NFL Week 10: Surprises at the Halfway Point

The second half of the NFL season is underway with a new reality, Thursday night football as the latest move by the NFL to achieve media domination. Outside the participants’ TV markets, these games will be available only on the NFL network which many cable systems do not carry or provide as part of a “premium” sports package. In 2009, Major League Baseball starts its own network. So how much is the NFL suffering during these economic dark ages?

Happiness is being an NFL franchise owner!

Tonight:
Denver at Cleveland (-3)
We were going with Cleveland on this one, but given the decision to change quarterbacks without a full week’s practice shows a panic struck Browns organization after taking a pounding giving up a two touchdown lead to lose to the hated Ravens by ten points. Slight edge to (gulp Denver.

This Weekend:
Baltimore (-1) at Houston
The Ravens are doing a much better job of showing up and playing hard for games they might have taken not seriously enough in the past as witnessed by their comeback win in Cleveland. This one goes to the Ravens.

New Orleans at Atlanta (-1)
The feel good story of the year has to be the rebirth of the Atlanta Falcons who looked like a team in for the dark ages as the team fell apart in the wake of the Michael Vick mess. Matt Ryan as a rookie quarterback is making that saga a bygone era. New Orleans is pretty banged up right now. Slight edge gives win to Atlanta.

Tennessee (-3) at Cincinnati
The only way to save the Bengals from destruction would be to blow up all the bridges across the Ohio River to keep Tennessee out of Paul Brown Stadium.

Jacksonville (-7) at Detroit
This game could be Detroit’s best shot at winning given Jacksonville’s horrible inconsistency this year, but against a team bringing a Daunte Culpepper out of retirement as QB, the Jags will prevail.

Seattle at Miami (-8)
How fortunes have changed. Who would have expected Seattle to have fallen to one of the worst teams in the NFL while Miami is putting together a pretty competitive season after going 1-15 in 2007. Miami wins.

Green Bay at Minnesota (-2 ½)
It’s do or die for Minnesota, the team favored by many to win the NFC North. While Green Bay could have had their old fellah, Brett Favre on the team, speaking of old, what can anybody make of Minnesota having to turn to Gus Ferrotte, the fellow who is famous for head-butting the stadium wall as a victory celebration in his younger days in Washington? Green Bay seems to be able to play more serious football than the Viings so far this year. Slice the cheese. Green Bay wins.

Buffalo at New England (-4)
Would anybody have seen this game as the battle for first place in the AFC East at this stage in the season? Buffalo has perhaps been the most consistent of the three teams currently tied for first – the New York Jets also share the lead with Miami just one game back. New England should be just good enough to win this game at home.

St. Louis at New York Jets (-8 ½)
One thing’s for sure, regardless of who wins in New England, the Jets will enjoy a share of first place Sunday night.

Carolina (-8 ½) at Oakland
Al Davis is on the warpath purging players mid-year. Carolina’s tough defense and steady offense will obliterate the Raiders. To think they used to boast, “commitment to excellence.”

Indianapolis at Pittsburgh (-3)
If the Colts are going to make a second half run, they must prove they can stop tough opponents. A Colts loss to any opponent right now makes a Wild Card berth look unlikely. Even so, Pittsburgh should be ready. Despite injuries and lose ends, the Steelers might be the AFC’s second best team in ’08.

Kansas City at San Diego (-15)
All of the Chargers’ problems in 2008 should look far away as they will enjoy a feeding frenzy against the Kansas City Chiefs surely one of the league’s most certain finalist for toilet bowl honors. This could be a blowout.

New York Giants at Philadelphia (-3)
Perhaps the hottest game of the week, New York will attempt to prove it is the NFC’s best team while Philadelphia is anxious to show they are right in the hunt in the game’s strongest division. New York looks just tough enough to frustrate the Eagles who’d love to stuff Dallas in last place.

San Francisco at Arizona (-9 ½)
The other freak show on the San Francisco Bay will struggle to keep its head coach’s trousers on for this game against the former doormat of the division. Mike Singletary has a tough job to try to mold the once great “Niners” into winners once again. In the past decade the franchise has gone from one of the elite in all of sports to one of the weakest. Meanwhile, Arizona could be headed for a historical season for the Cardinals organization.