NFL Week 3

Just wanted to touch on a few things and give you guys my NFL Week 3 Picks

First…

Please God, don’t allow Carmelo Anthony to go the Nets. I really shouldn’t hate the Nets, but as a Knicks fan it would be the equivalent to A-Rod being traded to Boston, then really being traded to the Yankees, to a Red Sox fan. Yuck that was a gross 2 seconds imagining myself as a Red Sox fan. Anyway, as I was telling a friend, this is the ultimate tell-all of what kind of guy Carmelo really is. If he gives the Nuggets the green light to trade him to the Nets and signs an extension with them, it’s just proof that he doesn’t want to win, but he wants to work near where his wife works. Wanting to go to the Nets without Derrick Favors or Devin Harris is better than staying in Denver and trying to win with Chauncey and the same team he led to the conference finals in 2009? If he wanted to play with the talent that the Nets currently have I’d get it, but to have Brook Lopez as the only other piece, like really, he would be it, is not a good look for Melo’s career or legacy. Then again, he could be like his peers and not give a crap about legacy and just have his own motives, not that that would be wrong of him, but he’d completely lose me. This can't happen! I mean, what’s so wrong with Randolph, Curry, and a first round pick….in 2014?

Tulo

Holy crap! Troy Tulowitzki has had a better September than the rest of his 2010 season combined. Tulo had a breakout August hitting .351 with 3 homers, 16 RBI, with a .521 slugging percentage. In September he’s hitting .326 with 14 homers (12 since Sept 5^th), 35 RBI, and a .884 slugging percentage! The Rockies are 13-8 this month and 3.5 games out of the Wild Card spot. Tulo’s cooled off a bit this week, but as a baseball fan whose rooting interest is in the American League I really hope this guy has some juice left in him and can help Carlos Gonzalez get the Rockies into the playoffs. Big 3-game home stand against division-leading San Francisco this weekend.

The Iggles

Are you kidding me? You get rid of Donovan McNabb for Kevin Kolb, and he isn’t even your starter week 3 when he’s healthy? I’m not a Kolb advocate, rather a McNabb advocate, and I’m glad the Redskins are looking like a contender and the Eagles are on the spectrum. Vick has looked great so far this season, like as good as he’s ever looked in his career, but he isn’t the guy the Eagles looked to all summer, and he isn’t the guy that this team rationalized getting rid of possibly the best player they’ve ever had for. I’m not an Eagles fans, and Eagles fans that I’ve spoken to are excited about Vick, but what if Aaron Rodgers got hurt in his first game as a Packer and Matt Flynn had a couple of good games and we never heard from Rodgers again? I know I’m being extreme, but how do you go in a different direction, after your last direction was really a positive direction, and then switch to another different direction after TWO GAMES?!? It’s not the wrong thing to let a guy play when he deserves to play, which Vick has proven he does, but I just don’t understand how the Eagles could dedicate themselves to rebuilding around Kolb and then not be playing him in the third game of the season when he’s clear to play.

Bill Simmons on PTI?

Why? I hate watching this guy on TV. I don’t understand how someone who does nothing but write based on convenience has had so much success. Bill Simmons is like the sportswriter equivalent of Family Guy. Really funny and different at first, but lack of depth and too much New England bias got really old, really fast. I mean seriously, I think he’s a great writer, and I think he has a very eclectic sense of humor, I see what the appeal is. I don’t think he has a television like personality though, it’s like watching a rapper or an athlete make a special appearance on a tv show. I’m probably just jealous because if I could close my eyes and live anyone’s life as my dream it would probably be his, but he does nothing but write anti-New York, Celtics/Patriots/Red Sox (his home teams), and Clippers (his new home team) pieces. If he doesn’t write about those teams anymore, I’m sorry, I stopped reading him about three years ago. He literally this minute (5:52 PM, Friday) said on PTI he thinks the Jets are going to just throw their game Sunday night against the Dolphins when asked how many catches he thinks Braylon Edwards will have. I couldn't have scripted that any better. Stay off my PTI!

And lastly…

Hockey Preseason’s back!

