With the lockout in the rearview mirror, NFL fans can now put away their “Lawyer Jargon for Dummies” textbooks and start hitting the rumor mill once again.

Since I’m a fun guy who likes to have some fun and enjoys a little fun, I’ve decided to have a little fun by trying to predict where some of the top free agents will land over the next two weeks. Remember, this is all for fun and is not to be taken too seriously. If you’re the asswipe who reads these things and immediately gets in a tizzy because you disagree, then be aware of my one and only rule when it comes to predictions: Don’t criticize me if you don’t have the stones to leave your own predictions in the comments section.

Now that that’s out of the way, let’s have some good ol’ fashion family fun! (Have I overused that word yet? Did the joke land? It wasn’t funny in the first place? All right…) Here are 10 free agents and my predictions for where they might land. In the “Hedging my bet with” section, I list an alternative to where I think said free agent may wind up.

Nnamdi Asomugha, CB: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
It has been reported that the 2011 NFL salary cap will (roughly) be around $120 million, which leaves the Bucs with (roughly) $60 million to spend in free agency. Of course, that doesn’t mean that cheapo Malcolm Glazer will open his wallet, but we do know that the new CBA comes with a salary cap floor. Thus, teams like the Bucs will have to spend something in free agency. The Bucs have built a solid, young core centered around quarterback Josh Freeman. With Aqib Talib’s legal situation up in the air, they have a definite need at corner and if teams like the Eagles, Cowboys and Jets feel as though Asomugha’s price tag is too steep, maybe the Bucs will step in and shell out big money to land the top free agent on the market. (And if you’re wondering about whether or not Asomugha is a fit for Raheem Morris’ defensive scheme, don’t worry about it because the man is a fit for every defense.)
Hedging my bet with: New York Jets

DeAngelo Williams, RB: Carolina Panthers
The emergence of Mike Goodson and Jonathan Stewart make Williams expendable but the Panthers are still the frontrunners to retain him in my eyes. He says he wants to stay in Carolina and while he’d be a fool to not at least test the market, I think he’ll eventually stay put. The Panthers realize they need a good stable of running backs no matter who starts at quarterback this season, so re-signing Williams is still a priority despite expanding rolls for Goodson and Stewart.
Hedging my bet with: New York Giants.

Ahmad Bradshaw, RB: New York Giants
If my prediction for DeAngelo Williams comes to fruition, then I don’t see Bradshaw playing for anyone but the Giants this season. He has to realize that his best opportunity to be a feature back remains in New York, even though the Giants have shown a willingness to keep Brandon Jacobs around. If Bradshaw can stay healthy and stop putting the ball on the ground, he should be Tom Coughlin’s primary back.
Hedging my bet with: Miami Dolphins.

Santonio Holmes, WR: Washington Redskins
The Jets will make re-signing Holmes there top priority, but I have a feeling that he’ll go where the money is. Granted, Mike Shanahan and Bruce Allen make all the decisions now in D.C. But Daniel Snyder still sets the tone and seeing as how desperate the Skins are to add offensive playmakers, this could be a great fit.
Hedging my bet with: New York Jets.

Jonathan Joseph, CB: Detroit Lions
A few months ago I was convinced that the Lions would break the bank for Asomugha. But there have been reports out of Detroit that suggest they won’t pursue the top corner on the market despite their glaring need at the position. Instead, the Lions could “settle” for the 27-year-old Joseph, who is coming off a down year but played exceptionally well in 2009. He’s physical and aggressive, which is exactly what head coach Jim Schwartz desires in a corner. I predict this to be the Lions one biggish (for lack of a better word) signing this summer.
Hedging my bet with: San Francisco 49ers.

Sidney Rice, WR: New England Patriots
There are several potential landing spots for Rice this summer, none bigger than Chicago and Washington. In fact, if my prediction for Holmes falls through, I could definitely see Rice in a Redskins uniform this season. That said, this is where Bill Belichick works his magic. The Patriots don’t necessarily need a true No. 1 to win, but I could see Belichick convincing Rice to sign an incentive-laden deal (because of his injury history) just to play in New England with Tom Brady. Then after he blows it up for a year, the Patriots will give him a new contract and once again cash in on the Vikings’ misery.
Hedging my bet with: Washington Redskins, Chicago Bears, and St. Louis Rams.

