NFL 2010 Week 10 Picks

I don’t like Thursday night NFL games.

I don’t like that they’re only on the NFL Network and unavailable to a significant portion of the country. I don’t like that I don’t have any friends with NFL Network whose couch I can invade tonight. I REALLY don’t like that I have to turn in my week 10 predictions earlier than my customary Sunday at 12:30-12:45 p.m. sweet spot.

Maybe I shouldn’t be so cranky. I had a good week in the picks game last time out (10-3 week, 61-39 overall). Hopefully I can keep it going. (Be sure to let me know if tonight’s game was any good.)

BALTIMORE @ ATLANTA
Atlanta’s pretty good at home, but the Falcons best offensive weapon (WR Roddy White) is banged up, and the Ravens stomped a good Miami team last week as if to say, “Don’t forget about us.” (As if we could ever forget about them — they never stop talking about themselves.)

DETROIT @ BUFFALO
I’m going back into “Not picking Buffalo until they actually WIN” mode after they burned me against the Bears last week.

MINNESOTA @ CHICAGO
The Vikings may be a mess, but a few of their players announced this week that they’re not quitting — no matter how much they hate head coach/lamest duck Brad Childress. Even a cursory effort should be good enough to get past the Bears.

N.Y. JETS @ CLEVELAND
I picked them to beat the Patriots last week, but I’m not going to pick the Browns to beat the Saints, Pats AND Jets in consecutive games.

CAROLINA @ TAMPA BAY
I’m curious to see how the Bucs play in a game where, for the first time in two years, everyone pretty much agrees that they should win. (I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little worried.)

HOUSTON @ JACKSONVILLE
Watch the Texans bounce back over .500 this week…and below next week. And up and down we go! Weeeee!

CINCINNATI @ INDIANAPOLIS
The Bengals are all but mathematically eliminated from playoff contention in the crowded AFC, so all that’s left is to sit back and watch them implode. (I’ve got Chad Ochocinco going off on a rant in two weeks or less, or your money back.)

TENNESSEE @ MIAMI
The Randy Moss Era begins (again!), this time Tennessee, while the Chad Pennington Era returns in Miami. Don’t ask me why, but I’ve got a funny feeling that Chad’s going to somewhat right the ship in Miami.

KANSAS CITY @ DENVER
Oakland ran all over Denver a few weeks ago, so you’d expect the Chiefs’ high-ranking running game to do the same. Still, I’m picking Denver to fool people into having they have a little life left before Josh McDaniels loses his team at the end of the year.

DALLAS @ N.Y. GIANTS
You COULD say the Giants are the cause of the Cowboys’ current misery since they knocked Tony Romo out of the lineup a few weeks ago, but Dallas was sucky WAY before that. I’m mostly going to miss Wade Phillips’ confusedly staring out into the field as everything goes down in flames.

SEATTLE @ ARIZONA
I think the Giants just scored another touchdown on the Seahawks. (And that was in Seattle, where the Seahawks are allegedly good.)

ST. LOUIS @ SAN FRANCISCO
Stage a late-season rally Niners. I’m not ready to lose Wade Phillips AND Mike Singletary in a single season!

NEW ENGLAND @ PITTSBURGH
It comes down to the Steelers looking stout on defense (as usual), and I don’t really see anyone on New England’s roster that can burn them and allow the Pats to have success on offense.

PHILADELPHIA @ WASHINGTON
Last time these two teams played, Michael Vick hurt his ribs and missed a few games. Last times the Redskins played, Mike Shanahan basically accused Donovan McNabb of being dumb (couldn’t grasp the two-minute offense) before amending it to call him fat (didn’t have the “cardiovascular” conditioning). Is there a better possible ending to an NFL game this season than McNabb leading a game-winning drive in the last two minutes? Please make this happen, football gods!