UTTQ Predictions: Week 13

With only about a month left in the season, most teams fates have been decided already. This week's Thursday night match up features a pair of teams that have disappointed this season.

PHILADELPHIA 24, SEATTLE 17
The now mathematically eliminated "Dream Team" comes into Seattle as one of the most disappointing teams of all-time. The Seahawks have also been mediocre following a 2010 season that saw them take the NFC West crown. With the recent news of Sidney Rice going on IR, this match up comes down to which team's skill players can be more impactful. Philly may be a bad team, but they still have a world of talent even without Mike Vick and Jeremy Maclin. It should be enough to get the "W", which don't seem to matter as much anymore.

TENNESSEE 27, BUFFALO 21
Similar to their 2008 edition, the Bills are in absolute free fall following their loss to the Jets on Sunday. Ryan Fitzpatrick just isn't anywhere near as impressive as he was earlier in the season and the loss of Fred Jackson is devastating. Did I also mention that CJ2K just had a huge 190 yrd effort against the Bucs this past week? Things don't look good for Buffalo again this week and one can only wonder where it all went wrong.

KANSAS CITY 14, CHICAGO 28
Lost in the shuffle of the Bears loss to the Raiders on Sunday is that Caleb Hanie actually wasn't that bad. After three early INTs, Hanie seemed to settle down and do a fine job apart from the huge brain fart on the final play. The Bears may be seeing old friend Kyle Orton on Sunday though he won't make a difference. The Chiefs are another team that was hot at one point this season but has fizzled as of late. Chicago gets back to its winning ways come Sunday.

OAKLAND 23, MIAMI 18
Speaking of team's being red hot, the Dolphins were on a three game win streak before losing on a last second Dan Bailey FG in Dallas on Thanksgiving. Reggie Bush seems to have found his niche in the Miami offense while Matt Moore is playing great football. However, the Raiders are a very confident team with Carson Palmer seeming to have found his groove. At this point, Oakland controls it's own destiny in the AFC West with Denver coming on hot. This game could easily go either way though I think that the experience of Palmer will lead the Silver and Black to victory.

DENVER 18, MINNESOTA 12
Tim Tebow is 5-1 as a starter this season. Let that soak in for a second. I have yet to buy into the Bronco's new option attack which has conquered the Jets, Chargers and Raiders in past weeks. That being said, I do think that Tebow and company get the win in Minnesota this weekend. Christian Ponder has performed well above expectations but without Adrian Peterson, the Vikings just don't have a very dynamic offense.

INDIANAPOLIS 10, NEW ENGLAND 35
The Colts have made the move from Curtis Painter who's 0-8 as a starter this season to Dan Orlovsky, who quarterbacked the 2008 Lions to an 0-16 record. Needless to say, things look great for the Pats this weekend.

CINCINNATI 20, PITTSBURGH 30
The last time these two teams met, the Bengals had plenty of chances to take the lead but couldn't. Cincinnati has struggled in the past couple weeks with losses to the aforementioned Steelers and Ravens and near loss last week against the hapless Browns. Much like Ponder, Andy Dalton has also been quite impressive to this point in the season with AJ Green attributing much to that success. On the other hand, Pittsburgh has quietly been one of the best teams in the AFC despite being swept by Baltimore this season. When it comes down to it, the Steelers beat Cincy in Cincy and they'll beat em in the 'Burg.

CAROLINA 21, TAMPA BAY 23
With a five game losing steak on their hands, the Bucs can't be having too much fun. On the other hand, despite a 3-8 record, the Panthers seem to be having lots of it. Cam Newton has been nothing short of marvelous thus far and if Carolina can improve their defense through the draft and free agency, 2012 will look mighty fine. Tampa is also looking forward to next season with injuries and subpar play having marred 2011. Another match up that could easily fall either way, I say the Bucs break their streak on a game-winning drive by Josh Freeman and crew.

UTTQ Predictions: Week 12

TAMPA BAY 24, TENNESEE 17

In a disappointing 2011 campaign, the Bucs have still managed to have some bright spots including last week’s near comeback against the Packers. The young Bucs have also been hurt big time by the injury bug . Opposite them, the Titans have had their own problems headlined by Chris Johnson’s ineffectiveness and their quick start to the season has vanished. With Matt Hasselbeck ailing, this game could potentially be Jake Locker’s first career start. Locker was fairly successful in his NFL debut against the Falcons last Sunday though the Titans lack any true playmakers on offense. Tampa Bay does and this Josh Freeman-led offense should get the job done.

