Waddle's World

Saints at Seahawks

Life doesn't get any easier this week for the 0-and-4 Saints as they travel to Seattle to play an angry Seahawks team. The Seahawks are looking to bounce back after an embarrassing 21-zip loss to the Steelers in Pittsburgh last Sunday. More than just Seattle egos were bruised as the Steelers beat up the Seahawks. Among the casualties was wide receiver Deion Branch who will miss this game with a sprained foot. How bad was it you ask? The Steelers outgained the Seahawks 163-38 in rushing yards, held Shaun Alexander to just 25 of those yards, and held the ball for nearly 42 minutes. Needless to say they aren't happy and will look to take out their frustration on the hapless Saints. New Orleans blew a 4th quarter lead over the Carolina Panthers and lost on the final play of the game. Brees thru 2 more picks, giving him 9 on the season, and Reggie Bush was a non factor once again. Afterwards several Saints players and coach Sean Payton were visibly upset by their latest setback. This team looks ready to completely implode, if it hasn't happened already. It shakes down like this: the Seahawks will establish the run, Hasselbeck will throw when he wants to, and the Seattle defense will have Brees running for his life. The Seahawks are tough to beat at home....they will "breeze" past the Saints....get it.....



Panthers at Cardinals

It's the battle of back up quarterbacks in the dessert this weekend as the Panthers visit the Cardinals. Jake Delhomme is out for the year with a bum elbow while Matt Leinart is finished thanks to a broken collar bone. David Carr is a huge dropoff for Carolina, but Kurt Warner is actually the best man for the job right now in Arizona. At 3 and 2 and tied atop the NFC West, Warner is the ONLY choice for the Cardinals, regardless of Leinart's injury. He's been fantastic in relief, throwing for 4 touchdowns and just 1 interception and racking up a QB rating of 102. The Cardinals have plenty of weapons to keep the Panthers 25th ranked defense busy. Edgerrin James is better than 4 yards per carry, and while Anquan Boldin has been out with a hip injury, Larry Fitzgerald has picked up the slack with back to back 100 yard games. A much improved Cardinal defense gave up a ton of yards to the Rams last week, but supplied 2 touchdowns of their own. They should be able to handle a Panthers offense led by David Carr. Steve Smith is a handful, but much less dangerous with Carr under center. The Panthers will come out running, and it won't work. The Cardinal front 7 allowed their first 100 yard rusher on the season last Sunday, after holding Willie Parker to just 37 yards the week before. As I told you again last week....the Cardinals are a pretty solid football team....They will improve to 4 and 2....



Rams at Ravens

The 0 and 5 Rams take their band of walking wounded to Baltimore this week to face the Ravens. Does anyone in the NFL need a hug more than Rams coach Scott Linehan? No Mark Bulger, No Issac Bruce, No Steven Jackson, No Orlando Pace, No Chance! It doesn't matter that these Ravens aren't nearly as vicious on defense as they once were or that they continue to struggle on offense. When Gus Ferrotte turns and hands off to rookie Brian Leonard, you don't expect great things at M and T Bank Stadium. That's not to say that neither is harmless....in fact, Ferrotte threw for 3 touchdowns, (along with 3 interceptions) last week against the Cardinals. Leonard pitched in with the first 100 yard game of his career....But, Im not expecting a repeat performance form either guy. I am expecting Willis McGahee to have a nice day against a Rams defense that is allowing 146 rushing yards per Sunday. I also expect better OVERALL productivity from a Baltimore offense that could only muster 3 field goals last week in San Francisco...a 9-7 win over the 49ers by the way. The Ravens should have a much easier time getting their 4th win of the season.



Falcons at Giants

Hard to believe what we've seen from the Giants lately. After a dismal 0 and 2 start, they've bounced back with 3 straight W's and should make it 4 in a row as the Falcons come to town. Atlanta played quarterback roulette last week late in their loss to the Titans. Bobby Petrino made the switch to Byron Leftwich with a few minutes left in the game, and he was quickly reminded that Joey Harrington isn't that bad. In fact, Joey's been very good in 3 of his 5 starts, and very.....well, Joey, in the other 2. the Falcons are a mess, they forced 5 Tennessee turnovers last week and still lost. And then frustration set in as players started to complain. Well, the complaints will only get louder after their trip to Giants Stadium. Tom Coughlin has rallied the troops and the G-MEN are right back in the chase. Eli Manning has played pretty well despite a bum shoulder, but the real surprise is the effective Giants running game. No Tiki....no problem. Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward have combined for more than 500 yards and are both averaging nearly 5 yards per carry. Even the Giant defense is showing improvement. The Giants keep it rolling with an easy win over the Falcons.