Cullen Jenkins, DE: Washington Redskins
Jenkins is the top 3-4 defensive end on the market but he’s scheme-diverse in that he could play in a 4-3 as well. Methinks the Redskins and Broncos are his top suitors heading into free agency and Jenkins has already expressed interest in signing with Washington, making D.C. a solid fit for him all around.
Hedging my best with: Denver Broncos.

Ray Edwards, DE: Philadelphia Eagles
I fully admit that I had the Falcons listed after Edwards’ name when I first posted this article, but this report from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (which admittedly slipped past me when I took my daily trip around the newspaper world on Monday) has forced me to change my mind. (Don’t worry: I kept one finger on this paragraph just in case, so my editing it is totally legal.) Apparently the Falcons are not interested in Edwards and are content with their current defensive end rotation, making the Eagles the new favorites to land the soon-to-be-former Viking. Like many teams around the league, Philly has a need for a pass rusher and Edwards is one of the top 4-3 defensive ends available (especially after the Panthers re-signed Charles Johnson to a massive deal on Tuesday).
Hedging my bet with: Cleveland Browns.

Vince Young, QB: Buffalo Bills
Young isn’t a free agent yet but he will be once the Titans release him. He won’t draw interest as a starter and while there have been rumors that he wants to play for the Dolphins, I don’t see Miami pursing him. The Bills didn’t draft their quarterback of the future in April and while Ryan Fitzpatrick is certainly capable, Buffalo needs to bring in more competition at the position. Chan Gailey likes mobile quarterbacks so maybe Young could resurrect his career in a city desperate for a winner.
Hedging my bet with: Seattle Seahawks.

Matt Hasselbeck, QB: Tennessee Titans
Mike Munchak has already stated that he wants a veteran quarterback that can come in this season and not only start, but also teach rookie Jake Locker. That sounds like Matt Hasselbeck to me, who is seemingly on the outs in Seattle.
Hedging my best with: Seattle Seahawks.

The hits keep coming for the Panthers.

Adam Schefter is reporting that the Panthers are “strongly considering” placing DeAngelo Williams on injured reserve. The team’s star running back has been dealing with a foot injury and while some expected him to return this Sunday, his arch is still giving him problems.

With the Panthers well out of contention, it would make sense that they would shut Williams down for the rest of the season in order to not risk further injury. Of course, Jonathan Stewart (concussion) and Tyrell Sutton (ankle) are also dealing with injuries themselves.

In Carolina’s loss to the Bucs last Sunday, Mike Goodson rushed for 100 yards on 23 carries. He also caught three passes for 13 yards although he did lose a fumble as well.

Unless Williams is 100%, I see no reason why Goodson shouldn’t get the majority of the carries. Again, this has become a lost season for Carolina and there’s no sense in risking further injury to Williams if he’s going to favor his foot. While he may not do any more structural damage to his arch, he may injury something else because he’s not completely healthy.

Update: Williams’ season is officially over, as the Panthers have placed him on injured reserve.

Back in April, some pundits felt as though Notre Dame’s Jimmy Clausen had first round talent. But good luck trying to find anyone who will admit that now.

Rookie quarterbacks struggle in the NFL – it’s just the way it is. But so far, Clausen has played in all five of the Panthers’ games and has completed just 34 of his 69 pass attempts for 393 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. Worse than his numbers is the fact that he’s shown zero ability to move Carolina’s offense whatsoever.

The Bears (Carolina’s opponent on Sunday) have a solid defense and they’re liable to make any quarterback look bad. And hey, if I started against Chicago today, I’d probably crap down my pants, too. But with the way Clausen played in his team’s 23-6 loss on Sunday, it makes you wonder what John Fox and Co. saw in him to make him a second round pick in April.

Clausen completed just 9-of-22 passes for 61 yards and an interception before finally being benched in the fourth quarter. He showed zero accuracy, displayed no rhythm and was rarely on the same page with his receivers. I get that he’s only a rookie, but he hasn’t shown anything that would indicate that he actually belongs in a starting role.

