Unlike last week’s less-than-stellar showing from the Rams and Seahawks, this game features two teams each near the top of their conference, both fighting for playoff seeding and the hope of a first-round bye.

The game will kick off a crazy holiday week for the NFL, with games on five of the next eight days. This one has the potential to be a slugfest and will definitely be worth watching Monday night.

Steelers offense vs. 49ers defense

Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger suffered an ugly looking ankle injury in his last game, 10 days ago in the Steelers’ 14-3 win over the Cleveland Browns. Roethlisberger did come back to play the second half of the game against the Browns, and it appears that the 10 days off between games may be enough for Big Ben to recuperate and get out on the field Monday night. There has not been an official word yet, but given Ben’s determination to get back out on the field last Thursday, I’d say he at least gives it a go Monday night.

The Steelers are a much better team with Roethlisberger under center, as it allows them to better air the ball out to the likes of Mike Wallace and Antonio Brown. There’s a 20 percent chance of rain, and the temperature is projected to be in the 60s, so good weather could mean that Big Ben’s ankle will feel loose and he’ll be ready to air the ball out.

The 49ers boast one of the league’s best defenses, but San Francisco might be without its best player in linebacker Patrick Willis. Willis has a right hamstring injury and will most likely be a game-time decision at best.  He’s one of the most important players in the 49ers’ top-ranked run defense that allows just 70.5 rushing ypg.

The 49ers have not given up more than 21 points in a game since a 24-23 win over Philadelphia on October 2, but they did allow 21 to the John Skelton-led Arizona Cardinals in a 21-19 loss last week.

49ers offense vs. Steelers defense

The Steelers will be missing a star linebacker of their own, as James Harrison will be serving his one-game suspension stemming from his hit on Browns quarterback Colt McCoy. The Steelers have the top-ranked pass defense in the league, and they have enough playmakers to give Alex Smith trouble. Smith has been sacked 18 times in the past three games, and the 49ers will need to shore up that protection to have success against Pittsburgh.

San Francisco will need to find a way to run the ball against the Steelers, which is no given; and much of that responsibility will fall on Frank Gore. He may be called upon to catch more screen passes if Dick LeBeau’s defense brings the heat. Smith will need to be able to read the blitz and find Gore in the flat as an extension of the 49ers running game to keep the defense at bay.

It sounds basic, but the less Smith turns the ball over, the better off he’ll be. The Steelers have an opportunistic defense that will be looking to capitalize on any mistake Smith makes, so he’ll need to check down if necessary to avoid having the ball end up in Troy Polamalu’s hands.

Steelers-49ers Prediction

I don’t think the game will be too high-scoring, but if one team is going to break out, it’s going to be the Steelers. I think having Willis out hurts the 49ers more than losing Harrison will hurt the Steelers.

Expect Roethlisberger to play and play effectively. The 49ers lead the all-time series 10-9, and I think Pittsburgh will even that series and leave San Fran with a win.

Final Score: Pittsburgh Steelers 27 | San Francisco 49ers 16

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Pittsburgh Steelers at San Francisco 49ers        

• Steelers-49ers Date: Monday, December 19 at 8:30 PM on ESPN
• Steelers-49ers Announcers: Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden, and Ron Jaworski
• Steelers-49ers Point Spread: 49ers -1
• Steelers-49ers Over-Under Odds: 39

Peppers’ injury occurred near the end of the first quarter. He seemed to plant his foot wrong while trying to get around Lions tackle Jeff Backus and proceeded to limp off the field.

He went to locker room for a brief moment, but quickly came back on the field. He didn’t look to be at full strength and the Lions did a good job at containing him throughout the game.

The play following Peppers exit from the game, the Lions were able to hit WR Calvin Johnson for a 73-yard touchdown. Peppers is clearly an asset to this Bears defense.

Nick Reed was the only other active pass rushing defensive end behind him on Monday night. Second-year end Corey Wootton is out with a broken hand, but Henry Melton could be an option moving forward at defensive end if needed.

Vaughn McClure of the Chicago Tribune, who broke the story says, “the severity of Peppers’ MCL sprain is unclear but not believed to be serious.”

Its good news that his injury isn’t that serious. the Bears need an effective pass rush and without him they could be even worse.

Peppers hasn’t been ruled out for Sunday night’s matchup against the Vikings, expect Lovie Smith to keep it a mystery all week long.

Peppers will likely be out there Sunday night, but the Bears need to make some moves just in case he can’t go or last the entire game.

Other injury news:

DT Matt Toeaina, who went out with a knee injury in the fourth quarter Monday night, is expected to be okay. He was scheduled to have an MRI on his knee, which is said to be sprained.

It’s believed he will miss roughly two weeks with whats being called a sprained posterior cruciate ligament. Toeaina has been steady on the defensive line, but like the rest of the players out there, they haven’t played up to par.

That means second-round pick Stephen Paea will likely be active come Sunday night. It also means that Amobi Okoye will see more time on the field, which could bring some athleticism to the unit.

With only nine sacks all season, the Bears defensive line needs to provide the pass rush in order have the proper success on defense.

The Bears defense needs to get back to the basics, Toeaina and Peppers are players needed on the field for this unit to be effective.

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This article was originally published on Bearsbacker.com. 

Jake Perper is the owner and head writer for Bearsbacker.com. He is also the Chicago Bears writer for NFLTouchdown.com. Follow him on Twitter, @Bearsbacker for up to the minute news about the Bears.

Sadler’s premium meats are perfect for tailgating on Saturday, for grilling out at home on Sunday, or for when you are hosting a group of friends, or even just the family, on Monday night.

With a variety of delicious choices (beef, pork, ribs, turkey, brisket, and more) and availability at grocery stores throughout the U.S., Sadler’s meats are the tasty, convenient choice when you want to watch the big game and eat well while you’re doing it.

Check out Sadler’s Monday Night Football Recipe of the Week: Sadler’s Smokehouse Pulled Pork Stew

Visit the Sadler’s Smokehouse website: Sadler’s Smokehouse

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Monday Night Football Preview

Arizona Cardinals (8-4) at San Francisco 49ers (5-7)

• Cardinals-49ers Date: Monday, December 13
• Cardinals-49ers Kickoff Time: 8:30
• Cardinals-49ers TV Network: ESPN
• Cardinals-49ers Announcers: Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, and Jon Gruden
• Cardinals-49ers Point Spread: Cardinals -3
• Cardinals-49ers Over-Under Odds: 44.5
• Cardinals-49ers Spread Pick by Jerod (from Monday): Tough game to predict. The 49ers beat Arizona in Arizona earlier this year and now get them at home. The Cardinals have always been a poor road team, but have somehow reversed that this year to become a very good team away from home. Oh, and Arizona absolutely destroyed the Vikings in Week 13. I’m going with Arizona because they are just so good through the air and the 49ers are not great at defending the pass. Cardinals-49ers free pick: Cardinals -3

Cardinals-49ers Analysis

In the whimsical world of media overreaction, the Arizona Cardinals are the NFL’s flavor of the week. Aside from the Colts and Saints, no team is receiving more love than Arizona right now, after the Cards’ blasting of the erstwhile one loss Vikings last Sunday night on national TV.

