Left field
The Reuters global sports blog
The Lineman: Week Nine NFL Picks
Week Eight was full of surprises, not many of them pleasant. The St. Louis Rams taking down the New Orleans Saints was the big shocker while the New York Giants and Baltimore Ravens managed to escape with wins but were unimpressive failing to cover.
It all it added up to a disappointing 2-4 week but we bounce back in Week Nine.
Record: 25-23; Last week 2-4; Pick of the Week: 6-2
PICK OF THE WEEK
Atlanta Falcons (4-3) at Indianapolis Colts (0-8)
(Line Falcons minus-7.5)
You have to feel for Indy, no NBA and no NFL. It is apparent now that there will not be any meaningful football played at Lucas Oil Stadium until the Super Bowl hits town in February.
It has been a truly miserable season for Colts fans, who can’t even get excited about the possibility of landing superstar college quarterback Andrew Luck with injured Peyton Manning having just signed a ba-zillion dollar contract.
After being pounded 62-7 by the Saints, the Colts bounced back last week and only lost by 17 to the Titans but now await the Falcons coming off a bye week, well rested and starting to take flight as they chase a third straight win.
The Lineman: Week Seven NFL Picks
By Steve Keating
That was more like it, a very solid 5-1 effort in Week 6 after a very tough month of average results.
Could we be perfect in lucky Week 7? Feels good.
Record: 19-17. Last week 5-1
Pick of the Week: 5-1
PICK OF THE WEEK
Green Bay Packers (6-0) at Minnesota Vikings (1-5)
(Lines Packers minus-8.5)
Doesn’t it seem a long time ago that Brett Favre was the only storyline that matter in this NFC North rivalry?
NFL Week 16 picks
Well the Lineman hopes everyone is having a good holiday and would like to add to all the good cheer with a winning Week 16.
Happy Holidays and may all your picks be winning ones.
Record: 47-43. Last week 3-3. Pick of the Week: 8-7
PICK OF THE WEEK
Dallas Cowboys (9-5) at Washington Redskins (4-10) (Line Cowboys minus 6 1/2)
The Dallas Cowboys finally put an end to talk of a December swoon — for one week at least — after rolling into the Big Easy and taking down the unbeaten Saints last Sunday. After three tough contests against the Giants, Chargers and Saints, the Cowboys get a doormat for Christmas and it could be the perfect gift.
Week 11 NFL picks
Well, that was a bruising week but 2-4 still leaves the Lineman above .500.
After the last 2-4 we had a big bounce back week so that’s the game plan again.
I was going to start off by making the Miami Dolphins my Pick of the Week but since that game has been played, well that would be cheating (I think).
Week Ten NFL Picks
Well, the Lineman was back on track last week with a satisfying 4-2 performance that should have been 5-1 (Come on, who would EVER pick the Bucs to do in the Pack). At first glance – and second – this looks the toughest test so far this season with compelling stats to go both ways on a number of games. But no sitting on the fence, so here we go.
Record: 29-25. Last week 4-2. Pick of the Week: 5-4
PICK OF THE WEEK:
Denver Broncos (6-2) at Washington Redskins (2-6) (Line Broncos minus 3 1/2) I was not one of those getting all gushy about the Broncos 6-0 start to the season and two straight losses — albeit to tough opponents — have brought the Mile High boys back to earth.
The Lineman basks in glory, fears the worst
Well, the Lineman got the season off to a perfect start (click the link). Steelers get the win, Titans cover, score one for the Lineman.
We will bask in the glory while it lasts because the Lineman understands this is just the first play in a long season. Let’s hope we are still on the right side of the scoreboard come Tuesday.
Winnipeg sends former NFL star Pacman Jones packing
Ricky Williams, Doug Flutie and Warren Moon are among former NFL players who’ve deftly used Canada as a springboard to resurrect their careers south of the border, and Adam “Pacman” Jones seemed on the verge of following in their footsteps, albeit under very different circumstances.
After a week of intense speculation, it’s game over for Pacman, at least in Winnipeg. The Blue Bombers have announced that they’ve decided to abandon their attempt to bring the former Dallas Cowboys cornerback and kickoff return specialist to the Canadian Football League.
Terrell Owens hasn’t met a camera he didn’t like
Terrell Owens’ new reality show on VH1, “The T.O. Show”, debuted on Monday night and the reviews were not kind. One media member simply called it “a train wreck”, while television critic Jonathan Sto
rm used more colorful language saying, “The T.O. Show is so shallow mosquitoes couldn’t breed in it…”
Neither the reviews of the show nor the fact Owens allowed cameras to follow him around are a surprise. Ever since he entered the NFL with the San Fransisco 49ers, Owens has been a lightning rod for controversy and has seemingly loved every minute of it.
Winners and losers of the 2009 NFL draft
Most football experts will tell you that it takes three full years to evaluate an NFL draft class, but don’t tell that to the media, who are only too happy to provide the instant gratification of a thumbs up or down analysis after less than 72 hours.
Draft guru Mel Kiper of ESPN gave the Green Bay Packers his highest grade, an A, based primarily on their top two picks of defensive tackle B.J. Raji and outside linebacker Clay Matthews. While the Oakland Raiders, who selected the speedy, but unpolished wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bay with the seventh overall pick and the Dallas Cowboys, who didn’t have a pick until the third round after trading away earlier selections, both received the lowest mark of D.
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