You hate to pin a loss on one player, but because Clausen was so ineffective, DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart had nowhere to run and even though the defense picked off Todd Collins (who may have played even worse than Clausen if that’s possible) four times, the Panthers still only managed six points. It’s almost like Clausen’s putrid play had a domino affect on the rest of the team and it doesn’t say a lot about Matt Moore’s game that the Panthers would rather go with the rookie than with him.

Of course, it’s not like Clausen has much to work with in the receiving game. Steve Smith was out with an injury, although one would have thought that Clausen would apperciate that seeing as how Smith has torn him a new one at least once a day since the rookie arrived to Carolina. The Panthers’ wideouts are young and inexperienced, although again, Clausen has shown almost zero intangibles to this point. Most of the time you can say, “That rookie QB makes a lot of mistakes, but you can see the zip on his passes,” or “He just needs a little time to mature, but you can see that he’s accurate and has control of the huddle.”

We’ve got crickets on Clausen.

Today was a new low for the Panthers and it may be a while before they pick up their first win.

Mike Martz has long established that he would rather sit next to a crying baby on an airplane than run the football any more than he has to on Sundays. In fact, if it were truly up to him, he may scratch the run entirely and throw the ball on every down.

But he has a problem this week. The Bears are in Carolina to take on a winless Panthers team and Jay Cutler is still feeling the affects of the concussion he suffered last Sunday night in New York. That means Todd Collins will have to start, which doesn’t bode well for Martz’s pass-happy offense.

Collins was beyond putrid last weekend and it would behoove the Bears to keep the ball on the ground and allow their defense to win the game. Chicago has two capable running backs in Matt Forte and Chester Taylor, but thanks to Martz’s pass first and ask questions later approach, Da Bears are gaining only 68.8 yards per game on the ground this year.

If Martz can’t adjust, the Bears are in trouble. The Panthers may not be in the win column yet and they certainly don’t have the pass rush that the Giants (Chicago’s opponent last weekend) have, but they hung with the Saints last Sunday and have two running backs in DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart that can wear down a tired defense late in games. If Chicago’s defense is on the field for long periods of time thanks to the ineptitude of Collins, then Carolina can take the game out of rookie quarterback Jimmy Claussen’s hand and lean on their ground attack.

I don’t know what’s least likely to happen, Collins actually throwing the ball for more than 2.5 yards per pass or Martz changing his offense to a run first approach.

Or Carolina winning a game.

2010 NFL Division Previews & Predictions: AFC East | AFC North | AFC South | AFC West | NFC East | NFC North | NFC South | NFC West | 2010 Question Marks Series

One of the best battles in the NFL this year will reside in the NFC South, where the defending Super Bowl champion Saints will be tested by an improved Falcons team coming off back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in franchise history.

As for the rest of the South, the Panthers are in transition now that Matt Moore is under center, but they’re still going to be competitive on weekly basis and the Bucs should be improved as well. (Although I don’t see them getting out of the division cellar anytime soon.)

Here’s how I see things shaking out in the NFC South in 2010. Be sure to check out the link entitled “2010 Question Mark” under each team’s preview, which is a breakdown of one or two potential weaknesses that could derail that squad’s hopes this season. (If the links aren’t available now for some teams, check back because they will be before the season starts.)