CAROLINA 30, INDIANAPOLIS 12

Has Peyton Manning ever looked more valuable to the Colts than this season? It’s hard to believe that the perennial 10+ win Colts have yet to walk into one even without Manning this season however they haven’t and look like the strong favorite to “win” the top draft pick for the 2012 draft. Cam Newton has hit a bit of a wall in prior weeks including a 4-INT game against the Lions last week (though the Panthers did almost pull that one out). Newton is just a special player regardless and things look good for the Panthers in the future and for this weekend. Just a sidenote, how bad is Dan Orlovsky? It’s an utter mystery to me as to why Curtis Painter is still under center for the Colts. Unless of course they are in fact trying to “Suck for Luck”, then it makes perfect sense.

CHICAGO 24, OAKLAND 20

Just when the Bears seemed to be one of the dominant teams in the NFC, Jay Cutler breaks his thumb and looks to be out for the rest of the regular season. Now, Chicago must turn to Caleb Hanie who was actually fairly effective against the Packers in last season’s NFC Championship game. The Raiders seem to have found stability at QB with Carson Palmer having found his Pro Bowl form in the past few weeks. The Bears still have one of the shutdown defenses in the league and they will have to lean on it even more without Cutler. A heavy dose of Matt Forte combined with a strong showing by the D should lead the Bears to victory.

WASHINGTON 16, SEATTLE 18

In a match up of two disappointing teams, the Redskins come into Seattle on a seven-game losing streak. The Seahawks have followed up their first place NFC West finish in 2010 poorly though they are surely in better shape than Washington. In a game that could easily go either way, Seattle’s playmakers on offense should be the differnce in extending the ‘Skins streak to eight.

NEW ENGLAND 28, PHILADELPHIA 24

Is the “Dream Team” back? Most likely not. After pulling a surprising upset of the Giants on Sunday Night, Vince Young and company get an even tougher task in trying to unseat the Patriots. Tom Brady seems to have bounced back from a rocky period a few games back and a strong performance by the QB should extinguish the final playoff hopes for the Eagles.

DENVER 14, SAN DIEGO 31

Who would’ve thought that Tim Tebow would be 4-1 as a starter while Philip Rivers would be two games under .500 after eleven games. The Tebow led Broncos offense isn’t pretty by any means but its been getting the job done. It’s also become apparent in recent weeks that the Chargers just aren’t that great a team. However, San Diego is still alive in an AFC West that lacks a dominant team. They need this game badly to have any postseason hope and I say they get it.

PITTSBURGH 35, KANSAS CITY 13

Without Matt Cassel, the Chiefs just aren’t a playoff team. The Steelers on the other hand, come off their bye at 7-3 and looking strong. This has all the makings of a blowout judging from KC’s loss big loss to the Pats on Monday Night. Kansas City was a good early season schedule after coming back from an 0-3 start to the season but the injury bug has hit them too hard and they shouldn’t be much of a factor from here on out.

NEW YORK GIANTS 21, NEW ORLEANS 30

Now in tie for first place in the NFC East, the Giants took a big step back with their loss to Philly on Sunday Night. With a trip to the Superdome on tap for this weekend, things aren’t looking great for the G-Men. Drew Brees is well on his way to setting the all-time mark for passing yards in a season and should have a big game on Monday Night. Unless Eli Manning can get back to managing his turnovers, look for a relatively easy win for the Saints.

UTTQ Predictions: Week 12

Happy Turkey Day everyone! This year's Thanksgiving games feature some truly great matchups. So warm up the turducken, set the table, and turn on that TV. What better way to enjoy a day with the family then watching some awesome NFL action?

GREEN BAY 35, DETROIT 31
The Packers are like LSU: an undisputed number 1 team in the win-loss column. That said, on the field f play they may not be a clear cut number 1. Sure, their offense has been great and very efficient. Their defense is a different story, however, as they sometimes can get rattled. Detroit has been fighting their demons of previous years, and trying to preserve their strong start. Although this may not have as much hype as it did 10 or so weeks ago, this will still be one of the more interesting Lions Thanksgiving Classics.

