Category Archives: Latest News

The latest news and updates from Joe Wooldridge. Oftentimes pertaining to new businesses in Kansas City, concerts, art fairs and more.

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Joe’s NFL Picks, Week 1: Are You Ready For Some Football? Chiefs and Patriots in a nail-biter – PLUS – NFC East grudge matches.

2017/09/07 Joe_Wooldridge

Picking the winners and losers of 2017 week 1 in the NFL.
NFL weekly picks: 2017, week 1

Are You Ready For Some Football? The Chaos of Week 1 in the NFL. Lots of changes around the league. Are we saved now that football season is finally kicking off? The answer is yes – in a lot of ways. I will stand. I will salute. The return of Bocephus!

Grab your foam fingers (except you, Miley), here we go:

Thursday Night Game:

Kansas City Chiefs at New England Patriots (-9.5)
The NFL Season Opener serves us up a classic nail-biter. The Chiefs are strong, but the Patriots are stronger – especially in Foxborough.
Patriots 21, Chiefs 20

Sunday Games:

Hurricane Irma and Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Miami Dolphins (CAT 5)
Mother nature dominates so strongly that both teams flee for safety, and live to fight another day.
Irma 1, NFL/Mankind 0

New York Jets (+9) at Buffalo Bills
Tank-fest 2017.
Bills 20, Jets 14

Atlanta Falcons at Chicago Bears (+7)
I think the Falcons are still pissed. And the Bears are not ready.
Falcons 42, Bears 22

Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals (-3)
A close and ugly game. Joe Mixon beats expectations and runs for over 100 yards.
Bengals 24, Ravens 20

Pittsburgh Steelers (-9.5) at Cleveland Browns
Steelers have a talent and experience surplus. The Browns have a lot of youth and raw talent. We know what wins here.
Steelers 35, Browns 17

Arizona Cardinals (-1.5) at Detroit Lions
Remember when Arizona came out flat last year and stayed flat? I do too. Carson Palmer’s arm falls off.
Lions 34, Cardinals 14

Jacksonville Jaguars at Houston Texans (-6)
The Houston Flood extinguishes the Jacksonville Dumpster Fire.
Texans 31, Jaguars 21

Oakland Raiders (+1.5) at Tennessee Titans
A tough and close game. Oakland should take this one, but they are not polished enough yet on defense. The Titans pound out a win.
Titans 28, Raiders 27

Philadelphia Eagles at Washington Redskins (+1)
In this NFC East slugfest, the Eagles come out strong to start the season once again. Redskins drama persists.
Eagles 24, Redskins 21

Indianapolis Colts (+4) at Los Angeles Rams
No Luck for the Colts in week one. Goff gets a win. Sammy Watkins hurts his foot again.
Rams 28, Colts 10

Seattle Seahawks at Green Bay Packers (-3)
The Seahawks show off their upgraded defensive line by mashing the Packers. Aaron Rodgers’ mustache gets its own endorsement deal. By week nine Rodgers will join ZZ Top.
Seahawks 35, Packers 27

Carolina Panthers at San Francisco 49ers (+6)
Kyle Shanahan might be a good offensive coach, but the players play the game. Carolina shows what a talented roster can do to the undermanned.
Panthers 31, 49ers 17

New York Giants (+3.5) at Dallas Cowboys
The Giants beat the Cowboys twice last year, and the ‘Boys haven’t forgotten that. Ezekiel Elliot gets to play this game before his suspension – and he’ll be looking to lay down strong dibs on that starting job.
Cowboys 31, Giants 28

Monday Night Games:

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL??!? BOCEPHUS IS BACK!

New Orleans Saints at Minnesota Vikings (-3)
The Saints roll into the Purple Stadium and roll out with a “W”. Adrian ‘All Day’ Peterson runs for 150 yards.
Saints 26, Vikings 20

Los Angeles Chargers at Denver Broncos (-3.5)
Philip Rivers puts on a show of how to beat Denver at Denver (like he has many times before). Keenan Allen makes some plays, Antonio Gates gets two touchdowns. Broncos Defense scores two touchdowns as well. John Elway wishes he’d actually brought in a better quarterback rather than standing pat.
Chargers 31, Broncos 24

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Lightening Up the Night (New Poem: May 12th, 2015)

2015/05/12 Joe_Wooldridge Leave a comment

Lightening Up the Night

It’s all so temporary, our visit here
Raging storms of misery are so unnecessary
Grudges hold no value and Love is golden forever
A simple smile to all that pass your way
A good deed, a word of kindness
There are far too few of these arrows in flight
Stay the night, stay for the night
Stay with me all night, because I never let you go.

