Weekend TV Preview

5-13


Not a bad weekend of games. Some definite potential shootouts, upsets, and barn burners in college. Huge game in New York for Dallas. And a potential good one in San Diego on Sunday Night. Even on an average TV watching weekend, it's still better than interacting with your wife/girlfriend.

Last Week - 11-6-4 (An unreal 4 pushes)
YTD - 96-80-8

Thursday

Dallas (-5.5) at Golden State - TNT - 9:30 pm
Wow, favored by 5.5 points on the road against a team that for 2+ years has been torturing you. Why does it happen to the Mavericks that teams catch lightning in a bottle for a single postseason, humiliate them, and then tank the next year? Miami, and more specifically Dwayne Wade, have been crap since. And GS is 0-4 to start the season. Both of these teams are more than likely to never reach those heights again and it just pisses me off. And keeps me part of one of the most tortured fan bases in the NBA.
Pick - Dallas -5.5

TCU at BYU (-7) - Versus - 8:00 pm
TCU has been one of the most disappointing teams in the nation this year. Predicted to compete for an at-large BCS bid, they have crapped the bed. BYU has a kick ass offense and is playing at home. Give me the home team.
Pick - BYU -7

Louisville at West Virginia (-16) - ESPN - 6:30 pm
Another disappointing team, Louisville. West Virginia has been playing pretty well since their loss to South Florida. Louisville's defense has been absolutely terrible and WV should run all over them and dominate them up front with speed and power.
Pick - West Virginia -16


Saturday

Michigan (-2.5) at Wisconsin - ESPN - 11:00 am
Wisconsin played Ohio State pretty tough last weekend, until falling apart late. Michigan somehow came out of the Michigan State with a win, and I think they're ripe for an upset. Wisconsin should have PJ Hill back and Camp Randall will be rocking. Give me the upset.
Pick - Wisconsin +2.5

Wake Forest at Clemson (-9) - ESPN2 - 11:30 am
I'm not just never going to be a believer in Clemson, been burned too many times when I think they're turning the corner as a program. Wake is a tough, physical team that can keep it close on the road with anyone. 9 points is just too much against an inconsistent Clemson team.
Pick - Wake Forest +9

Texas A&M at Missouri (-19.5) - FSNSW - 11:30 am
Fran is apparently out at TAMU, with a buyout in the works. That pretty much signals the end for this team. Missouri and Chase Daniel are playing at a different level right now, rolling through teams. It continues, they murder TAMU and keep looking forward to that showdown with Kansas.
Pick - Missouri -19.5

Air Force (-3) at Notre Dame - NBC - 1:30 pm
There is nothing I'd rather see than another service academy come into Notre Dame and hang another loss on Jaba the Hut. Air Force might be better than Navy, so this won't be as shocking. F ND, give me AF.
Pick - Air Force -3

Texas Tech at Texas (-6.5) - ABC - 2:30 pm
Tech is just being Tech for the umpteenth year in a row. And Texas is being what they usually are without Vince Young, a 10-11 win team. Which isn't bad at all really. The way Texas is running the ball, they should have a field day at home.
Pick - Texas -6.5

Auburn at Georgia (-2) - CBS - 2:30 pm
In the crazy, anyone can beat anyone SEC, this is a tough game to call. Georgia somehow only has 2 losses and is the leader in the SEC East. But I don't trust them at all, and I put more faith in Auburn's ability to play on the road against top teams. I saw them beat Florida, almost beat LSU, and will see them win in Athens.
Pick - Auburn +2

Illinois at Ohio State (-15) - ESPN - 2:30 pm
Ohio State's final score of the Wisconsin game didn't indicate how much they struggled against an average Wisconsin team with its top RB out. Illinois has come back down to earth after early season successes. I just can't see them hanging with OSU, as much as they think they're overrated and due for an upset.
Pick - OSU -15

Baylor at Oklahoma (-38) - FSNSW - 5:30 pm
Why are they even showing this? Could be the most lopsided game in conference this year. Even worse than the 76 points Kansas hung on Nebraska.
Pick - Oklahoma -38

Florida (-6.5) at South Carolina - ESPN - 6:45 pm
Another appearance for South Carolina in the Saturday Night SEC night game on ESPN. Florida doesn't come close to running the ball like Arkansas, so I give SC a good chance in this. Florida wins, but doesn't cover.
Pick - SC +6.5

Kansas (-6) at Oklahoma State - ABC - 7:00 pm
In the words of Dennis Green, Oklahoma State let Texas off the hook once again last week. They should be 4-1 heading into this game, and the hottest team in the conference. I don't care what happened last week, OSU wins this game. If Nebraska can go into Lawrence and score 40, Oklahoma State can score 60 at home. They're a different animal in Stillwater. They can't lose 2 in a row at home. Upset of the day and possibly the most entertaining game of the day.
Pick - Oklahoma State +6


CROWN GAME



Washington at Oregon State (No Line) - FSNSW - 9:15 pm
No line because the OSU QB is questionable. Great Pacific Northwest scenery, tall redwoods, probably cold and damp with some fog, and the potential for a ton of offense. I'll be trying out the new Crown Royal Cask No. 16 whiskey Saturday, so that will be in full force come 9 pm. Check out how sharp that bottle and bag look.
Pick - Washington

Fresno State at Hawaii (-17.5) - ESPN2 - 10:00 pm
A rare double Crown Game. A chance for the nation to see Colt Brennan. Fresno has got a tough team and they're going to keep this thing close. Should be a very exciting game, if I'm awake.
Pick - Fresno State +17.5


Sunday

Minnesota at Green Bay (-5.5) - FOX - 12:00 pm
What else can you say about AP? He's exceeding every expectation I had for him. If he stays healthy, he could be a top 3 RB of all time, but I doubt he can stay healthy. I have never seen a guy with everything. Size, speed, power, agility, quickness, burst. An absolute freak. Green Bay is due.
Pick - Minnesota +5.5

Jacksonville at Tennessee (No Line) - CBS - 12:00 pm
Probably the 2 ugliest teams in a league of ugly teams. How in the hell is Tennessee 6-2? Should be a boring game with only 2 players I would want to watch, VY and Jones-Drew.
Pick - Tennessee

Dallas (-1.5) at NYG - FOX - 3:00 pm
A huge game for Dallas. A chance to grab a 2 game lead in the division and jump start the 2nd half of their season. And a chance to further Tony Romo's development with a tough, division road game. Give me Dallas, this team just has some sort of eery Mojo working right now.
Pick - Dallas -1

Indy (3.5) at SD - NBC - 7:30 pm
Indy has a damn good team. They let NE steal that game last week, not sure how that happened. They're just a very balanced, talented on both sides of the ball, well coached team. SD can't stop anyone, and has an offense that is too inconsistent. I've been impressed with Indy's ability to win on the road this year. Addai has a field day.
Pick - Indy -3.5

"That term 'resignation' is not in our vocabulary"

- It may not be in his vocabulary, but the word "fired" may be. Osborne will stick to his word and let Callahan finish out the season, but before he gets back to the locker room after losing to Colorado, he'll be outta there.

