As we enter Day 4 of the Post-Brady Season I find myself more and more able to cope with the loss of my hero. I am actually (frighteningly) optimistic about the upcoming season. I said it Sunday and I’ll say it today, these guys still finish 11-5. Matt Cassel isn’t Tom Brady but he knows the system and he can throw the ball. The pieces he has around him are incredible. The defense will step up, and as long as the O-line can play like they did during the 2007 regular season and not like they did in the Super Bowl then we will be able to make a serious run at this. The Chargers, Colts and Jags all stunk last week…the AFC is wide open.

Enough of my ranting, lets move ahead to Week 2. I finished at a disappointing 9-7 after completely underrating the home teams on Monday night. The good thing for me was that I only bet on the 9 and stayed away from the 7, so financially speaking I had as good a week as I ever have. I also dominated both my fantasy games behind McNabb and Westbrook, won my priority picks league, escaped with a Pats win in Pick’Em, and nailed a 5-team parlay as well as cashing in on my 3 locks (Steelers, Jets, Eagles). If it weren’t for one specific anterior cruciate ligament I would have had the best Sunday of my life. But again, I regress.

9-7 isn’t bad, but it isn’t 60%. Week 2 has some tough lines but I think I can pull out 10 wins. Tricky thing is, I can’t tell you which will be the 10 winners, so you’re best bet is to put $20 on the ones you like and then load up on my LOTW.

I’m burnt out from my RR/RW Challenge preview so there won’t be much analysis…

CHIEFS -3.5 over Raiders
KC hung with the Pats, Oakland looked like shit on Monday.

Titans +1 over BENGALS
I think we can all finally come to terms with the fact that Cincy is terrible. The only reason they’re favored is because of the “Vince Young Situation,” which I think is irrelevant because the Titans are better with Kerry Collins at this point.

Colts -2 over VIKINGS
Minnesota’s D is filthy and Indy played like dog shit against the Bears, but they should be able to throw the ball around a bit against an average secondary.

REDSKINS PK over Saints
I bet against New Orleans in my upset special last week and was half a point away from nailing it. This week they play a good defense, on the road, without their best offensive weapon Marques Colston who is out 4-6 weeks (yeah Reggie, you heard me). Vegas wants you to take the Saints…don’t fall into the trap.


Lock of the Week:
Packers -3 over LIONS
I’m not in love with Aaron Rodgers yet, but Detroit just got smoked by the Atlanta Fucking Falcons. The Packers have a great defense and a balanced offense. This line is as insulting as my lock last week (Steelers -6…they won 38-17). Take it to the bank.

PANTHERS -3 over Bears
Lots of games I’m not sure of this week, so if you notice that I’m taking a lot of home teams then you have found my security blanket.

Giants -8.5 over RAMS
I really don’t like this line, but based on Week 1 performances I can’t in my right mind take St. Louis. I will however go ahead and predict a huge game from Stephen Jackson, 2nd RB behind Westbrook on the White Cassels.

JAGUARS -5.5 over Bills
Bills looked great against the Seahawks, Jags looked terrible against the Titans. Still, the Jags are a playoff team favored by less than 6, at home, against a Trent Edwards-led non-playoff team. This would be a candidate for lock of the week if Roscoe Parrish didn’t scare the piss out of me.

BUCS -7 over Falcons
Theres no way Monte Kiffin lets these guys run all over them the way Detroit did. Atlanta will suffer a bad hangover game, don’t worry. Nobody goes into Ray-Jay and beats dem Bucs…WHO DAT!?!

SEAHAWKS -7 over 49ers
I have decided to pick these games based on what I would have done last year as opposed to my feelings after last week. I am probably going to pick teams that lost in Week 1 and I’m totally cool with it. After this week we’ll see who actually sucks, who just had a bad Sunday, who is actually for real and who just got lucky.

CARDINALS -6.5 over Dolphins
Another contender for Lock of the Week, except it violated my “Kurt Warner is never a lock for anything” rule.

Patriots +1.5 over BRETTS
The chip on the should is finally back! It took a couple years, but the New England Patriots are finally underdogs again. This will be a far cry from the Bill Belichick Fuck You Road Show of 2007, but the Pats would be better than the Jets with Keanu Reeves at quarterback. The only reason it isn’t my LOTW is because I don’t want to jinx anything.

TEXANS -4.5 over Ravens
Stay away from this game. Stay far far away. If you must bet on it then flip a coin. I just did.


Upset Special
BRONCOS +1.5 over Chargers
I’m loving Denver for 5 reasons:
1) I never bet against the Broncos in Mile High.
2) The Chargers never show up until Week 5.
3) Mike Shanahan vs. Norv Turner.
4) Brandon Marshall is back.
5) Philip Rivers SUCKS.

Steelers -6 over BROWNS
Cleveland is overrated the same way any team is overrated when they have good playmakers and no line or defense. The Steelers are a complete team and will have NO trouble in this one. Parlay the Packers-Steelers-Patriots, or do a 5-team 6-point teaser and include Arizona and the Giants. Thank me later.

COWBOYS -7 over Eagles
Security blanket. Going to be a great game.

Last Week: 9-7
Bill Simmons: 6-10