Mattie T’s Week 11 Predictions of the 2007 NFL Season

Week 10: 7-7

Overall: 92-52 (.639)

vs.
(5-4) Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. (3-6) Atlanta Falcons from Georgia Dome in Atlanta, GA.

12:00 PM CST on

Did you know? Tampa Bay is 6-12 all time following a bye week.

Falcons QB Joey Harrington recorded a 106.6 passer rating during the team’s Week 10 win over Carolina. Harrington is now 7-2 as a starter during his career when his passer rating is at 100 or higher.

Falcons RB Warrick Dunn needs 58 yards on Sunday to become the 22nd player in NFL History with 10,000 career rushing yards.

Falcons TE Alge Crumpler caught the game-winning touchdown pass in Week 10 & has 32 receiving touchdowns for his career. Atlanta is 19-9 all-time when Crumpler has at least 1 touchdown catch.

Buccaneers RB Earnest Graham rushed for a career-high 124 yards during the team’s Week 9 win over Arizona & has averaged 134 yards from scrimmage over his last 3 games, which is the 2nd highest total in the NFL.

Buccaneers WR Joey Galloway is averaging 51.4 yards per touchdown catch this season, which is the highest total among all players with 3 touchdowns or more in 2007.

Mattie T’s Prediction:

Dare i say it, a 3 game winning streak for the Falcons without Michael Vick?

It could happen on Sunday. Tampa Bay has not fared well on the road this season, sporting a 1-3 record & scoring just 30 points over their last 2 contests away from Raymond James Stadium.

4 of Atlanta’s last 5 games have been decided by 7 points or less, so i think the Falcons are battle tested should this game go down to the wire.

I’m going with the upset here & picking Atlanta to win.

vs.
(5-4) Cleveland Browns vs. (4-5) Baltimore Ravens from M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, MD.

12:00 PM CST on

Did you know? Baltimore has won the last 4 home meetings.

Ravens QB Steve McNair will miss the next 2-3 weeks with a shoulder injury. Baltimore has averaged just 13.6 PPG when McNair has been under center this season. (2-4 record)

Ravens QB Kyle Boller will get the start on Sunday. Baltimore has averaged 18.7 PPG when Boller has been under center this season. (2-1 record)

Ravens RB Willis McGahee has rushed for over 100 yards in each of his 2 previous meetings against Cleveland & has a rushing touchdown in each of his last 4 games after failing to record one over the first 5 games of the season.

Ravens S Ed Reed has 6 career interceptions against Cleveland, his highest total against any opposing team in the NFL.

Browns WR Braylon Edwards caught his 10th touchdown reception of the season during the team’s Week 10 loss to Pittsburgh, which now surpasses his combined touchdown total over the past 2 seasons.

Mattie T’s Prediction:

Baltimore is turning to Kyle Boller to try & avoid having a 4 game skid for the 1st time in nearly 2 years.

Boller has led the Ravens to a winning record this season when he starts, but the combined records of the 2 teams (Jets & Rams) he has beaten are 2-16.

Boller might provide some spark to a lifeless Baltimore offense, but it won’t be enough to beat a Cleveland team who has been 1 of the NFL’s biggest surprises this season. Should also be an emotional return for Jamal Lewis, who spent 6 seasons with the Ravens.

I like Cleveland to win this one.

vs.
(4-5) Arizona Cardinals vs. (3-6) Cincinnati Bengals from Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, OH.

12:00 PM CST on

Did you know? Arizona has lost 8 of their last 9 games to NFC opponents.

Bengals K Shayne Graham accounted for all 21 of Cincinnati’s points during the team’s Week 10 win over Baltimore with 7 made field goals, setting a new franchise record.

Graham now has 19 field goals on the season, which ranks 2nd in the NFL only behind Tennessee’s Rob Bironas, who has 22.

Bengals CB Leon Hall leads all AFC rookies with 4 interceptions & has recorded a takeaway in each of the last 2 games.

Mattie T’s Prediction:

This is a game that the Bengals can win.

Arizona has not been traditionally known as a good road team (1-4 on the road this season, only win was against the 1-8 Rams) & has some secondary issues heading into Sunday’s game.

