My Marques Colston Blog

As the season winds down for the remaining NFL's regular season i have noticed that the rookie of the year award candidates are very much up for debate, I personally think the leading candidate is Marques Colston of the New Orleans Saints. He continues to be productive week after week he's currently the leader in receiving yards for rookies at 869 yards, that's over 300 yards more than the runner up in this category. Marques Colston is also the leader in receiving touchdowns for all rookies with 7, and he's also second in receptions for all rookies trailing his teammate and preseason favorite for the rookie of the year honors Reggie Bush.

Let's talk about some of the other very talented rookies, such as Vince Young of the Tennessee Titans he is beginning to emerge as a playmaker now that his playing time has increased. Vince is currently second among all rookies with touchdown passes at 8, he's currently third in passer ratings among all rookies at 63.9%. Vince also remains in third in passing yards among all rookies with 1323 yards. Let's not forget about Matt Leinart the Left Handed gunslinger from the Arizona Cardinals, Matt became the fulltime starter a couple of weeks into the season. Matt seems to be catching on quick to the NFL's aggressive style of play; Matt currently is the leader among all rookies in passing yards with 1753, second in passer ratings at 69.6 and third in passing touchdowns with 7. Lets take a look at Reggie Bush and his impact he has had on his team, Reggie currently leads all rookies in receptions with 64. Reggie also has over 431 yards receiving which is fourth among all rookies, and he is currently second among all rookies in punt return average with 9.2 .

Take your pick and cast your vote I've made mine.

Other Players to Watch:

Bruce Gradkowski, Joseph Addai, Maurice Jones-Drew, Santonio Holmes, & Laurence Maroney

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Strange, strange, strange line for the Steelers/Saints game at the Big Ketchup this weekend. New Orleans is 6-2, with an exciting aerial attack, visiting Pittsburgh, who's 2-6, and just gave up three touchdown passes to Jake Plummer. The Saints have the fourth-best passing offense in the game; the Steelers have allowed big days by Carson Palmer, Philip Rivers, Michael Vick and Plummer. And the Steelers are favored by 4.5?

Well, either the Wise Guys know something the rest of us don't, or the AFC is about 7,000 times better than the NFC. The Saints got cremated at home by Baltimore a couple weeks back, and squeaked past Cleveland in their only other game against an AFC team. The Steelers lost 41-38 at Atlanta (a team, granted, that the Saints pulverized) in a game where they lost their starting quarterback to a concussion. The combined record of the teams New Orleans has beaten is 18-30 (Cleveland, Green Bay, Atlanta, Philadelphia and Tampa Bay twice). The combined record of the teams that defending-champ Pittsburgh has lost to is 28-20 (Jacksonville, Cincinnati, San Diego, Atlanta, Oakland and Denver).

Would the six best AFC teams all beat anyone the NFC could muster in a Super Bowl? Could be. Miami crushing Chicago at Solider Field last weekend certainly didn't make the NFC look good. But that huge upset came in a game where the Bears were double-digit favorites. This Saints/Steelers line is like a "pre-upset." Any time a 2-6 team topples a 6-2 team, no matter where the game is played, that's supposed to be a pretty big surprise, right? Evidently not.

Like a lot of people, I was skeptical about Drew Brees's shoulder, about the New Orleans defense, about Joe Horn's health and Sean Payton's first season as a head coach. I still don't think they're an elite team, and I wouldn't be surprised to see them get knocked off in the first round of the playoffs. But I do think they'll be in the playoffs, which is more than I can say for Pittsburgh. Brees has made all the throws, WR Marques Colston is the Rookie of the Year to this point, and the defense has made enough plays in most games to keep the team close. If Pittsburgh really does topple New Orleans this weekend, there will be no more ringing condemnation of the NFC's quality, and that includes the Bears' disappointing performance last week.

The Colts are the only defeated team in football. They're also on pace right now to be a historically bad run defense. They've given up the second-highest yards-per-carry to opposing running backs since 1960. Can this team win a championship?

BoDog Bookmakers, BoDog.ws : Yes, the Colts are undefeated and coming off big wins over Denver and New England the last two weeks, but this team can't stop the run, and doesn't have a consistent enough running game to worry teams come January. This has many believing that Indianapolis will be forced to win games in their vintage style, which is not enough to convince bookmakers that this season will end any better than in recent years.