MIAMI 28, DALLAS 24
The chances of this being a repeat of the memorable 1993 Thanksgiving classic are nearly nil, but this game has gotten a lot more interesting in recent weeks. Miami is surging in a midseason win streak that has erased those thoughts of a number 1 overall pick. Dallas is continuing to build steady and methodical wins. Miami's Matt Moore has been particularly impressive, and considering that Dallas's pass D has been underwhelming at times, look for Miami to possibly upset.

SAN FRANCISCO 30, BALTIMORE 27
The Harbaugh bowl has certainly become much more than that, as Baltimore looks to continue its fight for a playoff berth, whilst the 49ers continue to dominate the NFC (apart from the Packers). Its fitting that a battle between two brothers not named Manning would come on Thanksgiving, and what a game it should be. Although Baltimore has slowly been improving over the last few weeks, they are still keeping too many teams close at the end. However, the 49ers should win this one, if by the closest of margins.

BUFFALO 20, NEW YORK JETS 27
An old school, black and blue AFC East rivalry will be between these two New York teams. After a disappointing loss to the Almighty Tebow (and his band of wenches and fools), the Jets are regressing. The Bills, on the other hand, are simply depressing. A strong start to the season has all but been erased in a futile effort to keep a lead in the AFC East. With a loss to the Dolphins last week, the Bills had better hope that their luck turns around soon. Otherwise, the win over New England early in the year came to represent nothing but pure luck.

CLEVELAND 13, CINCINNATI 31
A couple of years ago, this rivalry usually resulted in epic shootouts. This year, the matchup is far more tempered. Both franchises feature relatively young playmakers, but both have also been going in opposite directions since the start of the season. The Browns, thought to be once again on the right track, have lost their star back in Peyton Hillis, who has suffered numerous injury and humiliation due to the Madden Curse. The Bengals, once thought to be dead without Carson Palmer and Chad Ochocinco, have risen admirably due to the talents of their young skill position players. It is therefore assumed that Cincinnati will take this one, but not in the form of a shootout.

HOUSTON 31, JACKSONVILLE 20
Jacksonville couldn't pull together to force a win against the Browns. Now, they face a much better team in the Texans. Good thing Matt Schaub can afford to miss this game.

MINNESOTA 23, ATLANTA 34
The Vikings may have lost their most dangerous weapon for a game, but that won't stop their attack. Unfortunately, they face the Falcons this week. Atlanta has been a curious team, but they still manage to do what counts when it matters. Against the Vikings, they should be on upset alert (especially with Houston on the horizon), but they should definitely take care of business in this gimme game.

ARIZONA 23, ST. LOUIS 14
Both of these teams are as bad as they come, with the Rams losing in an awful showing against Seattle, and the Cards getting beaten by their own mistakes against the Niners. This contest should surely conjure bad memories for St. Louis from their loss to the Cards a few weeks ago. Patrick Peterson and Larry Fitzgerald are sure to wreck havoc again on a sinking franchise. It goes to show that the team with the better playmakers, and not the better overall talent, will surely win this one.

UTTQ Predictions: Week 11

Another week, another slew of upsets that ruined my picks. This week, hopefully things will return to form. But with my luck, there will be a few big upsets in the following late games:

CINCINNATI 24, BALTIMORE 27
Baltimore has been the definition of inconsistency this year, following up huge wins with depressing losses. The loss to Seattle last week was particularly disappointing, since they seemed to have no rhythm early in the game. Cincinnati beat the Seahawks earlier this season, so the transitive property should result in a Bengals win in Baltimore. This one could be a toss-up, but I'll go with the Ravens.

ARIZONA 17, SAN FRANCISCO 30
The 49ers are the real deal this year, by sticking to the fundamentals and playing to player strengths. Arizona has had their highs and lows this season, but they are no match for a tough Niners team in the bay. Kevin Kolb's health is in doubt once again, so John Skelton will try (and fail) to win his 3rd straight start.

SEATTLE 27, ST. LOUIS 13
Seattle got an upset win last week, but Baltimore has been one of the most inconsistent teams all around. Yet, the Seahawks have managed to have their own inconsistency as well, including big wins over the Giants and Ravens, and disappointing losses to the Falcons and Browns. The Rams have not played well all season (except against New Orleans), and with even more injury concerns on an already decimated roster, look for them to be overmatched by their Northwest rivals.