Eric Green injured his ankle during practice & might join Pro Bowler Adrian Wilson on the inactive list for this one. That is not good news since the Bengals now have Chris Henry back as the team’s 3rd wide receiver to compliment Chad Johnson & T.J. Houshmandzadeh.

Oddly enough, the Bengals won last week without a touchdown pass from Carson Palmer. The only other time that has happened in Palmer’s 4 year career was during last season’s Week 1 win over Kansas City.

I’m picking Cincinnati to win this game.

vs.
(4-5) Carolina Panthers vs. (8-1) Green Bay Packers from Lambeau Field in Green Bay, WI.

12:00 PM CST on

Did you know? Green Bay has won 6 of the 9 career meetings.

With a win on Sunday, Packers QB Brett Favre will start 9-1 for the first time in his 16 year career.

Favre also needs 300 passing yards or more on Sunday to tie a career high with the most 300 yard passing games in a single season with 7.

Packers WR Donald Driver has at least 1 reception over his last 89 games, which is the 2nd longest streak in franchise history.

If Panthers QB Vinny Testaverde (44 years & 5 days old) gets the start on Sunday, he & Favre (38 years & 39 days old) will become the NFL’s oldest starting quarterback duo in league history.

Panthers DE Julius Peppers has just 1.5 sacks this season after recording 11.5 sacks at the 9-game mark through 2006.

Mattie T’s Prediction:

The Packers are rollin’ & will look to record their first 5 game winning streak of the season on Sunday.

Green Bay might have finally found an answer to their run offense (32nd in NFL, averaging 77.4 YPG) with Ryan Grant, who rushed for 119 yards against Minnesota’s 3rd ranked run defense in Week 10.

This along with a rejuvenated Brett Favre (leads NFL with 2,757 passing yards & 5th with 96.2 rating) should take Green Bay very deep into the playoffs.

But first things first. Carolina shouldn’t really be viewed as a serious threat to beat Green Bay since their offense has struggled as of late, scoring just 27 points over their last 3 games. (all losses)

The Panthers have not done a good job pressuring the opposing team’s quarterback (9.0 sacks this season), so Brett Favre could be in for yet another big afternoon on Sunday.

I like Green Bay in this one.

vs.
(4-5) New Orleans Saints vs. (4-5) Houston Texans from Reliant Stadium in Houston, TX.

12:00 PM CST on

Did you know? Houston is 1-4 all-time following a bye week.

Saints RB Reggie Bush had 5 receptions during the team’s Week 10 loss to St. Louis & now has 143 receptions since 2006, which is the highest total by any running back in the league.

Saints WR Marques Colston has 26 catches for 373 yards in his last 3 games.

Texans RB Ron Dayne rushed for a season-high 122 yards during the team’s Week 9 win over Oakland. Dayne has never lost a game in his 7 year career (4-0) when he tops the century mark.

Mattie T’s Prediction:

New Orleans’ resurrection was pushed to a halt last weekend, thanks to an 37 point outburst by a previously winless St. Louis team ON THE ROAD!

While the Saints did impress many by winning 4 straight, i have to point out that only 1 of those wins were against a remotely good team & that was Jacksonville, who had some major QB issues with Quinn Gray behind center.

I like Houston’s chances on Sunday. For the 1st time since Week 2, their main 3 offensive playmakers (Matt Schaub, Ahman Green & Andre Johnson) are healthy & ready to go after the team’s Week 10 bye.

Andre Johnson could have a strong finish if he & Matt Schaub connects the same way they did at the start of the season. In Johnson’s first 2 games, he combined to catch 14 receptions for 262 yards & hauled in 3 touchdowns while Houston scored 54 points on offense. (both wins)

Johnson has never had three straight 100 yard games in his career. He will after Sunday.

I like for Houston to win this game.

vs.
(4-5) Kansas City Chiefs vs. (7-2) Indianapolis Colts from RCA Dome in Indianapolis, IN.

12:00 PM CST on

Did you know? Colts QB Peyton Manning threw for a career-high 472 yards in his last regular-season meeting against Kansas City on Halloween night in 2004.