Nebraska's Callahan won't resign

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) -- If Nebraska interim athletic director Tom Osborne wants Bill Callahan out as football coach, he'll probably have to fire him.

Callahan said Tuesday he would not resign before the season ends, even if he were offered a buyout worth more than he is entitled to by his contract.

"That term 'resignation' is not in our vocabulary," Callahan said.

The Huskers (4-6, 1-5 Big 12) go into Saturday's final home game against Kansas State on their first five-game losing streak since 1958. They've been outscored 226-98 in those five games.

Last week's 76-39 loss at Kansas marked the most points allowed by a Nebraska team and ratcheted up the fans' outcry against Callahan.

Osborne has not asked for a resignation and doesn't plan to, athletic department communications chief Randy York said Tuesday. Osborne has said he'll evaluate Callahan at the end of the season.

Callahan's new contract, signed in September, calls for him to be paid $3.125 million if he's fired this month. He said he wouldn't be tempted to step down if he were promised more money to resign now and remove the uncertainty surrounding the program.

"You need to understand this isn't about money. I didn't get into coaching for money, for buyouts, or anything like that," Callahan said.

The fallout of the season hasn't changed his feelings for Nebraska, he said. Callahan has often said he wants to finish his career at Nebraska.

"I sincerely want to be here," he said. "I think I indicated that when I signed a contract extension. If I didn't want to be here, I wouldn't have signed the extension."

Callahan said it's embarrassing for a program such as Nebraska to lose five straight and no one feels worse about it than him.

The Huskers led Texas 17-9 in the fourth quarter before losing 28-25 two weeks ago. Otherwise, they haven't been competitive in their losses this season. They have one of the nation's worst defenses, allowing 35.9 points and 477.6 yards a game.

"Gosh, I don't think we wanted to do this," he said. "These coaches didn't purposely tell these kids, 'Hey, don't go out there and tackle today,' or 'Don't go out there and rush the passer.'

"Our guys coach to the best of their ability, and they did the best they could. It hasn't been good enough at this point. Hopefully, Saturday we can rectify this."

Callahan said much of his fan correspondence has been supportive. Of course, there has been lots of negative, as well.

"It's a game," he said. "I understand here in Nebraska it's more than a game. It's life. It's the most important thing to Nebraskans, and I share that passion."

Callahan said he won't leave on his own volition, even if it means relieving pressure on himself, his staff and their families.

"There is a message if you do resign, that you've quit on your football team," he said. "There is no quit in this staff. We're going to keep plugging away and keep pushing and keep coaching and try to get through this."




- Diop on pace to turn in a nice contract year....



Hard work at center of Diop's improvement for Dallas Mavericks

If you didn't see it, then I won't blame you for not believing it.

Not one bit.

I can't lie, I had to watch the scoreboard replay for verification.

Late in the fourth quarter of the Mavs' win over Houston a couple of days ago, Jerry Stackhouse dribbled down the lane and whipped a no-look pass at DeSagana Diop's ankles as he cut to the basket.

Diop snatched the ball off the top of his high tops and leaped high – in one motion – to throw down a forceful, one-handed dunk that gave the Mavs a six-point lead, at the time their largest of the night.

No way he makes that play last year.

Either he doesn't catch the ball and fumbles it out of bounds. Or he can't leap quickly enough to dunk the ball before he gets fouled.

"Stack probably wouldn't have thrown me that pass last year," Diop said with a smile after practice Tuesday.

"But I spent a lot of time this off-season working on my balance and my hands, and it's paying off right now. I'm feeling confident about what I can do."

It shows, even after only four regular-season games. He's averaging 7.5 points and 9.3 rebounds per game.

Just so you know, Diop has never averaged more than 2.3 points per game in his first six seasons.

What we're seeing these days is a new and improved Diop. We're seeing a player who can be a valuable part and make a significant contribution to a championship contender.

The dunk wasn't the only impressive aspect of Diop's game against the Rockets. He had 10 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks while playing a career-high 40 minutes and not committing a foul against Yao Ming, the Rockets' 7-6 Goliath.

Diop committed three fouls per game in 18 minutes per game last season.

Suddenly, there's not much concern over when Erick Dampier will return to the lineup as he recovers from off-season shoulder surgery. There's a sense Diop can handle the minutes and the responsibility.

Diop should also feel good because his contract expires at the end of the season and he's going to get a sweet payday whether it's from the Mavs or someone else.

See, it's no longer a question of whether Diop, 25, belongs in the NBA. The question is whether he's going to develop into a solid starter or a solid backup.

He fits comfortably on the Mavs because they're so good they don't need him to do much. He's only taken 21 shots this season but has made 13. And he's hit 4 of 5 free throws, which is a good start for a career 52-percent free throw shooter.

Diop has always had a good feel for the game. He's just better equipped to take advantage of his knowledge.

If he continues to play strong around the basket, at least opposing teams will be forced to keep an eye on him, which should divert their attention enough to let Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Terry, Josh Howard or Devin Harris get to the basket.

This is not to suggest Diop is suddenly going to become the second coming of Bill Russell. But he certainly has the ability to be like New Orleans' Tyson Chandler, who averaged 9.5 points, 12.3 rebounds and 1.8 blocks last season

For that, give Diop all of the credit.

The fat kid who showed up after four wasted seasons in Cleveland, where he never played more than 13 minutes per game, has re-shaped his body after weighing more than 300 pounds. He's lost at least 40 pounds through grueling workouts and disciplined eating.

He even had the nerve to flex in the locker room, showing off his abs to rookie Nick Fazekas, who jokingly accused Diop of having a body shaped by too many chicken wings. Diop quickly corrected him.

"It's from a lot of salad," he said with a laugh.