TENNESSEE 23, ATLANTA 34
Tennessee surprised some people with the blowout of the Panthers, but they were playing a sloppy Carolina D and a surprisingly overwhelmed Cam Newton. This week, they face a tough Atlanta team who took New Orleans to the final bell. A questionable call last week will hopefully not deter Mike Smith and company from opening the playbook. In any case, Atlanta will look to put last week behind them.

SAN DIEGO 23, CHICAGO 31
San Diego is determined not to lose their division, but a tough road trip against Chicago may put them out of the race for the playoffs even more. The Chargers have been uncharacteristically disappointing at this point in the season. It's hard to imagine them making a late playoff push against the Raiders and the Tebow-led Broncos...then again, anything can happen in a tight AFC West.

PHILADELPHIA 21, NEW YORK GIANTS 37
The Giants are coming off a tough loss against the 49ers. The Eagles are coming off a tougher loss against the Cardinals, that has surely eliminated them from playoff contention. If they are to have any chance at the postseason, they must beat Eli and company this week. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately), they may have to do that without Michael Vick, who is nursing a rib injury.

KANSAS CITY 24, NEW ENGLAND 31
Kansas City faces a massive disadvantage going forth in a tight AFC West race. With Matt Cassel out for an extended period of time, Tyler Palko will try to drive the KC offense. Unfortunately, with a tough test coming against New England, we'll get to see if the Chiefs can get by without Cassel or not. We'll also get to see whether the Patriots can keep their foot on the pedal.

UTTQ Predictions: Week 11

In a scheduling oddity, we have a final series of byes this week. It's hard to believe we're more than half way through the season and only a two short months away from the playoffs. Here's my picks for the Thursday game and the majority of Sunday's early games.

NEW YORK JETS 21, DENVER 13
After a very short week following a Sunday night lost to the Pats, the Jets head into Denver facing the possibility of being .500 after ten weeks. On the other side, the Broncos are streaking despite the total lack of an effective passing game. Tim Tebow will face his toughest test yet in trying to decipher the Jets secondary on Thursday Night, and don't expect him to succeed.

JACKSONVILLE 10, CLEVELAND 14
This is an ugly match up. Two of the worst teams in the league will clash on Sunday with the Jags coming off a win over the hapless Colts and the Browns coming one shanked kick away from from a win over the Rams. Despite being hyped as potentially the best quarterback in April's draft, Blaine Gabbert just isn't in the same league as Cam Newton, Andy Dalton and Christian Ponder. Likewise, Colt McCoy has struggled mightily without any real weapons to work with. Expect a low scoring mess of a game that ends up with the home team pulling this one out in the Dog Pound.

CAROLINA 17, DETROIT 28
In a not so stunning turn of events, the Lions are fading fast and their 6-0 start to the season is a distant memory. Things took a turn for the worst on Sunday when they were absolutely destroyed by a Chicago team that has quietly inserted itself as a favorite for an NFC Wild Card spot. If Matt Stafford and crew want any hope of making the postseason, they must keep pace with the Bears and get back to their winning ways. Cam Newton has continued to play at a high level throughout the season, though their loss to the Titans on Sunday showed just how far the team still has to go. A struggling Panthers team is just what the doctor ordered for Detroit.

TAMPA BAY 21, GREEN BAY 35
After surprising the world in 2010 by finishing with a 10-6 record, the Bucs have taken a step back in 2011. Injuries have not been friendly to this young team, though there's still hope to salvage their season with a easier series of games coming up. However, this struggling team pulls the Packers this weekend in a game which should be closer then most expect. Some are daring to whisper the notion that Aaron Rodgers might just be the best to ever play the QB position. Ever. If he can play the rest of the season the way he has in the team's 10-0 start, I'll be jumping on that bandwagon sooner rather then later.

BUFFALO 24, MIAMI 21
Much like the Lions, the Buffalo Bills have hit a midseason slump in the worst way. The Bills' once proficient offense has slowed down considerable and Buffalo now sits at 5-4 after receiving a beatdown from the Cowboys on Sunday. The Miami Dolphins on the other hand are winners of two straight and seem to be resigned to not "Suck for Luck". Strange. The Bills hopes at the postseason are fading fast and they need this game badly. I say they get it, but by no means will it be easy.

