The Hail Mary - Week 3

Sunday, September 27

Philadelphia (0-2) vs. New York Jets (2-0), New York Jets favored by 2 1/2

After this past off-season when Chip Kelly put all his cards on the table and completely remade the Eagles in his vision, it was clear things would go one of two ways. He would either succeed and be labeled a genius, or he would fail and be labeled a moron and chastised for his hubris. Through two games, his tweaks to the Eagles roster, especially their offense, have been a complete and utter disaster. DeMarco Murray has 11 rushing yards on 21 carries. Shockingly, Sam Bradford hasn't torn his ACL yet but he still sucks. The Jets are a surprising 2-0 after dominating the Colts in Indianapolis on Monday Night Football. Their defense has been awesome through the first two games, especially Darrelle Revis. Revis was all over the place on Monday night, getting an interception and recovering a fumble at the goal line. Ryan Fitzpatrick has played within the offense and not tried to do much and the Jets resemble the Jets teams from Rex Ryan's first two years at the helm. They are winning with defense and doing just enough offensively. I think at some point the Eagles offense will click and start to produce but until I actually see it, I don't feel comfortable predicting it will happen. So because of that, I expect another long day at the office for the Eagles on Sunday.

Prediction: New York Jets 24, Philadelphia 13

San Diego (1-1) at Minnesota (1-1), Minnesota favored by 2 1/2




The resurrection of Adrian Peterson started last Sunday against Detroit. Peterson wasn't perfect, and struggled with fumbles, but he ran like a man possessed and showed why the Vikings refused to ever seriously enter into any trade talks about him. Peterson is back in the comfortable confines of home this Sunday, playing a Chargers run defense that has struggled badly through the first two games. Teddy Bridgewater and the Vikings passing game still appears to be a work in progress, so it becomes even more important that Peterson continue to run the ball well. The Vikings pass defense will be tested by Philip Rivers, who is completing an absurd 81% of his passes through the first two games. If he can keep his play up to close to that level and Melvin Gordon continues to become more comfortable each week, the Chargers should have a pretty potent offense. They will need that because so far their defense has been subpar. I think these teams are evenly matched so I expect a close game throughout, but for Peterson to ultimately be the difference maker.

Prediction: Minnesota 28, San Diego 23

Atlanta (2-0) at Dallas (2-0), Atlanta favored by 1 1/2

Are the Cowboys the Notre Dame of the NFL? Two weeks ago they lost Dez Bryant for at least half the season, and then last week they saw Tony Romo get injured about force him out of action for at least two months. That means the Cowboys offense is now the Brandon Weeden show. Despite what Jerry Jones said this week making Weeden sound like the second coming, Dallas should be very worried that their starting quarterback is Weeden and their number one receiver is now Terrance Williams. The running game still has been somewhat stagnant, as Joseph Randle hasn't run anywhere near to the level that DeMarco Murray was running last year. Plus, now Jason Witten is hurting and he is questionable to play. Dallas was lucky last week that they were facing such an inept offensive team in Philadelphia and they won't have that same advantage against the Falcons on Sunday. Atlanta's tour of the NFC East has come up roses so far and they have made plays on offense in crucial moments in both of their wins. Matt Ryan hasn't been spectacular but has been his usual solid self, and has had to carry the load as the Falcons haven't been able to establish a run game yet this season. With how banged up Dallas is on offense I would be shocked to see them win this game.

Prediction: Atlanta 27, Dallas 15

Indianapolis (0-2) at Tennessee (1-1), Indianapolis favored by 3

Chaos and panic abound in Indianapolis as the Colts are off to their second straight 0-2 start. Last season, they rebounded by beating up on their pathetic division and eventually finished 11-5 and made the AFC Championship. The Colts free agent acquisitions of Frank Gore and Andre Johnson have been busts so far. Gore had an awful fumble in the Monday Night loss as he was headed for a touchdown and then fumbled the ball without even being touched. Andrew Luck has been awful as well, throwing way too many interceptions and being careless. However, a turnaround could be in order as the Colts next three games are all division games. The Titans came back down to Earth last week at Cleveland after their impressive opener at Tampa. Marcus Mariota still has yet to throw an interception this season but he did fumble way too much in the loss and will have to become more careful with the football. The Colts were my pick to make the Super Bowl out of the AFC, but their playoff hopes are probably cooked if they can't even win at Tennessee. I may have underestimated the tenuous situation developing with Chuck Pagano currently being a lameduck coach.

Prediction: Indianapolis 26, Tennessee 20

Oakland (1-1) at Cleveland (1-1), Cleveland favored by 3 1/2

Josh McCown makes his return for the starter for the Browns, sending Johnny Football back to the bench. The Raiders are coming off an impressive win at home against Baltimore, where Derek Carr, Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree all shined. It will be interesting to see if the Raiders can bring that same level of performance on the road to Cleveland. The Browns secondary, led by Joe Haden, will be up for the challenge presented by the Raiders passing game. McCown will have his opportunities against a porous Raiders secondary and it will be interesting to see if he can develop the same rapport with Travis Benjamin that Johnny Manziel had.

Prediction: Cleveland 19, Oakland 16

Cincinnati (2-0) at Baltimore (0-2), Baltimore favored by 2 1/2

Just a terrible loss from the Ravens at Oakland last week. The Bengals had completely destroyed Oakland the week before. Sure they were helped by knocking Derek Carr out of the game, but even before that had happened they were in control. The Baltimore secondary had no answers for the Raiders passing attack, and their offense and defense can't seem to get on the same page. Now they face basically a must win game at home against the undefeated Bengals. Andy Dalton has been quietly really good so far this season and has yet to throw an interception. A situation could be brewing in the Bengals backfield. Jeremy Hill fumbled it early against San Diego and then saw Giovanni Bernard take most of the carries and take advantage of his opportunity. Justin Forsett has just 111 yards rushing in two games, and the Ravens haven't done a very good job of establishing the run game. The Ravens are a tough team to beat in Baltimore, but the Bengals did it last year and I think they are playing so much better than Baltimore right now, that they will do it again.

Prediction: Cincinnati 31, Baltimore 28

Jacksonville (1-1) at New England (2-0), New England favored by 13 1/2

Well, Bloof Borkles showed me. He was an integral part of Jacksonville's upset of Miami and showed that perhaps the Jaguars will have a pulse this season. He will really have a chance to prove himself this week as the Jaguars travel to New England to take on the defending champs. The Patriots went about their business last week, and dispatched the loudmouth Bills. Any other team you might worry about them overlooking a clearly inferior opponent, but with the Patriots that isn't even a possibility. Interestingly, in last week's game Bill Belichick opted to hardly use LaGarrette Blount at running back, giving most of the carries to Dion Lewis. Lewis is proving to be a weapon both running and catching the ball, and seems to be becoming the new Shane Vereen for New England. I think Jacksonville can keep this game somewhat respectable but they never really will have New England sweating.

Prediction: New England 35, Jacksonville 21

New Orleans (0-2) at Carolina (2-0), Carolina favored by 3

Things are ugly in New Orleans. They inexplicably lost their sixth straight game at home, this time to Jamies Winston and the putrid Bucs. Now Drew Brees is hurting and poor Luke McCown who is in a commercial for something about being a backup, could become the starter if Brees can't get healthy. The question I have is who is Luke McCown's agent?  He must be really good to get a backup quarterback a national commercial. The Panthers are 2-0 in usual boring Panthers fashion. Nothing really flashy or newsworthy, just going out and beating the AFC South. Whether Brees plays or not, I like Carolina in this game, as I expect their defense to frustrate the Saints offense and Cam Newton will make enough plays to keep the Panthers ahead and on to victory.

Prediction: Carolina 24, New Orleans 17

Tampa Bay (1-1) at Houston (0-2), Houston favored by 7

The Texans have been one of the worst teams of the season thus far. They created a quarterback controversy before the first game was even over, they have no running game to speak of, and their defense has been mostly average. Arian Foster is working hard to get back and there is a chance he plays on Sunday, which couldn't come any sooner for the Texans. Jamies Winston earned his first win as an NFL starter, but its hard to tell if Tampa is improving or they were just the beneficiaries of playing a woeful Saints team. Ryan Mallett needs to find more ways to get the ball to DeAndre Hopkins. The Texans aren't going to be successful if old ass Nate Washington is leading the team in yards receiving.

Prediction: Houston 22, Tampa Bay 16

Pittsburgh (1-1) at St. Louis (1-1), Pittsburgh favored by 1

The Steelers looked like Super Bowl contenders last week as they completely obliterated the San Francisco 49ers. They also decided to shake things up a bit and start going for two point conversions after their touchdowns. You may have noticed that extra points are no longer gimmes and are now 33-yard kicks, which can actually be missed. The 49ers couldn't stop the Steelers and based on comments by Ben Roethlibserger the Steelers might continue to employ the two point conversion strategy throughout the season. The Steelers have La'Veon Bell returning from suspension for them as well, but their offense hummed along pretty well without him. The Rams on the other hand, had a terrible Sunday last week. After knocking off the Seahawks it seemed the Rams might be ready to take the next step from mediocre to good. But instead, they lost by two touchdowns to the Redskins and reminded everyone that mediocre coaches breed mediocre teams. Now even with that being said, I like the Rams to upset Pittsburgh on Sunday. Even though the stands are usually half full and in this case, I expect half the crowd to be Steelers fans, the Rams play much better at home, especially defensively. I think it is going to be a long day at the office for Roethlisberger and he will be running for his life. Roethlisberger is one of the best at throwing on the run and evading the rush but if he is doing it all game, he will eventually wear down. The Rams offense should also be buoyed by the debut of Todd Gurley.