Chiefs QB Brodie Croyle will make the 1st start of his NFL career on Sunday. In limited action this season, Croyle has completed 27 of 47 pass attempts for 300 yards, 1 touchdown & 1 interception. (74.8 QB Rating)

Chiefs RB Priest Holmes will start for the 2nd time this season & has averaged 100.3 YPG & scored 5 rushing touchdowns in 3 career games against Indianapolis.

Colts QB Peyton Manning threw a career-high 6 interceptions during the team’s Week 10 loss to San Diego.

The last quarterback to throw 6 interceptions in a regular-season game was Chris Chandler in 2004 as a member of the Rams.

Colts DE Dwight Freeney will miss the remainder of the season with a foot injury.

Indianapolis signed veteran DE Simeon Rice, who will reunite with head coach Tony Dungy. The twosome spent 1 season together with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2001.

Mattie T’s Prediction:

The Colts are suffering so many injuries that their chances of a Super Bowl repeat are starting to look very slim.

But Indianapolis hasn’t lost back-to-back home games since 2001 & as long as Peyton Manning is behind center, he’ll always give them a chance to win.

The only way Kansas City wins this game is if they get a strong run game going from Priest Holmes. This will be important, because Brodie Croyle will most likely have a tough time moving the ball against Indianapolis’ 2nd ranked pass defense (allowing 164.6 YPG).

I like Indianapolis in this one.

vs.
(5-4) San Diego Chargers vs. (6-3) Jacksonville Jaguars from Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, FL.

12:00 PM CST on

Did you know? San Diego won the last meeting in October of 2004.

Jaguars QB David Garrard (ankle) will start on Sunday after missing the last 3 games. Garrard will be facing the NFL’s best secondary, which has 17 interceptions on the season, which is tops in football.

However, Garrard hasn’t thrown an interception this season & hasn’t thrown a pick since Christmas Eve of 2006 against Kansas City.

Chargers RB LaDainian Tomlinson needs 91 yards on Sunday to become the 21st player in league history to reach 10,000 rushing yards for his career.

Chargers CB Antonio Cromartie become only the 2nd player in league history to intercept Peyton Manning 3 times during a game.

The other is Ty Law, who also picked off Manning 3 times as a member of the Patriots during the 2003 AFC Championship game.

Jaguars RB’s Maurice Jones-Drew (536 yards) & Fred Taylor (519 yards) are only 1 of 2 teams in all of football that has a pair of 500+ yard rushers.

Mattie T’s Prediction:

This Jacksonville team is hard to figure out. Every week i predict them to win, they let me down & every week i predict them to lose, they prove me wrong!

I think the Jaguars will be much delighted to return home after a long 3 week road trip that actually produced a winning record without Garrard. Jacksonville’s schedule does get tougher down the stretch, but as long as Garrard is playing mistake-free football, the run game remains strong & the defense stays healthy, this should be a playoff team.

Now for Sunday’s game. The ultimate matchup will be LaDainian Tomlinson against that stingy Jaguars run defense, which will ultimately decide who wins. It will also be interesting to see if San Diego’s run defense can stop the combination of Maurice Jones-Drew & Fred Taylor.

This should be a close & entertaining game, but San Diego is lucky enough to even be in 1st place in what has been a very mediocre AFC West division this season.

I like for Jacksonville to win this one.

vs.
(2-7) Oakland Raiders vs. (3-6) Minnesota Vikings from Metrodome in Minneapolis, MN.

12:00 PM CST on

Did you know? Oakland has won 9 of the 12 all-time meetings.

Raiders QB Daunte Culpepper will start on Sunday & will make his 1st visit to the Metrdome as a member of the opposing team.

Culpepper spent his first 7 seasons in Minnesota & threw for 18,598 yards & 129 touchdowns.

Raiders K Sebastian Janikowski has recorded 17 touchbacks this season, which leads the NFL.

Vikings RB Adrian Peterson (leads NFL with 1,081 rushing yards) will miss Sunday’s game with a knee injury.

