I did like that. –Alx

Well, I struck gold on the Jags’ spirit and whiffed on the Redskins last week, but can you really blame me? When I chose the bucs over the skins I had Mike Evans’ 2014 performance in mind and he replicated it last Sunday. I mean the first half was so Redskin-esque. I’m glad I was wrong, though. The guys are on a bye week now and are getting ready to beat the Patriots in week 9 and give Alx and I a trophy win to talk about for the next 3 years. –Pep

I should get a raise since I’m winning so far. –Reeb the Intern

I can make weekly picks but I don’t feel like writing an article. -Jemp

Dolphins at Patriots: 

Jemp: Pats 35-17,  Reeb: Dolphins,  Pep: Dolphins 28-27

I’m going to let Pep have the floor for this one.

“Remember that one game in 2004 when that one Dolphins coach was fired and replaced by an interim coach the following week only to beat the Patriots on Monday Night Football?  The 2015 Dolphins are kind of like that, except they have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in star players that are finally starting to perform up to everyone’s expectations.  Oh yeah, and A.J. Feely isn’t under center.  Let’s not forget his heroic win in 2004, though. What a game, man.” - Pep

Well said Pep. The Dolphin beat the Titans and Texans under Dan Campbell, so the Patriots should be no problem, right?

Prediction:  Patriots win 41-16

Lions at Chiefs:

Jemp: Lions 24-21,  Reeb: Chiefs,  Pep: Lions 35-10

Golden Tate finally got his wish for the Lions to fire Joe Lombardi.  Now maybe he will start trying again.  Then we can talk about how Jim Bob Cooter is a coaching genius just like Dan Campbell. I think he will remind the Lions that their objective is to score points, and they will respond. Maybe throwing the ball to Megatron against this Chiefs secondary wouldn’t be a bad idea either.

Prediction:  Lions win 35-17

Giants at Saints:

Jemp: Saints 24-17,  Reeb: Saints,  Pep: Giants 30-12

Look out Drew Brees, JPP may be back on the field for this one.  Maybe the Giants could actually get a pass rush going this game. Just keep him off the field for the pregame fireworks. As for their offense, one thing is clear; they will be on the field this Sunday. Other than that, I can’t tell you much.  They have been bad the past two weeks, so that means they will probably be good this week. 

Prediction:  Giants win 28-23

Cardinals at Browns:

Jemp: Cardinals 28-10,  Reeb: Cardinals,  Pep: Cardinals 42-38

No one believes in the Josh McCown revenge game? At least Pep thinks he will put up a good fight.  Kurt Warner says that McCown taught him how to throw it up to his big receivers when he got to Arizona.  With Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald, that worked out pretty well. It worked out for Josh in Chicago as well with Alshonn Jeffery and Brandon Marshall.  So for this game he can just throw it up to Travis Benjamin against Patrick Peterson. Let’s see how that works out for him.

Prediction:  Cardinals win 42-3

49ers at Rams:

Jemp: Rams 24-10,  Reeb: Rams,  Pep: 49ers 8-6

Pep really hates the Rams for some reason, so he thinks this is the worst game of the week. But let’s be real, no one can stop Todd Gurley, even this 49ers defense. Oh yeah and if Colin Kaepernick puts up 8 points this week I will be impressed. Remember in week 1 when Carlos Hyde looked like the best running back in the NFL?

Prediction:  Rams win 24-0

 Buccaneers at Falcons:

Jemp: Falcons 31-17,  Reeb: Falcons,  Pep: Bucs 21-16

So the Falcons have been impressive. Fourth quarter comebacks against the entire NFC East and last Sunday they beat the Titans by 3. They also beat the Texans. Maybe Devonta Freeman’s fantasy points have skewed our opinion of this team. But they get the Bucs this week and the 49ers the week after, so thank the schedule-makers Falcons, you should start 8-1. Although, you did lose to the Saints, so who knows?

