Close your eyes if your a Giants fan because your not going to want to read this. The Giants current injury report is the following: Chris Canty (out), Keving Dockery (Doubtful), Justin Tuck (Doubtful), Kenny Phillips (IR), Hakeem Nicks (out), Aaron Ross (out), Danny Ware (out), Domenik Hixon (out) and Michael Johnson (Q). That means the Giants are probably going to have to play without their starting corner, safety, two d-lineman, and two of their top recievers. That is pretty ridiculous. However, the Giants are going at Tampa Bay tomorrow, maybe one of the worst teams in the NFC, and should come out with a win despite all the players who are not playing.
What To Watch For:
The return of Derrick Ward vs his old team. I expect Ward to be fired up and that is evident by the fact Ward has been talking trash the whole week. Ward is a solid back, but nothing special, so watch for him to rack up about 70-80 yards on the day. Also, watch for Bryon Leftwich, depsite no Tuck, Canty, Phillips, and Ross, still throw three picks. Leftwich has by far the slowest delievery of any QB I have ever seen. The guy looks at one reciever longer than anyone in the NFL. He is an embaressment, and the fact he was taken that high shows you how much a crap shot the NFL draft is.
For the Giants, watch Eli shread this Bucs defense. This is the same Bucs defense that gave up 33 points to the vaunted Buffalo Bills last week. Come on, your telling me that Eli and the Giants cant put up 35 on this team?
The Giants, though, MUST solve this red zone ineptness. They have been in the red zone 8 times this year scoring, get ready for this, ZERO touchdowns. Could this bite the Giants back in the ass? I dont know, I think they will be smart enough to figure it out, but with Kevin Gilbride anything is a possibility. One thing is for sure, dont give me the "where is Pharoah Ramses Barden?" Just because the guy is 6'6 doesnt mean he is ready to run a fade against a NFL corner. Its much harder than it seems, and if you know Coughlin you know he hates throwing rookies in the fire immediatly. One thing I would change in the red zone is throwing more to Big Boss Man 89, Kevin Boss. I want to see them run more routes to him and maybe try a bubble screen to Manningham at like the 15 or 20.
The Giants Will Win if:
The Giants will win if they run the ball well, and protect Eli. Honestly, thats it. They dont have to play that well, thats how bad I think this Bucs team is. They are in classic rebuilding mode and the only thing this team is playing for is for the number 1 pick....And its week 3. Run the ball well with Jacobs, who has not played well so far, and protect Eli so he has time to throw and dissect this Bucs defense, the Giants will come out on top.
The Bucs Will Win If:
The Bucs will win if they come out and take advantage of the depleated Giants defense. That means, throwing early, throwing often, and mixing in some runs. Throw over the top and take advantage of C.C (I am no Sabathia) Brown and run up the middle and to the side of Osi. If the Buce block well and run to Osi's side, they should have a lot of success considering Osi is a worse run stuffer than William Joseph is his prime. However, the Giants are going to blitz the hell out of the ridiculously immobile Leftwich so giving Leftwich time to dissect the Giants thin secondary probably wont happen.
Who Will Win:
This one looks pretty simple on paper, but as we know the game is not played on paper and the Giants a ton of injuries. Still, the Giants are overwhelmingly better than the Bucs, and if anything the coaching staff should dominate the very inexperienced Buce staff. This one should be a walk in the park.
Giants 30 Bucs 17
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NFL PICKS
Ravens (-13.5) Over Browns
-This Browns team might go 2-14, its getting that bad. It feels like ever since the Jets were 8-3, Eric Mangini's career has went in the toilet. He is personally 1-6 and has gotten worse publicity than John Gotti, Phil Spector, and O.J (O.J DID IT-Cendric the Entertainer in Barbershop) combined. This guy has gotten KILLED in the media.
Ravens 34 Browns 10
Packers (-7) Over Rams
-Hey, the Rams actually showed up last week, well, not really but only 9 points given up!! We are looking for imporvement. Aaron Rodgers reminds me of Christian Slater in his prime. Nobody ever knew why Christian Slater was famous, and the same goes for why everyone loved Aaron Rodgers when he has never done anything.
Packers 20 Rams 10
Giants (-7) Over Bucs
- Dont be lazy, just read my preview.
Falcons (+4) Over Pats
- Am I really picking against the Pats at home vs an NFC South team? Why yes I am. Read Simmons' column on the downfall of the Pats, but I am serious, I think this team is headed towards the end. Remember the 2001 Yankees. Epic postseason, captivated the nation, and lost one of the best Game 7's in World Series history. Well the Pats 2001 World Series was the 2007 Super Bowl. Yea, the Yankees made it back to the 2003 World Series, but they did not win, and they never REALLY recovered. Well, look for that from the Pats, plus it is 10 times harder to reach the Super Bowl than the World Series. Bottom Line. Meanwhile, the Falcons look like a team that WILL reach the Super Bowl in the next three years. I can practically guarentee that. This will be a statement game for the Falcons, and the beginning of the end for the Pats.
Falcons 23 Pats 17
Chiefs (+8.5) Over Eagles
- At this point it doesnt matter if Kevin Kolb starts, or Jeff Garcia, the Eagles have some problems at QB. The good news is that it is week 3 and this team will be fine, but that migh mean costing them a couple games that might hurt them down the road. Eagles win, but it will be a surprisingly close game.
