NFL Picks, week 1
Phil Prusa and I go head-to-head. Panel will be up later.
SUNDAY GAMES
Lions @ Falcons
New head coach plus a new starting QB equals a season opening loss for Atlanta.
PICK: LIONS
Zach: Lions usually beat bad teams. Lions.
Seahawks @ Bills
Flying across country is hardly the perfect way to begin 2008.
PICK: BILLS
Zach: Who knows with this one? Seahawks.
Cowboys @ Browns
Derek Anderson, Jamal Lewis, and Braylon Edwards all missed significant time during the preseason.
PICK: COWBOYS
Zach's thought: I feel OK about this one, but I'd rather be wrong anyway. Browns.
Jaguars @ Titans
I am sold on David Garrard. I'm not sold on Vince Young.
PICK: JAGUARS
Zach's thought: I'm going with the home team. Titans.
Jets @ Dolphins
Don't get too comfortable Brett because it's going to get a lot harder after this.
PICK: JETS
Zach's thought: The Jets figure to get a lot of pub for this win. Jets.
Chiefs @ Patriots
New England could start Matt Cassel at QB and still win easily.
PICK: PATRIOTS
Zach's thought: Zzzzzzz. Patriots.
Buccaneers @ Saints
Fast fact: New Orleans is an NFL worst 13-28 in opening games.
PICK: BUCCANEERS
Zach's thought: Saints march to the Super Bowl starts here. Saints.
Rams @ Eagles
Philadelphia should have plenty incentive this year after being the only NFC East team to miss the playoffs last year.
PICK: EAGLES
Zach's thought: Eagles always tend to look good early. Eagles.
Texans @ Steelers
Look for Pittsburgh to win their sixth straight season opener.
PICK: STEELERS
Zach's thought: Why do I hate Pittsburgh? Opening games like this. Steelers.
Panthers @ Chargers
Little advice to Shawne Merriman: get a 6th opinion.
PICK: CHARGERS
Zach's thought: Chargers should win by plenty. Chargers.
Cardinals @ 49ers
San Francisco swept the series last year.
PICK: CARDINALS
Zach's thought: Big season coming up for Matt Leinart ... oh wait. 49ers.
Bengals @ Ravens
The Joe Flacco era begins much sooner in Baltimore than anyone expected.
PICK: RAVENS
Zach's thought: The Bengals may not be good, but in a game like this, it doesn't matter. Bengals.
SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
Bears @ Colts
The rematch of Super Bowl XLI that nobody really wanted to see.
PICK: COLTS
Zach's thought: The Colts looked awful in the preseason. Doesn't matter. Colts.
MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
Vikings @ Packers
No pressure eh Aaron Rodgers?
PICK: VIKINGS
Zach's thought: He should get plenty from the Vikings line. Packers.
MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
Broncos @ Raiders
Is this game really prime time? These teams went a combined 11-31 in 2007
PICK: BRONCOS
Zach's thought: Raiders always lose this one. And most of the others. Broncos.
Labels: NFL
posted by Zach @ 9:58 PM
1 Comments
1 Comments:
I get the feeling that maybe Romeo is a little too realistic. Randy Lerner hired him because he's the Anti-Butch. He doesn't spin things, he doesn't overestimate his players and he speaks the brutal, unvarnished truth. If his team isn't that good, he's not going to pretend like it is.
That's great for the media and the fans. We love a straight shooter with upper management written all over him. But why do I get the feeling that Romeo takes the same tack in the locker room and in his game management?
It wasn't just the Belichickian kicking of the field goal down by three TDs. It was everything in the demeandor of the team yesterday that said "We're not winning this game. We're not good enough to win this game. We've accepted it."
A coach is supposed to get his team ready to take on the world before the game. That doesn't always mean fiery speeches, but when you're going to take on a blatantly better team, maybe the quoting the David-Goliath verse from the Bible a la "Hoosiers" would be better than "Let's be honest here, we're overmatched, so let's just go out there and do what we can."
I'd bet Romeo's pregame speech was closer to the latter than the former. He's not what you'd call a great motivator, because motivating requires some truth-twisting for your players.
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