NFL Week 14 predictions...

Another week, another missed Thursday game. Again, for what it's worth, I'd have picked Pittsburgh. Now, I'm convinced that if there's an awful team in the league, the Steelers have the potential to lose to them. It seems to be there trend. Anyway, here's the rest of my picks for this week:

I'll take the unbeaten Saints against the injury-depleted Falcons.

The Ravens really should beat the Lions.

The Packers, still in the playoff hunt, will beat the very streaky Bears in Chicago.

I can't remember, is this the Seahawks' week to win? It seems to be kind of an every other week thing for them. I'll take Seattle over the Texans.

The stinking Colts just refuse to lose a game. I say that trend continues against the Broncos.

A tough pick, but I'll go with the Jaguars at home over the Dolphins.

The Chiefs seem better than they were in the early season. I'll take them to beat the Bills.

The Vikings should bounce back against the Bengals, who will stumble into the postseason.

The Patriots' losing streak stops against the visiting Panthers.

I think the Jets get a road win against kind of a sloppy Buccaneers' team

The Titans start a new winning streak against the one-dimensional Rams.

In an absolute yuck-fest, I'll go with the Redskins on the road against the Raiders.

Likely one of the best games of the week, I'll take the Chargers to beat the Cowboys.

Anything can happen in these rivalry games, but I think I'll take the Eagles against the Giants.

In the Monday night contest, I'll go with the Cardinals. They appear to be the best team in the NFC West, especially since the 49ers have really cooled off.

NFL Week 13 (belated but oh well)

So, I know I missed a Thursday game already this week. No, no, try to contain your disappointment. I realize that I've let all of you loyal fans down. You were probably sitting on the edge of your seat all week in eager anticipation of my game predictions. Well, not that it makes up for it, but I'm here now to offer my picks for the remaining games this week. Perhaps that will help ease your heartbreak.

And for what it's worth, I'd have picked the Jets to beat Buffalo, but no matter. On with the show:

Eagles over an injury-depleted Falcons team
Panthers to beat one of the worst in the league, the Bucs
Bears finally get a winnable game, against St. Louis, to try to end the spiral
Bengals to beat a Lions team that still can't figure out how to finish games
Colts at home; as much as I'd like to see Tennessee win this one, things just bounce Indy's way
Two teams that are fighting for their playoff lives, I think I'll take the Texans over the Jags
I'll roll the dice on the Chiefs at home against the Broncos; they're playing much better these days although they still are a bad team
Patriots over Dolphins; should be closer than you would think
Steelers get easy win against the Raiders; good way to get healthy
Saints over Redskins, you'd think Nahlins would lose eventually, but not against the Skins
Chargers get the equivalent of a bye, beating the Browns
Tough one, but I'll take the Giants over the Cowboys
Seahawks over 49ers, I'm on the fence here because both teams are so streaky, so I'll go with home-field
Vikings over Cardinals; could be a surprise, but I think Minnesota is just too consistent
Packers over Ravens in a close, low-scoring game

NFL Week 12 predictions

It's early on turkey day, and I guess I should get to pickin'. So here goes:

Packers over Lions
Cowboys over Raiders
Giants over Broncos
Falcons over Bucs
Dolphins over Bills
Eagles over Skins
Seahawks over Rams
Panthers over Jets
Bengals over Browns
Colts over Texans
Chargers over Chiefs
Jaguars over 49ers
Vikings over Bears
Titans over Cardinals
Ravens over Steelers
Patriots over Saints

NFL Week 11 picks...

So, with 10 weeks in the books, my record stands at 88-56. My 6-9 record from last week certainly didn't help. Anyway, here are my picks for this week as I try to stay above .500:

Thursday
Panthers over Dolphins

Sunday
Steelers over Chiefs
Giants over Falcons (If Turner was healthy, I'd probably go the other way with this one)
Saints over Buccaneers
Packers over 49ers
Vikings over Seahawks
Lions over Browns (because the Browns really are that bad)
Jaguars over Bills
Cowboys over Redskins
Ravens over Colts (they have to lose eventually)
Cardinals over Rams
Patriots over Jets (Pats too good to lose to the Jets twice in one season)
Bengals over Raiders (I'm becoming a Bengals believer; and the Raiders suck)
Chargers over Broncos
Eagles over Bears

Monday
Titans over Texans (should be a really good game)

There you have it.

NFL Week 10 Picks (the sequel)

Here are the rest of my picks to round out the Week 10 schedule:

Falcons over Panthers
Dolphins over Bucs
Vikings over Lions
Jets over Jaguars
Steelers over Bengals
Saints over Rams
Titans over Bills
Broncos over Redskins
Raiders over Chiefs
Cardinals over Seahawks
Cowboys over Packers
Eagles over Chargers
Patriots over Colts
Ravens over Browns

A few of these I kind of waffled on a little bit before making my final pick, so it was kind of a tough week for some. Jets-Jags, Boys-Pack, Eagles-Bolts I think could all go either way. We'll see how it turns out.

NFL Week 10 (Take 1)

These Thursday night games always mess with me because I don't really have my mind put together yet to start making predictions about football. So, I'm going to take the easy way out and just pick the winner of tonight's game and save the rest for later. Here goes:

Both teams were bad last week. In fact, the Niners are on a four-game skid. I kind of feel like they are the better team here, but for some reason they can't win. That said, even though San Fran is a better team, I think the Bears are playing better right now. I'll take Chicago on the road for my first victory of the week.

Go ahead, prove me wrong.

NFL Week 9 predictions

Here are my predictions for this week:

Atlanta over Washington
Chicago over Arizona
Baltimore avenges its earlier loss to Cincinnati
Indianapolis over Houston
Jacksonville gets back on track over Kansas City
New England over Miami
Green Bay wins battle of the Bays against Tampa
New Orleans continues winning streak against Carolina
Seattle handles Detroit
Giants stop the bleeding against San Diego
San Francisco ends Tennessee's 1-game win streak
Philadelphia over Dallas
Pittsburgh over Denver on Monday night

Week 8 NFL predictions...

Without further ado, here are my picks for this week. No time for analysis; I have a sexy wife waiting for me to snuggle up and watch a movie with her downstairs.

Baltimore over Denver
Houston over Buffalo
Chicago over Cleveland
Dallas over Seattle
Jets over Miami
Indianapolis over San Francisco
Giants over Philadelphia
Detroit over St. Louis
San Diego over Oakland
Jacksonville over Tennessee
Minnesota over Green Bay
Arizona over Carolina
New Orleans over Atlanta

NFL Week 7 predictions

One of these weeks I need to go back and figure out what my running tally is for these NFL picks. I sense it's not very good, but I'll stick with it anyway. Here are this week's predictions:

Packers at Browns: While I suppose it's possible that the Browns are making slow progress toward becoming a competitive team, I don't think they get it done this season. Green Bay has been solid this year, and I think they manage to put together a running game this week and trounce Cleveland.

