NFL Picks: Week 2

Solid start for our team of NFL prognosticators in Week 1, led by a stellar showing from Gopo. Looks like someone threw down a serious gauntlet all the way from the West Coast to the Midwest. It also looks like the AFC North makes me want to hurl...again.

Standings (Through 9/13)
Gopo: 11-3-2
Figgs: 8-6-2
Nick: 8-6-2
Andy: 8-6-2
Bucko: 7-7-2

Nick's Money Picks ($): 2-2-1
Figgs' Money Picks ($): 2-1-1

Sunday games
1 pm starts

BROWNS (-1) vs Chieves
Andy: Browns eliminate the turnovers and even their mark at 1-1. Bucko? More like "Sucko."
Figgs: I'm sorry guys, I watched last week's game, I don't understand how we could possibly be giving points. KC (sad face). ($ +3)
Nick: Browns. I think Seneca Wallace is a better fit for this offense than Jake. Not throwing interceptions really makes you fit.
Bucko: Sorry guys, got to go with the Chieves here.
Gopo: Chiefs. If the Browns couldn't beat Tampa Bay, I can't pick them without getting some points.


TITANS (-5) vs Steelers
Andy: Titans. I like this Tennessee club, almost as much as I like picking against Pittsburgh.
Figgs: I'm sorry guys, I'm not sold on Tennessee yet, not for 5 points anyway. Steelers (sad face).
Nick: Titans. Pittsburgh can't move the football.
Bucko: Steelers. Their defense will keep it close.
Gopo: Steelers. 35 games with only 1 100 yard rusher (Rice). Includes 2 games against C. Johnson. I feel pretty good about trying to let Vince Young win this game.

VIKINGS (-5.5) vs Dolphins
Andy: Dolphins. I'm not down with the 2010 Vikings for some reason.
Figgs: Vikes. The Dolphins do not impress me one bit.
Nick: Fish. Favre has to show me something before I give 5.5 to a good team.
Bucko: Vikings. Peterson has a huge game.
Gopo: Dolphins. I just don't think this offense has anything this year - Percy Harvin might be the offensive version of Bob Sanders.

FALCONS (-6.5) vs Cardinals
Andy: Falcons. I'm going to keep picking against the Cardinals until I see a reason not to. This should be a bounce-back game at home for the Dirty Birds after a tough Week 1 loss in Pittsburgh.
Figgs: ATL. I'm not picking Derek Anderson ever again.
Nick: Birds. Good one, right? Falcons. Derek Anderson plays quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals.
Bucko: Falcons.
Gopo: Falcons. That's a lot of points, but the Cardinals are not good. Two word version of analysis: Derek Anderson

BENGALS (+1) vs Ravens
Andy: Bengals. They beat Baltimore twice last year, no reason they can't do it again.
Figgs: Ravens. Cincy is a fraud.
Nick: Rats. Wouldn't be shocked to see Cincy bounce back in this one though.
Bucko: Ravens. The best of the AFC North here.
Gopo: Ravens. It's too bad I don't bet on Football games because it's going to be really easy to continue making money until Vegas figures out the Bengals suck. Would love to be wrong on this game though.

COWBOYS (-9) vs Bears
Andy: Bears. I don't think they're any good, but I'm not giving nine to take Dallas.
Figgs: Dallas. 'Boys bounce back in a big way after a sluggish Week 1.
Nick: Bears. I don't think either of these teams are very good, so I'll take 9 points.
Bucko: Bears. The Cowboys are over-rated.
Gopo: Bears. This line is about preseason hype Cowboys, not real-life Cowboys.

LIONS (+4.5) vs Eagles
Andy: Eagles. This one is tough for me, but I think Michael Vick is going to run amok against Detroit.
Figgs: Philly. I'm with Burns, Stafford would make things much more interesting.
Nick: Eagles. Would think long and hard about the Lions if Stafford were healthy.
Bucko: Eagles. It is just scary what Vick can do.
Gopo: Lions. If you can figure out how to keep Vick from running, you win the game. I think Schwartz is up to the task.

