Dallas Cowboys vs Washington Redskins Free Football Picks: Monday Night Football betting action heads to Arlington this week for the home opener for the Dallas Cowboys against their hated rivals, the Washington Redskins.

Could the Skins really end up moving to 3-0 in this game? There’s a distinct possibility of that happening, and if that’s the case, playoff fever will be striking our nation’s capitol in a heartbeat. Washington hasn’t played the prettiest football in the world to start off the year, and wins against the Arizona Cardinals and New York Giants isn’t the most impressive slate ever either, but wins are wins in this league.

This is the first time that QB Rex Grossman is going to be starting on the road this year though, and it really could be a difficult start against a Dallas team that is surely going to be bringing a whole heck of a lot of pressure off of the edge with multiple man blitzes at all times. Still, Grossman has played well this year, throwing for 596 yards and four TDs against two picks for a rock solid 90.6 QB rating.

That added to the running game with RB Tim Hightower and rookie RB Roy Helu, who is looking to get more and more playing time as the season wears on, is a formula that just might work for Head Coach Mike Shanahan.

The injury bug has bitten the Cowboys and bitten them hard. QB Tony Romo is probably the most notable injury to watch over the course of the next several days, as he has a punctured lung and a broken rib. Whether he decides to go or not this week is going to be up to him and his pain tolerance level from the sound of it, but it also sounds like this is a situation that won’t totally be settled until game time.

QB Stephen McGee was picked back up this week and will be put on the active roster after the Cowboys only used two quarterbacks last week. On top of all of that, WR Miles Austin, fresh off of a three TD game against the San Francisco 49ers, has a hamstring injury that will keep him out for the next three weeks, while WR Dez Bryant is still up in the air with his thigh injury.

RB Felix Jones had to come out of last week’s game with a shoulder injury, but he has improved throughout the week and is expected to give it a go. Dallas has to pick up its intensity defensively, as both the Niners and the New York Jets were able to score points in bunches against this season. As the season progresses though, expect to see better things, as DC Rob Ryan is going to get the best possible out of this unit.

Washington Redskins @ Dallas Cowboys Free NFL Picks: The Hilton has opened this game at Dallas -6.5, presumably assuming that Romo is going to play. The game is off the board everywhere else.

That being said, the underdog is 21-6 ATS in the last 27 meetings in this series, and though we wouldn’t be shocked to see Dallas win this game, even if it was QB Jon Kitna calling the shots, we do think that Washington makes this one very, very entertaining the whole way.

NFL Pick: Washington Redskins +6.5 at Bookmaker Sportsbook.

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Indianapolis Colts vs Pittsburgh Steelers Free NFL Picks: Fans looking for a showdown between Ben Roethlisberger and Peyton Manning will be extremely disappointed this Sunday night. This Sunday night’s primetime game on NBC will look a lot different without Manning under center for the Colts. It will be Kerry Collins and the Colts looking to get into the win column against the defending AFC Champions. Can the Colts stay in the game here or will this one turn ugly fast?

The entire Pittsburgh Steelers team played about as bad of a game as they could possibly play in their 35-7 opening week loss against the Baltimore Ravens. Roethlisberger threw three picks and the team fumbled four times. It’s extremely tough to be competitive in the NFL when you turn the ball over seven times! Pittsburgh, as expected, bounced back to thrash the Seattle Seahawks 24-0 last weekend.

Roethlisberger has found a new favorite target the last couple years in Mike Wallace. Wallace already has 16 catches for 233 yards in just two games this season. Rashard Mendenhall has become the running back the Steelers hoped he would be. The offensive line must improve, and that is the Steelers biggest concern right now. The line allows teams to get far too many shots on Big Ben. The Steelers defense is phenomenal. The front seven is the best in all of football. Harrison, Woodley, Farrior, and Timmons are terrific at the linebacker spots. Troy Polamalu is probably the NFL’s best safety, and he is completely healthy right now.