49ers at Texans: Word has it the long-awaited premier of Michael Crabtree could be on for this week. For the Niners' sake, I hope it's just in time. Houston has had an up-and-down year so far, scoring on big plays but losing some close games. Although it's a home game, I think I'm going to give the edge to San Fran; coming off a bye week, they should be healthy and well-prepared.

Chargers at Chiefs: So, the Chiefs finally got in the win column last week. It's unfortunate they can't play the Redskins every Sunday. The Chargers continue to be a disappointment, losing their past two. I think they turn it around this week though. The Chiefs are struggling to score points this year, and, even in losses, that's something San Diego has been able to do.

Vikings at Steelers: This promises to be one of the better games of the week. Both teams have tough defenses, strong rushing attacks and QBs that have been very hot as of late. My concern with Pittsburgh is its fourth-quarter defense. The Steelers seem to play well through the first portion of the game and then somehow give teams a shot to win late. I don't know that that's a luxury they can afford against the balanced offensive attack of Minnesota. Still, Pittsburgh hasn't lost yet at home, and I think this is the week the Vikings drop from the ranks of the undefeated.

Colts at Rams: Historically, the Colts seem to come out flat after a break in their momentum (bye week, first-round playoff bye), so if they were playing any other team, I would say they should be very careful. But with a team as bad as the Rams have been, I think Indy can afford to start slow out of the gate and still stay in control. Hopefully it will be a better game than I anticipate, but I still say the Colts win.

Patriots vs. Buccaneers (in London): With a long road trip to a neutral field, I like to think that anything can happen. But after watching the smackdown the Pats put on Tennessee last week, I've got a pretty good idea I know what's in store for Tampa today. The Bucs have resorted back to their old days as the Yucks, and I don't think a trip across the pond is going to do anything for them. Pats win big.

Bills at Panthers: Had it not been for a pitiful showing by Mark Sanchez last week, the Bills would have zero momentum heading into this matchup. Still they don't have much, averaging just nine points a game over their past four. The Panthers, meanwhile, are still far from a complete team, but they've been looking better since their early bye. I think they continue their winning streak with a win against a lackluster Buffalo team. This is my eliminator pick of the week.

Jets at Raiders: Even though Sanchez has been reminding us that he is still a rookie during the past couple of games, Thomas Jones has been proving that he still has a lot left in the tank. The veteran rolled up over 200 rushing yards in last week's loss to the Bills, and I think New York rides him to a victory against Oakland this week. The Raiders are still bad despite some signs of life against the Eagles last week. They still haven't scored more than 13 points in a game since Week 1.

Bears at Bengals: This is one of those matchups that I think could either way. Neither one of these teams has really shown me that they have what it takes to make a good run, yet both are finding ways to win. Each is coming off a tough loss, so they'll both be very motivated. Despite hanging out with a huge Bears fan last night, I'm going to give the edge to the home team. I'm not sure the Bengals are better, but they seem to be running the ball well, and controlling the clock with the fans behind you I think can go a long way.

Falcons at Cowboys: Atlanta seems to heating up at the right time this season, and I think they need this victory if they want to be ready for next week when they face division-rival New Orleans. The Cowboys have had their moments so far this season, but they've shown just as much ineptitude. I don't think they have enough weapons to contain or keep up with the Falcons at this point.

Saints at Dolphins: At 5-0, and with only three more games on the schedule against teams that look to be bound for the playoffs, I'm convinced the Saints are the real deal this year. Drew Brees started the season looking absolutely unhuman, then they won a couple with defense and the running game, so they seem to be pretty well-rounded. The Dolphins have their upside, but I don't think the wildcat will fool teams forever. I say New Orleans keeps the streak alive, at least for one more week.

Cardinals at Giants: After running all over their first five opponents, the Giants were pretty much embarrassed last week by the Saints. The Cardinals are 2-0 on the road so far this season, but I think their games are won or lost on the performance of Kurt Warner. This week, with Anquan Boldin kind of banged up, I think New York will have his number. The G-Men still have a knack for rushing the passer, and without a consistent running game, I think the Cardinals will struggle in this one. I'll take the Giants at home.

Eagles at Redskins: I'm not sure exactly what happened to the Eagles last week, but for some reason they could muster only field goals against an Oakland team they should have destroyed. After coming off that head-scratching loss, the last thing they can afford to do is lose to the Skins, a team that appears to be in total disarray. Over their past five games, Washington is 2-3 against teams with a combined record of 4-25, so I have to wonder what's going on down there. In a division rivalry, anything can happen, but I really feel that Philly is a much better team. I'll go with my gut on this one.

NFL Week 6 picks

Here are this week's winners (according to me, anyway)

Rams at Jaguars: The Jags looked awful last week against Seattle, but that seems to just be a continuation of the team's up-and-down trend of this season. The Rams on the other hand have been consistently bad all year. I'll take Jacksonville.

Giants at Saints: In a matchup of two unbeaten teams, this one is going to be a really great game. The Giants have done so much despite a ton of injuries, and I think their streak continues here. The Saints are going to be a tough opponent, but I'll stick with the G-Men.

Panthers at Buccaneers: Carolina snuck out a win last week, and Tampa is still looking for its first W. I don't think they find it this week either. Neither one of these teams is very good, but I'll give the edge to Carolina.

Ravens at Vikings: Minnesota has been rolling so far this season, while Baltimore has hit a couple of bumps the past two weeks against the Pats and Bengals. It's hard to imagine a team as good as the Ravens losing three straight, but I still need to go with Minnesota in this one. They'll find tough running against the stingy Baltimore D, but I think they come out on top.

Lions at Packers: Detroit is looking better each week and I expect another good fight out of them in this one. That said, when the weather turns cold, it gets pretty tough to win at Lambeau, and the Packers are a longtime rival. This isn't one of the four games I picked the Lions to win this year, so I'm going to go with Green Bay.

Texans at Bengals: Cincinnati continues to surprise me this season, winning games I didn't give them a chance in. If Houston can put together a few big plays, this game will be close, but I'm going to jump on the Bengals bandwagon and say they earn another win at home.

Browns at Steelers: This one should be a no contest. The Steelers are developing a nasty trend of going to sleep in the fourth quarter, but I think they should be far enough ahead in this one that it won't matter. Cleveland's win last week against Buffalo didn't really do anything to disprove my theory that they are a really bad team; it really just illustrated that the Bills are worse than I thought. Seriously, 23 yards passing and you win? Horrible. Pittsburgh will destroy them.

