Pro v. Schmo Week 10

I brought the ruckus last week with 2 direct hits, allowing me to gain some ground on Senor Blake from Fanyard. Don’t call it a comeback, folks!

SCOREBOARD

Week 9
Blake: 300
Jon: 540

Overall
Blake: 3190 (88-42 overall, 56-74 with points, 6 direct hits)
Jon: 2670 (76-52 overall, 44-84 with points, 5 direct hits)

ATL@CAR:
Blake: Falcons by 10
They both really need this game, and both have issues against the run – the offensive tactic we are most likely to see most often as this match progresses. However, all else being somewhat equal, the Panthers simply have no answer for the Falcons on the passing side of things. Matt Ryan won’t have to be great to be better than Delhomme, and one or two long balls to Roddy White will be the camel that ends the season for Carolina, and John Fox’s career as the Panthers coach.

Jon: Falcons by 4
The Dirty Birds suck on the road and the Panthers are desperate. This will be a close game. But ultimately Atlanta’s passing game will be the difference.

DET@MIN:

Blake: Vikings by 27

Jon: Vikings by 14

TB@MIA:

Blake: Dolphins by 21
Wins don’t come free, man, especially not in Miami. After getting his first win, Josh Freeman will show his rookie-ness in this game. With motor-mouth Joey Porter sitting out due to a coach’s decision, Freeman should get sacked more than he otherwise would have, but at least no one will have to listen to Porter on the field. That alone will make this loss easier to bear.

Jon: Dolphins by 13
Freeman and Tampa Bay aren’t particularly good, but I don’t think the Dolphins can blow anyone out. This will be close but the Dolphins will put some distance between the two teams at the end.

JAX@NYJ:

Blake: Jets by 4

Jon: Jets by 7

CIN@PIT:

Blake: Bengals by 6
The Benglas have never swept the AFC North. They have also never swept both the Ravens and the Steelers in the same season. Well, they have swept the Ravens this year, and this game gives them their best shot in forever at going 6-0 intra-division. Do they have what it takes to beat the defending champs in Steeltown? You can thank Cedric Benson for the affirmative on that.

Steelers by 7
These Steelers aren’t the swept kind. And while flawed, they’re not going to lose this game at home. Especially now that they have a running game with Mendenhall. I love the Bengals renaissance as much as anyone but there are limits to their powers.

NO@STL:

Blake: Saints by 34

Jon: Saints by 24

DEN@WAS:

Blake: Broncos by 17

Jon: Broncos by 3

BUF@TEN:

Blake: Titans by 21

Jon: Titans by 10

KC@OAK:

Blake: Chiefs by 10

Jon: Chiefs by 3

SEA@ARI:

Blake: Cardinals by 14

Jon: Cardinals by 9

DAL@GB:

Blake: Cowboys by 13
If this were December, I would not even hesitate to give this game to the Packers, who really need this one. However, this is November, and Tony Romo is great at giving Cowboys fans hope at this time of year. The Cowboys will stumble, and fall, but not this week, and not against this Packers team that has lost all of the pre-season hype and respect they had going for them.

Jon: Cowboys by 7
I really don’t see how the Packers and their much-maligned offensive line can handle the Dallas pass rush. I really think that team believes in Aaron Rogers and will go to war for him, but they just aren’t good enough.

PHI@SD:

Blake: Chargers by 6

Jon: Eagles by 7

NE@IND:

Blake: Patriots by 4
Most pundits seem to relish this opportunity to discuss how this game will be won by a defense, as opposed to giving props to the two best quarterbacks of this decade. They may be right, if the Patriots can generate enough of a pass rush to throw off Peyton’s precision game. No one has been able to do it yet this season, although some teams have come close. Well, Bill Belichick’s scheming alone makes this Patriots team better than those who came close. The Colts get their first loss.

Jon: Colts by 3
I hate to bet on Peyton Manning, especially with his defense is banged up and the run game severely lacking. The Pats run game isn’t exactly hitting on all cylinders but, in theory, when Brady and Manning cancel each other out, the best defense wins. That means advantage Patriots. The problem for New England is that they don’t cancel each other out. Manning is better right now and wills his team to victory here.

BAL@CLE:

Blake: Ravens by 28

Jon: Ravens by 14