NFL: Week Nine Picks

With the baseball season finally coming to its end last night, I can now focus 100 percent on the NFL the rest of the way. This is probably coming at the best time possible, considering the issues I’ve had making picks lately.

Last week was OK, but not great, with a record of 7-6 thanks in part to that late field goal by Jason Elam, cutting the Saints’ final margin to eight.

The season record moves to 60-53-1 (.531).

Here are the picks for this week:

Redskins at Falcons (-10)

Despite the fact that they ended up losing last week in New Orleans, and all those turnovers forced by the Saints’ D on Matt Ryan (whose nickname I am temporarily taking away), the Falcons looked pretty good.

The good news for the Falcons is that they get to start playing some bad teams again, starting with the lowly Redskins on Sunday in the Georgia Dome, where Atlanta is unbeaten this year.

Cardinals at Bears (-3)

This is a really tough game to choose, simply because you can’t predict what you’re going to see from either of these teams.

Two weeks ago, Arizona looked solid in beating the Giants in New York.

Last week, they put up a Kurt Warner INT-filled fiasco against the Panthers.

Likewise, the Bears beat up on the Browns last week after getting smoked by the surprising Bengals in Cincy.

Still, I’m taking the Bears for two reasons: They haven’t lost at home yet this year, and Chicago will force Kurt Warner to make mistakes.

Ravens at Bengals (+3 )

So, let me get this straight: Cincy beat Baltimore on the road 17-14 just a few weeks ago, but the Bengals are the dog at home in the rematch?

How did this happen?

In all seriousness, though, Cincy wants this game desperately. It would put some separation between themselves, and third-place B-More, and they wouldn’t mind keeping pace with the Steelers, either.

The Ravens haven’t looked good in a few weeks, and are in serious trouble if they lose this one.

Texans (+10) at Colts

I must be out of my mind picking against Peyton Manning & Co., especially considering their 7-0 record and the fact that the Texans’ D isn’t exactly one of the league’s best.

However, I think that you’ll see why Houston is considered to have one of the most explosive offenses in the league this week, especially if Ryan Moats can get going on the ground to open it up for the Matt Schaub-Andre Johnson connection.

The Colts should win, but Houston will keep it interesting.

Dolphins at Patriots (-11)

Ever since Miami introduced the Wildcat against the Pats at the beginning of last year, New England has had that game on its mind.

Now they get the Dolphins sans a competent QB.

New England will be well prepared to handle Ronnie Brown, and his partners in crime, and the Pats will cruise to an easy victory.

Packers (-10) at Buccaneers

Have you seen the Tampa Bay Bucs play this year?

If the answer was yes, I’m sorry you had to suffer through it.

Packers by a significant margin.

Chiefs at Jaguars (-7)

Jacksonville proves almost every week that they are a competitive team, but last week’s loss to Vince Young and the Titans says otherwise.

I think that you’ll see Maurice Jones-Drew have a big day against the Chiefs’ run defense, while the Chiefs will also continue to lack any kind of offensive consistency.

Lions (+10) at Seahawks

Both of these teams don’t seem to have much to play for already this season.

It’s important to note that Matt Hasselbeck continues to play with broken ribs. One more bad hit, and it’ll be back to Seneca Wallace and a lot less scoring in the Pacific Northwest.

The Lions will find a way to keep it close, win, or lose.

Panthers at Saints (-13)

This would normally be a very easy pick, but it seems like Carolina remembered how to run the football last week with D’Angelo Williams an