Chiefs at Washington: The Redskins have ended the losing streaks of both the Lions and Panthers and snuck out wins against the Rams and Bucs (a combined 0-10). The fact that the Skins are only 2-3 with that kind of cakewalk schedule doesn't give me much confidence in them. This week, they face yet another winless team, and I'm going to roll the dice and say that Washington's trend continues with the Chiefs getting in the win column, too.

Cardinals at Seahawks: In the two games that Matt Hasselbeck has played healthy, Seattle has shut out its opponents. I expected more out of Jacksonville last week, and the Seahawks thumped them. The Cards have been streaky so far, and not winning convincingly when they do. I'm going to say that Seattle is a better team with Hasselbeck and give them the win.

Eagles at Raiders: It's amazing how far the Raiders have fallen in just a few years. They aren't good at all, and even with the cross-country trip from Philly, I think the Eagles will dominate this game. McNabb didn't show any ill effects from his rib injury last week, and this one should be an easy win.

Bills at Jets: As I said earlier, the Bills were exposed last week by Cleveland for just how inept their offense is. The Jets have played a couple of tough games recently, but what they showed early in the season is enough for me to think that they are the better team in this matchup. I'll give them the fairly easy win at home.

Titans at Patriots: My preseason prediction for the Titans was so far from correct it's not even funny at this point. At 0-5, Tennessee is in desperate need of a victory if they have any shot at a postseason berth. Unfortunately for them, I don' think they're going to find that much-needed win in Foxborough. The Patriots, although not quite as good as in years past, still have a way of getting the job done, and I think they take this one and keep the Titans winless.

Bears at Falcons: I honestly didn't expect the Bears to be 3-1 at this point, but after a shaky Week 1, they've really come to life and are coming off a bye this week. The Falcons are also 3-1 and coming off a lopsided victory against San Fran. In this one, I'll give the edge to the home team. It will be a good game, but Atlanta has too many offensive weapons and I don't think Chicago will be able to keep up.

Broncos at Chargers: I keep waiting for Denver to lose because I don't really think they're good enough to be an undefeated team, but somehow they keep proving me wrong. Still, this is one bandwagon I'm refusing to jump aboard. With a rookie running back and head coach and Kyle Orton at the helm, the streak can't go on forever. San Diego should be well rested and well prepared after last week's bye, and I think they will give Denver's record its first blemish.

NFL Week 5 predictions

Generally, I like to make my predictions earlier than Sunday morning before game time. Unfortunately this week, I found that there's something about a Friday evening spent with Busch Light and $2 Cabernet Sauvignon that completely destroys the ability to think clearly on a Saturday. So, waiting until the last minute, here are my picks for this week:

Bengals at Ravens: The Bengals have won some close ones this year and have already exceeded most people's expectations of sucess for the season. That said, Baltimore is the better team, and should win this one.

Browns at Bills: Tough one. Both of these teams are no good, but I'll stay with earlier assessment of the Browns being one of the worst clubs in football and take the Bills at home in this one.

Redskins at Panthers: You have to figure that with the talent at the running back position that both of these teams possess, they would eventually be able to work out a way to control a game. Yet, it hasn't happened yet for either one. I'll take Carolina here in what should be an error-filled game.

Steelers at Lions: I've been surprisingly encouraged by what I've seen so far this year out of Detroit, at least to the extent that I don't think they should be considered a gimme for losing each week. But I think the Steelers are still better this week and should get a victory here.

Cowboys at Chiefs: Dallas isn't really all that good this year (as evidenced by Emmitt Smith's preseason prediction of a 7-9 team), but I think the Chiefs continue to look more abyssmal each week. So the Cowboys should come out of this one with a W.

Raiders at Giants: Even with Eli slowed with a bum wheel, the Giants should take this game. The Raiders just don't seem motivated to move the ball offensively this season.

Buccaneers at Eagles: Top to bottom, I would say the Eagles are the better football team in this matchup. Tampa doesn't have much to boast about at any position on the field, and Philly should rally around the return of Donovan McNabb for an easy win.

Vikings at Rams: This is a lopsided game. Minnesota looks to be one of the most well-rounded teams in the league, while St. Louis is one-dimensional at best. The Vikings get the equivalent of a forfeit win this week.

Falcons at 49ers: These next two are kind of tough to pick this week. Atlanta and San Fran have both played really quality games so far this year and this one should be a thriller. If you like hard-nosed, grind-it-out kind of football that is. Anyway, I think that the Niners will put up a good fight defensively, but in they will be outmatched as far as offensive weapons are concerned with Atlanta. Falcons to win a close one.

Texans at Cardinals: It's hard to predict whether or not either one of these teams is going to show up ready to play from week to week. Both have looked really good, and really bad. This week, I'll take the home team in a high-scoring affair.

Patriots at Broncos: If it's possible, the Broncos are the worst undefeated team in the league. The first few games were against seemingly bad teams, and last week they beat the Cowboys in what I think was somewhat of a fluke. But the Patriots don't seem to lose a lot of fluke games. I'll take the Pats to win this one.

Jaguars at Seahawks: I thought that the Seahawks would be much better than they have been this year. Sure they've had more than their share of injuries already, but they don't seem to have the luster of a winning team. The Jags started out bad but seem to be building momentum. I'll take them to continue their roll and win on the road.

Colts at Titans: I said last week that I would just keep picking the Titans until they eventually won. Of course, I said that because I thought they would win. This week, I need to back off of that statement and pick Indy. The Colts just don't show much sign of slowing right now.

Jets at Dolphins: I expected that the loss of Chad Pennington would doom the Fins this season, but last week they still had a solid outing without him. Of course, it was against a poor Buffalo team. This week should be a little tougher. The Jets looked great up until last week when they met a better Saints club. I think they get back on track this week and do enough to beat Miami.

In summary, it seems like I've picked quite a few road teams this week. Always dangerous, so there could be some upsets if home teams can get the crowds behind them with some big plays early. We'll just have to watch and see.

NFL Week 4 picks...

Since I'm kind of waiting until the last minute to do this and I kind of want to go to bed, I'll forego the analysis and just post my picks. There's really no reason for me to do this every week except for I like to go on the record about something, and if I pick a major upset correctly, I like to be able to prove it afterward. So here goes:

I don't think it's a gimme, but I'll take the Bears over the Lions

The Colts easily over Seattle

I'm just going to keep picking Tennessee until they win. This week, they beat Jacksonville

Lock of the week: Giants over Kansas City

Redskins over Tampa. If they can't win this one, they are in serious trouble.

One of the tougher picks of the week, I'll take Baltimore to win in New England

Houston at home over the Raiders

Cincinnati to beat Cleveland (might vote for worst team in the league)

I'll take Buffalo on the road against Miami.

Saints at home against the Jets. It's time someone really tested that New York defense.