Prediction: St. Louis 33, Pittsburgh 30

San Francisco (1-1) at Arizona (2-0), Arizona favored by 6 1/2

After a promising Week 1 victory, the team that 49ers fans feared showed up in an embarrassing Week 2 loss at Pittsburgh. The defense, specifically the secondary was dreadful, leaving receivers open all over the field. The offense only moved the ball when the game was completely out of reach and the Steelers started relaxing on defense. Things will be no easier on Sunday when the 49ers travel to Arizona to take on the Cardinals. Arizona looks like one of the best teams in the NFL through the first two weeks of the season. All three phases of the game, offense, defense and special teams are clicking for the Cardinals right now. Hell, Larry Fitzgerald returned from the dead and had 3 touchdown catches last week. Carson Palmer is once again an elite quarterback, despite being 35 years old and for years seeming like his best days were well behind him. Arizona is a tough stadium to play in and I expect the 49ers to start the game off flustered by the atmosphere. I think the Cardinals will do what they want on offense and Colin Kaepernick won't start getting the chains moving on offense until things are out of reach. Beacuse I expect the Cardinals to pull ahead quickly, that will also limit Carlos Hyde's touches, the one true weapon the offense seems to have right now. Things don't get any easier next week when Green Bay comes to San Francisco.

Prediction: Arizona 35, San Francisco 20

Buffalo (1-1) at Miami (1-1), Miami favored by 3

Both the Bills and Dolphins are coming off disappointing losses and will need a victory in this game to avoid falling two games back of the Patriots in the division. The Bills and especially their defense were knocked back down to Earth after Tom Brady and the Patriots had their way with them. The Dolphins are still waiting for Ndamukong Suh to have an impact and negative stories about Suh freelancing on defense have already started leaking out. Ryan Tannehill has played well for Miami but Lamar Miller has not and he is now questionable for this game. Tannehill and the Dolphins offense can't just be pass happy, they need Miller to start producing. LeSean McCoy has gotten off to a decent start but is looking for his first rushing touchdown of the season. I think as long as Joe Philbin remains the Dolphins coach, Miami won't take that next step to the playoffs. That means losing games like this at home that they need to and should win.

Prediction: Buffalo 27, Miami 24

Chicago (0-2) at Seattle (0-2), Seattle favored by 14 1/2

After back to back road losses Seattle finally can return to the comforts of home. Even better they get to play the Bears, who might be the worst team in football. The Bears are likely without Jay Cutler for this game, meaning Jimmy Clausen will be making the start. Imagining Clausen trying to lead the Bears to victory in Seattle makes me laugh. If the Seahawks can't blow the doors off Chicago this week, something might really be wrong with the two time defending NFC champions. Their defense also will be getting back Kam Chancellor, who had seen enough and is returning to save the day!

Prediction: Seattle 38, Chicago 17

Denver (2-0) at Detroit (0-2), No Line

Much like the Seahawks, the Lions are more than happy to be returning home after opening the season with 2 road losses. They face a tough opponent in the Broncos, who showed great resiliency in their win at Kansas City last Thursday. In the first half of that game Peyton Manning and the entire team looked like 6-10 team I predicted they would be. Then in the second half Manning came alive and the defense created some turnovers and the Broncos were all of the sudden 2-0. They still haven't gotten their running game going, although in my opinion Ronnie Hillman has shown more than C.J. Anderson and should start receiving more carries. The Lions don't have much of a running game either, so expect to see lots of passes in this one. These two offenses used to be very high octane, and I think this game three years ago would have me a lot more excited for it than it would now. However, Calvin Johnson and Demaryius Thomas are two of the top receivers in football and each should make some big plays in this game. I like Denver to once again find a way to pull out a tough victory on the road.

Prediction: Denver 24, Detroit 21


Monday, September 28

Kansas City (1-1) at Green Bay (2-0), Green Bay favored by 6 1/2

Kansas City will have had 11 days to stew over their crushing home loss to the Broncos. The player stewing the most has to be Jamaal Charles. It was his crucial fumble late that cost the Chiefs. He also had a fumble earlier in the game that Denver converted into points, overshadowing what was a really strong performance for the most part from him. Alex Smith did not have a strong performance against Denver and was careless with the ball, something that is uncharacteristic of him. The Packers RB Eddie Lacy is questionable, but James Starks is experienced and stepped in against the Seahawks and nearly ran for 100 yards. The Packers offense continues to hum along, even as players go down. As long as they have Aaron Rodgers quarterbacking, it doesn't seem to matter who else is hurt. The Packers are seemingly unbeatable at Lambeau, and I expect it to be a long night for the Chiefs. Also, yes, Smith has still not thrown a touchdown to a wide receiver this year.

Prediction: Green Bay 34, Kansas City 21

Last Week Straight Up: 7-9
Overall Straight Up: 18-14

Last Week Against the Spread: 7-9
Overall Against the Spread: 17-14-1

Cram Session - Week 4

Washington (1-1) at New York Giants (0-2), New York Giants favored by 4

The Redskins surprised their fans, the national media and maybe even themselves with a convincing 24-10 win against St. Louis. Even when Washington got up early I was waiting for the other shoe to drop and the Rams to storm back but it never happened. After two games, the Redskins have the best defense in football. Now the Redskins go on the road for the first time this season, and have to face a Giants team that is desperate for a victory. For the second straight game, the Giants managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, blowing a 10 point lead in the 4th quarter. The Redskins have seemed to develop a running back by committee with last week's emergence of rookie Matt Jones. The Giants also have a running back by committee but that is more because no one has stepped up and taken charge of being the lead sled dog. The difference in this game will likely be how the Redskins defense does against Odell Beckham Jr. When Beckham played the Redskins last season he torched them for three touchdowns. In the past the Redskins have also been torched by Giants TE Larry Donnell. Redskins QB Kirk Cousins also has struggled against the Giants in the past, throwing multiple picks. Past performance can give you an idea into the future but tonight is a whole new game. I believe the Giants, being the more desperate team, will finally persevere at the end of a game and not blow it.

Prediction: New York Giants 23, Washington 20


Games That Matter to Me

Southern Mississippi (2-1) at Nebraska (1-2)

Nebraska finishes up their non-conference scheduled against Southern Mississippi, desperate for a win so they can get back to .500 before starting conference play. The Huskers were dominated for three quarters at Miami last week, before Tommy Armstrong led a stirring comeback, bring Nebraska all way back from a 33-10 deficit. However, on the first play in overtime, Armstrong made a terrible throw that was picked off and then some buffoon on Nebraska made things worse by getting a 15-yard personal foul penalty. Miami barely had to move the ball to kick a field goal and secure the win. The resolve of the Huskers was nice to see, but it was another game where the defense couldn't stop anyone. Also, Armstrong played a big role in getting Nebraska in that hole with two previous interceptions before the one in overtime. RB Terrell Newby didn't get to touch the ball much with the Huskers losing, but did average almost six yards a carry and has cemented himself as the starting running back. Nebraska was victimized both by the the rush and the pass and it is clear the defense has a long way to go to be in a position of helping this team.

Southern Mississippi has showcased their offense the last two weeks, putting up 52 and 56 points. However, those huge outings came against Austin Peay and Texas State so they need to be taken with a grain of salt. The Golden Eagles are just happy to be above .500 right now after how terribly far their program has fallen the past two seasons. QB Nick Mullens likes to air it out, but when facing a more formidable team like Mississippi State, he was turnover prone, throwing two interceptions. RB Jalen Richard ran for 230 yards and 4 touchdowns against Texas State, but again like Mullens, when he played a more talented team, he averaged less than 4 yards per carry. Based on stats, it would seem that the offensive outburst we have seen from Southern Miss will revert back to the norm against Nebraska.

I expect the Huskers offense to have a big day against a leaky Golden Eagles defense, and the defense to struggle at times but also make some turnovers and help the Huskers cruise to a victory.

Prediction: Nebraska 42, Southern Mississippi 24


Top 10

Western Michigan (1-2) at #1 Ohio State (3-0)

The Buckeyes had more trouble than anyone could have ever guessed when they faced Northern Illinois last week. The game came down to the Huskies final series before the Buckeyes were finally able to put them away 30-27. Both Cardale Jones and J.T. Barrett struggled and Urban Meyer remains unable to settle on a starter. This week, another MAC team comes to the Shoe, this time Western Michigan. The Broncos opened their season hosting Michigan State and only lost by 13, so they should have Ohio State's attention. I can't see Ohio State playing like crap for a second straight week against a MAC team, but they haven't shown anything to convince me it will be a complete obliteration. I expect Barrett to get most of the reps in this game and finally start to entrench himself as the starter.

Prediction: Ohio State 35, Western Michigan 14

Central Michigan (1-2) at #2 Michigan State (3-0)

The Spartans are up to number two in the country, whetting the appetite of fans hoping that both they and the Buckeyes can remain undefeated for their meeting in Columbus in late November. After a tough first game, Spartans QB Connor Cook has played much better and had a dazzling 4 touchdown performance against Air Force last week. The Chippewas have been competitive in their losses this year, and I expect them to give Michigan State fits at times during this game. Sparty should survive though and be perfect heading into the Big Ten schedule.