Prediction:  Falcons win 27-24

 Vikings at Bears:

Jemp: Vikings 28-24, Reeb: Vikings, Pep: Vikings 24-21

I’ll tell you right now that I never liked Cordarrelle Patterson or Charles Johnson, but I do like Stefon Diggs.  I assume that is why everyone is going with the Vikings. Oh yeah they have that Adrian Peterson guy and a pretty good defense as well. I don’t know if that defense can stop Jay Cutler though.  Actually Jay has been playing pretty well, probably because there isn’t much pressure on you when no one expects you to win.

Prediction:  Vikings 24-17

 Bengals at Steelers:

Jemp: Bengals 28-24,  Reeb: Bengals,  Pep: Steelers 42-21

Disregard the rest of the staffs picks for this one. Reeb is a Bengals fan, Jemp hates the Steelers, and Pep needs Antonio Brown to go off in fantasy. How dare you guys let your personal bias affect your picks.  Big Ben should be back for this game, but the Bengals are on a roll. Reeb, just be glad that this game isn’t in primetime.

Prediction: Bengals win 38-34

 Chargers at Ravens:

Jemp: Chargers 24-21,  Reeb: Chargers,  Pep: Ravens 34-19

Okay, I know I have picked the Chargers the last two weeks and they have let me down. I think it’s pretty clear that Philip Rivers doesn’t have much around him, but neither does Joe Flacco. This time around Flacco won’t have Ray Rice to convert that 4th and 29. Well I guess they could still sign him but the Ravens know that the best thing for his wife is to make sure her husband is out of a job so they can’t support their kids. I’m so glad the NFL cares about the victims of domestic violence.

Prediction:  Chargers win 35-27

 Titans at Texans:

Jemp: Texans 17-10,  Reeb: 0-0 tie,  Pep: Texans 16-14

Classic AFC South matchup. Reeb is recognizing the great defenses in this game by predicting a 0-0 tie.  We still don’t know if it will be Mariota or Mettenberger for the Titans in this one so it is tough to call.  How about Nate Washington playing against his former team? He had quite a game last week in garbage time as anyone with DeAndre Hopkins on their fantasy team probably knows. Still I can’t pick the Texans without Arian Foster, especially when their team sucked even when he was healthy.

Prediction:  Titans win 13-10

 Jets at Raiders:

Jemp: Jets 17-10,  Reeb: Jets,  Pep: Raiders 21-10

Pep is rolling with the Raiders this week. The Jets defense couldn’t stop Tom Brady last week, so what chance do they have against Derek Carr? In all seriousness Derek Carr has been playing very well and Amari Cooper is a beast.  His matchup against Darrelle Revis should be a good one. But on the other side of the ball, can the Raiders defense stop Chris Ivory, the best back in the league according to Brandon Marshall.  Good strategy Brandon, convince teams to load up against Ivory so you get single coverage.

Prediction:  Jets win 20-17

 Seahawks at Cowboys:

Jemp: Seahawks 24-7,  Reeb: Seahawks,  Pep: Seahawks 24-3

Dez Bryant may be back for this one. I know people think Dez could be a bit hampered for this one.  Coming off an injury against the LOB with Matt Cassel as your quarterback doesn’t sound good for anyone. However I think Dez can do a good job of shutting down Richard Sherman and holding him to no more than 1 catch. Can’t wait to hear the Cowboys fans chant for Brandon Weeden.

Prediction:  Seahawks win 23-0

 Packers at Broncos:

Jemp: Broncos 21-17,  Reeb: Packers,  Pep: Packers 34-28

Peyton Manning vs. Aaron Rodgers on Sunday Night Football, what more could we want?  Oh yeah and I guess the defenses aren’t bad either. The Broncos have the best overall defense, and the Packers have the best scoring defense. Actually the Broncos are 18th in passing offense and the Packers are 22nd.  Is anybody else looking forward to a defensive battle? The Packers are never as good on the road, even though they have beaten the 49ers and the Bears on the road this season, so I am going with that Broncos defense at home. And I think Peyton can score when it counts.

