BT Picks: New England, Tennessee, Washington prove they don’t suck in Week 3

BroncoTalk staffers J. Kenneth K., Mr. East and Kyle predict each week’s winners.

Tennessee at New York Jets (-2.5)

The defensively tough came-out-of-nowhere team of 2008 travels to face the defensively tough came-out-of-nowhere team of 2009. Mark Sanchez has been getting all the credit for the Jets’ success, but he’s really a game manager who’s making a few clutch throws. Sounds like Kerry Collins, doesn’t it? But I’m not ready to crown the Jets, and I’m not ready to declare Jeff Fisher’s team dead (which is what predicting an 0-3 start would be doing). I think the Titans show some pride and bounce back.

Pick: Titans, 20-17

Jacksonville at Houston (-4)

Jacksonville is all kinds of messed up and Houston is on the rebound. Expect a huge day from Andre Johnson and the Texans to cover the spread. Jacksonville gives up 8.1 yards a pass and David Garrard has no protection getting sacked 5 times already so expect Mario Williams eat Garrard for lunch. The Jags offense can’t stay on the field averaging 27:21 T.O.P so far, obviously that means Andre Johnson will get more chances to catch more touchdowns which will spell doom for Jacksonville. If I was a betting man I’d definitely put my money on Houston over the spread. Maurice Jones-Drew could spell an upset here because the Texans have allowed 6.4 yards a rush due to Chris Johnson‘s monster day, but they still pull out the win. The big difference between Johnson and MJD is that Johnson actually has an offensive line. Jacksonville’s main way of scoring this game is through Josh Scobee kicking field goals through Garrard’s massive tooth gap.

Pick: Texans

Kansas City at Philadelphia (-9)

Kolb, Garcia, Vick, Scott Bakula from Necessary Roughness. It really doesn’t matter who’s under center in this one, the Chiefs just don’t seem to have enough going for them. KC drops to 0-3. Eagles prove their defense is good enough to help them get by until McNabb is healthy again, only to later prove that they still can’t win a Superbowl.

Pick: Eagles

Cleveland at Baltimore (-13.5)

The Baltimore Ravens have an offense, but no one seems to want to bring up the fact that their defense isn’t so stout. They’ve given up 50 points to the Chiefs and Chargers, who scored a total of 34 points against the Raiders (weird coincidence there). I don’t believe that will have any relevance in this game, though, I just felt like pointing it out. The Browns have talent in spots, but they’ve already quit on Eric Mangini.

Pick: Ravens, 37-0

New York Giants (-6.5) at Tampa Bay

The spread is only a touchdown for this game? Tampa Bay is in all sorts of disarray. The funny thing is Raheem Morris has gotten it easy compared to Josh McDaniels this offseason and there’s so many similarities. Of course Morris didn’t send his franchise QB out of the state, then again he doesn’t have a franchise QB. Morris right now is praying the Josh Freeman is the answer, but he didn’t look good at all in preseason. Morris has made some serious rookie mistakes such as trading up to get Freeman, because he thought McDaniels was interested, when he would have obviously still been there.

A few months ago if Rich Eisen would have said “Raheem Morris is on a hotter seat that McDaniels” Jamie ‘Bombshell’ Dukes would have half thought up “No way! He got rid of a franchise quarterback! The offense was number two in the NFL! The defense is horrible! None of the players even trust McDaniels!” Eisen would have retorted “Rod Smith was in the show and he said the players trust and like McDaniels system, and the offense was only 16th in points Jamie” and Dukes would have every so eloquently spewed “The players trust and like Josh McDaniels’ system? Like that means anything, he doesn’t have any trust among his players. Rich I have a bombshell for you… I’m fat and yards are everything. I know what I’m talking about Rich, I started exactly half of the games throughout my NFL career… Jay Cutler Jay Cutler Jay Cutler.”

Anyways, I’d go with the Giant’s to clobber the spread. If the Giants beat the Cowboys on the road during their massive stadium opener, they should do fine on the road. Eli Manning has turned Mario Manningham and USC Alumnus Steve Smith into yard racking machines. Which is very similar to the Tampa Bay secondary who allows 10.1 yards a pass… wow… they average a first down for every throw. Not only that the defense allows 5.7 yards a rush and like I’ve said before, Brandon Jacobs will eat your family.