Dallas to end Denver's winning streak. The cakewalk is over.

A resurgent 49ers team over the Rams

Pittsburgh to get back on track in a tough game against the Chargers.

Minnesota at home over Green Bay on Monday.

NFL Week 3 picks

After last week's horrendous 8-8 showing, my season record stands at 20-12. On with the predictions:

Browns at Ravens: This one should be easy. Baltimore appears to be one of the best teams in football, and the Browns are likely one of the worst. I'll take the Ravens.

Redskins at Lions: If the Lions are ever going to win a game again, this could be the one. The Lions don't appear to be much better than they were doing the 0-16 season last year, but they hung in against Minnesota last week for three quarters. On the other hand, the Skins stunk it up against the Rams (who are also horrible), barely squeaking out a 9-7 win. I ordinarily don't like to pick my favorite team to win (since they rarely ever do), but I'll take Detroit in this one.

Jaguars at Texans: Houston took a major step forward last week with its win against Tennessee. I thought they were bad after losing to the Jets in Week 1, but it turns out maybe the Jets are better than I initially thought. Jacksonville meanwhile appears to be completely uninterested in winning football games. They'll maybe get on track eventually, but I think the Texans take this one.

Falcons at Patriots: This is kind of a tough game to pick. The Falcons have looked impressive in their first two games, and the Pats haven't looked at all like a Belichick-Brady team, winning a game against Buffalo they could have easily lost and then dropping a game to the Jets. Still, you have to believe New England figures things out at some point. I'm still going to take the team with momentum in this one and pick Atlanta.

Packers at Rams: I honestly believe that Green Bay is a quality football program and that they had a bad day at the office last week when they lost to Cincinnati. I also believe that the Rams are a worse team than the Lions right now. That said, it's hard to not pick the Packers in this one.

Giants at Buccaneers: Gone are the days of Tampa Bay being a fearful defensive team. So far, they haven't stopped anyone this season. Everyone knows about the Giants' running game, although last week Eli got it done through the air. I expect New York to control the clock in this one and grind out a win against a Bucs' team that will be hard pressed to keep up on offense or defense.

Titans at Jets: Tennessee starts the season 0-2 after many picked them to be a shoe-in for the playoffs. The Jets, meanwhile, weren't expected to make any noise at all and start 2-0. Surely this can't go on forever. I think New York is playing above itself right now, and the Titans have lost a couple of very tough games. I'm taking Tennessee to get back on track in this one.

Chiefs at Eagles: It doesn't look like Donovan McNabb is going to be ready to go again this week, but I don't think it will matter. Kevin Kolb filled in in impressive fashion last week but the defense let down against a red-hot Saints squad. They shouldn't have as much difficulty against the Chiefs. I don't think that K.C. has the weapons to hang with Philly for very long in this one. I'll take the Eagles.

49ers at Vikings: The Niners have been surprising so far this year. Before the season started, it would have been a pretty safe pick to say that they would finish third in the NFC West behind Arizona and Seattle; yet, they've beaten both of those teams already to start out 2-0. That said, I think the Vikings are one of the elite teams in the league. I still believe Adrian Peterson is not from this planet, and San Fran will have trouble containing him. Minnesota wins this one.

Saints at Bills: I think this could be kind of a coming out party for the Trent Edwards-Terrell Owens duo, since the Saints have been allowing yards like crazy during the first two games. Fortunately for them, they've also been scoring like crazy on offense. Look for Drew Brees to come back down to earth in this one, but I'll still take New Orleans to win.

Bears at Seahawks: Seattle is racking up injuries reminiscent to last season, and it looks like they are quickly falling by the competitive wayside. I'm not convinced the Bears are really all that good though either. If Hasselbeck is healthy, I'd say the Seahawks take this one. But since he's banged up and may not even play, it's more of a toss-up. Since I have to take one or the other, I'll take Chicago; I'm not going to shout that pick though.

Steelers at Bengals: What's up with the Steelers this season? They look great one week and paltry the next. I understand that Troy Polamalu is a key part of their defense, and losing him really hurts, but getting torched by Johnny Knox last week? Really? It seems like the Bengals always play Pittsburgh tough but usually lose. I'm going to predict that tradition continues with a narrow Steelers' victory.

Broncos at Raiders: The early-season schedule makers certainly love Denver. The Broncos have opened up with wins against two lower-rung teams in Cincinnati and Cleveland, and now have the luck of playing the Raiders. Oakland has been playing a serviceable type of football so far, but I don't think JaMarcus Russell has developed enough into a winning NFL QB to get this team over the hump this season. This one should be an awful game, but I'll roll the dice and take Denver.

Dolphins at Chargers: I don't think that San Diego is as good as I anticipated, but I think they are still okay. Miami looked like a team on Monday night that wasn't really sure what it needed to do to close out a ball game. I think they are fairly solid defensively, but the offense just lacks big-play capability. Plus they are playing in a short week with a cross-country trip in the middle. I think Philip Rivers will light it up in this one, and the Chargers will win.

Colts at Cardinals: I'm going to stick with my preseason gut and say that Indianapolis isn't as a good a team without Dungy at the helm. Sure, they're still good, but I don't they're as good. Both Jacksonville and Miami had a solid chance of winning at the end of the first two games, and that tells me that Indy isn't putting games out of reach for the easy victory like they have over the past few seasons. That's a dangerous game to play against a Cardinals team that can score points in a hurry. Arizona handled Jacksonville easily in Week 2 after struggling in Week 1, and I think their momentum carries over into this shootout.

Panthers at Cowboys: This should be the week that the Boys can bring a win into their new house. Carolina so far has looked pretty bad, although getting a little better. I don't really have much to say about this one other than that I think Dallas will win because they are the better team.

Good luck everyone.

Week 2 NFL picks

Let me start by recapping my results from last week. I went 12-4. Not incredible, but not a bad way to start the season. Admittedly, it's two games worse than the predictions made by fellow blogger footballfanaticjoe, but it's on par with most of the analysts at espn.com. So I can't complain. In my defense, the Bengals should have won their opener, but somehow Denver was victorious in spite of Kyle Orton's efforts to lose.
Anyway, on with this week's picks:

Houston (0-1) at Tennessee (0-1)
I drank the kool-aid on the Texans last week, but after a poor outing against the Jets, I'm convinced they still aren't ready to make the jump to the next level, despite what all of the talking heads say. Meanwhile, the Titans looked great in defeat. It might surprise me and be a good game, but I'll take Tennessee.

New Orleans (1-0) at Philadelphia (0-1)
In all likelihood, Donovan McNabb's broken rib will keep him out of this game, and that definitely hurts the Eagles. The Philly defense was incredible last week and they'll need to be again if they want to shut down the potent Saints' passing game. I know they played Detroit, but six TD passes?! Seriously. Still, I'm not really high on New Orleans. I think they're a pretty one-dimensional club, and the Eagles' D should be able to scrape by with a win.