Arizona (8-4) has apparently replaced Minnesota in NFL hierarchy and certainly left the three loss Bengals, Chargers and any four loss team in the dust — according to “those who know.”

Truthfully, Arizona is a good team. They are not as bad as they were early when Indy blasted them in Phoenix and especially when San Francisco beat them up in week one. Their passing game is much more in sync now no doubt, but are the ‘Birds as good as advertised here in mid-December? Are they super bowl or NFC title game bound as I now hear daily? Who knows? I won’t venture a guess, because like the media, I’d rather not look silly a few weeks (or less) from now.

The San Francisco 49ers, who’ve ridden a roller coaster 2009 season under fiery coach Mike Singletary, pretty much need to win out to have a shot at a playoff berth. Sweeping the Cards, who they trail by three with four to play in the NFC West, would be a good start, especially since ’Frisco closes with the Lions and Rams. On the other hand, a loss Monday gives Arizona their first back-to-back division titles in over 30 years, in turn sending SF to the golf course on January 4.

The Niners have been a good home team this year (4-2), but Arizona, in a rarity for them and most warm weather teams, has won an impressive five of six away from University of Phoenix Stadium this season, with their lone road loss coming on the final play in Nashville a fortnight ago. (Ken Whisenhunt’s crew won five in a row away from home start the campaign). San Fran has won their past two home games, but has also dropped six of eight overall after a 3-1 start.

Alex Smith, who started the season on the bench before being named starter in late October, completed 27 of 45 throws for a career-best 310 yards with two touchdowns in week 13′s three point loss to Seattle .

The Number One overall pick in the 2005 draft is shining in the team’s new spread offense, throwing for seven touchdowns and one interception in his last three games.  Naturally, with the new air success, the 49ers have struggled with their running game.

Frank Gore has run for just 117 yards (no touchdowns) in his last three games after rushing for nearly 300 and three scores in his previous three games. The Cardinals limited Gore to 30 yards in that season-opener three months ago. And Arizona’s defense is coming off a game where they sacked Brett Favre three times, given them 35 on the season (third in the NFC). Favre, who had only throw three interceptions in his first 11 games in 2009, was picked off twice. Arizona also held Adrian Peterson to a season-low 19 yards in their impressive victory.

If Arizona contains the usually-reliable Gore and the temperamental Vernon Davis, who has been stellar of late, the Forty-Niners may run out of offensive options in a much-maligned 28th ranked unit.

To add to the troubles for SF, Kurt Warner is on one of the best rolls of his career, amassing 12 touchdowns and nearly 1,100 years, with no interceptions his past 14 quarters. That’s good enough for a passer rating of 133.2 during that stretch.

His offensive line, coached by legendary Russ Grimm, has been part of the reason Warner, a possible hall of famer, is on such a historic run the past few games.

As of late this past week, both teams had minimal injury concerns.

Cardinals-49ers Prediction

Arizona, who’s getting contributions everywhere of late, has won six of the last nine in the series, and I don’t see much changing Monday night. Though I don’t think it’ll be a blowout, as these games rarely are, take the hot team and lay the points.

MNF Cardinals-49ers spread pick: Cardinals -3

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* – Mike Singletary photo credit: YouBeQB

Sadler’s premium meats are perfect for tailgating on Saturday, for grilling out at home on Sunday, or for when you are hosting a group of friends, or even just the family, on Monday night.

With a variety of delicious choices (beef, pork, ribs, turkey, brisket, and more) and availability at grocery stores throughout the U.S., Sadler’s meats are the tasty, convenient choice when you want to watch the big game and eat well while you’re doing it.

Check out Sadler’s Monday Night Football Recipe of the Week: Sadler’s Smokehouse Beef Brisket and Bow-Tie Pasta

Visit the Sadler’s Smokehouse website: Sadler’s Smokehouse

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Monday Night Football Preview

New England Patriots (7-3) at New Orleans Saints (10-0)

• Patriots-Saints Date: Monday, November 30th
• Patriots-Saints Kickoff Time: 8:30
• Patriots-Saints TV Network: ESPN
• Patriots-Saints Announcers: Mike Tirio, Jon Gruden, and Ron Jaworski
• Patriots-Saints Point Spread: Saints -3
• Patriots-Saints Over-Under: 56
• Patriots-Saints Spread Pick by Jerod: This game will definitely push the 56-point line and be very similar to the Week 10 matchup between the Patriots and Colts. Because the Saints are at home, I like them to win this game. But this is still a Saints team that we haven’t seen win big games yet. The Patriots are a team that we’ve seen do it time and time again, even with the loss to the Colts. When it gets right down to it, it’s really hard to pick the Saints when Tom Brady and Bill Belichick are standing on the other sideline. The Patriots failed to end the Colts’ undefeated start, but I don’t think they fail this time. Patriots-Saints free pick: Patriots +3

Saints-Patriots Analysis

ESPN (and most of the media) is treating this game like it’s the Super Bowl, and for obvious reasons: these teams are a combined 17-3, New Orleans is living in perpetual post-Katrina adoration, and therefore a great story, and New England is New England. To me, as a historian, I like the British vs. French angle of these two cities/regions, but nonetheless, there are tons of real storylines.

The Saints defense is so banged up that they signed Mike McKenzie to account for that, but he hasn’t had enough time to learn Gregg Williams’ system, and given the Patriots spread-type offense, he will probably be on the field a lot. Expect the Patriots to try and expose his rustiness and inexperience.

Robert Meachem has come on as of late. He has the size and talent to be a significant piece of the Saints’ passing game, but given their plethora of options, he had yet to emerge. With three touchdowns in his last two games, the Saints may rely on him more as the year goes on, which should take pressure off of Marques Colston.

Reggie Bush, whose role is akin to Kevin Faulk on the Pats’ side, is questionable this week. His spot in the offense has declined (in terms of touches), but that has allowed the Saints to utilize him more in red zone opportunities. Limiting Bush’s touches has also maximized his explosiveness, and the Saints are clearly a more versatile and dangerous team with him on the field.

That said, with Bush out last week, the Saints ran Mike Bell out on the field, and he responded in a big way (75 yards and two touchdowns). It will be interesting to see how they use Bell this week if Bush does play, but I assume that he earned himself a more sizable role in the offense going forward.

Overall, will the Pats defense be able to do what no team has this year, and stop Drew Brees and company (37 ppg, 48 touchdowns) from putting points on the board en masse? While Brees is on pace for about 4,400 yards passing, New Orleans actually has four more rushing attempts (324) this season than passing attempts (320). Note that New England is near the bottom of the NFL in the always-important Red Zone defense.

