Fraser’s Favorites Week 6

Carolina at Atlanta

The reason the Falcons were able to manage a 13-3 mark last year was because they controlled the ball and limited their mistakes. So far this season, they have been awful at doing both of these things. Pathetic, even. Against the Packers they killed themselves committing several penalties on key possessions and plays. They also can’t control the ball consistently as one possession is a 12 play 80 yard drive, the next 5 possessions are 3 and outs. Forget about the long plays. Forget about the quick attack offense. Play to your strengths as a team. Matt Ryan does not have the ability to throw the ball downfield like Rodgers or Manning or Rivers. Play to his strengths, run a ball control play-action offense…The keys for the Falcons for the rest of the season are consistency, discipline, and finding their personality. It needs to start this week or they are in trouble. If this game was in Carolina, the outcome would be different.

Carolina- 28
Atlanta- 35


Indianapolis at Cincinnati

Marvin Lewis has my vote as coach of the year so far. He has kept the Bengals focused despite myriad offseason distractions and has coached the 4th youngest team in the NFL to a 3 and 2 record thus far. If you have not jumped on already you better hurry because the Bengals Bandwagon is filling up fast! Don’t get too excited about the Bengals though. You can’t expect a team this young and this inexperienced to keep this same intensity for 16 games. I expect the Colts to come into Cincinnati scratching and clawing for their first victory, but coming up short. Bengals by a field goal.

Indianapolis- 20
Cincinnati- 23


San Francisco at Detroit

No one could have predicted the Lions and 49ers to have a combined 9 and 1 record after week 5. No one. Now we need to consider whether these teams are contenders or pretenders for the playoffs. The 49ers are contenders. In the weak NFC West though, the 2008 Lions would be serious contenders. That’s not taking anything away from what the 49ers have already accomplished this season, it’s only pointing out the weakness of the division they are fortunate enough to be in. The Lions are contenders as well. I am still not completely sold though. I need to see the Lions beat a team with a winning record before I consider them a SuperBowl contender. Their opponents this season have a combined 8-16 record and two of their wins were miraculous comebacks. The difference in this contest comes down to the 49ers ability to limit the big plays of the Lions offense.

San Francisco- 28
Detroit-24


St. Louis at Green Bay

Instead of Albert Pujols doing the ESPN “Machine” commercials, it should be Aaron Rodgers. He really is a machine. There is no time when he seems uncomfortable. He even completed a pass last week against the Falcons with a player wrapped around his legs. The comparisons to Brett Favre at the beginning of the season might have seemed ridiculous, but after a short five weeks he has me convinced. Rodgers is the best player in the NFL right now.

Green Bay- 42
St. Louis- 24




Buffalo at N.Y. Giants

Two New York teams meet in New Jersey to play this Sunday. What a disaster for the Giants losing to backup quarterback Charlie Whitehurst and the Seahawks. The Giants cannot consider themselves an elite team if they can’t beat a weaker opponent. However, football is a game of inches. If Eli throws the pass to Victor Cruz inches closer, that ball does not find the open arms of Brandon Browner. Meanwhile, the Bills have been on the other end of some fortuitous bounces. They beat the Patriots on two tipped passes, and beat the Eagles because a ball bounces off Jason Avant’s feet. The Giants will be led by their defense this week. Jason Pierre-Paul, Osi Umenyora, Mathias Kiwanuka will be relentless in their pass rush against Fitzpatrick. The Bills lose the first of 4 in a row, and will end the season with a losing record.

Buffalo- 14
NY Giants-24

Jacksonville at Pittsburgh

The Jaguars will simply be outmatched in this contest. Blaine Gabbert going up against the Steelers defense won’t be pretty. Steelers big.

Jacksonville- 13

Pittsburgh- 38

Philadelphia at Washington

This could be the most disappointing start in sports history. A team that was destined to easily win the NFC East is now struggling to win its 2nd game and arguably the most-hyped team in football history is now sitting at 1 and 4 and last place in its division. But let’s look at what the hype was all about. Pro-Bowler Nnamdi Asomugha is having the worst season of his career, Pro-Bowler Ronnie Brown is throwing passes backward at the one yard line, and Mike Vick has thrown 7 interceptions in 4 games. Fortunately for the Eagles, the key word here is start. This team is way too talented to be this bad and their rebound starts with Mike Vick. The focus will be there against the Redskins and their journey uphill to the postseason begins here. We will be watching these Eagles play in the playoffs this year.

Philadelphia- 30
Washington- 17


Houston at Baltimore

It’s too bad the Texans will be without their two best players in Andre Johnson and Mario Williams. This would be a game if those two players were playing. Without them, the Texans do not stand a chance against the Ravens. Although I would not be surprised to see one of the Ravens patented hiccup games they usually have when they are supposed to win.

Houston- 17
Baltimore- 26




Cleveland at Oakland

It sounds like a typical Raiders mistake. Last play of the game in a one score game and they have ten players on the field. Come on. Maybe they were too nervous to have 12 men on the field…This was not the typical Raiders outcome. This will not be the typical Raiders season that we have gotten used to over the last decade. The Raiders are not a playoff team, but they are not far from being a contender for years to come. I don’t doubt that the Browns will make this a close game. Colt McCoy is a winner. He might not have the strongest arm, but this guy knows how to win football games. Can’t win them all though.

Cleveland- 20
Oakland- 27




Dallas at New England

Talk about Jekyll and Hyde. Will the real Tony Romo please stand up? It’s not even like you know if you have the good or bad Romo after the first quarter. His play can transform in one possession. These are some of the differences that make you an above average quarterback or an elite quarterback. Romo is simply above average while Brady is elite. The ability of a quarterback to stay consistent each possession, each week, and each season will identify what tier quarterback he is. The elite quarterback leads his team to victory in this contest. However, this will be a closer game than expected as the much improved Cowboys defense is playing well under Rob Ryan.

Dallas-30
New England- 38


New Orleans at Tampa Bay

It’s amazing how quickly the critic’s impressions of a player can change each week. Josh Freeman was considered one of the better Quarterbacks in the league before week 5 or at least top 15. He was on the rise and was going to lead the Buccaneers to the playoffs. Now…Freeman’s stock is on the decline and the Buccaneers offense stinks. After getting crushed last week in San Francisco, the Bucs welcome the 4-1 Saints. Divisional game. Rivalry game. Doesn’t matter. The Saints are too good for the Bucs. They get dominated the second week in a row.

New Orleans- 35
Tampa Bay- 21


Minnesota at Chicago

We forget that this is the same Bears team that went 13-3 last season and nearly beat the defending champions in the Conference championship game with their backup quarterback. We also forget that this is a Vikings team that won this division two years ago and nearly beat the Saints to win the NFC Conference championship game. What a difference two years can make in the NFL. The Bears defense was inept at stopping Jahvid Best last week. Best was averaging 3 yards a carry before he played the Bears. Now this defense gets Adrian Peterson. Peterson will run wild for the second week in a row.

Minnesota- 27
Chicago- 17




Miami at N.Y. Jets

I would love to know whose idea it was to name the Miami football team the Dolphins. “Let’s strike fear into our opponents each week, let’s name our team….. The Dolphins”. Ridiculous.. But these same intimidating Dolphins travel North to play New York this week. The Jets defense has surrendered at least 30 points in each of its last three games. The Jets simply can’t win when their defense is not playing well. Mark Sanchez will be too busy daydreaming about being on a Miami beach…This is my upset pick of the week.

Miami- 20
NY Jets-17