Arizona (0-1) at Jacksonville (0-1)
A week ago, I think this would have been an easy call, but now I'm not so sure. Arizona plays a very similar style of offense to what the Jags faced in Week 1 against Indy. And Jacksonville was able to hold its own pretty well in that game. Add to that the fact that Arizona has historically been a very poor road team. This one should be close, but I look for MJD to run the ball, and the clock, enough to Jacksonville out in front.

Oakland (0-1) at Kansas City (0-1)
Both of these teams performed better against tough opponents than I expected in Week 1, but in the end, they both lost. It's tough to say which one actually looked better. It's a long rivalry, even though they've both fallen a long way from their glory days. For lack of anything good to analyze, I'll give the edge to the home team and go with the Chiefs.

Cincinnati (0-1) at Green Bay (1-0)
I think the Bengals had about the best chance they'll have to get rolling last week and couldn't close it out. The Pack meanwhile looked pretty impressive. Their running game, which was somewhat of a question mark in my book, wasn't great last week, but wasn't awful either. Aaron Rodgers looks more comfortable running the offense, and I don't think Cincinnati will put up much of a fight. I'll take the Packers.

Minnesota (1-0) at Detroit (0-1)
Probably one of the easier picks this week. Adrian Peterson isn't human, and the Lions (while improved) still have a long way to go before they aren't awful. It pains me to say that, but it's starting to come a bit more easily. 'Nuf said. Vikings.

St. Louis (0-1) at Washington (0-1)
While the Redskins always finish the season with a worse record than they actually are, it's mainly due to the fact they play in a very competitive division. The Rams on the other hand really are that bad. While I anticipate this being a pretty ugly game, I think Washington will come out on top.

New England (1-0) at N.Y. Jets (1-0)
Both of these teams surprised me a little bit in Week 1. The Patriots because they played badly enough that they should have lost to the Bills, and the Jets because I didn't think they would play as well as they did. I think this one will be somewhat of a different story though. By the end of the opener, Tom Brady looked like he was thinking more about the game and less about Gisele, and that's when the tide really turned. The Pats should start a little more quickly this week and take this one the distance.

Carolina (0-1) at Atlanta (1-0)
The Panthers were awful in Week 1. They turned the ball over seven times enroute to a humiliating defeat at the hands of the Eagles. The Falcons won't make things any easier on them. I think opening weekend showed that the Panthers may be a team that is clearly in transition, and I don't look for them to compete in this one. Atlanta will win.

Tampa Bay (0-1) at Buffalo (0-1)
We'll get to see this week if the Bucs are more successful stopping former Cowboy Terrell Owens than they were stopping current Cowboys Roy Williams and Patrick Crayton last week. The return of Cadillac makes Tampa a better team, and the Bills are no powerhouse, but I think they played well enough to win last week. I think Buffalo finds a way to finish it out in Week 2.

Seattle (1-0) at San Francisco (1-0)
The Niners were another of those surprise victors in Week 1, but I still haven't really figured out how they pulled it off. While it's feasible that they would be even better at home than they were in Arizona, this team really has me scratching my head. Seattle on the other hand is actually a pretty good team. They were the only squad to pitch a shutout in Week 1, and I think they can get it done on the road this week.

Baltimore (1-0) at San Diego (1-0)
This is probably one of the tougher games to call this week. Both of these clubs have a legitimate shot to contend in the AFC, and I didn't really see enough good or bad in Week 1 to point out any major flaws or highlights. I will say that L.T. doesn't appear to be the same back he once was, and if San Diego insists on riding him all season, it may be more of a hindrance than a help. Ordinarily when I feel a game is kind of a push, I'll just play it safe and go with the home team, but for some reason, I've got a feeling about the Ravens in this one.

Pittsburgh (1-0) at Chicago (0-1)
Both of these teams lost a key member of their defense to injury in Week 1, but I think that Chicago will feel the effects more than Pittsburgh. The Steelers showed that they are much more than a power running team last week, but I still think that's their bread and butter. Without Urlacher to help shut down the ground game, I think Pittsburgh will be able to pick up their rushing attack in Week 2 and keep the sporadic Jay Cutler off the field. I'll go with the Steelers to start the year 2-0.

Cleveland (0-1) at Denver (1-0)
How did the Broncos manage to get this cakewalk of a schedule to start the year. I haven't looked ahead, but I wouldn't be surprised to see that they have Detroit up next. Anyway, neither of these teams are any good, and this one promises to be as lame as Denver's Week 1 snooze against Cincinnati. Maybe someone will actually find the end zone with more than 2 minutes to play in the game this time around. As weird as I feel doing this, I guess I'll take the Broncos to win again.

N.Y. Giants (1-0) at Dallas (1-0)
It's the big new stadium debut we've all been waiting for. Well, at least that's what all of the television analysts are saying. I could give a rat's ass. Longtime face of the franchise Emmett Smith said a week or so ago that he thinks Dallas is a 7-9 team this season, and I think he probably knows more than I do. I think the Boys probably looked better than the Giants in Week 1, but then again they were playing Tampa. I usually like to pick Dallas at home, but I think this might be one of those games that they lose. I'll take the G-Men.

Indianapolis (1-0) at Miami (0-1)
I think I mentioned last week that I'm kind of a Colts hater, and I was kind of glad to see them struggle a little in their opener. I'll give them credit though; they can win games. I don't think that this is the week Indy's ground game finally gets on track, but I don't think the Fins have enough stars on defense to slow down the Colts' passing. I'm going to take Indy on the road.

Good luck everyone.

NFL overtime rules: The age old debate

I just caught a little bit of today's pregame show on CBS, and the panel of analysts were discussing the results of Thursday night's game between Tennessee and Pittsburgh. For those of you who don't know, the Steelers won the game in the first possession of overtime. Anyway, every time this happens, there's inevitably a huge discussion about whether or not the overtime rules are fair.

Here's how it works now. If the fourth quarter ends with the score tied, the team captains meet with the referee for a coin toss. The visiting team gets the chance to call the flip, and whichever team wins has the opportunity to decide whether or not to play offense or defense to start overtime. Pretty much across the board, teams will take the ball first. That's because the NFL plays sudden death overtime, so whichever team scores first wins. So, it makes sense that if you are on offense, you have the best chance of winning.

Anyway, many times the team that starts overtime on offense marches down the field and scores on the first possession to win the game. The other team's offense doesn't even take the field during the extra period, and many people question whether or not that's fair. In Thursday's game, Pittsburgh won the coin toss, got within field goal range and put up three points for the victory.