How has the action been for Sunday night games, compared to Monday night games this year, and what the "old" Monday night games on ABC used to do? Has Sunday night really taken over as "Football Night in America" in the gaming community?

BDB, BoDog.ws : Sunday Night match-ups have been far more appealing than Monday night's, but the action is, and will likely always be, significantly greater for Monday Night Football games. The reason for this is simple: Sunday night games have to compete against all the early NFL games and usually a full NBA card for bettors' money, while Monday night games dominate what people can bet on.

It's a mighty big if, but if Rutgers somehow upsets Louisville this week, and winds up going undefeated, do you think they'll play the Ohio State/Michigan winner for the national championship?

BDB, BoDog.ws : We think that if a team comes out undefeated from a major conference, and there's no other undefeated team that can match their record, they should play for the National Championship. Is this fair? No; but this is not a flawless system where the two best teams play at the end. There are a couple of one-loss teams who can match up better vs. the winner of the Ohio State/Michigan game than Rutgers.

The Florida Gators are the consensus pick to repeat as NCAA hoops champions. What do you think about the likelihood of that? If there's one team to unseat Florida, who would it be?

BDB, BoDog.com ">BoDog.ws: Although it's unlikely that they'll repeat as NCAA basketball champions, the Gators will be better than they were during last year's regular season and earn a #1 seed in the NCAA tournament. The Final Four is incredibly tough to win and they face long odds to repeat last March's incredible run. It's possible, but only two preseason #1 ranked teams have won the NCAA Tournament in the last 10 years: UConn in 2004 and Kentucky in 1996. If any team can unseat them and cut down the nets at the end of the Tournament, Kansas looks like they present the greatest threat; the Jayhawks are loaded with talent everywhere and return all five starters from a team that won 15 of its final 17 games and captured the Big 12 regular-season and tournament titles.

Christopher Harris is a featured writer for the Professional Handicappers League. Read all of his articles at http://www.procappers.com

The following rankings are based on a fantasy football player's year to end season value. If a draft or auction were to occur today this is the rank and value we place on the players based on their past performance and predicted future production. The basis for the valuations is a 10 team league starting 1 QB 2 RB 2 WR 1 TE 1 K 1 Defense with a 50% yardage and 50% TD scoring system with no points awarded for receptions. The rankings are updated every Tuesday morning, allowing players to value their teams, analyze player values for trades and plan future moves to get the most return out of your Fantasy Football players.

RANK PLAYER DESCRIPTION AUCTION $

1 Chris Johnson Titans, RB

Faster than a speeding Usain Bolt, more powerful than a locomotive, able to jump tall lineman on a 4th down, it's a Falcon it's a Jet, it's Chris Johnson. $44

2 Adrian Peterson Vikings, RB

Despite having some erratic games and fumbling issues, if anyone's going to have a record setting year in '10, it feels like it could be AP. $40

3 Maurice Jones-Drew Jaguars, RB

2009 stats feel like it could be his ceiling, even so, no complaints.....offense remains stable and a repeat performance very likely. $35

4 Ray Rice Ravens, RB

His weekly production is as reliable as Rush Limbaugh's 4th donut of the day. $34

5 Micheal Turner Falcons, RB

The Burner......if in the '08 season he was fueled by petroleum products......he apparently switched to "easy bake oven" technology '09.....he'll get it back on track in '10. $30

6 Frank Gore 49ers, RB

The forecast calls for high weekly averages with spotty nagging injuries all season. $27

7 Steven Jackson Rams, RB

This much potential hasn't been squandered since Matt Damon turned down Famke Jannsen in Rounders. $25

8 Andre Johnson Texans, WR

2009 receiving yards leader by over 200 yds. Potential for even more TD's, but his performance is tied to Schuab staying healthy. $24

9 Larry Fitzgerald Cardinals, WR

If Warner retires, the Cardinals WR's are going to be like Rage Against the Machine trying to go on without Zach de la Rocha. $23

10 Cedric Benson Bears, RB

The question is....does his deal with the devil extend into the 2010 season? Or does he go back to the Cedric we know and hate? $22

11 Ryan Grant Packers, RB

Not the sexiest RB in terms of flash, but he does his job well......oddly the exact opposite can be said of Megan Fox. $21

12 Jamaal Charles Chiefs, RB

The Chiefs miserable team is not doing him any favors, but he is the kind of guy that is going to find a way to get his. $21