Just kidding.

On to my NFL picks…

Last week I did my first ever pick ems, and after much harassment from my readers…I figured it was a good idea to do them again! This week I’m doing them D’Antoni style though, seven words or less. A wiseman (or fictional character) once told me (through television) that everything you need to say can be said in seven words or less. Let’s give it a shot.

(Lines as of Friday night, home teams in caps)

Tennessee (+3) over NY GIANTS

Chris Johnson equals Addai times ten.

NEW ENGLAND (-14) over Buffalo

Fitzpatrick over Edwards? Really? Why?

BALTIMORE (-10.5) over Cleveland

Browns stink, Flacco finally has huge game.

Pittsburgh (-2.5) over TAMPA BAY

Sorry Bucs, Steelers are very elite.

Cincinnati (-3) over CAROLINA

Good luck Clausen, Bengals continue to roll.

NEW ORLEANS (-4) over Atlanta

Champs at home beat good Falcons team.

San Francisco (-3) over KANSAS CITY

Niners playing better, Chiefs not so much.

MINNESOTA (-11) over Detroit

If Favre loses three straight, Vikings crumble.

Dallas (+2.5) over HOUSTON

Texans should’ve lost last week, desperate Cowboys.

Washington (-3.5) over ST. LOUIS

Rams stink, Redskins roll, spread’s too low.

Philadelphia (-2.5) over JACKSONVILLE

MJD (one word) may not be healthy, Vick is.

Indianapolis (-5.5) over DENVER

Emotional Broncos don’t match elite Colts.

San Diego (-5) over SEATTLE

Jared ate his words on both teams.

Oakland (+4.5) over CARDINALS

Like road dogs, like Gradkowski, seriously.

NY Jets (+2.5) over MIAMI

You better believe I’m going over 7 words on this one. The question has to be asked. How much will Braylon Edwards see the field Sunday night? Deactivating him may be the morally correct thing to do, but Edwards joins a list including Ronnie Brown, Joey Porter, Rey Maualuga, Will Allen, Gerard Lawson, and Quinton Ganther, all players to be arrested for DWI, not one of them had been suspended or deactivated for their next game. The NFL’s current collective baragaining agreement states that no player can be suspended or deactivated for a first-time DUI or DWI charge. This is an NFL league problem. Is this a Jets problem? Yes, but the Miami Dolphins on Sunday night are the Jets biggest problem. It’s terrible that Edwards showed such a lapse of judgment especially when the NFL offers a car service to prevent these things from happening, and it’s even more terrible that Edwards responded to the question as to why he didn’t use the NFL’s service by saying he has his own service. Edwards gave the Jets a black eye this week, and it’s one that they didn’t need. But it can be partially righted if they come out and play the way they played last week. Dustin Keller has been the Jets best receiver, most receptions, receiving yards, and targets, so if Braylon has to sit for the first half or beyond it shouldn’t be the end all for the Jets. They really have to come out and play well on defense. They saw the wildcat last year in their first meeting, and they saw the wildcat destroy them. If they can’t stop the Dolphins trick plays then Chad Henne will probably have a huge day, especially with two-four on the sidelines in sweats. Yeah Brandon Marshall caught 18 balls in a game against Antonio Cromartie and the Chargers, but Cromartie wasn’t playing man-to-man the whole game, and he did a pretty incredible job against Randy Moss last week. Oh yeah, and that was one single game three seasons ago. Moving on, I think the Jets are a better team and have looked better in two games against good teams than the Fins have looked against the Bills and Brett Favre. The Dolphins secondary looks great, Jason Allen had 2 picks against the old Allen Iverson of the NFL (chucks up bad shots, doesn’t really seem too emotionally invested, has ugly neck tattoos) and Vontae Davis did a great job hurting himself during his celebration dance. C’mon son! The media’s loving Miami in this one, but homer Jared’s sticking with his boys. No excuses.

Green Bay (-3) over CHICAGO

Bears haven’t beaten anyone good, Packers = great.

Last Week 7-8-1 (Yikes!)

Feel free to leave your picks in my comments section. Enjoy the festivities.