From the Desk of Eagles Outsider Barry Bowe
BEATEN DOWN
After winning the football pool during Week 4, I’ve been beaten down the last two weeks. For Christ’s sake, girls are out-performing me – and what in hell do they know about football?
Let’s see if I can’t turn it around in Week 7.
To begin with, I’m only finding three head-scratchers this week:
- Thursday night’s matchup between the Seahawks and 49ers
- Steelers vs Chiefs
- Raiders vs Chargers
There is a fourth game that looks iffy to me . . .
- Panthers vs Eagles
. . . but my homer-ism will sway me.
So let’s get down to the task at-hand.
GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS
Thursday – October 22
8:25 – Seahawks (2-4) at 49ers (2-4)
Seahawks are 6½-point favorites with O/U = 42 points.
As previously mentioned, this is my first head-scratcher of the week. There’s something going on behind closed doors in Seattle and Jim Harbaugh got out of town in San Francisco in the nick of time because the 49ers are on a steep decline.
I don’t like either team in this game, but I believe Russell Wilson is much better than Colin Kaepernick, and he will make his team win.
I take the Seahawks in a tightly-fought game on the road.
Sunday – October 25
9:30 a.m. – Bills (3-3) vs. Jaguars (1-5) at Wembley Stadium in London
Bills are 7-point favorites with O/U = 42 points.
The Bills are much better than the Jags – but will trans-Atlantic flight and good times in London conspire against the Bills more than the Jaguars?
I don’t think so.
I don’t know why the NFL insists on playing games outside the U.S. How much money is enough?
Money is the root of all evil and greed is the cause of much trouble. Hopefully, the NFL will come to grips with its wanton and rampant greed before it destroys itself from within.
I take the Bills – but not as easy as it would’ve been if the game were played in Jacksonville.
1:00 – Buccaneers (2-3) at Redskins (2-4)
Redskins are 3-point favorites with O/U = 43 points.
These are two bad teams playing each other – tough to pick the winner.
But I take the Redskins in a tight contest – mostly because I have serious reservations about Jameis Winston.
1:00 – Falcons (5-1) at Titans (1-4)
Falcons are 4-point favorites with O/U = 48 points.
Look for the Falcons to rebound after getting humbled by the less-than-stellar New Orleans Saints last Thursday night.
Look for the Titans to sink lower – especially if Marcus Mariota’s knee keeps him out of action.
I’ll take the Falcons in a romp.
1:00 – Saints (2-4) at Colts (3-3)
Colts are 4½-point favorites with an O/U = 52 points.
I don’t like either team.
I keep saying that both the Colts and Andrew Luck are over-rated.
Despite last Thursday’s humbling of the previously-unbeaten Falcons, the Saints are not a good team. So this makes my decision difficult.
In the end, I’m taking the Colts to win easy.
1:00 – Vikings (3-2) at Lions (1-5)
Vikings are 2½-point favorites with an O/U = 44½ points.
The Vikings are trending upward while the Lions are trending in the opposite direction. Between you and me, I thought that the Lions would finish the season winless. That’s how little regard I have for the Lions.
I was shocked when the Lions won last week. I haven’t looked ahead at the Lions’ schedule, but I don’t see them winning again in 2015.
I’ll take the Vikings in a close game.
1:00 – Steelers (4-2) at Chiefs (1-5)
NO LINE – NO O/U.
I didn’t like this game and, apparently Vegas doesn’t like it either because at my press-time, there is neither a point-spread nor an over/under. That’s because there’s still some mystery about whether or not Ben Roethlisbrger will play.
I don’t think Ben Roethlisberger will be back and I hope that Michael Vick won’t be back. If that’s the case, third-stringer Landry Jones takes the helm and I like his chances to better Andy Reid and Alex Smith.
The Steelers know how to stare adversity in the face – and overcome it. The Chiefs do not.
Thus I’m taking the crippled Steelers on the road.
1:00 – Browns (2-4) at Rams (2-3)
Rams are 5½-point favorites with an O/U = 41½ points.