Prediction: Michigan State 28, Central Michigan 13

#3 TCU (3-0, 0-0) at Texas Tech (3-0, 0-0)

The injury bug has hit the Horned Frogs hard on defense and it has been showing. They gave up 37 points to SMU last week and now face a difficult road test in Lubbock. TCU's wins have not been overly impressive this year, while the Red Raiders did go to Arkansas and knock off the Razorbacks. Texas Tech has the skill players on offense that can give a weakened defense like TCU's fits, and it starts with sophomore QB Patrick Mahomes. Mahonmes has been very accurate so far this year, and last game he completed 26 of 30. However, 2 of those incompletions were interceptions, and when you're trying to upset the #3 team in the country those kind of mistakes can't happen. Defensively, the Red Raiders aren't good so this game may just have to turn into a shootout. I don't expect Texas Tech to slow down Trevone Boykin or really any of the Horned Frogs offense. I think this game will have one of those finishes where it simply comes down to who has the ball last. Sometimes you have to make bold upset picks and I feel this is the spot for one.

Prediction: Texas Tech 42, TCU 37

Vanderbilt (1-2, 0-1) at #3 Mississippi (3-0, 1-0)

The Rebels did the unthinkable, going to Alabama and not just beating the Crimson Tide but basically dominating them. The Tide made it interesting late but at different points in the game Ole Miss was leading 30-10 and 43-24. They have some tough games remaining but they should be favored in each of them, so you know Rebels fans are getting excited about their team's national championship prospects. It will be interesting to see how Ole Miss fares against Vanderbilt and if they suffer any sort of letdown. I think the answer to that question will be telling as to how they will fare with heightened expectations the rest of the season.

Prediction: Mississippi 51, Vanderbilt 17

Rice (2-1) at #5 Baylor (2-0)

After a week off the Bears are back at it against an inferior opponent, before beginning their Big 12 schedule next week. Rice is able to put up a lot of points and the Bears defense is easily the team's weakness, so this should at least be a fun game to watch if you like seeing lots of points scored. Bears QB Seth Russell needs to clean up his play a bit though, as he has thrown 4 interceptions in just two games, including three two weeks ago in the win against Lamar. He can get away with those types of things now, but once conference season hits, it could cost the Bears game.

Prediction: Baylor 56, Rice 28

Massachusetts (0-2) at #6 Notre Dame (3-0)

Boy, did I over value how good Georgia Tech was based off a couple of cupcake wins. However, after the haphazard performance Notre Dame had at Virginia, especially on defense, I never would have envisioned them completely dominating the Yellow Jackets offensive attack. For this week's game against the Minutemen, I could probably line up at quarterback and Notre Dame would still win. I am happy to see the Irish schedule a true cupcake for a change. All the other big time schools do it, most of them schedule multiple cupcakes, so why not Notre Dame. RB C.J. Prosise and WR Will Fuller are carrying the Irish offense. All QB DeShone Kizer has to do is throw it up and Fuller comes down with it and makes a huge play. The Irish defense has been hit with the same injury bug the offense has been hit with, but they haven't let that serve as an excuse for lessening their performances. They will really need to be on their toes in a week when Notre Dame travels to Clemson.

I've never seen a second of UMASS football in my life and wasn't even aware they were a Division I program before writing this preview. They are leaving the MAC this year after just four seasons and becoming an independent. They were blown out at Colorado in Week 1, and lost a heartbreaker at home to Temple last week. I bet their kids will be overwhelmed playing at Notre Dame Stadium and I expect a long afternoon for them. Anything less than a blowout win by Notre Dame would be a disappointment, and please, please let no one else be seriously injured.

Prediction: Notre Dame 45, Massachusetts 12

Southern (2-1) at #7 Georgia (3-0)

Georgia has to get through this game with Southern this week before the main event when they host Alabama next week. Southern will give the Bulldogs RB Nick Chubb a chance to pad his stats some more and try to keep up with LSU's Leonard Fournette in the Heisman trophy race.

Prediction: Georgia 49, Southern 16

#8 LSU (2-0) at Syracuse (3-0)

LSU is coming off a resounding victory at home against Auburn, which not only catapulted them into national title contention and put their RB Fournette into the forefront of the Heisman race. Fournette gashed Auburn for 228 yards and 3 touchdowns. Fournette is only a sophomore so LSU can enjoy him for at least one more season after this one. Some prognosticators picked Syracuse to win as few as 1 game this year, but so far they have navigated their schedule with perfection. However, LSU will be a huge step up from Rhode Island, Wake Forest and Central Michigan. The Carrier Dome might have been an intimidating atmosphere for opponents back in the 90s, but LSU won't be phased by it at all.

Prediction: LSU 41, Syracuse 20

#9 UCLA (3-0, 0-0) at #16 Arizona (3-0, 0-0)

The game of the week happens in primetime in Tucson as the Bruins and Wildcats open up their Pac-12 schedule. The difference in this game could down to preparation and by that I mean how each team scheduled their non-conference. Arizona basically has played three cupcakes, while UCLA challenged themselves by hosting BYU and barely escaping. To a lesser extent you could even throw Virginia in there as a tougher scheduled opponent since they are part of the ACC. The quarterbacks will be on display for this game. The Bruins have heralded freshman Josh Rosen but Rosen was pretty awful in the win over BYU, throwing 3 interceptions. To his credit, he did compose himself late in the game and help lead the winning drive. Maybe it has to do with the soft schedule, but Wildcats QB Anu Solomon has played much better than Rosen. Through three games Solomon has 10 touchdowns and no interceptions, and completed 70% of his passes in the last two games. Both teams have talented defenses and the Wildcats are hoping their All-American LB Scooby Wright can return for this game. While he may not be able to have an instant impact on the field when he plays, it would be a great morale booster for the Wildcat team. The Bruins got bad news about a star lineback of their own, as it was announced Myles Jack is out for the season after hurting his knee in practice. I have gone back and forth on my pick for this game, but ultimately, I think Rosen's inexperience will cause him to struggle in a tough atmosphere, and Solomon's steady play will lead Arizona to the mini upset.

Prediction: Arizona 30, UCLA 28

Last Week: 7-3
Overall: 28-4

The Hail Mary - Week 2

Sunday, September 20

San Francisco (1-0) at Pittsburgh (0-1), Pittsburgh favored by 5 1/2

I am not really pleased with the NFL schedule makers. How is it fair to make the Niners go play the Steelers on six days rest after having to fly cross country, while the Steelers would have had 10 days of rest for this game? That point aside, I was very pleased with how the 49ers looked last Monday night. There certainly was some sloppiness and the passing game could still use some work, but the defense played way better than I or anyone else expected. Also, we saw the emergence of Carlos Hyde. I expected Hyde to do well this season and even bought his jersey, but never would have guessed he would announce his presence so convincingly last Monday night. Hopefully, he can do more of that Sunday against the Steelers, who struggled at times stopping the Patriots no name running backs. The Steelers also had a tough time covering Rob Gronkowski. I mean, that isn't breaking news, everyone struggles to cover Gronk, but maybe there are some plays to be made for Vernon Davis, who actually showed a pulse against Minnesota. I hope to see the same poise out of Colin Kaepernick playing on the road, that we saw from him at home. For the Steelers, they hope that DeAngelo Williams picks up where he left off last week. Williams rushed for 127 yards and looked like his old self from 3 or 4 seasons ago. Le'Veon Bell returns next week, so the Steelers just need one more week of production out of Williams. The 49ers know that Antonio Brown will get his 5 or 6 catches, they just have to try to contain him and not let him break for big gains. I don't expect the 49ers to win this game but I do expect them to make it competitive and give a good accounting of themselves, further proving that they are still able to compete with the best this season.

Prediction: Pittsburgh 24, San Francisco 17

Detroit (0-1) at Minnesota (0-1), Minnesota favored by 3

It was an ugly start to the season for everyone's sleeper pick, the Vikings. The offense could get nothing going and the defense was run all over by Carlos Hyde. People aren't jumping off the bandwagon yet, but it will have some space open up if Minnesota loses at home to Detroit on Sunday. The Lions roared out of the gates at San Diego, including rookie Ameer Abdullah rushing for a touchdown in his first regular season carry. But then the defense fell apart and the offense started looking like the uneven unit we saw in 2014. The Lions brought on Haloti Ngata to be the new Suh but he's an older, less athletic model. The goal for the Vikings and Norv Turner specifically for this game should be to feed Adrian Peterson early and often. He seemed hesitant to go to Peterson for some reason, when Peterson should be fresher than ever after a year off. This will also be Peterson's first home game since the 2013 season, so I expect him to get a strong reaction.

Prediction: Minnesota 26, Detroit 24

St. Louis (1-0) at Washington (0-1), St. Louis favored by 3 1/2

During the off-season the Rams were declaring that with their ferocious pass rush, and the addition of Nick Foles and drafting Todd Gurley this was finally the year they would make the leap. They got off on the right foot by beating the defending NFC Champion Seahawks last week. Now to truly make the leap, you can't be a team that springs an upset from time to time because you are so pumped for the game. You have to be able to beat the teams you are supposed to beat, which is what St. Louis faces this weekend in Washington. It's funny because in previous years when these teams played it was always a game the Redskins should win and they almost never did. Kirk Cousins was slightly above mediocre in his first start of the season, certainly not this player that some Redskins fans were saying would bring them to 8 or 9 wins and was such a drastic improvement from RGIII. He was good for 2 interceptions, which it seems, he's good for just about every game. The Redskins line did a good job against the Dolphins rush, but I don't think they will have the answers for a Rams pass rush that sacked Russell Wilson six times last week. I expect to see Cousins flat on his back a lot or rushing his passes, which you guessed it, will lead to interceptions. The Skins secondary is dealing with injuries and suspensions, and Tavon Austin is the type of player that has given the Redskins fits over the years, so I expect at least one big play out of him.

