NFL Picks 2013: Week 8

There were great games – witness Indianapolis and its shootout win over Denver. There were terrible games, such as the eyesore that was Monday Night Football between the second division consolation flag football game between Meadowlands Grade School and Minneapolis Hale Elementary, err, the Giants and Vikings.

It was just another week in the NFL. After losing some ground to my brother, I rebounded with a 10-5 weekend that added some distance between me and my competitors. Rich continues his slow climb from the cellar with a 9-6 mark. Tony and Anthony, well, they also made picks last week.

I kid, I kid. But they did make picks again for this week’s slate of games which, frankly, doesn’t include a lot of match-ups I would consider must-watch television. Even traditional divisional rivalries like Green Bay at Minnesota and New York at Philadelphia are tainted by injury and crappiness this week. In fact, if your wife is telling you it’s time to get together for Sunday dinner with the in-laws or that you’ve got to start the Christmas shopping, this might be the Sunday to do it.

Nonetheless, here are our picks for the week.

Game of the Week: Dallas at Detroit – As mentioned, this isn’t the strongest slate of games this season. But there are a couple interesting ones. This game features two 4-3 teams trying to shed reputations. The Cowboys  are likely the strongest team in the NFC East this season, but so far few are giving this team credit for being anything but the best of a bad division. That belief is enhanced by a 1-3 non NFC East record that includes losses to teams like Kansas City and San Diego. A win here would help erase that image. Detroit, meanwhile, is trying to figure out whether 2011 or 2012 was the more accurate representation of life under Jim Schwartz. With the Vikings sucking and the Packers and Bears decimated by injuries, the NFC North is still there for the taking, but the Lions also remain a largely Jekyll and Hyde team. Can they pull out a big win here? That would help. Honorable mention: NY Jets at Cincinnati, largely for the same reasons cited in the Dallas/Detroit tilt.

Game of the Weak: San Francisco at Jacksonville – Poor Jacksonville. You’d think being this bad for as long as the Jaguars have would at least result in a softer schedule. But the Jags have taken whoopins from Denver, Seattle and Indianapolis, three of the five or six toughest teams in the NFL this season. Another one of those top six teams, San Francisco, takes its turn euthanizing the kitties this week — and this time Jacksonville has to travel to London for a home loss. If the Jags can survive their week nine bye, they’ll return with games against Tennessee, Arizona, Houston, Cleveland, Houston again, Buffalo and the Titans again before closing out with Indianapolis. So there might be a win or two in the softer second half, but wow, has this bad team had to start with a rough slate of games.

 Loading ...