2011 NFL Pickery -- Week #10

Last Week

Aaron: 10-4
Joe: 9-5

Current Standings

Joe: 86-44
Aaron: 85-45


Oakland at San Diego (Thursday Night)

Joe: I can't believe this matchup happens twice a year and you're still standing, Cam. The tempest that must be raging in your heart as you have to deal with a week's worth of San Diego sports talk about this game. Anyway, if last week's games were any indication, I wouldn't expect much in the way of defense in this matchup. Still, if Phillip Rivers can keep his pick-six total to under two this week, I'm pretty confident he can eke by Carson Palmer. Pick: San Diego

Aaron: The news of dissension in the Raiders' locker room should be the final, perfectly-fitting puzzle piece to one of the most bizarre seasons in team history. And, there's still seven weeks to go. If the Raiders are sold in the offseason, it's conceivable that Hue Jackson could go from offensive coordinator to head coach to accidental General Manager/Director of Player Personnel to out-of-work in just 18 months. I won't go as far as to say I'm rooting for an uptick in the current 16.7% unemployment rate among African-Americans, but… Pick: San Diego


New Orleans at Atlanta

Aaron: The Saints haven't defeated a decent team on the road all season and just might be looking ahead to their bye week after this game. Although, I'm not exactly sure why anyone would be looking forward to a week off in New Orleans -- home of pirates, drunks and whores. New Orleans -- tacky, overpriced souvenir stores. Pick: Atlanta

Joe: I am actually ashamed it took us this long to go to the "Oh, Streetcar" place. Atlanta's been pretty steady these last few weeks, while the Saints' fortunes have descended wildly into madness. Pick: Atlanta


Houston at Tampa Bay

Aaron: The Texans boast a pair of running backs who could each rush for more than 1,000 yards this season. The Buccaneers, meanwhile, are 26th in run defense this year. Oh, sure...that might sound impressive, but there are only 32 teams in the National Football League! Pick: Houston

Joe: I have no idea if statistics will back me up on this, but doesn't it seem like Tampa is a hellish road game for teams? The Bucs are simultaneously an easy team to look past and yet good enough to pull an upset. And isn't there always a hurricane or awful humidity or something similarly inhospitable? Houston's been looking great, but aren't they due for a head-scratching loss? Pick: Tampa Bay


Arizona at Philadelphia

Aaron: Twenty years from now, I'm convinced we'll all look back at Cardinals QB Kevin Kolb and not believe he was a projected top 12 fantasy quarterback before the 2010 season -- ahead of Matt Ryan, among others. Similarly, those of us who were fans of the NFL twenty years ago still can't believe there were quarterbacks named "Bubby" and "Billy Joe" leading teams down the field. Pick: Philadelphia

Joe: I can't think of a more deflating, demoralizing loss than the one Philly took last week. Just when they were looking set to take the NFC East from behind. ...And you know what? I'm going to let that sentence stand as is. Pick: Philadelphia


Washington at Miami

Aaron: I'm pleased to pat myself on the back for picking the Dolphins to upset the Chiefs last week for their first win. Now, that I've set myself up for a hubristic fall -- a concept made famous by the 1980s Nintendo Entertainment Systems console game "Kid Icarus" -- I'll go all in on the Dolphins again. Pick: Miami

Joe: After watching the Penn State student body behave so poorly in the past week, I feel like an appropriate punishment would be to force them all to watch this game at 1pm on Sunday. Tough but fair. Pick: Miami


Denver at Kansas City

Aaron: Here are the Chiefs' next six games: at New England, Pittsburgh, at Chicago, at New York Jets, Green Bay and Oakland -- with the Broncos as bookends this weekend and in the season finale. This might be your last chance to see your team upright and in the vicinity of the end zone, Chiefs fans. Pick: Kansas City

Joe: Can ANYBODY in the AFC West play defense? Pick: Denver


Tennessee at Carolina

Aaron: Even if we grade on the "backdoor cover" curve, only one of the Panthers' six losses has been by more than seven points. A win here would go a long way towards making Carolina (2-6) everyone's playoff sleeper next season. Yes, that's how it works non-football fans. No, I don't know why. Pick: Carolina

Joe: There are a LOT of games between two awful teams this week. So many, in fact, that Tennessee-Carolina is starting to look like one of the week's better matchups. I still feel like Carolina's defense will keep them from winning the games that Cam Newton makes competitive. Pick: Tennessee