Prediction: St. Louis 26, Washington 17

Houston (0-1) at Carolina (1-0), Carolina favored by 3

Houston came out completely flat for their home opener against the Chiefs and have already created a quarterback controversy one game into the season. Coach Bill O'Brien pulled Brian Hoyer in the second half in favor or Ryan Mallett. Once Mallett came into the game the Texans offense did seem to respond to him. Now O'Brien is saying this week's quarterback is a secret, despite the age old rule that secrets don't make friends. I figured he was going to go with Mallett and that has already started leaking out to the press. The Panthers won a boring game against Jacksonville, but this game against the Texans should be interesting as Cam tries to elude J.J. Watt and Jadaveon Clowney. It was a very poor performance for the Houston defense in Week 1. The Panthers don't have a player as dynamic as Jamaal Charles, but I still think they will put up enough points to send the Texans to another loss.

Prediction: Carolina 24, Houston 17

Tampa Bay (0-1) at New Orleans (0-1), New Orleans favored by 9 1/2

The Saints are looking to break a 5 game losing streak at home against the putrid Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs were walloped by Tennessee at home as Jameis Winston looked every bit the rookie he is. The Saints showed the same problems in Week 1 that we saw from them last season. Too many turnovers by Drew Brees and a defense that can't consistently stop anyone. Playing Tampa at home should at least provide a one week reprieve from what ails the Saints, if not, their problems are even worse than imagined.

Prediction: New Orleans 38, Tampa Bay 24

Arizona (1-0) at Chicago (0-1), Arizona favored by 1 1/2

Carson Palmer is back from injury and continued his winning ways as the Cardinals quarterback. One thing he had started doing last season that was different for the Cardinals organization, was taking them on the road and winning in tough places. We will find out Sunday if he still has that magic, as the Cardinals travel to Chicago. The Bears kept things interesting with Green Bay and Matt Forte had a hell of a game, but like it was the story most of 2014, it just wasn't enough and Jay Cutler couldn't make the big plays needed down the stretch. I expect Smokin Jay to throw a couple picks against the Cardinals tough secondary, and I think Palmer and the Cardinals offense, even with a depleted running back corps, will be able to pass the ball pretty much at will, leading to a relatively stress free win.

Prediction: Arizona 30, Chicago 20

New England (1-0) at Buffalo (1-0), New England favored by 1

Rex Ryan renews his battles with New England but this time as a Buffalo Bills coach. I commented last week how I didn't understand why Bills fans were so hyped for this year's team, and then they went out and dominated my AFC champion pick, the Colts. LeSean McCoy mad some plays, as did Tyrod Taylor, but annoyingly to me for fantasy football reasons, Sammy Watkins was held without catch. I would think the Bills will make a conscious effort in this game of getting Sammy the ball. Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski picked up where they left off last season, connecting for 3 touchdowns and looking unstoppable in the redzone. The Patriots also will have LaGarrette Blount back in the lineup for this game after he served his 1 game suspension. The Bills have a far better defense than Pittsburgh and I am sure Ryan will be coming up with some ways to not let Gronk beat them. The Bills have had some success at home against the Patriots in recent years, but not this year. I think mental toughness will be the deciding factor late in this game, as the team that knows how to win will beat the team that is still learning.

Prediction: New England 23, Buffalo 19

San Diego (1-0) at Cincinnati (1-0), Cincinnati favored by 3 1/2

The Chargers trailed the Lions 21-3 but then stormed back to victory with Philip Rivers and the passing game looking on point. One player that had a monster game was Keenan Allen. Allen came onto the scene in 2013, surprising everyone. In 2014, he surprised everyone the wrong way by not building upon that season. However, if the start to his 2015 is any indication than he should be in for a big year. Rookie Melvin Gordon showed some flashes running the ball but also fumbled, so it was an uneven debut for him. The Bengals went to Oakland crushed the Raiders and set themselves up nicely for another season where they do well before losing right away in the playoffs. I'll be interested to see how Andy Dalton plays in this game, because if he struggles, I expect the crowd to get on him. Bengals fans were starved for success for almost two decades, now they are starving for a playoff win. These are two evenly matched teams, and I expect a close game that isn't decided until the final few minutes.

Prediction: Cincinnati 27, San Diego 21

Tennessee (1-0) at Cleveland (0-1), Line is a pick em

Marcus Mariota had a debut for the ages. He barely completed any passes and had 4 touchdowns. I definitely give him his due, that's a heck of a start to your career, but lets not crown him just yet. He did it against a really bad Buccaneers team. He could be in line for another big game this week as the Titans face the awful Browns. Johnny Football was on the scene last week as Josh McCown suffered a concussion. Manziel did throw a touchdown pass but he was also a turnover machine. He may be at least saying and doing all the right things but his actual quarterbacking talent still leaves a lot to be desired. With the Colts coming to Tennessee next week, Titans fans might be really excited and feeling good about themselves at 2-0.

Prediction: Tennessee 33, Cleveland 20

Atlanta (1-0) at New York Giants (0-1), New York Giants favored by 2 1/2

These teams had opposite late game results in Week 1. The Falcons managed the clock, made the right decisions and beat the Eagles with a late field goal. The Giants squandered their chance for a win at Dallas by making just about every wrong decision you could make with the ball under 2 minutes. You have Eli Manning telling Rashad Jennings not to score even though that put them up 2 touchdowns because he doesn't think Dallas has any timeouts. Then you have the Giants passing the ball on third down, when just running it and kicking a field goal would have killed about 40 seconds. That result could end up being the difference between the Giants winning the division or earning a playoff berth. The home crowd might let them hear their displeasure from that game if the Giants start slowly on Sunday. However, I think the Giants showed some promising signs before the late collapse, especially on defense. The big task for the Giants defense will be finding a way to somehow slow down Julio Jones. For Atlanta, it will be stopping Odell Beckham Jr. who was a non-factor in Dallas. I think Beckham gets back on track this weekend and New York earns their first win.

Prediction: New York Giants 29, Atlanta 24

Miami (1-0) at Jacksonville (0-1), Miami favored by 6

The Dolphins got the win but it was one of those wins where you feel slightly dirty afterwards. Ryan Tannehill didn't look very good and the Dolphins defensive front, which was supposed to be rock solid with Ndamukong Suh, was run all over by Alfred Morris. The glass half full way of looking at it is this is just a work in progress and the Dolphins will improve. They should be 2-0 on Sunday after they beat Bloof Borkles and the pussycats. For the second straight season I was seeing Twitter clowns saying how good Borkles looked and the Jags were up and coming, blah, blah. Then they did nothing on offense and looked like the same sad sacks they have been for a while now. It would be nice if Miami could look a little better against an inferior team this weekend, but in the NFL wins are at a premium, so no matter what the score, just get a win.

Prediction: Miami 24, Jacksonville 13

Baltimore (0-1) at Oakland (0-1), Baltimore favored by 6 1/2

The Ravens had a tough luck loss to Denver, giving it away late when Joe Flacco threw a pick six. They also lost the heart and soul of their defense, Terrell Suggs for the season. The new Jack Del Rio era for the Raiders started a lot like the last 4 or 5 new eras have been for Oakland, dreadfully. They lost quarterback Derek Carr to injury and were lambasted by the Bengals. Carr's status for this game is questionable, and if he plays he gives the Raiders a slight chance versus no chance at all if Matt McGloin is the starter. I think this game will give the Ravens the opportunity to get some momentum on offense, especially Justin Forsett. Flacco needs to start finding out who he can count on receiving wise besides Steve Smith Sr. Playing the Raiders is a great chance for a receiver to step up and make some plays.

Prediction: Baltimore 35, Oakland 20

Dallas (1-0) at Philadelphia (0-1), Philadelphia favored by 5 1/2

The Cowboys snatched victory from the jaws of defeat against the Giants, so they got to feel good about themselves, but let me be Critical Chris here for a minute. Some people just assumed the Cowboys run game would march on without DeMarco Murray because of their offensive line. But based on Dallas' play calling, the staff doesn't appear to have the faith in Joseph Randle or Darren McFadden to be their bell cow like Murray. Some of the lack of carries was dictated by Dallas trailing, but even in the first half when the score was closer, Dallas wasn't pounding the ball with the run the same successful way they had last year. Then their offense took another hit with Dez Bryant breaking hit foot and being out at least a month now. Tony Romo was masterful on the game winning drive and is a good enough quarterback to bring others up to his level so I think the Cowboys offense will still find success. For the Eagles, their first game was a tale of two halves. The first half was a complete disaster and had everyone talking about what an idiot Chip Kelly was for turning his team over to Sam Bradford. But in the second half, Bradford got much more comfortable, they started finding ways to use Murray and they looked like a lethal unit. Murray had two touchdowns but hardly any carries so hopefully Kelly rethinks that strategy starting Sunday against Dallas. I expect to see both offenses in peak form and putting up points against shaky defenses.

