Waddle's World

Patriots at Dolphins

The Patriots make it 7 in a row this weekend when they travel to Miami to play the Dolphins. Really, do we need to discuss this one? The Patriots are universally regarded as the best team in football, the Dolphins, at 0 and 6 , are arguably the worst. The Patriots average more than 450 yards and 38 points per game. They allow just 15 per game. The Dolphins cant stop a belch! Ronnie Brown and his four consecutive 100 yard afternoons are the only bright light for this Miami team, the Patriots are gonna put that light out. If youre looking for a New England let down after their thrashing of the Cowboys, look again. Tom Brady barely broke a sweat putting 48 on that Dallas defense. This one my not be a laugher, though, as Belicheck picks and chooses his places to cruise and keep guys fresh and healthy….But the Patriots number 2's would be a touchdown favorite over the Dolphins number 1's. Let the "16 and 0" talk continue….The Patriots cruise in this one.



Vikings at Cowboys

Don't be surprised if the Cowboys look a little "whiplashed" this weekend when the Vikings come to town. After being taught the meaning of the word "Respect" by the Patriots last Sunday, confused and angry would be an understandable demeanor in this one. Despite the humbling experience, the Cowboys are still the best the NFC has to offer and should have little trouble getting past Minnesota. The Vikings come in riding high after their victory over the Bears, in which they rushed for 311 yards despite seeing a ton of 8 man fronts. Rookie Adrian Peterson was unstoppable running for 224 yards and racking up a total of 361 all purpose yards. This young man is the Real Deal, but he's the ONLY option for the Vikings. Tavarus Jackson cant beat you thru the air and good teams will find a way to contain a one dimensional offense, and the Cowboys are a good team. Like everyone else, the Cowboys will struggle to run on the Vikings front 7, but Tony Romo will have a field day picking apart the Minnesota secondary. The Cowboys are looking to take out their frustration on someone, and the Vikings will be their "patsy"! I like the Cowboys at home.

Jets at Bengals

The 1 and 5 Jets travel to Cincinnati this weekend to take on the 1 and 4 Bengals. Talk about 2 teams in free fall….the Bengals have lost 4 straight while the Jets have dropped 3 in a row. Neither team looks ready to rebound. And the similarities continue….neither can run the ball or play defense. At least the Bengals have a quarterback that can carry an offense…that's when he stays upright. When Carson Palmer isn't dodging the verbal assaults from Chad Johnson, he's running for his life. No Willie Anderson up front means big trouble for Palmer who's starting to get pounded. This is an undisciplined bunch, both on and off the field, and will ultimately get their coach fired. If the Jets weren't so bad, Id say they would walk out of Paul Brown Stadium with a "W", but theyre not real good at anything! Last week, Thomas Jones had his best day as a Jet and it still wasn't enuff as Chad Pennington couldn't make the throws in crunch time. In this one, it's the Jets defense that will do them in. Sure, the Bengals will make some silly mistakes to keep it close, but facing no legitimate pass rush from the Jets, Palmer will pick apart the New York secondary. The rough ride continues for "the Mangenius"…I like the Bengals at home



Chiefs at Oakland

Don't look now but the Chiefs are 3 and 3 and look like a decent team. They travel to Oakland this week to face the Raiders, who are also making strides. Unfortunately, they don't get to face the Bengals every week, but this Oakland defense has their own issues. Theyre allowing 357 yards and 26 points per game, a far cry from their respectable numbers of last year. LT ran for 198 yards against them last week. LJ should have success as well as the Chiefs passing game has improved and is keeping opposing defenses out of 8 man fronts. The presence of rookie receiver Dwayne Bowe has helped loosen things up for veteran Damon Huard, who is starting to put up decent totals. The Chiefs defense has also been solid, but they'll be tested by a Raiders running game that ranks 3rd in the league. La Mont Jordan, Justin Fargas, and Dominique Rhodes are a nice backfield trio. And Dante Culppeper continues to make progress as he puts the knee injury behind him. This is a classic AFC West battle that usually works out well for the Chiefs. They've won the last eight meetings in this series. I say they make it 9 in a row. I like the Chiefs in this one.



Titans at Texans

A tongue twister of a matchup this weekend as the Titans visit the Texans. The Titans come to town on a sour note after dropping a tight one to the Bucaneers and losing Vince Young to a leg injury in the process. If Young cant go, beteran Kerry Collins takes over, but don't expect the plan to change much. And no, Im not expecting Collins to run the veer, but I do expect the Titans to keep it on the ground. This is an offense built around the running game, and that shouldn't change, especially after watching the Texans surrender 244 rushing yards to the Jags last week.. Chris Brown and Len Dale White will carry the load as they ask Collins to manage things until Young returns. The Tennessee defense should also help keep them competitive. Theyre allowing just 281 yards and 14 points per Sunday. Matt Shaub is finally showing the effects of being asked to do too much. The Texans haven't rushed for more than 100 yards since week 2 and have averaged just 66 yards per game on the ground the last four weeks. While Shaub has performed admirably, he's struggled with turnovers recently. With Albert Haynesworth and Kyle VandenBoshe bringing the heat, I kinda like the Titans, even without Vince Young under center. I say Tennesse wins this one.