Just about everyone knows how great Peyton Manning has been for the Colts, but his absence helps put an exclamation point on how great he has been for this team. Without Manning under center, the Colts appear lost on offense. Kerry Collins has been holding the ball too long and taking a lot of hits. Collins has been limited in practice this week, and it wouldn’t be shocking if we see Curtis Painter some this weekend. The running game of the Colts has been non-existent for the last few years, and they are really needed right now.

Defensively, the Colts have some great pass rushers and a solid secondary. The problem area continues to be the run defense. Indianapolis has been one of the worst teams in the league against the run for the last several years, and that is no different this season. If this team is going to be competitive, the defense must play much better.

At this point, the Steelers are a much better team than the Colts. Laying this many points on the road is a scary proposition, but I certainly don’t want to side with the Colts here.

Free Football Picks: Steelers -10.5

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Atlanta Falcons vs Philadelphia Eagles Free NFL Picks: The birds of prey will be out in full-force this upcoming Sunday night when the Philadelphia Eagles and the Atlanta Falcons clash in a battle between two division winners from a year ago. Game time from the Georgia Dome is set for 8:20 p.m. (ET) and it will be broadcast nationally on NBC.
Philadelphia started the 2011 regular season on a solid note with a 31-13 victory over St. Louis as a 4.5-point road favorite. The total ended as a ‘push’ against a closing line of 44 points.
Philadelphia fell behind early in this one on a Steven Jackson 47-yard touchdown run on the Rams first play from scrimmage, but it was all Philadelphia from there as the Eagles built a 10-point lead at the half and put things away for good on a LeSean McCoy 49-yard run for a score in the fourth quarter.
Michael Vick completed less than 50 percent of his throws, but made enough plays to get the job done. He finished the game with 187 yards passing and 98 yards rushing to help the Eagles amass over 400 yards of total offense against St. Louis.
Atlanta is still reeling from its 30-12 loss to Chicago as a three-point road favorite. The total in this game squeaked ‘over’ the 40.5-point line. The Falcons’ offense could manage just six points against the Bears as their only other score was an interception return for a touchdown when the game was already out of reach.
Led by quarterback Matt Ryan’s 319 yards passing, Atlanta’s offense was able to move the ball up and down the field against the Bears, but went just 4-for -13 on third downs and 0-for-2 from the Red Zone. The Falcons did a good job running the ball against Chicago with 110 total rushing yards and a healthy average of 7.9 yards an attempt. Michael Turner led the way with 100 yards on 10 carries.
The Eagles are 4-1 straight-up in their last five road games and the total has gone ‘over’ in six of their last seven games away from home. The Falcons are 8-2 SU in their last 10 games at home and the total has gone ‘over’ in nine of their last 13 games overall.
Head-to-head, Philadelphia boasts an 8-1 SU record in the last nine games and a 10-1-1 record against the spread in the last 12 meetings. The total has stayed ‘under’ in seven of the last eight games overall and in the last five games played in Atlanta.
This will be Michael Vick’s first appearance in the Georgia Dome since his days in Atlanta, but do not expect a warm welcome from the hometown crowd. What you can expect is for Vick to light things up in prime time as the Eagles roll to a 2-0 start.
The Free NFL Picks: Philadelphia 34
Atlanta 21
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Mississippi State vs LSU Free Football Picks: The LSU Tigers open their 2011 SEC schedule this upcoming Thursday night in a crucial West Division showdown against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium. The kick-off is slated for 8 p.m. (ET) and the game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN. LSU has gotten off to an impressive start by outscoring its opponents 89-30 in its first two games. It followed up a 40-27 victory over then-No.3 Oregon as a three-point underdog in its season opener with a 49-3 romp over Northwestern State as a 49-point home favorite. The total went ‘over’ the 54-point line against the Ducks, but stayed under the 56.5-point line against the Demons.
The Tigers have done a great job running the ball so far with Michael Ford leading the way with 168 yards on 27 carries. All together, seven different players have run the ball so far for LSU.
Mississippi State will look to bounce back from a tough 41-34 loss to Auburn last Saturday as a 5.5-point road favorite in its first conference game of the season. The total went ‘over’ the 57-point line. This followed a 59-14 romp over Memphis as a 30-point road favorite in its season opener. The total went ‘over’ in this game as well with the closing line set at 50.5. The Bulldogs are now 25th in the latest AP poll after climbing to 16th last week.
Quarterback Chris Relf had a chance to send the game against Auburn into overtime, but was stopped just short of the goal line on the final play of the game. To go along with his 157 yards rushing, he has completed 33-of-54 attempts for 397 yards and three touchdowns. Relf will need to come up big with both his arm and his legs this Saturday if the Bulldogs are going to have any chance to pull off the upset.LSU is 2-3 against the spread in its last five games and the total has gone ‘over’ in four of its last six games. Mississippi State is 3-1 ATS in its last four games and the total has gone ‘over’ in four of its last five games.
Head-to-head, the Tigers have won the last 10 games straight-up dating back to 2001, but the Bulldogs hold a slight 3-2 edge ATS in the last five meetings. Two seasons ago, these two teams met at Davis Wade Stadium. LSU came away with a 30-26 victory but came nowhere near covering as a 12-point road favorite. The Bulldogs come into this game with one of their most talented teams in years, but it still will not be enough to go toe-to-toe with LSU for four quarters to cover the spread in this game.
College Football Picks: LSU 39
Mississippi State 30
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Miami Dolphins vs New England Patriots Free NFL Picks: In the first game of a double dip on ESPN’s Monday Night Football, NFL bettors will get their chance to sink their teeth into the clash at Sun Life Stadium between the Miami Dolphins and the New England Patriots.
The Pats are the runaway favorites on the Super Bowl odds this year, as they are as low as +400 at some sportsbooks. They definitely do look to be locked and loaded after bringing in both DT Albert Haynesworth and WR Chad Ochocinco in the offseason. It hasn’t seemed to matter who is out there at wide receiver though, as QB Tom Brady has always made the best of every situation.