13 DeAngelo Williams Panthers,RB

The perks at a time share pitch are all fun and games, but make sure you know what the Panthers are selling before you buy...basically, a full split of two great backs. $21

14 Vincent Jackson Chargers, WR

Is to San Diego WR's what MadMen is to AMC.....both have made something completely irrelevant worth watching now. $20

15 Rashard Mendenhall Steelers,RB

Although we don't expect him to be unbelievable in '10; being the lead RB in PIT guarentee's a certain level of scoring. $19

16 Reggie Wayne Colts, WR

Like Charlize Theron, were not sure what we'll get out of Reggie next; the hottie in The Italian Job or the psycho in Monster that murders your fantasy season. He killed fantasy owners down the stretch of '09. $19

17 Aaron Rodgers Packers,QB

If his offensive line continues to give him the sandlot approved 5 banana count again next year like they did the second half of '09, we expect him to be the top rated fantasy QB again. $19

18 Drew Brees Saints, QB

In each of the past 4 years he's put up a minimum of 4,300 yds and 26 tds. Not too bad of numbers to build a fantasy team around. $19

19 DeSean Jackson Eagles, WR

Despite the fact that is was a turbulent ride with big swings in production....he had the highest average pts/game among Fantasy WR's last year. $19

20 Brandon Marshall Broncos, WR

It seems like every year leading up to Fantasy Drafts/Auctions, there are a lot of questions and reasons not to go after #15...for now we remain very optimistic on his '10 season. $19

21 Peyton Manning Colts, QB

Is he pimping any insurance companies on TV yet? If not he should, because when he's your FF QB, you always feel like your in good hands. $18

22 Miles Austin Cowboys, WR

We found out that his 200 yd game was not a one hit wonder last year....now we're curious if his '09 season was....if it's not, look for Blind Melon, The Proclaimers, Chumbawumba and Hanson to be knocking on his door for advice. $18

23 Randy Moss Patriots, WR

Don't get me wrong, its not that we don't like Moss' '09 numbers, its just we're kind of left with a bad taste in our mouths with how he went out in his last few games. $18

24 Thomas Jones Jets, RB

If you seek flashy highlight reel TD replays, go elsewhere, but if you like reliable production, you've come to the right place...assuming Father Time doesn't finally take him down. $17

25 Ronnie Brown Miami, RB

He's still young and we love him when healthy, but how many times can he bounce back from injury and be his old self. $17

26 Calvin Johnson Lions, WR

Looking more like a 'second tier' transforming action figure of the 80's......Gobot in disguise! $15

27 Beanie Wells Cardinals, RB

The trend at the end of 2009 season was Wells finally started getting the bulk of the carries over Hightower. If that continues into 2010, Wells will post solid numbers. $15

28 Knowshon Moreno Broncos, RB

With just under 1000 yds rushing and 9 total td's in 2009, he didn't exactly blow us away, but it wasn't a disaster either. Entering his second year he'll be counted on more and should deliver. $14

29 Anquan Boldin Cardinals, WR

If it's not too late, someone call Jeff Probst, Boldin would absolutely destroy the competition in an "injury bug" challenge on Survivor. $14

30 Joesph Addai Colts, RB

Addai's only 26...apparently he, Danny Almonte and Greg Oden all get their fake id's from the same place. $13

31 Kevin Smith Lions, RB

If you can talk yourself into a Detroit Lions RB not named Barry Sanders, then by all means. $12

32 Pierre Thomas
Saints, RB

He plays Suzanne Summers in the Saints aggravating Three's Company sitcom. He is the hottest by far, yet Mike Bell in the role of the butch brunette gets far too much screen time $12

33 Tom Brady Patriots, QB

Like DeNiro/Pacino in Godfather II & Heat...Brady/Moss had some incredible highs, lets hope 2010 doesn't turn into a collect the paycheck year and pump out a 'Righteous Kill' type season. $12

34 Sidney Rice Vikings, WR

He'd still be good, but if Favre retires, we're not as bullish on Rice with T Jack or Gus throwing to him. $10

35 Greg Jennings Packers, WR

His reversal of fortune last season rivals only that of an ameteur competitive eater; one minute focused and poised for a Coney Island Championship, the next he's got semi-digested wet hot dogs & buns all over his shoes. $10

36 Roddy White Falcons, WR

Seriously, Mr. White....Mr. Blonde wants to know, "are you going to bark all day little doggie, or are you gonna bite?" $10