Then again, Tom Brady will be fairly confident taking on an inexperienced New Orleans’ secondary. On the flip side, the Saints lead the league in three takeaways, defensive pass efficiency rating and, according to the Times-Picayune, “attitude adjustment” under new defensive coordinator, Gregg Williams.

Laurence Maroney was supposed to be the long term answer for the Patriots at running back when they drafted him in the first round, yet the Patriots signing of Fred Taylor in the beginning of the year indicated that the Pats were ready to abandon the original plan. Injuries forced Maroney out of the doghouse and back into action, where he’s seized the opportunity.

The biggest knock on Maroney was that he didn’t run with conviction — that he spent too much time shuffling his feet at the line of scrimmage instead of making a cut and running north to south — but Maroney, who is built like a downhill runner, seems to have finally gotten the message and has 356 yards and six scores over his last five games. With more stability in the running game, the Patriots offense will be nearly unstoppable on a weekly basis, though is that really a change from years past?

(Both teams do have significant injury concerns as well.)

Saints-Patriots Prediction

The Pats probably have the best shot at ending the Saints perfect season (one some feel resembles the 2007 Patriot team’s) as any remaining squad on their ledger; but in such a raucous atmosphere, can they? New England has yet to win a true road game this year. That’s a futile stat no other AFC team can claim, and yet, because they’re the Pats, few realize it.

Though the Patriots came into Indianapolis and nearly won, I don’t see it here, and I generally trust my gut over anything. I see many reasons — some aforementioned — this sets up as a winnable game for New England, and though they may have more to prove, I think it’ll be the Saints’ night.

Saints-Patriots Pick: Saints

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* – Drew Brees photo credit: The Creole Tomato

* – Tom Brady photo credit: Babble.com

Sadler’s premium meats are perfect for tailgating on Saturday, for grilling out at home on Sunday, or for when you are hosting a group of friends, or even just the family, on Monday night.

With a variety of delicious choices (beef, pork, ribs, turkey, brisket, and more) and availability at grocery stores throughout the U.S., Sadler’s meats are the tasty, convenient choice when you want to watch the big game and eat well while you’re doing it.

Check out Sadler’s Monday Night Football Recipe of the Week: Sadler’s Smokehouse Shaved Pork Loin Pockets

Visit the Sadler’s Smokehouse website: Sadler’s Smokehouse

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Monday Night Football Preview

Tennessee Titans (3-6) at Houston Texans (5-4)

• Titans-Texans Date: Monday, November 23rd
• Titans-Texans Kickoff Time: 8:30
• Titans-Texans TV Network: ESPN
• Titans-Texans Announcers: Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, and Jon Gruden
• Titans-Texans Point Spread: Texans -4.5
• Titans-Texans Over-Under: 48
• Titans-Texans Spread Pick by Jerod: A few weeks ago this did not look like such a fun game. Now that Houston is a game out of the AFC Wild Card, and Vince Young has made the Titans competitive again, this should be a really entertaining game. First bit of advice: take the over. You’ve got Chris Johnson on the same field as Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson. There will be scoring. I don’t think Tennessee is a world beater by any means, but this is still a team that went 13-3 last year and that is playing much better now with Vince Young at QB. And do you really trust Houston yet? I don’t. Titans-Texans free pick: Titans +4.5

Titans-Texans Analysis

After the Titans fell to 0-6, like many football fans, I let out a sigh and lamented, “How could it have gone so wrong, so quickly?”

Three wins later, the answer to what was wrong appears to have been Kerry Collins. During the Titans six-game losing streak, their fans were quick to excuse Collins’ consistently putrid performances as a function of the team’s “lack of weapons.”

With Vince Young now behind the helm however, this “weaponless” offense has begun to produce.

The big difference is that Young, who will carry a very respectable 66% completion percentage and 7.7 yards per attempt, has been making defenses pay for trying to stack the line to stop Chris Johnson. Young is still being handed a conservative playbook, but you can see the coaches slowly starting to increase his responsibilities.

But whether or not Vince Young turns into the next Randall Cunningham, or a pumpkin, the Titans offense is bright for two reasons:  Johnson and Kenny Britt.

Last year the Titans were panned for taking the little-known Johnson in the first round of the draft, since they already had a running back coming off a 1,000 yard season (Lendale White). Johnson was supposed to be the next Trung Canidate: a burner who probably wouldn’t amount to more than a third down back and return man in the NFL. Well what a difference two years makes; Johnson is now widely regarded as being among the elite RBs in the league.

He is the complete package: a home run threat that has the strength to grind it out between the tackles. He also is adept at picking up the blitz, and is one of the better receiving backs in the NFL. What makes Johnson so scary is that he can still improve his vision and anticipation in finding the holes made by his offensive line.

Meanwhile, the aforementioned Britt, this year’s first round pick for the Titans, has flashed the enormous potential that compelled the Titans to select him. Britt’s rookie season has been a success, as despite being the third receiver for one of the worst passing teams in the NFL, he’s still on pace for over 600 receiving yards.

After solid production last week in place of the injured Justin Gage, I would expect the Titans to increase his opportunities within the offense. And while Britt may not make that much of an impact this year, remember his name, because he may be one of the league’s better receivers for years to come.

For two years now, Texans fans have claimed that “if only Matt Schaub were healthy,” the Texans could be a playoff caliber team. Turns out they were right, as the typically fragile Schaub has remained uncharacteristically healthy through his first nine games and has been putting up MVP caliber statistics. The result is a Texans team on the brink of their first playoff berth in the franchise’s history.

Houston is coming off a heart-breaking three point loss to the Colts in Indianapolis, (missing a 42 yard FG in the waning seconds that would have sent the game to overtime) where they stayed neck and neck with the elite team of the AFC. This wasn’t a fluke either, as the Texans had already beaten the Bengals in Cincy earlier in the year.

Clearly this is now a team that is capable with playing with the big dogs of the NFL. In fact, many see many similarities between the 2009 Texans and the 2008 Arizona Cardinals: a veteran presence at QB, an explosive offense lead by a dominating WR, a murky RB situation, and a defense which is young and extremely athletic.

According to Gary Kubiak however, it is the defense, not the offense, which is the strength of his team. And with 17 take-away through their first nine games, Kubiak may have a point. The success of the defense this year has hinged on the All-Pro caliber play of defensive end Mario Williams and rookie linebacker Brian Cushing. Each will have a vital role in this week’s game.

Cushing will be assigned to stay with Chris Johnson and prevent the big play. Considering that Chris Johnson leads the NFL in runs over 20 yards, this will be no easy task. Williams, on the other hand, will have the responsibility to get to the elusive Vince Young and throw off his rhythm. Though Williams has only four sacks on the year, the former #1 overall pick has demanded constant double teams, and thereby his mere presence on the field makes the rest of the Texans D-line inherently stronger.

