Thursday Night Pick Week 2

Steelers (1-0) vs. Ravens (0-1)

Pick: Ravens

This is a huge game for both teams. Not only is it a divisional rivalry, but a huge national audience.

2014 Week 1 Picks

Everyone is 0-0.

Jaguars vs. Eagles
Pick: Eagles
Browns vs. Steelers
Pick: Steelers
Vikings vs. Rams
Pick: Rams
Patriots vs. Dolphins
Pick: Patriots
Raiders vs. Jets
Pick: Raiders
Titans vs. Chiefs
Pick: Chiefs
Bengals vs. Ravens
Pick: Ravens
Saints vs. Falcons
Pick: Saints
Redskins vs. Texans
Pick: Texans
Bills vs. Bears
Pick: Bears
Panthers vs. Buccaneers
Pick: Buccaneers
49ers vs. Cowboys
Pick: Cowboys
Colts vs. Broncos
Pick: Broncos 
Giants vs. Lions
Pick: Lions
Chargers vs. Cardinals
Pick: Cardinals 

Welcome to 2014 -- A New Era of the NFL

Tomorrow night the season opens.

And at the same time it opens a new era in the NFL. An era that the league wants to avoid. It could be an era of...defense.

The Seattle Seahawks face off against the Green Bay Packers tomorrow night, in Seattle. As tradition has it, Seattle will probably win the game (with the exception of the 2012 Giants and the 2013 Ravens, every Super Bowl winning team in the last 10 years has won their opener). But if they do, it will begin to usher in a new period of the NFL. A period of equally vocal defense, with a quiet quarterback. Basically the opposite of what the league desires. The league, as they have demonstrated with recent rule and Pro Bowl changes, wants to encourage the high flying offenses, like the one seen in Green Bay. They want high scoring games, rather than a low scoring defensive struggle.

Richard Sherman is their worst nightmare.

He is well spoken, well educated and more than anything, a poster child for this new NFL. The legion of boom. There is nothing the league can do about it, but the whole country will be watching tomorrow. And it isn't to see Aaron Rogers (unless you're from Green Bay). It's to watch the show that is Richard Sherman and the Seattle defense. 

Super Bowl XLVIII

Here we are. The biggest day of the year, some would say, (including me). Tomorrow is Super Sunday.

Here's the fast version.

Seattle Seahawks (1) vs. Denver Broncos (1)
Line: Den by 2.5  
Pick: Denver

There's a lot on the line with this Super Bowl.
Number one offense vs. number one defense.
Peyton Manning's legacy.
Seattle's big talk.
A 'cold weather' Super Bowl.

And it all comes down to this.

The bottom line is that I feel like Denver has more drive, more fire power. As much as I like Russell Wilson, I don't think that he can keep up with Peyton Manning. Denver has too many wide receivers for Seattle's powerful secondary to keep track of. Plus, people forget that Denver also has a pretty good defense. Certainly not on the level of Seattle's, but compared to the gap between the two offenses, the gap between the defenses is much smaller. I think it will be a close game, competitive for sure, and that Seattle does have a chance. But overall, I think Peyton wants to cement his legacy and this is the only way he can do so. Five MVPs are nice, but rings are the things that talk the loudest. 

2013 Championship Picks

Alright, here we are. Championship weekend, two weeks away from the Super Bowl. It's all on the line here, and I'm sure the NFL is excited about the two match ups. Plenty of drama.

First, we've got the ever present Brady vs. Manning.

(2) Patriots vs. (1) Broncos
Pick: Broncos

The Broncos simply cannot afford a collapse like last year and will be doing everything they can to prevent that. They should have beaten the Patriots in the regular season. Peyton Manning is getting old and he realizes he only has a few more shots at winning another one.

Then, to the grudge on the West Coast.

(5) 49ers vs. (1) Seahawks
Pick: Seahawks

The Seahawks play with a chip on their shoulder and they're playing at home. What more can you say? The 49ers have squeaked by in the playoffs and will be unable to keep up with Seattle.

The last time two number one seeds met in a Super Bowl was 2009, when the New Orleans Saints and the Indianapolis Colts played. And naturally who was the QB for the Colts? Peyton Manning of course. 

2013 Divisional Weekend Picks

Here are my picks for this weekend. The Chargers are my one upset pick, only because they seem to have been Manning's Achilles' heel for many seasons. I'm not totally sold on it, but I think it could happen. I also wouldn't mind seeing the Colts and Saints win, but doubt both teams could pull it off.

(6) Saints (11-5) vs. (1) Seahawks (13-3)
Pick: Seahawks
(4) Colts (11-5) vs. (2) Patriots (12-4)
Pick: Patriots

(5) 49ers (12-4) vs. (2) Panthers (12-4)
Pick: Panthers
(6) Chargers (9-7) vs. (1) Broncos (13-3)
Pick: Chargers 

Wildcard Weekend 2013

Here we are at wild card weekend!!

(5) Chiefs (11-5) at (4) Colts (11-5)
Pick: Colts

(6) Saints (11-5) at (3) Eagles (10-6)
Pick: Eagles

(6) Chargers (9-7) at (3) Bengals (11-5)
Pick: Chargers

(5) 49ers (12-4) at (4) Packers (8-7-1)
Pick: Packers