Colts at Jags

The Monday nighter is a good one as the 5 and 0 Colts travel to Jacksonville to face the 4 and 1 jags. The last time these two division rivals met in Jacksonville, the Jags thumped the Colts 44 to 17, so revenge may add a little extra spice to this ball game. The Jags have always played the Colts tough, and this one should be no different. After an embarrassing home loss to the Titans in week one, the Jags regrouped and reestablished their identity as a smash mouth team, running the ball and playing great defense. Expect the same approach from them Monday night. They will try and bully the undersized front 7 of the Colts and force them into a slugfest. The goal is to own the time of possession, and keep Peyton Manning and friends off the field. The Colts should be back to full strength on defense, but will still struggle to contain the Jones-Drew ---Taylor combo. If the Jags are smart, they'll load up and run right at Dwight Freeney, make him work hard on every snap and take the starch out of his pass rush. But the real challenge for the Jags will be slowing down Manning and a Colts offense that's averaging more than 400 yards and 33 points per game. They, too, are back to full strength with both Joseph Addai and Marvin Harrison returning to the lineup. Knowing this Jacksonville front 7 is viscious, I think the Colts will come out throwing, forcing the Jags to drop their safeties in coverage, and then settle in to a balanced attack. If they insist on crowding the line, Manning will have a huge night. And He may have to, these Jags are gonna be jacked and ready for this one… but I also expect Indy to have their A-game as well. I like the Colts to go on the road and come away with a hard fought victory.

Falcons at Saints

Anyone interested in the Falcons-Saints tilt in the Superdome this weekend? Didn't think so, but let me break it down anyway. The Falcons are a disaster right now. They're 1 and 4, they look disinterested, players are unhappy with their coach, they aren't real talented to begin with, and now theyre banged up. The offensive line is missing both starting tackles again this week, which means, newly named starter Byron Leftwich is gonna take his this week. Bobby Petrino could do Byron, and the rest of the Falcons a favor by committing to the running game, but we all know that wont happen. A heavy dose of Warrick Dunn and Jerious Norwood is the best way to get the most out of Leftwhich. As for the Saints, they finally looked like an NFL team last Sunday night in Seatlle, as they notched their first win of the 2007 season. Drew Brees finally looked sharp, and Reggie Bush finally looked like a difference maker. The plan in this one is simple, spread the Falcons out and throw away from D'Angelo Hall. If they Saints can score early, they will force the impatient Falcons to air it out, and then defensive ends Charles Grant and Will Smith move in for the kill. The Saints get the win at home



Cardinals at Redskins

The Cardinals visit the redskins this weekend, as both teams look to bounce back from disappointing losses. The Cardinals are down to Tim Rattay at quarterback after Kurt Warner left with an elbow injury and Vinny Testaverde turned 'em down. What a waste of talent. Anquon Bolden and Larry Fitzgerald are one of the leagues premier wide receiver tandems, and they have no one to get them the ball! Rattay was a disaster last week completing just 12 of 24 passes with 3 interceptions in their loss to the Panthers. And if he was impressed by the Carolina defense, what till he gets a look at these Redskins. They're the leagues number 3 defense overall, and may have the best secondary in the league. They will lock up with the cardinals receivers man to man, and come after Rattay. Ken Wisenhunt would be wise to stick to his preseason proclamation that the Cardinals will be a run first team. I would suggest run first, second and third. Id give it to Edgerrin James 30 times in this one. It still may not be enuff. The Skins are a solid team, and if their receivers would hang onto the ball, theyd be a very good team. They"ll come out running the ball and everything will fall into place. I like this Washington team and the balance they have on offense. The Skins bounce back at home.



Ravens at Bills

Should be a field goal festival in Buffalo this weekend as the Ravens visit the Bills. We all know the long list of injuries that have held these Bills back, but you have to give them credit for showing up and playing hard each and every week. Coach Dick Jauron has decided on rookie Trent Edwards as his quarterback, and he will be tested early and often by the Ravens defense. They aren't the "sack machine" they have been in the past, but they will give the rookie looks he didn't know existed. With that said, the running game is even more important than normal. Edwards will rely on fellow rookie Marshawn Lynch to carry the load as he gets more comfortable managing this offense. When the Bills throw it, look for a lot of short routes and screen passes to take advantage of the Ravens aggressive approach. The Ravens have also settled on a young quarterback as Kyle Boller will get the start over the "achy" Steve McNair. Boller gives the Ravens a more vertical approach to the offense as Brian Billick looks to improve on their yards per attempt. The Bills 31st ranked pass defense should also help the cause. This one will be competitive for a couple of reasons, first the Ravens cant find the endzone. They've scored just 8 touchdowns and kicked a league high 18 field goals. And don't ever take the Bills for granted, especially in Buffalo. The Ravens will win, but they'll break a sweat in the process.