1. Saints

What to Like: It’s hard to start a sentence about what’s to like about the Saints without first mentioning their offense. The dynamics between Sean Payton and Drew Brees are exceptional. Payton knows exactly how to attack an opponents’ weakness and Brees knows how to execute what Payton is trying to do. While the defense was certainly a surprise last year, the relationship between Payton and Brees was the main reason the Saints lifted the Lombardi Trophy last year. Of course, it never hurts to have playmakers like Marques Colston, Reggie Bush, Jeremy Shockey and Robert Meachem in the offense, either. Nor does having outstanding guards Jahri Evans and Carl Nicks, and tackle Jon Stinchcomb along the O-line either. Defensively, Gregg Williams was a miracle worker in his first season as defensive coordinator and was fortunate to have guys like Darren Sharper, Jonathan Vilma, Will Smith and Tracy Porter play opportunistic football. The addition of Alex Brown will also fix a major hole at the end spot opposite Smith in terms of pass rushing.
What Not to Like: This team is weak up the middle on defense. After coming off a promising rookie campaign, Sedrick Ellis struggled last year due to injuries and Remi Ayodele (who was brought in to be a run-stuffer) was highly ineffective and doesn’t offer anything in the pass-rush department. Vilma, who is an outstanding cover middle linebacker, struggled at times against the run last year and the same could be said for Scott Shanle. Former first round pick Malcolm Jenkins (who is a converted corner) takes over for Sharper at free safety and while he has the tools to be good, he’s never played the position before. Offensively, there are very few weaknesses but if I had to pick one it would be left tackle Jermon Bushrod, who struggled badly last season. Cowboys’ OLB DeMarcus Ware (who makes most tackles look bad) exposed him on national television last season and there are some concerns that he can protect Brees’ blindside.
Keep Your Eye On: Pierre Thomas
I didn’t even mention the running game in the “What to Like” section, so here it goes. One of the main reasons Payton’s offense and the Saints’ passing game is so efficient is because of the team’s ability to run the football. Now that Mike Bell is gone, Thomas should have even more opportunities than he received last season to be the rock in New Orleans’ backfield. Reggie Bush will still get his touches, but I don’t think a 1,000-plus yard season out of Thomas is out of the question – especially now that he’s fully healthy heading into Week 1 (he wasn’t at the start of 2009).
The Final Word: The Saints certainly don’t come without their weaknesses, but this is still the team to beat in the NFC South. Their offense will once again rank near the top of the league by year’s end (barring injuries, of course) and Williams proved to be an outstanding game-planner last season. The run defense is a concern, as is Bushrod at left tackle. But Brees and company are going to light up the scoreboard again this year and even if the defense takes a step back, I don’t see the Saints relinquishing the division crown quite yet.

New Orleans Saints 2009 Question Mark: Interior Defense

2. Falcons

What to Like: Matt Ryan is heading into his third year as the starter of Mike Mularkey’s offense, so the training wheels have long been off and now he’s expected to make definitive strides in the passing game. He’s coming off a poor preseason, but Mularkey also kept things vanilla. The good news for Ryan and is that Michael Turner looks like the 2008 version of himself again. He came into camp in great shape and looked almost untackable (untackable? It’s fine.) in preseason. When he needs a breather, the Falcons have great depth in Jason Snelling and Jerious Norwood, and fullback Ovie Mughelli doesn’t get enough recognition for what he brings to the field either. In the passing game, Tony Gonzalez will return as Ryan’s safety blanket in the middle of the field, while Roddy White will once again be counted on as the go-to guy. Now After missing all of 2009 with a knee injury, third-year player Harry Douglas is someone to keep an eye on and will certainly be a mismatch in the slot. Defensively, the Falcons’ biggest weakness was pass defense, so they broke the bank to add cornerback Dunta Robinson this offseason. While Robinson has had problems with consistency and injuries, there’s no doubt he provides a much-needed upgrade in the secondary. At safety, Thomas DeCoud is coming off a breakout year and Erick Coleman had a nice preseason. Up front, John Abraham saw his sack numbers drop dramatically last year, but he still provided a decent rush, even if he didn’t always get to the quarterback. The highly underrated Jonathan Babineaux will join him, as will ’09 first round pick Peria Jerry (whose healthy again) and up-and-comer Kroy Biermann. At linebacker, Curtis Lofton is the rock of the defense and will eventually be flanked by playmaking outside linebacker Sean Weatherspoon, who was the team’s first round pick this year.
What Not to Like: The secondary is still a concern, even with the addition of Robinson, who missed the entire preseason with a hamstring injury. Brent Grimes played well down the stretch last season, but despite being a fantastic playmaker he’s small and can get beaten by more physical receivers. 2009 third round pick Christopher Owens is starting to come into his own, but it still remains to be seen if he can be a full-time starter or if his place is in nickel packages. Up front, Jamaal Anderson has been a fine run defender since entering the league as a top 10 pick, but his pass-rushing ability remains non-existent and he’s going to lose playing time to Biermann, Chauncey Davis and another up-and-comer in Lawrence Sidbury. Either way, the Falcons love to rotate their defensive linemen to keep them fresh, so Anderson better make the most of his opportunities. On offense, the line is underrated on a whole, but left tackle Sam Baker can’t seem to stay healthy and Justin Blalock has to greatly improve his run blocking.
Keep Your Eye On: Kroy Biermann
You might be looking at the second coming of Kyle Vanden Bosch. The former 5th round pick out of Montana is coming off a five-sack season and a monster effort this preseason. He has a relentless motor and while he’s considered an edge rusher, he’s strong enough to take on bigger tackles in the running game. This is the Falcons future at right defensive end.
The Final Word: The Falcons are close – real close – to catching the Saints in the division. New Olreans’ biggest weakness defensively is stopping the run, which just so happens to be the Falcons greatest strength offensively (uh, running the ball – not stopping the run). Defensively, the secondary is still a concern, but the Cowboys laid out the blue print to how to slow Drew Brees and he Saints last year: you have to pressure him – relentlessly. With more playmakers on the defensive side of the ball, the Falcons now have the weapons to pressure Brees. So why did I still go with the Saints to finish in first? One word: Consistency. I know what I’m going to get out of the Saints every week – I don’t with the Falcons. That said, Atlanta almost beat New Orleans twice last season (one time with Chris Redman starting), so I wouldn’t be shocked to see the Falcons finish first. The bottom line is that this is a legit playoff contender and they might be even more than that. Now all they have to do is stay healthy and execute.

