Seriously, how can we have a Thanksgiving game without John Madden? His rambling is all the tryptophan I need. But we got some picks to make, and Thursday games press me into action today. Lesgo!
1. Denver at Kansas City. The Chiefs seem to have the upper hand here. They aren't coming off of a blown lead four days earlier on national television. They get to play in their own stadium, which is so loud it sometimes appears structurally unsound. Getting Brian Waters back means they can run without needing to keep Tony Gonzalez in to block. Pick your poison as the running back draws the weak side and middle linebackers up to the line of scrimmage to mirror Johnson and Denver's safeties watch Gonzalez to closely while Eddie Kennison pulls a double move and burns you for the touchdown. Trent Green is back. Chiefs 31, Denver 20.
2. New Orleans at Atlanta. The Saints have only held three teams to less than twenty one points all season. Atlanta has lost its last three games, scoring only 37 points combined in them. One of these trends will break, and I'm betting its the second one. We're gonna see a game with both teams in the thirties. I want to favor New Orleans at home, but Atlanta knows it has to turn its season around right now. A second loss to New Orleans kills them in their division. But New Orleans will win it late with Drew Brees, the best quarterback right now in the league, bar none. Yeah, I said it! Saints 42, Falcons 39.
3. Pittsburgh at Baltimore. Baltimore's defense is back, but Pittsburgh is playing like a man who owes money to a crack dealer: desperate and dangerous. They barely beat Cleveland, but Cleveland has only lost one game by more than ten points all season. This one will be close, dirty, and unspectacular offensively. Perhaps Santonio Holmes or B.J. Sams will grace us with a great return, or anyone on the Ravens defense for that matter. Sorry, but I'm giving this game to the team that wants it more, and thats gonna be the road team. Steelers 16, Ravens 9.
4. Chicago at New England. I can't see either team scoring much in this game. Tom Brady and the Patriots are 1-3 when they score 20 points or less. Chicago will hold them to three scores or less. Can their offense get going? Berrian's ribs must be getting better by now. Defensive score by the Bears is the difference again. Bears 16, Patriots 13.
And finally: 5 REASONS WHY THE 49ERS WILL BEAT THE RAMS ON SUNDAY:
1. Frank Gore and his beautiful, pulling offensive line. Did I tell you, or did I tell you? One block at the line of scrimmage and he's gone. They might not get that many yards this week, but St. Louis gives up almost 40 rushing yards per game more than Seattle, even after giving up 262 to fuck up their average last week. Gore gets at least 150.
2. Brandon Moore. The 49ers have a terrible pass defense, so guess what? They're gonna blitz St. Louis hard, because only Oakland and Cleveland give up more passes. Bulger is Drew Bledsoe around his prime, a pinpoint pocket passer who couldn't slip out of a tackle to save his life.
3. Norv Turner. When the weakness is the running game, defenses tend to pack the line and depend on their corners to single up on the receivers. But Gore blew up Seattle, and something tells me Rams defensive coaches probably checked the tape and noticed what I did. So don't sell out at the line, what does that leave you? Deep safeties with their eyes on the backfield. Run fake! Double route, touchdown.
4. Alex Smith. He hasn't really broken out this year, although his 69.2 % completion rate is spectacular. He hasn't hit 300 yards because we haven't needed to. But teams are gonna try to make him beat them after Gore's performance last week. I think he can do it. He is more judicious this year with his throws, and I think he does what he has to. Three touchdowns, hopefully not 300 yards because that would mean a close game.
5. Adam Goldberg. The revered Orlando Pace went down during the loss to Seattle. The next week, Goldberg started for the Rams. His job: protect Bulger's blindside. The result: the Panthers harassed Bulger all day, recording seven sacks, making him throw for 142 yards, a season low. The man matching up with Goldberg, Mike Rucker, scored two sacks. The Rams had seven three-and-outs and punted nine times while being shut out. The Niners' defense isn't as good as the Panthers', but they can put pressure on.
So let's see. Gore runs for 150, Alex Smith gets three touchdowns, the Niners get five sacks and this one isn't even close. St. Louis fans leave in the fourth quarter. Hell, maybe Bulger goes out for the year. Anyways:
Niners 34, Rams 17.