I’m looking for Nick Foles – my Nicky Football – and the Rams to rebound from the ass-kicking they absorbed from the Packers two weeks ago. Thanks to the Bye Week and playing the Browns, I not only like the Rams to win, but I also like the Rams to win big.
I’m taking the Rams to win easy. If that doesn’t happen, I’m going to have to scrutinize Nick Foles in a new light.
1:00 – Texans (2-4) at Dolphins (2-3)
Dolphins are 4-point favorites with an O/U of 44½ points.
The Dolphins looked reincarnated last week destroying the Titans 38-10 in Dan Campbell’s debut as head coach. Meanwhile, the Texans had a pretty easy time beating the Jaguars 31-20. So this might look like a fairly even game.
Vegas sees it that way – but I don’t. I look for more of the same this week for the Dolphins and less of the same for the Texans.
I’ll take the Dolphins to win at home – easy.
1:00 – Jets (4-1) at Patriots (5-0)
Patriots are 10-point favorites with an O/U = 48 points.
Thanks to Todd Bowles, the Jets are putting a good season together.
The Patriots are once again looking like the best team in the AFC. I certainly don’t see the Patriots being 10 points better than the Jets – even at home. In fact, by stretching my belief system to its limits, I could see the Jets somehow upsetting the Patriots.
However, I think the Patriots will remain undefeated.
I take the Patriots – but in a much closer game than Vegas is predicting.
4:05 – Raiders (2-3) at Chargers (2-4)
Chargers are 4-point favorites with an O/U = 46½ points.
This is a tough one for me.
I see the Raiders as a team on the rise.
I believe that the Chargers are better than the Raiders, and the Chargers are playing at home. But I also see the Chargers as a team with a habit of failing to deliver in close games – and I see a close game here. For that reason, I’m looking for an upset in San Diego.
I take the Raiders to win in a tight contest.
4:25 – Cowboys (2-3) at Giants (3-3)
The Cowboys are still banged up.
The Giants are banged up, too, but they should be trying to rebound from the 27-7 pasting they received from the Eagles last Monday night. Plus, they’re at home.
I’ll take the Giants to win an ugly game.
8:30 – Eagles (3-3) at Panthers (5-0)
Panthers are 3-point favorites with an O/U = 46 points.
The Panthers are undefeated. But their five wins haven’t come over any powerhouses:
- 20-9 over the Jaguars
- 24-17 over the Texans
- 27-22 over the Saints
- 37-23 over the Buccaneers
- 27-23 over the Seahawks
Meanwhile, the Eagles – a bad team playing in a bad NFC East – are anything but world-beaters. Plus Sam Bradford – or Sam Badford as he’s beginning to be called in Philly – really stinks.
This may be heart-over-head, but I’m picking the Eagles to knock off the previously undefeated Panthers and retain no worse than a tie for first place in the NFC East. Plus, I don’t like Cam Newton.
Monday – October 26
8:30 – Ravens (1-5) at Cardinals (4-2)
Cardinals are 10-point favorites with an O/U = 48 points.
The Cardinals are leading the NFC West and considered to be Super Bowl contenders. However, my opinion is that the Rams will catch and overtake them by seasons end.
But I see the Ravens as pretty much the same team as the Colts – and I think they’re both over-rated and under-achieving.
I’m taking the Cardinals to win easy – but would love to see an upset that would drop the Cardinals just ½ game ahead of the Rams – provided, of course, that the Rams beat the Browns.
VALUE PICKS
So there you have my picks for Week 7.
They’re free of charge and worth every penny.
In addition to being an official Eagles Outsider, Barry Bowe is also the author of:
- Born to Be Wild
- 1964 – The Year the Phillies Blew the Pennant
- 12 Best Eagles QBs
- Birth of the Birds
- Soon-to-be-published sexy, police procedural Caribbean Queen
- Soon-to-be-published novel Stosh Wadzinski
- Soon-to-be-published novel Polish Widow
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