Mattie T’s Week 8 Predictions of the 2006 NFL Season

Last week was BRUTAL, so i’m hoping for a big turnaround this week.

Week 7: 4-9

Overall: 64-36 (.640)

vs.
Arizona Cardinals (1-6) vs. Green Bay Packers (2-4) from Lambeau Field in Green Bay, WI.

1:00 PM EST on FOX

Cardinals are 0-5 lifetime at Lambeau Field & have not won in Green Bay since 1949.

Mattie T’s Prediction: I think the Packers will win this one in a possible shootout.

Green Bay ranks dead list in pass defense (293 yards allowed per game), but Cardinals QB Matt Leinart hasn’t proven yet that he can perform well away from University of Phoenix Stadium.

In Leinart’s 2 home games, he has completed 46 of 77 pass attempts (59.7%) for 485 yards, 4 touchdowns & 1 interception. (QB Rating of 90.2)

In Leinart’s 2 road games, he has completed just 19 of 41 pass attempts (46.3%) for 257 yards, no touchdowns & 3 interceptions. (QB Rating of 39.7)

Arizona is trying to avoid losing 4 consecutive road games for the 4th straight season, while Green Bay is trying to avoid their first 0-4 start at Lambeau since 1968.

vs.
Atlanta Falcons (4-2) vs. Cincinnati Bengals (4-2) from Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, OH.

1:00 PM EST on FOX

Falcons have not won in Cincinnati since 1971.

Mattie T’s Prediction: I’m picking the Bengals to win in a shootout, as the return of WR Chris Henry should boost the Cincinnatti offense.

Bengals WR Chad Johnson (aka “Cinco Ocho”) could be in line for a huge game on Sunday.

He will mostly be matched up on Sunday against Falcons CB DeAngelo Hall, who claims to be “the best” cornerback in the NFL.

Just last Sunday, Hall & the Falcons defense were unable to stop Steelers WR Hines Ward.

Ward caught 8 receptions for 171 yards & 3 touchdowns during Atlanta’s 41-38 overtime win.

The Falcons also allowed 5 passing touchdowns combined from Ben Roethlisberger & Charlie Batch.

Cincinnati’s run defense does give up 127 yards per game on the ground, so Mike Vick & the Falcons offense should try to establish a strong running attack on Sunday.

vs.

Baltimore Ravens (4-2) vs. New Orleans Saints (5-1) from the Superdome in New Orleans, LA.

1:00 PM EST on CBS

New Orleans won last meeting 37-25 in 2002. Saints RB Deuce McAllister ran for 127 yards & 3 touchdowns during the win.

Mattie T’s Prediction: I’m picking the Saints to continue their strong play at home & improve to 4-0 at the Superdome.

Baltimore has AFC’s best run defense (71.2 yards allowed per game), so expect for Saints QB Drew Brees to set up a lot of screen plays between Deuce McAllister & Reggie Bush.

Ravens RB Jamal Lewis could be in line for a big day against the Saints’ shaky run defense (119.7 yards allowed per game), but Lewis has not rushed for 90 yards or more this season.

Ravens head coach Brian Billick will take over the offensive play-calling duties for the remainder of the season & will try to improve the NFL’s 28th ranked offense.

The Ravens fired Jim Fassel on October 17th after Baltimore’s 23-21 loss to Carolina.

vs.
Houston Texans (2-4) vs. Tennessee Titans (1-5) from LP Field in Nashville, TN.

1:00 PM EST on CBS

Titans have won 6 of previous 8 meetings.

Mattie T’s Prediction: I’m picking the Titans in a very close game, as Vince Young should prove to the Texans that they made a huge mistake passing him over in April’s NFL Draft.

This game could definitely turn into a shootout with the NFL’s 28th & 29th ranked defenses facing each other.

The Titans have the worst run defense in the NFL (164.5 yards allowed per game), so look for Texans RB Wali Lundy to have a big game on Sunday.

The Texans have the 2nd worst pass defense in the NFL (247.2 yards allowed per game), so look for Titans QB Vince Young to have his best game yet as a pro on Sunday.

Houston will try to snap a 10 game losing streak on the road.

vs.
Jacksonville Jaguars (3-3) vs. Philadelphia Eagles (4-3) from Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA.