37 Steve Smith Carolina, WR

He's still near the front of the plane, it just feels like he's moved from first class to businees class after last year. $10

38 Matt Schaub Texans, QB

The under appreciated girl in high school who you knew was hot and now you're too late to the party. $9

39 Dallas Clark Colts, TE

Dallas International Airport is the nation's 3rd busiest, Dallas Clark is our #1 ranked TE. Suck it airport. $9

40 Antonio Gates Chargers, TE

No signs of SD going back to a run heavy offense with the aging LT-Style Electric Slider (he don't like that call) $9

41 Vernon Davis 49ers, TE

Has all the physical gifts to be in the movie Avatar, he just couldn't learn how to speak Na'Vi. $8

42 Chad Ochocinco Bengals, WR

He's never been a TD machine; it was always the consistent big yards & receptions that made him special, but with declining numbers in those areas, he starts to look more ordinary. $7

43 Phillip Rivers Chargers,QB

Trending well; since 2007 he's increased Yardage and TD totals while reducing INT's every year. $7

44 Owen Daniels Texans, TE

This ranking assumes a full recovery and return to 2009 form, when he was a top TE. $7

45 Matt Forte Bears, RB

The teen equivalent of going from Prom King to Chess Club in one year. High School can be so cruel. $7

46 Jonathon Stewart Panthers, RB

Would love him if he was the workhorse back in this offense, but might have to wait a little while longer for that scenario to play out. $7

47 Marques Colston Saints, WR

That's Marcus with a "Q". Oh, of course it is Mrs. Colston, what a lovely child. $6

48 Steve Smith Giants, WR

A great #2 Fantasy WR that will give you week in week out receptions and yardage. $6

49 Santonio Holmes Steelers, WR

If Santonio Holmes career parallels Larry Holmes career we believe next season could be the Gerry Cooney fight where Holmes really finds his stride. $6

50 Tony Romo Cowboys, QB

Tony Romo does a little too much peacocking to be a true Cowboy. He fell flat in the final game. He has been a bit streaky but with Austin, Witten and Jones their offense looks to be dangerous. $6

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* Saints defence saves the day - Anthony Hargrove, Will Smith, Jonathan Vilma and Co. take a bow

* Saints set franchise record with perfect 8 and 0 start

* This was football New Orleans Saints style - hard fought and never easy

Carolina Panthers 20 - New Orleans Saints 30

The Carolina Panthers rode into New Orleans Sunday with a win streak of 8 straight in the Super Dome and almost came away with yet another victory. But for some resolute defending and a couple of quick fire drives the Saints would have kissed goodbye to their 2009 perfect record and left wondering if they would ever beat the Panthers at home again.

Instead the Saints got the job done thanks to some impressive performances by a group of lesser known names to record a come from behind 30 to 20 win over the Panthers... but it was a tight run thing.

Gregg Williams works the problem

The Saints played some uncharacteristic football with penalties, turnovers and miscues littering their play and all but killing them at various stages of the game. That the Saints defence turned up with their A game helmets on whilst the normally explosive offence dozed through the first half owes as much to Gregg Williams aggressive play calling as anything else.

Whilst the D was culpable for the early DeAngelo Williams 66 yard touchdown run, thereafter they solidified the middle of the field and forced the Panthers into a number of 3rd and long situations which they failed to convert. Williams used a lot of blitz packages to unnerve Jake Delhomme on the few occasions he dropped back to pass. This ensured the Saints had an 8 or 9 man front to stop the repetitive Panthers running attack.

The Saints should be thankful for the telling contribution of back up Defensive Tackle Anthony Hargrove, filling in for the injured Sedrick Ellis, who soon found a way to plug holes whilst making a telling contribution with key tackles, a forced fumble and recovery for a touchdown. Along with more recognised starters Will Smith, Jonathan Vilma, Darren Sharper, Roman Harper, Tracy Porter, Jabari Greer et al, the Saints D once again showed that they are a vastly improved unit from years gone by with some great run pursuit and forced turnovers to keep the score competitive.

Brees, Colston and Co. stutter

That the Panthers were able to rack up such an impressive rushing total owes as much to the frequency with which the Saints offence gave up possession as it does to the Panthers conservative play calling. The failure of many key Saints O personnel to turn up for this game is at first worrying and in some ways comforting. If the Saints are able to pull out a win with a misfiring passing attack then it further demonstrates the total team package the Saints can call upon this season.