You know if he stays healthy that Brady is good for over 4,000 passing yards and probably at least 30 scores on the season, and he has had a great history playing against these Dolphins, putting up some absolutely tremendous games. Last season alone, the Patriots scored a whopping 79 points in two games against Miami, with Brady throwing three scores in those two games.
RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis had two big games against the Dolphins last year as well, accounting for over 150 total yards on the ground and a pair of TDs in the two meetings. When you combine defense and special teams TDs, New England actually outscored the Dolphins’ entire team 28-21.
One game doesn’t make an entire 16 game season, but for Head Coach Tony Sparano and QB Chad Henne, this is clearly the biggest game that either one has partaken in. The Fins were blown out of the water by New England twice last year, and with both men literally just barely hanging on to their jobs, posting another 20+ point defeat at home in primetime won’t sit well with the hometown faithful.
However, there are a lot more issues with the Dolphins than just the quarterback and the head coach. The running game is only going to really have RB Reggie Bush and RB Larry Johnson to work with in all likelihood, as RB Daniel Thomas, the rookie out of Kansas State, is in the doghouse and is injured. The defense is incredibly young as well, and though players like DE Koa Misi and some of the other young guns will get there eventually, it’s clear that this unit isn’t ready to shut down an offense like New England’s.
Philadelphia Eagles @ Miami Dolphins Free Picks: That being said, this game is too important for the Dolphins to bet against them at this price. Getting a TD is a big, big number in the NFL, especially for a home team, and we’re going to take that score and hope for the best with Miami on MNF.
NFL Picks: Miami Dolphins +7
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San Diego Chargers vs Minnesota Vikings Free NFL Picks: The Minnesota Vikings have a veteran quarterback under center again this year, but it isn’t Brett Favre. Donovan McNabb will start the season as the signal caller for the Vikings.
The San Diego Chargers have one of the NFL’s top quarterbacks in Phillip Rivers. San Diego missed the playoffs last year, but they are still one of the favorites to reach the Super Bowl from the AFC this season. Can San Diego avoid the slow starts that have hurt them badly in recent years?
Donovan McNabb’s time in Washington didn’t go well at all, but he’ll get another shot in Minnesota. McNabb is 34 years old so his window may be closing, but the Vikings were willing to give him a shot as they get Christian Ponder ready for the future.
The good news for McNabb is that Adrian Peterson will make life easier on any quarterback. Peterson runs as hard as anyone in the NFL. I expect a big year from Peterson this season. Percy Harvin is a nice weapon as a slot receiver as well. On the flip side, the Vikings have one of the worst offensive lines in all of football, and that is liable to get exposed more than ever this year.
The Minnesota defense was one of the best in the league a couple years ago, but they have taken a couple steps back. Pat Williams may be 38 years old, but losing him in the middle of the defensive line was a big loss. Chad Greenway and E.J.
Henderson is solid linebackers, but they’ll probably have to shed more blocks this season. Antoine Winfield and Cedric Griffin are both very good corners, but the Vikings don’t have much depth in the secondary.
How can a team possibly manage to be ranked first in both total offense and total defense, but not make the playoffs? The San Diego Chargers managed to do just that last season. The single biggest reason for that was their horrific special teams play.
In the past decade in the NFL, I have never seen special teams play as poor as the Chargers had last year. One has to assume they’ll be a little better this year. Rivers has established himself as an elite quarterback, and he’ll have Vincent Jackson back as a real threat on the outside.
Antonio Gates has lost a step, but he’s still a tremendous tight end. Ryan Matthews was injured quite a bit last year, but I think he has the ability to be a quality runner for the Chargers.
San Diego’s defense was very good last year, and they got even better during the offseason. I like Cory Liuget to help out quite a bit on the defensive line. Takeo Spikes has been a solid linebacker for many years now, and he should help shore up the run defense.
Bob Sanders is one of the best safeties in the NFL when he is healthy, and the Chargers were wise to take a flier on him.
The Vikings have obviously taken some steps backwards, but this isn’t a bad Minnesota team. Nine points is a huge spread in the NFL, and in this case I feel most comfortable taking the points.
NFL Picks: Vikings +9
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Green Bay Packers vs New Orleans Saints Week 1 Free NFL Picks: The 2011 NFL regular season gets underway this Thursday night in a showdown between the last two Super Bowl champions, when the New Orleans Saints head into Lambeau Field to take on the Green Bay Packers. Kick-off is slated for 8:30 p.m. (ET) and the game will be broadcast nationally on NBC.

