The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

WEEK 4 PICKS

Cleveland Browns at

Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens will win this game simply because they are better. I love games like this. I expect the replacement refs to overreact to the teams that complain the loudest (Ravens). That accompanied by Baltimore being the second scariest team in the league, despite not finishing among the top three in the “Dudes with Dreadlocks Quotient.”  There’s still a built in intimidation factor and with replacement refs that matters. Oh, also...Brandon Weeden versus Ed Reed in primetime.

RAVENS over Browns

Tennessee Titans at

Houston Texans

I doubt the Titans have anymore trick plays left in their playbook and they probably should have saved a few for this week playing what looks like arguably the best team in the AFC thus far. This Texans secondary at home is much, much, much better than the Lions patch work secondary the Titans faced last week. I feel like Goodell is giving me an easy week or setting me up for 0-15.

TEXANS over Titans

 San Diego Chargers

at Kansas City Chiefs

Jamal Charles’ breakout day led to my worse fantasy football loss in a while, so it’s hard not to think of him as a one man wrecking crew. I just see the blood of my fantasy team under his 200 yard stats from last week and I can’t think rationally about this game. The Chargers looked God awful last week, which confused everyone who thought we were getting the good Philip Rivers back this season. Expect the Chargers to force Matt Cassel to win this game in the air, but if Charles has another I’m quitting this column.

CHARGERS over Chiefs

Seattle Seahawks

at St Louis Rams

It’s not like the Seahawks can say “that’s football…it’s the call on the field..remember the calls we got in the Superbowl,” no instead we got Golden Tate saying he “competed” and Russell Wilson saying things like he knew they were going to win. Really!? These guys are worse under questioning than a Law and Order perp in the last 10 minutes of the show. Actually it’s more like if Ocean’s 2 somehow get off on a technicality and then walked around Nassau saying how they had nothing to do with the robbery, despite the mountain of visual evidence, including video. Is it bad that I like how unapologetic they are about this?

SEAHAWKS over Rams

Carolina Panthers at

Atlanta Falcons

I already enjoy this week, it’s a nice light start - a SuperBowl contender at home versus a team in a free fall that questioned there quarterback’s body language. In a bad situation, clearly Cam Newton needs to go to the Manning body language school of “No Worries” and have the same expression on his face whether up by 20  or leading a tremendous comeback down by 20. He must have learned something from Eli last week right. P.S. As a side note football prospectus (trust me it’s a real thing) has the Falcons as the Superbowl favourite so far based on their scheduled road to the Superbowl and their desire to see the “Dirty Bird” dance return.

FALCONS over Panthers

San Francisco 49ers

at New York Jets

The Jets are horrible. They almost lost to the DOLPHINS and they lost their best player for the season. If the Sanchize had to comeback against the Dolphins defense, what is an angry 49ers defense going to do to him.

NINERS over Jets

Minnesota Vikings at

Detroit Lions

This is the kind of game that gets me in trouble when I play Madden. I wouldn’t pick the Vikings, I’d pick the Lions, they have more weapons and if a competent defensive coordinator is calling the plays they can win most games. But then I remembered they gave up 44 points last week and Christian Ponder has a hot hand right now.

But here’s what I think, the Lions are at home, The Titans used the Music City Miracle last week (they are not going to lose when they score on that play), the Lions offense put up 41 points, and I think they finally found their running back in Leshoure.

Then there’s the issue of Stafford’s injury, will he play or won’t he. I hope you all see how much I’m agonising over these picks and it’s all the replacement refs fault I swear. 

LIONS over Vikings

 New England Patriots

at Buffalo Bills

If the Patriots lose for a third time in a row, Giselle will leave Tom Brady. That is just a fact. The bills are down to their 3rd back and I’ll just have to get this one wrong if the Pats drop the ball. I’ll be one step away from an old man behind the times  who’d talk about the good old days when the Pats dominated the regular season. Unless the Bills D-Line, the most expensive pass rush in the league, shows up….You know what, I’m not talking myself out of this.

