Sports

TheDC sports columnist Andy Hayes: Week 6 NFL picks

Font Size:

Despite picking the AZ upset, getting the Wash/Green Bay game right (and even calling a tie on that one, which it almost was) and calling Detroit’s blow-out, I was terrible in nearly every other game. Just terrible. I finished 4-10 and am now 39-37 overall.

•    Sea @ Chic (-6.5). Mike Martz is on crack for benching Todd Collins. So much potential. Chic 20,  Sea 16.
•    Mia @ GB (-3.5). 4 more Packer starters were apparently just injured while listening to Mike McCarthy’s update about the other injuries. GB 31, Mia 13.
•    KC @ Hou (-4.5). KC put up a much better fight last week in Indy than folks predicted. But they still lost – and lost in good part because Dwayne Bowe couldn’t catch a staph infection in the Browns’ locker room.  Hou 27, KC 17.
•    Balt @ NE (-2.5). At one point this past week, I read about an apparent flap between Randy Moss and Tom Brady…concerning hair. Both denied this and then there were lots of other denials. Like often is the case, nobody really knows what happened. But an argument about hair? If this didn’t happen, which I rather hope, why would someone make something like this up? I’m still ticked off at myself for reading that rumor…and now writing about it. I feel like Mary Hart. Taking Balt to cover here only because I think it will be a close game and they may control the clock on the ground. NE 20, Balt 19.
•    Det @ NYG (-9.5). Whenever I get anti-NYG momentum going, they turn things around and burn me badly. The year they won the Super Bowl, I ripped them and Eli all year only to have them beat my Packers in the NFC Championship at Lambeau. Well my cracks on Eli and the gang started early this year and just when I was really about to tee off, they shock Houston and take down an undefeated Bears’ team. This could be a really dumb pick. NYG 27, Det 24.
•    Atl @ Philly (-2.5). DeSean Jackson and I are about the same size. When I was watching him on the sidelines being tended to (injury) last Sunday, the word “wuss” actually crossed my mind for a brief minute. Then I remembered that he’s about my size and he was just dragged to the ground and jumped on by a guy who is 6’3” 245 pounds…and very angry. Then I suddenly remembered going to Lambeau last year and being down on the field seeing Vikings’ T Bryant McKinnie up close. Then I remembered that this McKinnie experience reminded me of that SNL skit – “Oops, I crapped my pants”. DeSean Jackson is not a wuss. Atl 26, Philly 21.

•    Cleve @ Pitt (-13.5). Mangini’s pre-game words to Colt McCoy: “one completed pass, we’ll get you a new car. Anything less than 4 turnovers, you start for the rest of the year”. (Actually, I think McCoy could be better than expected and that the Cleve will make this more of a game than people think.) Pitt 23, Cleve, 16.
•    SD @ StL (+8.5). This past week, Norv Turner shot back at cracks by the gently awkward Tony Dungy. Read here. Wow – don’t hear about Turner getting that worked up too often. But to me, the story here is Tony Dungy. Despite being a pretty neat guy by most accounts, I find him quite awkward on TV. I feel as awkward watching him on TV as I do for when I’m near that loud-breathing, middle-aged, unkempt guy using the internet at the local public library. SD 31, StL 23.
•    NO @ TB (+4.5). Is NO finally in decline? Is TB for real? Can Drew Brees regain his form from the last bunch of years? Can Kellen Winslow stay injury-free when he’s not playing football? Can Sean Payton chew more gum? Can NO rotate kickers more often? Can TB really avoid getting pasted one of these weeks? Joey, have you ever been to a Turkish prison? TB 25, NO 23.
•    NYJ @ Den (+3.5). Despite puking last weekend at Balt, I still think Denver is a good team. This should be a good match-up of a quality D vs a quality passing game – but the interesting stuff will happen when Mark Sanchez gets on the field. I still sort of just don’t believe it when he has a good game. Brian Shottenheimer really sets Sanchez up, in most cases, to succeed with mostly easy throws. But Sanchez has been making some quality throws too. I don’t expect this to continue and I also don’t expect LT to keep going nuts. One of these days though, I may be forced to respect the NYJ – just not yet. Den 33, NYJ 20.
•    Oak @ SF (+6.5). Oak has to be worked up that they are 2-3 (and easily should be 3-2), and SF is 0-5 – yet SF is favored by 6.5. While I do still think SF has a chance to be good, just don’t know if they can do it with the wildly inconsistent Alex Smith. Never seen a QB make some of the most beautiful throws on a Sunday followed immediately by some of the most horrific throws. Just odd. SF 26, Oak 19.
•    Dal @ MN (-1.5). So much for all of that rah-rah pre-game stuff by Keith Brooking the first few weeks of the season. I always wonder how guys like that feel after getting all revved up and saying tough-guy stuff – only to have the defense lay down flat and give up huge points to teams not known for scoring tons of points (Tenn, for example). MN 31, DAL 16.
•    Indy @ Wash (+3.5). Jim Haslett should have one theme for his game plan Sunday Night – MAKE PEYTON WHINE. The Colts are so used to winning that many seem to have forgotten that Peyton Manning can be a whiner of the highest order. If they continue to play in close games and continue to lose a fair number of them, watch for the whining to come out in full force. Indy 27, Wash 24.
•    Tenn @ Jax (+2.5). No idea what to do here. I have the same sort of indecision about a recent “dad jeans” situation that I’ve been dealing with. My dress shirts at work often become untucked in the back and while my reflex is to tuck them back in, I also realize that the tucked in look with a belt located higher than my waist makes me look like a clueless dad…who is not sure exactly where his waistline is. RB showdown in this one – should be a decent game though I still can’t believe Jax is 3-2 right now (like the whole AFC South). Jax 31, Tenn 24.