NFL 2011 Weeks 9 & 10 Comprehensive Picks

Week 9 of the 2011 NFL season is here and I'm having a pretty good season this year: I'm 57-54 against the point spreads and am close to 70% in straight picks. Here are my picks for the fourteen games being played this week. The games will be played on November 6-7, 2011.

Week 10 is closing in with a Thursday night game between San Diego and Oakland kicking off the week...Week 9 was bizarre with home teams going an incredible 3-11 with upsets appearing everywhere. Betters were surprised as teams' weaknesses were revealed in front of surprised home fans. Monday night featured the Eagles losing at home to a no-respect underdog Bears team: the Bears continue to win against all odds apparently with tough defense and Jay Cutler at quarterback getting no respect from odds makers despite going to the NFC Championship game last season. The Steelers gave back a game to a tough Ravens team that won't give up at the end of games...the Ravens and Steelers look to be good enough to play for the AFC title in January of 2012. A field goal not being attempted here or there due to ineffective offensive posturing seems to be all it takes to decide those games between those intense rivals. Green Bay is rolling and looks to be able to score as many points as they need to to win games...they went on the road to San Diego last week and scored at will: who knows if the Green Bay defense that was rated number two in scoring last year will ever need to show its stopping power. Possibly by Super Bowl time the Packers will need a tough defense...it appears they could face either the Steelers or the Ravens if things go as they appear to be going. New England has had offensive problems having scored 20 or less points three straight weeks. I'm sour on the Pats as Ochocinco seems to be causing turmoil in Beantown though he needs to be integrated and experts think he'll start contributing receptions to the offensive output of New England. The Pats go to New York to face the Jets this week and I'm curious if the Pats will be stifled four straight weeks. This is a big game for both teams: the Jets seem to be able to win with an under-performing offense thus proving that you can win games without a star-studded offense. No one seems to think that the Jets can win even though they have been able to with an offense that throws short pass routes and relies on a defense to balance the weak offensive effort. I think the Super Bowl is going through Green Bay this year: the Packers are unbeaten and look to be coasting toward home-field throughout the NFC playoffs. They will lose one I'm sure, but it might not be til they win ten games which is a plateau the Packers have been shooting for. Last year they went to the Super Bowl without a home playoff game: this year will be different. Here are the Week 10 games which start on Thursday night November 10 in San Diego.

To see a video presentation of my Week 10 picks visit my YouTube channel HERE.

The home team is last in my picks just so you know. All 32 teams are playing this week, Week 10.

Week 10
Oakland Vs San Diego...this game is tough to pick as all the teams in the AFC West are 4-4...
Winner...San Diego...Against the Spread...Oakland (+7.5)

Detroit Vs Chicago...the Bears beat a flashy Philly team with grit and tough defense in Week 9...
Winner...Chicago...Against the Spread...Chicago (-2.5)

Jacksonville Vs Indy...the Colts are winless and I pity the weak teams though they eventually win at least one game: how can they not win one...this is a good one for them to win but not this week please...
Winner...Jacksonville...Against the Spread...Jacksonville (-2.5)

Denver Vs Kansas City...who hasn't said something stupid about Tim Tebow: I don't know why he's so divisive a player. So what! I don't care if he can't throw: he proves he can win without a passing brain; so let him run the ball. Who cares. I don't know who to pick here after home teams imploded last week...
Winner...Denver...Against the spread...Denver (+4)

Pittsburgh Vs Cincinnati...turmoil is on my mind after last week though the Steelers lost a game they could have won...The Bengals have improved greatly from last year...
Winner...Pittsburgh...Against the Spread... Pittsburgh (-3)

Buffalo Vs Dallas...alas, Dallas has gotten through the minefield of Sumer and early Fall games and they're where they're comfy that being at home in November...but I'm never comfortable bettin' on the Cowboys who throw the ball around in all sorts of unusual ways...here's my pick anywhat way...
Winner...Buffalo...Against the spread...Buffalo (+6)

New Orleans Vs Atlanta...this is a divisional game which makes it tough to estimate some would say, though the Saints can score points and divisional games matter since head-to-head games are the number tie-breaker to settle ties at season's end. I think the Saints have the measure of the Falcons who are tough though...
Winner...New Orleans...Against the spread...New Orleans (-1)

St Louis Vs Cleveland...WAKE UP it's still going on!! Oh, did I miss the field goal...who cares about this one...here it is anywhat way...that's how I meant to say that...Cleveland wins this one with a late lake-wind-gust-game-ending-walk-off 64-yard field goal...3-0
Winner...Cleveland...Against the Spread...Cleveland (-2.5)

Washington Vs Miami...I was glad that Miami won last week because I was going to start calling them Mimi, my diminutive long-since-passed grandmother who would also likely have been winless as well through Week 9. Mimi could hide in those mountainous man-beast shadows though so she could have broken free through the tall shadows for an occasional TD I surmise...
Winner...Miami...Against the spread...Washington (+3.5)

Houston Vs Tampa Bay...Houston is a road fave this week in Tampa Bay as the no-respect thing is in Tampa this week...this Bucs team was 10-6 last year....the Bucs have trouble beating good teams...
Winner...Houston...Against the spread...Houston (-3)