New Orleans will look to quickly erase the memory of an unexpected 41-36 loss to Seattle as a 9.5-road favorite in the wildcard round of last year’s playoffs. This followed an 11-5 regular season record, including a 6-2 record straight-up on the road.

Running back Reggie Bush is no longer with the team after signing with Miami, but the addition of mark Ingram in the first round of the draft should help improve a Saints’ running game that was ranked 28th in the NFL last year. Quarterback Drew Brees will still be directing a passing game that was ranked third in the league. He ended the year with the most passing yards in the NFC with 4,620 yards while completing a league-high 68.1 percent of his throws.

Green Bay’s season ended with the Vince Lombardi Trophy back in its possession, which was even more impressive considering that a good chunk of its roster was sidelined with season-ending injuries. The Packers won the Super Bowl as a wildcard team with an overall record of 10-6, but they were tough to beat at Lambeau with a 7-1SU record at home.

Aaron Rodgers had an equally impressive performance as Green Bay’s quarterback, but his real claim to fame last season was a postseason run where he completed 68.2 percent of his attempts for 1,094 yards and nine TD’s. Having running back Ryan Grant and tight end Jermichael Finley back in the lineup will only make a very good offense that much better.

The Saints are 5-1 against the spread in its last six opening day games and the total has gone ‘over’ in four of its last five road games overall.

The Packers are 4-0 ATS in their last four season openers and the total has gone ‘over’ in five of their last six home games overall.

Head-to-head, the favorite in this series has a 4-1 edge ATS in the last five meetings. The total went ‘over’ in all five games.

Green Bay keeps things going at home as it comes away with fifth-straight opening day victory that covers the four-point spread.

The Free NFL Picks: Green Bay 24

New Orleans 17

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Oklahoma State Cowboys vs Arizona Wildcats Football Picks: The Arizona Wildcats, out of the PAC-12 travel to Boone Pickens Stadium this Thursday night to tangle with the Big 12’s Oklahoma State Cowboys in this non-conference matchup. Kick-off is slated for 8 p.m. (ET) and the game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN.