Chester Taylor will start for the 1st time since Week 7 & will face Oakland’s 29th ranked run defense (allowing 144.2 YPG)

Vikings QB Tarvaris Jackson will start on Sunday & Minnesota is 3-2 this season under Jackson.

Mattie T’s Prediction:

There’s a lot of incentive for Daunte Culpepper to have a big game on Sunday against his former team, but is Culpepper the answer to an offense that has scored 56 points over the last 5 games?

Minnesota has to be steaming mad about the way they played last weekend in Green Bay. Ryan Grant ran all over them & they’ll be determined not to let Justin Fargas, Lamont Jordan & even Culpepper do the same.

Most teams would take a serious blow when losing their top rusher, but not the Vikings. Chester Taylor is more than capable of filling the slack for an injured Adrian Peterson & is just 1 year removed from a career high 1,216 rushing yards.

That proves to me that Steve Hutchison is the best left guard in all of football.

Anyways, i like for Minnesota to win this game.

vs.
(0-9) Miami Dolphins vs. (4-5) Philadelphia Eagles from Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA.

12:00 PM CST on

Did you know? Miami has won 6 of their last 9 road games against NFC opponents.

Eagles QB Donovan McNabb threw for 251 yards & 4 touchdowns during the team’s Week 10 win over Washington for a 138.5 QB Rating. Philadelphia has won 12 straight games & is 35-2 all-time when McNabb posts a QB Rating of 100 or better.

Eagles RB Brian Westbrook recorded his 12th career 100 yard game during Week 10 against Washington.

Westbrook has 1,219 yards from scrimmage this season, which ranks 2nd only trailing Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson, who has 1,301.

Ricky Williams has been reinstated by the NFL & can begin practicing with the Dolphins, but is not eligible to play until Week 13 against Pittsburgh.

Mattie T’s Prediction:

For some reason, i think Miami can win this game.

Rookie QB John Beck is set to make his 1st career NFL start on Sunday & hopes to follow in the footsteps of Bruce Gradkowski & Vince Young, who were both rookies in 2006.
What do Gradkowski & Young have in common? They both beat the Eagles during their rookie seasons.

Miami is not as bad as their record indicates. 5 of their 9 losses have been decided by exactly 3 points, including their last two.

Donovan McNabb will be tested by both Miami’s pass defense (5th in NFL allowing 184.6 YPG) & Jason Taylor, who is still one of the best pass-rushers in football.

If the Dolphins can stop the run (30th in NFL allowing 149.7 YPG), then Cam Cameron’s team will finally notch that first win of the season.

Plus, the Rams were able to stop their winless streak on the road last week by lighting up a Saints team that made the playoffs in ‘06.

Get my drift?

Here’s my upset special! I’m taking Miami in this one.

vs.
(6-3) N.Y. Giants vs. (6-3) Detroit Lions from Ford Field in Detroit, MI.

12:00 PM CST on

Did you know? Detroit has won the last 2 meetings.

Giants QB Eli Manning threw 2 interceptions during the team’s Week 10 loss to Dallas. The Giants are now 6-10 all-time when Manning throws 2 or more interceptions in a game.

Giants RB Brandon Jacobs has averaged 103.8 YPG since returning from a knee injury in Week 5 & also has three 100 yard games during that timeframe.

Lions QB Jon Kitna threw 2 interceptions during the team’s Week 10 loss to Arizona. Detroit is 4-0 this season when Kitna has no interceptions & 2-3 when Kitna has thrown 1 or more interception.

Mattie T’s Prediction:

This is a big game for both teams, as the winner will most likely be in the driver’s seat to clinch 1 of 2 Wild Card spots in the NFC.

Even though Detroit has played well at home this season, the only team they have beaten with a winning record was Tampa Bay, who currently sits at 5-4.

The Lions will have to provide top-notch pass protection all game for Jon Kitna, who has been sacked a league-high 37 times this season.

That could spell trouble against a ferocious Giants pass rush led by Osi Umenyiora & Michael Strahan, who lead the NFL with 31 sacks.

