NFL Week 8 Picks: And a Word From Me About Dolphins-Steelers

We all saw the call, well, everyone except for me.

I spent last weekend in Orlando and heard about it from a phone call from my dad while eating ice cream at Ghiradelli's in Downtown Disney.

It was a pretty weird vibe. I've only been at a theme park twice on NFL Sundays, and being the superstitious fan, with the way both of those times played out for my Miami Dolphins, I probably won't be doing that again.

Last year, I was exhausted with aching feet thanks to shoes with no support and was barely able to walk, yet kept track of the Dolphins-Saints game. Thing were looking good as I looked at the score and it was 24-3. We all know what happened after that though.

While last year I thought the Dolphins would beat the Saints leading up to the game, this year, as I pointed out last week, I knew the Steelers would take it. I considered them the best team in the NFL, or at least top-2 with the Jets. So for the Dolphins to be up 22-20 with less than three minutes left, I was so ecstatic that I actually let my guard down and thought "holy bleep, we can take this."

Then came the call.

Now, my dad isn't a Miami Dolphins fan at all and, at times, I feel like he takes an extra special interest in watching all of Miami's teams to see if they lose (as seen Tuesday when the Heat looked like complete mierda and still only lost to the Celtics by only eight in Boston. And if you don't know what that word means, then learn Spanish because if I translate that on here that goes against the B/R terms.) He hates Miami's sports teams, yet even he felt like the Dolphins got jobbed.

They did. It was a clear fumble as seen by the two back judges, recovered cleanly by the Dolphins in the end zone, which should've resulted in a touchback. So to say that you couldn't determine who recovered the fumble is a fallacy.

But, it is the rules. The line judge did blow the whistle and signaled a touchdown, meaning Big Ben was right when he said he heard touchdown (but not about having the ball or hearing another official scream out "white ball." And the rules, as messed up as they may be, were enforced to the letter of the law, hence, the right call was made, Steelers ball.

Besides, the Dolphins had plenty of time to drive for a field goal, but again, bad play calling and lack of trust in Henne from Dan Henning killed us. Why in God's name do you run a short pass to Lousaka Polite when you have a receiver by the name of Brandon Marshall, who gets Davon Bess (someone who'd be a superstar if he played in New England by the way, you know Belichick is looking for ways to acquire him sometime down the road) sprung open?

Yes I know bashing Dan Henning's play calling and his lack of trust in Henne and the Dolphins' offense as a whole has become a crutch for me this entire season, but it is the truth. Let the record be known that in two of the three Dolphins losses, as well as every win, Sparano and Henning's strategy of "let's just keep it close into the fourth quarter" has made each Dolphin game more stress inducing than it should've been, and also cost them games against the Jets and Steelers.

This should be a 5-1 team, on its way to an 11-5 season. Instead they're 3-3, and they'll continue on their .500 pace the rest of the way unless they manage to get hot against Detroit, Cleveland, and Oakland, which this season has proved aren't teams meant to be taken lightly.

In fact, the Dolphins conservative game planning could actually cost them those games.

Sorry if I wrote too much about the Dolphins, I didn't get a Dolfan Diaries entry out simply because I've been working on another project all week, but I will have one this week. But for now...ON TO THE PICKS!

HOME TEAM IN CAPS

Jacksonville (+6.5) over DALLAS

That's not a joke. Maybe the Cowboys will do better without Romo, but with Jon Kitna at the helm, I expect the Cowboys to go more toward the Dolphins offense. If that's the case, take Dan Henning...PLEASE!

Cowboys 23 Jaguars 20

ST. LOUIS (-3) over Carolina

And the undisputed worst team in the NFL goes to: well it's still Carolina. Don't let their win over San Francisco fool you; remember, the 49ers are going through the prototypical NFL nightmare season where they have high expectations that everything that can go wrong does go wrong. And yes, I did say that even the 49ers would beat the Panthers, but I did have that addendum that nightmare seasons includes losses like this.

But the Rams are going through an NFL dream season, and with that I'd like to congratulate one of their fans, who's also one of my best friends, on getting married on Sunday. Congratulations Shawn! For your wedding present, I predict a Rams victory and they will produce.

Rams 28 Panthers 13

Denver (+1) over SAN FRANCISCO (Game being played in London.)