Titans at Bucs

A nice battle between 2 surprising teams in Tampa this weekend as the 3 and 1 Titans visit the 3 and 2 Bucaneers. Quarterback play has been the story for both of the these teams. Vince Young had a rough day against the Falcons last Sunday, but overall, the 2nd year QB is making strides. In Tampa, veteran Jeff Garcia is making great decisions as he manages Jon Gruden's offense. With that said, this one will be decided on the ground. Both of these quarterbacks need productive running games to be effective. That would suggest that the titans have the edge. Thanks to Young's contributions, the Titans run it for 153 yards per contest. Speaking of Young's ability to tuck and run, there was a day when the Bucs defense had the speed and athleticism to contain him, but that day isn't this Sunday. As for the Bucs ground game, they're down to Ernest Graham. Cadillac is finished for the season and Michael Pittman will be out several weeks with a bad ankle. Graham will be overmatched by a Titan front 7 that ranks 3rd in run defense. That will force Jeff Garcia to win this one on his own, something I'm not sure he can do at this stage of his career. Vince Young will make his share of mistakes, in fact, his miscues will keep this one close, but in the end, I like the Titans to improve to 4 and 1.



Browns at Dolphins

In case you care, the Browns are in Miami this weekend to face the Dolphins. With the injury to Trent Green, it looks like the Cleo Lemon era is officially underway in Miami. The Dolphins played hard last week in their loss to the Texans, but right now, they're not good enuff to beat anyone. Ronnie Brown continues to be the bright light for the Dolphins. He's rushed for more than 100 yards in each of the last 3 games and is averaging more than 5 yards per carry.. He's thriving since Cam Cameron made him the focus of the offense. While no one wanted to see Trent Green injured, Lemon may be a better choice under center as mobility is a hug plus behind a suspect Oline. The Dolphins should have success moving the ball on the Browns, but they wont win a shootout. The Browns have a lot of firepower on offense. With Jamaal Lewis banged up, they may turn to Jason Wright who should find room to run against a Miami defense that ranks next to last in rushing defense. When Derek Anderson does throw it, he's got choices. Braylon Edwards is becoming a reliable big play receiver, Joe Jurevicious is great in the slot, and Kellen Winslow is a tough matchup at tight end. The Dolphins don't have an answer for this Cleveland offense. They will look to control the clock and force turnovers....it wont work.....I like the Browns on the road.



Patriots at Cowboys

I think its safe to say that both the Cowboys and Patrots were looking thru last weeks opponents at their matchup this weekend in Dallas. Both teams broke a sweat getting to 5 and 0, in fact the Cowboys had to be toweled off on several occasions in Buffalo. But, here it is, the prelim for the Patriots-Colts week 9 battle ...and trust me, that's all this one is for New England...a tune up for their heavyweight matchup with Peyton Manning. The Cowboys have been good, but theyre not in the Patriots' league. Lets see....Wade Phillips game planning for Tom Brady or Bill Belichick game planning for Tony Romo. Granted, the Cowboys have just as much artillery as the Patriots, but it comes down to the trigger men and defense. Ask the Buffalo D which quarterback they'd rather face. And while the Dallas defense continues to improve as they get used to Wade Phillips' system, they, too, don't compare to Belichecks crew that allows just 250 yards and 13 points per Sunday. The Cowboys would be wise to talk softly and carry a big stick, but come on, TO talk softly! Ha! Doubtful! I like the Patriots on the Road....



Raiders at Chargers

Hard to believe after 5 weeks that it's the Oakland Raiders sitting atop the AFC West with a half game lead. That should change this week as they travel to San Diego to visit the Chargers. The Chargers earned a much needed win over the Broncos last Sunday, a win that will likely help turn their season around. At 2 and 3, not all of the problems are solved in San Diego, but their talent finally bubbled to the surface last week in their 41-3 pasting of the Broncos. Phillip Rivers threw for 270 yards and a couple of scores, LT had 140 all purpose yards, Michael Turner rushed for 147 yards, and Antonio Gates had another big day. The same crew should have similar success against a Raiders defense that is allowing 356 yards and 25 points per Sunday. They are especially soft against the run and that's where the Chargers will attack. LT has made a living against the Raiders, and that trend should continue. Defensively, the Chargers will also kick it up a notch. Last week they finally played with reckless abandon and the result was 3 takeaways. Shaun Merriman and teammates will be a true test for Dante Culpepper and his reconstructed knee. Surprisingly, the Raiders have the leagues top rushing attack, averaging 194 yards per game. They will find the going much tougher against the Charger front 7. I like San Diego at home