Amongst the more anonymous and downright sloppy were receiving stalwarts Jeremy Shockey and Marques Colston who had disappointing games by their standards. Speaking of which Drew Brees did not look his usual self assured best throwing a bad interception Colstons way as well as fumbling a bobbled snap in a key 3rd down on two drives in the red zone.

He still had the presence to pick out Robert Meachem and Devery Henderson for deep pass plays and use Reggie Bush in the flat on the way to racking up yet another 300+ yard game but this was far from his best. That fact alone is encouraging. If the Saints can pull out a win against a tough Panthers team with Brees, Colston and Shockey far from their A game then it bodes well for our championship prospects.

Pierre Thomas to the rescue

Some of the Saints early offensive play calling came back to haunt them as they looked to jump out to an early lead. Instead of establishing the running game head coach Sean Payton elected to throw from the offset. Whilst this was not an unreasonable strategy given the success the Saints have had so far this season it did leave them struggling to recapture the initiative when this tactic failed to deliver. It was only through the introduction of Pierre Thomas in a more central second half roll that the Saints were able to move the ball more freely and start to wear down the physical Panthers defence.

One drive in particular stood out with the Saints taking over possession at their own 2 yard line with 11.02 left on the clock. Payton employed a combination of inside running by Thomas and Mike Bell as well as dumping the ball to Reggie Bush and Thomas in the flat. 8 consecutive plays resulted from employing the trio and within 13 plays the Saints had marched all the way to the Panthers 16 before a dropped pass by Colston saw the Saints settling for a John Karney field goal for the go ahead score.

This was the balance of offence that had been so effective for the Saints all season but it took until well into the 4th Quarter to employ it.

Special praise should go to another unsung unit following this game; the Saints offensive line. They did a great job of protecting Drew Brees who, with the exception of an early forced fumble, had plenty of time to pick his targets. Honourable mention goes out to Jermon Bushrod who kept the mighty Julius Peppers quiet all night. Jermon Bushrod for the Pro Bowl; is that such an extravagant claim?

The DNA of Champions

To win and to win ugly is the mark of champions. This was not the best we have seen the Saints, far from it, but it did tell us a lot about the make up of the team and the depth of quality on the roster. When the A team were miscuing the Saints were able to call on some impressive performances by lesser known stars to get the job done. As Al Davis would say "Just Win Baby".

Peter Falconer is the author of the New Orleans Saints NFL blog, dedicated to all things New Orleans Saints. He sounds off about Saints players, displays everything from the latest Reggie Bush highlights videos to the roster, schedule, stories and more.

Drew Brees is currently one of the most successful and popular quarterbacks in the National Football League. It hasn't been an easy road to get there though for Brees. He began his career in San Diego, where questionable play and injuries led many there to lose confidence in him. When it was time for him to test the market, the only team that showed the interest in him that he deserved was the New Orleans Saints. After coming to a team that had been experiencing little success and had just been devastated right alongside its city by Hurricane Katrina, he, head coach Sean Payton, and the rest of the team worked on building the Saints into one of the best teams in the league. That goal was reached following the 2009 season when the team won the Super Bowl by defeating the Indianapolis Colts. With that victory, Brees had really come a long way.

Here are five interesting facts about the Saints quarterback, Drew Brees.

#1 - Through the 2009 NFL season, Drew Brees had accumulated significantly more touchdown passes in the second quarter during his career than in any other quarter. He had thrown 38 first quarter, 47 third quarter, and 49 fourth quarter touchdown passes. During the same period, the total number of TD passes he had thrown in the second quarter was 68.

#2 - The first touchdown pass Drew Brees ever threw in the National Football League came in week eight of the 2001 season while he was playing with the Chargers. It went for 20 yards and was caught by wide receiver Freddie Jones in the fourth quarter of a 25-20 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. His last touchdown pass as a Charger also came in a loss to the Chiefs, this one was in 2005 and was an 18 yarder that was caught by tight end Antonio Gates.

#3 - Through the 2009 NFL season, nobody had caught more touchdown passes from Drew Brees than wide receiver Marques Colston with 33. In second place on that list was Antonio Gates, who Brees played with in San Diego, with 23.

#4 - Seven of the first 12 touchdown passes Drew Brees threw as a member of the New Orleans Saints were caught by wide receiver Marques Colston.

#5 - Brees was the starting quarterback on his high school football team for two seasons. During that time, Westlake High School of Austin, Texas had one tie game, no losses, and 28 victories.