Prediction:  Broncos win 20-17

 Colts at Panthers:

Jemp: Panthers 28-21,  Reeb: Panthers,  Pep: Panthers 30-20

Everyone is taking the Panthers in this one. Come on, look at Cam’s stat line for his last game. Three picks?  Okay maybe one or two of them were his receivers’ fault, and another one was just a great play by the defender but still. Just because he is carrying the offense on his back doesn’t mean we should make excuses for him. Andrew Luck, however, has no offensive line and is asked to do too much so let’s not blame him for any of the Colts’ problems. Actually I’m tempted to take the Colts because Andrew Luck can score in a hurry at any point in the game, but I can’t pick against the Panthers when they are playing this well. 

Prediction:  Panthers win 23-21

 

So my game picks were so popular last week that the rest of our staff wanted to get in on the action.  They are slackers so we didn’t get to make our picks before the Thursday Night game but trust me I picked the Seahawks.  Officially we won’t count that though and we will start a new tally to see who has the best record from here on out.

Bill at Jaguars: 

Jemp: Bills,  Reeb: Bills,  Pep: Jags 17-16

Pep picking the upset, I guess no one else respects home field advantage.  Well it may not be where they usually play, but there are probably more Jaguars fans in London than in Florida.  Fortunately the fans in London don’t know enough about the NFL to know that the Jaguars will let them down.  Pep loves to watch the Gus Bradley postgame speech, but I don’t think he will be fired up this week.  At least you will get to hear him preach about spirit.

Prediction:  Bills win 23-17

 Vikings at Lions:

Jemp: Lions,  Reeb: Vikings,  Pep: Vikings 32-20

Jemp is still sticking with his Lions.  I guess that victory over the Bears really boosted his confidence in them.  I guess he needed it after watching the Michigan game the day before.  Too bad we aren’t picking college games because I would probably pick Michigan over Minnesota, but I can’t pick against Adrian Peterson after Pep just traded him to me in fantasy.

Prediction:  Vikings win 27-16

 Falcons at Titans:

Jemp: Falcons,  Reeb: Falcons,  Pep: Falcons 45-0

Zach Mettenberger gets a chance to prove that he is the next Tom Brady.  They were both drafted in the 6th round, and… well the similarities pretty much end there.  Maybe in 15 years Mettenberger will have won the Titans their fourth super bowl, but all of our analysts seem a bit skeptical.  Don’t worry Zach, low expectations are the easiest to reach.

Prediction:  Falcons win 35-10

 Saints at Colts:

Jemp: Colts,  Reeb: Colts,  Pep: Colts 45-21

I can’t wait for Sean Payton to break out the fake punt against the Colts.  If it works maybe the Colts will trade their first round pick for him.  Still the Colts look like they are getting back on track, since they only lost to the Patriots by 7.  Although, they have already used 3 of their 6 automatic wins against the AFC South.  We all agree they get their first win out of the division this week.

Prediction:  Colts win 34-17

 Buccaneers at Redskins:

Jemp: Redskins,  Reeb: Redskins,  Pep: Bucs 35-21

Pep made his greatest joke by saying the Bucs could win this week.  Ok, maybe the Redskins fell a little short of my expectations last week but this week I will be a little more realistic.  Jemp and Reeb know who the best team in football is. HTTR

Prediction:  Redskins win 99-0

 Steelers at Chiefs:

Jemp: Steelers,  Reeb: Steelers,  Pep: Steelers 38-21

Leave it to Michael Vick to make Landry Jones look like Dan Marino by comparison.  Now Landry Jones gets to play a terrible Chiefs defense with Leveon Bell, Antonio Brown, and Martavis Bryant at his disposal.  Even he can’t believe his own luck.  As for the Chiefs, maybe Charcandrick West will do a little better this week.

Prediction:  Steelers win 35-9

 Texans at Dolphins:

Jemp: Dolphins, Reeb: Dolphins, Pep: Texans 28-27

I told you teams always seem to do well the week after they fire their coach.  Maybe teams should change coaches every week.  Jemp and Reeb seem to believe the Dan Campbell has actually turned the Dolphins around (okay, well maybe beating the Texans isn’t turning things around).  Pep and I know the Dolphins were riding a temporary high last week.  Oh yeah, and Pep of course believes in Hoyer Freakin’ Magic.

Prediction:  Texans win 24-13

 Browns at Rams:

Jemp: Rams,  Reeb: Rams,  Pep: Browns 56-0

Pep says Nick Foles will throw this game away to the Browns.  I don’t see why he should throw it at all, just keep giving the ball to Todd Gurley.  Maybe Pep is salty that I wouldn’t trade Gurley to him or maybe he actually believes in the Browns offense.  Well I guess you have to love Gary Barnidge.

Prediction: Rams win 19-9

 Jets at Patriots:

Jemp: Patriots,  Reeb: Jets,  Pep: Patriots 52-3

The Jets have a great run-stuffing front seven and arguably the best cornerback trio in football, with the Broncos being the only legitimate competition.  So if they shut down the run game and lock up the wide receivers, the Patriots will have to resort to throwing to Gronk and Dion Lewis.  Reeb obviously thinks the Patriots can’t win with those losers leading the way, but I think they just might step up this game.

Prediction:  Patriots win 37-24

 Raiders at Chargers:

Jemp: Chargers,  Reeb: Raiders,  Pep: Raiders 13-10

So I predicted Philip Rivers to lead the Chargers to the upset last week and he just barely let me down.  This week Reeb and Pep don’t even think he can make it past the Raiders.  I guess throwing 65 passes could take a toll on him, and on his receivers since Keenan Allen and Antonio Gates are both questionable for this game.  But Phily Riv has been throwing to subpar receivers his whole career and he also has more wins against the Raiders than any QB in NFL history.

Prediction:  Chargers win 27-24

Cowboys at Giants:

Jemp: Giants,  Reeb: Giants,  Pep: Giants 20-3

“Matt Cassel is the Brady Quinn of the NFL”- Pep.  Well Brady Quinn was actually in the NFL too, but Pep’s point was that they both suck. However, Eli Manning wasn’t exactly lighting the world on fire on Monday night.  Could Christine Michael lead the Cowboys to a win?  Most likely no, and Eli is probably due for a good game this week.

Prediction:  Giants win 21-7

Editor's note: I know Brady was in the NFL but Matt Cassel has now become the official "Oh crap we need a warm body to fill our quarterback position so let's sign this guy" guy because Brady Quinn isn't around to do that anymore...and let's hope it stays that way. While we're here we may as well get this one out of the way too: Hey Brady, don't you ever cover a Redskins game again. You suck, man. 
Sincerely,
Pep

Eagles at Panthers:

Jemp: Panthers,  Reeb: Panthers,  Pep: Panthers 20-10

No one is taking the Eagles?  They had a brilliant gameplan against the Giants.  Chip Kelly realized that the defense was the strength of the team, so Sam Bradford tried to make sure they could get back out there as soon as possible.  I can’t wait to see the Bradford to Josh Norman connection this week.  I really wonder if people would be surprised if Bradford played like this when he was on the Rams.

Prediction:  Panthers win 27-7

Ravens at Cardinals:

Jemp: Cardinals,  Reeb: Cardinals,  Pep: Cardinals 25-23

So I picked the Ravens to win last week by default, and they couldn’t even get past the 49ers.  Carson Palmer struggled against the Steelers last week, but this is a defense that made Colin Kaepernick look good.  You watched him on Thursday Night right?

Prediction:  Cardinals win 42-17


Main Takeaways
Kind of a predictable week in terms of picks, but the NFL always throws us a few curveballs. Brady Quinn sucks at everything and Gus Bradley brings spirit to London.

Have a great weekend, PFJ fans.