Arizona used a 27-0 run in the second half to pull away from the pesky Northern Arizona Lumberjacks 41-10 in the season opener for both teams. The Wildcats covered as 27-point home favorites and the total went well over the 47.5-point line.

Nick Foles looked extremely sharp for Arizona against a porous Lumberjack secondary with 412 passing yards and five touchdowns. He completed 34-of 42 attempts to eight different players and threw a scoring strike to five different Wildcats.  Wide receiver Juron Criner led all receivers with six catches for 151 yards and one score.

Oklahoma State had a fairly easy time of it in its home opener last Saturday as well. The Cowboys rolled over Louisiana-Lafayette 61-34, but failed to cover as a 38-point home favorite. They almost took the game ‘over’ the 62-point line on their own in a game that was never close. Oklahoma State opened-up a 24-point lead at the half and coasted from there.

Brandon Weedon had the hot hand for the Cowboys; completing 24-of-39 attempts for 388 yards, but looked sloppy at times with three interceptions. Wide receivers Justin Blackmon and Tracy Moore combined for 15 receptions for 256 yards and one TD, while running back Joseph Randle added 129 yards on the ground on 22 carries. He also found the end zone twice on two four-yard runs.

These two teams are familiar with one another after meeting in last December’s Valero Alamo Bowl. The Cowboys routed Arizona 36-10 as a 4.5-point favorite with the total staying well ‘under’ the 68.5-point line. Weedon threw for 240 yards and Blackmon had a huge game with nine receptions for 117 yards and two scores. This duo appears primed to have another big night come Thursday against a Wildcat secondary that looked a bit suspect in its opener.

Arizona is 3-8 against the spread in its last 11 games overall and the total has gone ‘over’ in six of its last eight games.

Oklahoma State is 7-2 SU in its last nine games at home and the total has gone ‘over’ in eight of these nine games.

The Cowboys win this one comfortably but some junk points down the stretch allow the Wildcats to cover the 14.5-point spread.

The Pick: Oklahoma State 48

Arizona 35

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Maryland Terrapins vs Miami Hurricanes Football Picks: The Miami Hurricanes have had themselves one heck of an offseason. They hope to put all of that aside when they take to the field for the first time on Labor Day night against the Maryland Terrapins.

Regardless of what ends up coming from this whole situation with boosters giving improper benefits to players on the team, it is clear that Head Coach Al Golden has his work cut out for him here at “The U.” Miami has never been known as a squeaky clean program, and this is just the latest problem.

Whether it ends up being QB Jacory Harris or QB Stephen Morris under center on Monday night, the Hurricanes are still going to be in some trouble. Neither one played well last season, and both definitely have their points of contention this year.

Instead, the pressure is going to shift onto the Miami defense, which vows to make a return to the defenses of old from “The U,” which featured stars like Vince Wilfork, Ed Reed, Phillip Buchanon, Jonathan Vilma, DJ Williams, and the likes.

This unit did rank No. 3 in the land in pass defense last season at 150.5 yards per game allowed, but this is largely thanks to the relatively weak ACC passing games and a paper thin out of conference schedule, save for the trip to the Ohio State Buckeyes. The potential is there, but the off the field problems could be too much for this team to overcome.

Many tend to forget that this is a new look for the Terps as well coming into this one. Head Coach Randy Edsall called it a “dream come true” to be coaching in College Park, a move which many thought was a fairly lateral one from the Connecticut Huskies in the offseason. Still, the Terrapins definitely have some talent out there on the field, and a lot of it has a ton of experience.

QB Danny O’Brien might not have WR Torrey Smith to throw the ball to anymore, but there is no doubt that his experience from last year could pay off in a big way. He had 22 TDs against just eight picks, and he threw for 2,438 yards while splitting time with QB Jamarr Robinson. If O’Brien can find a receiver to pick up the slack from Smith’s departure to the pros, Maryland could once again be a dangerous team this year.

