NFL Picks-Week Nine

In the spirit of the midseason, I will give out an award for each game. It might go to a player or a team or a storyline. Maybe it will take my mind off being terrible at this. Also, my straight up picks were actually good last week. I went 10-4, improving my season record to 63-53, while Barnes went 7-7, dropping his lead over me to 3 games at 66-50. Just a little aside. Last season at this time, I was 72-45, 9 games better. It hasn't been a great season.

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 2ND

New York Jets @ Buffalo (-5.5)
The Pick: Buffalo
This is tough, but I'll go with Brett Favre. He gets the "T.O., Please Someone Pay Attention To Me" Award. At first I thought Favre just wanted to come back, but now it seems like he's just looking for attention. It hurts me a lot. The Bills are a close second for "Most Surprising Team"

Detroit @ Chicago (-13)
The Pick: Detroit (ATS) Chicago (Straight Up)
Dan Orlovsky gets the "You've Played Football How Long and Don't Know What An Endline Looks Like?" Award. He will never live that down. Never ever.

Jacksonville (-7.5) @ Cincinnati
The Pick: Jacksonville
Chad Ocho Cinco gets the "I Changed My Name For This?" Award. Since changing his name, he has done nothing. I was going to say nothing good, but really, he's just done nothing.

Baltimore @ Cleveland (-1.5)
The Pick: Cleveland
For Joe Flacco, the "In D-1AA Quarterbacks Can Throw and Catch" Award after bringing in a 43 yarder from Troy Smith last week.

Tampa Bay (-8.5) @ Kansas City
The Pick: Kansas City (ATS) Tampa Bay (Straight Up)
Jeff Garcia gets the "Coach Only Starts Me Because He Has To" Award, only because Chucky seems to be looking for any chance to bench the diminuitive husband of the smoking stripper.

Houston @ Minnesota (-4.5)
The Pick: Houston
Mario Williams with the "Reggie Bush Doesn't Get Number One Money But I Do" Award because although he hasn't clearly proved he was the better pick, he does make the money, and isn't that all that really matters??

Arizona (-3) @ St. Louis
The Pick: St. Louis
Jim Haslett gets the "I Only Coach Well Under Adversity" Award for bringing this team back from the dead and having his other great season be with the Saints in the wake of Katrina.

Green Bay @ Tennessee (-5.5)
The Pick: Green Bay
The Packers secondary gets the "We're Almost As Injured As The Ohio Bobcats" Award for having basically everyone suffer some sort of injury.

Miami @ Denver (-3)
The Pick: Denver
Ronnie Brown gets the "I'm Not A Tiger Anymore. Just Call Me Wildcat" Award for leading the biggest gimmick offense ofthe 2008 first half.

Dallas @ New York Giants (-8.5)
The Pick: New York Giants
The Giants D-Line gets the "Michael and Osi Who?" Award for playing unbelievably even after losing arguably its two best players.

Atlanta (-3) @ Oakland
The Pick: Atlanta
The Falcons get "Feel Good Story Of The Year" for turning into a legitimate team just a year after the Vick and Petrino fiascos.

Philadelphia (-7) @ Seattle
The Pick: Philadelphia
Mike Holmgren with the "I Came Back For This?" Award for possibly retiring a year too late.

New England @ Indianapolis (-5.5)
The Pick: New England
Bill Belichick gets the "Damn, Brady Made Me Look Great" Award for maybe not being quite as good as he made us believe.

MONDAY NOVEMBER 3RD

Pittsburgh @ Washington (-2)
The Pick: Washington
Big Ben gets the "At Least I Wear A Helmet On The Field" Award because, after all the hits he's taken, he'd probably look like he did after the big motorcycle crash if he didn't have that Black and Gold helmet.

There you have it. Another week in the books. Hooray. Go Pack Go