The NFL Tackle: Tim vs. Terry – Week 4

Welcome back to another week of the NFL Tackle: Tim vs Terry!

Terry: Last week was one more slobber knocker, and this week shouldn’t be any different. I won’t lie to ya, Tim – I’m feeling good about some of the picks on my Bill last week. I guess those Patriots bounced a check from that…Bill they must have received.

There aren’t a lot of Buffalo puns out there, aren’t there?

Anyway, in other fun news, we got to see Baltimore become the strong team they were in week one, we got to see the Redskins finally lose, and we got to see Michael Vick not do anything. I feel like the world’s right again.

Hey Tim, do you think the Bills would wear Tom Brady’s skin like a woman suit like in that one movie?

…Too far?

Tim (here): You’re a dick, Terry. Plain and simple.

So yeah, I’m no longer in the lead and I’m pissed about it. Terry drank a jar of my tears and it’s making him stronger. That being said, this is my hardest week to pick so far out of 2011. A lot of potential upsets on the boards and after last week’s Miracle in Buffalo, I give up. I don’t know shit about football. How was Terry able to pull that prediction out of his ass? No idea, but we should all study him to see what we can learn.

Hitpoints:

• Oakland’s looking to exploit cracks in that week Patriots rush D (SB Nation)
• Do the 49ers receivers have anything, anything at all, for the Eagles? (San Francisco Chronicle)
• Congress wants to crack down on HGH (Forbes)
• Do NFL blackouts make any sense in a down economy? (Tampa Bay Online)

Football Pickens

Sunday:

Pittsburgh Steelers (2-1) at Houston Texans (2-1)

Tim: One thing to watch is that Steelers O-Line. They’re struggling. But I’m still picking Steelers for this. To them, 2-1 is a bad thing

Terry: I think the Texans are gonna put up a little more of a fight than we’re expecting, but c’mon. C’mon. It’s the Steelers.

Carolina Panthers (1-2) at Chicago Bears (1-2)

Tim: One underrated team and one overrated team meet in Week 4. Did I mention both teams are 1-2? The Bears have to beat the Panthers here, but it’s going to be a close contest. Few head coaches in the NFL have an intimate of knowledge of Bears D as Panthers coach Ron Rivera. After all, it was his defense that took the Bears to a Super Bowl back in 2006. I’m going with the Bears here, but I’m not as confident as I’d like to be.

Terry: The beaten down Bears are struggling to pull out another win. Cam Newton is all lubed up after a well deserved victory and ready for another team. I think he’ll throw balls decently enough to be a challenge for the lame duck Bears: Panthers

New Orleans Saints (2-1) at Jacksonville Jaguars (1-2)

Terry: Haha. Oh right, I have to write stuff here. I think Jacksonville is gonna surprise New Orleans a little bit, but not really. Saints by a good mile.

Tim: The Jaguars are a bad football club. Saints.

Detroit Lions (3-0) at Dallas Cowboys (2-1)

Terry: Detroit is 3-0. That figure still baffles me. But it shouldn’t because they’re a good team. Dallas kept Washington from going 3-0, though. Do I think Dallas can stop the Lions from going 4-1? Probably, but not enough to get me to change my pick: Lions

Tim: I hate that Terry was right about the Lions last week. They’re a much stronger club than they have any right to be. This one’s a tossup, as I don’t think either team is as good as their record indicates. I have no confidence in this pick: Cowboys

Minnesota Vikings (0-3) at Kansas City Chiefs (0-3)

Tim: Oh man, I can smell this game from here. Admittedly, few games excite me in week 4 as much as Vikings vs. Chiefs. This one’s a tossup since both teams are south of awful currently. The Vikings went into halftime against the Lions last week up 20-0. Two quarters and 23 unanswered points later, and they’re the joke of the NFL. But I’m picking them to take the Chiefs here. The Vikings might not be able to put four quarters together, but the Chiefs can barely manage one.

Terry: Talk about your Toilet Bowl. Whoever wins, we lose: Vikings

Buffalo Bills (3-0) at Cincinnati Bengals (1-2)

Tim: Can Buffalo really go 4-0? Yes they can! And I suspect that they will. Though it’s far from a sure thing. The Bills are going to lose some games this year, for sure. But this ain’t one of them: Bills

Terry: Buffalo ensured every football fan at home that they are the real deal this year. Still, I’m a little worried…while they beat New England (gloriously), they’re pretty banged up. Honestly though, how can you not side with these Bills, though? Are you a monster?