Atlanta Falcons 2010 Question Mark: Pass Defense

3. Panthers

What to Like: While he may have gotten the Panthers to their first Super Bowl, Jake Delhomme was a disaster last year and could no longer be counted on as the starter. While there are plenty of question marks surrounding Matt Moore, at least he’ll have Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams to help take the pressure off him in the offense. Thanks to Stewart, Williams and offensive linemen Jordan Gross and Ryan Kalil (who is coming off a solid 2009 campaign), the Panthers’ running game should once again be a dominating force. Defensively, Jon Beason returns as the unit’s best playmaker and will be joined at linebacker by Dan Connor, whom the team has high hopes for. In fact, the defense on a whole is filled with youth and athleticism.
What Not to Like: The Panthers are only going to go as far as Moore takes them. The running game is exceptional, but if Moore can’t keep defenses honest then they’re just going to load the box and take away Stewart and Williams as best they can. Moore is going to have to beat teams with his arm and it remains to be seen if he can do that on a consistent basis. Outside of Steve Smith (who needs to stop playing flag football in his down time), the passing game is devoid of playmakers. Dwayne Jarrett, Brandon LaFell and Armanti Edwards certainly have enough talent to make plays, but the former hasn’t lived up to expectations and the latter two are still rookies. While the run blocking has always been good, pass protection is a concern, as is the play of offensive guard Mackenzy Bernadeau (who seemed to regress down the stretch last year). Defensively, the loss of outside linebacker Thomas Davis (season ending injury) was crushing and now the Panthers will rely on former third round pick James Anderson (who only has 83 career tackles) to fill the void. Obviously losing Julius Peppers will also be a major loss in terms of pass rush. In the secondary, the team traded Chris Harris back to the Bears and will now move Charles Godfrey over to strong safety and insert Sherrod Martin at free. Godfrey made very few big plays last year, while Martin couldn’t beat out late-round rookie Captain Munnerlyn for the nickel back spot. The run defense wasn’t good last year and the front office did very little to rectify the situation this offseason.
Keep Your Eye On: Brandon LaFell
This one may take awhile because Jarrett is expected to start opposite Steve Smith at receiver, but LaFell had a great spring and he may eventually emerge as another playmaking in the Panthers’ offense. He’s great size (6’3”, 209 pounds) and has a knack for making big catches.
The Final Word: This team has been the model for inconsistency under head coach John Fox over the years and I don’t see that changing now. If Moore can overachieve in his first year as a starter, then the Panthers’ offense is going to be pretty good. But defensively, the loss of Davis and Peppers will be too much and the secondary could get torched with Godfrey and Martin at the safety positions. It’s not bad when a team has to rely on its running game and defense to win games, but the Carolina D isn’t as good as it’s been in years past. I think Fox gets too much credit for being a motivator and doesn’t receive enough criticism for his overall game plans. Obviously execution comes into play there, but this is a mediocre team and I don’t think the front office did enough in the offseason to address needs.