The city of San Francisco made a great decision. With their Giants in the World Series and the Warriors about to have a season where they might surprise many in the West, they deported the horrendous 49ers so as to not get their stink all over the Giants (and it looks to be working since they're up 2-0!) Well for one week only but still, what are the odds of that? Perfect timing really for the 49ers to be out of the country; they stink, and their former stadium co-tennants are now just two games away from clinching their first World Series title in San Francisco. Even better still would be if the Giants went up 3-0 on Saturday, than with the 10 a.m. local time start, many in San Francisco won't even be awake to see Kyle Orton and Brandon Lloyd return to form and push Mike Singletary out of a job!

Broncos 35 49ers 10

KANSAS CITY (-7.5) over Buffalo

The Bills showed some fight against the Ravens, however based off of the tape I saw, they didn't seem too motivated until Ray Lewis' pep-talk. Meanwhile The Chiefs, much like their Show Me State Brethren the Rams, seem to be having one of those dream seasons. (Also much like the Rams, I think they'll be a force to reckon with in their division after this season.)

Chiefs 38 Bills 21

NEW YORK JETS (-6) over Green Bay Packers

A 2010 football rule: when the best team in the NFL plays against the fourth best team in the Big-16 (my nickname this season for the NFC, yes its that bad) then I'm going with the best team in the NFL.

Jets 28 Packers 20

Washington (+3) over DETROIT

Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! I know, I've picked the Lions to cover every game this season, and they've gone 5-1 against the spread. So why jump off the bandwagon now? Well, it's temporary. Plus, the reason why the Lions success against the spread hasn't translated to success on the field is because they can't stop the run. Ryan Torian will have some fun this Sunday.

Redskins 27 Lions 24

Tennessee (+3.5) over SAN DIEGO

I have a confession to make. I really like the Titans. If they were in the Big-16, and I mean any division in that conference, they'd wrap it up by Thanksgiving (I feel the same way about the Ravens, Dolphins, Patriots, Colts and other second and third tier AFC teams by the way.

But the Chargers aren't an NFC team. And they lead the league in offense and defense. Ok, I understand your point. But understand this.

The Titans' coach is Jeff Fisher, who has proven time and again in his 17 years with this franchise that he can win games.

The Chargers coach is Norv Turner, who ever since leaving that Jimmy Johnson umbrella in Dallas 17 years ago has proven that he can lose games.

I rest my case.

Titans 35 Chargers 30

NEW ENGLAND (-5) over Minnesota

I don't know the status of Brett Favre's health. But I do know this, if he plays, it will prove that he's a selfish little drama queen that loves attention.

Ok it proves nothing but still, the Vikings don't have a chance in this game now. They would've if Childress would've grown a pair and gone after McNabb in the off-season and tell Brett to bleep off (they're favorites to win the NFC if they do that) but they didn't, and now look at where they're at.

Patriots 41 Vikings 27

Seattle (+3) over OAKLAND

Maybe the Seahawks are better than i thought they would be.

Seahawks 17 Raiders 10

Tampa Bay (+3) over ARIZONA

I'm still not a big Cardinals believer.

Buccaneers 22 Cardinals 14

NEW ORLEANS (-1) over Pittsburgh

The Saints absolutely need to win this game. They're at home, and just last week got embarrassed by the Browns. If they don't come back guns blazing and ready to kick ass, then I'll know (and so will everybody else) that they are having a serious Super Bowl hangover. Granted hangovers do happen in New Orleans but not like this.

Saints 32 Steelers 28

INDIANAPOLIS (-5.5) over Houston

Houston whupped Indy on opening day. It was cute and all and at the time made me think that the Texans are getting over the hump. However, I'm starting to get the feeling that maybe they looked at that game as their Super Bowl and since then they've kind of reverted back to the same old 8-8 Texans they've been since the beginning of time. Actually, I think they really are.

Colts 26 Texans 20

MIAMI DOLPHINS GAME OF THE WEEK

Miami (+1.5) over CINCINNATI

The Bengals are really underwhelming to me, while the Dolphins always seem to pull it out on the road. They're going 4-0 on the road and will do it in the most conservative, boring way possible that will have me frustrated and cursing Dan Henning's name. In other words, another standard week for me. Meanwhile in New Jersey, Dwyane Wade and LeBron James will outscore both the Dolphins AND Bengals at the same time. 

Dolphins 22 Bengals 19

BYE: Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Cleveland, New York Football Giants, Philadelphia

Last week (vs. spread): 10-4 (8-6)

Overall (vs. spread): 58-46 (51-48-2)

Dolfan Diaries will return on Monday. No seriously. Follow me on twitter, @thomasgalicia.