Tennessee Titans (2-1) at Cleveland Browns (2-1)

Terry: Poor ol’ Peyton Hillis had the strep last week, and the Browns still clinched (heh) a victory over Miami. Tennessee is not Miami, but Hillis should be back in 100%, which means a stronger McCoy led offense. I’m gonna have to side once again with the Browns on this one. I like them for this.

Tim: How are either of these teams 2-1, Terry? It baffles me. Seriously though, Matt Hasselbeck has been scary productive in Tennessee, but where’s running back Chris Johnson? For being so handsomely compensated, his stats are for shit this year. That’ll change against the Browns running D: Tennessee

Washington Redskins (2-1) at St. Louis Rams (0-3)

Tim: This will be a close contest. But I see the Redskins pulling it out. They’re not as good as that record indicates, but Sam Bradford just isn’t getting it done in St. Louis.

Terry: Washington is a little butt hurt from last week, but they are clearly a better team this year than St. Louis. Wait, what did I just say? Mother forgive me – Redskins.

San Francisco 49ers (2-1) at Philadelphia Eagles (1-2)

Terry: Harbaugh’s team last week was very impressive, pulling out a much needed win. Philly’s O line is pretty sore at the moment. Is Vick in or isn’t he? If he’s not, I think 49ers have something to say on Sunday: 49ers

Tim: Vick is in, Terry. And so’s the fix! Eagles win here, in bold fashion. Michael Vick after the game: “The kids! They called me Mr. Glass!”

Atlanta Falcons (1-2) at Seattle Seahawks (1-2)

Tim: Boring! These are the sort of games we get in Week 4: Falcons

Terry: I think Seattle is at a prime spot to start racking up some wins. Marshawn Lynch is ready to start running the ball all over that field. Though, it may be closer than we think: Seahawks.

New York Giants (2-1) at Arizona Cardinals (1-2)

Tim: The Cards lost to Seattle, which says a lot about their prospects. What bugs me about the Giants is that their QB is named Manning, and they also have a receiver named Manningham. Is anyone else as perturbed about this as I am? You can’t have teammates with similar names. It’s all confusing and shit: Giants

Terry: I think Eli’s on a roll right now. New York seems to have a better handle on their offense than Arizona right now, and that’s what’s gonna happen with this game for those Giants.

New England Patriots (2-1) at Oakland Raiders (2-1)

Terry: As much as I’d like to say it’s gonna be Oakland (after my marvelous guess from week three), it’s not. New England’s mad. Like, Howard Beale mad. Patriots.

Tim: Terry’s all hot shit now for picking the Pats to lose last week. Everyone look out for Terry. I’m still pissed at him. But the Patriots don’t lose two in a row. This week will be no different.

Denver Broncos (1-2) at Green Bay Packers (3-0)

Tim: The Green Menace is the strongest team in the NFL right now. As much as it pains me to say it, there’s still nothing I’ve seen from any other team to dissuade me from picking the Packers to win the year. Clay Mathews is too quick and Aaron Rogers is too amazing. And how ’bout that incredible receiving corps? Packers

Terry: I think we’re gonna be in agreement on a lot of these match ups this week, and this one is sadly no different. I’m not about to make a Hail Mary underdog pick on this match up. I’m sorry Denver, from the bottom of my cold heart – Packers

Miami Dolphins (0-3) at San Diego Chargers (1-2)

Terry: If Miami goes 0-4, I’m guessing Tony Sparano is going to have to start circling classified ads. And that’s too bad, because the unpredictable Chargers offense is gonna be a little too much for the Dolphins’ struggling D.

Tim: Dolphins D is a mess, that’s true. But those smiling mammals have to win sometime. My Tim Kelly Upset of the Week™: Dolphins

New York Jets (2-1) at Baltimore Ravens (2-1)

Terry: You know who I’m siding with, but this game’s gonna be a barn burner. Rex Ryan used to coach D for Baltimore, and he’s a hell of a good coach. It’s no surprise that he runs the Jets like a well oiled machine. Expect flags and yelling. Foobaw. Ravens

Tim: This is the game of the week folks. But Terry is wrong. The only question here is what sandwich Rex Ryan will eat after he pulls out the W: J-E-T-S! JETS! JETS! JETS!

Monday:

Indianapolis Colts (0-3) at Tampa Bay (2-1)

Terry: Those Colts are like a chicken with its head cut off without Peyton. A sad state of affairs for a once legendary team. I wish I had a joke here, but I really…I just don’t. Buccaneers will beat Indianapolis.

Tim: How awful have the games for Monday Night Football been this year? Who’s watching this shit? I could care less about either of these teams. But yeah, the Colts won’t walk right for weeks after the Bucs pillage them.

Well, there you have it. We can’t really see a compelling game on the list this week, but as Terry always says to no one but his cat, “Any football is good football.”