Joe Wooldridge
Tuesday, May 12th, 2015 at 12:06am.

American Poetry, Latest News, Poetry, Raw Poetry, Romantic Poetry, Uncategorized

Laurie-esse’ de Bercail (Amant de Rêve)

2014/12/10 Joe_Wooldridge Leave a comment

Laurie-esse’ de Bercail (Amant de Rêve)

yes, visitor. my soul is connected,
quantum mind notified
of a love growing old

i’ve an old love that never dies
you’re seven times harder to quit
binding my heart and vibrant

you trapped within your cocoon
and i wrapped inside my void
down deserted aisles

dream visitor aware
it’s so hard to talk, my love
haunting me with home

Joe Wooldridge
Wednesday, December 10th, 2014 @ 12:00am

"How-To-Do", A Word From Joe, American Poetry, Inspired Works, Latest News, Optimism, Philiosophy, Poetry, Prose, Raw Poetry, Romantic Poetry, Wisdom: Thoughts and Quotes

Etre – Slaying Your Dragon

2014/06/07 Joe_Wooldridge 6 Comments

Etre – Slaying Your Dragon or

Notes from the Round Table, Part 1

Invariably I find myself seeing, interpreting and casting things in epic proportions. Chalk it up to growing up raiding the shelves of the Limestone Elementary School Library from ages 8-12.

The subject of choice?

Arthurian legends were by far the most fascinating subject for me – no doubt a natural progression from growing up on the classic fairy tales – you know the ones – where the 3 little pigs actually cooked the wolf and ate it and then danced around!

Sir Thomas Mallory’s tales had all of the good stuff – legends, chivalry, romance, good, evil, quests, good deeds, magic, treachery, drama, misdeeds, redemption, courage, honor, jousts – well you get the idea.

So being a longtime writer I am often surprised at what spills out onto the pages of the trusty journal. Rather than crafting and molding it – I often find it more interesting to just let it pour out.

Last night’s entry:

Etre

Of the many things we could be
In life we must choose paths,
We must learn how to live
And learn why we live
We must weigh wisdom and history
And live a life examined
In order to wring the most of our gifts
And avoid being consumed by our appetites

Each rise and fall –
If we’re lucky we learn
From the cavalier, from the
Heartbroken sot, the genius,
The fool, the fearless, the
Helpless, the hedonist, the
Sinner clinging to prayer,
The lover, the fighter
We must learn from the
Many facets of ourselves.

Of the many forms of success
That we attain – perhaps the
Most painful and most rewarding
Is that of personal growth –
To be more than we ever thought
We could be, to push ourselves
To new heights and be
Good enough to help others
Do the same. For nowhere
Would we be if not for the
Lovingkindness of others.

Helping others in our journeys
Is really also a gift of peace
That we give ourselves.

So light the light, forge ahead,
Shine the light, show the way,
Help the wayward, as we were
Helped ourselves. Be joyous,
Have peace, swing the sword
And slay the dragon.

Peace.

Joe Wooldridge
Saturday, June 7th, 2014 7:03am

Okay, so what does the featured image have to do with slaying dragons? Well, that’s Vanessa Redgrave as Guinevere and Franco Nero as Sir Lancelot du Lac in the movie “Camelot”. I mean, hey – a man’s got to have some inspiration!

"How-To-Do", A Word From Joe, Latest News, Optimism, Philiosophy, Prose, Uncategorized, Wisdom: Thoughts and Quotes

Get Out of the Boiling Pot – Overcoming the ‘Crab Mentality’

2014/03/19 Joe_Wooldridge Leave a comment

You know them. You have them in your immediate circle. You know who I’m talking about.

Them.

Those with the crab mentality.

If you Google the term “crab mentality” you will find roughly 193,000 search results. So we can’t pretend that it is not a prevalent problem with our fellow human beings.

So what do we mean by the crab mentality? And what could you hope to gain by identifying its presence in the behavior of others around you?

A person with the “Crab Mentality” is someone who employs a selfish, short-sighted thinking/acting strategy that boils down to the attitude of “if I can’t have it, neither can you.” We’re talking about people who will work hard – even go out of their way – to hold others back, denigrate and pull even their own family, friends and associates down rather than have that person(s) get ahead or realize their dreams.