Arizona Vs Philly...I'm pretty sure the Eagles will beat the Cardinals in this one...the Cardinals are playing like they are in church not wishing to disturb the illegal aliens and parishioners. It has frequently been the case in Arizona that they act like that...the Kurt Warner years were the exception to that behavior.
Winner...Philly...Against the spread...Philly (-13.5)

Tennessee Vs Carolina...Carolina hasn't seen great heights of success because Cam Newton doesn't have experienced receivers to throw to...after the initial shock and short off-season teams have adjusted to Newton's early blitz of numbers...
Winner...Tennessee...Against the spread...Tennessee (-2.5)

Baltimore Vs Seattle...this is a bad Seattle team with a great running back and a running-not-cunning quarterback. Baltimore shouldn't be worried by this game though it's a long plane trip to Seattle...I think the Ravens will be having Seattle toast with the local coffee...
Winner...Baltimore...Against the spread...Baltimore (-7.5)

New York Giants Vs San Francisco...San Fran is the best team in the NFL in 2011 against the spread...in their incredibly weak division they're easily the best though who can even still believe it...with a strong running game they have won all but one game this year. Out of the fog they appear and win: this will be a truth-test for them I suspect against a strong Giants team...San Ran it could be written...
Winner...San Fran...Against the spread...San Fran (-3.5)

New England...it looks as if the Pats are having real struggles finding solutions to their recent passing failures...the Jets are likely to win this one at home...
Winner...New York Jets...Against the spread...New York Jets (pick 'em)

Minnesota Vs Green Bay...the 8-0 Packers haven't reached the point where they let the rest of the division breathe: the Packers could crush the Vikings at home. The 13.5 points they are favored by is a huge number for a divisional game. I'll hesitate and still pick the Packers to cover in this Monday night game...
Winner...Packers...Against the spread...Green Bay (-13.5)



Week 9
Miami Vs Kansas City...This game is in Kansas City so I'm picking the Chiefs to win and cover...
Winner...Kansas City...Against the Spread...Kansas City (-5)

Atlanta Vs Indy...Indy is still win-less, but I think they'll remain win-less against the Falcons...
Winner...Atlanta...Against the Spread...Atlanta (-8)

Cleveland Vs Houston...Cleveland has struggled all year to move the ball and Houston can score big offensive numbers. This might be a wipe out.
Winner...Houston...Against the Spread...Houston (-10.5)

New York Jets Vs Buffalo...this is a divisional game and the Jets need to win it, but the Bills have played well this year and have a strong offense. I'll split my ticket.
Winner...Buffalo...Against the Spread...New York Jets (+1.5)

San Francisco Vs Washington...this Redskins team has revealed its young roots lately. This is a home game for the Redskins, but I lean toward the 49ers in this one.
Winner...San Francisco...Against the Spread...Washington (+4.5)

Seattle Vs Dallas...Dallas is a huge favorite in this one: they're at home and they might cover the big points.
Winner...Dallas...Against the Spread...Dallas (-12.5)

Tampa Bay Vs New Orleans...New Orleans this divisional match up earlier this season, but they're at home in this one. Mark Ingram is out for this game, but divisional games get the players attention.
Winner...New Orleans...Against the Spread...Tampa Bay (+7.5)

Cincinnati Vs Tennessee...This game is in Nashville and I'll pick the veteran Titans versus the young though talented Bengals.
Winner...Tennessee...Against the Spread...Tennessee (-2.5)

Denver Vs Oakland...The Raiders are a big home favorite against the inexperienced Tebow-led Broncos: this might be a wipe out though Carson Palmer is still learning his new offense.
Winner...Oakland...Against the Spread...Oakland (-7)

New York Giants Vs New England...This home game for the Patriots is a big game: the Pats almost never lose at home it seems though this one will be a likely competitive game against the Giants: there could be an upset in this game though I won't pick it: I can't bet against the Pats at home with Brady around.
Winner...Patriots...Against the Spread...New York Giants (+8.5)

St Louis Vs Arizona...this game will feature backup quarterbacks as starters so that gives me the chance to pick St Louis: this game could be like the Seattle versus Cleveland game a few weeks ago. I'll pick the Rams to win 5-3 with a ninth inning two-run homer as time runs down.
Winner...St Louis...Against the Spread...St Louis (+3.5)

Green Bay Vs San Diego...San Diego has the offense to beat Green Bay it sometimes appears though tight end injuries will hamper that: if Green Bay mails it in the Chargers could win, but the Packers might still be thinking about going 16-0.
Winner... Green Bay...Against the Spread...Green Bay (-5.5)

Baltimore Vs Pittsburgh...Pittsburgh usually (lately) have won this home game matchup for them: the Ravens are competitive though this divisional game will probably go to the home team.
Winner...Pittsburgh...Against the Spread...Pittsburgh (-2.5)

Chicago Vs Philly...Philly needs to win and at home and they look good enough to do that: the Bears have special teams speed that might be a factor this week. I am picking Philly who had a sieve for a defense early on this year, but Chicago doesn't seem likely to exploit it.
Winner...Philly...Against the Spread...Philly (-6.5)

Resources:
ESPN.go.com