And a lot of work in the off-season.

After playing summer league ball, Diop returned to Dallas for a couple of weeks. Then he headed to New Jersey to work out with a personal trainer.

He did box jumps and jumped rope. He alternated standing on one leg for minutes at a time and did several other exercises designed to make him more limber and flexible.

"We did a bunch of crazy drills that I had never heard of before," Diop said, "but they worked."

Which is why the Mavs will have to figure out just how much to pay him at the end of the season.



- Rangers could be active on trade front this off-season.



Teams talking trade with Texas Rangers GM

01:06 AM CST on Wednesday, November 7, 2007
By EVAN GRANT / The Dallas Morning News
egrant@dallasnews.com

ORLANDO, Fla. – Jon Daniels is starting to become one of the popular kids.

In less than 24 hours worth of hobnobbing with his fellow baseball general managers, Daniels has received multiple inquiries about the Texas Rangers' depth at catcher and about the availability of third baseman Hank Blalock.

While Daniels isn't motivated to talk about trading Blalock, especially since he is coming off an injury-plagued season that has likely driven his value down, the catching situation might be a little different.

"I'm not looking to move any of our catchers," Daniels said. "But there is a pretty good demand for catching out there."

The Rangers have two potential starting catchers in Gerald Laird and Jarrod Saltalamacchia. Laird, who is eligible for arbitration this winter, is coming off a disappointing offensive season. However, he is still only 27 and led the American League in throwing out base-runners. His time at catcher was diminished after the Rangers acquired Saltalamacchia from Atlanta at the trade deadline.

Saltalamacchia split his time between catcher and first base. If the Rangers hold on to Laird, they could have the two share time behind the plate again or have Saltalamacchia play first base full-time. The Rangers, however, believe Saltalamacchia's skills are better suited for being a catcher.

Boston, which has center fielder Coco Crisp available, has inquired about the Rangers' catching situation. While Daniels did not discuss potential trade targets, he did say the Rangers have spent time at these meetings looking at potential center fielders available via trade. The club can't discuss money with free-agent center fielders for another week.

Briefly: Daniels said he's not shopping RHP Vicente Padilla in an effort to move a bad contract, but he is opoen to listening to potential deals. Padilla went 6-10 with a 5.76 ERA in the first year of a three-year, $33.75 million deal. "I think he's going to have a better year next year than this year," Daniels said. "He's had 200-inning seasons, and he's had a better-than-league-average ERA in the past." ... RHP Jacob Brigham, the team's sixth-round selection in the 2006 draft, is expected to undergo Tommy John surgery, which will knock him out for all of 2007.


- Language

The New Rotation

- This lineup rotation of this year's team is something that has gotten me fired up. Instead of going small (Jet and Harris), or having to throw a guy who can't handle starter minutes due to age/health (Stack and Harris), they now can start 2 big guys at the 2 (Hassell or Jones), and have improved perimeter defense, and still keep the ability to shoot an open jumper. You already have 2 scorers on your 1st team (Dirk and Howard), so now you can stash JET on the 2nd team and watch him come in and dominate backups while the big boys get a rest.

You have 2 guys with no pressure, who can score in bunches, and who are always going to be better than the opponents 2nd team set of guards, or in some cases, the 1st team.

After last season's subpar performance from JET, Avery knew something had to be done, and it looks like he's put him in the best position possible and has struck gold with maximizing JET's production.

Avery's decision reminds me a lot of Popovich's decision to move Manu to the bench to increase his bench production and to keep the team offensively potent when the starters went out. It's a great move by both teams.

Also, Diop is playing like an animal so far. Can he keep this up for 82 games plus the playoffs? Just imagine how much more effective he's going to be when Damp comes back. He keeps this up and Cuban will reward him generously.

Very excited to say the least.

The Troll weighs in on Terry's increased effectiveness since moving to the 6th man role.



Good To The Terry End
By Marc Stein
ESPN.com

DALLAS -- Trivia time: Do you know what happened to the last team that used Jason Terry as a sixth man?

It's actually not much of a stumper because Terry has been reminding everyone lately.

Ever since coach Avery Johnson told Terry that he was planning to bring him off the bench after three seasons as the Dallas Mavericks' primary successor to Steve Nash, Terry has been bringing up the collegiate championship he helped Arizona win in 1997 in the same role. He won't flat-out call it an omen, but his usual reaction to the O word is pretty telling.

Terry's response to an omen question Monday evening: "You see me smiling, right?"

See that? Not all of the bravado was beaten out of the Mavericks in that first-round beatdown administered by Golden State last spring. The grins were impossible to miss on this night, when the hosts' new sixth man was the best man at American Airlines Center, sparking Dallas to a 107-98 victory over the new darlings from Houston.

This was supposed to be the revamped Rockets' opportunity to announce themselves to the nation and prove that they've really narrowed the gap on the rest of the stat. They were reveling in a 3-0 start and sporting a roster filled with impressive new names to give Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming more help than they've ever had . . . with a stage to themselves beckoning with no other games on the schedule. Yet Houston simply couldn't capitalize on the injury absences of Devin Harris, Erick Dampier, Devean George and Brandon Bass -- and the foul trouble which ensnared Dirk Nowitzki and Josh Howard -- largely because it couldn't contain Terry.

The little guard scored 31 points which, combined with Jerry Stackhouse's 16, enabled Dallas' reserve duo to outscore all seven Rockets who played besides T-Mac and Yao. Terry started the second half in place of the ineffective J.J. Barea, reeled off the final seven points of the third quarter to haul Dallas out of a 75-70 hole and upped his season average through four games to 22.8 points on ridiculous 60-percent shooting as the Mavs eventually pulled away.

It's early days, true, but this is a powerful statement at any time: "We are very surprised when he misses," Johnson said.

Of course, as with everything in Mavsland after back-to-back playoff unravelings, nothing can be proven conclusively until the playoffs start. Terry could shoot 60 percent from the floor for the entire regular season and impress no one living outside of North Texas unless it carries over to the postseason.

Yet you to have wonder, given how well Terry has taken to this switch, if Johnson has found a way to productively shake things up without significant change to the roster. Anointing Harris as his unquestioned starter at the point has clearly taken playmaking pressure off Terry, who comes into games firing now as opposed to trying to get everyone else involved because that's what he thought he was supposed to do.

Terry's partnership with Stackhouse, furthermore, strengthens a major area of weakness from last season. "We had to get back to how it was when we made our Finals run," Terry said, "where our bench had been our strong point."