Most don’t remember that this was a team that was right there on the verge of playing for the ACC Championship last season, and there was no shame whatsoever in its 9-4 mark, including a bowl victory over the East Carolina Pirates.

Miami Hurricanes @ Maryland Terrapins Free Picks: Is the wrong team favored in this one? Miami definitely has some decent returning talent, but all of these problems off the field just seem to be making this team like a circus. It’s going to be a madhouse in Maryland for sure on Monday night for a standalone, nationally televised game. We fully expect to see the hosts come out on top.

Free NCAA Football Pick: Maryland Terrapins +5.5.

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2011 NFL Power Rankings and Free NFL Picks: NFL power rankings are some of the strongest you will find anywhere and we encourage you to come back each week and see how the NFL Power Rankings have changed. NFL Power Rankings will be updated by Thursday every week.

1: Green Bay Packers (0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS) – It’s hard to really see the Packers falling too far this year, knowing that they are returning the majority of their team. DC Dom Capers is one of the most underappreciated minds in the game, and he has the pieces of the puzzle to make QB Aaron Rodgers and his offense look even better than they already are.

2: New England Patriots (0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS) – The Pats are no joke this year, but they are going to need to become a tougher team mentally to make the Super Bowl again. Cutting S Brandon Merriweather made no sense whatsoever, but we aren’t ones to question Head Coach Bill Belichick and his genius mind. QB Tom Brady is ready to have another great season this year.

3: Pittsburgh Steelers (0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS) – What’s there to not like about the Steelers? QB Ben Roethlisberger is definitely a Super Bowl caliber QB, and he has the running game and the weapons in the passing game to make them all stand up. Even better is that defense, which is always one of the best in the league. S Troy Polamalu looks healthy as could be, and that’s bad news for the rest of the offenses in the AFC North.

4: Philadelphia Eagles (0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS) – Are the Eagles overhyped this season? Not if QB Michael Vick stays upright they aren’t! This defense was really lacking a second corner to complement DB Asante Samuel, and it picked up two of the best in the league with Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Nnamdi Asomugha. This team has the ability to score 500 points this year, and if that’s the case, the ‘D’ will make that mark stand up.

5: Atlanta Falcons (0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS) – Is this the Greatest Show on Turf take two? QB Matt Ryan thinks so, and for good reason. Between himself, RB Michael Turner, WR Roddy White, TE Tony Gonzalez, and WR Julio Jones, there might not be enough corners on a team to cover all these guys. The defense has its questions, but there is no doubt that playing this team at the Georgia Dome isn’t going to be fun at all, all season long.

6: Baltimore Ravens (0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS) – The Ravens seemingly fall just short of the Steelers every single season, and this year might not be an exception. You’d hate to say that a Week 1 game is a must-win, but to win the AFC North, beating Pittsburgh in Baltimore might be a necessity. Picking up FB Vonta Leach was one of the most signings you probably didn’t hear much about in the offseason. RB Ray Rice could amass well over 2,000 all purpose yards this year.

7: New Orleans Saints (0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS) – New Orleans was good enough to win the Super Bowl again last season, but it really overlooked the Seahawks and just never had a chance of scoring enough points to keep up with what the defense gave up. There weren’t many changes this year for Head Coach Sean Payton and company, but adding RB Mark Ingram in the first round of the NFL Draft was a coup, even if RB Reggie Bush’s years as a bust in the Bayou are now over with.

8: Dallas Cowboys (0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS) – This might be a tad high for a team that didn’t make the playoffs last season, but we know that having QB Tony Romo in the fold is significantly better than not having him there. Romo should have a field day getting the ball to WRs Dez Bryant and Miles Austin, and TE Jason Witten is 100 catches waiting to happen. Is the defense there yet? Maybe not quite, but the offense is good enough to pull off some magic in “Big D.”

9: New York Jets (0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS) – The Jets have played in back to back AFC Championship Games, but that doesn’t mean that they’re good enough to make it three in a row. QB Mark Sanchez lost three of his best receivers in the offseason, and the team seemed to miss on basically every big free agent out there. Head Coach Rex Ryan has his work cut out for him just to make the playoffs this year.

