Alright, so I'm making some progress in my battle to get back to .500. The goal is to be back at .500 by Week 10. The two "pushes" last week didn't help, nor did the complete debacle in New Orleans, but it was still a winning week. Time to look to week 4.
Last Week: 2-1-2
Season: 3-10-2
Texans -3 at Falcons
The Falcons, though they've played better than I thought they would, still are a bad team. They can't run the ball and until they can, they will continue to struggle. The Texans have played well so far and the defense was able to perform better than I thought they would last week against Indy. I think that the Texans will be able to move the ball and put up some points on this Atlanta defense even without Andre Johnson. Laying 3 points here is no big deal.
Jets -3.5 at Bills
With the loss of J.P. Losman, the Bills will turn to rookie Trent Edwards to make his first career start. He didn't look too bad against a tough Patriots' defense last week, but the pressure of starting is totally different than entering the game in an emergency situation last week. I think he'll struggle in his first start. The Jets will be able to pound Thomas Jones all game long as the Bills defense is missing some key players and was never that good to begin with. The 3 and a half makes me a bit worried, but I'll take my chances.
Rams +13 at Cowboys
Yes, you may think I'm crazy, especially considering Steven Jackson is out. But I'm a risk taker. I think that because of the absence of Jackson, the Rams will take more chances down the field with Torry Holt, Isaac Bruce, and Drew Bennett. The Cowboys secondary is vulnerable and with a "nothing to lose" attitude, I think the Rams will make some big plays. And rookie Brian Leonard is going to open some eyes. He's a very capable back and catches the ball well out of the backfield. The Rams may not win, but I think they will keep this game within 10 points.
Chargers -11.5 vs Chiefs
I think that it's only a matter of time before this Chargers' offense breaks out of it's slump. Last week, they showed signs of life against a good Packers' defense, taking the ball right down the field with ease on a couple of occasions. I think this week will be the week that LaDainian Tomlinson gets on track. I also think that KC is going to have a hard time trying to move the ball against this Chargers' defense. I don't like Damon Huard and I think that this Chiefs' offensive line is to blame for Larry Johnson's slow start. Eleven and a half points are a lot to lay, but I think San Diego is ready to break out this week at home.
Patriots -7 at Bengals
Yes, I hate to take the Patriots asw I always hope against hope that they will lose. But they are just on too much of a roll right now. Even though it's on the road on Monday night, I think Tom Brady and Randy Moss will take centerstage and showcase their tremendous talent. The Bengals' defense is clearly struggling right now and if they allow over 50 points to the Browns, New England could easily post at least that amount. Though they may not reach 50, I think that a 41-31 type game is likely. And another thing. I'm unsure what the "over/under" is for this game, but I'd be shocked if the game didn't go "over."
What are some of the matchups you guys like this week?