Click images for desktop size: "Detail-La Scapgliata" by Leonardo Da Vinci
Sick, sore confused.

Everything will be fine though. No reason to say that except for the same blind faith and trust that got me here in the first place.

I try not to think too much when my head is full of rueful thoughts. You can't trust a brain that leads you to where it wants you to go.

When your mind is flashing with confusion, anger, fear you're not going to make the right decision.

You also shut yourself off from input that could help make a saner solution.

I think the best thing is to try and relax. Hard to do when in turmoil but I can't think of a better place to expend the energy.

It will keep you out of trouble or at least let you see the trouble you're walking into.



Last week I was 8-6 in the football picks. I would have been 9-5 except for the typo! I can't figure anyway to let them have that one.

The odd thing is that I still rose in the rankings! All the way to 23rd! Which is a long way from winning but certainly enough to fool myself that I have a chance.

Here are this weeks picks. My choices are in bold.



Arizona at Cincinnati - The Cardinals are showing some signs of life while the Bengals managed to claw up a fine defense even if they never punched it in for a TD. In the coming shootout you have to like Carson Palmer. Even in this disastrous season he's looked poised and good. Warner is still a warrior and has some tools but the Cardinal defense can't shut the Bengals down.



Carolina at Green Bay - I'm now an entrenched Brett Favre fan . . . and the Panthers are falling apart in a bad way. No QB, Steve Smith, their best player, gimpy and complaining. The Panther's D is shaky but has more to prove so this could be slightly interesting.

Click images for desktop size: "Lines Of Fate" by Hexan Designs
Cleveland At Baltimore - The Browns are looking good and this Anderson at QB seems the real deal. They don't know how to win yet so they're always risky (see the Steelers game last week). But the Ravens. . . Steve McNair benched. He played poorly and he may be too banged up to play at all much longer. Seems a real shame. Their defense is proud but the youngsters on the Browns side of the ball will eat them up.



Kansas City at Indianapolis - The Chiefs were much better last week than expected, even with the rookie QB rotated in but its ridiculous to expect the Colts to look that bad two weeks in a row. Manning takes things personally and this will be a big statement game for him.


Miami at Philadelphia - The Dolphins are now the most feared team in the league. No one wants to lose to a winless team. i don't think the Eagles have much chance of becoming their first victim. The Dolphins are going with John Beck, a rookie, at QN. He's talented and might make some plays but not enough.



New Orleans at Houston - This could be an interesting game. Both teams have little to play for except pride. I think that Brees and Bush have more of that than anyone else out there.



Oakland at Minnesota - This is the cruddy game of the week. I'm taking the Raiders because Daunte Culpepper is starting at QB. I've always liked him. And The vikings were pretty shameful in how they ended his long tenure with the team. I'm not taking the Vikings because they'll have no Adrian Peterson to upset things for them.



San Diego at Jacksonville - This is my game of the week. The Chargers managed to hang on last week against the Colts but for that first half they were dominant. the Jaguars are one of my favorite teams and David Garrard is supposedly really truly going to be back starting this Sunday. Yeah, I can't wait!



Tampa Bay at Atlanta - Back to the slaughter for the Falcons. They sketched out a win against poor teams. Jeff Garcia is coming off a week of rest and a loss. He'll prove his points this week



New York Giants at Detroit - Both teams are coming off of mind numbing losses. The Giants have been dead quiet this week except for Coughlin, their HC. He's been kind of silly. The Lions are back in the dome. They're tough there. This should be good. Kitna vs Manning; seems to me Kitna should win that.




Click images for desktop size: "Pyro" by Stag
Pittsburgh at New York Jets - A real yawner. Most interesting thing will be seeing if the Jets get a dozen first downs.



Washington at Dallas - The kind of game where if the Cowboys lose it will be their fault and they'll hear about it for weeks. Gibbs, Redskins HC, keeps showing the game has passed him by.



St Louis at San Francisco - I don't think the Rams have turned any corners or anything but the 49er's get worse each week! Avoids cruddy game of the week status because I think you'll fall asleep before half time.



New England at Buffalo - If I didn't know how much guys like playing in prime time games I'd think moving this game to prime time was cruel. The Bills are coming on nicely and now they get thrown into the meat grinder that is Tom Brady and the Patriots. Weather will help the Bills keep this one closer than it should be.



Tennessee at Denver - Monday night gets an interesting one. The Titans should roll up the yards at first but are they conditioned to play in Mile High Stadium. While the Bronco's offense is showing some life, I don't think they're showing enough.



Chicago at Seattle - The game I don't even want to think about. Both teams look worse and worse each week. Now that the Sea Hawks have given up on the running game you have to figure Lovee Smith can come up with a defense. Personally if I were a Bear fan I'd start screaming about the Bear's letting Ron Rivera go!



Everything will be fine on my end.

So long as its fine on yours.

These picks are probably even worse than usual and are only intended to use to poke holes in my inflated ego.