NFL Week 4 Preview & CSC Pick 'Em League Recap

The Saints are finally in a stretch of their schedule that we all hope bodes well. The games they play for the next month are "no excuse" games. If they truly are a Super Bowl contending team, they should march through these next few games with little scars. Of course, that may not happen. Who knows?

So what about the official CSC Pick 'Em league? And what about the NFL in Week 4? Well, to see all that and more, make the jump!

Detroit Lions (3-0) @ Dallas Cowboys (2-1) 12:00 PM CST

The Lions played almost exactly as I predicted last week. They started off slow and finished strong. Some say they should have smoked the Vikings, but it's still hard to beat your divisional opponent on the road so give the Lions some props. Still, the best chance for the Lions to shine is in this game that is, essentially, a national game on FOX. Meanwhile, the Cowboys have been in three close games and have shot themselves in the foot more than Plaxico Burress. I think this game is going to be a shootout; between Dallas' inability to cover Calvin Johnson and Detroit's inability to cover Dez Bryant. In a close game, however, always go against Tony Romo.

WINNER- Lions

 

Carolina Panthers (1-2) @ Chicago Bears (1-2) 12:00 PM CST

I want to say Bears and leave it at that. However, Cam Newton has...surprised me. Though he did poor against the Jaguars, he's going to want to come out strong against the Bears, and with that secondary, he may do that. Still, I'll take the Bears at home over a mediocre team.

WINNER- Bears

 

Pittsburgh Steelers (2-1) @ Houston Texans (2-1) 12:00 PM CST

A very good Houston team will be facing off against the poor-looking Steelers. The Steelers may have a winning record, but they got blasted against the Ravens, smashed the poor Seahawks, and barely beat out a Peyton Manning-less Colts team. The same team that Houston destroyed 34-7 without Arian Foster. Now with Foster healed and ready to go, the Steelers chances don't look good.

WINNER-Texans

 

Tennessee Titans (2-1) @ Cleveland Browns (2-1) 12:00 PM CST

Don't let those records fool you, neither of these teams are good. Gah! I have no idea who I predict to win this one. I'm going to go with the Browns since they're at home.

WINNER- Titans Browns Titans I don't know!

 

Buffalo Bills (3-0[!!!]) @ Cincinnati Bengals (1-2) 12:00 PM CST

Is...is this possible? The Bills off to a start that is almost better than their final 2010 record? With the defeat of Tom Brady and the Patriots, I'm deleting my rule of "Don't bet on the Bills." So now that there's a competent team in this matchup, you know who I'm going with.

WINNER- Bills?

 

Washington Redskins (2-1) @ St. Louis Rams (0-3) 12:00 PM CST

Well the Redskins just lost a close one on the road to a divisional opponent last week so they are going to get mad and play the beat up Rams who no one should be picking as the victors due to myriad injuries. The winner here is quite obvious.

WINNER- Rams

 

Minnesota Vikings (0-3) @ Kansas City Chiefs (0-3) 12:00 PM CST

#suckforluck

Winner-Not the Chiefs. Possibly a tie (to which Donovan McNabb will be more surprised than the rest of us).

 

San Francisco 49ers (2-1) @ Philadelphia Eagles (1-2) 12:00 PM CST

Before going into this game, let's have a moment of silence for the Eagles 2011 season.

(farts)

Now, the Eagles may be 1-2 (giggles), but they are good. With a NFC West team in town, expect the Eagles to win in a blowout, get some confidence back, and lose next week to some team that I didn't even know existed.

WINNER- Eagles

New Orleans Saints (2-1) @ Jacksonville Jaguars (1-2) 12:00 PM CST

No NFC South team has ever won in Jacksonville. They better hurry up and break that record before the Jaguars move to L.A. The key for the Saints will be stopping Maurice Jones-Drew...which isn't possible. However, I'm fine with completely selling out on the pass and letting Blaine Gabbert try to beat the Saints. So long as Malcolm Jenkins is prepared, I'm not scared.

WINNER- Saints

 

Atlanta Falcons (1-2) @ Seattle Seahawks (1-2) 3:05 PM CST

Did you know the Seattle Seahawks are 3-0 in their last three home games? Did you know I cherry picked that stat? Did I cherry pick that stat because I want the Seahawks to pay the Saints back for killing their 2010 playoff run? Do I also want the Seahawks to destroy the Falcons season now and not let them recover? The answer to all of these previous questions is, "Why am I still reading this?"

