Walk the Walk

Losing Big Vince for the season was bad enough. Losing Wilfork and Jerod Mayo? That’s just cruel.

So, this is how championship seasons happen, right? There has to be cruel adversity and the heroic overcoming thereof. I’ve seen this movie before. It’s still the first act and already I’ve got a feeling about who lives and who dies. You know who the good guy is. And we know the shadow he must vanquish. I’m already picturing Wilfork and Mayo on the sidelines at the Super Bowl, wearing Ugg boots, fur coats, wicked cool wraparound shades and enough gold chains to bring a normal man to his knees. “Holy Grail” plays in the background, or maybe “Superfly.”

I’m just going to think about that for a minute. Go ahead on. I’ll catch up with you later…

Seattle 27, Arizona 13 – So, in training camp, when you’re the Arizona Cardinals, you all talk yourself into Carson Palmer, don’t you? I mean, it makes sense. You found Carson Palmer in almost the exact same spot on the exact same trash heap where you found Kurt Warner. He put up some numbers for Oakland and he did it without a receiver like Larry Fitzgerald so he should put up even better numbers with a receiver like Larry Fitzgerald, right? Then you wake up one morning and Carson Palmer has thrown 7 TD and 11 INT. He’s on pace for career lows for completion percentage and yards per attempt. The Cardinals are 3-3-0 which is okay except for the fact that you’re also 0-2-0 in your division, a division that includes two of the best teams in the NFL, the 49ers and this week’s guest, the Seahawks. Putting this another way, I would give the Seahawks the edge at every single position, except for Larry Fitzgerald, but he can’t throw himself the ball, can he?

Tampa Bay 12, Atlanta 31 – The Falcons have to be able to beat a rookie QB in their own house, right? Oh, wait…

Cincinnati 13, Detroit 24 – It might be fun to have a four-man cage match with these two teams’ defensive lines. Ndamukong Suh would be a bad guy, of course. He’d have something hidden in his trunks; maybe a little envelope of sand he throws in Domata Peko’s eyes. I’ve got Geno Atkins as the last man standing.

Buffalo 3, Miami 28 – Things weren’t bad enough in Buffalo without Matt Flynn bringing the little dark cloud that hangs over his head wherever he goes?

New England 30, NY Jets 20 – Note to Sheldon Richardson: Tom Brady is Superman. 

Dallas 30, Philadelphia 31 – The Nick Foles’ Era has begun. We are all witnesses.

Chicago 27, Washington 23 – Bigger surprise, Jay Cutler seemingly “getting it” or RG III looking positively ordinary? RG III may have a great second half and Washington is only one game back in the loss column going into this game but they just don’t have the look of a team that has a six or seven game run in them. As for the Bears, who knows where the road will lead them (only a fool would say) but they are so the better team on this given Sunday.

St. Louis 13, Carolina 31 – Pretenders.

San Diego 37, Jacksonville 16 – I think Jacksonville should go for it on 4^th Down all the time (cut the punter and add another position player) and kick onside every time they kick off for the rest of the season.

San Francisco 31, Tennessee 17 – I suppose Titans’ fans can talk themselves into believing they would’ve won games like this if Jake Locker wasn’t made of glass.

Cleveland 20, Green Bay 34 – Aaron Rodgers > Brandon Weeden.

Houston 9, Kansas City 27 – The Chiefs’ defense is hardly what the doctor ordered for Matt Schaub’s confidence (Or Case Keenum). Or Gary Kubiak’s job security. Really, where did this guy get his MD? He's a terrible doctor.

Baltimore 17, Pittsburgh 20 – It’s got to sting. Playing for second place, I mean. Because that’s what these two teams are doing.

Denver 30, Indianapolis 31 – This one has all the trappings of a playoff game so naturally I’m counting on Peyton Manning throwing the Pick-6 that gives the winning points to the Colts.

Minnesota 17, NY Giants 24 – I don’t know what’s wrong with the Giants and I don’t know if they’ve fixed but I do know this is a game they absolutely must win.