Week 5 Picks

Week 5 picks....let's jump right into it.

Last Week: Dave(5-9), Gabe(6-8).......I'd say it was a bad week.

Season: Dave(39-23), Gabe(37-25)

Vikings(-10) at Rams

Dave: Vikings-I'm going to go on record and say this year's Rams are worse than last year's Lions. In fact, I think there's a strong possibility we see back-to-back 0-16 teams. We all know I hate taking Benedict Favre's Rotting Corpse, but barring a missile strike hitting the Vikings team bus, I can't see Nellyville losing by less than 20.

Gabe: Vikings - AP, All Day. The Rams stink. Minnesota is too good on offense and defense. Vikings win huge.

Cowboys(-8) at Chiefs

Dave: Cowboys-I got cute last week and took the Chiefs to cover their double digit spread against the Giants because a. they were at home and b. I thought they were better than their record indicates. Well, the latter may be true but if there's one thing Dallas does well(and perhaps the ONLY thing they do well) is that they know how to squash crappy teams(See: Tampa Bay and Carolina). KC's O-Line can't hold off DeMarcus Ware and there's just no running game to make Todd Haley's attack even remotely balanced. 'Boys by 14.

Gabe: Chiefs - They are the best of the bad teams in the NFL and if there is any team that they can sneak up on, it's the Cowboys. The 'Boys underachieve a lot. I'll KC to beat the spread.

Redskins(+4.5) at Panthers

Dave: Redskins-Here's a game nobody should have to pick a winner on. In one corner you have the 'Skins who are an embarrassing mess from their head coach a termination risk week after week to the constant booing of their once-thought-of franchise quarterback Jason Campbell to Clinton Portis getting into altercations with his fullback. On the other side, you have the Panthers where LB Jon Beason is calling out overpaid DE Julius Peppers on the radio. You have the Carolina faithful as well as key members of the offense ready to hang QB Jake Delhomme from the tallest tree and you have both teams being hounded with rumors of the arrival of an ex-Super Bowl winning coach(Cowher for Carolian, Shanahan for Washington). Sadly, there HAS to be a winner here(or there could be a tie, which is more likely), so I'll take the points.

Gabe: Redskins - Both of these teams appear on paper to have great talent, but they have been playing very inept. Both of them underachieve. I don't think there is anyway either team wins this game by more than a field goal, so, like Dave, I'll take the points.

Bucs(+15.5) at Eagles

Dave: Eagles-It's tough to take Philly by more than two touchdowns without knowing how healthy Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook are(both are coming off injuries and starting), but the Eagles defense is good enough to make up for any rust. Eagles by 20.

Gabe: Eagles - The Bucs lost by 24 at home last week. Philly is one of the hardest places to play on the road. I think the young Bucs will get rattled and the Eagles win by 3 TD's or more.

Raiders(+15.5) at Giants

Dave: Giants-Four big spreads and I can see all four getting covered with ease. Giants QB Eli Manning looks like he's a go for this one, though I wouldn't be surprised if Coughlin leans on the running game and Manning is wearing a headset by halftime. Again, I'm not co-signing JaMarcus Russell. Not even when he's in the UFL next year.

Gabe: Giants - The G-Men dismantled the Bucs last week. Their pass rush will chew up the Raiders. I think the defense flirts with a shutout again and Jacobs and Bradshaw run all over the Raider defense. Give me the Giants by at least 21.

Browns(+6) at Bills

Dave: Browns-Perhaps Derek Anderson was the man for this team all along. Does that mean I believe he can turn around the Browns? Hell no. But pull off an upset against a horrible Bills team that just got gang-raped by the Dolphins last week? Absolutely. Browns by 7.

Gabe: Browns - This line is way too big. The Browns might be getting on track. The Bills will have a hangover from last week's game. I'll take the Browns for the straight-up win.