Prediction: Philadelphia 38, Dallas 34

Seattle (0-1) at Green Bay (1-0), Green Bay favored by 3 1/2

It's a rematch from last season's NFC Championship game. For those that need a refresher, the Packers jumped out to a 16-0 lead and were just five minutes away from sealing the deal before they suffered an incredible choke and lost. The Packers will say all the right things about this not being a revenge game but they will be looking to get the monkey of beating the Seahawks off their backs. Aaron Rodgers has struggled mightily against Seattle but those games were in Seattle. Playing in the friendly confines of Lambeau Field should elevate his game. It also appears the Seahawks pass defense is not quite what it was, if their performance against the Rams last week is any indication. It might be that they are missing the presence of Kam Chancellor, who is still holding out for more money, despite having three years left on his contract. Rodgers showed that even without Jordy Nelson, he can still put up impressive numbers. The biggest beneficiary of Nelson's injury appears to be James Jones. Without Nelson getting injured, the Packers probably would have never brought Jones back into the fold. But there he was last week, catching two touchdown passes and looking like he had never left. The Packers defense had a hell of a time with Matt Forte last week and that could spell trouble this week as they try to stop Beast Mode Marshawn Lynch. Homefield has made a tremendous advantage for Seattle when these teams have played, and I think the Lambeau crowd will make the difference in this one.

Prediction: Green Bay 34, Seattle 26


Monday, September 21

New York Jets (1-0) at Indianapolis (0-1), Indianapolis favored by 7

The Colts come into this game as a desperate team after an embarrassing performance in Buffalo last week. Their high powered offense was shut out for most of the game and their new acquisitions Frank Gore and Andre Johnson did next to nothing. The Colts offense has to get on track because the defense is still mediocre at best. The Colts defense should be able to limit a Jets offense that doesn't have a whole ton of weapons aside from Brandon Marshall. Chris Ivory can be dangerous as a running back but he suffers from the Jets never truly committing to giving him the ball. The Jets defense, especially Darrelle Revis will present challenges for Andrew Luck and T.Y. Hilton. It is imperative that Gore and Johnson start producing this week and I think they will.

Prediction: Indianapolis 27, New York Jets 17

Last Week Straight Up: 11-5
Overall Straight Up: 11-5

Last Week Against the Spread: 10-5-1
Overall Against the Spread: 10-5-1

Cram Session - Week 3

Thursday, September 17

Denver (1-0) at Kansas City (1-0), Kansas City favored by 3

Broncos fans hoping that the noodle armed Peyton Manning we saw towards the end of last season was just a mirage, are sweating a little more. That is because Manning was basically a non-factor in Denver's win over Baltimore. He threw zero touchdowns and had an interception returned for a touchdown. The Broncos defense was able to bail Manning out, which is something that hasn't been said in Manning's previous three seasons in Denver. My AFC West pick, the Chiefs started the year strong with a dominating win at Houston. Alex Smith played well, throwing for three touchdown passes, although a touchdown pass to a receiver still eludes him. I am not ready to predict that that streak will end tonight, but I feel confident that the Chiefs are the better team and will win this game. Manning had trouble with the Ravens pass rush and things could be even worse for him on the road at loud Arrowhead Stadium. I expect another uneven performance from him, while the Chiefs weapons of Jamaal Charles, Travis Kelce and Jeremy Maclin make enough plays to give Kansas City a crucial early season victory.

Prediction: Kansas City 23, Denver 16


Games That Matter to Me

Nebraska (1-1) at Miami (2-0)

This game doesn't have the cache of those 90s battles between these programs, as both are unranked. Still, it should be a competitive, entertaining game when they play each other on Saturday. Nebraska was able to get the bad taste of the BYU loss out of their mouths by destroying South Alabama. Whether or not that got them ready to play the Canes remains to be seen. As I hoped, Mike Riley seemed to decide that Terrell Newby was his guy at running back, giving him 28 carries as he rumbled for 198 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns. Tommy Armstrong Jr. seems to be building a nice rapport with not just Jordan Westerkamp but also Brandon Reilly, who leads the Huskers in catches through the first two games. The Huskers will need Newby to now show he is capable of this type of rushing performance against upper tier talent that the Hurricanes have defensively. The Huskers offense will be hard to stop if they are able to hit that right amount of balance between running and throwing.

In last season's matchup with Miami, the Huskers defense had problems at times with talented Miami QB Brad Kaaya. Kaaya was just a few games into his career then, so the Kaaya the Huskers see Saturday will be more polished. Kaaya hasn't thrown any interceptions this season, and the Huskers secondary showed against BYU that they can be susceptible to the big play. Speaking of big play, the Huskers should be spending a lot of their preparation time on RB Joseph Yearby. Yearby is not just a talented running back, but can also hurt teams as a receiver. I expect Miami to move Yearby around quite a bit in their offensive formations, to try to keep the Huskers defense guessing.

Nebraska is still a work in progress under Riley and I don't think they have come together enough as a team to go on the road and beat the Canes. Miami is a work in progress as well, and that is where the home field advantage will make the difference.

Prediction: Miami 30, Nebraska 24


Top 10

Friday, September 18

#9 Florida State (2-0, 0-0) at Boston College (2-0, 0-0)

A rare Top 10 college football game under the Friday night lights. Strange things tend to happen when ranked teams go on the road on Thursday nights, and the Eagles will be doing everything in their power to transition that to Friday nights. The Eagles will be getting quite a bump in competition after playing Maine and Howard. Their defense only allowed 3 points in those two victories, and shut out Howard in a 76-0 victory. Everett Golson has avoided the turnover bug in his first two starts, but the bigger story on offense for the Seminoles has been RB Dalvin Cook. Cook is averaging over 8 yards per carry in his first two games and shredded South Florida for 266 yards and 3 touchdowns. Boston College will have to cut down his production significantly to have any prayer in this game. Boston College has come close the previous two years to knocking off Florida State, and might feel they are due. However, I expect this will end up another cruel chapter in the story of their inability to upset the Seminoles.

Prediction: Florida State 30, Boston College 27


Saturday, September 19

Northern Illinois (2-0) at #1 Ohio State (2-0)

Ohio State didn't kill Hawaii enough or gave up too few points by shutting them out, so they are no longer unanimously #1 in the AP poll. They face another cupcake this week in Northern Illinois. Northern Illinois has flirted with relevancy a couple times in the past decade or so but this year isn't one of those years. The only reason to watch this game is to see how Urban Meyer uses Cardale Jones and J.T. Barrett at quarterback.

Prediction: Ohio State 49, Northern Illinois 10

#15 Mississippi (2-0, 0-0) at #2 Alabama (2-0, 0-0)

By sending College Gameday to Tuscaloosa they have deemed this the game of the weekend. For some reason it isn't starting until 915 pm eastern and with how long college football games take, only the most diehard of fans will be awake for the finish of this one. The SEC took a hit last week as the conference saw some really poor performances from some of their supposed better teams. These two teams did not fall into that trap, especially Mississippi, which scored over 70, yes 70 points for the second straight week. The most fascinating subplot of this game will be seeing how the Rebels offensive firepower fares against the stout Crimson Tide defense. QB Chad Kelly had a game for the ages against Fresno State last week and probably gave coach Huge Freeze confidence that he can try to air it out some this weekend. Senior WR Cody Core and junior WR Quincy Abedoyejo and the returning Laquon Treadwell will draw heavy coverage from the Tide, but the Bama defense also has to put their attention on a smorgasbord of running back options that the Rebels employ.

Saban and the Tide offense will try to pound the rock with RB Derrick Henry, but when called upon will need QB Jake Coker to quickly step up his game. Coker has been serviceable the first two weeks, but if the Tide defense can't slow down this Rebels attack, Coker will need to do more. It only makes sense that the Alabama offensive game plan will focus on Henry to control the clock and keep the ball out of the Rebels high powered offenses hands.

I am going to go out on a major limb here and predict that the Rebels 70+ points scoring streak comes to an end on Saturday! All kidding aside, I don't think the Tide will shut down the Rebels completely, so it will be imperative that the Bama offense is clicking. Bama's players will have a little extra motivation this week as they remember losing to Mississippi last season. Add that motivation to all the talk the Rebels offense has received so far and I expect a big time atmosphere for this game.

Prediction: Alabama 34, Mississippi 24


SMU (1-1) at #3 TCU (2-0)

TCU and Baylor have begun to develop quite the rivalry since TCU joined the Big 12 and in this instance TCU will probably try to top Baylor's victory over SMU from a few weeks ago. Baylor beat SMU 56-21 and I think TCU can top that. After a sluggish performance against Minnesota, the Horned Frogs hung 70 on Stephen F. Austin. SMU will put up more of a fight than Stephen F. Austin but this game will still be a rout.

Prediction: TCU 59, SMU 17

Air Force (2-0) at #4 Michigan State (2-0)

The Spartans hung tough and held off Oregon late to give themselves a strong, playoff resume building win at home. Their players now to have refocus on a team that is likely to not get the juices flowing as much, but can't be overlooked in Air Force. The next month appears to be a pretty easy one for the Spartans schedule wise, so they need to get some style points in these games and keep their perception strong. In this game, I expect some sluggishness out of the Spartans but not enough for the game to be overly interesting

Prediction: Michigan State 35, Air Force 20

Stanford (1-1, 0-0) at #6 USC (2-0, 0-0)

This game lost quite a bit of luster with Stanford's season opening stinker at Northwestern. The Trojans have decimated their first two opponents, so Cody Kessler faces his first true challenge in the Cardinal's defense. The Cardinal offense, led by QB Kevin Hogan found their footing slightly against Central Florida last week, but this does not look like a team ready to go on the road to the Coliseum and pull off an upset. One name from the Trojans you will hear called in this game is WR JuJu Smith-Schuster. JuJu leads the Trojans in receiving this year with 14 catches and 3 touchdowns. He also easily has one of the best names in all of sports.

