The Second Annual Tryptophan Edition

Welcome to the second annual hodgepodge Thanksgiving addition. As I make the yearly trip with the family for my favorite holiday, I will be leaving this page for the next week. So real quick, let’s go over the Redskins game and the rest of the NFL. I will return next Tuesday for the Maryland/Illinois preview. Until then, this brief write-up is all you’ll have.



Carolina Panthers (6-4) vs. Washington Redskins (3-7)
1:00 p.m. FedEx Field
Jason Campbell looked ordinarily average. Is that redundant? Well, it’s the best way to describe his performance. He went 19-34 for 196 yards. He couldn’t hit a pass over 10 yards. He was reluctant to get rid of the ball before being hit. In other words, he was a younger version of Mark Brunell. Seriously, 19-34 for 196 is exactly what we were getting from Brunell for most of the season.

Obviously there are differences. Campbell at least attempted to go downfield. He overthrew the receiver by 20 yards, but at least he tried. A quarterback that unsuccessfully goes deep is slightly, slighty better than one who never goes downfield at all. Campbell only made two throws that impressed me all day. The first was a third and long completion to James Thrash. The second was the rollout throw and touchdown pass to Todd Yoder. Ok, be honest…who had the vaunted Campbell-Yoder connection by week 11 in the season?

It makes sense to keep starting the kid, as the Redskins season is done. It would take six wins in a row, and help, for the Skins to even sniff the playoffs. In other words, it ain’t happening. This week the Redskins kick off a three-game homestand by playing the frustratingly inconsistent Carolina Panthers. The Panthers defense went from slowly turning the corner to dominant in one bye week flat. When was the last time the Rams were shut out? No seriously, I don’t feel like looking it up.

The offense is reliant on Steve Smith. The Deshawn Foster-DeAngelo Williams connection has yet to get going on any regular basis. Keyshawn Johnson is good when he wants to be, but he no longer has the speed to be a deep threat. No one can stop Smith, but as long as you limit the rest of Carolina’s offense, he can’t beat you by himself. Last week Smith had a good game but Carolina only managed 13 points against a terrible Rams defense (two additional points were from a safety). It was a good thing that Carolina’s defense stepped up or the Panthers could have been looking at a .500 record and a playoff dogfight.

If the Redskins couldn’t stop Cadillac Williams and Mike Alstott for Tampa, both of who have the mobility of a hippo, they’re not going to stop DeAngelo Williams and Foster. I have no idea how they can’t stop Alstott. If he gets the ball, he’s going straight. That’s the only way he can go. He can’t cut. He can’t run a sweep. He’s going up the middle. Ugh.

And if the Redskins couldn’t stop a one-dimensional offense, they won’t be able to stop Carolina. While the Panthers have struggled, the Skins defense has been worse. Campbell is likely to get blitzed a lot by the Panthers defense, and will turn the ball over at least twice. It would be a minor miracle if the Redskins don’t look as bad as St. Louis did last week against Carolina. The Redskins fans will not be happy.

On to the quick picks. My week 11 mark was 11-4. That’s more like it. Pimp-slap those records up here:
Overall: 99-51 (66%)
Vs. Spread: 87-58-5
Ignore for a second my 11-3-1 record against the spread last week and please don’t use the following picks as the basis for any real wagering. Plus, since it’s Tuesday, the lines I use won’t be the lines by game time on Sunday.

THURSDAY
Miami Dolphins (4-6)(-2.5) vs. Detroit Lions (2-8)
12:30 p.m Ford Field
I have a hard time betting against either home team on Thankgiving. However, last year I picked against both Detroit and Dallas and won. Hmm…I can’t see that happening again. This will be the only time in the next decade that I’ll pick the Lions as dogs.
Pick: Lions

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-7) vs. Dallas Cowboys (6-4)(-11)
4:15 p.m. Texas Stadium
Dallas will win; it’s just a question of by how much. If the spread was 10, I’d probably stick with Dallas. But the 11-point spread will force me to do this.
Pick: Cowboys, Bucs cover

Denver Broncos (7-3)(-1) vs. Kansas City Chiefs (6-4)
8:30 p.m. Arrowhead Stadium
What took so long for the NFL to give Kansas City a home Thanksgiving game? I’ve been calling for a Thanksgiving tripleheader including KC for years. Yep, I even predicted that. That’s how good I am. Old school AFL rivalry. Arrowhead Stadium. Late night, primetime game. Yeah, it just feels right. This is old school football.
Pick: Chiefs