On the other hand, the running back situation truly is “murky” with fumble-ridden Steve Slaton more suited to be a third down back and gadget player akin to how Reggie Bush is being utilized on the Saints. Ryan Moats, who once upon a time was supposed to be the next Brian Westbrook (before injuries hit), has looked very good the past couple of weeks, running with speed and power. The Texans should bite the bullet and give him a legitimate chance to claim the starting running back duties.

[Editor's note: Late on Saturday the Texans announced the Steve Slaton will get the starting nod at running back Monday night. It is still unclear, however, exactly what that means. Kubiak has said he is committed to using Slaton, Moats, and goalline line back Chris Brown. We will have to wait and see what the carry split ends up being.]

Titans-Texans Prediction

These teams are close, but right now the Texans are better. Offensively, they will abuse the Titans through the air, and defensively, Houston has players who are athletic enough to contain Chris Johnson.

Hungry for their first playoff appearance in franchise history, and with a fortnight to rest after the Colts loss, the Texans will cover the spread.

I’d avoid the over/under, because whereas I’m fairly confident the Texans will put up points, the Titans may or may not. Vince Young is due for one subpar performance eventually.

Titans-Texans spread pick: Texans -4.5

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* – Vince Young photo credit: Ricua Talon

* – Brian Cushing photo credit: AP photo via Yahoo! Sports UK

Sadler’s premium meats are perfect for tailgating on Saturday, for grilling out at home on Sunday, or for when you are hosting a group of friends, or even just the family, on Monday night.

With a variety of delicious choices (beef, pork, ribs, turkey, brisket, and more) and availability at grocery stores throughout the U.S., Sadler’s meats are the tasty, convenient choice when you want to watch the big game and eat well while you’re doing it.

Check out Sadler’s Monday Night Football Recipe of the Week: Sadler’s Smokehouse Brisket Pizza

Visit the Sadler’s Smokehouse website: Sadler’s Smokehouse

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Monday Night Football

Philadelphia Eagles (3-2) at Washington Redskins (2-4)

Eagles-Redskins Date: Monday, October 26th
Eagles-Redskins Kickoff Time: 8:30 PM
Eagles-Redskins TV Network: ESPN
Eagles-Redskins Announcers: Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, and Jon Gruden
Eagles-Redskins Point Spread: Eagles -7.5
Eagles-Redskins Over-Under: 37.5
Eagles-Redskins Spread Pick by Jerod: Normally this would look like a pretty exciting game, but the Eagles are coming off of a terrible performance and the Redskins are just…terrible. With so much flux at QB and in their coaching staff, I just can’t see Washington playing well enough against an Eagles team that has to be spitting mad after losing to Oakland. I think this one gets out of hand early and the Eagles roll. Eagles-Redskins free pick: Eagles -7.5

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Eagles-Redskins MNF Preview and Analysis

Where to begin.

You know things are bad in Washington when Redskins fans are castigating the team for cutting undrafted free agent, Chase Daniels, in the preseason. Indeed the QB situation in Washington is irreparable and it appears as though whoever starts for the remainder of the year, whether it be incumbent starter Jason Campbell, or $4 million per year career back-up Todd Collins, they will most likely be a stop-gap for the Redskins’ 2010 first round pick.

For this week at least, Jason Campbell will be thrown back into the fire against one of the best pass rushing teams in the NFL, behind a line that would probably have trouble protecting a young girl from Roman Polanski. It also doesn’t help that Campbell’s confidence, which has been wavering since Daniel Snider forcefully attempted to acquire Jay Cutler, probably received its final blow with his second half benching against the woeful Kansas City Chiefs in a game his team was only losing by 3 points.

Simply put, if Campbell wasn’t good enough for the Chiefs defense, what do you think will happen when he faces the Eagles defense, or an Eagles offense perturbed by their ineptness in a stunning loss at Oakland last week?

Exacerbating the Redskins’ offensive woes is the declining skills of Clinton Portis.

Portis, who was arguably the league MVP through the first 9 weeks of the 2008 season, has rapidly seen his speed and quickness disappear, indicated by his inability to beat linebackers to the outside and his failure to make anyone miss in the open field. To his credit, he is playing hurt and is playing his heart out, but all the effort in the world will not magically make his patch-work offense line open holes, and he is not creating those holes himself.

So once again, it will be upon Campbell to lead the offense through the air–a terrible sign for Redskins fans.

The Redskins do have weapons in the passing game–Santana Moss and Chris Cooley–and the Redskins’ offensive success will depend upon Campbell’s ability to utilize these two weapons. The Redskins would be highly advised to go to Cooley underneath as it was that exact game plan (going to the TE underneath) which catapulted the Oakland Raiders to an improbable upset victory over the Eagles. Cooley will be covered by middle linebacker Jeremiah Trotter, who looked horrible last week (and was the proximate cause of the Eagles loss in my opinion). Consequently, the Eagles will probably have to shift over a safety to help cover Cooley which just may give Clinton Portis enough running room to be a factor in this game.

The Redskins defense meanwhile, has been the polar opposite of their offense. They rank 5th in total yards given up, but more relevantly, 3rd in total passing yards surrendered. Given the Eagles heavy reliance upon the passing game, this could pose an inherent problem for Philadelphia.

The additions of Albert Haynesworth and rookie Brian Orakpo have been instrumental in exalting this defense to elite status, as they have helped to provide a steady rush, which has taken the pressure of the Redskins secondary. I expect the Redskins to keep Donovan McNabb on his heels all days and force Andy Reid to beat them with the run. That may not be hard however, given that the Redskins are averaging only 13 PPG this season.

Looking at Philadelphia, the two biggest concerns based on last week’s loss are the horrid play of their offensive line and the even more horrid play of Jeremiah Trotter. Though the Eagles’ offensive line is banged up, it’s pretty clear that the Raiders were only able to abuse McNabb (to the tune of six sacks) because of the first quarter knee injury to starting left tackle Jason Peters. Peters’ back up, King Dunlap, was manhandled by Richard Seymour and the Eagles secret weapon, Brent Celek, was forced to block a little more than normal to make up for Dunlap’s disgraceful effort.

Lucky for Eagles fans however, the “King” has left the building, as Peters will reportedly play after having an MRI reveal only a contusion. Nevertheless, the Redskins revamped defensive line will cause problems all day, and McNabb will have to be considerably more accurate this week than his 48% completion percentage last week.

More importantly, Andy Reid will likely, for one week at least, abandon his beloved pass-heavy game plan and opt for a more conservative approach. This won’t necessarily be a difficult transition however as Brian Westbrook is reportedly the healthiest he has been all season, and he has been a Redskin killer throughout his career. Westbrook’s 141 total yard performance last week proved that he can still be a top tier RB when healthy and given the opportunities. Given his newfound health, expect those opportunities to be abundant.