PACKERS (-13) vs Buffaloes
Andy: Packers. This is one of those early-season ones where Vegas can't set the line high enough.
Figgs: Pack. I might give 20 in this one.
Nick: Pack. This line gets covered by halftime. ($)
Bucko: Packers. Buffalo will not be able to stop Rodgers.
Gopo: Packers. I really wanted to pick the Bills in this one - the Pack will win easily, but I feel like their weak D will let Buffalo creep back under the points by the end.

PANTHERS (-3.5) vs Bucs
Andy: Tampa Bay, for no particular reason.
Figgs: Panthers. Lock of the week. ($)
Nick: Panthers. Got in early at -2. ($)
Bucko: Panthers. Because the Bucs just suck.
Gopo: Panthers. I can easily see the Bucs losing the rest of their games.


4 pm kickoff

BRONCOS (-3.5) vs Seahawks
Andy: Broncos. Seattle got their fun opening week win, but they're not the same club away from Qwest.
Figgs: Denver. I'd take the home team either way.
Nick: Donks. Seattle's going from one of the biggest home field advantages to one of the toughest road stadiums.
Bucko: Broncos. I'll probably get this one wrong, but we are talking about the Seahawks they can't be as good as they played last week.
Gopo: Broncos. Agree with Andy - home field is huge for the Seahawks.

RAIDERS (-3.5) vs Rams
Andy: Raiders. I actually think they'll win this by a lot.
Figgs: Rams. I think the STL wins some games this year. Oakland is no good. ($)
Nick: Rams. I think Sam Bradford's going to be good.
Bucko: Rams. The Raiders didn't look good at all last week.
Gopo: Raiders. Tossup between two bad teams - I'll take the home club.

REDSKINS (+3) vs Texans
Andy: Texans. I'm not buying the Redskin hype just because Dallas fumbled away a game in DC last week. In Fantasy news, Nick's pickup of Arian Foster pretty much singlehandedly won my game last week. I then dumbly called him "Arian Flores" in a discussion later in the week. Once again, I'm glad Nick handled my draft.
Figgs: Texans. I'm gonna keep riding Houston until they give me a reason not to.
Nick: Texans. Washington's still a tough place to play, but Washington's offense sucks.
Bucko: Redskins. Their defense looked good last week. I think they'll keep Foster in check.
Gopo: Texans. The Redskins are not good - I watched most of that game last week and they looked good because the Cowboys were too busy sucking whale penis.

JETS (+1) vs Patriots
Andy: Jets. Picking New England seems too easy for some reason. Ha! I wrote that before I read what Nick said. Nick, don't forget how cockiness hasn't correlated well with winning percentage for you over the years.
Figgs: Pats. Not as confident as Nick to lay real money.
Nick: Pats. Too easy. ($ -2) Nick's edit: I'm not cocky. I have swagger. Big difference. Clubber Lang was cocky. Tom Cruise in 'Top Gun' had swagger.
Bucko: Jets. Man do I hate both of these teams.
Gopo: Patriots. This isn't even going to be close.

CHARGERS (-8.5) vs Jags
Andy: Jags. I absolutely hate this line, so I'll take the points. Ugh.
Figgs: Jax. This is too high, SD lost to Kansas City.
Nick: Jagoffs. Not sure about these Chargers yet.
Bucko: Jags. This is just a little much for me.
Gopo: Jags. This Chargers team will suck for the first 6 games, then win their awful division. Ah, must be nice to be in the AFC West.

COLTS (-5.5) vs Giants
Andy: Colts. JHH pointed out to me how infrequently the line actually comes into play, and I think Indy bounces back in this one bigtime.
Figgs: Indy. We all know Peyton and Eli are both no Cooper.
Nick: Giants. I would never lay money against the Colts in a night game, but this line is too high.
Bucko: Giants. I'm going to say the big brother wins, but it will be separated by a FG only.
Gopo: Giants. That Colts D just looked awful. Giants can pressure with 4 just as well as anyone and their run game is solid.

Monday Night Football
8:30 kickoff

49ERS (+4.5) vs Saints
Andy: Saints. I'm struggling to understand why this line isn't higher.
Figgs: Saints. 4.5? Really? ($)
Nick: Saints. There aren't many teams that should be under a TD against the Saints, and SF ain't one of 'em. ($)
Bucko: Saints. The 49ers have to show me something better than last week before I give them less than a TD against the Saints.
Gopo: Saints. 49ers didn't look worth of backing last week. Horrible showing against the Seahawks.