4. Buccaneers

What to Like: The linebacker corps for this team is really good. Barrett Ruud isn’t the best “Mike” linebacker in the league, but he’s solid in coverage and that means Raheem Morris doesn’t have to take him off the field in passing situations. Geno Hayes is coming off a breakout campaign and is one of the Bucs’ top run defenders, while Quincy Black his mostly used as a two-down linebacker but he’s very good in coverage. Up front, the sky is the limit for rookie defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, whom the Bucs drafted with the third overall pick this April. Stylez G White returns as Tampa’s best pass rusher after producing 6.5 sacks last season. Offensively, the team is crazy about rookie receiver Mike Williams, who along with tight end Kellen Winslow will be second-year quarterback Josh Freeman’s go-to guys in the offense this season. Carnell Williams returns as the team’s leading back and should top the 1,000-yard mark if he can stay healthy.
What Not to Like: After being viewed as the team’s strength entering the 2009 season, the offensive line took a major step back last season. Every player underachieved last year, which makes you wonder how Donald Penn could complain about his contract situation for most of the offseason. At receiver, expectations are high for Williams but rookies are hit and miss as starters and the rest of the receiving unit is shaky at best. Freeman flashed some signs last year but on a whole he struggled and doesn’t have enough talent around him to take the pressure off. Defensively, cornerback could be a huge issue, especially as Ronde Barber continues to decline.
Keep Your Eye On: Mike Williams
This entire offseason, people in Tampa have raved about Williams. He made plays no matter who was under center this preseason and cemented his status as the team’s No. 1 receiver – even though he’s only a rookie. He dropped to the fourth round of April’s draft because of concerns about his character, but he’s a dynamic red-zone playmaker and a true vertical threat. The Bucs look to have found a gem in the mid rounds.
The Final Word: There’s no question this is an improved team, but the passing offense will hold them back, as will the inexperience on both sides of the ball. The defense came into its own last year when Morris took over the playcalling, but unless the offense can prove that it can move the ball on a consistent basis, then they’re going to be on the field a lot. It would take a massive improvement by Freeman and a major bounce back year from the offensive line for this team to contend in 2010.

The Carolina Panthers have been the model for inconsistency under head coach John Fox for the better part of a decade. One year they’re up, the next they’re down.

But much like previous down years, the Panthers are finishing strong in 2009. They’ve won three of their last four games and have the opportunity to finish .500, which is quite an accomplishment for a team that had Jake Delhomme under center for most of their year.

Their strong finish begs the question: Has Fox saved his job?

Rumors are circulating that Bill Cowher wants to return to the sidelines in 2010 and Carolina might be a fit because his daughter attends N.C. State. If Cowher is interested, will the Panthers jump at the opportunity to bring him on board or will they stay loyal to Fox, a man that led the team to their only Super Bowl appearance?

Much like in previous down years, the Panthers struggled with injuries and inconsistency this season. Delhomme was a train wreck and should no longer be viewed as a starter, especially given that Matt Moore is gaining confidence with each passing week. The defense has gelled nicely under new defensive coordinator Ron Meeks and the running game is sound with the two-headed monster of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. The team could use a No. 2 receiver opposite Steve Smith but other than that, they don’t have a ton of holes.

With that in mind, is Fox the right person to get the Panthers back to the playoffs or should the front office go in another direction? Personally, if Cowher is interested I don’t know how the Panthers don’t entertain the thought of hiring him. But if he turns them down or isn’t interested, then Fox should be retained.