More New Orleans Saints trivia can be found at IQFB.com! Use the knowledge found there to impress your friends, win bets, or even just for general information. You can even find other Drew Brees trivia items too. IQFB... Get Football Smart.

NY GIANTS (-4) VS. Washington Redskins: The Giants kick off the 2008 NFL season and the defense of their Super Bowl title on Thursday night against a Redskins team that begins the Jim Zorn era. Zorn has installed a pass-happy scheme for Washington and QB Jason Campbell has the accuracy and strong arm to make it work. Of course this is also the third different offense he has had to learn in the last three years so expect some struggles early on as he tries to adapt. DE Jason Taylor comes over from Miami to shore up the line but he currently is listed as questionable with a knee sprain. For the Giants, the loss of DE Osi Umenyiora to season-ending ACL surgery and retirement of Michael Strahan will certainly take some bite out of the pass rush but Justin Tuck is on the verge of becoming a star and Mathias Kiwanuka has great pass rush ability so things won't fall apart in that aspect. The offense has the chance to be very good with a great corp. of RB's and solid depth at the WR position led by Plaxico Burress who looks to put his ankle issues behind him in his quest for a new pact. As far as the game goes, the Giants do qualify in a solid 28-15 ATS angle against a division foe at home but the -4 is a tad high for our liking. Both teams will be jazzed up a nationally televised kickoff so expect the best from both squads. Washington also has some angles that favor them here so it's best to stay clear of this game altogether. If the line drops to -3 then jump on the Giants with confidence but at -4 it's in that danger zone of a field goal game. One major commandment of football betting is to be extra careful with Week 1 games due to the lack of knowledge of the teams and that certainly is the case with this game. THE PICK: PASS

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (-7.5) VS. St. Louis Rams:*******BEST BET*****

BUFFALO BILLS (-1) VS. Seattle Seahawks: The Seahawks come into the season as one of the most overrated teams in the NFL. The pass-happy 'Hawks have major issues in the receiving department as Deion Branch wont be available until possibly midseason and the leading pass catcher looks to be the very mediocre Nate Burleson who flopped in that role with Minnesota. The infusion at the RB position with Julius Jones and TJ Duckett will surely help and the defense looks great led by LB Lofa Tatupu and CB Marcus Trufant. This team however struggled on the road at times in 2007 and now they must open 2008 across the country against a Bills team that always gives a good effort. Buffalo is nothing to write home about but they have an emerging offense led by super talented RB Marshawn Lynch and very smart QB Trent Edwards. All-Pro OT Jason Peters is still holding out as we write this which could hurt but the rest of the unit is solid enough to get the job done. The defense also looks to be good as DE Matt Schobel leads a good pass rushing unit with some emerging players in the secondary. They certainly stand a good chance of beating the Seahawks here as a major betting no-no is going with West Coast teams in Week 1 on the road in the East. That's the setup here and the value clearly rests on the Bills who won't be getting much love as many bettors will take the points with the seemingly better team. Value is where you make your money and the home team has it and then some. THE PICK: Buffalo Bills (-1)

New York Jets (-3) VS. MIAMI DOLPHINS:*****STRONG OPINION***

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (-16) VS. Kansas City Chiefs:******STRONG OPINION***

Detroit Lions (-3) VS. ATLANTA FALCONS: This is truly the worst game on the slate for Week 1 and is one that looks to be unwatchable. The Falcons will start the Matt Ryan era right off the bat against a Lions team whose defense can't stop a retirement home team. Ryan will surely lean on the running of new RB Michael Turner and the pass catching of emerging star Roddy White. The offense line is a joke however and it wouldn't be surprising to me so se Ryan challenge David Carr's record for most sacks taken. For Detroit, they continue to wallow in mediocrity but they continue to add pieces to the offense in rookie RB Kevin Smith who looked good in preseason and second-year wideout Calvin Johnson who will be a star very soon. The Lions being the Lions however, they then go out and sign a washed up Rudi Johnson late of the Bengals and continue to give the ball to mistake-prone QB Jon Kitna. So expect nothing but struggles for both teams all year. This game is one to stay away from for sure and I would rather watch women's tennis than sit through this. THE PICK: PASS