1:00 PM EST on CBS

Jaguars have lost 8 of 10 previous road games against NFC opponents.

Mattie T’s Prediction: I’m picking the Eagles to win this game, as they should play with a lot of anger on Sunday after losing back-to-back games by time-expiring field goals.

Jaguars QB David Garrard will get the start for Byron Leftwich (ankle).

Garrard led the Jaguars to a 4-1 record late last season while Leftwich was recovering from a broken ankle. He completed 86 of 142 pass attempts (60.5%) for 1,002 yards, 4 touchdowns & 1 interception. (88.8 QB Rating)

The Eagles will welcome back WR Donte Stallworth on Sunday. Stallworth has missed the past 3 games with a hamstring injury.

In the two games before Stallworth got injured, he caught 11 receptions for 222 yards & 2 touchdowns.

vs.
Seattle Seahawks (4-2) vs. Kansas City Chiefs (3-3) from Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MO.

1:00 PM EST on FOX

Seahawks are 2-18 in their last 20 visits to Arrowhead Stadium.

Mattie T’s Prediction: I’m picking the Chiefs to win this one, but it could get turn into an ugly game if QB Damon Huard cannot go on Sunday.

Huard suffered a groin injury in practice on Thursday and may not play on Sunday.

Chiefs head coach Herman Edwards said that Huard will be a game-time decision.

If Huard cannot play, the Chiefs will be down to 1 active quarterback on their roster, which is rookie QB Brodie Croyle from Alabama.

Croyle has thrown 7 pass attempts in 2 games this season. He threw a pair of interceptions during Kansas City’s 45-7 loss to Pittsburgh in Week 6.
Croyle was selected by Kansas City in the 3rd round (21st pick) of April’s NFL Draft.

QB Trent Green will miss at least 2 more games and is targeting November 12th at Miami for his return.

If Croyle gets the start, expect a heavy dosage of carries from Chiefs RB Larry Johnson, who will go up against the Seahawks’ 8th ranked run defense. (92.2 yards allowed per game.)

However, the Seahawks did allow 169 yards last week to Vikings RB Chester Taylor, which included a 95 yard touchdown run in the third quarter.

Seahawks QB Seneca Wallace will get his first start of the season, replacing injured QB Matt Hasselbeck (knee) for the next 3 weeks.

Wallace has completed 28 of 52 pass attempts (53.8%) for 313 yards, 1 touchdown & 3 interceptions (QB Rating of 54.4) during his 2 years as Hasselbeck’s backup.

vs.
San Francisco 49ers (2-4) vs. Chicago Bears (6-0) from Soldier Field in Chicago, IL.

1:00 PM EST on FOX

Bears have won 9 straight home games, allowing less than 10 points in each contest.

Mattie T’s Prediction: I’m picking the Bears to win big on Sunday.

The Bears will go up against a 49ers defense that ranks last in the NFL in points allowed. (32.3 points per game)

The 49ers also rank 30th in pass defense, so look for Bears QB Rex Grossman to bounce back from his dismal Monday night outing against Arizona & have a big game on Sunday.

The Bears do have some defensive concerns. They lost S Mike Brown for the season on October 19th. (ligament damage in right foot)

Todd Johnson will replace Mike Brown’s spot at Strong Safety.

DE Adewale Ogunleye is questionable with a hamstring injury. Ogunleye has not played since Chicago’s 37-6 home win over Seattle in Week 4.

49ers Linebackers coach Mike Singletary will return to Chicago on Sunday to face his old team. Singletary is considered by many Bears fans as one of the best linebackers to ever play for their franchise.
vs.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-4) vs. N.Y. Giants (4-2) from Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ.

1:00 PM EST on FOX

Buccaneers are 1-5 all-time in road games against the Giants.

Mattie T’s Prediction: I’m picking the Giants to win this one, as we should see history in the making on Sunday.

Giants DE Michael Strahan enters Sunday’s game tied with legendary Giants LB Lawrence Taylor for the franchise’s all-time record with 132 and a half sacks.

A sack on Sunday will leave Strahan as the franchise’s all-time sacks leader.

He should have a good chance to do it against Buccaneers rookie QB Bruce Gradkowski, who has been sacked at least twice in the team’s last 3 games.

The Buccaneers will try to pull off a third straight upset after beating Cincinnati & Philadelphia at home over the past 2 weeks.