Was that fair? I think so.

It takes more than offense to win a football game. Just as the Steelers' offense had the chance to score in overtime, the Titans' defense had the chance to stop them. It's not as though Tennessee doesn't have a great defense. With four sacks, three turnovers and only 13 points allowed, it could be argued that they played a great game. Add to that the fact that Pittsburgh's offense put up only 37 more yards than Tennessee's, and you could even say that the Titans' D played a better game than the Steelers. So, in a game between two teams more known for the defense than their offense, is it fair that one team's offense didn't get the ball in O.T.? Yes.

In last season's playoffs, the Colts lost in overtime to San Diego when the Chargers scored on the first possession. The outcry was a lot louder then because television viewers across the country saw Peyton Manning sitting helpless on the sidelines while his team was eliminated from the postseason. But was it fair? I think so. The sport is about more than offense. Coaches tell players from a very early age that offense, defense and special teams are equally important in winning games. That's especially true in overtime. Some teams are better offensively than defensively. The ones that are well-rounded typically win championships.

Are there alternatives to the overtime rules that would work in the NFL. Probably. College football has a system that seems to work. High school football has a system that seems to work. But chances are good that if all of the rules were changed in pro football, people would still have beef with something.

There are rules and regulations in every aspect of life that don't seem fair to everyone. But you live with it. The rules are the rules, and the rules are fair.

NFL Week 1: My "expert" analysis

So, the preseason is behind us, and it's finally time to get down to the games that count. It's the most long-awaited Thursday night of the year tomorrow, when the NFL regular season kicks off. Not to be outdone by all of the "experts" at ESPN and NFL.com, etc. I've decided to put together a weekly preview of my picks. Here goes:

Tennessee Titans at Pittsburgh Steelers 8:30 p.m. Thursday
This one could be an interesting matchup. The team with the best regular-season record from last season (Tennessee) vs. the defending Super Bowl champs (Pittsburgh). But some things have changed since last season. On the Titans' side, QB Kerry Collins gets a year older and the defense will certainly miss the presence of Albert Haynesworth plugging up the middle. Still, they're a running team, and Jeff Fisher is a smart coach who knows what works. For the Steelers, Fast Willie Parker and Big Ben Roethlisberger have both been a little nicked up this preseason, so we'll have to see how they respond. Defensively, I think they're still as sound as ever, and they return most of the pieces from the championship squad on both sides of the ball. In somewhat of a toss-up of two really quality teams, I'll give this one to the Steelers, playing at home with the emotion of hoisting the Lombardi trophy still fresh in their minds.

Miami Dolphins at Atlanta Falcons 1 p.m. Sunday
Miami was the feel-good story of the NFL last season, turning around a horrid program and clinching the AFC East title. Atlanta, also a playoff team a year ago, got the job done with a bunch of unproven players who really shined. QB Matt Ryan had an excellent rookie season, and with a year under his belt, and the addition of future hall of fame tight end Tony Gonzalez, should be even better. Michael Turner, perhaps a little overworked in his first season as a feature back, still looks like a beast in the backfield. On the other side, Miami took a lot of people by surprise with its wildcat offense last season. I don't think it's going to happen again. Atlanta's had all preseason to gameplan against the Dolphins' tricks. I'm going with the home team again in this one.

Kansas City Chiefs at Baltimore Ravens 1 p.m. Sunday
Gone are the days when Larry Johnson and Priest Holmes were striking fear in the hearts of opposing defenses for Kansas City. With new management, new head coach Todd Haley and a new quarterback who last year started his first game since high school, the Chiefs are a mess. Conversely, Baltimore still gets the job done defensively, runs the ball well and second-year QB Joe Flacco takes care of the ball. The Raves should make this one look easy.

Philadelphia Eagles at Carolina Panthers 1 p.m. Sunday
This is another tough one. Two playoff teams from last season that both bring back most of the key players. Carolina's running game features a great one-two punch of the electrifying Deangelo Williams and the bruising Jonathan Stewart (when healthy). The return of injured star receiver Steve Smith helps the Panthers' cause, but I'm going to roll the dice on Philadelphia in this one. I think as the careers of Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook, and an experienced defensive backfield, start to wind down, the Eagles are going to be motivated this season. In a close one, that could go either way, I'll pick Philly on the road.

Denver Broncos at Cincinnati Bengals 1 p.m. Sunday
I kind of feel bad for all of the fans who are going to have to endure this one. The Broncos traded their quarterback, feuded with their No. 1 receiver and enter the season with a whole lot of question marks. The Bengals have been bad for a long time, but if Carson Palmer can stay healthy and Cedric Benson and Chad Ochocinco play up to their potential, they have a chance to not finish last in their division this season. Cincinnati takes this ugly, ugly contest.

Minnesota Vikings at Cleveland Browns 1 p.m. Sunday
Things are bad enough in Cleveland that coach Eric Mangini has yet to decide which of his quarterbacks will make his team look less horrible. With about four days 'til game time, you might want to figure that out coach. In Minnesota, all of the drama has surrounded the return of the aging Brett Favre, but what's important for this team to be successful is that they have the best running back in the game and a very tough defense. I'll save my Favre tangent for another time. The Vikings are coming to Cleveland, and the Browns are ripe to be pillaged.

New York Jets at Houston Texans 1 p.m. Sunday
Houston has one of the best receivers in the game in Andre Johnson. They have an emerging star in running back Steve Slaton. Defensively, Mario Williams continues to legitimize his status as a No. 1 draft pick. But watch out for the Jets. They have one of the best ... um... well ... they've got ... Mark Sanchez sure has a nice smile. That said, the Texans improve every season. The Jets aren't improving. I'll take Houston to win this one handily.

Jacksonville Jaguars at Indianapolis Colts 1 p.m. Sunday
I predicted back in May that Indianapolis wouldn't make the playoffs this season, and I'm going to stick to my guns on that one. Mostly because I'm kind of a Colts hater. But, as much as I would like to say that their downward slide starts in Week 1, I'm going to have to take Indy to win the opener. Peyton Manning and the Colts offense are still very explosive, if the o-line can do its job. Defensively, I think they have some problems, especially against the run. If Maurice Jones Drew was 100 percent healthy for Jacksonville, I might give this one a little more thought, but he's not. And without him, the Jags just don't have enough weapons to outscore the Colts.

Detroit Lions at New Orleans Saints 1 p.m. Sunday
Lions coach Jim Schwartz named rookie No. 1 pick Matthew Stafford as the team's starting QB earlier this week, which I think was a good move. He appears to have all of the skills to be a successful pro quarterback. Still, there's bound to be a learning curve, and I don't think this is the week where Detroit breaks its losing streak. New Orleans is a tough place to play, and Drew Brees was the league's best passer last season. Their defense isn't great, but it should be good enough to force Stafford into some bad decisions. Begrudgingly, I'll take the Saints in this one.