It was certainly good enough to rescue Dallas in a great game for November. Yao Ming and Josh Howard each turned an ankle in the second half thanks to independently awkward landings, but both refused to come out of the game injured, highlighting how seriously both teams took it.

Thanks to that bench and maybe the best game of DeSagana Diop's career -- Diop had 10 points, 13 rebounds, four blocks and, amazingly, zero fouls as Dallas' primary Yao defender -- Nowitzki's struggles with the refs and his shot (7-for-20) didn't hurt. Nor did McGrady's 35 points and eight assists, with Yao managing just 12 shots from the field in the face of countless double-team swarms.

"They feel like they've made some improvements to their roster," Stackhouse said of the Rockets. "But we feel the same way."

Now to see what sort of feelings are stirred by the Mavericks' next game. Thursday on TNT, they're back in Oakland for the first time since the Golden State Warriors thrashed the 67-win Mavs in Round 1.

Nowitzki took (and is still taking) most of the media heat for the Mavs' failings against the Warriors, but Terry's play was no less worrisome. In the first year of a new six-year deal worth nearly $58 million -- and regarded as an unfailingly clutch shooter -- Terry missed 23 of 32 attempts from 3-point range against the Warriors, rarely capitalizing on all the attention Nowitzki was commanding as the chief target of coach Don Nelson's defenses.

"I share a lot of that with him," Terry said of Nowitzki and the Golden State blame, knowing that recent history will overshadow any of his Arizona tales until the Mavs atone.



- Fran's gone.



Sources: Franchione's probably finished at Texas A&M

School says embattled coach will be evaluated at end of season

12:19 AM CST on Tuesday, November 6, 2007
By BRIAN DAVIS / The Dallas Morning News
brdavis@dallasnews.com

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Multiple sources close to the Texas A&M athletic department said that Dennis Franchione likely will be removed as head football coach after this season.

A&M athletic director Bill Byrne has stated numerous times he will not evaluate Franchione's job status until after the season. Sources said it's unclear if Franchione would announce his resignation before the regular-season finale against Texas on Nov. 23.

But Franchione's 31-27 record in five seasons and the embarrassment his secret e-mail newsletter brought the university are enough to warrant a change, sources said.

Byrne and Franchione probably will negotiate a settlement, sources said. According to Franchione's contract, he would be owed $8.5 million for the remaining five years of his deal. However, A&M said the secret newsletter violated NCAA rules, and that could be used to negotiate a lower amount.

Bill Jones, chairman of the A&M board of regents, said nothing official has happened. He adamantly rebutted several Internet stories that stated Byrne already had reached a financial settlement with Franchione.

"Well, all of that is untrue. It is untrue," Jones said. "Bill Byrne does not review his coaches until the end of the season, and he has consistently said that and done that. He has not broken his policy for Coach Fran and this season.

"So, anybody reporting any done deal or communication or talks or buyouts or amounts or anything of the sort is simply reporting a falsehood."

Jones said no one has approached the A&M board of regents about buyout talks, although news reports Monday indicated otherwise.

Citing anonymous sources, ESPN.com and CBSSports.com posted stories online that said A&M and Franchione had begun negotiations to buy out his contract. CBSSports' story initially said Franchione had agreed to a buyout. The story was later edited to say Franchione was "on the verge" of a buyout.

The San Antonio Express-News combined both stories and added that running backs coach Kenith Pope could become the interim coach. The details about Pope were later removed from the newspaper's Web site.

The Houston Chronicle reported Monday on its Web site that A&M presented Franchione with a buyout sum of $1.9 million. The story also said Byrne enlisted sports consultant Chuck Neinas to help with the coaching search. A call to Neinas' home in Boulder, Colo., was not returned.

That entire story later was removed from the Web site.

"You can't keep people from voicing their opinions," Jones said. "That's the beauty of being American. But I just wish people would continue supporting the team and hope that people wouldn't spread vicious rumors without knowing the facts."

Byrne declined comment about the reports Monday night at an A&M men's basketball exhibition game at Reed Arena.

As he's stated numerous times, Byrne said Franchione's job status "will be part of my postseason review."

A&M sports information director Alan Cannon also issued a statement Monday trying to debunk the Internet stories.

"There are several false rumors circulating regarding the Texas A&M football program," Cannon said. "Bill Byrne has repeatedly said he evaluates his programs at the end of each season and I have received no indication that he has changed his stance.

"Dennis Franchione is the head football coach at Texas A&M and is currently working on a game plan to face a top 10 football team in the Missouri Tigers."

Franchione's job security has dwindled with each passing month this season. He entered the year with a 25-23 overall record. But an embarrassing 34-17 loss at Miami on Sept. 20 angered the A&M fan base.

Then, the school was embarrassed when Franchione's secret e-mail newsletter titled "VIP Connection" was exposed.

The coach's personal assistant, Mike McKenzie, wrote about injury information and other football program tidbits that Franchione would not share with the public. In October, Byrne said the material in the newsletters constituted NCAA secondary rules violations.

A small group of subscribers were charged $1,200 each to receive the e-mails.

Uninspiring losses against Texas Tech, Kansas and Oklahoma dropped A&M's record to 6-4 overall. The Aggies closes out the regular season against No. 7 Missouri and No. 15 Texas.

Officially Rock Bottom

- It's here. Rock bottom. Nebraska is no longer competitive against mid-level teams. They struggle against everyone. Their defense is the worst I've seen, Baylor-type stuff. They got blown out against anyone that is decent. They've lost 5 in a row and are staring down the barrel of a 4-8 season.

Since 2002, every single impressive record the program has built up over 35 years has fallen. These are the darkest of times for Nebraska.

4-8 with tough losses and hopes for the future would be easier to take, there would at least be some hope. But they're not even close in these games. It's over. Time to tear this thing down to the very core.

Some information that will shocker you.

