Events Calendar
In This Section
Browns terminate Stallworth's contract
Colts kicker Matt Stover, 42, is oldest player in Super Bowl history
Browns, Dolphins make unusual trade
Holmgren dislikes quarterback battles
Cavs' hoops throw Bryant for a loop
Winfield won't let pain intercept playoff chance
NFL title games include several players with local ties
Most Read Stories
Man robbed at Tallmadge Avenue eatery
Another winter punch heading toward Ohio
Four teens restrain man, take items from his Akron home
Complaints against officer keep coming
Police: Ohio girl dies after fall into snow bank
Region makes way for latest batch of snow; cancellations rise
Cuyahoga Falls residents come home to find burning couch on balcony
Blogs:
First Bell - On Education:
No City of Akron basketball tonight
Pets:
Pet telethon re-airs
The Heldenfiles:
Chipmunks "Squeakquel" on DVD/BD March 30
Akron Zips:
Late surge gives Zips ugly road win
Tribe Matters:
Blogmail response on Hafner
Cleveland Browns:
Stallworth's contract terminated
Balanced Ledger:
QB in Browns future: another mock draft
Kent State Sports:
KSU Notes – February 9
Cleveland Cavaliers:
NBA Power Rankings from Around the Internet
Buckeye Blogging:
Buckeyes grab 18 players on signing day
Varsity Letters:
Garfield at Buchtel basketball
All Da King's Men:
Palin At The Tea Party Convention
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Republican Pre-Conditions
Akron Law Café:
Law, Love and Chocolate
Car Chase:
Collector Car Hobby Loses One of the Best—Jim Roll
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Decisions Decisions: Credit Cards or Your Mortgage?
Ohio Travels with Betty:
Loucile is looking for a Lake Erie getaway in June for three kids, ages 1, 3, and 5.
Sound Check:
Talk of the Town – Top entertainment picks for the weekend
HRLite House:
OFCCP Report
Akron Gamer:
Makers of 'Castle Crashers' unveil 'BattleBlock Theater'
See Jane Style:
Do IT this week: Layering
Published on Sunday, Nov 22, 2009
Browns at Lions
Time: 1 p.m. today.
Line: Lions by 31/2.
Notebook: This one has about as much pop as an open can of soda that's been sitting on the table all day. Two one-win teams with inept offenses meet. Time to flip a coin. It comes up heads and look, George Washington's mane looks sort of like a Lion's. So . . .
The pick: Lions 20, Browns 13.
Bills at Jaguars
Time: 1 p.m.
Line: Jaguars by 9.
Notebook: The Bills are unsettled (coach Dick Jauron was fired and quarterback Trent Edwards was benched for Ryan Fitzpatrick). There isn't much to look forward to for this outfit other than to see if Jairus Byrd can run his streak of games with an interception to six (the record is eight). Jacksonville loves to run (140.2 yards/game, No. 6 NFL) and faces the league's worst run defense. Look for big numbers from Jags RB Maurice Jones-Drew.
The pick: Jaguars 26, Bills 13.
Steelers at Chiefs
Time: 1 p.m.
Line: Steelers by 10.
Notebook: The Chiefs won last week, but that was at lowly Oakland and now receiver Dwayne Bowe is suspended. They face a Steelers team that is minus key safety Troy Polamalu (knee) but still has enough to contain a team that's 24th or worse in the major offensive stats and will be mad after losing to Cincy. Look for quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and company to feast on the mediocre Chiefs defense.
The pick: Steelers 27, Chiefs 13.
Colts at Ravens
Time: 1 p.m.
Line: Colts by 1.
Notebook: Indy is flying high after its miracle win last week over New England, with its last-minute touchdown after the Pats' failed attempt on fourth down from its own 28 with two minutes to go. Peyton Manning will move the ball on the middle-rung Baltimore pass defense.
The pick: Colts 23, Ravens 17.
Seahawks at Vikings
Time: 1 p.m.
Line: Vikings by 101/2.
Notebook: Seattle couldn't hold a 14-0 lead last week at Arizona and fell to 0-4 on the road. That's a bad sign against a team that's 4-0 at home. Seattle RB Julius Jones won't play (broken rib), and QB Matt Hasselbeck has a sore throwing shoulder. And its mediocre defense faces a Minny attack producing 30.1 points per game. Yikes.
The pick: Vikings 30, Seahawks 17.
Falcons at Giants
Time: 1 p.m.