Pick: Giants

Washington (-6.5) at Detroit

The fashionable pick this week is the Lions. Makes sense, I mean they have to win sometime right? The Redskins have looked bad in the opening two weeks, and the coaching check mark is surely not on their side. I just don’t see the Lions breaking through on this game. Washington has to win if they want any chance at all of staying close in their division, even though it’s a lost cause, I think this games a win for the Redskins.

Pick: Redskins

Green Bay (-6.5) at St. Louis

Everyone’s preseason darlings (Green Bay) were humbled last week at home against the “lowly” Bengals, but I think Aaron Rodgers and, more importantly, that revamped 3-4 defense bounce back against a St. Louis team that can’t get out of its own way.

Pick: Packers, 24-14

San Francisco at Minnesota (-7)

I’m actually really excited for this game. This is San Fransisco’s first big test of the season. I’m scared of Mike Singletary so I don’t want to say San Fran will lose. San Fransisco has shut down a few good runners; if they can contain Adrian Peterson they’ll force Brett ‘I have a bent fingernail’ Favre to throw it and they should like those odds. Patrick Willis might kill a man before his career is over, so I’d watch out for offensive player in his way. This is a hard one but I’ll take San Fransisco in a close one for the upset.

Pick: 49ers

Atlanta at New England (-4)

Big game. Possibly the second biggest game of the week behind DEN @ OAK. Both teams are saying something with a W. While I do think that the Falcons are the team on the rise & the Patriots have started their slow decline, don’t expect Belichick to let this one go. Welker is expected to play, and Welker is better than the other white Patriot that looks like Welker. I think Brady/Moss/Welker find a way to get it done in a tough one.

Pick: Patriots

Chicago (-2.5) at Seattle

Very surprised at the spread of this game. Was this before or after reports that Matt Hasselbeck wouldn’t play? Jay Cutler‘s first career game was a Sunday Nighter against the ‘Hawks in Denver that he almost pulled out; I see J.C. getting revenge in the great Northwest, as loud as the stadium will be.

Pick: Bears, 27-16

New Orleans (-6) at Buffalo

New Orleans by 1,000. Next.

Pick: Saints

Miami at San Diego (-5.5)

How can I pick the Chargers to win even if I think it’s the right pick? I can’t, but good news is I don’t think it’s the right pick. Norv Turner is bound to finally bring this team down. A Miami win helps us gain separation in the division.

Pick: Dolphins

Pittsburgh (-4) at Cincinnati

The Bengals are one of the several NFL teams at risk of multiple home game blackouts this season, but this game isn’t one of them; Steelers fans made this a sellout before the season started. They’ll be disappointed. The Bengals boast the league’s sack leader, Antwan Odom, who tallied two against Denver and five against Green Bay. Pittsburgh’s offensive line is a sieve in pass protection while their running game is a joke. Bengals score just enough to win in a game devoid of offense.

Pick: Bengals, 9-6

Denver (-1.5) at Oakland

JaMarcus Russel will get heart burn from too many bacon cheeseburgers to throw the ball properly. Denver’s revamped run defense should be able to contain Oakland’s rush attack enough to pull off the win over the spread (1.5). I’ll have more on this before the game airs.

Pick: Broncos

Indianapolis at Arizona (-2.5)

Which is Peyton better at? Winning night games or making great commercials? The Cardinals don’t seem to want to run the ball, so they will go to the air, so Fitzgerald could see the end zone a few times. Look for this one to be high scoring and close, but in the end Peyton takes Sunday Night.

Pick: Colts

Carolina at Dallas (-8.5)

Carolina is so hard to figure out, mostly because of Jake Delhomme. Anyone’s who watched any Panthers football over the past five-plus years knows Jake is perfectly capable of leading a dynamic offense. So what the hell happened? Who will we see this week, Jake, Delhomme or del bum? That being said, Mr. Romo didn’t play so well last week either. I think both have good games because I flipped a coin twice and decided that’s what two heads meant, and I think Cowboys squeak out a win, fail to cover.

Pick: Cowboys, 27-24