Dallas Cowboys at Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1 p.m. Sunday
Most analysts are saying that the Cowboys are better with Terrell Owens, but I fail to see how that's true. Sure, the locker room's probably a little quieter and the quarterback's probably a little happier. But we'll see how long that lasts when he realizes he doesn't have his playmaker downfield. Still, the Cowboys are better than the Bucs. Byron Leftwich is the quarterback by default, their running game is led by a guy who's missed most of the past two seasons and a couple of guys who are career backups, and they released the heart and soul of their defense in Derrick Brooks. I think the Cowboys win this one prettily easily.

San Francisco 49ers at Arizona Cardinals 4:15 p.m. Sunday
San Francisco always seems like it's just a couple of pieces short of being competitive. They're so close, that they likely will pull off some wins this season that many people won't expect. But I still don't think they're quite there yet. Arizona ended its Cinderella trip through the postseason last year with a narrow loss in the Super Bowl. And, although a little older, I think this team may have gotten even better during the offseason. Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin are the best receiver tandem in the league and the addition of rookie Beanie Wells and the emergence of Tim Hightower should improve a non-existent running game from last season. The big question mark is whether the Cards can get it done on the road this season. But that's a question that can wait for another week. They should win this one at home.

Washington Redskins at New York Giants 4:15 p.m. Sunday
The Redskins have kind of been the forgotten members of the NFC East over the past few seasons, and I'm not sure that's going to change this year. They may take a step forward as I think the Cowboys and Giants have gotten a little worse, but I don't think they're ready to really contend for a division title. Clinton Portis will continue to put up consistent numbers without really being a superstar, but the rest of this offense kind of lacks win potential. The Giants, as I mentioned, have some work to do as well. Brandon Jacobs is a tough enough runner to make it a little easier on the offense, but Eli Manning will be expected to win games without a lot of help at the receiver spot this season. I think because of this, the Giants go from being a top-tier team to a mediocre team with playoff potential. That still should be good enough to win this week at home.

St. Louis Rams at Seattle Seahawks 4:15 p.m. Sunday
The Rams were one of the worst teams in football last season. Unfortunately, I'm not really sure their rebuilding efforts have started to show any results yet. The Seahawks had an off year last year mainly due to an injured Matt Hasselbeck. He's healthy now, and Seattle added veteran receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh to the mix. This one will get ugly early for St. Louis, and Seattle should come away an easy winner.

Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers 8:20 p.m. Sunday
Most people are conceding the NFC North to the Vikings this season, but I think both Green Bay and Chicago will be in the picture when it's all said and done. These are two quality teams, which makes this a hard game to pick. The Bears upgraded in the offseason with the addition of Jay Cutler at QB. Matt Forte burst onto the scene as a solid running back in his rookie year, and everyone knows how solid the defense is. Meanwhile, Aaron Rodgers is no slouch at quarterback for the Pack. With the nice receiving tandem of Greg Jennings and Donald Driver, he should have another great year. Ryan Grant has the potential to be a game-changing back, but he hasn't really shown it yet. So the questions are the Bears' receivers and the Packers' running game and defense. I think the score will be close in this one. The Bears should dominate the time of possession and be in a position to win the game from start to finish. The Packers will stay in it with big plays, but I'll pick Chicago to win on the road.

Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots 7 p.m. Monday
Terrell Owens brought the circus to town in Buffalo this offseason which should help the Bills passing game. The trouble is that Trent Edwards will likely be running for his life behind a porous offensive line. Marshawn Lynch is suspended for the first three games of this season, which doesn't help. For the Pats, Tom Brady looks to be back from his season-ending knee injury of last season and should connect with Randy Moss for big plays numerous times this season. Brady's comeback party should start Monday with a convincing win against the Bills.

San Diego Chargers at Oakland Raiders 10:15 p.m. Monday
The Raiders should still be one of the bottom dwelling teams of the league this year with a subpar quarterback, running game, receivers and defense. Meanwhile, LaDanian Tomlinson and Darren Sproles will combine to make a fearsome backfield. And QB Phillip Rivers and pass catchers Vincent Jackson and Antonio Gates will round out a scary offensive attack. I don't really think the Raiders stand a chance in this one.

And that's my take. Let me know if you agree or disagree. I'll keep a running tally to see if I need to polish my crystal ball a little bit more before next week.

Hardware store trauma

The other day something awful happened. Something that threatens the very lifeblood of my son's future masculinity.

There we were, browsing the aisles of Lowes. We had to get some painting supplies, and my wife wanted to look for a plant for the garden. But, truthfully, I like to wander in there every once in a while because I can't resist the smell of a big-box hardware store. A propane-fueled forklift, a stack of new 2x4's ... mmm.

Anyway, we were about to leave, and we were heading from the garden section to the checkout. On our way, we passed through one of the seasonal aisles near the front of the store where they are starting to get out their merchandise for Halloween. And that's when it happened.

Standing at the end of the aisle — looking harmless enough — was a little witch with a broom. Without regard to her presence, we continued past her. But she spotted us.

"Aah ha ha haa!" the witch let out a cruel cackle. Her eyes flashed red. She rocked back and forth. She stirred her sinister cauldren.


"AAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!" My son, terrified, let out a blood-curdling scream. And then another one. And another. The color drained from his face. Lowe's employees — certain that someone must have gotten sucked into the panel saw — came running. When the witch's evil display came to an end, my son stood there trembling.

My wife and I did our best to console him and assure him that the witch, a mere decoration, could harm him in no way. Still, the damage had been done. We paid for our supplies and left the store forthwith.

I only hope that the incident didn't ruin hardware stores for the boy forever

Pointless advertisements

If you've ever wondered what's discussed in a newsroom on a slow Sunday night (and I hope for your sake that you haven't), I'll give you a little taste of the conversation.

At one point in the evening, a commercial came on television advertising a feminine hygiene product. These commercials have long been a thorn in the side of male viewers, especially when they find their way into football games. The discussion flowed to the extremely pointless nature of tampon and pad advertising in general. I should point out that I was the lone man in the newsroom tonight, so it wasn't just a bunch of guys sitting around woman bashing.

Anyway, the ladies with whom I work agreed that there is really no reason for these ads to be shown on television. It's a necessary product. There aren't many women I know who are going to start making their own hygiene supplies as an alternative to what's available in stores. Women know they're out there. Their market is safe. And from what I know of it, most women are pretty much introduced to a brand or whatever by their mother when the time is right. They find what works for them and stick with it throughout adulthood. Again, there's no reason to advertise.

