Don's Crystal Ball 2010 Week 2 Picks

[thedon]

THE DON'S

Crystal Ball

2010 SEASON

WEEK 2 PICKS

By DonCanabis/TheDon

Analyst/Godfather

Week one is over, and with that came a lot of surprises and upsets. I had a pretty good week to start the season but in hindsight I shouldn’t had gone over blown with my over’s pick that ended making what could had been a great week just good.

Quick Hits

• This is what I hate about season predictions we’re only in week 1 and already we have 4 starting QB’s missing at least 1 game due to injury or concussion. Things change so quickly in the NFL that is so hard to predict how a whole season is going to unfold.
  
• Week 2 is one of the most important weeks in an NFL season. We all know it’s a long season and anything can happen but, the percentage of teams that actually made the playoffs after falling to an 0-2 record is so low that, no team wants to be in that spot.
  
• Of my 4 surprise team of 2010 only 1 won, 2 lost their starting QB’s and the other I don’t know if they even showed up.
  
• It’s early ,but it looks like I drank the 49ers Kool-Aid way to fast. In the same matter I didn’t give Pete Carroll and that defense any respect it could be a fluke, some of those early season mirages we always have. On the other hand I’m thankful I didn’t drink the Jets Kool-Aid like the rest of America.
  
• I received a lot of criticism for the Houston upset over Indianapolis… who’s laughing now.
  
• The Goat of the Week award is a tie between Dustin Keller (TE of the NY Jets) and Alex Barron (RT Dallas Cowboys) Talk about to players that just didn’t had their head in the game on the most crucial play to win the game..WOW
  

On to the games

Buffalo at Green Bay -13.5 Ovr/Und 43

The line is way too high for this early in the season to many question still except one that we’ve all known for years except apparently the Bills front offense. Buffalo has no Oline, not even Barry Sanders could run behind that line. Take GB but go with the under I don’t see Buffalo scoring more than 10 points.

Straight: GB

Spread: GB

Ovr/Und: Und

Baltimore at Cincinnati 2 Ovr/Und 40.5

UPSET OF THE WEEK

I loved what I saw out of the Ravens Monday Night great aggressive defense and offense that could move the chains if only they could also score some points. It’s too early to push the panic button on my Super Bowl pick, but if they fall this week the road will get a lot harder. The Jets didn’t do one thing against the Ravens defense that Cincinnati will surely do this Sunday, test their secondary. So taking that into account and the need to win from the home team I’ll go with the upset.

Straight: Cin

Spread: Cin

Ovr/Und: Und

Pittsburgh at Tennessee -5.5 Ovr/Und 37

The Steelers pulled a rabbit out of the hat last week and got one of those needed wins until Ben comes back. Their defense looked great not at all slowed down. I don’t expect CJ to put 150 yards against that defense heck I don’t know if he’ll even reach 100. So I expect a low scoring game with the home team starting the season 2-0

Straight: Ten

Spread: Pit

Ovr/Und: Und

Chicago at Dallas -7.5 Ovr/Und 41

Like with SF where I drank the Kool-Aid way to fast, I ignored all the Cowboys mishaps and thought they could light it up at the start of the season. Last week should be a wakeup call to the Cowboys a team that when things are going good and everyone expect them to win they flunk. Chicago looked better under Mike Martz offense but still needed a fluke call (even if it’s the correct call) to win the game. Take the Cowboys

Straight: Dal

Spread: Dal

Ovr/Und: Ovr

Philadelphia at Detroit 5 Ovr/Und 41

Detroit showed me what I expected from them this season in week one. A good, young, fast defense that can hold teams, a more mature Matthew Stafford that could help this team win some games. Too bad it only lasted 1 game. We all know the Eagles were going to have a rough first year under Kolb, except maybe the eagle fans. Now it looks like Kolb’s era lasted 30 minutes… Aren’t Eagles fans the funniest? They ask for Mcnabb’s head for years, they are excited when they get what they want and they all praised Kolb’s the mighty savior. Not even one game into the season and they already have moved on and now they want Vick.

Straight: Phi

Spread: Phi

Ovr/Und: Und

Tampa Bay at Carolina -3.5 Ovr/Und 39

I don’t know if Moore will play this game but it’s not like he had the best debut as a starting QB. Two teams with green QB’s so I take the team with the most need to win this week.