Tampa Bay sports the NFL’s 30th ranked run defense (152.3 yards allowed per game) so Giants RB Tiki Barber could be in for a huge day offensively.

The NFL’s rushing leader has been in a recent war of words with ESPN analysts Michael Irvin & Tom Jackson after the two criticized Barber for announcing his retirement quickly.

On Tuesday night during Tiki Barber’s Sirius Satellite Radio show “The Barber Shop”, Barber called Irvin & Jackson “idiots” for publicly criticizing him during the Giants’ Monday night victory vs. the Cowboys on ESPN.

Barber also added Irvin to “Please get a clue about how to be a journalist.”

On Friday, Irvin & Jackson fired back at Barber.

Michael Irvin on Barber’s comments:

“It (the news of Barber’s retirement decision) kills his ability to lead,” Irvin told The Post. “He is the leader of that football team. If I am a young guy and we are in a battle and we are banging heads and we are fighting. I’m out there getting hit and being hit and we are in a tough spot in a football game.

“If I am in the line of battle and Tiki comes to me and says, ‘Come on, give me what you have!’ I’m going to look at him and say, ‘Aww, shut up. What are you talking about? You are quitting on us.’ This stuff will come out on the sideline.”

Tom Jackson on Barber’s comments:

“I thought that the name-calling seemed a bit unnecessary.” “I was asked an opinion about a subject, just the way he is often asked an opinion about a myriad of topics, a plethora of things,” Jackson told The Post.

“I’m assuming that often times that when he gives those opinions that he has not spoken directly to the people he is talking about because some of those opinions include the President of the United States, the Secretary of State, senators, governors, movies, books, I’m assuming he hasn’t spoken to all those people before he gives those opinions. His opinion is no less valid. It is an opinion. That’s all.”

Even Ronde Barber is supportive of his twin brother’s retirement decision.
“Would you want to get beat up for $5 million or go on TV for $5 million?” the Bucs’ cornerback said.

“Football’s a young man’s game. He felt like he could play five more years, but he’d just had enough.”

This will most likely be the final meeting between twin brothers Ronde & Tiki Barber.

Ronde’s Buccaneers hold a 3-1 edge over Tiki’s Giants since the twin brothers entered the NFL in 1997.

In the previous meeting between the twin brothers in November of 2003, Tiki ran for 55 yards on 13 carries and caught 5 passes for 34 yards.

Ronde recorded 3 tackles and an assist.

Tampa Bay won the game 19-13.

vs.
St. Louis Rams (4-2) vs. San Diego Chargers (4-2) from Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, CA.

4:05 PM EST on FOX

Rams lead all-time series 5-3 & will make their first trip to San Diego since November of ‘94.
Mattie T’s Prediction: I’m picking the Chargers to win in a shootout.

This game will feature San Diego’s #2 ranked offense (29.7 points per game) & St. Louis’ #9 ranked offense (23.2 points per game).

Rams RB Steven Jackson will attempt to score his first rushing touchdown away from the Edward Jones Dome this season. Jackson is 6th in the NFL with 521 rushing yards.

This game will also feature the Rams’ 4th ranked pass offense (247 yards per game) against the Chargers’ 2nd ranked pass defense (159.2 yards allowed per game)

Chargers LB Shawne Merriman will be available to play Sunday as he appeals his penalty.

The 2005 Defensive Rookie of the Year was suspended on Monday by the NFL for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy.

Merriman apologized to the Chargers “For this being a distraction, especially the critical time we’re going through as a team” after Monday’s practice.

Merriman also added:

“Hopefully, nobody makes any kind of judgment or anything that basically makes me guilty for anything, because nothing has been done wrong on my part.”

vs.
Indianapolis Colts (6-0) vs. Denver Broncos (5-1) from Invesco Field in Denver, CO.

4:15 PM EST on CBS

Broncos have won last 2 regular season meetings.

Colts QB Peyton Manning has not thrown a touchdown pass in his 2 career games at Invesco Field.

Mattie T’s Prediction: I’m picking the Broncos to win a very close game & hand the Colts their first loss of the season.

Indianapolis sports the NFL’s 31st ranked run defense (158 yards allowed per game), so expect a huge game out of Broncos RB Tatum Bell. (3rd in NFL with 585 rushing yards)

Denver’s top-ranked defense will be put to test against Indianapolis’ 4th ranked offense.
The Broncos have held opponents to single digits during their 5 game win streak.

