NFL Football- Week 10 of 2010

Before we start with the picks, a big coaching shakeup took place on Monday afternoon in "Big D" as the Dallas Cowboys fired head coach Wade Phillips after a 45-7 thrashing in Green Bay on Sunday Night Football. The Cowboys, who are 1-7, are the second-worst team in the NFL, in a year that was supposed to be full of expectations. Cowboys Offensive Coordinator Jason Garrett will take over as interim head coach, and Defensive Line coach Paul Pasqueloni will be the Cowboys Defensive Coordinator.

In other NFL news, on Tuesday, the Detroit Lions placed Quarterback Matthew Stafford on injured reserve. (More on that when DJBC Sports Corner picks the Detroit-Buffalo game)


GAME OF THE WEEK: New York Jets (6-2) at Cleveland Browns (3-5)- Sunday at 1PM on CBS at Cleveland Browns Stadium (Cleveland, OH)

Once upon a time in the NFL, a young boy called Mangenius led a team in the city that never sleeps, called the Jets. After a few years Head Coaching the New York Jets, this self-proclaimed Mangenius set sail on the shore of Lake Erie. Who do the Cleveland Browns/Clowns play this weekend? The J-E-T-S, New York Jets. Did I mention that the Twin Brothers Ryan will be on opposite sidelines once again? And Braylon Edwards returns to Cleveland after being traded to the Jets last offseason? The J-E-T-S better have some trick plays on defense to stop the trickery on offense, case in point, Wide Receiver Chansi Stuckey's touchdown run in Sunday's game against the Patriots, when all of the Pats defensive players had their eyes on Josh Cribbs. Are the Cleveland Clowns for real? Well, in a season full of weirdness (idle Oakland is 5-4)...
Pick: Cleveland 24-17


THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL:
Baltimore Ravens at Atlanta Falcons (both 6-2)- Thursday at 8PM on NFL Network at Georgia Dome (Atlanta, GA)
Thursday Night Football kicks off (again) in a "Battle of the Birds" in Hotlanta, when you have the high-flying Falcons offense, led by Quarterback Matt Ryan hosting the high-flying Ravens defense, led by 15-year veteran Ray Lewis, and safety Ed Reed. This will be a great game, in case the Thursday night network lineups are boring you to death.
Pick: Baltimore 17-14

SUNDAY AFTERNOON GAMES:
Cincinnati Bengals (2-6) at Indianapolis Colts (5-3)- Sunday at 1PM on CBS at Lucas Oil Stadium (Indianapolis, IN)
Terrell Owens said it best in last night's postgame press conference, "(The Bengals are) the best 2-6 team in the league." Let me help you all out- close is NOT GOOD ENOUGH. If close were good enough, the Bengals would be 6-2 right now and in the Alan Thicke of things this season. The last time the Bengals were in Indy, they were flat out embarrassed in a 34-3 spanking that sent them to the odd palindromic record of 1-11-1. The Bengals have not beaten the Colts since 1997 (a 28-13 Bengal win almost 13 years to the day), when Peyton Manning was a senior at the University of Tennessee. The Colts came close to victory, by Manning was picked off by Eagles corner Asante Samuel twice, with the second pick coming with eleven seconds left as the Colts lost 26-24. This will either be a barn-burner (like the 2005 epic 45-37 Colts win at Paul Brown Stadium) or a dud (like the aforementioned 2008 spanking). 40 years ago, the Bengals became the first (and last) team to make the playoffs after a 2-6 start. 40 years later...not really. Hopefully, the Bengals draft Cam Newton or Andrew Luck in next spring's draft.
Pick: Indianapolis 41-10

Carolina Panthers (1-7) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-3)- Sunday at 1PM on Fox at Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, FL)
Boy wonder Jimmy Clausen is the man for the Panthers for the rest of the season, as Matt Moore was placed on injured reserve with a shoulder injury. Nobody really gives a damn. This is one game in which Josh Freeman won't need his fourth quarter heroics. Through nine weeks and over 140 NFL games in the 2010 NFL season, it is amazing that there has only been one shutout (Week 8's 9-0 defensive field goal affair between the Packers and Jets that had everyone seeing green) and we're now in the second half of the NFL season. Isn't it about time for another shutout in the NFL?
Pick: Tampa Bay 35-0

Detroit Lions (2-6) at Buffalo Bills (0-8)- Sunday at 1PM on Fox at Ralph Wilson Stadium (Orchard Park, NY)
Last week, the Detroit Lions had opportunities to put away the J-E-T-S, Jets, in a battle of two of this year's Thanksgiving Day NFL hosts. Stafford reaggravated his shoulder, abruptly ending his sophomore season in the NFL as the New York Jets rallied to top the Lions in overtime 23-20. Now that Stafford's season is over, can the Buffalo Bills get their first win of the year? After losing close games to Baltimore, Kansas City, and Chicago (all by three points), this could be the week where the Bills get their first win. On a side note for the Bills, Bills receiver Roscoe Parrish was placed on injured reserve with a wrist injury after the Bills 22-19 loss to Chicago in Toronto. Anyway, Bills get it done, finally **Bills fans, keep your fingers crossed**.
Pick: Buffalo 27-10

Houston Texans at Jacksonville Jaguars (both 4-4)- Sunday at 1PM on CBS at EverBank Field (Jacksonville, FL)
Pick: Jacksonville 24-21

Tennessee Titans (5-3) at Miami Dolphins (4-4)- Sunday at 1PM on CBS at Sun Life Stadium (Opa Locka, FL)
The Dolphins are 0-3 at home, and 4-1 on the road, suffering their first road loss of the year in Baltimore last week.
Pick: Tennessee 27-20

