Jesse: BEST WORST PICK OF LAST WEEK: “Gut feeling says this is the week the Giants lay down and take it like a champ.” – Clint (Giants 27, Redskins 23)
This week, the Carolina Panthers finally fired GM Marty Hurney, the architect of some of the most awful deals of the last few years. How was his tenure a failure? Let us count the ways:

– Traded their ‘09 first-round pick and ‘08 second and fourth-round pick for Jeff Otah, who they ended up trying to send to the Jets this past offseason, where he failed his physical.
– Traded away a second-round pick in order to pick up Appalachian State QB Armanti Edwards, so they could have him play receiver. It didn’t work.
– Two words: Jimmy Clausen.
– Signed cap-busting contracts to defensive players Charles Johnson and Jon Beason, as well as running backs DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. Williams and Stewart are now getting minimal carries and Beason is set to undergo season-ending knee surgery.
– Because of these ludicrous contracts, the Panthers are now over the cap, so even if they had the ability to find competent talent, they couldn’t afford them.

This is some of the most awful personnel decision-making I’ve ever witnessed, and I’m a Browns fan. With Hurney gone, the Panthers are immediately better. If Pouty Magoo Cam Newton can get his head on straight, who knows? Maybe there’s hope for the future. Oh wait, Ron Rivera’s their coach. Nevermind.

Hitpoints

 

Thursday Oct 25
Tampa Bay Buccaneers(2-4) at Minnesota Vikings(5-2)
Clint: Who would have thought the Bucs could almost keep up with the Saints.  Then again, they were playing a watered down defense.  Vikings are much better on Defense, and will make the pirates miss the bay.
Vikings
Tom: Going with my tried and true system here–The Vikings are inside, thus they win.
Vikings

Sunday Oct 28
Atlanta Falcons(6-0) at Philadelphia Eagles(3-3)
Tom: The last time I remember Atlanta at Philly (2010), I was in Vegas and fools was getting knocked the F out everywhere, and the Falcons got smushed after a 4 game win streak.  Last year, the Falcons held on to beat the Vince Young proclaimed “Dream Team” and the Eagles have been spiraling ever since.  It’s also the first week post-Juan Castillo, a failed experiment of an OL coach tabbed for some reason to be the defensive coordinator. Ironically, the Eagles Defense was 10th in the NFL, so that wasn’t the problem.  Vick’s turnovers and Reid’s ever present inability to allow any type of running game to exist in his world probably are bigger problems.  Falcons remain undefeated, although Philly is a tough place to play on the road.  Ask Michael Irvin. Or Santa Claus.
Falcons
Clint: Don’t you ever let up on Vick?  Aren’t there other guys on that team you can pick on Tom? Last I checked there were 11 men on that offense, and McCoy can play.  The rest are all questionable.  These guys continue to amaze by sticking in games with their profound ineptness.  The Falcons look well rounded but are bound to cough one up sometime, but not here.
Falcons

Carolina Panthers(1-5) at Chicago Bears(5-1)
Clint: Bears are bigger than panthers.  Bears win.
Bears
Tom: Maybe after this game, the Panthers will fire the parking lot attendant who parks Cam Newton’s car.
Bears

Indianapolis Colts(3-3) at Tennessee Titans(3-4)
Tom: What to make of the Titans?  Well, they beat a struggling Steelers team at home and then played the no-defense Bills and barely held on to win both games.  It seems they have the offense to compete with bad defenses, and I don’t think Indy’s defense is that bad.  Is Chris Johson “back”?  Nah, I don’t think so.  They’re just facing mediocre to bad defenses.  Matt Hasselbeck is trying to re-claim that old-time glory, but I still have hope in these Colts, even though the game is outside.
Colts
Clint: The Titans are doing their best to prove they aren’t the worst team in the league this year.  A few weeks ago they sure looked like it.  Problem is, they are facing division rivals that are determined to show their claim to worst team from last year is something that will be left in the past.  The Colts have something to prove, so that means I pick the same as my buddy Tom.
Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars(1-5) at Green Bay Packers(4-3)
Clint: The Jags without MJD is kind of like a legless cat.  Green Bay may get more than they expect from the Jags defense, but in no way will this be a close game.
Packers
Tom: Jags fans, you had your chance this past week…and then you lost MJD, albeit not unexpectedly (to me at least) as there’s a history of guys who held out eventually getting hurt a few games into the season.  And they’re playing at Green Bay.  But the Jags have a secret weapon…Chad Henne!  There’s my Halloween fright of the week.
Packers by a million

Miami Dolphins(3-3) at New York Jets(3-4)
Tom: Fleed, remember when I said I would take the Jets earlier in the year, but take Miami the next game?  Well, here ya go:
Dolphins
Clint: More than anything, I am beginning to hate the Jets.  Every time I pick against them they win or almost win.  For that reason alone, I am picking the somewhat hot Dolphins.  I hope they make them look as bad as they really are.
Dolphins

New England Patriots(4-3) at St. Louis Rams(3-4)
Clint: The Rams have worked extremely hard to get their 3 wins.  Their team is questionable as to where it’s strength lies, but they continue to play all 4 quarters and manage to keep the games close.  The Pats got off lucky last week while almost losing to the miserable Jets.  This week they lose to an arguably worse team.
Rams
Tom: Oh Clint, you ignorant slut.  Don’t you know no one circles the wagons like the…wait, we’re talking about the Pats, not the Bills.  The Rams have a pretty good defense going on here, and even though they lost their true #1 WR, they can still move the ball, and Steven Jackson finally scored this season.  But can they keep up with the Pats?  The Rams blew everyone’s minds last year when they beat the Saints seemingly out of nowhere.  Will they do the same with the Pats?  We’ll just agree to disagree here.
Patriots