OAKLAND 24, MINNESOTA 20
Carson Palmer finally got his first win for the Raiders last Thursday, and will take his crew into Minnesota on Sunday. The AFC West is totally up in the air now even more so with the Chiefs possibly losing Matt Cassel for the year. Oakland seems to be in the best shape at the moment with Darren McFadden returning soon. Christian Ponder has impressed so far in his rookie season despite the blowout loss to the Packers on Sunday. This game could easily go either way though I think it'll come to down to whichever QB can handle the offense more efficiently and avoid turnovers. I'll take the Raiders and Palmer for now, but I'm far from certain on this one.

DALLAS 27, WASHINGTON 14
With the Giants losing to the 49ers and the Eagles stumbling against Arizona, the Cowboys are right back in the thick of the NFC East race and are red hot. The Redskins on the other hand are losers of five straight and look like a lock for a top five pick in next year's draft. If Dallas is going to make a run at besting New York for the division, now is the time with a match up against the Giants looming in about a month's time.

UTTQ Predictions: Week 10

At long last, we have a week of NFL action absent of any byes. Here's the late games for week 10.

NEW ORLEANS 35, ATLANTA 28
Expect a shootout in this clash of NFC South rivals. The Falcons continue to fly high after a slow start to the season while the Saints looked impressive in a victory over the Bucs last week. This showdown should come down to which offense can be more effective in the fourth quarter. My money's on Drew Brees.

ST LOUIS 21, CLEVELAND 17
After a heartbreaking loss in overtime last week, the Rams face off against a struggling Browns team that has lost two straight. Cleveland is decimated at running back which has put more pressure on Colt McCoy to carry the team. On the other hand, Sam Bradford has Steven Jackson on his side which should push the Rams to their second win.

PITTSBURGH 24, CINCINNATI 27
The Bengals continue their surprise season and sit at 6-2 with the Steelers coming into town. A win solidifies Cincy's standing as one of the top teams in the AFC. I fully expect this game to be a dogfight until the final seconds with Andy Dalton delivering the signature win of his young career.

BALTIMORE 24, SEATTLE 17
Despite the Seahawks being a terrible team, this is a possible trap game for the Ravens. They've already got losses to the Titans and Jaguars on their ledger for the season and coming off a huge emotional win over Pittsburgh, Baltimore could be in for a letdown. However, I expect the Ravens to have learned from earlier failures this season and deliver the win.

NEW YORK GIANTS 21, SAN FRANCISCO 24
The 49ers get their first real test of the season in this match up against the streaking Giants who are fresh off a big win over the Patriots. San Francisco sits at 8-1 though they have yet to really dominate an opponent apart from their destruction of the Bucs. In a game that should feature some hardnose running, look for the 49ers to squeak this one out late in the 4th.

DETROIT 28, CHICAGO 30
The last time these two NFC North teams met, Jay Cutler took a beating. The Lions have slowed down considerable since jumping out to a 6-0 start. The Bears on the other hand are gaining momentum following a big win on Monday over the Eagles. Look for the Bears to get revenge at Soldier Field with Cutler and Matt Forte coming up big.

NEW ENGLAND 27, NEW YORK JETS 20
The Pats are reeling after consecutive losses to the Steelers and Giants. The Jets are perfect at home and have looked better over the past weeks. It's hard to see any team with Tom Brady under sitting losing three straight so look for the Pats to get back on track come Sunday.

MINNESOTA 17, GREEN BAY 31
The last time these two teams clashed, Christian Ponder was making his first career start and the game was closer than many expected. But that was in Minnesota. Aaron Rodgers just keeps adding to his MVP resume week in and week out and is the outright favorite for the reward and its not close. Look for the Pack to roll on Monday night.

UTTQ Predictions: Week 10

With the start of Thursday night games comes the rush of trying to finish a week's worth of picks in a mere 3 days. Lucky for me I have the early games for me. Even more luckily, I have some games to make up for to catch up with Insider Access.

OAKLAND 21, SAN DIEGO 24

San Diego battled hard against Green Bay, but that may have been more of a result of Green Bay's mistakes than San Diego's competence. Still, San Diego did make some big plays in the game, as did the Raiders against Denver. The Raiders, however, have had a shaky offense at best, with Carson Palmer playing fairly inconsistently through his first few games. I'll give San Diego the home field advantage here, but this game could be a very close decider in a tight AFC West race.

ARIZONA 20, PHILADELPHIA 27
The first of several tricky matchups, the Eagles have been incredibly inconsistent this year. The Cardinals are surprisingly effective against mediocre opponents, but with John Skelton at the helm I can see no way that they get past Philly. If the Eagles lose this one, you can pretty much shut the door and bolt it tight on a heavily disappointing season.