Defensively, the Eagles have a big question mark at middle linebacker as they found out on Thursday that Omar Gaither will have to undergo season ending surgery to repair a Lisfranc sprain in his foot. Last week’s starter, Jeremiah Trotter, proved that his best days are behind him…way behind him.

The Eagles immediately addressed their MLB dilemma this week by acquiring Will Witherspoon from the Rams in exchange for a meaningless late round draft pick. In the long term, it was a great trade for the Eagles who acquired a talented and athletic middle linebacker who, at 29, is still in the prime of his career. It also is relevant to Monday night’s game as Witherspoon will apparently start at middle linebacker against the Redskins, but considering Witherspoon’s injury last week (bruised tailbone) and his lack of familiarity with the Eagles system, I would expect his reps to be limited, but you never know.

Eagles-Redskins MNF Prediction and Spread Pick

This game has the potential to be on the low scoring side as each team is coming into the game with question marks on the offensive; consequently, I expect the defenses to dominate the game.

That said, the Eagles are the superior team, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Couple in the fact that the Redskins will have a guy calling plays whose last job calling anything were the numbers at “bingo night,” and you can see why there’s little to be optimistic about in Washington.

The Eagles will win this game handily (they will cover), and the Redskins faithful will continue to wonder whether head coach Jim Zorn may actually be an upgrade at quarterback over Jason Campbell.

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* – Jason Campbell photo credit: National Sports Review

* – Brian Westbrook photo credit: All Things Philly Sports

Sadler’s premium meats are perfect for tailgating on Saturday, for grilling out at home on Sunday, or for when you are hosting a group of friends, or even just the family, on Monday night.

With a variety of delicious choices (beef, pork, ribs, turkey, brisket, and more) and availability at grocery stores throughout the U.S., Sadler’s meats are the tasty, convenient choice when you want to watch the big game and eat well while you’re doing it.

Check out Sadler’s Monday Night Football Recipe of the Week: Sadler’s Smokehouse Brisket Nachos

Visit the Sadler’s Smokehouse website: Sadler’s Smokehouse

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Monday Night Football

Denver Broncos (5-0) at San Diego Chargers (3-2)

• Broncos-Chargers Date: Monday, October 19th
• Broncos-Chargers Kickoff Time: 8:30 PM
• Broncos-Chargers TV Network: ESPN
• Broncos-Chargers Announcers: Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, and Jon Gruden
• Broncos-Chargers Point Spread: Chargers -3.5
• Broncos-Chargers Over-Under: 44
• Broncos-Chargers Spread Pick by Jerod: I was shocked when I first saw this line, but am not so shocked the more I think about it. The Chargers are coming off a bye, should have a healthier LaDainian Tomlinson at their disposal, and had to listen to their GM call them out this past week. The Broncos are coming off of a tough, emotional win over New England, and you have to think that this team is going to stumble on the road at some point. I think Philip Rivers outplays Kyle Orton and the Chargers hand the Broncos their first loss of the season, and by more than a field goal. Broncos-Chargers free pick: Chargers -3.5

Broncos-Chargers MNF Preview and Analysis

In August, ESPN’s “football expert,” John Clayton, who spends 365 days per year studying the sport, predicted the Denver Broncos would win “two or three games max” this season. To their credit, the other commentators on the panel disagreed, though most said five wins might be a stretch. Denver, of course, is undefeated through five weeks of football in 2009. The last four times Denver has started 5-0, they’ve made the super bowl or won the championship.

Kyle Orton, the reigning AFC offensive player of the week, leads this resurgent Denver squad that has become theNFL’s surprise team of the season. Coming off a bad loss in Pittsburgh, their week six opponent, the San Diego Chargers, are “quietly confident.” And perhaps they should be. After all, just ten months ago, the Broncos finished a December collapse at Qualcomm Stadium by ultimately blowing their three game lead with three to play with an embarrassing loss to San Diego in the season’s final week. In that 52-21 debacle, Denver’s defense allowed more points in that game than they have in five total games this season. Thanks to first year, 33 year-old head coach Josh McDaniels, the Broncos are obviously a different team now.

It wasn’t long ago though, that beat writers and NFL analysts were putting Josh McDaniels on the “hot-seat” for losing golden boy Jay Cutler. But the man who turned Matt Cassel, a perennial backup, into an almost pro-bowl caliber starting signal-caller, is at it again. Kyle Orton certainly showed potential last year in posting almost 3000 yards with an 18/12 touchdown to interception ratio, but his 97.4 QB rating this year and seven to one touchdown/interception ratio, indicates that he has finally realized that potential.

Meanwhile, Brandon Marshall, on the heels of an eight catch, two touchdown performance, has seemingly put his issue-riddled preseason behind him. His stellar play has played a significant role in the rapid maturation of Orton by providing Kyle with the type of receiving option the Bears never gave him. Even owner Pat Bowlen has warmed considerably to Marshall, asserting that “if he keeps playing the way he is, he’s going to get…a much better contract….that’s the way it goes.”

Eddie Royal finally came to life with a ten catch performance that featured many clutch catches for first downs. With this performance, he has probably earned the trust of McDaniels, and with it, an increased role in the offense. This is especially good news for Knowshon Moreno ,who looked explosive last week during an 124 total yard performance against a stingy Patriots defense. With the season-ending injury to the Chargers’ top run-stuffer, defensive tackle Jamal Williams, I’d expect Moreno to improve upon last week’s yard per carry average.

Returning to the defense, the Broncos have been among the league’s best. Having given up just 43 points through the first five games, they are off to a prolific start, thanks primarily to Defensive Coordinator Mike Nolan’s new 3-4 scheme. Elvis Dumervil has paced the defense with eight sacks thus far, and I expect him to give lead-footed Phillip Rivers trouble all day long.

But is this a trap game for Denver, undefeated, overachieving, winning their last two games in the closing moments, and heading into their bye week? Considering the Broncos’ schedule will continue to be brutal for the next month or more, is the pressure actually on them, especially after last season?

The Chargers, coming off their own bye week, have a lot more riding on this game than the Broncos. A loss would put them at 2-3, three and a half games behind the Broncos for the division lead. Philip Rivers is not the problem with San Diego’s 2-2 start. In fact, he may be the only reason the Chargers have two wins at all.  Rivers has found ways to keep the Chargers in games despite poor pass protection, throwing the deep ball effectively.   The Chargers’ problems come from nearly everywhere else, however.