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]]> http://www.scoresreport.com/2009/12/28/has-fox-saved-his-job-or-is-cowher-destined-for-carolina/feed/ 4 http://www.scoresreport.com/2009/11/13/nfl-pick-predictions-week-10/ http://www.scoresreport.com/2009/11/13/nfl-pick-predictions-week-10/#comments Fri, 13 Nov 2009 23:00:47 +0000 Anthony Stalter http://www.scoresreport.com/?p=28955

Thanks to Kyle Orton’s terrific Monday night performance against Pittsburgh and Green Bay’s outstanding effort in Tampa, I took one on the chin last week to go 2-3. Law of averages says I get things right this week, right? Right?!

Here are my top four plays for Sunday.

Bengals (6-2) at Steelers (6-2), 1:00PM ET
I don’t see the Bengals sweeping the Steelers this season, but Cincinnati isn’t getting enough respect. Their defense is legit and they have the secondary to matchup with a team like the Steelers that likes to put the ball in the air. Carson Palmer, Cedric Benson and Chad Ochocinco have played well this season and should be able to keep the Bengals in the game. For as good as the Steelers are and as much as they’ll get up for a division rival like the Bengals who have already beaten them once this season, Pittsburgh is coming off a short week after earning an emotional win in Denver. In the end, I think the Steelers defense won’t wilt like they did in the fourth quarter of the first contest, but this game is going to be closer than the odds would indicate.
Odds: Steelers –7.
Prediction: Steelers 20, Bengals 16.

Saints (8-0) at Rams (1-7), 1:00PM ET
The Saints haven’t covered in two weeks as double-digit favorites and while some bettors might think now is the perfect time to back a Rams team coming off a bye and getting 13.5 points at home, I would caution them. The Falcons and Panthers played the Saints tough because they’re familiar with New Orleans and divisional games are always closer than people think. It’s about time Drew Brees touches another opponent up for three or four scores and this is the perfect weekend to do going against a suspect St. Louis secondary. Actually, the Rams defense isn’t as bad as many think and they might be able to hang with New Orleans in the first half. But the Rams’ offense is putrid and the Saints’ defense has preyed on their opponents’ mistakes all season. I fully expect Sean Payton’s team to romp and I’ll gladly eat the chalk.
Odds: Saints –13.5.
Prediction: Saints 37, Rams 10.

Falcons (5-3) at Panthers (3-5), 1:00PM ET
This has “trap” written all over it. The Falcons are clearly the better team, yet find themselves as only 1.5-point favorites entering this game. Even though the Falcons got off the schnide last week by beating a bad Washington team, Matt Ryan hasn’t played particular well in over a month and Carolina has one of the better defensive backfields in the league. If the Panthers can contain Michael Turner (which could be tough given that linebacker Thomas Davis was lost after he suffered a season-ending injury last week), then they’ll have a shot to win outright. Atlanta’s run defense has been shaky this year and as long as DeAngelo Williams plays (he’ll be a game time decision), he and Jonathan Stewart should control this game on the ground. If Williams is out, then throw my pick out because I just don’t think the Panthers have enough to beat a Falcons team that has the inside track of earning a Wild Card spot in the NFC.
Odds: Falcons –1.5.
Prediction: Panthers (with Williams) 24, Falcons 20…Falcons 27, Panthers 17 (without Williams).

Cowboys (6-2) at Packers (4-4), 4:15PM ET
I’ll cut to the chase: The Packers have zero chance of winning this game if they can’t figure out how to protect quarterback Aaron Rodgers. And based on how the offensive line has looked so far, I doubt they’ll figure things out before Dallas brings its highly effective pass rush to Lambeau Field on Sunday. The Cowboys should control this game in the trenches and wear down Green Bay on both sides of the ball. I fully expect the Packers to give a better defensive effort than they did last week in Tampa, but DeMarcus Ware should feast on Rodgers, who rarely has time to blink in the pocket, nevertheless complete a pass. Assuming Wade Phillips’ bunch doesn’t play down to their competition this weekend, then the ‘Boys should earn another road win. (That said, beware that the Cowboys just won a huge game in Philadelphia last week, so this might be a letdown game for them.)
Odds: Cowboys –3.
Prediction: Cowboys 23, Packers 17.

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