- The Huskers have now allowed 30 rushing touchdowns, setting the new record for rushing touchdowns by an opponent in a season (previous record, 26, 1950)

- The Huskers have now allowed 47 total touchdowns, setting the new record for total TDs allowed by an opponent in a season (previous record, 41, 1948 & 2002)

- The defense has now allowed 4,776 total yards, just 291 yards shy of the worst season ever, with two games remaining

- The defense has allowed 359 points so far, already the record for most points allowed in a single season (prior record, 335 points, 2002, 14 games)

- The defense has allowed 35.9 points per game, and needs to hold K State and Colorado to fewer than 34 points total (17 apiece) to avoid the worst number of points-per-game in Nebraska history

- At 249 first downs allowed, the Huskers are only 23 first downs shy of the worst-ever showing in allowing first downs

- The Nebraska defense is 386 yards shy of setting the new record for rushing yards allowed

- With zero sacks in today's game, the Huskers need to get 8 sacks per game in the next two games to avoid having the worst sack total in school history

- The Huskers are 61 pass completions shy of allowing the highest number of opponent completions in a season

- The Huskers have allowed opponents to complete 57.4% of passes so far this season. That's on pace to be another "worst" - the 2004 team set the record at 56.7%

- The 1968 team set the record for lowest interception percentage (INTs/Attempts) by the Huskers at 3.19%. The 2007 team currently sits at 2.4%

- The most touchdowns ever allowed through the air in a season was set by the 1948 team (19). The 2007 team has allowed 16 so far.

- The fewest takeaways in a season by the Huskers were 19, set in 1962, 1993, and 2000. This year's team has only 11.

- With zero punt return yards today, the Huskers still have only 77 yards with two games left. The worst punt return yardage season was 141, set in 1955.

- Punt return average is still stagnant, with this year's average (5.92) coming in barely above the worst season (5.77).

- The 2007 Huskers have 58 kickoff returns this season, a new record (prior record, 48, 2002)

- The 477.6 yards allowed per game is well above the record of 379.5, set in 1948 (and has already assured that this team will "earn" this record as well, unless they hold Kansas State and Colorado to negative yards).

- Nebraska's turnover margin this season is -14. The worst season in Husker history is -18, set in 1967.

- In the words of Willie Amos after the 2004 season when the Huskers didnt make a bowl game: "Records were meant to be broken."



- Big 12 Rankings

1) Oklahoma - Dominated Texas A&M. Look out for that game in Lubbock in 2 weeks.
2) Missouri - Impressive in Boulder. Could make a case for the title game with wins over 2 top 10 teams in the next month. (Kansas and Oklahoma).
3) Kansas - Sickening to watch them dismantle Nebraska.
4) Texas - Another Oklahoma State comeback.
5) Oklahoma State - Still a dangerous team. Should be 4-1 in conference, but melted down once again and gave up a 3 TD lead in the 4th quarter at home. Inexcusable.
6) Colorado - Got murdered at home, but still a tough team. Missouri's playing at a different level right now.
7) Texas Tech - Has a chance to redeem their season in 2 weeks vs. Oklahoma.
8) Texas A&M - Fran's gone.
9) Kansas State - An 8 point favorite on the road in Lincoln???? After losing to Iowa State??? Man Nebraska sucks ass.
10) Iowa State - They'd beat Nebraska in a rematch.
11) Nebraska - I hate this team.
12) Baylor - Give it up.


- National Rankings

1) LSU - They are playing with fire on a weekly basis. Their biggest opponent each week is their coach's affinity for laying his nuts on the chopping block for 4 quarters.
2) Oregon - In my estimation, the hottest and most talented team going right now, outside of LSU of course.
3) Missouri - They belong here and might prove to be worth of title-consideration by the end of the year.
4) Oklahoma - Along with Missouri, can make a case for the title game if they win out.
5) Ohio State - Sick of them, they're holding up the operation. Will lose to Michigan so we can rid ourselves of this cancer.
6) Kansas - Can't see them staying undefeated.
7) West Virginia - Keeps winning, but no shot at the title game.
8) Georgia - Should represent the East in the SEC title game against LSU.
9) Michigan - Has a chance to help us out by beating overrated Ohio State and knocking them out of title consideration.
10) Arizona State - Had Rudy Carpenter been healthy, they may have beaten an elite Oregon team.




- Must see TV tonight. Houston is kicking ass to start the season. Road wins at LA and Utah, and another win against Portland to open the season. A very intriguing early season matchup. With Dampier out for a while, expect Houston to control the boards, and cover the 6 point spread.



Dallas Mavericks facing improved Yao

Rockets center is stronger, more confident in the post


04:10 AM CST on Monday, November 5, 2007
By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News
esefko@dallasnews.com

Before he was waived and moved on as the No. 3 overall pick in the NBA Developmental League draft, Darvin Ham imparted some wisdom to the Mavericks that they need to heed tonight against the Houston Rockets.

Ham's message was to pay particular attention to a new and improved Yao Ming.

Not that overlooking the biggest player in the league is possible, but Ham's point is that Yao is not the same movable object that he was earlier in his career. While Yao and Tracy McGrady still have to prove they have moved the Rockets into the NBA's elite with a healthy season and playoff success, it is Yao's play that suggests new coach Rick Adelman's team is to be taken seriously.

All it took to convince Ham was the Mavericks' preseason visit to Houston.

"The one thing that impressed me in guarding him is that he's not passive at all anymore," Ham said. "He is taking the fight to you. There was a time a couple years ago in Detroit when I had him for four or five possessions and you could shoot him an elbow or get physical on him and he'd be leaning over or complaining to the refs.

"Now, he's so bottom heavy, when he gets post position, you're not going to move him. He understands now. He knows how big he really is. If they can be consistent with that and go through him, they're going to have a lot of success."

Gone are the days when you could stick a Raef LaFrentz on Yao and watch the 7-6 center struggle. The Rockets bring a 3-0 start to the season into tonight's game, which will be a nice test for the Mavericks.

So far, they've beaten a Cleveland team that was unready for the season, lost at Atlanta to a youthful, exuberant Hawks team and blasted short-handed Sacramento, a team that's not going to be very good even when its healthy.

So tonight is a much stiffer challenge, though the Rockets still haven't gotten past the first round of the playoffs in the Yao-McGrady era.

Yao is averaging 19 points and 10.3 rebounds. The only time the Rockets beat the Mavericks last season was when Yao had 36 points. When McGrady led the Rockets in scoring, they were 0-3 against the Mavericks.

"They're a terrific team," Avery Johnson said. "A lot of people have them as favorites to win the championship this year. For us, it should be a pretty big test for us because a lot of people are really talking about their potential."

The Rockets believe they are going to improve greatly as the season wears on. They are learning Adelman's system, which has opened up the floor and the offense for McGrady and Yao. They brought former Rockets Mike James and Steve Francis back to the team. Adelman has increased Bonzi Wells' role, something he did when he coached Wells in Sacramento, too.