TENNESSEE 27, CAROLINA 24
An even matchup between two quietly average teams. Tennessee has been inconsistent all year, while Carolina has had their share of injury and still managed to play close games under Cam Newton. This one may come down to the wire, and I can really see this one going either way.

HOUSTON 31, TAMPA BAY 26
This may be a trap game for the Texans, as Tampa Bay looks to remain in the NFC South hunt. After a disappointing loss to New Orleans, Tampa's D is reeling from the loss of DT Gerald McCoy, and may not have enough left in them to rebound against a dominating Houston team. The Texans are riding a 3 game win streak that could propel them to their first playoff berth ever. But the Bucs could use some redemption. Who will win in a battle of injury-riddled franchises? I think the loss of McCoy will hurt the Bucs more than the loss of Andre Johnson.

WASHINGTON 23, MIAMI 17

Washington has been fairly incompetent for a while, and could arguably be an even worse team than Indy. Miami seems to have found its groove last week, but they managed to trap a surprised Chiefs team. This time around, the Dolphins won't be able to hold the lead against a Washington team looking for a win.

JACKSONVILLE 23, INDIANAPOLIS 17
A year ago, this game would have been a trap game for the Colts. This time around, the Jaguars should be looking at a trap game against an "easy" AFC opponent. The Colts have plain sucked all year, with seemingly no spark to the offense and a defense of no name second and third level personnel. Even more depressing is that the same could seemingly be said of the Jaguars, who are being led by the slowly developing Blaine Gabbert and ever present Maurice Jones-Drew. The Jaguars have held their own for most of the year, so anything less than a win should send Jack Del Rio to the door.

DENVER 27, KANSAS CITY 34

Kansas City may have gotten embarrassed by Miami last week, but this week won't be any easier against a tough AFC West opponent. Denver has slowly been gaining ground on the other three teams despite being cluttered in constant controversy at quarterback. Denver's game is built around running the ball and completing short passes, while throwing in a few big pass plays for Tebow. If Tebow plays well, that will nullify Kansas City's D. Unfortunately, Denver's D can't match up against a tough Kansas City offensive attack, especially if the younger speed players continue to blossom.

BUFFALO 31, DALLAS 21

Both of these teams are still trying to refine their skills and talents, but it seems like the Bills are better than the Cowboys in this category. Dallas is still trying to manage their defense, but the Bills should be able to take advantage more than the Seahawks could. If Buffalo can get the Dallas defense on its heels, then they will be able to have their way.

UTTQ Predictions: Week 9

With an even amount of games this week, I'll be doing the Monday Night game this week.

DENVER 20, OAKLAND 28
Tebowmania has died down a bit, now that doubters have an efficient excuse to assail the heralded college star. Although Tebow and the Broncos came back in Miami, the point is that Tebow and company can't play the type of football to keep up in a riveting AFC West race. The Raiders may have Carson Palmer, but after being embarrassed by the Chiefs D last week, hopefully Palmer knows enough of the playbook to lead the Raiders to a win.

CINCINNATI 20, TENNESSEE 27
Both teams have been surprises this year, but unfortunately both also play in divisions with obviously better foes. The Bengals have been consistent in their game all year, but the Titans have played with a certain tenacity on occasion that makes them difficult to beat. Unfortunately for the Titans, they won't have Chris Johnson (even though he's fully healthy and starting). This will be quite the test for the Bengals, but look for the Titans to rebound at home.

ST. LOUIS 10, ARIZONA 27
Both of these teams began the year with arguably the most stable quarterback situations in the NFC West. Now, with both sitting in the bottom of the division at 1-6, and neither looking at have their starters for this game, look for Arizona to pull out one at home. The Rams may have beaten the Saints last week, but their inconsistency is very troubling.

NEW YORK GIANTS 17, NEW ENGLAND 23
A rematch of one of the best Super Bowl games of all time comes with both teams struggling to assume their identities from that Super Bowl season. The Patriots were humbled last week against the Steelers, and are now looking to get back on track in a tight AFC East race. The Giants have the edge (right now) in the NFC East, but look for the Eagles to start catching up. This game is important to both teams, but I think, especially after last week, the Pats will be able to clinch this one at home.