The Colts will be missing several players on defense for Sunday’s game.

S Mike Doss tore his ACL during the Colts’ 36-22 win over the Redskins & will miss the rest of the season.

Pro-Bowl S Bob Sanders is doubtful for Sunday’s game with a knee injury. Sanders has missed Indianapolis’ last 4 games & has not played since their Week 2 win over Houston.

Backup DT Montae Reagor was ruled inactive on Monday by Colts head coach Tony Dungy. Reagor is still recovering from a head injury that was suffered in a car accident last weekend on Reagor’s way to the Colts’ home game against the Redskins.

Colts DT Corey Simon remains sidelined & will miss the remainder of the season with an undisclosed illness.

The Colts are citing federal privacy laws for not disclosing the nature of Simon’s illness.

The NFL Players Association recently filed a grievance with the league on behalf of Simon.

The Colts said two weeks ago that the illness was not football-related and that Simon would not be paid the rest of his 2006 salary, about $2 million.

Denver also handed Baltimore their first loss of the season during their 13-3 win in Week 4, also played at Invesco Field.

vs.
N.Y. Jets (4-3) vs. Cleveland Browns (1-5) from Cleveland Browns Stadium in Cleveland, OH.

4:15 PM EST on CBS

Browns are 4-11 at home against AFC East opponents since 1990.

Mattie T’s Prediction: I’m picking the Jets to win on Sunday & continue one of the NFL’s best surprises for 2006.

The Jets have been involved in a lot of close games this season. 6 of their 7 games have been decided by 8 points or less.

This game will feature the NFL’s 28th (Jets) & 29th (Browns) ranked run defenses, so expect big games out of Jets RB Leon Washington & Browns RB Reuben Droughns.

For the Browns to record an upset on Sunday, they’ll have to score some points under new offensive coordinator Jeff Davidson.

Davidson is replacing Maurice Carthon as the Browns’ new offensive coordinator after Carthon resigned on Tuesday following Cleveland’s 17-7 home loss to Denver in Week 7.

In their only win, the Browns ave averaging 24 points a game.

In their 5 losses, the Browns ave averaging 14.7 points per game.

Sunday’s game will reunite head coaches & good friends Eric Mangini & Romeo Crennel.

The two started out as assistants for the New York Jets from ‘97-99 & have kept in touch ever since.

Mangini was the defensive backs coach in 2001 for the New England Patriots when Crennel was hired as the team’s defensive coordinator.

The New England Patriots won Super Bowl XXXVI over the St. Louis Rams in their first full season together.

Now they’ll oppose eachother on the sidelines Sunday for the first time ever.

vs.
Pittsburgh Steelers (2-4) vs. Oakland Raiders (1-5) from McAfee Coliseum in Oakland, CA.

4:15 PM EST on CBS

Steelers have won 5 of previous 6 meetings.

Mattie T’s Prediction: I’m picking the Steelers to record a critical win on Sunday & avoid dropping into a disappointing 2-5 hole.

Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger is questionable (concussion) and wants to play Sunday.

“I’m going to try and play (on Sunday),” Roethlisberger said. “I feel with the help of the medical staff here I can be ready to go.”

“Hopefully, I can convince him (Cowher) to let me play,” Roethlisberger said after Wednesday’s practice.

Roethlisberger has thrown 5 touchdown passes in his last 2 games after throwing 7 interceptions in his first 3 games of the season.

If Roethlisberger cannot go on Sunday, backup QB Charlie Batch will get his second start of the season.

Batch has played very well so far this season for the Steelers, completing 24 of 39 pass attempts (61.5%) for 410 yards, 5 touchdowns & no interceptions. (QB Rating of 136.8)

Roethlisberger was knocked out of Pittsburgh’s Week 7 overtime loss to Atlanta after he was hit in the head by Falcons DE Chauncey Davis in the third quarter.

Roethlisberger said on Wednesday said a Falcons defensive player taunted him about his surgically repaired face before sacking him — the play in which the Super Bowl-winning quarterback received a concussion.

Asked to identify the player, Roethlisberger said, “I’ll remember his number.”