Prediction: USC 35, Stanford 17

South Carolina (1-1, 0-1) at #7 Georgia (2-0, 1-0)

All of Steve Spurrier's hard work to build the Gamecocks into consistent contenders seems to be going by the wayside. South Carolina suffered an uneven season last year and is now coming off a loss at home to Kentucky. Offense is Spurrier's calling card and he hasn't been able to get that side of the ball right the past few seasons. The Cocks defense has played pretty well thus far but I don't expect them to have answers for Bulldogs RB Nick Chubb. Bulldogs fans will get maximum chub watching Nick shred the Gamecocks on Saturday.

Prediction: Georgia 34, South Carolina 20

#14 Georgia Tech (2-0) at #8 Notre Dame (2-0)

Notre Dame is quickly running out of starters as last week's win against Virgina saw the Irish lose QB Malik Zaire for the season and their starting tight end Durham Smythe. That UVA game turned out to be much more of a roller coaster ride than any Irish fan was ready for. Once Zaire got hurt and then later when UVA took the lead, Irish fans had chalked this up as a loss. But then backup QB DeShone Kizer came in and found Will Fuller for a long touchdown to seal the victory. What Kizer did, coming in cold, on the road was impressive, but even more will be needed from home this weekend at home against undefeated Georgia Tech. He should receive support from RB C.J. Prosise, who had another excellent game against Virginia after his strong play against Texas in the opener.

While how Kizer and the offense player is important, of more importance this weekend will be the defense. The defense surprisingly struggled the Cavaliers mundane offense, especially defending some trick plays. While those plays were not the norm for Virginia, the Yellow Jackets spread and triple option offense feasts off confusing defenses. The Yellow Jackets hung 69 on Alcorn State in Week 1 and then 65 last week against Tulane. QB Justin Thomas is the facilitator for what decisions will be made within the offense and who gets the ball. Sometimes he will keep it himself but he doesn't throw often, and is more dangerous when he decides to run. Patrick Scov and Marcus Marshall are Tech's primary running backs and each is capable of turning a 2 or 3 yard run into a burst to the end zone. Justin Thomas and Brady Swilling also have received a good amount of carries. So the problem for defenses is, they don't know where the ball is going and Tech has so many players capable of running the offense how it needs to be run that a defense can't focus their gameplan on a certain player. Michael Summers is Tech's best receiver, but again, passing, is not the main function of their offense.

Tech won't be hanging 60 on Notre Dame, but I think the difference will be that the Irish won't be able to score enough to keep up. If Zaire were healthy I would go Notre Dame, but while I was impressed with what Kizer did last week, I worry how he will handle the expectations that come with now being the starter and immediately being put into the fire. I think we will see some mistakes and sloppiness, and lots of angry Brian Kelly.

Prediction: Georgia Tech 35, Notre Dame 27

#19 BYU (2-0) at #10 UCLA (2-0)

The Mormons are blessed. How else to explain the Cougars winning their first two games the way they did. Against Nebraska in Week 1, it was a Hail Mary on the final play of the game, and last week against Boise State it was a Hail Mary late that put them ahead and propelled them to another win. QB Tanner Mangum has seemed to develop an instant connection with WR Mitchell Juergens. Juergens went off against the Broncos, turning 4 catches into 172 yards receiving and 2 touchdowns. Bruins freshman QB Josh Rosen has been receiving a lot of hype, which got even louder after he torched Virginia in Week 1. He came back to Earth a bit last week against UNLV, and Bruins fans should expect some up and downs for the young player. He is helped by how good the Bruins defense appears to be this season. Teams have only managed 147 passing yards per game so far on UCLA, so the chances of the Cougars hitting a Hail Mary for a third straight week are slim to none. I think most people are expecting this to be a reality check game for BYU, but I actually think they will prove that they are a strong team and give a good showing on the road, even if its not enough for a win.

Prediction: UCLA 24, BYU 17

Last Week: 10-0
Overall: 21-1

The Hail Mary - Week 1

The 2015 NFL season is upon us! After an off-season dominated by the size of balls, we can finally get back to worrying about how many times those balls cross the goal line instead of how much they weigh. It seems that most of the recent usual suspects are the main Super Bowl contenders including defending champion New England, and other recent champions Seattle, Green Bay, Pittsburgh, and Baltimore. My favorite team, the 49ers aren't in that conversation as they are coming off one of the most tumultuous off-seasons in sports history. The Miami Dolphins feel that Ryan Tannehill is ready to make the leap to one of the league's best quarterbacks in a make or break season for coach Joe Philbin. The Minnesota Vikings are many people's sleeper to have a strong season with the return of Adrian Peterson and the continued development of Teddy Bridegewater. The Washington Redskins are another team in constant turmoil, where whose sucking who off has gotten just as much talk as how the Redskins might do in 2015. The Philadelphia Eagles made a ton of headlines as Chip Kelly continued his team overhaul, shipping off running back LeSean McCoy and letting Jeremy Maclin go to the Chiefs in free agency. He has put his trust into oft-injured Sam Bradford, who looks to keep his career alive in Philly.


Sunday, September 13

Miami at Washington, Miami favored by 3 1/2

The Dolphins made one of the biggest splashes, pun intended, in free agency by signing Ndamukong Suh. Suh will undoubtedly help a Dolphins run defense that struggled last season but the real difference in whether Miami finally returns to the playoffs or not is how Ryan Tannehill gels with his new look receiving corps. Mike Wallace and Brian Hartline are gone, replaced by Kenny Stills and Greg Jennings. The Redskins have appeared to move on from the Robert Griffin III era with Kirk Cousins being announced as the starter for the 2015 season. Now knowing how things go for Washington, Cousins will probably get hurt this game, lost for the season and Griffin will end up starting again. The Skins added some new pieces on the defensive side include Terrence "Pot Roast" Knighton and former 49er castoffs S Dashon Goldson and CB Chris Culliver. They also finally got rid of Jim Haslett as defensive coordinator, replacing him with Joe Barry, a guy who coordinated the 0-16 Lions defense. I expect a competitive, back and forth game, but for Tannehill to lead a game winning field goal drive, giving the Dolphins the victory.

Prediction: Miami 26, Washington 23

Green Bay at Chicago, Green Bay favored by 7

The Packers are my pick to take home the Lombardi trophy this year, even after losing WR Jordy Nelson for the season. When you have the best quarterback in football, those types of losses can be overcome. The loss of Nelson did help James Jones find his way back to Green Bay. Since leaving the Packers Jones has become a nobody but if he gets some decent playing time, I wouldn't be surprised to see him putting up strong numbers again. The Bears are starting the John Fox era as the fanbase grows more and more restless with Jay Cutler. The only emotion that Cutler can seem to put forth is general disinterest, so its understandable that Bears fans aren't sold on him being the guy to lead them to glory. The Packers haven't lost in Chicago since 2010 and that streak will hold up after Sunday's game.

Prediction: Green Bay 28, Chicago 17

Kansas City at Houston, Houston favored by 1

I'm high on the Chiefs and think that year three of the Big Red era of Andy Reid will be the one to give Kansas City the AFC West title. I like the addition of Jeremy Maclin to the receiving corps and think it guarantees that at least the Chiefs will have a receiver catch a touchdown this year. Alex Smith has proven that on teams that are good enough he can effectively manage them to success. Houston is strong on defense but aside from WR DeAndre Hopkins they have a ton of questions on the offensive side. Former Browns starter Brian Hoyer is now the Texans starter and Houston will also have to do without RB Arian Foster for quite some time as he injured his groin in training camp. Houston managed to win 9 games last year playing Ryan Fitzpatrick, Ryan Mallett and Case Keenum, so J.J. Watt and that defense, especially with Jadaveon Clowney back from injury may be enough for Houston to make the playoffs this year. However, it won't be enough for them to open the season with a victory.

Prediction: Kansas City 21, Houston 20

Cleveland at New York Jets, New York Jets favored by 3

Josh McCown versus Ryan Fitzpatrick, feel the excitement! I expect this game to receive the least amount of attention on Red Zone, because very little scoring will be happening. The Jets made headlines by finally firing Rex Ryan and replacing him with Todd Bowles. They then made more headlines when their starting quarterback Geno Smith got his jaw broken by a now ex-teammate named IK. The Browns had their fans excited last season as they entered playoff contention going into December., but in typical Browns fashion they collapsed. They changed up their uniforms but they are still the same old poopy Browns.

Prediction: New York Jets 9, Cleveland 3

Indianapolis at Buffalo, Indianapolis favored by 2 1/2

Bills fans seem irrationally excited about the 2015 season. Sure they did pick up LeSean McCoy from the Eagles, but unless Richie Incognito taking a year off from football made him better, their offensive line is still not very good. They also have Tyrod Taylor as their quarterback, a guy who has never started an NFL game in his life and has zero career touchdown passes. Rex Ryan is back to his blustery ways, even though he hasn't been a winning coach since 2011. The Colts have Super Bowl aspirations and it would seem to be the natural progression for them under Andrew Luck. In his first three seasons they have gone Wild Card exit, Divisional Round exit and last season the AFC Championship. They have some new weapons on offense in RB Frank Gore and WR Andre Johnson, though both are pretty old, so it is clearly a win now scenario for Indy. Defensively, the Colts still appear to be mediocre, but if Gore can give them a more consistent running game to go with the lethalness of Luck it may not matter.