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (-3.5) VS. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The Saints went into the off-season hell-bent on improving a defense that let them down way too often last year. The offense could be the best in the NFL however led by the steady hand of QB Drew Brees and an explosive receiving trio of RB Reggie Bush, WR Marques Colston, and TE Jeremy Shockey. If the defense can be even average, then New Orleans could be sitting on a huge season. For the Buc's, Jon Gruden has successfully changed the look of his team on the fly as new young additions to the defense have reestablished the tradition of a hard hitting stop unit. MLB Barrett Rudd and DE Gaines Adams are on the cusp of stardom and they form the perfect blend with still effective vets LB Derrick Brooks and CB Ronde Barber. The offense is once again led by QB Jeff Garcia after failing to acquire Brett Favre and the Earnest Graham looks to build off a breakout year in the running attack. This is a classic match up of great defense versus great offense and should be fun to watch. The Saints struggled against Tampa last season and it wouldn't be a shock to see Gruden's bunch steal one on the road. Either way this looks to be tight contest between two bitter division rivals. The extra half point makes Tampa Bay an attractive pick. THE PICK: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+3.5)

Cincinnati Bengals (-1.5) VS. BALTIMORE RAVENS: The Joe Flacco era begins in Baltimore as both Kyle Boller (injury) and Troy Smith (illness) couldn't answer the bell. Flacco played well in preseason at times and has shown the tools that made Baltimore salivate over his selection in the draft. Count on a heavy dose of RB Willis McGahee as the Ravens try to ease the transition for their franchise QB. On defense is where this team's strength lies as usual as Ray Lewis and company look to clamp down on opposing offenses as they have done so well over the years. They will look to do just that against a solid on paper Bengals offense. led by QB Carson Palmer. Palmer certainly has lots of weapons to throw to as Chad Johnson and TJ Houshmandzadeh form possibly the best wideout combination in the NFL. As far as the running game is concerned, Chris Perry gets his chance after Rudi Johnson was cut and there is no telling whether he can hold up over the course of the season as injuries have been a problem. This is a very tough game to call as the Bengals struggled tremendously on the road last season but with Flacco starting for Baltimore, things could take awhile for them to get going. One trend that does stick out is that the Ravens qualify in a 33-19-1 ATS home underdog season opening angle so based on that aspect, we will go with the home team to stay competitive. THE PICK: Baltimore Ravens (+1.5)

Jacksonville Jaguars (-3) VS. TENNESSEE TITANS: These teams played a crazy series last season as each won on the other's home turf. Both teams also had successful 2007 seasons as each qualified for the postseason, with the Jags winning a game in Pittsburgh. Expectations are certainly high as we go into 2008 so this will be a barometer game for both squads. Jacksonville needs contributions from a so-so receiving unit in order to take that next step and the Titans needs QB Vince Young to learn to be a better passer for them to progress. This game figures to be a defensive contest as both units can lockdown any offense so the UNDER is worth a look. The Titans are also in the better betting position as a home underdog at home against a division foe which has gone 33-19-1 ATS. Just like the Cincy-Baltimore game, we will take the points and back that solid trend. THE PICK: Tennessee Titans (+3)

PITTSBURGH STEELERS (-6.5) VS. Houston Texans:*******BEST BET******

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (-9) VS. Carolina Panthers: Another interesting game here as the Chargers have the look of a team destined to make the Super Bowl and the Panthers look to make a run of their own now that QB Jake Delhomme is back. The Chargers have stars all over the field at almost every position and 14-2 is not out of the question. The offensive is explosive with RB LaDainian Tomlinson, TE Antonio Gates, and WR's Chris Chambers and Vincent Jackson. The defense is just as good with All-Pro LB Shawne Merriman, DE Luis Castillo, DT Jamaal Williams, and CB Antonio Cromartie. Carolina on the other hand more of a blue collar look to them but don't take this team lightly. Delhomme is a Super Bowl runner up so he has proven he can win games and take his team deep into the postseason. Also rookie RB Jonathan Stewart is the perfect fit in coach John Fox's run heavy offense. The problem is that WR Steve Smith is suspended for the first two weeks of the season due to sucker-punching teammates Ken Lucas in practice. Without Smith the offense looks almost punch less, at least from a passing standpoint. It's almost too easy to say the Chargers will cover this one easily but based on the matchups, you can't argue against it. The only problem is that Carolina historically is a great bet as an underdog under Fox (31-16-2 ATS, with Delhomme at QB its 19-4-1 ATS). Those are some serious trends to look over when going with San Diego as the Chargers are great at home as evidenced by them having a 22-6-1 ATS when not favored by more than 11. So based on last trend and the fact Smith is out, leans us toward the home squad. THE PICK: San Diego Chargers (-9)