At the very least, the Rockets figure to shadow the Mavericks and the San Antonio Spurs throughout the season for Southwest Division supremacy.

"It's always a very competitive division top to bottom," Jason Terry said. "Obviously, Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming are big parts of what they do. But their role players have been the ones stepping up."

Weekend TV Preview

Last Week - 7-10-1
YTD - 85-74-4

Thursday

Virginia Tech at Georgia Tech (-3) - ESPN - 6:30 pm
Va. Tech lost in the most improbable of ways last week. Game was in the bag and Boston College stole it from them. These 2 teams are pretty average, but have good defenses. Close, low scoring, ugly game with VT winning it.
Pick - VT +3 and Under 40.5


Saturday

Wisconsin at Ohio State (-15.5) - Big 10 Network - 11:00 am
Wisconsin struggles against everyone, so how do you think they're going to do in the Horseshoe? Ohio State is blowing through a weak conference and is going to be in the national title hunt unfortunately. I actually hope they get there and get blown out of the stadium again, just to further the expose the quality of play in the Big 10.
Pick - Ohio State -15.5

Purdue at Penn State (-7) - ESPN - 11:00 am
Penn State got their pants pulled down on national TV last weekend and has proved to be a pretty mediocre team. Purdue is just as mediocre. They can score points, so I have to take the TD on the road against a team that got demoralized and pounded the week before.
Pick - Purdue +7

Iowa at Northwestern (-1) - ESPN2 - 11:00 am
I just had to include this game so I could alert everyone to the official worst TV game of the day.
Pick - Northwestern -1

Nebraska at Kansas (-18.5) - FSNSW - 11:30 am
Nebraska actually showed fight last weekend at Texas. Defensive adjustments, attacking the middle of the field on offense, fire and fight from players and coaches, and barely losing on the road to a top 15 team. It was fun to watch. The fun ends in Lawrence. Kansas is loads more physical than Texas. Is loads better on defense. And has a recent history of beating up on Nebraska. Wow, I can't believe I just said that. Kansas rolls 45-17.
Pick - Kansas -18.5

Kansas State (-14) at Iowa State - Versus - 11:30 am
If Texas, about the least physical team in the conference can go to Ames and pound on ISU, then KSU will do that and then some. KSU is a tough team and is made to play on the road. Roll.
Pick - Kansas State -14

Navy at Notre Dame (-3.5) - NBC - 1:30 pm
Notre Dame could have the worst offense of any team in the past 15 years. They are historically bad. Navy can run the ball and control the clock. They make history by beating ND. I have no clue about their series history, but I'm guessing it's been a while since Navy has beaten ND. They get it done.
Pick - Navy +3

Texas (-3) at Oklahoma State - ABC - 2:30 pm
Texas is just begging to lose a game. Oklahoma State has rebounded nicely since some early season disappointments. Texas usually struggles in Stillwater, but they always seem to pull themselves out of it. Not this time. OSU's too hot and they're at home. OSU gives Texas their 3rd conference loss.
Pick - OSU +3

Michigan (-4) at Michigan State - ESPN - 2:30 pm
Michigan keeps winning in conference and is setting themselves up for a Big 10 title game against Ohio State. Michigan State is one of those teams that can score on anyone and can beat anyone. It's just that they're more likely to tank than rise up. Michigan's defense is still not very good and is due for someone to score some major points on them. I'm betting MSU puts 30+ up this Saturday.
Pick - Michigan State +4

LSU (-7) at Alabama - CBS - 4:00 pm
Could be the game of the day if Alabama can upset or keep it close with LSU. Saban vs. LSU. LSU on the road trying to keep title hopes alive. I've been impressed most of the year with Alabama. They're not a bad team and should give LSU a game. If Kentucky and Auburn can, so can Bama. In a highly emotional game, I have to go with a hungry team at home.
Pick - Alabama +7

Missouri (-3.5) at Colorado - FSNSW - 5:30 pm
Missouri goes on the road against a very dangerous Colorado team. They're well coached, play well against good teams, and aren't intimidated. Missouri, in my opinion, is the team to beat in the Big 12. Missouri wins, but wins in final minute.
Pick - Colorado +3.5

Arizona State at Oregon (-7) - ESPN - 5:40 pm
The guaranteed game of the day if Rudy Carpenter plays. If Carpenter is out, expect Oregon to roll through ASU. With their top RB already out, losing Carpenter as well will doom this team. Oregon is playing as well as anyone in the country right now. They're scoring points in bunches and beating everyone. ASU's run ends now.
Pick - Oregon -7

Rutgers at UConn (-2) - ESPNU - 6:15 pm
UConn could be the most surprising top 15 team in the nation right now. 7-1 and fresh off of a win against South Florida. I have to take them at home against an average Rutgers team.
Pick - UConn -2

Texas A&M at Oklahoma (-21) - ABC - 7:00 pm
The ABC primetime game will be over after 1 quarter. A&M historically has not played well in Norman. Stoops intimidates, Fran gets knocked over by a feather duster. Oklahoma's offense is diverse and A&M's only works against Nebraska. Oklahoma's defense is fast and nasty. Oklahoma rolls.
Pick - Oklahoma -21

South Carolina at Arkansas (-4.5) - ESPN2 - 7:00 pm
The SEC nighter. Not a bad matchup. Spurrier on the sidelines. McFadden on the field. There's some definite intrigue. South Carolina plays teams tough on the road. Arkansas is just simply not that good.
Pick - South Carolina +4.5


CROWN GAME



Washington State at Cal (-14.5) - FSNSW - 9:15 pm
Washington State is pretty bad. Cal has lost 3 games in a row and is due for a load-releasing blowout. Washington State is just the team to provide that.
Pick - Cal -14.5


Sunday

Green Bay at KC (-2) - FOX - 12:00 pm
Green Bay has mastered the art of winning close, ugly games. That's the name of KC's game. Whether winning or losing, they're ugly. Give me the home team in Arrowhead by only 2 points. GB is due, they're not as good as their record indicates.
Pick - KC -2

San Diego (-7) at Minnesota - CBS - 12:00 pm
Minnesota has AP. San Diego has LT. I'd love to see a shootout between these 2. I can see a close game with 2 great RB's going against 2 good run defenses. If only Minnesota had a QB who could start at the high school level.
Pick - Minnesota +7

New England (-5) at Indy - CBS - 3:00 pm
The game of the day. I'm pretty sick of the Boston fan right now. Can't stand them as it is, but when all of their teams are good, it makes it even more sickening. I have to take Indy with the points at home. I want Manning to shove it up Bill Simmons and every other Northeasterner's ass. Give me Indy.
Pick - Indy +5

Dallas (-3) at Philly - NBC - 7:15 pm
Dallas must win this game. With New York on the road looming next week, they must split these 2 games. It's going to be easier to win at Philly than New York, especially with the way they're playing right now. So I see an urgent Dallas team winning on the road.
Pick - Dallas -3

Austin, TX

- What a city. I've said it before, and it always proves true when I go back, you can't overrate Austin. For everything - Food, drinks, bars, nightlife, women, entertainment, etc. Austin recruits itself. It would be the hardest place to say no to.