Redskins at Packers

A good one in Green Bay this weekend as the 3 and 1 Redskins visit the 4 and 1 Packers. On the surface, this one screams "Brett Favre, at Lambeau"....Packers win. Not so fast, my fine football loving friends. While there is no doubt that 2007 has been a renaissance season for Mr. Farve, so far, he is still a one man show on offense. He has a tremendous group of wide receivers and tight ends, but he's also saddled with the leagues 2nd worst running game. Thru 5 weeks, Brett has dropped back and chucked it 42 times per game. That plays perfectly into the hands of the Redskins who have one of the leagues best secondaries. The Skins are very comfortable trusting their corners and safeties to lock up Favre's targets and come after him with a ton of blitzes. If Favre throws it 42 times against the Redskins, I'm predicting 2 or 3 picks. Conversely, the Skins possess tremendous balance on offense. The Portis-Betts combo is good for 100 yards per game, which takes pressure off of Jason Campbell, who's starting to make progress in his 2nd year as a starter. IF Cambell limits his mistakes, I believe the Skins will walk out of Lambeau with a "W".....I like Washington in a mild upset.



Texans at Jags

The 3 and 2 Texans travel to Jacksonville to face the 3 and 1 Jags, and these Jags have made tremendous strides since their opening week disaster against the Titans. Jack Del Rio and his troops have gotten back to basics, reestablishing their identity as a smash mouth team, on both sides of the ball. The Running game is back on track with Maurice Jones Drew and Fred Taylor taking turns having big Sundays. The success on the ground has allowed David Garrard the luxury of throwing when they want to, not because they have to . Garrard has performed well, completing 67% of his passes and throwing 0 interceptions. The Jags are also winning the battle at the line of scrimmage on defense, and that is where this game will be decided. If the Jags front seven can shut down the Texans running game, Matt Schaub will have a tough time with his top receivers still banged up. Schaub has been fantastic so far, but the injuries to his top playmakers will do them in. this will be a close one as the jags don't score a ton of points and the Texans play very solid defense. But, the Jags are healthy, at home, and back on a roll after getting back to basics. Jacksonville will win at home



Bengals at Chiefs

The Bengals travel to Kansas City this weekend as both teams try to bounce back from difficult losses. The Bengals had a week to stew during the bye after their home humiliation at the hands of the Patriots. Not only were they beaten soundly they did what these Bengals normally do when faced with adversity: they fought amongst themselves. Chad Johnson yelled at Carson Palmer, then Marvin Lewis yelled at Chad Johnson and the rest of his teammates. This week the Cincinnati circus included the suspension of cornerback James Joseph for an offseason drug related issue. Look, I'm from the Queen City, I cheer for the Bengals, but its not gonna happen again this year. Its sad to watch this kind of talent wallow in mediocrity and a lack of discipline and professionalism undermine a good man in Marvin Lewis. Unfortunately, the lack of institutional control is contributing to their downfall again. As with most Sundays, they are facing an inferior opponent in the Chiefs. That means Bubkus, Nada, Nothing! Larry Johnson and the Chiefs are the worst rushing team in the league, the Bengals the worst run defense. LJ needs a Sunday against this Bengals front 7 to get himself right. On paper, the Bengals should come away with a win. I'm not reading that paper anymore. I'll take the inferior Chiefs at home.



Eagles at Jets

Here's hoping the Philadelphia eagles solved their oline problems during the bye week. They travel to New York to face the Jets, a team that isn't real adept at sacking the quarterback, but may get to McNabb if theres any carry over from the Eagles-Giants game 2 weeks ago. The Giants sacked McNabb 12 times that night and Philly scored a whopping 3 points. Its hard to get a read on these Eagles...they pasted a bad Lions team, then struggled against a very average Giants defense. Injuries on the oline and the absence of Brian Westbrook did them in. Andy Reid hopes to have Westbrook and tackle William Thomas back, but neither is a lock to be in uniform. The Eagles have suffered thru their share of injuries in the secondary as well. Regardless, they would rather the Jets throw anyway. Chad Pennington hasn't played poorly, but when he's asked to throw it 35 times its never a good thing. The Jets cant get Thomas Jones on track and its causing problems for their ball control offense. The ride wont be any smoother this week as the eagles front 7 is still very solid. Philly had a week to heal, and the Jets cant run the ball or play defense. Smells like an Eagles victory to me.