Week One

The new football season is nearly here (tomorrow!) I've decided to try to pick against the spread again, knowing well that I have been unsuccessful in every attempt to do so previously. Still, there's something fun about being so consistently wrong.

Tennessee(+6) at Pittsburgh Pittsburgh is a great team who could very well be on their way to another Super Bowl. But anytime I can get six points on a 13-3 team, I can't resist.

Miami at Atlanta(-4) Miami's 11-5 record was a mirage based on a dreadfully easy schedule. Atlanta's 11-5 record was not.

Kansas City(+13) at Baltimore I don't like either side of this line. KC will be competitive this year, though, and Baltimore tends to start the season slowly.

Philadelphia at Carolina(+2) Carolina isn't going to be a good team this season, but then again the Eagles might not be, either. In either case, a 12-4 home dog is generally a good bet, and the Eagles are notoriously slow starters.

Denver(+4) at Cincinnati Denver will be god-awful. But Cincy won five games last season, and I can't give away four points with a bad team.

Minnesota(-4.5) at Cleveland Ironic Game of the Week. Brett Favre got Mangini fired in New York, and then beats him in his first game with a new team. The Browns' defense will be trying to tackle Adrian Peterson all week in their nightmares after this one.

NY Jets(+4.5) at Houston The Jets will be fired up to play their first game for new head coach Rex Ryan, while Houston generally sleepwalks through September. Not a good combo for the Texans.

Jacksonville(+7) at Indianapolis I don't like either side of this line. The Jags tend to keep it close against Indy, however.

Detroit at New Orleans(-13) New Orleans will punt twice in this game, maybe.

Dallas(-6) at Tampa Bay Tampa might get three wins. This isn't one of them.

San Francisco(+6.5) at Arizona I think the 49ers finish the season with a better record than the Cards. I'll take 6.5 and the better team any day.

Washington at NY Giants(-6.5) I don't buy Washington as a drastically improved team, and the Giants handled them last season.

St. Louis at Seattle(-8.5) I'd like to believe that the Rams will be better under their new coach, but they have no talent at all on defense. Nothing.

Chicago at Green Bay(-3.5) Aaron Rodgers vs. Jay Cutler might be a wash, but Green Bay has better WRs, a better OL, and a better defense.

Buffalo at New England(-10.5) With a week to go before the season opener, the Bills have fired their offensive coordinator and released their starting left tackle. And they haven't beaten the Pats in years. I'd take New England if they were giving 20.

San Diego(-9) at Oakland While the rest of the league faces NFL competition, San Diego opens the season with a tune-up against Divison 1-AA Oakland.