PICK TIME

I will be away this weekend, and Dave from Brighton is currently Dave in Northern California, so I am going to post my picks now, on Thursday at 6:30pm, to add legitimacy to the picks contest. I will make sure the wife makes all of her picks before the Patriots kick off tonight, and Dave will be calling in shortly to give me his picks. This game is on the up and up, I hope you trust me on that. After this week, hopefully, all three of our picks will be posted on Friday afternoon - together.

My eliminator pick for the week is: Minnesota over Tampa Bay. (Runner up would be Denver over Miami, but it's Minnesota for me.)

Here are my NFL picks, starting with the Jets. The Jets have one tough schedule this year, and it starts out tough with a who-knows game against the Chiefs. As in "Who knows how Pennington will be? Who knows how the Chiefs will be this year?" I'm banking on "the same as usual" for both. That means a Jets win, but it will be close, because Kansas City is a tough place to play. I'll go 24-21. So Jets +3 is the pick.

The rest of the board for me:

Oakland will probably lose the opener, but I think they keep it within 7 (I really was going to pick the Pats, if it was 7 points even, but that extra half-point makes me think twice). So Oakland, + 7.5

The Broncos -4 is an easy pick over the Dolphins, even if it is in Miami.

Cincinnati -3.5 over the Browns. I think the last time these two teams met was 70-65 or something.

Houston is one of my upset picks, in Buffalo, getting 5.5. I think Houston wins outright.

The Steelers are giving 7 versus Tennessee. Pitt, -7.

Washington -5.5 over the Bears. I take the Redskins. It's going to be a long year for Chicago.

Same thing for New Orleans, obviously. I almost feel bad about picking Saints games all year. But I'll go Carolina -7.

Minnesota, my eliminator, is six-point favorites over Tampa. I take the Vikings, -6. (Keep in mind, with the eliminator pick, it's just a win or a loss - no spread.)

Jacksonville is a three-point favorite over the Seahawks. I guess I'll take Jacksonville - I like them this year, but this is an iffy game. I take them because they're home.

The Giants are three-point favorites over the Cardinals. I take the Giants, but they'll probably lose. That's the way it goes when I pick the NYG.

The Rams are giving the 49ers 6, in San Fran. They could give them more than that. Saint Louis, -6.

The Packers are 3-point 'dogs in Detroit. Another underdog I think will win outright. Green Bay, +3.

The Cowboys aer 4.5 underdogs in San Diego. I'm not buying into another season like last year's for the Chargers. I take the Cowboys, +4.5.

The Colts are giving three Sunday night against the Ravens. I'll take the Colts, but this one will be close.

Same thing for Monday Night - close game, I'll take the Falcons, at home, +1, against the Eagles.

Again, these are John's picks - Monday or Tuesday I'll post this week's results from John, Dave in Brighton, and the wife, and then next week we'll have everyone's picks.

Enjoy NFL Week 1!! (Oh, and I'm Tivo-ing the Jets Sunday, since I'll be away, so please don't call me to talk about it until Monday night.)