10: Houston Texans (0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS) – And this team might be why. Houston might finally be on its way to the playoffs this year, and we have it checking in as the best team in the AFC South to start the season. Adding DB Danieal Manning and DB Johnathan Joseph was incredibly important for a secondary that resembled Swiss cheese a season ago, and new DC Wade Phillips won’t let this unit rank in the bottom third of the league like it has ever since Head Coach Gary Kubiak took over.

11: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS) – The Bucs took some tremendous leaps in the right direction this past season, nearly getting into the playoffs. This year, there are still those two given wins against the Panthers, but the rest of the schedule is tough as could be. Still, we like the chances for QB Josh Freeman and company to at least challenge for a postseason bid once again, though we think they’ll fall just short.

12: Indianapolis Colts (0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS) – Have the Colts had it? QB Peyton Manning is dealing with a neck injury, and it’s anyone’s guess whether he’ll play in Week 1 or not. This offense could still be lethal with him in there, but the rest of this team is just not good at all. Indy will be lucky to make the playoffs this year, just like the…

13: San Diego Chargers (0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS) – … Bolts… Sorry, San Diego fans. You’re just not that good this year. QB Philip Rivers is great, and he’s got a great receiver in Vincent Jackson and a tight end in Antonio Gates, but just like Manning, that’s about all that he has to bring to the table. The defense for the Bolts was lackluster at times, especially down the stretch in games, and a similar performance this year will once again keep this team home from the playoffs. It’s the best team in the AFC West, but we’ve been saying that for years…

14: New York Giants (0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS) – The G-Men won 10 games last year and missed out on the playoffs, but they are awfully thin in the secondary now that first round draft choice, DB Prince Amukamara broke his ankle. QB Eli Manning might have one of these bizarre seasons in which he throws at least 30 TDs and at least 20 picks, but it might not be enough to save Head Coach Tom Coughlin’s job.

15: Chicago Bears (0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS) – Picking up a pair of Dallas rejects in WR Roy Williams and RB Marion Barber isn’t going to help this team out all that much. QB Jay Cutler’s little crying act on the sidelines in the NFC Championship Game won’t do anything to endear him to the Chicago media. Don’t be shocked if the Bears take a huge step backwards this year and barely even challenge the .500 mark.

16: Kansas City Chiefs (0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS) – We’re just not really believers in the Chiefs this year. QB Matt Cassel was incredibly efficient a year ago, but the man tutoring him, OC Charlie Weis is now with the Florida Gators. If the defense for Head Coach Todd Haley can hold teams down to 326 points again this year, this will be the division winner. If not, it’ll be a long season.

17: Detroit Lions (0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS) – On paper, Detroit is a playoff team this year. However, on paper, QB Matt Stafford plays a 16 game season and DT Ndamukong Suh doesn’t get cut block by an angry offensive lineman who just had his quarterback sandwiched into the turf. This team has a great mean streak about it, and it’ll get there eventually. Detroit is still one year away, though.

18: St. Louis Rams (0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS) – The NFC West finally makes a cameo appearance at No. 18 in our poll this year. QB Sam Bradford could be poised to take that jump to the elite status of NFL quarterbacks, especially with Josh McDaniels running the show now. The defense isn’t there yet, but it’s getting there. The rest of the NFC West doesn’t have much direction, but at least St. Louis is headed the right way.

19: Oakland Raiders (0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS) – Does anyone realize that the Raiders finished .500 last season? QB Jason Campbell is back for a second year, and for a change, he should be running the same offense. Head Coach Hue Jackson knows that his team has a problem replacing the departed DB Nnamdi Asomugha, but things could be worse in the Black Hole.

20: Cleveland Browns (0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS) – The Browns are another one of these teams that is definitely moving in the right direction. QB Colt McCoy will be significantly better in Year 2 than he was as a rookie, and his West Coast offense might turn out some more wins than people think. It’s just too bad that this team already has at least three, and probably four losses coming between the Ravens and Steelers.

