NFL Week Seven: The Chosen

Season prediction tally: 61-29

What an ego-bruiser Week Six was as I went 6-8—my worst offering to date. Well at least I was right about it being a tough week. By my count there were seven toss-ups to dissect.

It doesn't necessarily get any easier from here on out. The only thing that may help me is that there is one less outcome to predict for Week Seven, with six teams on bye instead of four.

Indianapolis at St. Louis

Who predicted the Raiders win over the Eagles? Exactly. No one. That is why the Rams have a chance here. They took it to the Jaguars and almost pulled it out in overtime, but that was Jacksonville.

Can you look me in the eye and tell me you think the Rams are going to beat the Colts, undefeated, coming off a bye week, and maybe getting the leader of their secondary Bob Sanders back for this game ? Exactly. Neither can I.

Pick: Colts

New England at Tampa Bay

What's that sound? Smells like 2007. Tastes like juggernaut.

Pick: Patriots

San Francisco at Houston

I'm gonna do it. I'm going to quote Deion Sanders, that's right: "Never bet against a team coming off a bye week." Good advice.

I just can't shake this feeling about the Texans that is likely the same feeling you non-Cardinals fans had about the Cardinals last year, and rightfully so, that you just can't trust that they are for real. As soon as they are approaching for-real-dom, they implode again.

I'm going to, again, put stock in Mike Singletary's ability to motivate, and I am really excited to see Michael Crabtree play a football game.

Pick: 49ers

Minnesota at Pittsburgh

Could be a repeat final score as last week's Vikings-Ravens game except the Steelers are getting better play from their secondary and take this one at home.

Pick: Steelers

San Diego at Kansas City

KC got their first win, but the Chargers offense is a lot better than the Redskins'.

Pick: Chargers

Green Bay at Cleveland

Cleveland isn't very good, and the Packers corrected some issues and blanked the Lions last outing.

Pick: Packers

N.Y. Jets at Oakland

After all the bad mouthing I have given to the Raiders, I was stunned when they put together that great game last week. I'm going to roll with the black and silver, and give them the nod in this winnable game.

The Jets are reeling and have now lost one of their best defensive players in Kris Jenkins. The Raider defensive front is learning how to play together thanks to Richard Seymour.

Pick: Raiders

Buffalo at Carolina

DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart going up against the worst rush defense in the league.

Pick: Panthers

Chicago at Cincinnati

I like Cedric Benson against the team that drafted him—and subsequently released him for poor play and conduct. He is playing the best football of his career by far.

Pick: Bengals

New Orleans at Miami

I like Miami's defense but after witnessing what Drew Brees and the Saints did against the Giants, I am not sure it matters.

Pick: Saints

Atlanta at Dallas

I just quoted Deion, who said that when referring specifically to this very game. And yet I am going to contradict myself, what can I say I like to keep things interesting.

Dallas is coming off a bye week, but I just don't see the glue on this team to stick together. The Falcons are a complete team, and fully understand the team concept.

Pick: Falcons

Arizona at N.Y. Giants

Huge game for the Cardinals. They body slammed Seattle, and their defense flashed the dominant force it can be when they are firing on all cylinders.

Tough matchup against one of the best teams in the league coming off a disappointing loss, but the Giants secondary looked highly vulnerable. I'll take Warner and the trio.

Pick: Cardinals

Monday Night Football:

Philadelphia at Washington

Hall of Fame receiver Steve Largent said it best so that I don't have to.

"The formula that the Redskin owner and the Redskin general manager have for producing a winner on the field is not a winning formula, meaning that they can't make all the decisions on the coaches and on the personnel and then hire some guy off the street to be the head coach and win with what they put on the field, because it doesn't work," Largent said.

"And that has been proven for 10 years in a row. ... So the failure of the Redskins is not about Jim Zorn. The failure of the Redskins starts above him, above his level."

Pick: Eagles

Byes: Baltimore,Denver,Detroit,Jacksonville,Seattle,Tennessee

Baltimore is in an unusual state. Just when they finally put together a top ten offense, their defense drops out. They can still be a decent defense, but it cannot be understated the effects of losing Rex Ryan, Bart Scott, and Jim Leonhard. Their secondary in particular is not playing well.

Denver, wow. Kyle Orton's level of play has surprised many, but not me . Eventually this team will lose though right?

Detroit has improved, but losing Matthew Stafford has been a big blow. Hopefully, Jim Schwartz is not pulling a Bill Belichick and Stafford's knee isn't so serious that they need to shut him down for the year, and no one is letting on?He has more than a big arm, he has shown the leadership they need to move the ball. Losing playing time has interrupted the groove the team was finding.

Jacksonville has really impressed me offensively.

David Garrard and Maurice Jones-Drew are willing them to some success. They are a mediocre team, something I didn't expect. I thought for sure they would be mixed in with the Rams and Browns as one of the worst teams in the league.

Seattle is really going to miss their leader Lofa Tatupu if he is indeed lost for the year . Even if he isn't gone for the entirety, he surely will mist a lot of time regardless.

Bad news for a team that seems to be short on leadership.

Tennessee's mess is well chronicled. Still, "Any team coached by Jeff Fisher has the ability to gather themselves and rattle off eight wins in a row. Not saying they will, just saying it’s a possibility ."

Pretty comical to quote myself, but hey I already said it.