Dallas Cowboys (-5.5) VS. CLEVELAND BROWNS:******STRONG OPINION*****

Arizona Cardinals (-2.5) VS. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS: Certainly no one will be paying much attention to this one as both teams figure to struggle. The 49ers are in worse shape than the Cardinals however as its been determined that journeyman QB JT O'Sullivan gives them their best chance to win. Unreal. The Cardinals had their own QB issues as Kurt Warner beat out Matt Leinart in preseason. That's actually good news for Arizona as Warner had a great year last year and has much more ability to run the offense. WR's Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald should both have huge years with Warner at the helm and if RB Edgerrin James can give them one more good year, then this unit will be a major force. The defense needs work however but they do have some nice pieces in S Adrian Wilson and DE Bertrand Berry. They certainly wont have to work hard against a terrible 49ers offense that has only RB Frank Gore to scare people. Mike Martz comes over from Detroit to shore up the unit but there is no talent to work with. Hate going with Arizona on the road as they certainly have a long track record of letting down to the opponent but no way we back the 'Niners in any situation. THE PICK: Arizona Cardinals (-2.5)

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (-9.5) VS. Chicago Bears: Colts QB Peyton Manning looks like he will play after having an abscess removed during the preseason. He will once again lead an offense that is one of the NFL's best and is expertly run. Manning will have four great options to throw to in star WR Reggie Wayne, TE Dallas Clark, emerging WR Anthony Gonzalez, and the returning from injury WR Marvin Harrison. Harrison's return is huge in that the offense will be much tougher to contain with him on the field. Throw in the great running of Joseph Addai and the Colts are one of the bets units out there on offense. The defense on the other hand struggled toward the end of last season due to injuries but star DE Dwight Freeney is back and S Bob Sanders looks like he is ready to go. When all hands are on deck, this is a very tough defense to score points on. The Bears certainly are no strangers when it comes to struggling to score points. Kyle Orton is in QB and rookie RB Matt Forte will run the ball. Not very scary. The defense is decent as there are big names up and down the roster but this is the same group that struggled badly toward the end of 2007. The Colts will be able to score no matter who they play and the Bears just don't have the ability to hang tight. If Manning doesn't play however then we pass. THE PICK Indianapolis Colts (-9.5)

GREEN BAY PACKERS (-2.5) VS. Minnesota Vikings: The Aaron Rogers era begins on Monday night at home against division rival Minnesota. The whole Brett Favre drama was certainly a major distraction for the Pack but they have said all along that Rogers is their guy and he looked all right in preseason. For Minnesota, QB Tarvaris Jackson is the key to the whole team's fortunes as every other unit looks outstanding. If Jackson can be even somewhat decent, then the Vikings could be Super Bowl-bound. The defensive line looks to be one of the best units ever assembled with incoming star DE Jared Allen joining stud DT's Kevin and Pat Williams to make life miserable for opposing passers. That will spell big trouble for Rogers who really couldn't have drawn a worse assignment from a pass rushing sense. RB Adrian Peterson is looking to build on a ridiculously awesome rookie year and so Green Bay must be ready on D to make sure this game doesn't get away from them early. This is a very tough game to call as it could go either way. There is way to much uncertainty here so it would be best to stay away as there are no trends pointing firmly toward either squad.. THE PICK: PASS

Denver Broncos (-3) VS. OAKLAND RAIDERS: There is nothing that Mike Shannahan loves more than to beat up the Oakland Raiders. Ever since he was unceremoniously fired by Al Davis as coach many eons ago, Shanahan has made it a point to stick it to his former boss whenever he can. The opportunity is there again as the Raiders are very young and raw on offense with QB JaMarcus Russell and RB Darren McFadden. The wideout corps is weak and there surely will be struggles for Russell early on. The defense needs a comeback from DE Derrick Burgess in order to be able to stay in games. The Broncos on the other hand have an emerging talent in QB Jay Cutler who has successfully dealt with the diabetes that plagued him last year. Cutler has a cannon of an arm and will be looking to air it out. The running game will also churn along as always with Selvin Young being the guy to pick up the workload. Oakland could certainly make strides this season but they have to go through some growing pains before they can take that step. Denver is the safe choice in this game. THE PICK: Denver Broncos (-3)

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