WINNER- Seahawks

 

New York Giants (2-1) @ Arizona Cardinals (1-2) 3:00 PM CST

Losing to a bad team on the road? Who does that? The Giants do.

WINNER- Cardinals

 

Denver Broncos (1-2) @ Green Bay Packers (3-0) 3:15 PM CST

And so, they brought the sacrifical lamb before the gods of football, in order to please them by blowing them out. This act is carried out every year.

WINNER- Packers

 

Miami Dolphins (0-3) @ San Diego Chargers (2-1) 3:15 PM CST

The Dolphins started their potential game winning drive, last week, at the 50-yard line...and still lost with nearly two minutes left. The Chargers don't like winning but their opponents like winning even less than they do. I'm picking the Chargers in a close one.

WINNER- Chargers

BONUS- Tony Sparano's locker room comes out against him and firing rumors come out of every nook and cranny in Miami

 

New England Patriots (2-1) @ Oakland Raiders (2-1) 3:15 PM CST

I predicted the Raiders to win last week. They did, and I got points for it. I predicted the Patriots to win last week. They didn't, and I didn't get points for it. Am I being vindictive? Yes. Prove me wrong Brady (Don't...please, I know you can).

WINNER- Raiders

New York Jets (2-1) @ Baltimore Ravens (2-1) 7:20 PM CST

Wow! A Sunday night matchup that doesn't make me question my fanhood in football. I like the Ravens to win by, at most, five points. Expect a defensive showdown and two quarterbacks who are hyped like gods, and play like busts. Still, the Ravens look like the team that could challenge the Patriots for the Super Bowl spot in the AFC.

WINNER- Ravens

 

Indianpolis Colts (0-3) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-1)

Why!? Why!? Why does this game exist!?!?!? Why don't they allow flex scheduling before Week 10!?!? I don't want to see Curtis Painter throw the ball five yards with all his might. I hate all of life for making this game possible.

WINNER- Buccaneers, Those who don't watch

 

CSC Pick 'Em League Recap

Before we begin, I want to talk about the delinquency among our group. A lot of people are not participating, some going back as far as all three weeks. Seriously people, this is getting ridiculous. You have all week to make picks and place confidence points on this. Just take five minutes out of your time, while checking your fantasy rosters, and make your selections.

Now, for the Drew Brees Award for Pinpoint Accuracy, which goes to GC Panic. GC Panic had a record of 14-2 (120 points). The only two winners he/she didn't predict correctly were the Pats and the Eagles.

Now, just because you're the most accurate doesn't make you the best in the league. That honor, and the Super Bowl Swagger award, goes to cowboys (124 points). Congratulations to you sir/madam.

Should've put money on it Award: All but one picker correctly predicted the Chargers to beat the Chiefs

The "We're dumb" Award: Only nine people correctly predicted the Bills beating the Patriots and the Seahawks beating the Cardinals.

Sippin' on the purple drank: thisiscnn22000, Sean Payton's Brass Balls, GEO Ballers, AZ Refugee, KilnBill, Hellspawn, Canberra Girls High and Big Eazy all put down the maximum 16 confidence points on the Saints to beat the Houston Texans. Kudos for sippin' on the drank.

"Should be Ashamed of Yourselves" Award: GWUColonial, FlintDizzle and our winner cowboys all thought the Texans would beat the Saints. Have you no shame?

Sean Payton's Brass Balls Award: GEO Ballers was one of nine people to pick the 8.5 point underdog Bills to win over the Patriots. However, GEO Ballers put down 9 confidence points on the Bills. About -16 more than I put on the Bills to win. GEO Ballers imitated Sean Payton and took a risk.

Sean Payton "Obvious Playcall is Obvious" Award: This award was easy to hand out. As Big Eazy was the only picker who took the Chiefs. Big Eazy was clearly going for the Sean Payton's Brass Balls award. However, when Payton's ballsy plays don't work, they're just obvious.

The "1970's New Orleans Saints" Award: Instead of giving this award to the pickers who won't show up anymore, I'm just giving it to the person who scored the least amount of points, which is NOLAnyc, who only put confidence points on the Cleveland Browns. Got to put points on all 16 games NOLAnyc.

Top 5 CSC Pick 'Em League

Rank	Pick Set Name	Total Pts	W-L
1	cowboys	332	36-12
2	Dan39465...	313	33-15
3	Server	312	35-13
4	Gridiron Nostradamus	307	34-14
5	ingramania	307	33-15