SUNDAY
Jacksonville Jaguars (6-4)(-6) vs. Buffalo Bills (4-6)
1:00 p.m. Ralph Wilson Stadium
The Marylandville Jaguapins continue to confuse all except for me. The Giants come to town and they play up. The Texans come to town and they play down. A road game against Buffalo…well, it seems like a win for Jacksonville, but it will be ugly and close.
Pick: Jaguars, Bills cover

Houston Texans (3-7) vs. New York Jets (5-5)(-6)
1:00 p.m. Giants Stadium
What, the Bears weren’t available for another game in New Jersey?
Pick: Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers (4-6) vs. Baltimore Ravens (8-2)(-3)
1:00 p.m. M&T Bank Stadium
When can we start calling the Ravens the worst 8-2 team ever (we were so quick to do those kind of ridiculous labels for the Redskins last season)? How many bounces will this team get. I’ve never seen a team get away with so many near turnovers week after week. All of the Skins 2005 mojo decided to move 40 miles north this season.
Pick: Steelers

Cincinnati Bengals (5-5)(-3) vs. Cleveland Browns (3-7)
1:00 p.m. Cleveland Browns Stadium
How long are we going to call Chad Johnson “Ocho Cinco?” This guy could tell us to call him Natalie Portman and the media would buy into it. Only the Giants jump-shooting celebration is a more annoying trend.
Pick: Bengals

Arizona Cardinals (2-8) vs. Minnesota Vikings (4-6)(-5)
1:00 p.m. H.H.H. Metrodome
At least Brad Johnson is “managing” these losses. He is managing the hell out of them.
Pick: Vikings

San Francisco 49ers (5-5) vs. St. Louis Rams (4-6)(-5.5)
1:00 p.m. Edward Jones Dome
I’ve been so busy destroying the Rams season, that I’ve completely ignored the fact that the 49ers have reached .500. Only in the NFC West. The madness must stop.
Pick: Rams

New Orleans Saints (6-4) vs. Atlanta Falcons (5-5)(-3)
1:00 p.m. Georgia Dome
Well, I finally got an Atlanta Falcons pick right. Now we go for an unprecedented two in a row. From the recent looks of it, neither of these teams is going to make the playoffs. Someone stops the slide and gets a one week reprieve.
Pick: Saints

Chicago Bears (9-1) vs. New England Patriots (7-3)(-3)
4:15 p.m. Gillette Stadium
No Chicago, you’re not in the Meadowlands anymore. A Tom Brady led offense is just the thing to put the Bears back in the loss column. What are the odds that Bill Billichick puts a hoodie on under one of those fancy Reebok suits for this game?
Pick Patriots

New York Giants (6-4)(-5) vs. Tennessee Titans (3-7)
4:15 p.m. LP Field
For Big Blue, it looks like it’s time to push all the chips in the middle of the table. If you want in, get in. If you want out, get out. Man, I miss Jim Fassel.
Pick: Giants

Oakland Raiders (2-8) vs. San Diego Chargers (8-2)(-13.5)
4:15 p.m. Qualcomm Stadium
Hey, this LaDainian Tomlinson guy is pretty good. He’s already scored two touchdowns in this game.
Pick: Chargers

Philadelphia Eagles (5-5) vs. Indianapolis Colts (9-1)(-9.5)
8:15 p.m. RCA Dome
See, last week I had it all figured out. This was going to be the game Indy lost. Yep, even for all my shots at Philadelphia, I had them winning in the Dome in a primetime game. Then the Colts lost, McNabb blew out his knee, and my picks were screwed up. I’m not happy about two of those three. I’m really not one of those guys who roots for injuries, but I think most people can make an exception here.
Pick: Colts

MONDAY
Green Bay Packers (4-6) vs. Seattle Seahawks (6-4)(-9)
8:30 p.m. Qwest Field
Again, it’s worth repeating. The 49ers are at .500. They are one game off the division lead. This is what’s become of the NFC West. How bad is this division? How bad is the NFL this season? However, both Matt Hasselbeck and Shaun Alexander are back, and maybe some order will be restored.
Pick: Seahawks

Have a happy Thanksgiving everyone.