Line: Giants by 61/2.
Notebook: Atlanta back Michael Turner has been a brute in recent weeks but probably won't play because of an ankle injury. That's a bad sign for a run-oriented club that's lost three out of four. The Jets also are reeling, having lost four in a row. But look for a focused effort vs. a foe that's 1-4 on the road.
The pick: Giants 27, Falcons 17.
49ers at Packers
Time: 1 p.m.
Line: Packers by 61/2.
Notebook: San Francisco had a lethargic offensive outing last week vs. Chicago yet won. Green Bay's defense was fired up last week vs. Dallas and if it has the same effort here, it will contain the mediocre 49ers attack. Look for Pack quarterback Aaron Rodgers to roll against a poor pass defense.
The pick: Packers 26, 49ers 17.
Redskins at Cowboys
Time: 1 p.m.
Line: Cowboys by 11.
Notebook: Washington finally eclipsed 17 points last week but will have trouble repeating because ailing RB Clinton Portis is out again. And Dallas will be buzzing. QB Tony Romo was sacked and hurried often and faces the NFL's top pass defense here, but 'Skins DE Albert Haynesworth (ankle) probably won't play.
The pick: Cowboys 24, Redskins 16.
Saints at Buccaneers
Time: 1 p.m.
Line: Saints by 111/2.
Notebook: New Orleans has struggled the last three weeks but remains undefeated. Tampa has been more competitive since Josh Freeman took over at QB two weeks ago but it's a tall order to expect him to produce enough points to keep pace with the NFL's top offense.
The pick: Saints 38, Buccaneers 17.
Cardinals at Rams
Time: 4:05 p.m.
Line: Cards by 9.
Notebook: Arizona tries to run its road record to 5-0 as QB Kurt Warner, who is having another standout year, comes back to his old St. Louis stomping grounds. He should find the Rams' weak defense to his liking and flourish. The Rams gave New Orleans a game last week, but can this bunch have back-to-back competitive outings vs. quality foes?
The pick: Cardinals 30, Rams 13.
Jets at Patriots
Time: 4:15 p.m.
Line: Pats by 101/2.
Notebook: New England tries to bounce back after its stunning loss in Indy and gets the perfect slot to rebound as NY has lost five out of six. Although NY is among the leaders in pass and total defense, Pats QB Tom Brady and company are at a high level now.
The pick: Pats 28, Jets 13.
Bengals at Raiders
Time: 4:15 p.m.
Line: Bengals by 91/2.
Notebook: This is a text-book letdown spot for Cincy, which was sky high last week as it won at Pittsburgh to take control of the AFC North. Are the Bengals good enough to avoid this trap, especially with RB Cedric Benson nursing a hip ailment that could sideline him? Oakland has benched QB JaMarcus Russell in favor of Bruce Gradkowski.
The pick: Bengals 17, Raiders 13.
Chargers at Broncos
Time: 4:15 p.m.
Line: Chargers by 3.
Notebook: On Oct. 19, Denver took a 31/2-game lead over San Diego in the AFC West by rolling in a head-to-head meeting. But the teams are tied as the Chargers have won their four games since, and the Broncos have lost three. Denver QB Kyle Orton nurses an ankle injury and might give way to Chris Simms. Still, Denver has the better defense.
The pick: Broncos 17, Chargers 16.
Eagles at Bears
Time: 8:30 p.m.
Line: Eagles by 3.
Notebook: Philly RB Brian Westbrook suffered another concussion last week and won't play, making pass-happy Philly even more reliant on QB Donovan McNabb and his wideouts. That plays into the Bears' hands — they're No. 12 vs. the pass, No. 21 vs. the run. The Bears' offense is pedestrian as QB Jay Cutler has been a major disappointment. Still, inconsistent Philly can't be trusted.
The pick: Bears 23, Eagles 20.
Titans at Texans
Time: 8:40 p.m. Monday
Line: Texans by 5.
Notebook: Tennessee won three in a row after an 0-6 start and sends NFL leading rusher Chris Johnson against a defense he ripped for 197 yards and two TDs in a 34-31 Houston victory in September. The Texans have won three out of four but their RBs have developed fumbilitis.
The pick: Titans 23, Texans 21.
Record: Last week: 8-7. Season: 91-53.
Vs. point spread: Last week: 7-8. Season: 74-68-2.
— By Dan Caesar,
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Browns at Lions
Get the full article here.
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