It is the defense that has been the chief concern, particularly the susceptibility against the run and the lack of playmaking. San Diego will probably bring a safety into the box to help offset the loss of Jamal Williams and force Kyle Orton to beat them through the air. But this will likely be meaningless if the Chargers defense isn’t able to force some turnovers. On the season, the Chargers defensive has only one turnover–an interception on a hail-mary pass–and they will need Shawn Merriman to return to his pre-steroid form if they expect to challenge the Broncos efficient offense

Offensively, Vincent Jackson has finally emerged as an elite receiver and seems to be in the midst of a breakout year. Despite the strength of the Broncos secondary, I think that they will have trouble keeping with Jackson and tight end Antonio Gates. Consequently, they will probably roll a linebacker or a safety onto Gates and attempt to double team Jackson. In other words, the Broncos will force the Chargers to beat them on the ground. A couple of years ago, this might have been a risky proposition, but with Ladainian Tomlinson seemingly a shell of his former self, andDarren Sproles proving to be more of an option in the receiving game, the Chargers may very well find themselves with their backs against the wall.

Broncos-Chargers Spread Pick

With the Chargers facing off against a potent offense and a defense with a superior secondary, their success in this game will most likely follow that of Tomlinson. Unfortunately, I don’t think LT has too many successful games left in him, and certainly not this week.

Denver will cover.

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* – Kyle Orton photo credit: Mile High Report

Sadler’s premium meats are perfect for tailgating on Saturday, for grilling out at home on Sunday, or for when you are hosting a group of friends, or even just the family, on Monday night.

With a variety of delicious choices (beef, pork, ribs, turkey, brisket, and more) and availability at grocery stores throughout the U.S., Sadler’s meats are the tasty, convenient choice when you want to watch the big game and eat well while you’re doing it.

• Check out Sadler’s Monday Night Football Recipe of the Week: Smokehouse Panini
• Each week, you can also listen to the MSF Monday Night Football Podcast, brought to you by Sadler’s. In this week’s edition, Jerod and Big MB preview the Cowboys-Panthers Monday tilt and provide three “locks of the week” against the spread. (Note: Special thanks to Davey Heritier and Austin Bridges for the intro/outro song “Awake the Day”…one of Jerod’s all-time favorites.)
• Follow the link to listen to the MSF Podcast on iTunes, or use the in-page player below to listen while you read.

Panthers-Cowboys MNF Preview Podcast presented by Sadler’s

(FYI…audio player may take a second or two to load)

MNF Preview Podcast: Cowboys-Panthers

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Monday Night Football Preview

Carolina Panthers (0-2) at Dallas Cowboys (1-1)

• Panthers-Cowboys Date: Monday, September 28th
• Panthers-Cowboys Time: 8:30 ET
• Panthers-Cowboys TV Network: ESPN
• Panthers-Cowboys Announcers: Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, and Jon Gruden
• Panthers-Cowboys Point Spread: Cowboys -9.5
• Panthers-Cowboys Over-Under: 46
• Panthers-Cowboys Pick by Jerod: I don’t like this game at all and would not touch it with a ten-foot pole if I actually bet money on these things. Luckily I don’t, so I can still offer up at least a guess as to how it will turn out. I think it all comes down to who you trust more: Tony Romo or Jake Delhomme. If Romo protects the ball and lets his great RBs do the heavy lifting, the Cowboys should rebound from their home opener for a win. However, Dallas is terrible against the pass (as proven last week by Eli Manning) and perhaps this is the game that Jake Delhomme gets well again. In the end, I do think Dallas will win this game, but Romo will make enough mistakes and Dallas’ DBs will play poorly enough for Carolina to keep it close. Plus, when in doubt, go with the 0-2 team that had playoff expectations coming into the year. Desperation can be huge in the NFL. Panthers-Cowboys free spread pick: Panthers +9.5
• StubHub: Cowboys-Panthers MNF tickets as low as $25!
• StubHub: all Dallas Cowboys home game tickets
• StubHub: all Carolina Panthers home game tickets
• StubHub: all 2009 NFL tickets

Cowboys-Panthers Preview & Analysis

Though it may seem silly and emotional, in Dallas, hope turned to despair from week one to two.

However, after a closer look, it is a very good sign for your offense when you are playing one of the top rated defenses in the conference, your quarterback plays one of the worst games of his career, and you still manage 31 points.

These results convey two important points: (1) that your offense is balanced, and (2) that your offensive line is getting the job done.

It should come as no surprise that given the production of said offensive line, the Cowboys running game is firing on all cylinders as Marion Barber and Felix Jones represent arguably the best 1-2 running back punch in the NFC, if not the NFL. Barber is averaging more than six yards per carry in 2009. Unfortunately for Cowboys fans, Barber is still questionable for Monday with a quad injury.

Fortunately for ‘Boys fans though, his backup, Tashard Choice, is no slouch, and should pick up the slack nicely if pressed into a more prominent role in the offense. Last year, Choice put together a string of three excellent games against Pittsburgh, New York, and Baltimore. Therefore, he should serve solidly in a time-share with Jones.

Expect Mr. Jones to maintain his role as the change of pace and 3rd down back with Choice claiming the “workhorse” duties. The duo should come up big against a Panthers defense that has an injury riddled front-line and has given up over 150 rushing yards in each of their first two games. 



As for Romo, odds are he’ll be fine. The bigger issue is the uncertainty over a reliable third option for the Cowboys’ receiving game (after Jason Witten and Roy Williams). Patrick Crayton seems destined to be nothing more that a slot receiver, leaving Miles Austin in the driver’s seat to run away with second wideout duties. His talent and big play ability has left Jerry Jones watering at the mouth, but Austin has yet to consistently manifest that talent into reality.



It is a very bad sign for your secondary when Eli Manning, Mario Manningham, and Steve Smith look like the second coming of the Three Amigos. That said, I think the Cowboys will be fine defensively, so long as they abandon the experiment to rotate Orlando Scandrick (who was repeatedly burned by Manningham) and Mike Jenkins at the corner, and it seems like Wade Phillips has already started to move in that direction. 



Panthers fans can take some solace in the fact that Jake Delhomme, coming off two straight awful performances that led to major criticism, wasn’t nearly as bad last week against Atlanta; but that being said, his 308 passing yards shed far too positive a light on his actual performance. This simply isn’t the Delhomme of five years ago, and the Panthers have to be second guessing the heck out of themselves for his exorbitant contract extension this past off-season.
 
Though he indicated he “felt good out there,” Jake was nearly an early disaster. Though he began the game 4-4 for 54 yards, he could have thrown an early interception when he inexplicably tossed a weak underhand pass, which was dropped by a Falcons defender. If Delhomme would have thrown a pick there, things probably would have snowballed on him again, as they would have been in another big early hole.

Cowboys-Panthers Prediction and Spread Pick

So, though it’s not outrageous to muse that the 34 year-old is on the downward arc of his career, the Panthers do indeed have a dangerous rushing attack with DeAngelo Williams and 22 year-old Jonathan Stewart  that will make things significantly easier for Mr. Delhomme at times. 



