Last week I pulled a rabbit out of my hat with a Buccaneers victory over the Browns - a pick that I'm sure surprised nobody. This week's games are going to be very difficult to pick. I see just about every match-up this week being very even. Good teams are playing good teams and bad teams are playing bad teams - and Cincinnati has the week off. However, there is one very beat up team that is hot right now. They have the hottest QB in the league, in fact, and they're playing a team that has thrown a rookie QB to the wolves. Look for Brett and Company to eat up the Washington Redskins this week. Washington is having trouble finding an identity and the Good Lord knows they won't find it anywhere near the unfriendly confines of Lambeau Field.
Upset Special of the Week The Bills (+4) @ Miami
The teams are so evenly matched this week that it is difficult to find a good upset pick, too. Unlike the pick Clarkie made last week. If you were tuning in, you'd know that Clarkie called the Rams win over Oakland. So, this week, as much as it hurts me to do this, I'm calling for my beloved Dolphins to fall victim to the Bills while looking forward to their week off. Buffalo consistently plays the Dolphins well - and now they have Drew. Miami is coming off a very emotional victory in Denver that proved costly. Jay Fiedler broke his thumb and will not play and their best receiver, Chris Chambers, was carted off the field after taking a very malicious helmet to helmet hit from a repeat offender of such acts. (Don't be surprised to see that hit result in a suspension and a fine.) I think the Fish will rally around Ray Lucas, but the Bills are extremely tough, especially late in games when it's gonna be hot in Miami. Can the defense handle such a demand two weeks in a row - I dunno. Let's just hope for Wanny and Company's sake, I'm wrong!
Game to Stay Away From The Vikings @ the J-E-T-S
Minnesota at the NY Jets will be a laughable game. Neither team wants to win. The Jets are playing for the rights to draft Eli Manning and the Vikings are trying to position themselves to draft the best left tackle available - Bryant McKinnie (again). The Jets have the homefield advantage and are coming off a bye week, but the Vikings at least have the ability to score. It's a toss-up folks. Be careful with this one - what comes down could be a hand grenade! Listen for once, will ya? Last week I said to stay away from Denver/Miami cuz one of their kickers was gonna win the game...and both kickers managed to kick go-ahead 50-plus yard field goals with less than a minute to play!
Players to Watch
Marshall Faulk, St Louis Running Back:
Mike Martz had to notice that Marshall can be productive if he gets 20-plus carries. He'll get another 20 carries this week against a Seahawk defense that's coming off a short week to prepare. Need I say more?
Anthony Thomas, Chicago Bears Running Back:
The only thing that will prevent this talented back from producing this week will be if the Bears defense comes out with the same attitude against Joey Harrington that they did against Brett Favre in their latest fiasco - "Go ahead score, we don't care." If the Lions score at will - which is hard to imagine - then the A-Train will be derailed. If they don't, "All Aboard!"
Plaxico Burress, Pittsburgh Wide Receiver:
Indianapolis' corners are on the smaller side and still learning the "Cover 2" defense that Dungy is installing. The Cover 2 is designed to stop the run and the big play down the field. Plaxico is the right guy to find holes in the zones and will give Pittsburgh and Tommy Maddox the right answer to the riddle that is the Cover 2.
That's all from Clarkie for this week!
Clarkie's Corner Week 2
Clarkie's Corner Week 3
Clarkie's Corner Week 4
Clarkie's Corner Week 5
Clarkie's Corner Week 6