NFL WEEK 5 RECAP: FOOT in MOUTH

WEEK 5 SMACKTALK: FOOT IN MOUTH

Push! Push! Push! Seems to be the word of the day today as New England, Carolina, and St. Louis games were all pushes. Indianapolis has not fixed any of their problems from last week, Jon Kitna blew the Detroit game with a 4th quarter interception, Bledsoe blew a late quarter comeback, and Big Ben couldn't get it done in So Cal.
All in all, the foot was entirely lodged in my mouth for most of Sunday as perennials played poorly and only Chicago provided an old fashioned beat down. If you play an outright league, I'm brilliant. Leave a chimp alone long enough with a typewriter and even it will accidentally write a word or two. Baltimore's win Monday night will help…hopefully.

BUFFALO (2-2) at CHICAGO (4-0) Chicago favored by 10
Prediction: CHICAGO will cover.
Final: CHIC 40 BUFF 7 CORRECT
Chicago continued their dominance with an "old-fashioned beat down" against an overmatched Buffalo. Don't pick against Chicago for the rest of the season.

CLEVELAND (1-3) at CAROLINA (2-2) Carolina favored by 8
Prediction: CAROLINA will cover.
Final: CAR 20 CLE 12 PUSH
Cleveland gave up 7 points and Carolina called in another win behind Deshaun Foster's 106 yards on the ground. Carolina is definitely not the team everyone predicted in the preseason. I would be wary of them as the season goes on.

DETROIT (0-4) at MINNESOTA (2-2) Minnesota favored by 6.5
Prediction: MINNESOTA OUTRIGHT / DETROIT WITH THE POINTS
Final: MINN 26 DET 17 WRONG
I said it was a tough one but man did I have it right until Kitna threw a late 4th quarter interception that was returned by Henderson to cover the spread and blow my pick. Hope you went outright.

MIAMI (1-3) at NEW ENGLAND (3-1) New England favored by 10
Prediction: NEW ENGLAND will cover.
Final: N.E. 20 MIA 10 PUSH
Miami's defense played well but Miami didn't have the offense. New England coasted after an early lead again resulting in my second Push in my first four games.

ST. LOUIS (3-1) at GREEN BAY (1-3) St. Louis favored by 3
Prediction: ST. LOUIS will cover.
Result: ST. L 23 GB 20 PUSH
St. Louis won but they didn't get that Favre pass resulting in a 46 yard late TD to force the push. Wilkins kicked three second half field goals for the win but Bulger has to find a way to get the ball in the end zone.

TAMPA BAY (0-3) at NEW ORLEANS (3-1) New Orleans favored by 6.5
Prediction: NEW ORLEANS will cover.
Final: N.O. 24 T.B. 21 WRONG
Is Gradkowski better than Michael Vick because he certainly looked better at the Superdome? Reggie Bush earned his worth with a punt return for the winning TD and McAllister chipped in with 123 yards on the ground but the Saints defense played soft as Tampa Bay scored 21 including 14 unanswered in the second half.

TENNESSEE (0-4) at INDIANAPOLIS (4-0) Indianapolis favored by 18
Prediction: INDIANAPOLIS will cover.
Final: IND 14 TENN 13 WRONG
All right. I called for a beat down but apparently Indianapolis is not as good as everyone thought. The Colts need to start to get things clicking because their schedule will not stay this easy for long.

WASHINGTON (2-2) at NY GIANTS (1-2) Giants favored by 4.5
Prediction: NEW YORK will cover.
Final: NYG 19 WASH 3 CORRECT
"Giants defense over the Washington offense. Look for Barber to have a big game." Only 3 points on offense and Barber had 123 on the ground. Nice game after the bye week for New York.

KANSAS CITY (1-2) at ARIZONA (1-3) KC favored by 3.5
Prediction: KANSAS CITY will cover.
Final: KC 23 ARI 20 WRONG
Leinart looked good in his first full start but it wasn't enough. Kansas City came back on the legs of LJ but not enough to cover the spread.

NY JETS (2-2) at JACKSONVILLE (2-2) Jacksonville favored by 7
Prediction: JACKSONVILLE OUTRIGHT
NY JETS and the points
Final: JAX 41 NYJ 0 WRONG
I know. "A better game that most thought." Wrong again. The Jets finally started looking like their preseason predictions and Jacksonville is looking like a legitimate team.

OAKLAND (0-3) at SAN FRANCISCO (1-3) San Fran favored by 3
Prediction: SAN FRANCISCO will cover.
Final: SF 34 OAK 20 CORRECT
"Both offenses will put up some numbers. Look for the Niners to put up bigger ones."
All right. Finally one right. Frank Gore put up 134 and the San Francisco offense bounced back nicely from last weeks shut out.

DALLAS (2-1) at PHILADELPHIA (3-1) Philadelphia favored by 1.5
Prediction: DALLAS OUTRIGHT and with points.
Final: PHI 38 DAL 24 WRONG
Bledsoe did throw it to an open man in the end zone…unfortunately it was to Lito Sheppard. Phillie's defense made the big plays when they needed it and Dallas' defense did not. Still, Philadelphia did not look that convincing.

PITTSBURGH (1-2) at SAN DIEGO (2-1) San Diego favored by 3.5
Prediction: PITTSBURGH OUTRIGHT and the points
Final: S.D. 23 PITT 13 WRONG
For most of the first half Pittsburgh looked like they had the San Diego offense figured out. No points from the Pittsburgh offense in the second half clinched the victory for San Diego in the long run.

WEEK 5 Record

OUTRIGHT : 11 for 13.
VERSUS SPREAD: 3-7-3

MONDAY NIGHT 8:30pm on ESPN
BALTIMORE (4-0) at DENVER (2-1) Denver favored by 4

Great Monday night matchup. Denver is coming off a bye week and should be prepared. They have a great win over New England in their pocket. Baltimore is 4-0 with some late game heroics. Denver's favored. Live on the edge. Take Baltimore and the points. Denver's offense isn't good enough.
BALTIMORE OUTRIGHT and the points.