All that being said, I just don’t see how the Panthers stop the Cowboys’ rushing attack, especially with the season ending ankle injury to defensive tackle Louis Leonard, one of the team’s primary run stuffers. This is yet another hindrance to a defensive line already crippled by injuries.

Ultimately, I just don’t see the Panthers as being able to stop the Cowboys’ ground game without bringing a safety in the box, and in doing so, they will open up the passing attack for Tony Romo, who should have a good bounce back game. Dallas needs this win, and it’s highly likely they’ll get it, perhaps easily.



Cowboys-Panthers Prediction and Spread Pick: Cowboys do cover the large spread.

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* – Felix Jones photo credit: Dallas Observer Sportatorium

* – Jake Delhomme photo credit: Snort Report

Sadler’s premium meats are perfect for tailgating on Saturday, for grilling out at home on Sunday, or for when you are hosting a group of friends, or even just the family, on Monday night.

With a variety of delicious choices (beef, pork, ribs, turkey, brisket, and more) and availability at grocery stores throughout the U.S., Sadler’s meats are the tasty, convenient choice when you want to watch the big game and eat well while you’re doing it.

• Check out Sadler’s Monday Night Football Recipe of the Week: Shaved Pork Loin Quesadillas
• Each week, you can also listen to the MSF Monday Night Football Podcast, brought to you by Sadler’s. In this week’s edition, Jerod and Big MB debate whether Miami or Indianapolis will come out on top Monday night and whether or not it’s true that Colts fans are both fair-weather. 
• Follow the link to listen to the MSF Podcast on iTunes, or us the in-page player below to listen while you read.

Colts-Dolphins MNF Preview Podcast presented by Sadler’s

[track title="MSF Podcast: Colts-Dolphins Monday Night Football Preview" artist="Midwest Sports Fans" url="http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/wp-content/uploads/mp3/colts-dolphins-mnf-preview.mp3" alt="Colts-Dolphins Monday Night Football Preview"]

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Monday Night Football Preview

Indianapolis Colts (1-0) at Miami Dolphins (0-1)

• Colts-Dolphins Date: Monday, September 21
• Colts-Dolphins Time: 8:30
• Colts-Dolphins TV Network: ESPN
• Colts-Dolphins Announcers: Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, Jon Gruden
• Colts-Dolphins Point Spread: Colts -3.5
• Colts-Dolphins Over-Under: 42
• Colts-Dolphins Pick by JRod: The Colts will be without a proven #2 WR and have no running game to speak of. With the Dolphins coming off of a terrible loss, I think the Parcells-Sparano combo has them ready to play. I think the Dolphins actually win this game outright in front of their home fans on Monday night. They’ll certainly cover 3.5 points. Colts-Dolphins spread pick: Dolphins +3.5.
• StubHub: Colts-Dolphins tickets as low as $42!
• StubHub: Indianapolis Colts tickets
• StubHub: Miami Dolphins tickets
• StubHub: all NFL tickets

Colts-Dolphins Analysis

Most Colts fans I know are usually optmistic, often blindly so. After last week’s 14-12 triumph over the subpar Jags in Indianapolis, however, many were not.

Even those over-analyzing and looking for pros and cons, down to the season as a whole, relayed guarded optimism at best, significant concerns about injuries and the running game at worst.

The Colts could not convert on short fourth downs, similar to last year’s playoffs when it directly cost them the game at San Diego. Despite the win last Sunday, Indy lost the turnover battle badly and did little on the ground. In addition to the injury to the team’s number two receiver, Anthony Gonzalez, oft-injured Bob Sanders (and his $7 million dollar contract) remains unavailable this week, out indefinitely it seems.

Therefore, I simply am not as sanguine as most others about the next few weeks of Colts football.
 
Though Indianapolis held on versus the Jags, it was far from spectacular. Overall, Peyton Manning was very good, with more than 300 yards in the air.  Like in 2008 when he won his third MVP, he may have to carry this team on his shoulders if they are to achieve their 6th consecutive 12-win season. (And no, the team is not re-signing Marvin Harrison for obvious reasons not needing enumeration.)
 
The next step for the Colts is southward to Miami for a primetime special on Monday night.
 
Indianapolis can take solace in the fact that Miami’s “Wildcat” offense was listless in a 19-7 loss to Atlanta. Their focus is on shoring up the porous offensive line that will have to play better this week if they expect to have any chance of contending Monday night, much less throughout the season. The Dolphins lost three fumbles, threw an interception, and were nearly shutout. A late 4th-quarter touchdown made the game look closer than it actually was.
 
Miami had a plus-17 turnover differential last year. Was the Atlanta game an early sign that perhaps things won’t be the same in 2009?

Chad Pennington, who had just seven turnovers all of last year, had two last Sunday (an interception and a fumble).  Though he was 21 for 29, Pennington threw for just 176 yards, which gives him a pretty weak average of just over six yards per attempt.

Returning to pass protection, the Falcons, not known for being able to get after the quarterback consistently, registered four sacks.
 
The Dolphins only used Pat White for three “Wildcat” plays during week one’s game, and on one of those plays he overthrew Ted Ginn, who was wide open and may have had a touchdown on the play. Using White more would likely allow him to get into a rhythm. With the Wildcat offense being an epic failure in the Atlanta game, however, garnering just four yards, is this fad fading?
 
This all established, Ricky Williams looked very quick and agile on Sunday, dispelling preseason talk from ESPN that he had lost a step. Still, one has to question if it’s the best thing for the Dolphins to keep Ronnie Brown–arguably the Dolphins most explosive offensive player–out for long stretches of the game simply because Williams is running the ball well. The Dolphins’ run defense was also solid, holding Atlanta’s Michael Turner to just 65 yards. Miami was 10th in the league last season at stopping the run.
 
An additional positive to note about the defending AFC East champions is the apparent resurgence of 35 year-old Jason Taylor. After a great preseason, Taylor proved he’s legit in 2009, starting off the regular season the right way with a sack. If he can regain the form that made him a perennial Pro Bowler, then the Dolphins may not have to rely on their offense as much throughout the year…and judging how they looked Week One, that could be a good thing.

Colts-Dolphins Prediction

My semi-confident prediction is that these two teams, who combined for only 21 points in week one, will score more this week. 

But even with that potential for a low score, I think the Colts will find enough to cover the small spread.

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* – Ricky Williams photo credit: Jamie Squire/Getty Images via About.com

Now onto the preview…

You may have noticed that I have not posted about the Cleveland Browns much lately. I went on a little run there where I was posting about the Browns every other day it seemed, still hungover with the memories of 2007 and perhaps still even a little bit drunk with optimism about the prospects for 2008. Browns fans everywhere were ready to give up on the 2008 season…and then we spanked the Giants. Things looked bleak again after the Redskins loss and subsequent Kellen Winslow fiasco…and then we beat Jacksonville on the road.

