in NFL Free Picks

Did you know that there have never been two 60-yard field goals kicked in the same season before this season? Nope? Me either. What will the Bears do with Grossman? Will they try Griese just in case of injury or continued hard sucking? I think they should do something, even if it is for the second half of games. Grossman has gotten negative points in my fantasy league in four of the past seven weeks. That is really hard to do. What is not hard to do is to see that Griese, at least should get some time with the starting team before the playoffs get here, even if it is just to get his game legs alive in case Rex breaks another leg. Good luck this weekend to all except the Colts, Giants, Broncos and Cowboys.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS -1.5 AT JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS +1.5
Could this be the start of a losing streak for the Colts? On the road, in Jacksonville, where the Jaguars have been playing like a team possessed? You bet it could be. Peyton Manning ain’t gonna be happy at the end of this game, I would think. Then again, Peyton won’t be happy until he is hoisting a trophy called Lombardi at the end of a season. Cool. Peyton, methinks, is not ever going to be truly happy, and will one day take over from Dan Marino the title of the best-that-never-won.
PREDICTION: Jags to cover

NEW YORK GIANTS +3 AT CAROLINA PANTHERS -3
Well, the Giants pulled off a cover on me last week when I thought for sure they were done. I should have stuck with my preseason assessment of the G-men, where I said they have too much talent and pride to be a bad team. Unfortunately, I think the same thing about the Panthers here, especially at home. Of course, if Weinke has to start at QB, things are once again evened out. Julius Peppers should be able to burst through the left side of the Giants’ o-line and chase Eli around until he throws the ball up for grabs and into the waiting arms of a Panthers defender at least once, if not twice. That will be the difference in this game that should feature two good offenses finally gelling at the same time. I look for a high-scoring affair.
PREDICTION: Panthers to cover

DENVER BRONCOS +7.5 AT SAN DIEGO CHARGERS -7.5
Does 7.5 points seem like too many to give the defensive & offensive powerhouse that is this year’s version of the Chargers against a free-falling Broncos team that just switched to a rookie quarterback in the middle of a winning season, when they were right in the thick of the playoff hunt? Assuming that Philip Rivers, unlike so many veteran quarterbacks, knows enough to not try to force the ball deep on Champ Bailey’s side of the field, thus avoiding that sure turnover, I don’t think eight points is too many. LT2 will use this game to tie the single-season touchdown record and, if it is anywhere near close, he might even play hard enough to break it. I don’t think it will be too close, though and the Chargers will remain atop the myriad power rankings across the nation come Monday.
PREDICTION: Chargers to cover

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS +7 AT DALLAS COWBOYS -7
The Saints come into Dallas with the seemingly unlikely chance to get a jump on the Cowboys and Seahawks for the second first-round bye in the NFC playoff picture. It ain’t gonna happen, friends. Dallas has been nursing its defense along until it now resembles the fearsome unit Parcells told us it would become at the beginning of the season. Brees won’t be throwing for 300-plus yards against these guys and the ‘Pokes have been pretty stiff against the run lately too. Of course, the Saints can’t go all year without beating at least one team with a winning record, can they? With the Redskins, Giants and Panthers to finish off the season, they might do just that unless they pull out the upset in the big ‘D’.
PREDICTION: Saints to cover