NFL 2008 Picks: Week 7

Another Sunday, another horrific weekend that pulls me down below the .500 mark for the season. Remember that remark I made last week about never having picked every team that was favored by 7+ points? Well, not only did all of them not cover, but all but one of them lost. Wow.

I’m making some small tweaks to my picks methodology this week (after all, this year’s the first time I’ve ever picked the full slate of games every week). It definitely needs some work.

Last week: 5-9
Overall Season Results: 42-44-2

Sunday

TEN (-8) at KC
The Chiefs have done very poorly against tough defenses, including a 0-34 loss against Carolina a few weeks ago. Now they have no LJ. Tennessee looks like the best (or at least most consistent) team in football at this point.
Pick: TEN

SD (PK) at BUF
I think my Norv Turner rule is something like 4-2 this season. San Diego has a history of tanking hangover games and has been pretty mediocre on the road. Cross-country trips West to East are tough.
Pick: BUF

PIT (-9.5) at CIN
This line’s mostly similar to a -7.5 line and I certainly wouldn’t pick the Bengals (0-6, no Carson) at +7.5.
Pick: PIT

BAL (-3) at MIA
Baltimore burned me last week. They’re clearly one of those teams that can battle in the trenches, but can never come from behind or succeed in a shoot-out. It’s just difficult to expect Flacco to win on the road for them.
Pick: MIA

DAL (-7) at STL
OJ finally had a Sportscenter-level play last week, so it’s time to start giving the Rams some love. Donnie Avery’ll get loose for a score in this one.
Pick: STL

MIN (+3) at CHI
Tricky game. Two stout run defenses. Two bad secondaries. Orton is looking good though, and Chicago’s played pretty well at home. Plus they’re coming off that embarrassment last week.
Pick: CHI

NO (+3) at CAR
Carolina hasn’t lost at home, New Orleans hasn’t won on the road. The homefield advantage in those NFC South stadiums is real.
Pick: CAR

SF (+10.5) at NYG
Look, maybe the Giants were just in a slump last week and they’ll come back hungry on Sunday. Maybe. Or maybe their front 7 legitimately struggled. Either way, I’m taking the points and rooting hard.
Pick: SF

DET (+8.5) at HOU
This is the week!… for the Lions to get back to their ways of losing by 14+. Andre Johnson could end up with 900 yards receiving.
Pick: HOU

NYJ (-3) at OAK
Lost in the Brett Favre hyperbole is the fact that the Jets defense has been surprisingly good, yardage wise (11th in the league).
Pick: NYJ

CLE (+7.5) at WAS
Should be a great game, now that Cleveland picked up the pace last week. Cleveland’s defense has been very underrated and the offense is putting it together.
Pick: CLE

IND (-1.5) at GB
It’s Peyton Manning time
Pick: IND

SEA (+10.5) at TB
I thought the Seahawks were in big trouble BEFORE Hasselbeck went down. See above comments from NO vs. CAR game.
Pick: TB

Monday

DEN (+3) at NWE
Denver’s struggled with a couple of stout defenses in a row, but I’m not sure the Patriots qualify as that anymore. This one’ll be a shootout and I like Cutler over Cassel in that kind of a game.
Pick: DEN