PATS over Bills

Miami Dolphins at

Arizona Cardinals

Is three games enough for me to be sold on the Cards? Do the Dolphins stand a chance against anyone with a banged up Reggie Bush? Will I allow them to suck me into believing again after flirting with a record above .500, even for a split second? Three times No.

CARDS over Dolphins

Oakland Raiders at

Denver Broncos

I’m just biased against teams I’ve seen lose to the Dolphins, I cant help it. I have no feel for this game whatsoever. The word is out - you bump and run Manning, take away timing routes and make him be accurate down the field. Unless his arm is going to magically return midseason I have to pick the Raiders, but a loss to the Raiders means the Peyton Manning era is over right ? Do we really want that? Do we want to root on the end of the Manning era? My brain is telling me Raiders but the football purest in me wants Manning to pull this out. I’m completely fine routing for the end of the Carson Palmer era by the way.

BRONCOS over Raiders

Cincinnati Bengals at Jacksonville Jaguars

And in onefellswoop…Blaine Gabbert and his hair have gained relevance. Too bad for him we’re just starting to see traits from him that Andy Dalton has been showing us since week one of last season when they were both rookies.

BENGALS over Jags

New Orleans Saints at Green Bay Packers

It is clear by now that Sean Peyton is the greatest coach in the history of coaching. He left a Superbowl contender intact and now they are looking at 0-4 in the face right now on the road against a peeved Green Bay team. Imagine all the other things in the world Peyton could improve with his presence: Israel-Palestine relations, the PLP-FNM divide, increased bi-partisanship in the US congress, Peyton does it all. He could actually get the real refs to come back. 

PACKERS over Saints

Washington Redskins at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The winner of this game will regain their “Hey Now, I’ll tell you what. Look out for those (insert team name here). They’re a real sleeper.” They both had this status after week one, and both lost it after consecutive losses. Something’s got to give.

REDSKINS over Bucs 

New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles

Now that the Packers have the Replacement Refs to fall back on, the Eagles O-Line now reassumes its mantle as the most heavily scrutinised group in the league. If Michael Vick can stay on his feet long to complete a pass….scratch that, not possible.

GIANTS over EAGLES

Chicago Bears at Dallas Cowboys

The two most mercurial teams in the NFL, bar none. There’s a legitimate chance that Jay Cutler and Tony Romo may be the same person. Have they ever had a good game at the same time?

COWBOYS over Bears

Sannie’s Picks

Ravens over Browns

“Torrey Smith played after finding out his brother died - You’ve got to love him.”

Texans over Titans

“Beyonce just can’t lose for me.”

Chiefs over Chargers

“The colour blocking scheme in the uniform is hot!”

Rams over Seahawks

“Steven Jackson’s girlfriend Imani was on Basketball Wives. I love how classy she was on there.”

Falcons over Panthers

“Karlie Redd from Love and Hip Hop Atlanta was just in the Bahamas. She’s good with me and so are the Falcons.”

49ers over Jets

“I love the gays in San Fran! (Both on and off the field)”

Lions over Vikings

“Sticking by my future husband Calvin Johnson and his $138 million contract - win or lose.”

Bills over Patriots

“Bills is another name of money and I do love money.”

Cardinals over Dolphins

“Maybe if I choose against the Dolphins, they’ll actually win.”

Broncos over Raiders

“Never going to choose the same team as my boss Eddie.”

Bengals over Jaguars

“Andy Dolton’s red hair is so sexy.”

Packers over Saints

“I keep picking the Saints and they keep losing. Lesson learned.”

Bucs over Redskins

“Buccaneers is my big brother Donavan’s team. He better win this for me.”

Giants over Eagles

“New York has better shopping, sticking with it every week.”

Cowboys over Bears

“I love everything Texas, especially the toast.”

Fisher’s Picks

Ravens over Browns

Texans over Titans

Chargers over Chiefs

Rams over Chiefs

Falcons over Panthers

49ers over Jets

Vikings over Lions

Patriots over Bills

Cardinals over Dolphins

Broncos over Raiders

Bengals over Jaguars

Packers over Saints

Bucs over Redskins

Eagles over Giants

Bears over Cowboys