Bengals(+8.5) at Ravens

Dave: Bengals-The Bengals are better than people think and, while Baltimore might be the best team in the AFC, they'll be without left tackle Jarod Gaither and top wideout Derrick Mason is banged up. Also, this Baltimore defense for all its hype has shown its weak against the pass. That could mean the Bengals air attack makes it close down the stretch. Ravens still win this one, but by only a field goal.

Gabe: Bengals - The Ravens defense is great, but they have some issues on offense. Like Dave said, the Bengals are good again. Just like Dave I think the Ravens win, but the Bengals beat the number.

Steelers(-10.5) at Lions

Dave: Steelers-2/3 of Detroit's young talented troika will be playing banged up(RB Kevin Smith, WR Calvin Johnson) against a very tough defense while the other 1/3(QB Matthew Stafford) will be sitting this one out. Plus, Pitt could have S Troy Polamalu back for this one, which spells doom for Daunte Culpepper. Mendenhall continues to make Cowboys fans hate Jerry Jones for passing on him, Steelers by 14.

Gabe: Steelers - The Lions still stink. Because of bye weeks I have 4 Steelers starting on my fantasy football team, so I want them to do well. I think Pittsburgh smothers the Lions in every part of the game.

Falcons(+2.5) at Niners

Dave: Niners-I still don't know how to read this Falcons team. The running game is still lacking and they kind of quit against New England the last time we saw them. As for the Niners, they finally have Michael Crabtree on the roster(though he won't play). Could that be momentum or a distraction? We don't know. Good truth machine game for both teams, but I like the Niners at home by 3.

Gabe: Falcons - I'm taking Atlanta simply because they need this game more in order to keep pace with the rest of the NFC. SF currently has a better record and plays in a bad division. The Falcons need to prove they can beat a good team.

Patriots(-3.5) at Broncos

Dave: Broncos-Hard to get a read on these Broncos as well. Last week's game proved more that the Cowboys are a middle of the pack team than the Broncos are elite. In the snowy fields of Denver, the run game will determine this one and I like Knowshon Moreno in his first start than the combo of Sammy Morris and Laurence Maroney. Broncos by 6.

Gabe: Patriots - I have been on the Pats bandwagon all season and they have let me down some, but just when you think they are down they show why they are always so good. They simply find ways to win. I think the Broncos are paper tigers and are easily the worst undefeated team in the league. Pats by a touchdown.

Texans(+5.5) at Cardinals

Dave: Cardinals-I can see Houston covering this one in a shootout, but if Mario Williams can't go, that's less pressure on Kurt Warner and I think that is bad news for Houston's shorthanded secondary. Warner and Schaub trade two-TD performances and Slaton and Beanie Wells show a pulse, but I like Arizona by a touchdown.

Gabe: Houston - This game will be a shoot-out. Both of these teams are all offense and no defense. 5.5 is too many points as the winner will win by 5 or less.

Jags(+1.5) at Seahawks

Dave: Seahawks-Matt Hasselbeck is back for Seattle, Julius Jones runs well at home and the Jags lack a pass rush. This Seahawks team is better than its looked in losing three straight and the Jags are always prime candidates to lay an egg. Seahawks by 9.

Gabe: Seahawks - The Jags have zero pass defense. The Seahawks will be able to throw all over them at home. The Seahawks should win big.

Colts(-3.5) at Titans

Dave: Colts-We've been over this. Peyton Manning. On national television. Plus, the Titans suck out loud. Colts by 14.

Gabe: Colts - Never bet against Peyton in primetime. The Titans have already packed it in and are just going to play out the string. The Colts will win big.

Jets(-2) at Dolphins

Dave: Jets-I think the Braylon Edwards trade makes the Jets a bit more dangerous and I really don't think Miami is that good. Statement game from Mark Sanchez here. Jets by 13.

Gabe: Jets - I can't believe the Jets aren't favored by more in this game. Miami is not that good and the Jets will want to bounce back.