Steelers DL Casey Hampton also said that Falcons G Tyson Clabo intentionally tried to hurt him with a block to the back of his legs.

“I can’t tell you what I told him but it was all dirty, man,” Hampton said. “That’s like you have no respect for the game. You’re just out there trying to hurt somebody and I’m out there trying to make a living. I was real, real mad and I let him know I was real mad, too.”

Raiders WR Jerry Porter was reinstated to the team earlier this week after serving 2 games of his suspension.

Raiders head coach Art Shell said he planned to talk to Porter upon his return to the team, but would not commit to using him in a game for the first time this season.

“He’ll have to come back and work, abide by the rules and regulations that this team is under,” Shell said. “Everybody on this team is under the same umbrella. We all have certain rules and guidelines that we have to abide by. I expect that he will do that. … You can’t have insubordination and those types things. They are uncalled for and won’t be accepted.”

Pittsburgh could commit to the run this week against Oakland’s 26th ranked run defense. (132.5 yards allowed per game)

With that being said, expect a big game out of Steelers RB Willie Parker. (5th in AFC with 481 rushing yards)
vs.
Dallas Cowboys (3-3) vs. Carolina Panthers (4-3) from Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.

8:15 PM EST on NBC

Cowboys have won last 5 regular season meetings.

Mattie T’s Prediction: I’m picking the Panthers to win at home in a game that will feature the first career start for Cowboys QB Tony Romo.

Romo played the entire 2nd half during Dallas’ 36-22 loss to the N.Y. Giants on Monday Night Football, replacing starter Drew Bledsoe.
The 2nd year QB from Eastern Illinois finished the game completing 14 of 25 pass attempts for 227 yards, 2 touchdowns & 3 interceptions (Romo’s third interception was a goal-line pick that was returned 96 yards for a touchdown.)

With Romo now under center, TE Jason Witten & WR Terrell Owens should become bigger parts of the Cowboys offense.

2 of the 3 touchdown passes Romo has thrown this season have gone to Owens, while Witten had his most productive game of the season on Monday, catching 4 receptions for 72 yards.

Owens is happy with the change at quarterback, also adding that there’s better chemistry with Romo than the recently benched Bledsoe.

“I honestly tried to do that time and time again,” Owens said about developing a bond with the former starter. “But for whatever reason it didn’t happen.”

The Cowboys have had big secondary problems in their previous 2 losses to Philadelphia & N.Y. Giants (gave up TD passes of 87, 40 & 50 yards) and Sunday’s game shouldn’t fare any better with the Panthers’ talented WR duo of Steve Smith and Keyshawn Johnson.

Smith has been sensational since returning from his hamstring injury in Week 3, hauling in 39 receptions (5th in NFL) for 576 yards (3rd in NFL) & 2 touchdowns, giving him an average of 115.2 yards per game (leads NFL & is only receiver in league that is averaging over 100 yards per game)

Smith has some help this year at WR with Keyshawn Johnson. The former Cowboy has caught 36 receptions this season for 460 yards & 2 touchdowns.

Johnson has already surpassed the numbers from Carolina’s #2 WR during the entire 2005 season (Ricky Proehl), who caught 25 receptions for 441 yards & 4 touchdowns.

Romo will be tested against a Carolina defensive line that is led by DE Julius Peppers, who leads the NFL with 8.0 sacks.

vs.
New England Patriots (5-1) vs. Minnesota Vikings (4-2) from the Metrodome in Minneapolis, MN.

8:30 PM EST on ESPN

Patriots have won 18 of last 21 games against NFC, however the Vikings have won their last 4 home games on Monday Night Football.

Mattie T’s Prediction: I’m picking the Vikings in an upset as their “underrated” defense should rattle the Patriots offense all game long.

The Vikings defense has returned 6 turnovers for touchdowns, which leads the NFL. They also have the NFL’s top-ranked run defense (70.8 yards allowed per game), so don’t expect any big games out of Patriots RB’s Corey Dillon & Lawrence Maroney.

Vikings RB Chester Taylor is on pace for a career season. Taylor is 2nd in the NFL with 590 yards rushing and is on pace to shatter his previous high of 714 yards in ‘04 with Baltimore.

Bye week:

Mattie T

Sports Writer for BMS Radio Chicago

www.bmsradio.com & myspace.com/bmsradiosports