San Diego Chargers(3-3) at Cleveland Browns(1-6)
Tom: Norv Turner, you magnificent bastard.  In any other football town like Pittsburgh, Green Bay, or Chicago, a loss like the one you had to Denver would have you out of town faster than you could fumble away another win.  Hell, the Panthers just fired their GM midway through the season after realizing all the horrible contracts he’s put together.  However, I think you have more talent than the Browns, and this is one you’ll be able to hold on to…but I wouldn’t be shocked if the Browns found a way to get it done to impress new ownership in Cleveland.
Chargers
Clint: Let me show you how it’s done.  You keep wanting to pick the Browns but don’t have the balls to do it.  I do.  This is the game that gives Browns fans hope for the future.
Browns

Seattle Seahawks(4-3) at Detroit Lions(2-4)
Clint: I often look down on the Seahawks, thinking that they are not a complete team this year, but every time I watch them I see more talent then I give them credit for (kind of like Tom kicking my butt last week).  Every time I witness the team known as the Lions though, I think they were given too much credit at the beginning of the year, and the Seahawks are probably going to make them look bad.
Seahawks
Tom:  Man, I’m glad I’m not a Detroit fan…after getting my hopes up last year and then absolutely stinking this year, I’d have to thanking my lucky stars that Detroit also has the Red Wings.  Oh wait…dammit.  Tillman did the almost impossible and shut down Megatron on MNF this past week–and Seattle has all kinds of physical corners.  Yikes.
Seahawks

Washington Redskins(3-4) at Pittsburgh Steelers(3-3)
Tom: Oh, my beloved Steelers…here comes RGIII.  The problem we’ll see here is that guys like Harrison and Woodley will forgo technique and try to take big shots on Griffin and that will leave them open to big plays.  The Steelers may have wiggled out of trouble at Cincy, but I think the Redskins will have too much offense for the limping Steelers defense.  However, if the Steelers can stay somewhat upright in the AFC and get all their guys back in the next few weeks…they could be a team to be feared come playoff time.
Redskins
Clint: I hated picking against the Steelers last week, but I won’t this week.  They typically rise to the occasion against good and great teams.  While I wouldn’t call the Skins great, I do think a lot of hype surrounds their team and they are definitely good.
Steelers

Oakland Raiders(2-4) at Kansas City Chiefs(1-5)
Clint: With the Titans starting to find a groove, they may have pulled themselves out of being the worst team in the NFL.  That leaves the question as to who takes the title?  Jesse’s Browns – they look good even though their record doesn’t reflect it and they have a hard schedule.  Fleed’s Dolphins – they keep winning, and getting better.  I can’t even place the Raiders there as they tend to stay in games.  I figure after last week’s injury it may be the Jaguars, or it may just be the Chiefs.  Yep, I think they are that bad this year.  They need a year or two to right their wrongs, and firing Haley wasn’t the answer.  Look for their losing streak to continue.
Raiders
Tom: Clint took the Rams in an upset special, so I’ll take the other team from Missoura in this one.  The Mighty Quinn will prevail!
Chiefs

New York Giants(5-2) at Dallas Cowboys(3-3)
Tom: The Cowboys started off the season with a big win over the defending Super Bowl champs…and have yet to show that promise the rest of the season.  They’ve been in almost every game, but they couldn’t seem to get over the hump until this past week vs. the also struggling Carolina Panthers. Dallas also has shown they’re not opposed to losing at home, so I don’t think that will play much into this game.  I believe in Eli.
Giants
Clint: The Giants will be out for blood this game.  They feel that the Cowboys embarrassed them in the first game.  I may have picked against them last week with the Skins, but I stated I thought that would be a drop to a lesser team.  I don’t see that this week.
Giants

New Orleans Saints(2-4) at Denver Broncos(3-3)
Clint: Tom hates the Saints, and without seeing his pick I predict he goes with the Broncos.  I Personally think the game is going to be a battle of QBs, and I don’t give too much of an upper hand to the Denver D.  Not because they are bad, but because the Saints offense is that good.  I’m going to side with the Saints maintaining their winning streak and making a run to right themselves.  I see the same from the Broncos, but not this week.
Saints
Tom: I don’t hate the Saints, just their toffee-nosed, malodorous defense.  They did get Vilma back last week and maybe that helped some, but man, you still allowed Josh Freeman to look like a superstar in that game. Denver had Peyton and Norv Turner to thank for their unprecedented comeback against the Chargers last week.  The Broncos defense cannot let themselves get behind as far as they did last week.  But yeah, Clint’s right…since it’s in Denver, I’ll take the Broncos.
Broncos

Monday Oct 29
San Francisco 49ers(5-2) at Arizona Cardinals(4-3)
Tom: Remember back when the presidential debates were ramping up, that Gungam Style song was popular, and Arizona was 4-0?  Good times.  The Cardinals have portrayed the son of Icarus and flown too close the sun and now are hurtling back to the Earth.  The 49ers are there to make sure they bounce when they hit.  To show how bad things are now with John Skelton, Arizona lost to a QB last week that had < 100 yards of passing and his name ISN”T Tim Tebow.
49ers
Clint: Tom talks about the Cardinals losing the game, but I think it really comes down to the Niners winning the game.  Alex Smith is tired of all the talk that he can’t lead his team to victory against a formidable defense, and he is going to Phoenix with a chip on his shoulder.  Run team? He is going to try to prove to fans that he is dependable.  He may never be Peyton or Brees, but he can be effective.
49ers

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