Sitting at 3-4, with a chance to take care of Baltimore at home, the well of hope seemed to be once again springing eternal Cleveland. Hell, when we were beating Baltimore by two touchdowns, 4-4 seemed inevitable and thoughts of the playoffs seemed realistic.

Then the f**king wheels fell off. (Excuse my censored french…but the thought of the Baltimore game makes me sick to my stomach.)

We all know what happened after that. We dropped two straight turds at home, in front of loyal fans who just want something to be excited about, and then had to listen all week to players accusing eachother of quitting and coaches making empty defenses, and blah, blah, blah.

The Browns helmet has always looked like a big ‘ol piece of doo-doo with a facemask and chin strap. For the last two weeks, the helmet has doubled as perfect mascot for the kind of crap football being played in Cleveland.

I’ve been accused of being the Browns’ Mr. Positivity. Well guess what — if you came to this post looking for positivity, you can click somewhere else right now. I have purposely not posted because I’ve been waiting to find something positive to say. There has been nothing. There still is nothing.

So it’s time for an all-out rant, in hopes that I can get it out of my system and try to enjoy tomorrow night’s game. Here we go, starting my biggest gripe first.

FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS HOLY, WHY IN GOD’S NAME IS JEROME HARRISON NOT GETTING MORE TOUCHES!!!!!!!!

Nothing has frustrated me more, or the Browns fans I talk to, than this. Just look at the numbers (or, more importantly, watch the damn games): 17 rushes for 127 yards, a 7.5 yard average. 6 catches for 82 yards, a 13.7 yard average. The Broncos game was a microcosm of the Browns season in so many ways, and the usage of Jerome Harrison is no exception. On one drive, Jerome Harrison carried 4 times for over 40 yards. He was gashing Denver play after play. Guess how many rushes he got after that? Not a one.

Honestly, I’d like to print out Jerome Harrison’s stats and mail them to Rob Chudzinski. Maybe he doesn’t realize? Should we give him that benefit of the doubt? Umm…no. He’s the damn offensive coordinator. And the most consistent offensive player he has all year has been relegated to 23 touches. Awesome. Perfect. I want to punch something.

No chemistry, no leadership, and no togetherness

Make any apologies you want. Teams with chemistry…I should say, organizations with chemistry do not have the following things happen:

• Star players calling out the GM and organization in the press
• Veteran stars saying the GM did not contact them while they were in hospital
• Players calling other players out for quitting
• Players publicly saying coaches and management are making things up about injuries
• Blowing double-digit second half leads
• Benching QBs that received contract extensions in the offseason
• Supposed superstar players dropping every other pass thrown their way
• Die hard fans wasting their Sunday night posting a pissed off rant because their team has already matched their loss total from last season.

You know what, I think that last one about covered everything. We’ve discussed ad nauseum on the website all of the many internal problems the Browns have faced this year. Just typing that out made me want to wretch and I don’t want to talk about it anymore. We’re 3-6 and anyone can make whatever apologies they want to make, and talk about how close games have been, and how we should have won this game or that game — well guess what, we didn’t. And now it will take a miracle to even get into playoff contention. I’m nowhere close to being ready to predict a miracle, but I will hazard an attempt at predicting tomorrow night’s game.

Buffalo will win.

Damnit, I can’t do it. The Browns will win.

True story…I just went on Wikipedia to find out all the all-time Monday night football records for Cleveland and Buffalo. I thought for sure that Buffalo’s would be better than Cleveland’s and that it would back up my selection. Well, I was proven wrong. The Browns are 14-12 all-time on Monday night, including the win this year against the Giants. The Bills are 17-21 all-time on Monday night. I will take this unexpected result as a sign that perhaps my gut feeling heading into this game is wrong.

Fine, so what are some reasons why the Browns will then?

It’s Monday night, so Braylon will probably show up

Nothing sets you up better for a career after football than sterling performances on a nationals stage. Braylon hasn’t exactly tried to hide the fact that he is already trying to position himself for life after football, so I expect him to have extra focus tomorrow night — you know, the kind that allows you to transcend the game and make amazing plays like catching quick slants or bombs when you are behind your defender when the throws are right in your hands. Seriously. I would not be shocked if Braylon has 6-7 catches and triple digits yards. Brady Quinn is not going to make a living beating people deep, but he might hit Braylon once tomorrow night on a bomb. And Braylon will be sure to catch it — Hollywood might be watching.

Jerome Harrison will be a bigger part of the gameplan

Ha! Yeah right. Next reason.

Pride has to take over at some point and will you to a victory

We haven’t seen much Browns pride since the Jacksonville game, which now seems like it was six months ago. At the end of the day though, these guys are professionals and they are prideful men who have to sick of all the negativity. Perhaps going into a hostile environment away from the home fans can actually ease the pressure on this team. I know that sounds ironic, but it could be true. Buffalo has played like crap the last three weeks and is quickly falling out of the AFC East race. Their fans will be restless, and maybe their sphincters will tighten up in crunch time at home like the Browns’ did. Either way, I expect to see more fight out of the Browns tomorrow night than we’ve seen the last two games.

Buffalo only averages 90 yards rushing a game

So maybe…just maybe…the Browns won’t get gashed all night on the ground. Of course, the problem against Denver was that we couldn’t stop the pass. Well, both Josh Reed and James Hardy are dinged up. If we can keep Lee Evans in front of us, we might be able to contain their passing game. This defense was very solid before the Baltimore game. If that defense can show up, the Browns have a chance.

Joshua Cribbs

We have him. No other team does. It is the single biggest advantage we have going into every game. If the Browns win, Joshua Cribbs will be a big reason why.

Okay, time for a score prediction. My gut is still telling me to pick Buffalo, that the Browns have not earned my blind faith anymore, and that my credibility could take another hit if I pick them to win and they leave us all disappointed again.

But screw it, the Browns are like a drug. Really, why I else would I have returned to writing about them, and pick them to win if it were not for some sort of irrational addiction-like feeling compelling me to do so.

I say we get two TDs and four Phil Dawson field goals. Buffalo has the ball late, is driving to win the game, and Eric Wright channels his Monday night excellence to get a pick and seal the win.

Browns 26 | Bills 24

I swear, and I mean this: if the Browns fail me tomorrow night, and make me feel like an idiot for not trusting my gut feeling that they are going to lose tomorrow, I’m not picking them to win again all season.

Well, that was fun. I’m going to go stick a fork in my eye and dream about about a sports world that doesn’t so closely resemble hell, and in which it is actually legitimate to have confidence in your favorite team. Please Cleveland, try to at least fool me into thinking that is possible here in this world tomorrow night.

(To read another preview of tonight’s game, head over to The Nosebleeds NFL blog. Good stuff.)

[tags]cleveland browns, nfl, monday night football[/tags]