- Pretty decent tailgating scene outside the stadium. It's definitely a big-time street/city scene. Since the campus and stadium are just north of downtown, everything happens on the streets and in the bars, not as much RV'ing and big open grass field tailgating. But this doesn't slow down or hurt the scene at all.

- People were surprisingly polite and welcoming. Didn't have one bad experience with a Texas fan, and we were Huskered out.

- Open container laws go out the window on Gameday. Just hung out among the masses on the streets drinking and socializing.

- The stadium is huge, wide open, and is maybe even laid out too much. Too wide open. Hinders the noise level, which isn't a good thing considering the docile nature of the Texas fan. I've definitely been in louder stadiums. But they are adding 2 upper decks in either end zone, so this should help.

- Pre game very cool. Huge Texas flag in end zone, lots of traditional/historic band songs from the Texas Band. You can dislike Texas the University, but you have to love the respect they give to the state in their pre-game presentation.

- That place was dead quiet for 3 quarters. Nebraska was blitzing, putting McCoy on his ass the whole time, and was up 14 points.

- But Colt got hurt, Chiles came in, they started running the Vince Young zone read, and it was church.

- The NFL conservative play calling was in full force with the score 17-3. Note to Callahan, 17 points will not win a game on the road against a top 15 opponent. Keep attacking idiot.

- The seams/middle of the field have been wide open all year. Keller hit it twice for TD's in the 1st half. And then Callahan went into a shell and didn't attack it the rest of the game. He thought he could win 17-3.

- The most emotion I've seen from the Nebraska team all year. Lots of yelling and jumping around celebrating after good plays. Inspired play on defense, tough, never give up running from Marlon Lucky, and perhaps the best game all year from Sam Keller.

- Nebraska gets an interception in the 4th quarter with 8 minutes to go, and leading 17-15 with the ball at midfield. Instead of going for the kill, they run 2 un-imaginative run plays and throw deep on 3rd and long. 3 and out and the game was over. Typical BS from Callahan. There is absolutely no killer instinct in that man.

- They finally adjusted their defense and showed Texas some different looks, and what do you know? They had success and held them to 3 points through 3 quarters. But Texas adjusted in the 2nd half. I guess a counter-adjustment is just too much to ask from this coaching staff. Hell, the 1 time adjustment to blitzing the crap out of McCoy was a miracle enough.

- Many thanks go out to Keller for putting up with this crap this year. He's now hurt and gone for the rest of the year. I don't believe he was able to fully use his talents. Callahan's NASA offense had him thinking too much, throwing too many swing and screen passes, and just not fully utilizing his talent by attacking downfield and improvising passing plays. A talent like Keller needs less restrictions. He definitely has the support from every Nebraska person, there's no one out there with a bad thing to say about Sam Keller.

- All in all, a great trip. Great seats, great food, great tailgating, great atmosphere, great game, and great nightlife. Austin should be on everyone's schedule of road trips in college football.


- The banner we "found" at a Nebraska gathering at Scholtz's Beer Garden.


- No doubt the creepiest dude we saw in a city of weirdos. Full length long john's with a gold grill in his mouth.


- Pre-game presentation.


- Scholtz's Beer Garden, pre-game.


- 6th Street Saturday night. Halloween night on 6th Street. Tons of weirdos.





- Biggest scoreboard I've ever seen.











- Tailgating in the street.


- The whole group.




- Big 12 Rankings

1) Oklahoma
2) Missouri - Struggled against Iowa State, but this is a good team.
3) Kansas - Refuse to put them any higher, they'll have a few more losses before year is done.
4) Oklahoma State - Quietly putting together a nice run, 3-1 in conference with a huge game Saturday at home vs. Texas. Take the points.
5) Texas - There were major rumblings from the Texas fans around us about Mack Brown and Colt McCoy. The offense with the zone read and Chiles at QB was 10 times more effective.
6) Colorado - A tough, tough team.
7) Kansas State - Another tough team that can play with anyone.
8) Texas A&M - That offense and coaching staff needs a major overhaul.
9) Texas Tech - Tech will always be Tech.
10) Nebraska - Finally showed some fight, some toughness. One of their better games all year, but as has been the case all year, coaching let them down and threw the reins on the offense.
11) Iowa State - Playing some teams tough lately.
12) Baylor - Give it up.


National Rankings

1) LSU - I don't care what anyone says, this is the best team in the country. Very big game at Alabama this Saturday.
2) Ohio State - Showed me a little more by beating/dominating Penn State.
3) Arizona State - Great win at home. Tougher games await, including Oregon this weekend.
4) Boston College - Lucky as hell Thursday night.
5) Oklahoma - Rematch with Missouri looming.
6) Oregon - I think this is the #2 team in the nation, and if they beat Arizona State, they should jump.
7) West Virginia - Keeps winning, but no shot to make it to title game.
8) Missouri - Struggled vs. Iowa State, but has a chance to make up some major ground with wins over Kansas and Oklahoma.
9) Kansas - Here barely.
10) Georgia - Wins ugly, but wins.

On Cusp
- Michigan - Ripping through the Big 10.
- UConn - Surprise team of year.
- Va. Tech - Overrated.
- Auburn - Has lost some tough games.
- Hawaii

Weekend TV Preview

7-10-1


- The Fall Vacation tour hits Austin, Texas this weekend. The McCawley's are making the trip south to watch another ass-kicking, this time in person. We'll be in the stands for what hopefully is Bill Callahan's final game. I'm hoping for a 52-0 blowout so Osborne has no choice but to fire him. We'll see.

Ignore your family, there's too many games to focus on.

