A David and Goliath battle in Picks ends in a draw

The smallest and largest members of the Sunday Football Picks went toe-to-toe for Week 3 supremacy.  This Picks version of David vs. Goliath ended in a stalemate, though, as Ali and Mark pulled off an equal number of body slams and achieved identical 10-3 records.

The Teenage Bird, who measured 54½ inches tall and weighed 56 pounds at her sports physical on Monday, declared war on her Uncle Mark, who stands 6-feet-2-inches tall and tips the scales at 203 pounds.

They both entered Week 3 of the Picks with something to prove.  Ali finished in the cellar last season and wanted to show everyone that her first place position after two weeks in 2006 was no fluke.  Mark, on the other hand, found himself in last place for the first time ever, and had no tolerance for futility.

Ali and Mark locked horns with four disagreements on Sunday — both confident they could rip their foe to pieces.  Mark landed the first blow when his underdog Jets surprised Ali's Bills in Buffalo.  New York's 28-20 victory staggered the Teenage Bird, but only for a moment.

Ali's petite frame charged back with a counter-attack as her winless Packers defeated Mark's favored Lions in Detroit.  The 31-24 win by Green Bay knocked Mark to his knees.  But even on his knees Mark measures up to Ali, and he regained his balance and responded with a punch to the heart.  Ali's Buccaneers led Mark's Panthers 24-23 with only seconds to play, but a 46-yard game-winning field goal by Carolina stung Ali where it really hurt.

She was down but not out as St. Louis and Arizona had yet to finish.  Mark's Cardinal's were perfectly positioned for the death blow when they recovered a fumble in field goal range near the end of the game, still behind 16-14.  But Kurt Warner somehow mishandled a snap and watched Ali's Rams fall on the football, giving Mark a kick to the gut and evening the battle at two games apiece.