Both teams have decent run defenses, but Eli Manning should be able to exploit Detroit’s 30th ranked pass defense (allowing 256.7 YPG).

I’m taking the N.Y. Giants in this one.

vs.
(7-2) Pittsburgh Steelers vs. (1-8) N.Y. Jets from Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.

3:05 PM CST on

Did you know? Pittsburgh has won 16 of the 18 all-time meetings.

Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger threw 2 touchdown passes during the team’s Week 10 win over Cleveland & now has thrown at least 1 touchdown pass over his last 14 games, which is currently the longest streak in the NFL.

Steelers WR Hines Ward (62 career touchdown grabs) needs 1 touchdown catch on Sunday to tie John Stallworth for the most touchdown receptions in franchise history.

Mattie T’s Prediction:

On paper, it looks like a blowout. But i think the Jets could hang around for awhile if Leon Washington is able to provide some electric kickoff & punt returns against a Steelers’ special teams unit that is ranked 27th in the league & gave up an 100 yard kickoff return to Cleveland’s Joshua Cribbs during Week 10.

But the Jets have done a poor job of pressuring the opposing team’s quarterback, so look for the Steelers’ offense to put up a lot of points on Sunday.

I’m taking Pittsburgh in blowout fashion.

vs.
(5-4) Washington Redskins vs. (8-1) Dallas Cowboys from Texas Stadium in Irving, TX.

3:15 PM CST on

Did you know? Washington has won 3 of the last 4 meetings.

Redskins RB Clinton Portis has rushed for 333 yards & 5 yards per carry in his last 2 games.

Cowboys QB Tony Romo currently ranks 3rd in the NFL with a 103.3 QB rating.

Romo has the chance to surpass Roger Staubach (104.8 rating in ‘71) with the highest single-season QB rating in franchise history.

Cowboys WR Terrell Owens has three straight 100 yard receiving games, but has never gone over the century mark in 8 career meetings against Washington.

Mattie T’s Prediction:

Dallas has been lighting up the rest of the NFC East this season (3-0 record & averaging 38 PPG), which should continue with great success on Sunday.

Washington picked a bad time to lose Sean Taylor, who will miss at least 2 weeks with a knee injury that was suffered during the team’s Week 10 loss to Philadelphia.

With a big showdown looming next week against Green Bay, Wade Phillps will make sure his team isn’t looking too far ahead down the road.

I like for Dallas to win this game big.

vs.
(1-8) St. Louis Rams vs. (2-7) San Francisco 49ers from Monster Park in San Francisco, CA.

3:15 PM CST on

Did you know? San Francisco has won 4 of the last 5 meetings. R

Rams RB Steven Jackson joined the Bills’ Marshawn Lynch during Week 10 as the only 2 players this season to record both a rushing & passing touchdown in the same game.

Rams QB Marc Bulger recorded a 125 QB Rating during the team’s Week 10 win over New Orleans. St. Louis is now 5-1 all-time when Bulger’s rating is 125 or higher.

49ers RB Frank Gore has 6 career rushing touchdowns against St. Louis & just 8 against the rest of the league.

Mattie T’s Prediction:

Since the 49ers beat the Rams in Week 2, Mike Nolan’s team has been mired in a 7 game losing streak.

A big reason for this is due to their anemic offense, who ranks last in the NFL in both TOP (25:57) & points per game (11.6)

Although the Rams are struggling defensively (29th in NFL, allowing 27.6 PPG), i don’t know if the 49ers’ offense will be able to break out of their season-long slump.

Remember how the signing of Nate Clements (who is currently the NFL’s highest-paid cornerback) was supposed to boost their secondary? Well, San Francisco has only recorded 6 interceptions all season, which is the 2nd lowest total in football.

Look for Marc Bulger to have another big game on Sunday.

I like for St. Louis to win this game.

vs.
(4-5) Chicago Bears vs. (5-4) Seattle Seahawks from Qwest Field in Seattle, WA.

3:15 PM CST on

Did you know? Seattle has won 6 of the 10 all-time meetings.

Bears QB Rex Grossman will start on Sunday for the 1st time since Week 3 against Dallas, replacing an injured Brian Griese (shoulder).