GREEN BAY 33, SAN DIEGO 23
A couple of weeks ago, this would have been an intriguing matchup. Today, it still is. The Chargers, despite a disappointing loss on Monday night to the Chiefs, are still in the thick of a tough AFC West race. The Packers, undisputedly the best team in the NFL, will look to continue their winning ways coming back from the bye. The Chargers may falter now, but a late-season surge still looks to be in order.

BALTIMORE 24, PITTSBURGH 34
Arguably the best rivalry in the NFL (according to some, but not by me), the Steelers welcome the Ravens to town in order to avenge a season-opening shellacking in Baltimore. The Ravens have stumbled in inconsistency since then, while the Steelers have proved they belong back on the big stage. This game should immediately reverse any notions the Ravens had after the first game in this rivalry.

CHICAGO 27, PHILADELPHIA 31
Insider Access loves to pick these two teams, but in this game, it will be a close one. The Bears are better team than most people give credit for, but the Eagles seem to have finally found their "Dream Team" stride. Although both teams aren't perfect, they are matched fairly evenly. It just depends on which team shows up...I'll pick the Eagles at home.

The First Pick in the NFL Draft: A History of Mega-Busts to Busts of Bronze

In this new series, we will be looking at the history of the NFL Draft, specifically the history of number one overall picks in the Draft. The NFL Draft dates back to the year 1936, when Jay Berwanger was taken first overall, to 2011, where Cam Newton was the first selection. Over time, many of these number one picks have bombed or failed miserably in the pros, but a selected few have been outstanding and honored for their play on the gridiron. Such picks and many more will be looked at as we go through the years and see what kind of play every number one pick in the NFL Draft has fielded in the pros.

*A quick side note: Just in case some of you may be wondering, we have not forgotten about our "The Greatest Teams" or "The Franchise" series. The point of these posts were to release them over a spread amount of time, so please be patient if there is a particular player or franchise you would like to read about. We can guarantee you that we will get to them all eventually, but we would like to put them on hold for a bit. This new series, on the other hand, should be fairly short and straightforward (we hope).

UTTQ Predictions: Week 9

Here we stand at the midway point of the season for the majority of teams. The bad teams are bad and the elite teams are spectacular. In a slate of early games that features a slew of uneven match ups apart from the NFC South clash in the Superdome, here's my picks.

NEW YORK JETS 17, BUFFALO 34
Buffalo has been very impressive this season at Ralph Wilson Stadium this season. The Jets have been disappointing thus far and a loss on Sunday will rile up the fan base. However, look for Ryan Fitzpatrick to have a strong game and continue their perfect home record.

SEATTLE 10, DALLAS 24
The Cowboys were embarrassed by the Eagles last weekend and will be looking for redemption against the hapless Seahawks, which fell further into futility after losing to the Browns. With Tavaris Jackson struggling with injuries, Seattle just doesn't have a lot of pop on offense. Look for Dallas to bounce back here.

ATLANTA 31, INDIANAPOLIS 10
The last time we saw the Colts they lost in historic fashion, 62-7 to the Saints. Needless to say, the team is an absolute mess and it's hard to imagine even Peyton Manning could right the ship. On the other hand, after a rocky start, the Falcons are looking strong and should continue that streak this weekend.

MIAMI 13, KANSAS CITY 24
"Suck for Luck" anyone? While everyone related to the Dolphins may claim ignorance of the idea, there really isn't any positive alternative at this point. The Dolphins are not a good team and may need to start things afresh next season and having the top pick in the draft will surely help. The Chiefs on the other hand have risen from the dead with a four game win streak which should stretch to five come Sunday.

TAMPA BAY 21, NEW ORLEANS 28
The Saints have played two distinctly opposite weeks of football. From destroying the Colts 62-7 to being uncompetitive against the Rams, New Orleans has had an up and down season. The same can be said about the Bucs who now sit atop the division. In a game in which, the Saints will try to avenge an early season loss to Tampa, look for Brees and company to step up and deliver a win.

SAN FRANCISCO 20, WASHINGTON 12
The way the Redskins are going, they may not win many games with an offense decimated by injuries. The 49ers are looking strong and continue to win and should improve to 7-1 as one of the most surprising teams of the season.

CLEVELAND 17, HOUSTON 30
With the loss of Montario Hardesty and Peyton Hillis, the Browns are reeling on offense with the lack of a running game. Houston is clicking on offense even without Andre Johnson who should be back soon. Look for Schaub and company to keep it up.