Know anyone like this?

I do, and chances are that you do as well.

Picture a pot of water that a cook puts on to boil in order to prepare the crabs for dinner. An interesting phenomenon occurs as the water is heating up. These live crabs (at least the smarter ones) will endeavor to get out of the pot. But when one of them starts to escape – the other crabs will pull it back down to prevent it from getting free and escaping. Even worse, it takes on a more malicious tone as they will wait until the freedom-minded crab has almost escaped the pot before they pounce and yank it back into the boiling water. Those crabs know that they’re screwed if they can’t escape – but they just can’t bear the idea of someone else daring to dream of escape – of ‘going for it’.

Not cool.

Not only is it a selfish, jealous and harmful mindset/behavior – but if the crabs in the boiling pot all worked toward the goal of escaping, then they could manage to help each other get free.

Does this mean you can’t get free?

Hopefully not. But if you’re planning on making good on your escape to a better life (I.e. getting ahead, striving to achieve goals, building a dream, etc.) then you will be wise to take an objective look around you and identify those around you that would do their best to keep you down and prevent you from attaining a better life.

You’ll be surprised by the people who will make efforts to keep you from your goals. It could be a co-worker(s), friend(s), and oftentimes a family member(s).

Shocking, you say?

They may not always be aware of the motivations behind their actions. As the crabs exhibit, it evidently comes from a primal place.

The best you can do is be aware of those that are the crabs in your midst. The ‘sneaky ones’ are those who will put on the ‘encouraging face’ for you and then work in a clandestine fashion to keep your from reaching your goals.

Know the people around you.

Not sure who fits in the category? Just ask them. Ask what they think of your goals and your chances of success. If at all possible, limit your contact with the crabbies (not always possible). Definitely make a point to limit the impact that they can have on you as you strive to reach your goals. They will work to distract you, argue with you, create unnecessary drama in your life, put additional stress on you and throw obstacles in your path.

If you really want to reach your goals and escape the ordinary, you must shake off the crabs in your midst. You may have to actually FIGHT them off. Oh well, no one said it would be easy.

Go for it.

If you weren’t aware of this mentality being present among people you know, then now you can be aware and start to identify, and mitigate the ‘haters’. Here’s to reaching your goals!

Onward and upward.

—

A Word From Joe, Football (NFL, NCAA), Latest News, Sports Columns

NFL Picks, Week 16: Cowboys beat Redskins, Underwater Knife Fight in Detroit

2013/12/19 Joe_Wooldridge Leave a comment

Picking the winners and losers of week 16 in the NFL.

Last Week: 9-7. Season: 87-59-1 (59.59%).

Mid-December football in the NFL is upon us.

What’s old is new again, except for some of it which is now really, really old (insert Tony Romo December Choke comment or 4th Quarter Interception joke here).

Some highlights:

The Chiefs are now rocking on offense (101 points in the last two games) and have the best turnover ratio in the NFL. NOBODY will want to see these guys in the playoffs.
Peyton Manning’s arm is looking very weak and tired. Perhaps it is everything else adding up – the bumps and bruises – but the velocity is WAY down on his throws. Eek for Denver fans,
Chicago is a dangerous team with two quarterbacks (which may cover up for one lousy defense).
Could it be a Seattle-Kansas City Super Bowl come February 2, 2014?

Grab your Cheeseheads and Machineheads, here we go:

Sunday, December 22

Indianapolis Colts (9-5) at Kansas City Chiefs (11-3)
Kickoff: 12:00pm CST on (CBS)
Odds: Chiefs -7, 45 O/U
A marginalized Colts team pays a visit to Arrowhead in late December to face a Chiefs team that is on a roll. I pity the fool.
Chiefs 42, Colts 35

Miami Dolphins (8-6) at Buffalo Bills (5-9)
Kickoff: 12:00pm CST on (CBS)
Odds: Dolphins -2.5, 42.5 O/U
A tough Miami team leaves the sunny confines of South Florida to visit Buffalo, NY and play the QB-challenged Bills in the elements. I think the Dolphins steal a close one but I’m not very confident in the pick.
Dolphins 24, Bills 21

Cleveland Browns (4-10) at New York Jets (6-8)
Kickoff: 12:00pm CST on (CBS)
Odds: Jets -2.5, 40.5 O/U
Getcha Pepto Bismol. A much-maligned Cleveland team (which is to say, a Cleveland team) visits NYC to play the J-E-T-S. Why does the better team have the worse record? Vive le butt-fumble.
Browns 28, Jets 20