Prediction: Indianapolis 27, Buffalo 20

Carolina at Jacksonville, Carolina favored by 3

For the second straight year Bloof Borkles played pretty well in the preseason, making some people start saying how good he can be. Now those people are all on Twitter, which has the tendency to jump the gun on everything so maybe most football fans hold sane opinions on Borkles. Cam Newton lost his best offensive weapon, Kelvin Benjamin to the meaningless preseason which means more pressure on Luke Kuechly and the defense to drive any success the Panthers might have. Starting your season against Jacksonville is one way to at least ensure you start off the season on a high.

Prediction: Carolina 20, Jacksonville 14

Seattle at St. Louis, Seattle favored by 4

All offseason Seattle has felt the need to tell everyone that there will be no lingering effects from their crushing Super Bowl loss to the Patriots. Usually when someone has to keep telling everyone something over and over, they are overcompensating for the truth. I don't think the Seahawks will miss the playoffs or fall off a cliff but I do expect to see more of the turmoil that plagued them throughout parts of the 2014 season. For Jeff Fisher it has to be a make or break season as you would think the Rams are starting to get hip to the fact that mostly produces mediocrity. Fisher gave up on Sam Bradford and is now hopeful that Nick Foles can lead the team to glory, along with new running back Todd Gurley. The Rams boast one of the best defenses in football, so if they can get even the faint of a pulse from their offense they could be a team to contend with.

Prediction: Seattle 19, St. Louis 14

New Orleans at Arizona, Arizona favored by 2 1/2

The Saints used to never win on the road but dominated at home, then at the end of last season, they couldn't even win at home anymore, dropping five straight at the Superdome. Arizona saw a promising season go down the tubes when Carson Palmer was injured and they had no viable backup behind him. They better hope that Palmer, who is OLD, doesn't get hurt this year, as Drew Stanton is their backup. Arizona is hard to beat home and the Saints are easy to beat when they play on the road. Seems like a pretty clear cut pick to me.

Prediction: Arizona 31, New Orleans 21

Detroit at San Diego, San Diego favored by 3

The Chargers off-season was spent talking about a potential future move to Los Angeles and also signing Philip Rivers to an extension. Their team remains largely the same from last year as they were playing for the playoffs until the last game of the season but came up short. The Lions had a referee's decision go against them in a Wild Card game against Dallas, and then saw the departure of their best defensive player Ndamukong Suh. Suh and Nick Fairley were supposed to be the monsters of the defensive line for years to come and now neither player is on the roster. Their quarterback Matt Stafford had an underwhelming year last season, as did "Megatron" Calvin Johnson. Without Golden Tate's contributions the Lions could have been almost putrid on offense. I think their offense will more resemble the unit that we saw in 2011 and that will begin this weekend. However, I think their defense will also start to more likely resemble that 2011 unit, leading to a lot of high scoring losses.

Prediction: San Diego 35, Detroit 31

Tennessee at Tampa Bay, Tampa Bay favored by 3

An otherwise underwhelming matchup between the Titans and Bucs will be slightly more interesting as it pits number one pick of the Bucs QB Jameis Winston, against number two pick of the Titans QB Marcus Mariota. People have been down on Winston because of his uneven performances in preseason but then were high on Mariota for not throwing interceptions in practice. At least starting Sunday, we will have some real evidence to judge these guys on versus meaningless games and practices. I expect both players to show flashes but also make many, many mistakes, leading to a pretty ugly game.

Prediction: Tampa Bay 17, Tennessee 16

Cincinnati at Oakland, Cincinnati favored by 3 1/2

Another meaningless Bengals regular season begins. I say that because the last few years they will look good in the regular season and then look absolutely putrid in their Wild Card game, rendering the four months before that irrelevant. The Raiders would love to just be able to look putrid in a Wild Card game, having not made the playoffs in over a decade. Derek Carr had a pretty good rookie season and the Raiders are hopeful that Jack Del Rio is finally the coach to lead them back to the playoffs. I think the Raiders have some solid young pieces but are still a year or two away from being real contenders. I expect the Bengals to regress this season but at least start the season on the right note.

Prediction: Cincinnati 24, Oakland 20

Baltimore at Denver, Denver favored by 4 1/2

Probably my boldest prediction is the fall of the Denver Broncos. I picked them to go 6-10, mostly because I am not confident in Peyton Manning staying healthy this season. He didn't miss any games last season but he saw his performance dip considerably towards the end of the season. I expect that to happen early this season. I am not confident that the Broncos have the pieces in their run game or defense to pick up the slack for a less than optimal Manning. The Ravens have questions around their depth as a whole and also about some pieces on their offense. Can Justin Forsett recreate the magic of his 2014 season? How much will Joe Flacco miss the deep threat that Torrey Smith afforded him and does Steve Smith have one last strong season left in him? I think the answers to most of those questions will end up in a positive fashion for Baltimore which is why I picked them to win the AFC North. When they go to Denver and win on Sunday, many will point to it as an upset, but I will have told you the future.

Prediction: Baltimore 26, Denver 21

New York Giants at Dallas, Dallas favored by 6

NBC loves them some Giants at Cowboys to open up their Sunday night football slate. The Giants have been largely irrelevant the last few seasons, which is what the Cowboys mostly were until last year's run to an NFC East title. This year, we figure to find out the answer to the question of just how much that Cowboys offensive line was responsible for DeMarco Murray's career year last season. Murry went to Philadelphia and has been replaced by underwear and cologne thief Joseph Randle and Darren McFadden. If those guys end up having big years, then that Cowboys offensive line may be just as good as the ones from their Super Bowl years in the 90s. Neither of these teams is impressive defensively, so I expect a lot of fireworks in this game, and for Eli Manning to bust out Eli face a few times. I think Tony Romo will pick up from where he left off last season and get off to a strong start to this season, helping Dallas earn the win.

Prediction: Dallas 35, New York Giants 30


Monday, September 14

Philadelphia at Atlanta, Philadelphia favored by 3

No team is harder to predict this season than the Philadelphia Eagles. Chip Kelly made so many roster changes and definitely some questionable ones, that no one is quite sure how it will come together. My thought is there won't be mediocrity in Philadelphia this year. They will either be really good or really bad. If anyone can revive Sam Bradford's career it would probably be Chip Kelly. But while Kelly can give Bradford all the tools he needs to be successful on the field, he can't protect his ACLs which seem to be torn apart quite often. DeMarco Murray had a monster season last year, but the question is how much did the workload the Cowboys give him last year going to affect his durability in future seasons? The Eagles do have plenty of depth at running back with Ryan Mathews and Darren Sproles backing Murray up. The Falcons have a new head coach in former Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn and he will need to impart some of his wisdom to that defense quickly as they have been atrocious the last few seasons. Offense hasn't really been a problem for Atlanta and with Kyle Shanahan aboard as offensive coordinator, I think Matt Ryan and especially Julio Jones could be in for monster seasons. The Falcons running game is more of a question mark as Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman have not just been battling each other, but injuries as well. I think the Monday night performance we get from Philly will be similar to the one we saw two years ago when Kelly made his debut as coach. At least for one game, Kelly will again be lauded as a genius by all the football pundits.

Prediction: Philadelphia 35, Atlanta 21

Minnesota at San Francisco, Minnesota favored by 2 1/2

The Vikings and the 49ers couldn't be headed in any more of a different direction if they tried. Minnesota is filled with optimism. QB Teddy Bridgewater had a promising rookie season, Adrian Peterson is back and perhaps even better after having a year off and Mike Zimmer is considered an up and coming elite head coach. The 49ers on the other hand had an insanely turbulent offseason. It started the day after their disappointing 2014 season ended, when Jim Harbaugh was fired, resigned, whoever you believe. Then throughout the off-season the 49ers saw Anthony Davis, Patrick Willis,  Chris Borland and Justin Smith all retire and the departures through free agency of Frank Gore and Michael Crabtree. Jim Tomsula, a loyal, longtime defensive line coach with San Francisco is now the head coach. I still have hope that the 49ers can be respectable this season, which might be blind homer optimism. The 49ers defense looks almost completely different from the group that started the season a year ago. One positive will be the return of LB NaVarro Bowman, who sat out the 2014 season due to injury. He has looked really strong in preseason play and with Willis and Smith retiring he steps in as the veteran leader on that side of the ball. The 49ers season will mostly hinge on the development of Colin Kaepernick. Kap regressed badly last season and the 49ers offense was mediocre at best. Geep Chryst takes over for Greg Roman, and Roman had definitely worn out his welcome in San Francisco. Chryst will be judged on how much better he can have Kap play this year. While Crabtree is now a Raider, it could be argued that his replacement, Torrey Smith is a better player anyway. Another player that needs to return to from is TE Vernon Davis, who was clearly not on the same page as Kap last season. The 49ers also have high hopes for Gore's replacement, second year player Carlos Hyde, who only saw limited action last year behind Gore. I think at least for one night, in front of their home fans, the 49ers will be able to put aside their terrible off-season and give us fans hope that they could make a playoff push in 2015.

Prediction: San Francisco 24, Minnesota 20

Cram Session - Week 2

Thursday, September 10

Pittsburgh at New England, New England favored by 7

This game is so much more intriguing to me now that Tom Brady will start instead of Jimmy G. The Patriots are the reigning, defending Super Bowl champions and the Steelers are the team that many think can take that title this year. Offensively, you look at New England and you sort of just crinkle your nose and wonder how they tend to be so prolific. I couldn't tell you who will be their starting running back tonight with LaGarrette Blount suspended and aside from Rob Gronkowski, the Pats receiving options of Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola don't strike a ton of fear in defenses. However, you look at the Steelers offense, the talent jumps off the page. However, they will be missing some of that talent as La'Veon Bell is suspended for this game for the season reason that his former teammate Blount is. Maybe they can share a bowl and commiserate during the game. The Steelers are also without Martavis Bryant who is suspended four games for not being able to pass up on the sticky icky. They do still have Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown though and with the Patriots no longer having Revis Island, I would expect Brown to be in for a big night.