21: Minnesota Vikings (0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS) – Things can’t possibly get any worse this year for the Vikes than they were a year ago. QB Donovan McNabb probably isn’t throwing 19 picks like QB Brett Favre did, and the Metrodome probably isn’t collapsing under the weight of a bunch of snow. One thing is for sure, and that’s that RB Adrian Peterson is surely going to be in for another monster year.

22: Seattle Seahawks (0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS) – Head Coach Pete Carroll got the Hawks in the playoffs last year, but finishing .500 would be a reasonable goal again. QB Tarvaris Jackson and WR Sidney Rice both came over from the Vikes, and there are high expectations for both men for an offense that needed a lot of work from last year.

23: Jacksonville Jaguars (0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS) – The Jags reached a ton to get QB Blaine Gabbert in this year’s NFL Draft, and we just aren’t so sure why they did it. QB David Garrard was at least competent under center, and there are just so many more needs for this team than that. This was a .500 team, but Jacksonville will be lucky to even come close to saying that this year.

24: Denver Broncos (0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS) – Call us crazy, but we think that the Broncos could possibly be the real deal this year. Head Coach John Fox is pushing some of the right buttons, and drafting LB Von Miller will help out dramatically. This team shouldn’t have been 4-12 bad last season, but Head Coach Josh McDaniels had lost the squad. Fox won’t lose control and should right the ship. 8-8 is an attainable goal.

25: Arizona Cardinals (0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS) – This team is a huge wild card this year. The Cards might have a quarterback this year with QB Kevin Kolb, and that might make this offense awfully frightening. Still, the rest of the team just looks pretty darn bad, especially since the ‘D’ gave up its best player in DB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. We do love drafting DB Patrick Peterson, but it doesn’t make up for the losses just to get Kolb.

26: Miami Dolphins (0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS) – Miami thinks that it is a playoff team this year. We don’t. The Fins, in fact, will be competitors for that No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft and the right to draft QB Andrew Luck. QB Chad Henne and Head Coach Tony Sparano have seen the end of their time in South Beach, as a 4-12 or 5-11 season just won’t be good enough to keep either one around in 2012.

27: San Francisco 49ers (0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS) – Every year is supposed to be the year that the Niners return to respectability, but it just isn’t happening any time soon. QB Colin Kaepernick will take this team over eventually, as QB Alex Smith isn’t one of the best 35 quarterbacks in the league. The defense has been vastly overrated for years. Struggling to score 300 points again won’t cut it. Head Coach Jim Harbaugh probably will wish that he stayed at Stanford like QB Andrew Luck did.

28: Carolina Panthers (0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS) – The Panthers aren’t going to be as brutal as they were last year, even though we don’t think the QB Cam Newton experience is ready to take off quite yet. If nothing else, RBs DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart are healthy, and both could be 1,000+ yard backs.

29: Tennessee Titans (0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS) – You reach that far to take QB Jake Locker, you get what you’ve got coming to you. Tennessee is going the wrong direction and is in a lot of trouble. About the only bright spot is that RB Chris Johnson’s holdout didn’t cost him any games. Goodness knows what type of ill will it caused in the locker room, though.

30: Washington Redskins (0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS) – All this team needs is a quarterback, a running back, and a few wide receivers, and it’ll have a strong offense! Neither side of the ball is all that great for Head Coach Mike Shanahan and company, and there is no doubt in our minds that his team is going to end up finishing as one of the worst in the NFC. QB John Beck and QB Rex Grossman don’t cut it.

31: Buffalo Bills (0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS) – We agree with the Bills that they shouldn’t have drafted a quarterback this year in the NFL Draft to give QB Ryan Fitzpatrick a chance, but we also know that it probably only made for a longer season in 2011. This team will be able to snare QB Andrew Luck next year though, and it’ll all work out in the end.

32: Cincinnati Bengals (0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS) – The Bengals are bad… really, really bad. QB Carson Palmer retired on them because he was tired of playing for such a dilapidated franchise, and we can’t blame him. QB Andy Dalton has now gotten thrown into the mix at quarterback, and he’s just not ready for this. This team is just too young right now and cannot be trusted, and we just don’t see where more than maybe three wins are coming from.

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