Tennessee Titans (5-9) at Jacksonville Jaguars (4-10)
Kickoff: 12:00pm CST on (CBS)
Odds: Titans -5, 44 O/U
Call it in the air? Yes, I know the Titans are favored but the Jaguars will want this more. I can just see Chad Henne throwing for 423 yards.
Jaguars 34, Titans 26

Denver Broncos (11-3) at Houston Texans (2-12)
Kickoff: 12:00pm CST on (CBS)
Odds: Broncos -10, 53 O/U
Evidence of opposites attracting. Denver wins, but not by more than the 10 point spread.
Broncos 27, Texans 20

Dallas Cowboys (7-7) at Washington Redskins (3-11)
Kickoff: 12:00pm CST on (FOX)
Odds: Cowboys -2.5, 53.5 O/U
Even an ugly rendition of this classic rivalry is cause celebre. As much as Kirk Cousins is a very serviceable QB, the ‘skins are out-manned against Dallas. The Cowboys also are vying for a postseason appearance.
Cowboys 38, Redskins 13

Minnesota Vikings (4-9-1) at Cincinnati Bengals (9-5)
Kickoff: 12:00pm CST on (FOX)
Odds: Bengals -8.5, 47.5 O/U
Cincinnati has too much on the line to lose this game – at home at least. A spoiler-minded Vikings team could quite conceivably roll into Cincy and blast the Bengals, but I’m not sure that Matt Cassel can throw for more than 400 yards for two weeks in a row. Nay.
Bengals 30, Vikings 27

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-10) at St. Louis Rams (6-8)
Kickoff: 12:00pm CST on (FOX)
Odds: Rams -4, 43 O/U
Jeff Fisher has his team playing confident, aggressive football. I could see the Rams overlooking the Bucs this week if they were a playoff contender this year, but they are not. It is a pride game and a chance to build momentum going into the off-season.
Rams 31, Buccaneers 21

New Orleans Saints (10-4) at Carolina Panthers (10-4)
Kickoff: 12:00pm CST on (FOX)
Odds: Panthers -3, 46.5 O/U
They’re the Saints at home and the ‘Aints on the road. Guess which one shows up in Carolina this weekend? Lest we forget, the Panthers field a strong defensive unit and a Colossus at quarterback.
Panthers 35, Saints 31

New York Giants (5-9) at Detroit Lions (7-7)
Kickoff: 3:05pm CST on (FOX)
Odds: Lions -9.5, 49 O/U
This match-up is like an underwater knife fight, in the dark. I’ve lost faith in the Giants this season – they’ve just too many holes to plug. Eli can’t cover up the inadequacies of the team. On the other side, Detroit can’t get out of their own way. Getcha Pepto Bismol back out. Ouch.
Lions 14, Giants 13

Arizona Cardinals (9-5) at Seattle Seahawks (12-2)
Kickoff: 3:05pm CST on (FOX)
Odds: Seahawks -10.5, 43 O/U
If Carson Palmer leads the Cardinals to a victory in Seattle this weekend, I’ll eat my own foot (well, not really).
Seahawks 28, Cardinals 21

New England Patriots (10-4) at Baltimore Ravens (8-6)
Kickoff: 3:25pm CST on (CBS)
Odds: Ravens -2.5, 45 O/U
Forget the rest, this is the “Hey, check out what a REAL elite quarterback looks like!” game for these teams. I suspect Tom Brady will end up screaming at someone on the sidelines (Josh McDaniels?), but the Patriots will leave Baltimore with another “W” on their record.
Patriots 30, Ravens 28

Pittsburgh Steelers (6-8) at Green Bay Packers (7-6-1)
Kickoff: 3:25pm CST on (CBS)
Odds: Pick’em
Aaron ‘Brittle’ Rodgers still is out this week. Don’t expect Matt Flynn to have that kind of a second half against Dick LeBeau’s defense – even an OLD Dick LeBeau defense.
Steelers 42, Packers 17

Oakland Raiders (4-10) at San Diego Chargers (7-7)
Kickoff: 3:25pm CST on (CBS)
Odds: Chargers -10, 50.5 O/U
San Diego is a tough and talented team that just went into Denver and played flawlessly in a victory over the Broncos. Do I think they will beat the lowly Raiders this week playing at home? Yes I do, even in this crazy world that is the NFL.
Chargers 45, