Borderline Fantastic

Falcons @ Giants, Sunday 1pm
Evan: Giants are awful right now, but the Falcons are also lousy. Pick: New York
Ahad: Giants are struggling; Falcons might not have Turner. Despite this, I am going against Evan. Pick: Atlanta
Matt: Both teams have been struggling of late, but the Giants had a bye last week, so we will find out if they have corrected what has been ailing them. Matt Ryan will need to have a big game regardless of whether Turner plays or not. The Giants D needs to step up, and I see them getting the job done. Pick: New York
Mike: A tossup of mediocrity. Tossup breaker, the Giants are coming off a bye. Pick: Giants

Colts @ Ravens, Sunday 1pm
Evan: Ravens didn’t get much of a tune up against the Browns. Shell Shock City when Indy comes to town! (Dick Vitale voice). Pick: Colts
Ahad: The loss of Suggs is going to hurt the Ravens defense. Colts are riding high after the comeback against the Patriots. Pick: Colts
Matt: The Ravens could really use a big win at home over the Colts. They will need to run the ball to keep Peyton Manning off the field. With the Ravens shaky in the secondary, Manning should again put up his usual numbers. The Colts have been living dangerously the past 3 weeks and it is bound to catch up with them at some point. I still can’t pick against Manning, though. Pick: Colts
Mike: This has all the makings of a letdown game for the Colts. Tough, emotional win the week before tends to have teams come out weak. But this is Peyton, he doesn’t lose anymore apparently. Pick: Colts

Chargers @ Broncos, Sunday 4:15pm
Evan: Chargers are just better. Pick: San Diego
Ahad: I think I have let be known that I don’t like the Broncos. Pick: Chargers
Matt: The Broncos have crashed with a thud the past couple weeks. Their offense and defense have been exposed. The Chargers have been heating up despite their defense giving up a ton of yards. I believe Chris Simms will be starting in place of Orton, not that it matters. I just don’t think the Broncos have enough offense to contend with the Chargers right now. Pick: San Diego
Mike: I think the loss of Orton is a huge deal. With Simms in they lost any semblance of an offense last week. I don’t know how they didn’t require Grossman in that trade. At least with Orton this pesky Broncos team from earlier in the year might have made a game out of this. Pick: Chargers

Bears @ Eagles, Sunday 8:20pm
Evan: The Eagles are like the FSU of the NFL. Which team will show up? Pick: Philly
Ahad: This game is in Chicago. Momma McNabb will probably have a feast ready for the team. I think they will be able to rebound from a poor effort last week. Cutler will turn the ball over a few times and put the Eagles offense in good positions to score. The key will be the Eagles turning those opportunities into touchdowns rather than field goals. If Sheldon Brown doesn’t play, this game takes on a completely different look. Either way, I like the Birds. They are simply the better team. Pick: Eagles
Matt: The Eagles need a win bad. Cutler needs to not throw interceptions. The Bears defense played better last week, but none of that will matter if Cutler can’t protect the rock. I think the game will be close, but I see the Eagles D making life difficult for the Chicago offense. Pick: Eagles
Mike: These Eagles enjoy picking the ball off and Cutler seems to like to throw them. Of course, most of those guys will have a difficult time grabbing those Cutler throws on crutches. They still have the offense and not having a week of uncertainty with Westbrook should help the gameplan. Pick: Eagles

Titans @ Texans, Monday 8:30pm
Evan: Another monday nighter I will not be watching. Pick: Houston
Ahad: Chris Johnson will torch the Texans defense. Pick: Titans
Matt: I am very intrigued by this game. I like both of these teams, so it is hard to pick. Tennessee has had a rebirth with VY at quarterback. Chris Johnson has had an amazing season. I want to believe in the Texans, but the Titans are hot right now. Pick: Titans
Mike: I haven’t paid close enough attention to the Titans to figure out if Kerry Collins was to blame or if Chris Johnson just woke up. The Texans continue to be a .500 team. I haven’t a clue here but my picks have been dreadful this year and I am running out of weeks to catch up. Pick: Texans

Evan submitted his picks via txt once again.

Bengals @ Steelers, Sunday 1pm
Matt: This is Pittsburgh’s time of year. They have already won 5 in a row and will be cranking it up as they head towards the playoffs. The Bengals are the surprise team of the year so far. They are playing well on both sides of the ball and Ced Benson is having a career year. If they win, they will have a huge leg up on winning the AFC North. I think if Benson can have a decent day on the ground, the Bengals have a good chance to win this one. I will be rooting for the Bengals, but the Steelers at home will be too tough. Steelers by a FG. Pick: Steelers
Ahad: I still find it hard to believe that the Bengals competing for the division title. Marvin Lewis stopped Chad whatever his last name is this week from sending mustard to the Steelers. Despite the fact that the Steelers have a short week, I still like them in this matchup. Losing Chris Henry will slow down the Bengals offense. The Steelers should be able to contain Benson. I don’t think the Bengals have the firepower on defense to win this one. Pick: Steelers
Mike: I’m on Matt’s page. I think more teams are going to jump on the Steelers 8-week preseason schedule that bleeds into the start of the regular season. It’s a pretty good plan. Let the other teams get beat up during the first quarter of the schedule. Take any wins you get as a bonus and go 10-2 the rest of the way against those banged up teams. You’ll make the playoffs every time. That being said, the Bengals are doing it. They aren’t looking ahead because their 3 games after this are against teams with 2 wins or less. Look at the Bengals schedule. They have 4 games left against teams that currently have 2 wins or less. They win those and they get to 10 wins, everything else, again, is a bonus. I think Steelers are rolling enough to pull this one out, but close. Pick: Steelers
Evan: Steelers

Chiefs @ Raiders, Sunday 4:05pm
Matt: These teams are jockeying for draft position for next year. The Raiders won the previous matchup this season by 3 points, and I would expect a similar game this time around. When Oakland has shown up this season, they haven’t played all that bad. They played two close games against the Chargers and beat the Eagles. The Chiefs cut LJ this week and will be relying on their youngsters to carry the load. I think the Raiders, with two week to prepare, will win this one. Pick: Raiders
Ahad: This game might be worse than the Detroit/St. Louis game. Maybe cutting LJ will cause the Chiefs to come together. Look for the Raiders to run the ball, because they sure can’t throw it. I think the running game will be the difference. Pick: Oakland
Mike: You know how in a lot of close matchups in the preview they say that the game will be lost by whoever makes the 1st mistake. What do you say here. The 5th mistake, the 20th? I just want to txt this one in. Pick: Raiders
Evan: Raiders

Eagles @ Chargers, Sunday 4:15pm
Matt: The Eagles did not fare too well on their last trip to the West Coast. The Chargers are playing better, but they always seem to underachieve early. This is their time of year as well, much like the Steelers, to make a strong push towards the playoffs. I expect the Eagles to play better than last week, and much better than they played against the Raiders. Look for the Chargers to blitz a lot to put pressure on McNabb. He did not handle the pressure that well last week. I think the team that wins the 4th quarter will win the game, and that is typically Philip Rivers’ time to shine. Pick: Chargers
Ahad: This week the Eagles have been hit with some losses in the secondary to go along with all of the other injuries. They will be without their 3rd and 4th corners for at least 4 weeks. Also the linebacker position has become a problem. They still might be feeling the impact of the loss to the Cowboys. The Chargers have become a passing team and will look to continue that this week. Things don’t look good for the Eagles this week. Pick: Chargers
Mike: I forget the rule about traveling west. The Chargers were able to overcome the traveling west, just barely, with help of the Giants being terrible. The Eagles are hurting though. The defense is dropping like flies. And where did Andy find this Peters guy? The only time I hear about him is when he gets hurt or has a penalty. I’m not going to get to watch this on but, if things don’t change, I think listening to Andy Reid calling plays while driving is more dangerous than txting. Pick: Chargers
Evan: Eagles

Patriots @ Colts, Sunday 8:20pm
Matt: Brady vs. Manning. Can’t beat it, really. So who’s defense will play better? My gut tells me the Colts, as they play better at home on the fast track. I still don’t think Brady is all the way back yet, and I don’t think the Patriots are as good of a team right now as everyone seems to be making them out to be. Their defense will be exposed by Manning. Pick: Colts
Ahad: The Colts undefeated streak ends here. They should have gone to OT last week, if not lost the game. The injuries on the defense will catch up to them at some point. Pick: Pats
Mike: I feel like we should have just let Matt go on his own this week. The Colts are winning on the Manning comebacks. Close games no matter who the opponent. This is a primetime prove yourself gave for both teams. The Colts are a few steps ahead of the Pats this year, so they need to go out and prove it. Pick: Colts
Evan: Patriots

Standings
Ahad 29-17 (3-2)
Matt 24-22 (2-3)
Evan 25-21 (3-2)
Mike 20-25 (2-3)

Bears @ 49ers, Thursday 8:20pm
Matt: The 49ers have lost four in a row while the Bears have lost 3 of 4, with that win coming against the Cleveland “Pop Warner” Browns. The Bears have not been very competitive in their last two losses while the 49ers have lost some close, tough games to the Colts and Texans. Looking at the 49ers schedule, it looks like could make a legitimate playoff run, but I don’t see the same for the Bears. Their defense has regressed and they are relying too much on Jay Cutler. Pick: 49ers
Ahad: The Bears are leaking oil pretty bad. Cutler is turning the ball over a lot; Tommie Harris is punching people, what’s next? Their defense isn’t what it used to be. Gore should be able to run against them. Look for the 49ers to take advantage of the Bears problems and come out with a victory. Pick: 49ers
Mike: A few weeks ago this would have been a pretty attractive matchup. Between these two teams, they have won one game since Week 4 and that was just the Bears beating the Browns. The Bears have lost to better opponents the last few weeks: Falcons, Bengals, and Cardinals (on a good week). I’m glad the Bears are struggling but I still think they have more talent here. Cutler just needs to get the ball to Greg Olson, and that has nothing to do with him being the key to my fantasy team. Pick: Bears
Evan’s pick via txt: 49ers

Fire up your NFL Network for the first Thursday game of the year. I assume they start this early so they are warmed up and some of the kinks are out before the big Thanksgiving primetime game.

Ravens @ Bengals, Sunday 1pm
Mike: After writing off the Bengals they went and blew out the Bears. Cincy also won this first matchup in Baltimore 17-14. The Ravens seem to have gotten things together, not that they were far off. Beating up on the Broncos last week was a good start. Things will change by the end of the year, but right now I’m going to root for the Ravens if there is an all-purple Super Bowl. Pick: Ravens
Ahad: This is not the Ravens team we are used to seeing. This team is no longer carried by the defense. The offense is more than capable of putting a lot of points. They might have to this week. As Mike mentioned, Cincy won the first meeting, so the Ravens will have some extra motivation in this one. Despite the fact that Palmer seems to play his best against the Ravens, I don’t see the Bengals pulling off the sweep. Pick: Ravens
Evan: I like the Ravens here also. Maybe it’s because I’ve just watched a few re-runs of One Tree Hill. I like Lucas and Nathan Scott to score a pair of touchdowns. Skills Taylor could also have a field day picking off Carson Palmer in the secondary. Pick: Ravens
Matt: Wow, no love for the Bengals? They are at home and have already beaten the Ravens once. However, they did beat them on a touchdown in the final minute, which had been the Bengals M.O. until blowing out the Bears two weeks ago. I am expecting another tough, defensive battle, and the team that can run the ball better will win the game. I think Baltimore is one of the better teams in the AFC, and I do think they are better than the Bengals. Pick: Ravens

Cardinals @ Bears, Sunday 1pm
Mike: I don’t even want to pick this game. There is no way of predicting which versions of these teams will show up. I’ve just got to go with the team that appears to have more talent. Pick: Cardinals
Ahad: This game will be decided by quarterback play. Cutler vs Warner, I’m going to take Warner. Cutler turns the ball over too much. Pick: Cards
Evan: I want to be different. Is it cold in Chicago yet? Pick: Bears
Matt: The Cards are on the road where they are 3-0. However, the Bears are 3-0 at home. Something’s got to give. I don’t think the Bears are that great of a team. Ahad, you say Cutler turns the ball over too much. How many turnovers did Warner have last week? 4, 5? I think the Cardinals have the more talented team and it will show here. Pick: Cardinals

Chargers @ Giants, Sunday 4:15pm
Mike: Question of the Day: Are the Giants any good? The Chargers traveling across the country should even things out. Once again, it’s all up to Eli. His picks last week let the Eagles get away comfortably. He always seems to step up before things completely fall apart. Pick: Giants
Ahad: The Giants are riding a three game losing streak and Coughlin says it is going to be up to his leaders to pull the team out of this. The Eagles abused the Giants secondary last week and the Chargers will look to do the same. My only concern is the fact that the Chargers are traveling across the country. I expect a big game out of Rivers. Pick: Chargers
Evan: Giants are spiraling. Chargers should be worried that the G-Men will rally behind their recent suckiness and try to right the ship at home. I agree with Ahad though, that Rivers will tear them up in the air. Pick: Chargers
Matt: Finally, it is Philip versus Eli. This is their first matchup since they were traded for each other in the 2004 draft. I, too, am worried about the Chargers traveling across the country to play this game. That typically does not bode well for them. However, the Giants are reeling, and their defense is not playing well. I expect Rivers to challenge the Giants secondary downfield with Vincent Jackson and Malcolm Floyd. Eli needs to play better than he has of late, or else the Giants have no shot. I like the Chargers by a FG. Pick: Chargers

Cowboys @ Eagles, Sunday 8:20pm
Mike: The Boys have been throwing the ball well. The Eagles have been picking the ball off. I’m still not sold on these safeties and of course the LBs. I’m not sure we’ll hear a ton from Austin but, like every year it seems, Whitten will be a problem. Lucky for the Eagles the offense is clicking. They swatted off the Giants like a minor nuisance. Pick: Eagles
Ahad: The major concern for the Eagles is going to be Jason Whitten. Not since Carlos Emmons has this team had a player capable of shutting down a tight end. Look for the Cowboys to try and run the ball to control the tempo and keep the Eagles offense off the field. After last week, the Eagles offense is riding high and will continue to look for the big play from Jackson. Westbrook returning should provide an additional boost and a security blanket for McNabb. Pick: Eagles
Evan: I am torn, I definitely think the Eagles will win. At the same time, I am convinced of my ability to jinx my teams. I picked the Giants last week for that reason. I’m going to sacrifice my own winning percentage. Pick: Cowboys
Matt: At least give the tight end his due…his name is Witten, not Whitten. I am expecting a game similar to their first matchup last year. High-scoring, in the 30′s. I am also expecting the Cowboys to try to establish the run game early to keep the Eagles O off the field. On defense, the Cowboys will have to keep everything in front of them as the Eagles have mainly produced on offense via the big play. If they can get good pressure on McNabb, I like their chances of pulling the game out. However, and Evan, I can play this game too, I don’t want to jinx my team (I did the same thing for the Falcons game). Pick: Eagles

Steelers @ Broncos, Monday 8:30pm
Mike: Finally that Broncos loss. Now they can continue to fall back to where they belong. The Steelers are rolling and coming off a bye. I don’t know if the Steelers needed the bye, but to me they always seem like they are hurting. Pick: Steelers
Ahad: The Steelers want to show everyone they are still one of the top teams in the league. Expect them to come out and play a very physical game. I will say it again; the Broncos are not as good as their record. Expect another loss. Pick: Steelers
Evan:The Broncos show is over. Pick: Steelers
Matt: This will be a good defensive battle. Pittsburgh is 1-2 on the road, with that win an 8 point affair with the Lions. How will the altitude affect the Steelers? It always seems to affect the opposing team. That is why Denver has always been so tough at home. Denver’s D outplays the Steelers D, barely. Pick: Broncos

Standings
Ahad 26-15 (3-2)
Matt 22-19 (2-3)
Evan 22-19 (0-5)
Mike 18-22 (3-2)

No love this week for a few teams. No picks for Seattle, San Fran, Oakland, Carolina, or Atlanta. In my ICH group, I put my wager points on Dallas over Seattle, yet I still feel like I’ll get burned, but less than the others. The Raiders shutting down the Eagles a few weeks ago has me avoiding them and the other teams all seem like they could put something together.

Giants @ Eagles, Sunday 1pm
Ahad: Westbrook’s injury will clearly hurt the offense. The keys for the Eagles will be simple. Control the Giants run game and the offensive line must play well. I think those two things will happen. Witherspoon looked impressive in his debut, but this game will be a much bigger test. So far Trotter has not made much of an impact. The crowd will play a role in this one with the World Series game that night also. All signs point to an Eagles victory. Pick: Birds
Evan: All signs point to an Eagles victory? Really? I respectfully disagree. I obviously am rooting for the Eagles so I will do what any logical superstitious person would do. Pick: Giants
Matt: The interesting thing about these two teams is that they have compiled most of their wins against the bottom feeders of the league. Each team has a win over Washington, Kansas City, and Tampa Bay, while Philly has a win over Carolina and New York has beaten Oakland. We will find out a lot about both of these teams come Sunday. The Giants are reeling having lost two straight and the Eagles are coming off a ho-hum performance against the Skins. If the Giants can keep the Eagles big play offense in check, I like their chances. Donovan better be prepared for lots of blitzing from Bill Sheridan’s D. Pick: Giants
Mike: The best chance for the Eagles is that the Giants DVR erased the Raiders game. The Giants should be able to frustrate the Eagles offense. The Giants are also the type of team that will make Desean pay for his 1:1 bigplay-to-bonehead play ratio. Honestly, I think the biggest concern here is what we’re going to do with this newly optimistic Ahad. Pick: Giants

Dolphins @ Jets, Sunday 1pm
Ahad: The Jets used the Raiders game to get things moving in the right direction again. Look for them to keep it going. Pick: Jets
Evan: I agree with Ahad. Pick: Jets
Matt: The Jets are looking for revenge in this one. The Dolphins have had a lot of tough losses this year, but they were able to take down the Jets in Week 5. They will keep it close, but the Jets will control the game with their defense and run game. Pick: Jets
Mike: So quick for a rematch. The Jets role to play is if Sanchez will decide to have a pickfest. Last matchup he did not, but he surrounded that game with 3-pick and 5-pick performances. The Jets might have nothing to do with how this game plays out. It likely will be how the Dolphins come out after that devastating loss to the Saints. Here is where coaching matters. The Dolphins were supposed to lose to the Saints, they showed have the talent to beat anyone. Ya know, as long as they stay the whole game. Pick: Dolphins

Broncos @ Ravens, Sunday 1pm
Ahad: The Ravens need this game a lot more than the Broncos do. Look for Ray Lewis and company to take it to Denver. Pick: Ravens
Evan: The Broncos are the greatest team ever. Baltimore’s defense has shown to be a fraud. Pick: Denver
Matt: I am liking this Denver team and they have had two weeks to prepare for this game. Baltimore is a very good team, but they have lost 3 close games in a row. It will be a close, defensive battle, but I expect Baltimore to squeak one out and give Denver their first loss of the season. Pick: Ravens
Mike: The Broncos are still undefeated? Doesn’t make any sense to me. The Ravens have been burning me. They’ve lost 3 straight to good teams. Both teams are coming off a bye, so that’s a wash. I really like how the Ravens finished the Vikings game. Pick: Ravens

Rams @ Lions, Sunday 1pm
Ahad: I don’t know of many people that would willingly watch this game. The loser of this game will be battling the Chiefs for the first pick in the draft. Pick: Lions
Evan: This is the other game that I had picked in the pre-season for the Lions to win (Redskins was the first). I see no reason to change my mind. Pick: Lions
Matt: Is Matt Stafford back for this game? Daunte Culpepper has been stinking it up, but it may not matter against the Rams. Detroit has been keeping things interesting in their games, playing well until after halftime. The Rams, on the other hand, have been blown out mostly except for two close games. I think Steven Jackson will have a big day, but it won’t be enough, like usual. Pick: Lions
Mike: With all the 1pm games, see if you can find the coverage for this one on the map. I like this game because I’m a fan of even matchups. Entertainment can come in two forms in football: scoring and mistakes. Who will make less mistakes? In turnovers the Rams are -7 and the Lions are -4. I was going to pick the Lions anyway, but there’s a stat I can blame when I get it wrong. Pick: Lions

Vikings @ Packers, Sunday 4:15pm
Ahad: I am so sick of all the Favre stories and they are only going to get worse. The Vikings are coming off their first loss and will be focused on getting things in the right direction again. Look for Childress to get the ball to Peterson a lot to take some of the spotlight off of Favre. The Packers will be more concerned about Favre’s return to Green Bay than actually winning the game. This will play into the Vikings favor. Pick: Vikings
Evan: Noise will be a factor. I think the Packers will learn more from their earlier contest then the Vikings will. It’s hard to beat a team twice unless they are a lot worse then you, and the Packers are not a lot worse than the Vikes. Pick: Packers
Matt: The Packers will have no shot in this game if they can’t protect Aaron Rodgers. Jared Allen was a beast with 4.5 sacks in the last game. The Packers should see a heavy dose of Adrian Peterson. The Vikings passed the ball way too much against the Steelers last week and it hurt them with the big turnovers. I see a late Favre score being the difference in the game and he punctuates it with a Lambeau Leap. Pick: Vikings
Mike: I’ve managed to avoid hearing about this game all week. How do I possess this special skill? Here’s a secret, during the week I get very little NFL exposure. I hardly ever watch SportsCenter and haven’t watched NFL Network all year. With all the World Series coverage I haven’t had to face all the front page stories. So what’s going to happen? Green Bay has cruised to their 4-2 record. They haven’t impressed me at all. This game was close last time. Favre is starting to get into the swing of bad turnovers again. Still, as I said, I have not been impressed by the Packers. I’ll be pulling for the Packers, even though I probably won’t watch. If you look at my picks record then you can see I mean that I’ll be pulling for them. Pick: Vikings
(Mike’s Note: I’m pretty sure Favre keeps coming back because he doesn’t want to retire until Ahad learns how to spell his name. I think I fixed them all.)

Standings
Ahad 23-13 (2-3)
Evan 22-14 (3-2)
Matt 20-16 (1-4)
Mike 15-20 (1-4)

Current Pick Distribution

Make your picks!

49ers @ Texans, Sunday 1pm
Mike: San Fran had a bye to think over getting demolished by the Falcons. The Texans are coming off a big win against the Bengals. Interrrresting. I still don’t like this Texans D, as I said before, they like giving up points. The 9ers get Gore back for this game. It should be tight and a big Schaub pass late could win it. Pick: 49ers
Ahad: The Texans are riding high from last week but the 49ers will bring them back to reality. Gore should be back and will provide a huge boost to the offense. Crabtree makes his debut and better show up to play if he is going to get any respect from his teammates. Pick: 49ers
Matt: I mentioned two weeks ago that Houston has the alternating wins and losses pattern, and it is still continuing after their win last week. The 49ers are coming off a humiliating loss at home against the Falcons. They did not look good at all and the word is that Shaun Hill has regressed. I am sure Coach Singletary whipped the team back into shape this week and they should be ready to go. However, I am feeling like the Texans maybe finally getting things together. If the 49ers had trouble with Roddy White, wait til they have to cover Andre Johnson. Pick: Texans
Evan: Texans

Vikings @ Steelers, Sunday 1pm
Mike: Yuck, I’m so sick of the Vikings I’m going to be rooting for the Steelers on Sunday? Yuck. Are the Vikings beatable or did they just get so far ahead of the Ravens that they hit the showers early? The Steelers are on a roll winning 3 straight. By my calculations, the combined record of the teams the Steelers have beaten is 4-19. The 2-win Chargers really screw with that record. It may not be the logical pick but this is about where the Steelers need to start to get things going. This is just the sort of ugly game they could take at home. Pick: Steelers
Ahad: This is supposed to be a good matchup, but with all the Farve hype I am starting to dislike the Vikings. Please note that I still and always will hate the Steelers. The Steelers should be getting Palomalu back which will help them try and lock up Peterson. The bad weather will play a factor in this game. Home field advantage will loom large as the Steelers tend to win ugly in these kinds of games. Pick: Steelers
Matt: The Steelers are favored by 4.5. Really? You guys are right though. If the weather is bad, the Steelers definitely have the advantage. The Steelers just haven’t put together a full 4 quarter game yet. They have played the Lions and Browns the past few weeks and those games were closer than they should have been. I just think that the Vikings are playing really well now on both sides of the ball. Brett Favre has lots of experience in these types of games, which with the potential bad weather could be a real slugfest. Favre and Peterson need to play ball control and put up points when they get down in the red zone. The Vikings may be a little vulnerable in the secondary against the Steelers passing attack. I think Peterson will be the difference. Pick: Vikings
Evan: Vikings

Bears @ Bengals, Sunday 4:15pm
Mike: To me, this looks like a pretty important game. Which way will the season go for these two teams. Both are roughly in playoff spots now (the Bears are tied with a few teams). It’s really a toss-up. The Bears seem more balanced to me. Plus, I can’t help but expect the Bengals to fall apart, it’s just their nature. Pick: Bears
Ahad: Both teams need this game. The Bears offense is bad and the defense hasn’t looked good either. The Bengals should be able to run the ball; Benson is leading the league in rushing. Look for the Bengals to rebound from last week. Pick: Bengals
Matt: Both teams are coming off tough losses last week. Cedric Benson will be playing against the team that spurned him, so there is that story line in this game. I think the loss of Antwan Odom will definitely hurt the Bengals D. The Bears really need to get Forte going on the ground. He was a key for them last year and he has yet to get on track this season. Plus, he is really hurting my Fantasy team. If the Bears limit the turnovers that hurt them last week, they should come out on top. Pick: Bears
Evan: Bengals

Falcons @ Cowboys, Sunday 4:15pm
Mike: The Cowboys schedule thus far has kept any talk about them being good or not has been quiet. Their losses are to the undefeated Broncos and oncefeated Giants. I don’t think they are very good, but I’m biased. After the Pats loss I was a little concerned with the Falcons, but that seemed unnecessary. It’s looking like with the Saints dominating the the Falcons playing so well there is really only one Wild Card spot up for grabs. Pick: Falcons
Ahad: The Cowboys are a mess right now. The bye week came at a good time for them but the Falcons are clearly the better team. Pick: Atlanta
Matt: These teams are fairly close talent-wise, but the Falcons have been a more disciplined team and are making plays that winning teams make. The Cowboys have been sloppy and inconsistent. Injuries have been a part of that. They struggled against KC two weeks ago, but at least they didn’t lose like another NFC East team did last week. The Cowboys need to get their run game going early and often to get a lead. However, I think Matt Ryan will outplay Tony Romo and will make some plays late that will be the difference. Pick: Falcons
Evan: Cowboys

Cardinals @ Giants, Sunday 8:20pm
Mike: The Cardinals are looking a little better and the Giants got waxed by the Saints. I think this game being here is a result of a weak week. (I didn’t mean for that to come out like that, weak week.) No need for further analysis. Pick: Giants
Ahad: The Cards are still struggling to put things together on both sides of the ball. The Giants were brought back to reality last week by the Saints and come out angry. Look for them to try and run up the score. Pick: Giants
Matt: The Cards top ranked rushing defense will be tested this week by the Giants running attack. The Giants are going to want to run the ball to keep the ball out of Warners hands. He should be able to pick apart the secondary just like Drew Brees did last week. This game will be close, but I like New York at home. Pick: Giants
Evan: Giants

Standings
Ahad 21-10 (3-2)
Matt 19-12 (3-2)
Evan 19-12 (3-2)
Mike 15-16 (2-3)