Pittsburgh at Cincinnati

Aaron: The narrative surrounding this game seems to be, "If the Bengals can beat the Steelers, then I'll take them seriously." I'd argue that a 6-2 team doesn't necessarily need your respect, but, yeah...Cincinnati's cupcake schedule to this point has to be considered. Then again, this isn't [whatever year you last won the Super Bowl], Pittsburgh. Pick: Cincinnati

Joe: At some point this season, some team is going to rough Andy Dalton up enough that he starts playing like a rookie again, right? Pick: Pittsburgh


St. Louis at Cleveland

Aaron: A few weeks ago, the Browns hosted the Seahawks and won, 6-3. Why any of the non-San Francisco teams are allowed to play outside the NFC West, I'll never know. And, yes, I can appreciate the glorious irony of the Raiders fan talking trash about sh*tty divisions. Pick: Cleveland

Joe: Yet another marquee matchup. The Rams have to hope they can win another few games this year on the back of Steven Jackson. To say he'll be the best player on the field on Sunday is a massive understatement. Pick: St. Louis


Buffalo at Dallas

Aaron: While listening to ESPN.com's Bill Simmons this week, I learned that the Bills' loss to the Jets has effectively ended Buffalo's season. Simmons predicted an 8-8 finish for the Bills (currently 5-3) based on one home loss to a solid squad. Feel free to print this out and tack it to your bulletin board, Buffalo. Pick: Buffalo

Joe: Sigh. Such a thoroughly demoralizing loss last week. One that has more than just editorially-indulged sportswriters proclaiming the Bills' season over. The silver lining is that maybe the Jets just match up really well against the Bills and are uniquely suited to neutralizing Buffalo's strengths. In case you haven't noticed, that's a pretty terrible silver lining. Pick: Dallas


Jacksonville at Indianapolis

Aaron: And, here we are. Ever since the Colts were annihilated in week one, the experts have been pointing to THIS game as the one Indianapolis had a chance to win. It'd be nice to see the Colts show up -- if only to avoid the inevitable "Are the Colts Tanking the Season?" E:60 investigation, but since the Colts are tanking the season... Pick: Jacksonville

Joe: You know I hate Jacksonville. I'd love to see them hand the Colts their first win of the year. But they've been inexplicably competitive too often this season. Pick: Jacksonville


Baltimore at Seattle

Aaron: So, the Ravens beat the Steelers in Pittsburgh last week and QB Joe Flacco is "good" again. Am I doing this right? And, when he beats the Seahawks, he'll be "bad" again, because Seattle's a terrible team, yes? Back in my day, it was much easier to be in sync with everyone else's sports opinions. Pick: Baltimore

Joe: I haven't seen the mythical Seattle home field advantage much this season, and yet they seem to pull out the same number of unexpected upsets this year, just on the road. YOU figure it out. Pick: Baltimore


N.Y. Giants at San Francisco

Aaron: OK...is this a potential "let down" game for the Giants after last week's exhilarating win in New England? Or, is this possibly a trap game for the Giants with the Eagles coming to New York next week? And, is a "let down" game the same as a trap game or are these two distinctly different and ridiculous superstitions? Pick: San Francisco

Joe: There is no reason to think the Giants' excellent start to the season won't continue through the remaining games, right? Pick: NY Giants


Detroit at Chicago

Aaron: Looking for an underrated storyline that's worn out its welcome? Try the "Matt Forte is Grotesquely Underpaid" plot. The Bears running back IS underpaid by the standards of his position and production, but the season-long pregame show pity parties are getting to be a bit much. Isn't it time for some intrepid sportswriter to pen the obligatory "Forte Wants Fatter Checks as Americans Tighten Belts" tripe? Pick: Chicago

Joe: Want to spend an entire Sunday afternoon driving yourself crazy with uncertainty? Try this one on: are the Bears a good team? Pick: Detroit


New England at N.Y. Jets

Aaron: A Hall of Fame quarterback, a dependable wide receiver, production from the tight end(s) and not much else on either side of the ball. The 2011 Patriots sure seemed to turn into the 2007-08 Indianapolis Colts overnight, didn't they? Pick: NY Jets

Joe: I still have not gotten sick of watching the Patriots lose the kinds of regular-season games they've been winning for the past decade. Not a bit. Pick: NY Jets


Minnesota at Green Bay

Aaron: After the Packers defeated the Chargers last week, the local sports talk chatter here revolved around the rowdy and belligerent Green Bay fans in the stands at Qualcomm Stadium. This from the callers and radio hosts. "Rowdy" and "belligerent". Wisconsin. Come on, San Diego. Pick: Green Bay

Joe: Packers. Doy. Pick: Green Bay