After further review Going out on a limb to make early ?06 knockout pool picks By Todd Wright July 12, 2006 Love playing those NFL knockout pools but hate agonizing week by week until the very last minute over which team is the right pick to win their game.I share in your agony but can?t get enough of one of the best new ways to enjoy the football season.This year, I?m taking all the in-season torture out of it.I?m turning in my list before training camp even begins and will just sit back and hope for the best. I?m probably committing suicide by doing it this way, but it will leave more time for me to try and repeat as my league?s fantasy football champion in which I defeated Frank Viola in the title game. Yes, THAT Frank Viola, as in the Cy Young Award-winning major league pitcher.So, here are my weekly knockout picks, given that I can?t use the same team twice. Note, that I only picked home teams to win and tried to keep some good teams on the board until later in the season: Week 1 Cardinals over 49ers ? Yes, I?m taking the Cardinals here. New stadium. New season. New hope. Certainly doesn?t hurt that they open against the lousy Niners either. Week 2 Colts over Texans ? Hmmm. Mario Williams wreaks havoc on Peyton Manning or Dwight Freeney reintroduces himself early and often to David Carr? I?m going with Freeney. Week 3 Dolphins over Titans ? Daunte Culpepper should be a given by this point and the Titans will have problems scoring 10 points against the Dolphins? defense. Week 4 Panthers over Saints ? Coming off an emotional nationally televised return to the Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans has a short week to go to Charlotte where one of the best teams in the NFC will be ready to take advantage of a letdown. Week 5 Jaguars over :beer: Jets ? The Jets don?t look like they?ll be very good early and Jacksonville has enough returning from a playoff team to win a game like this. Week 6 Broncos over Raiders ? Even if the teams weren?t so unequal in terms of overall talent, I?d still take Shanahan at home against the Silver and Black. Week 7 Buccaneers over Eagles ? While the Eagles probably love playing anyone outside their division, this is as tough as any game in the NFC East. The Bucs? defense should be as good as ever and that will be a problem for Donovan McNabb. Week 8 Bears over 49ers ? I picked against the Niners on the opening Sunday and will do so again since they look to be overmatched here against the best in the NFC North. Week 9 Patriots over Colts ? Assuming that last year?s40-21 Colts victory was an aberration, why should this game be any different than any of the others played in previous years? Week 10 Bengals over Chargers ? I?m not sure the Bengals will be as good as they were last season when they won the AFC North, but I?m more convinced the Chargers won?t be as good as they were last season with the change at quarterback. Week 11 Chiefs over Raiders ? The best home-field advantage plus Larry Johnson against the Oakland defense looks like a solid combination for K.C. Week 12 Seahawks over Packers ? Only question is what will be the higher number ? Shaun Alexander?s touchdowns in this game or Brett Favre?s interceptions? Week 13 Giants over Cowboys ? Dallas was handled in this spot last year and it feels like it could definitely happen again. We?ll go ahead and list Julius Jones as ?questionable? on the injury report for this one. Week 14 Steelers over Browns ? Yes, we still have this bullet in the form of the defending champs for a December game, and Cowher?s record against Cleveland is solid. Week 15 Vikings over :beer: Jets ? This is about the time Minnesota and Brad Johnson got hot last year so we?ll take them again in a late-season spot against a team that is also in transition with a younger offensive line. Week 16 Cowboys over Eagles ? Dallas may be fighting for a playoff spot against a Philadelphia team that could be once again holding up the bottom of the NFC East. Like him or not, this feels like one of those spots where Terrell Owens puts on a game-changing holiday performance. Week 17 Redskins over Giants ? Washington is the best team left on the board at this point and they?ll be playing at home in a game that could determine their playoff seeding. Besides, there?s a better chance that the Bills will be playing a meaningful game by now than my chances of still being alive in the suicide pool. Listen to ?Todd Wright Tonight? weeknights at 10 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Pacific on Sporting News Radio/XM 143. > http://www.profootballweekly.com/PFW/Commentary/Columns/2006/wright071206.htm
As of right now based on all of everyone's preseason thoughts, and no major injuries, the only two games i would worry about is the Pats over the Colts, (Pats will continue to drop off after losing their DC AGAIN and more key players) and the Skins over the G-men... as i think it more plausible that the G-men are in desperate need of a win for solid positioning, rather than the skins, who i think will be on the outside looking in
now - now - now, try to keep it civil. well, i guess i'm being too harsh . . . i'm sure YOU learned THAT type of language from YOUR mother . saaad
Woah, I just noticed that your location is in Denmark? Do you live there, or are you just on vacation there?
i live here . . . :beer: p.s. - fyi : http://www.visitdenmark.com/usa/en-us/Menu/turist/turistforside.htm