Last Week - 9-10
YTD - 78-64-3

Thursday

Colorado at Boston (-155) - FOX - 7:30 pm
Game 1 went exactly how I thought it would. Beckett was dominant, Boston kept pounding the ball, and Colorado looked like they were out of their league (which they were). You are now officially seeing the difference between the 2 leagues. The AL is just simply better. Expect Colorado to score a few runs on Schilling, he's not what he used to be. But expect Boston to rock Colorado's pitchers again.
Pick - Boston and the Over (10)

Boston College at Virginia Tech (-3) - ESPN - 6:30 pm
ESPN just keeps lucking out with these Thursday night games. There always seems to be a highly ranked team in them. Check out the last few weeks and the fates of the #2 teams in the nation:

10/6 - Stanford 24 (2) USC 23
10/13 - Oregon State 31 (2) Cal 28
10/20 - Rutgers 30 (2) South Florida 27

It ends this week. BC covers and wins.
Pick - BC +3


Friday

Boise State (-3) at Fresno State - ESPN2 - 8:00 pm
Fresno is quietly 7-1 and is not getting the hype that Boise is getting. Pat Hill is a damn good coach and it's only a matter of time before he gets a big time gig. Give me the points in this one, I was impressed the way Fresno played ATM in College Station earlier this season.
Pick - Fresno State +3


Saturday

- A huge day of games, possibly the best Saturday of the year, tons of top matchups and possible upsets.

Colorado at Texas Tech (-13.5) - ABC - 11:00 am
A very interesting matchup. Colorado can play defense, but Tech is damn tough at home, no matter how great the opponent is. They always play like national champs in Lubbock. Give me Tech to roll like Tech does against average teams.
Pick - Texas Tech -13.5

Michigan State (-3) at Iowa - ESPN2 - 11:00 am
A non-descript game, but it's on TV.
Pick - Iowa +3

Indiana at Wisconsin (-7.5) - Big 10 Network - 11:00 am
Wouldn't it suck to go to a Big 10 school and have every one of your games kick off at 11 am? These kids have to hate it, absolutely no time to recover and you have nothing to look forward to the rest of the day.
Pick - Indiana +7.5

USC at Oregon (-3) - FSNSW - 2:00 pm
The Pac-10 tripleheader begins at 2 pm with a great matchup of top 15 teams. Oregon is rolling right now, just running the ball up everyone's asses. USC is so overrated it's ridiculous. John David Booty may start, but from what I've seen, they're just as ineffective with him as they are Dirty Sanchez. I expect Oregon to beat them by 2 TD's at home. USC's downward spiral begins here.
Pick - Oregon -3

Nebraska at Texas (-20.5) - ABC - 2:30 pm
Nebraska continues it's Dead Man Walking tour with a stop in Austin. This has all the making of the most embarassing defeat of the year. If you thought ATM ran the ball at will last week, just wait until Texas starts bitch slapping Nebraska up and down the field. And why wouldn't you? Nebraska has a D-coordinator content to stay in his base 4-3 the whole game and not make any adjustments. So why not. The bloodbath continues. What's sad is, I'm paying money to watch this shat.
Pick - Texas 52 Nebraska 10

Florida (-9) at Georgia - CBS - 2:30 pm
Florida continues to be the best 2 loss team in the nation. Georgia is just a tough team to figure out, year after year. Just an above average team that can beat anyone, but can also lose to Mississippi State at the same time. Give me the points, but a Florida win.
Pick - Georgia +9

Minnesota at Michigan (-23.5) - ESPN Classic - 2:30 pm
The matchup of the 2 teams to lose to I-AA teams this year. Michigan just doesn't lose conference games outside of Ohio State. Minnesota is absolutely terrible. Michigan continues its roll through the weak Big 10.
Pick - Michigan -23.5

Virginia (-3) at NC State - ESPNU - 3:30 pm
One of my sleeper picks of the year is 7-1, 4-0 in conference. After an embarassing loss in week 1 to Wyoming, they have reeled off 7 wins in a row and are the favorites to win the coastal division. NC State sucks, they really suck.
Pick - Virginia -3

UCLA (-6) at Washington State - FSNSW - 5:30 pm
Game 2 of the PAC-10 tripleheader. Pullman is like Lubbock, it's always a tough place to play. But not this week. UCLA finally has a decent QB back, and is surprisingly 4-0 in conference. They continue their conference dominance.
Pick - UCLA -6

Kansas (-3) at Texas A&M - ESPN2 - 6:00 pm
Kansas has been outside of the state only once this year, barely beating an average Colorado team. Texas A&M hasn't exactly been impressive this year, but I believe Kansas gets exposed for what they are this weekend.
Pick - Texas A&M +3

South Carolina at Tennessee (-3) - ESPN - 6:45 pm
South Carolina finally lost another game, and got out of the top 10. I never was a believer in this team and knew they were not as good as the ranking suggested. Tennesse got embarassed last week against Alabama in a rivalry game. I have to go with Spurrier and his history of knowing how to beat Tennessee.
Pick - South Carolina +3

Ohio State (-4) at Penn State - ABC - 7:00 pm
Ohio State is just not that good. They beat up on a bad conference, and a weak non-conference schedule. They go on the road, against a top 5 hostile environment, and they finally lose. I will throw up if they go undefeated and make it to the title game. They'd be an average team in the SEC.
Pick - Penn State +4


CROWN GAME



Cal at Arizona State (-3) - FSNSW - 9:00 pm
The Crown Game returns to the PAC-10, and it's a good one. Arizona State hasn't beaten anyone of substance, and is due for a loss. Cal has lost 2 in a row, and I can't see them losing a 3rd game in a row. Expect all the elements that make a classic Crown Game. Great co-eds, tons of offense, and a long, exciting game. The upsets continue.
Pick - Cal +3


Sunday

NY Giants (-9.5) at Miami - FOX - 12:00 pm
NY seems to be getting better and better. They're hot on Dallas' heels in the NFC East, and Eli is playing very well. Miami is just terrible.
Pick - NYG -9.5

Indy (-6.5) at Carolina - CBS - 12:00 pm
Indy is playing very good. Carolina has either David Carr or Vinny starting for them. Wow.
Pick - Indy -6.5

Washington at New England (16.5) - FOX - 3:15 pm
New England has been rolling. Washington has a good defense, but Belicheck is licking his chops to shut down this offense. I see a 31-6 game.
Pick - New England -16.5