Minnesota Vikings (3-5) at Chicago Bears (5-3)- Sunday at 1PM on Fox at Soldier Field (Chicago, IL)
If the Vikings did not rally from 14 down, Brad Childress would be the former Head Coach of the Minnesota Vikings right now. However, Childress is not guaranteed job security through the rest of the season. This is a must-win for the Vikings, if Childress wants to save his job, and if the Vikes want to save their season. Look for the Vikings to go all out in this NFC North rivalry.
Pick: Minnesota 20-17

Kansas City Chiefs (5-3) at Denver Broncos (2-6)- Sunday at 4PM on CBS at Invesco Field at Mile High (Denver, CO)
After being jet-lagged in London, the Broncos return home to Mile High. The last time they played here, the Oakland Raiders hung almost 60 points on them. While the Broncos may not surrender 60 points this go around, stick a fork in Denver, because not even greats like John Elway, Shannon Sharpe, Terrell Davis, and Jason Elam can save this horse from being euthanized.
Pick: Kansas City 28-10

Seattle Seahawks (4-4) at Arizona Cardinals (3-5)- Sunday at 4:15PM on Fox at University of Phoenix Stadium (Glendale, AZ)
Pick: Arizona 21-14

St. Louis Rams (4-4) at San Francisco 49ers (2-6)- Sunday at 4:15PM on Fox at Candlestick Park (San Francisco, CA)
Mike Singletary still thinks he can get the 49ers to the playoffs. Bulls**t.
Pick: St. Louis 27-14

Speaking of America's Team...
Dallas Cowboys (1-7) at New York Giants (6-2)- Sunday at 4:15PM on Fox at New Meadowlands Stadium (East Rutherford, NJ)
Jason Garrett's first game as an NFL coach will probably be a disappointing one as the Romo-less Cowboys will get swept away in the City that Never Sleeps by the Giants, who will win their sixth straight.
Pick: NY Giants 42-7

SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL:
New England Patriots at Pittsburgh Steelers (both 6-2)- Sunday at 8:20PM on NBC at Heinz Field (Pittsburgh, PA)
Last week, the Patriots lost to the most-inept professional sports team in Northeast Ohio, as the Cleveland Browns used trickery as student (Eric Mangini) topped teacher (Bill Belichick) 34-14, while the Steelers almost lost to the most-inept professional sports team in ALL of Ohio, as the Steelers scored 10 points in the first five minutes off of Bengals special teams miscues, and held off a big Bengals fourth-quarter rally in a 27-21 win over the Bengals. This week, the Steelers return home (after a short week of practice) as the Patriots try to regroup from losing in Cleveland.
Pick: Pittsburgh 27-24

MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL:
Philadelphia Eagles (5-3) at Washington Redskins (4-4)- Monday at 8:30PM on ESPN at FedEx Field (Landover, MD)
Back in Week 4, we gave you all an analogy to live by. The last time that Michael Vick played the Redskins, he suffered a rib injury that kept him out for a few games. This week, the Eagles go to our Nation's Capital to play the Redskins on Monday night football. The last time Washington played, Donovan McNabb was benched in favor of Rex Grossman in a 37-25 loss to Detroit. What was Mike Shanahan thinking? He wasn't.
Pick: Philadelphia 28-13

PLAY OF THE WEEK: Oakland receiver Jacoby Ford's 94-yard kickoff return for a touchdown
(Runners-Up: Green Bay linebacker Clay Matthews' 62-yard interception return for a touchdown; Cleveland receiver Chansi Stuckey's run for a touchdown)
TOP EIGHT:
1) NY Giants (6-2)
2) Pittsburgh (6-2)
3) NY Jets (6-2)
4) Green Bay (6-3)
5) Atlanta (6-2)
6) Baltimore (6-2)
7) Tennessee (5-3)
8) Tampa Bay (5-3)

BOTTOM FOUR:
29) Cincinnati (2-6)
30) Buffalo (0-8)
31) Dallas (1-7)
32) Carolina (1-7)

Week 9 Results: 8-5

OPEN DATES (the last bye weeks of 2010): Green Bay Packers (6-3), Oakland Raiders (5-4), New Orleans Saints (6-3), San Diego Chargers (4-5)

MIDTERM REPORT CARD:
A+- None
A/A-- New York Giants (6-2), Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2), Atlanta Falcons (6-2), Baltimore Ravens (6-2), New York Jets (6-2)
B+- Green Bay Packers (6-3), Tampa Bay Bucs (5-3), New England Patriots (6-2),
B-- Philadelphia Eagles (5-3)
C+- Cleveland Clowns/Browns (3-5), New Orleans Saints (6-3), Tennessee Titans (5-3), Indianapolis Colts (5-3), Miami Dolphins (4-4), Jacksonville Jaguars (4-4), Oakland Raiders (5-4)
C- Houston Texans (4-4), Washington Redskins (4-4), Chicago Bears (5-3), Kansas City Chiefs (5-3)
C-- Arizona Cardinals and Minnesota Vikings (3-5)
D+- Seattle Seahawks (4-4), Detroit Lions (2-6)
D-- Cincinnati Bengals, Denver Broncos, and San Francisco 49ers (2-6)
F- Carolina Panthers and Dallas Cowboys (1-7), Buffalo Bills (0-8)

CELLAR DWELLER WATCH: Buffalo Bills at Cincinnati Bengals- Next Week
TURKEY DAY TRIFECTA: New England Patriots at Detroit Lions, New Orleans Saints at Dallas Cowboys, and Cincinnati Bengals at New York Jets- Thanksgiving Day