Eagles 24 Chiefs 19
Lions (+6.5) Over Redskins
This is the week. After losing 19 in a row, the streak will end. The Lions have dropped 25 of their last 26 but it will all end tomorrow. The Redskins are a sinking ship, beating the Rams in a baseball score 9-7 last week, and their coach is coming under fire, their inactives are making more noise than the actives, and the Redskins offense have looked about as bad as Kevin Connelly acting. Lions win OUTRIGHT!!
Lions 16 Redskins 13
Bills (+6) Over Saints
-The only reason I am doing this is a favor towards my friend Andy, a diehard Bills fan who is going to this game. What do I really think of the Bills? Well, I wont say that in this space, but lets just say I have a planned upcoming column about them. The Saints offense looks like the greatest show on turf a good 10 years ago, and you can just hand Drew Brees the 2009 MVP trophy. I have no real basis for making this pick, so lets just say the Bills pull out a minor miracle.
Bills 26 Saints 24
Titans (+ 2.5) Over Jets
- Classic battle of the overconfident 2-0 team vs the need-to-win 0-2 team. The Jets are good, but not that good. The Titans are much better than they have played, that equals to a Titans victory. I understand the Jets hoopla, but its getting kind of nausating . Its week 3, rookie QB and Coach, what you really think this team is going places. Please. Kerry Collins knows better than anyone the winds of the Meadowlands.
Titans 27 Jets 17
49ers (+7) Over Vikings
- To me this is the most ridiculous line of the week. The Vikings have played a schedule the compares to Don Bosco Prep. This is FAR AND AWAY the most overrated team in the league. The Vikings do not have a home field advantage, and the 49ers are catching everyone off guard with a solid running attack and an unknown QB in Shaun Hill. O and by the way Shaun Hill is 9-3 as a starter, Brett Favre is almost 93 years old and has retired 93 times. Give me the niners in an upset.
49ers 28 Vikings 27
Texans (+3.5) Over Jags
- The Jags are done. I cannot believe I picked them over Arizona with that embaressing home field advantage. Their crowd is worse than a Rasheed Wallace guarentee. Its pathetic and they should not allow to have fans their. The Texans are on their way to a typical 7-9/ 8-8 Texans season.
Texans 37 Jags 20
Bears (-2) Over Seahawks.
- Check that, THIS is the most ridiculous line of the week. Hasselback hurt, the Seahawks are bad anyway, Da Bears coming off a big win, HOW IS THE LINE -2 SEATTLE!! I DONT UNDERSTAND. I hope for Vegas' sake the Bears win by 40. In fact, after my near perfect outrageous prediction in the Saints-Eagles game where I said the Saints would score 52 and they scored 48, I am going to make an outragous-final score-pick of the week. This is it.
Bears 47 Seahawks 17
Steelers (-4) Over Bengals
- If the Bengals had the rolley-polley cutting guy playing on the o-line, maybe the Bengals would have a chance. Everyone would just bounce off of him. Sadly, this will not take place. Depsite no Troy P., and zero running game, the Steelers are still much better than the surprising-almost 2-0-if not for a ridiculous play and even better braodcast call by Gus Johnson-Bengals.
Steelers 17 Bengals 10
Broncos (-1.5) Over Raiders
- I said this from the begininng, but now its coming to fruition: JaMarcus Russell is Ryan Leaf bad. So what if he has an arm if he cant hit water if he fell out of a boat. Another horrendous Al Davis decision and its upsetting to me he went to Syracuse. How bout them Broncos!! 2-0 and I think they will make it to 3-0. Could you imagine the s*** the Bears and especially Jay Cutler will get if the Broncos make the playoffs and the Bears dont? I cant wait.
Broncos 20 Raiders 6
Dolphins (+6) Over Chargers
- Did you happen to see how bad the play calling was for the Chargers last week? On a 3rd and 2 they pass the ball out of shotgun. Incomplete. On 4th and 2 they run up the middle, which of course is the strength of the Ravens defense. Stopped for a loss of 3 by Ray Lewis. I have said it before, and I will say it again, NEVER TRUST A NORV TURNER COACHED TEAM. Still, Tony Sprano's play calling vs the Colts last week was equally as bad. I dont know which terrible coach to take?
Chargers 30 Dolphins 27
SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
Colts (+1.5) Over the Cards
- Seriously, is there any doubt the Colts dont win this game? The Cards played well against a crummy Jags team. The Colts have Peyton Manning, and well come into that Space ship looking stadium and show them what a good team is all about. By the way, if there is such a thing as a reverse Gus Johnson, this is it, courtesy of Chris Meyers. This might be the single worse call in NFL history. (Good job Simmons)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcLR0-gdHS8
Colts 31 Cards 27
MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
Cowboys (-9) Over Panthers
-Tony Romo is becoming the single biggest choke artist in the last 20 years for a guy who is somehwhat good. However, this is how bad I think Carolina is this year. The line, some say is insane, is really not. The Cowboys of course are not a prime team team, a group of chokes, but they are still better than Carolina. Also, what is ESPN going to do that NBC did not last week? Why does this Cowboys Stadium need two prime time games on two different networks two weeks in a row? Extreme Jerry Jones ego thats what. I SOOOO want to pick against Dallas, but I cant because Jake Delhomme is Carolina's incompetant QB. However, it wont be without 3 more Romo picks.
Cowboys 34 Panthers 19
I will be back monday with Giants recap, tuesday with NFL recap, and throughout the week serving the miserable workers going 9-5 aka me next year.
-Lew
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Giant lose today
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