Seahawks RB Maurice Morris rushed for 87 yards on 28 carries & scored a touchdown during the team’s Week 10 win over San Francisco & should start on Sunday for an injured Shaun Alexander (knee).

Mattie T’s Prediction:

As a Bears fan, i can’t get too excited about the team allowing a season-low 6 points to a Raider team that has really struggled on offense over the past 5 weeks.

Let’s be real here. Chicago hasn’t won 2 in a row since the NFC playoffs back in January & has been very inconsistent all season long.

I don’t know if Rex Grossman’s return to the starting lineup is a good or bad thing. After all, the Bears have lost 3 of Grossman’s last 4 starts & Rex has yet to deliver a good game this season.

Grossman might have to carry the Bears on Sunday with their anemic run offense, which is led by Cedric Benson.

Seattle has had problems with their run offense as well, but have a much more established group of wide receivers & should get former Super Bowl MVP Deion Branch back on Sunday.

This should be a good close game, but at the end i think the Seahawks will have a little more firepower offensively than the Bears, unless Devin Hester is able to provide some magic either on offense or special teams.

I like for Seattle to win here.

vs.
(9-0) New England Patriots vs. (5-4) Buffalo Bills from Ralph Wilson Stadium in Buffalo, NY.

7:15 PM CST.

Did you know? New England has won the last 8 meetings.

Bills RB Marshawn Lynch has rushed for 751 of the team’s 941 yards this season & has all six of their rushing touchdowns.

Bills WR Lee Evans has 2 of Buffalo’s 4 receiving touchdowns this season, which is tied for last in the NFL.

Patriots WR Randy Moss has 12 of New England’s 33 receiving touchdowns this season, which leads the NFL.

Moss needs 76 yards on Sunday to record his 8th career 1,000 yard receiving season, which would tie him alongside 5 other players for the 3rd highest total in NFL history.

Mattie T’s Prediction:

Sunday’s game will feature the AFC’s longest winning streaks of the season. The Bills will try & use some of the same success they had against Cowboys QB Tony Romo, who threw a season-high 5 interceptions against a Bills’ pass defense that was ranked 31st in the NFL.

But Tom Brady has 10 more touchdowns than Romo & 7 fewer interceptions. Ironically, this will be the 4th straight season that Brady will face Buffalo after a bye week & has put up some pretty good numbers against them. (49-78 with 692 passing yards, 5 touchdowns & no interceptions)

With Marshawn Lynch (ankle) doubtful for Sunday’s game, it’s going to be hard for the Bills to put together any type of consistent drives without a good run offense.

I can see why NBC decided to flex schedule this matchup, but they will regret their decision by the end of the night.

I’m picking New England to win in a blowout.

vs.
(6-3) Tennessee Titans vs. (4-5) Denver Broncos from Invesco Field in Denver, CO.

7:30 PM CST.

Did you know? Denver won the last meeting on Christmas night in 2004.

Broncos RB Selvin Young rushed for 108 yards during the team’s Week 10 win over Kansas City & is the 9th different running back in team history to reach the century mark since 2001, which leads the NFL.

After recording 3 straight 100 yard games, Titans RB LenDale White rushed 8 times for only 12 yards during the team’s Week 10 loss to Jacksonville.

Mattie T’s Prediction:

The chances of Denver winning this game lies on the health of Albert Haynesworth (hamstring), who was inactive for Week 10 & had to watch Jacksonville run all over Tennessee for 166 rushing yards.

With a pair of young but erractic quarterbacks under center for both teams (Vince Young w/ 4 touchdowns & 10 interceptions this season, Jay Cutler w/9 touchdowns & 9 interceptions this season), it will all come down to the run game.

It should be close, but i have a feeling Denver will be heartbroken once again just like they were in Week 8 when Brett Favre hit Greg Jennings for a game-winning 82 yard touchdown on the 1st play in overtime, which was also on Monday Night Football.

I’m picking for Tennesseee to win a close game.

Until then,

Mattie T

Sports Writer for BMS Radio Chicago

www.BMSRadio.com

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