Straight: Car

Spread: Car

Ovr/Und: Und

Arizona at Atlanta -6.5 Ovr/Und 43

I believe that by winning one game Derek Anderson already did his job. I’m already a little worried of having Atlanta as one of my Wild Card teams. Ryan is going downhill since his rookie season. I expect him to redeem himself this week.

Straight:Atl

Spread:Atl

Ovr/Und:Und

Kansas City at Cleveland - 2 Ovr/Und 38.5

Even if Browns fans hate me I believe that Delhomme’s injury is the best thing that could happen to them. The Chiefs brought intensity Monday Night and played with a lot of heart specially the young players (maybe they still don’t know they play for the Chiefs). My only worry is that almost always after a great high come a huge low. Hope it doesn’t happen in this case

Straight: KC

Spread: KC

Ovr/Und: Ovr

Miami at Minnesota -5.5 Ovr/Und 40

I’m a little worried about this game, we still don’t know what to expect of Favre and that ankle and Miami barely beat a bad Buffalo team this is a game that could go either way or a huge mistake could define it. Take Minnesota because even with a bad ankle and no practice I trust Favre way more than I do Henne.

Straight:Min

Spread: Min

Ovr/Und: Und

Seattle at Denver -3.5 Ovr/Und 40

Well after last week I have a more respect for the Seahawks and if they were playing any other middle of the pack team I would have pick them this week. The fact is historically Seattle teams don’t travel well specially to a place like Denver where distance and altitude could hurt this team. Take the home field advantage on this one.

Straight: Den

Spread: Den

Ovr/Und: Ovr

St. Louis at Oakland -3.5 Ovr/Und 37.5

One team has to win… that’s all I know about this game. So I’ll take the home team and the team I expected to have a better season.

Straight: Oak

Spread: StL

Ovr/Und: Ovr

Houston at Washington 3 Ovr/Und 44

I like the Texans, I expect them to make their first Playoffs this year they have a well balanced team with many weapons. Washington showed me two things last week they still have a great aggressive defense even with the change to the 3-4 and they won’t make stupid mistakes that can cost them the game at the end like previous years. What they haven’t shown me is an offense that can move the ball and score points.

Straight: Hou

Spread: Hou

Ovr/Und: Und

Jacksonville at San Diego : -7.5 Ovr/Und 45.5

If San Diego falls to 0-2 should we expect them eat their own words break the bank and bring Jackson and McNeil back? Without the fear of the deep threat in Jackson the Chief could focus on the run and Gates putting two people on him all night, which threw the Charges off balance plus the weather didn’t help. I expect the Chargers to bounce back this week at home they usually play better when no one is watching…. So the blackout might help.

Straight:SD

Spread:SD

Ovr/Und: Ovr

New England at New York Jets : 1.5 Ovr/Und 38

The Patriots looked way better than expected the game wasn’t as close as the score might suggest. This is what we all hate about the Belichick and the Patriots just when you think their time has gone and their luck run out. They come out and kill the opposition. One team has Tom Brady the other Mark Sanchez… guess where I’m going with this? After last year talk and loss to the Jets, the Hard Knocks bonanza and all the Rex Ryan talk about the patriots. You know Brady and Belichick marked this game down. I love Rex Ryan but it will be hard to sell Super Bowl after a 0-2 start.

Straight: NE

Spread: NE

Ovr/Und: Ovr

New York Giants at Indianapolis : -5.5 Ovr/Und 48

After I predicted the Houston upset over the Colts I said to myself man I would want to be the team facing Peyton after starting the season 0-1 and when I saw it was baby bro’s team ,I just chuckled. New York’s defense looks really good and Eli looked great last week but, can anyone expect the colts to fall 0-2.

Straight: Ind

Spread: Ind

Ovr/Und: Ovr

New Orleans at San Francisco : 5 Ovr/Und 44

There’s a fine line between being a motivator and being a joke. Mike Singletary is starting to become the second. The Saints offense didn’t show up last week I expect them to make their debut this week.

Straight: NO

Spread: NO

Ovr/Und: Und

The Hot Picks

Record 3-3 50%

Houston (league)

New England (league)

New Orleans (league)

Green Bay

Dallas

Philadelphia

Don’s Prediction League Leaders

1. MlmPetert 35 -13 73% [thewarpath.net]
   
2. Haynie 34-12 71% [cowboysboard.com]
   
3. JAB 34 -12 71% [forums.azcardinals.com]
   

14.- TheDon 29-19 60%

[JoeMama]

Take Green Bay by 31.

Easy money.