So, the general consensus is that a public outcry from women worldwide should be issued immediately for feminine hygiene companies to stop advertising on television. They can use their marketing budgets to give a boost to their shareholders, or even better, pass the savings along to the consumers. Just keep it out of my football games.

In other news:

— I was somewhat confused by Roger Federer's remarks after winning the tournament in Cincinnati tonight. When asked about how life has been since welcoming his baby into the world, he said something about changing a lot of diapers lately, because times have changed a lot in the past decade. What does that mean? Did fathers 10 years ago not change diapers? The only thing I could come up with is that maybe the No.1 men's tennis player in the world 10 years ago didn't change diapers. Take that Pete Sampras. Roger just called you out; stinking deadbeat.

— I think that Michael Andretti is kidding himself if he thinks that he can re-sign Danica Patrick to another contract when this season is over. There's no way he can compete with the type of money or exposure she'll get in NASCAR if the offers that are rumored to be out there for her are true. From what I've seen, she loves the spotlight, and racing IndyCars is a minor stage compared to the alternative.

— In my fantasy football world, I've pulled the trigger on a deal sending Peyton Manning and Reggie Bush to another team in exchange for Michael Turner and Donovan McNabb. Statistically, it seems like kind of a wash, but I was in desperate need of some help at the running back spot, so I felt compelled to make a move. Will it be a good decision? It's hard to say. There's been a lot of changes to the Colts' offense, including coaching moves, the departure of Marvin Harrison and what appears to be a shaky offensive line. So dealing Manning might be a good thing. On the other hand, statistics show that running backs coming off a season high in carries usually follow it up with a poor year. So Turner may not have been the best option. I guess I'll just have to wait and see. Any thoughts?

Food Flashback

As I was taking my dinner break at work tonight, I noticed something about the container I had used to transport my leftover casserole. It was a clear plastic Rubbermaid, and on the lid was a space labeled "DATE" and one labeled "CONTENTS".

Said I to myself, "'Date' I kind of understand if you're using these things for freezer storage. But 'contents'? If you can't pick up this transparent container and tell what's inside, you probably shouldn't eat it."

But then I recalled a repressed memory from my childhood.

Mom was away at a meeting or something one evening, so Dad was responsible for getting dinner ready for my sister and I. After assessing the fridge, he settled on a container of leftover mashed potatoes. He plopped some on a couple of plates, smothered them in turkey gravy and microwaved them until piping hot.

My sister and I — famished as we were — simultaneously dug in. Unfortunately, we both quickly discovered that the mashed potatoes we had anticipated were actually white frosting. Hot white frosting with gravy.

Ordinarily, I believe everything is better with gravy, but I think it's safe to assume that this marked a low point in my father's culinary journey.

So, I guess that's the value of labeling the contents of your food storage containers. If anyone else has a Tupperware horror story, feel free to share.

A Lifetime of bad television choices

Last night as I was watching a little "Sex and the City" after work, I found myself kind of appalled that I had already seen the episode. This led to a larger realization that I know way more about films and television geared toward women than I should and that the women in my life have greatly influenced the kinds of entertainment that have entered my life through the years.

Growing up with a sister a few years older than me, I've taken in many episodes of "Little House on the Prairie" and watched too many times to count movies such as "Footloose" and "Flashdance". I can blame my mother for wasting my mental capacity on "General Hospital". Trust me, I know everything there is to know about the ongoing feud between Luke Spencer and the Cassadine family. This continued into my marriage where "You've Got Mail" and the aforementioned New York socialite drama joined my viewing rotation. How did this happen?

It started becoming clear when I scored better than most of my friends on the "Dirty Dancing" quiz on facebook. Why?! I could care less if Baby never comes out of the corner. Isn't this brain capacity I should be using to memorize baseball statistics or learning how to dismantle a combustion engine? Have the viewing habits taken on during my formative years permanently revoked my man card?

Oh well, I guess I can just use this to say that I'm in touch with my feminine side. Or, a better option, maybe I should use this recent realization as motivation to get off my butt and leave the room when these kinds of programs come on. Or maybe I should just watch them and claim that it earns me the right to watch football all day on Sundays. I guess I should be thankful that none of the women in my life have been obsessed with "Grease".

P.S. After Tennessee's 21-18 defeat of the Bills last night, I have an unblemished record in my football predictions so far this year.

Me? A star?

So, my wife is convinced that I would make a good blogger. She says that I write well, and I have amusing stories to share. I suppose that given my profession as a journalist, she should, in theory, be right. (And after nearly seven years of marriage, I've found that she usually is.) Still, I question whether anyone would actually give a hoot about what I have to say. That, combined with the fact I've historically been able to string together only a few good blog posts in a row before losing interest, gives me kind of dim outlook on this endeavor. But what the heck; I'll humor her and indulge my narcissism by giving this another try. I suppose it couldn't hurt. After all, there are enough fascinating things going on in the world that I'm sure to have an opinion about something, even if nothing all that exciting actually happens in my life.

For those of you who don't know, my aforementioned wife is the wildy successful blogger Not So Glamorous Housewife. She entertains the masses with tales of homemaking, child-rearing, cooking, crafting and husband tolerating. And her growing number of loyal fans seem to adore her. Whether or not this Internet stardom will translate to any sort of following for my own rants remains to be seen, but I might as well try it and see.

My daily whatnot

-- Today marks the day that every football fanatic looks forward to each year: the NFL's first preseason game. The annual Hall of Fame game in Ohio ends the long offseason drought that's existed since the Pro Bowl and, while it's generally poorly played and consists of mainly rookies and backup players trying to make the squad, it satisfies the pigskin craving. This year's game features Tennessee vs. Buffalo. The Titans had one of the best records in the league last season while Buffalo (may have) upgraded their talent during the offseason with the addition of Terrell Owens. My pick in this one: Tennessee. I think that if Buffalo's backup players were good enough to win games, the Bills' management and coaching staff would have used them to replace their mediocre starters a long time ago.

-- After eight days and six baths, the dog still smells like he got sprayed in the face by a skunk.

-- We found an outdoor fireplace that someone had set out for the garbage this morning. It's kind of rusty and flimsy, but so long as it holds what I want to burn, it seems like it should be okay. My wife is outside spray painting it right now.

-- I return to work this afternoon after an entire week of laziness and overindulging in fatty foods and beer. The first day is always the toughest it seems, and I don't anticipate this one being any easier. Tune in tomorrow to see if anything interesting developed.

-- On the kid front, while we were at the zoo yesterday, my daughter asked me if the baboons had red butts because they hurt themselves. I told her they were supposed to be that way, but still, you have to appreciate these young inquiring minds.

That's about all I've got for now. Feel free to visit often and see if I've followed through with my writings. Who knows, maybe you'll even enjoy it.