1. Denver at Kansas City. The Chiefs seem to have the upper hand here. They aren't coming off of a blown lead four days earlier on national television. They get to play in their own stadium, which is so loud it sometimes appears structurally unsound. Getting Brian Waters back means they can run without needing to keep Tony Gonzalez in to block. Pick your poison as the running back draws the weak side and middle linebackers up to the line of scrimmage to mirror Johnson and Denver's safeties watch Gonzalez to closely while Eddie Kennison pulls a double move and burns you for the touchdown. Trent Green is back. Chiefs 31, Denver 20.
2. New Orleans at Atlanta. The Saints have only held three teams to less than twenty one points all season. Atlanta has lost its last three games, scoring only 37 points combined in them. One of these trends will break, and I'm betting its the second one. We're gonna see a game with both teams in the thirties. I want to favor New Orleans at home, but Atlanta knows it has to turn its season around right now. A second loss to New Orleans kills them in their division. But New Orleans will win it late with Drew Brees, the best quarterback right now in the league, bar none. Yeah, I said it! Saints 42, Falcons 39.
3. Pittsburgh at Baltimore. Baltimore's defense is back, but Pittsburgh is playing like a man who owes money to a crack dealer: desperate and dangerous. They barely beat Cleveland, but Cleveland has only lost one game by more than ten points all season. This one will be close, dirty, and unspectacular offensively. Perhaps Santonio Holmes or B.J. Sams will grace us with a great return, or anyone on the Ravens defense for that matter. Sorry, but I'm giving this game to the team that wants it more, and thats gonna be the road team. Steelers 16, Ravens 9.
4. Chicago at New England. I can't see either team scoring much in this game. Tom Brady and the Patriots are 1-3 when they score 20 points or less. Chicago will hold them to three scores or less. Can their offense get going? Berrian's ribs must be getting better by now. Defensive score by the Bears is the difference again. Bears 16, Patriots 13.
And finally: 5 REASONS WHY THE 49ERS WILL BEAT THE RAMS ON SUNDAY:
1. Frank Gore and his beautiful, pulling offensive line. Did I tell you, or did I tell you? One block at the line of scrimmage and he's gone. They might not get that many yards this week, but St. Louis gives up almost 40 rushing yards per game more than Seattle, even after giving up 262 to fuck up their average last week. Gore gets at least 150.
2. Brandon Moore. The 49ers have a terrible pass defense, so guess what? They're gonna blitz St. Louis hard, because only Oakland and Cleveland give up more passes. Bulger is Drew Bledsoe around his prime, a pinpoint pocket passer who couldn't slip out of a tackle to save his life.
3. Norv Turner. When the weakness is the running game, defenses tend to pack the line and depend on their corners to single up on the receivers. But Gore blew up Seattle, and something tells me Rams defensive coaches probably checked the tape and noticed what I did. So don't sell out at the line, what does that leave you? Deep safeties with their eyes on the backfield. Run fake! Double route, touchdown.
4. Alex Smith. He hasn't really broken out this year, although his 69.2 % completion rate is spectacular. He hasn't hit 300 yards because we haven't needed to. But teams are gonna try to make him beat them after Gore's performance last week. I think he can do it. He is more judicious this year with his throws, and I think he does what he has to. Three touchdowns, hopefully not 300 yards because that would mean a close game.
5. Adam Goldberg. The revered Orlando Pace went down during the loss to Seattle. The next week, Goldberg started for the Rams. His job: protect Bulger's blindside. The result: the Panthers harassed Bulger all day, recording seven sacks, making him throw for 142 yards, a season low. The man matching up with Goldberg, Mike Rucker, scored two sacks. The Rams had seven three-and-outs and punted nine times while being shut out. The Niners' defense isn't as good as the Panthers', but they can put pressure on.
So let's see. Gore runs for 150, Alex Smith gets three touchdowns, the Niners get five sacks and this one isn't even close. St. Louis fans leave in the fourth quarter. Hell, maybe Bulger goes out for the year. Anyways:
Niners 34, Rams 17.