49ers at Giants

I'll say it again this week, how bout them Giants. With their win over the Falcons, they now have won 4 straight and sit at 4 and 2 on the season. This week the offensively challenged 49ers come to town. The Niners have failed to gain 200 yards in 4 of their first 5 games. Alex Smith is still banged up and odds are "the ageless" Trent Dilfer will get the start again, and that means Frank Gore will see a lot of 8 man fronts once again. Don't hold Gore's modest start against him. Last years NFC rushing champ is averaging just 3.6 yards per carry as defenses stack the line of scrimmage. Until they prove they can push the ball downfield, he will continue to struggle. The Giants secondary used to be the cure for everybody's passing ailments, but they've improved dramatically over the last month, in large part to the play of rookie corner Aaron Ross. The 21 sacks have also helped. The 49ers are much better on defense as well, but their offense is leaving them on the field too long. They will struggle with the Giants balanced attack. Derrick Ward is no Tiki Barber, but he and Brandon Jacobs are doing solid work sharing the load. Eli Manning is still throwing his share of interceptions, but they aren't the devastating picks that derailed the Giants in the second half of last season. Look for a lot of Plaxico Burress. He is a physical mismatch for most corners in the league and he should add to his 8 touchdown total. The Giants should have no trouble getting to 5 and 2.

Bucs at Lions

It's a battle of opposites this weekend in Detroit as the pass happy Lions play host to the "grind it out" Buccaneers. The Lions are coming off the bye, but I'll bet dollars to donuts that Mike Martz spent the week off devising even more ways to drop back and chuck it as opposed to planning for a more balanced attack. The Lions receiving corps is the strength of their offense while the secondary leads the way for the Tampa Bay defense. Monte Kiffin should have a few tricks up his sleeve as the Bucs try to get to Kitna and force him into mistakes. Kitna has already been sacked 25 times, that puts him on pace to shatter last years league leading 63 take downs. The Bucs ball control offense should also limit the Lions chances as they look to shorten the game. "Chucky" traded for Michael Bennett before the deadline to try and bolster his injuring depleted backfield. I cant say enuff about 37 year old Jeff Garcia. He's been even better than expected managing Gruden's West Coast offense. Thru 6 games, he's completing 67% of his passes and has yet to throw an interception. That streak should stay in tact against the Lions secondary that ranks 30th in pass defense. Despite all of the Detroit firepower, I say its 13 year vet Joey Galloway that has the biggest day of all. He should have the Lions corners twisted up like a pretzel.. I like the Bucs on the road in this one.

Rams at Seahawks

The 0 and 6 Rams travel to Seattle this weekend to face the Seahawks. The "hawks" are coming off a disappointing home loss to the Saints and will be looking to take out some pent up frustration. Who better to beat up on than the injury plagued Rams. Scott Linehan's bunch gets a lift this week as Marc Bulger is expected back in the lineup. After watching Gus Ferrotte throw 8 interceptions the last two weeks, Linehan didn't have a choice but to ask Bulger to tape up, and shoot up those broken ribs and get back in the huddle. He still may be without Jackson, Bruce, Bennett, and Holt, but they are desperate for a win and need a morale boost. BUlger's quarterback counterpart doesn't have his full arsenal either. Matt Hasselbeck will be without Deion Branch and DJ Hackett for another week so expect an even heavier dose of Shaun Alexander. Alexander has been held to just 60 yards on 25 carries the last two weeks, but he should find room to run against the St Louis front 7. The Rams are allowing 136 yards per game on the ground. This divisional matchup has favored Seattle recently, as the Seahawks have won the last 4 in this series. Home field advantage is also an issue….Last weeks upset aside, these Seahawks are touch to beat in the Great Northwest. I like those trends to continue. I like Seattle at home this week.

Steelers at Broncos

The Monday nighter this week looked a whole lot sexier before the regular season kicked off. The Steelers travel to Denver to face the Broncos, and this one should be a mathcup nightmare for Mike Shanahan. The Steelers boast the leagues number 2 running game….the Broncos are the leagues worst run defense allowing 188 yards per contest. Denver cant stop anyone and Willie Parker isn't just "anyone". Parker is averaging more than 100 yards per game and that average should stay in tact against a an undersized front 7 that tackles poorly and regularly misses assignments. And we all know what happens when the Steelers get their running game going, "Good Ben" usually shows up and has a big night. Rothlesberger's numbers are eye popping when he's getting help from his ground game. Speaking of ground games, the Broncos have a pretty impressive attack themselves. Travis Henry is averaging 5 yards per carry, but will face his stiffest challenge of the season . If he doesn't get his swerve on early, the Broncos could be in trouble. Like Ben, Denver Qb Jay Cutler is a young quarterback prone to mistakes if he is left to do it all by himself. The return of Javon Walker should help, but the Oline injuries may not allow him to set his feet and let'r rip. These teams are headed in opposite directions. The Steelers may be a step below the Patriots and Colts, but they can beat the 29 other teams in the league. They are too much for the home team in this one. I like Pittsburgh to win on the road.