The Patriots have a lot of new pieces in their secondary as they look to replace Darrell Revis and Brandon Browner. I think their secondary could be in for a long night trying to slow down the Steelers passing attack. The Steelers defense was mediocre at best last season, as evidenced by the fact that 100-year old James Harrison was one of their better players on that side of the ball. I would expect that even with this being the first game and some rust being evident, a lot of points will be scored. Home teams rarely lose in these Thursday night openers and I trust for that to remain the case with old dependables Brady and Bill Belichick leading the Patriots.

Prediction: New England 35, Pittsburgh 27

Games That Matter To Me

South Alabama (1-0) at Nebraska (0-1)

It doesn't get much more of a kick in the nuts than losing a game on a Hail Mary. Nebraska was on the right end of that type of ending against Northwestern a few years ago. Unfortunately, last Saturday they ended up on the wrong end of things against BYU. The Huskers were seconds away form a come from behind victory despite having almost no rushing game to speak of. The Huskers were winning on the back of their passing game, something Nebraska fans aren't used to seeing. This weekend against South Alabama should hopefully serve as a confidence booster for the team and allow them to get on the winning side of things.

Nebraska went with a running back by committee approach last week and no one was able to stand out. Terrell Newby led the team in carries with 10 and scored a touchdown so maybe going forward he will take on a greater load. It was very promising how well Tommy Armstrong played, completing 75% of his passes and throwing three touchdowns. Jordan Westerkamp had a big day at receiver and appears poised to step up and replace the departed Kenny Bell's production.

I know next to nothing about South Alabama but it appears they have a pretty decent running back in Xavier Johnson who rushed for 121 yards on 7 carries in the Jaguars win versus Gardner-Webb last week. Their passing game doesn't look to be all that good, and stopping the pass is where the Huskers struggled against BYU. I expect another strong game from Armstrong and I am hopeful one of the running backs can step forward and start to take over as the number one back. Next week brings a road trip to Miami, so it is imperative the Huskers have a strong performance Saturday and can feel good about themselves going into that game.

Prediction: Nebraska 44, South Alabama 17


Top 10

Hawaii (1-0) at #1 Ohio State (1-0)

Besides a rough second quarter, the Buckeyes went out and dominated Virgina Tech as I expected. What I didn't expect was that Cardale Jones would be the man leading Ohio State. At least for now, he has won the starting quarterback position over J.T. Barrett. It does seem that Barrett will still see action from time to time. What proved to be a smashing success was former starting quarterback Braxton Miller at wide receiver. The Hokies had no answers for his speed and moves and if he can continue at the pace he showed last Monday, Miller switching to a receiver/H-back might be the best career choice he has made. The Buckeyes schedule is a joke so the next few months present plenty of opportunities for the Buckeyes trio of quarterbacks to put up big numbers and score lots of points, with Hawaii being the next sacrificial lamb.

Prediction: Ohio State 49, Hawaii 14

Middle Tennessee (1-0) at #2 Alabama (1-0)

As expected, Bama showed against Wisconsin that they aren't rebuilding, they are reloading. New quarterback Jake Coker and especially new running back Derrick Henry had big days and the Crimson Tide cruised to victory over Wisconsin. This week's game is all about getting out of it healthy and prepping for their SEC opener against Ole Miss next week, as the Tide look to avenge their loss to Mississippi from last season.

Prediction: Alabama 42, Middle Tennessee 9

Stephen F. Austin (0-1) at #3 TCU (1-0)

TCU had a national spotlight on them last Thursday night and underwhelmed against Minnesota. The score was closer than the game ever really was, but the media was unimpressed and slid the Horned Frogs behind the Crimson Tide in this week's rankings. This week's game against Stephen F. Austin can't really help TCU's national standing, but another poor performance could hurt it. I expect QB Trevone Boykin to lead the Horned Frogs to a dominating victory against an overmatched opponent.

Prediction: TCU 45, Stephen F. Austin 10

Lamar (1-0) at #4 Baylor (1-0)

The Bears struggled at times with SMU but still put up 56 points and pulled away for a 35-point victory. I expect them to break 60 this week against poor Lamar.

Prediction: Baylor 63, Lamar 17

#7 Oregon (1-0) at #5 Michigan State (1-0)

Easily the best game of the week as for the second straight season these teams meet early in the year, ranked in the Top 10. The scene moves from Eugene last season to East Lansing this year. Oregon is also led by a new quarterback this season, Vernon Adams Jr. Adams is a transfer from Eastern Washington so this will easily be the biggest game he has ever taken part in while in college. Primetime, under the lights with a loud crowd, it will be interesting to see how he responds. That is where he will need his supporting cast to take some pressure off of him. As usual, the Ducks have a sick array of weapons at running back and receiver. Royce Freeman is a threat to score every time he touches the ball and Adams himself is able to break out in open space and be hard to catch. Dwayne Stanford and Byron Marshall are Adams primary receiving targets. The Ducks have shown they can score against the Spartans tough defense, but the question is, can their own defense which gave up 42 points last week, do enough on the road to keep Oregon in the game?

Michigan State had an uneven performance in their Week 1 win at Western Michigan. QB Connor Cook completed less than 50% of his passes and aside from receiver Aaron Burbridge, no one on Sparty's offense really stepped up. That can work against a MAC school, it won't work against one of the better programs in the country. As I mentioned, the Ducks don't have a very good defense, so opportunities figure to be there for Sparty. I expect LJ Scott and Madre London to see some more carries than they did in last week's game. Physical toughness has always been a big question about the Ducks and they have shown many times that they can be pounded into submission by a power running team.

I am not sure either of these teams are truly top 10 teams at the moment, but we will know more after they face off. I think Oregon is the more talented team but the homefield advantage will make the difference in this game. Also, a major factor will be Adams inexperience in a game at this magnitude. I expect that to lead to some mistakes and turnovers that will force the Ducks to play catch up.

Prediction: Michigan State 28, Oregon 27

Jacksonville State (1-0) at #6 Auburn (1-0)

Auburn jumped out to a 24-0 advantage against Louisville but seemed to get complacent, and had to hang on to a 31-24 victory. Complacent or not, the Tigers should have a pretty easy go of things with Jacksonville State this weekend. Their players better savor it as their SEC schedule begins next week when they travel to Baton Rouge to take on LSU.

Prediction: Auburn 52, Jacksonville State 7

Idaho (0-1) at #8 USC (1-0)

Almost no one on the east coast saw it, but not surprisingly USC killed Arkansas State. Things figure to be even easier this week against Idaho. Weeks 3 and 4 appeared to be tough matchups a week ago with USC hosting Stanford and then travling to Arizona State. But both Stanford and Arizona State were whipped by unranked teams in Week 1, and it appears that USC may not have a real challenge until they travel to Notre Dame Stadium on October 17.

Prediction: USC 66, Idaho 14

#9 Notre Dame (1-0) at Virginia (0-1)

Notre Dame put forth perhaps the strongest statement of any team in Week 1, decimating Texas 38-3. Time will tell if that result was because Notre Dame is that good or if Texas is that bad, but the performance certainly had me buying more into the hype that surrounded Notre Dame in the preseason. One major blow though was the loss of RB Tarean Folston for the season as Folston was expected to anchor the Irish rushing attack. C.J. Prosise ended up stepping in and reeled off 98 yards on 20 carries and seemed to be Brian Kelly's choice to be the new starter. I am happy that Kelly turned things over to Prosise instead of going to that running back committee mess he had most of last season. QB Malik Zaire was excellent, completing 19 of 22 passes for 313 yards and 3 touchdowns. If he keeps up performances like that, he will start getting some Heisman publicity. The defense was also excellent, never letting the Longhorns get into rhythm. Again though, it is hard to know yet whether that says more about the Irish or the ineptness of the Longhorns offense.

The Cavaliers football program is in disarray and their season started by getting shellacked at UCLA. Their fans with their dress clothes and popped collars figure to be out in full force for this game and should give the team an emotional lift. QB Matt Johns was serviceable against UCLA but he isn't a dynamic player and shouldn't be someone the Irish have too much trouble dealing with. RB Taquan Mizzell was his best receiver last week, so the Irish defenders will be watching a lot of film on him this week to see how UVA hides him from the defense and gets him out into open space. Mizzell was ineffective running the ball last weekend and if he struggles against Notre Dame that will just exacerbate UVA's offensive issues.

Notre Dame has a real tough game next week at home against Georgia Tech but they have to remain focused on the task at hand, as a road environment can always lead to upsets. I don't expect quite as dominating a performance as we saw last Saturday, but this game should be another strong win for the Irish.

Prediction: Notre Dame 30, Virginia 16

#10 Georgia (1-0, 0-0) at Vanderbilt (0-1, 0-0)

The Bulldogs kick off their SEC schedule at Vanderbilt. The SEC has ten teams in the Top 25 and Vanderbilt is one of the teams missing from that list. The James Franklin era seems so long ago for the Commodores. As far as the Bulldogs go, this should serve as further fine tuning before Georgia's schedule kicks into high gear next week when they host South Carolina.

Prediction: Georgia 31, Vanderbilt 12

Last Week: 11-1
Overall: 11-1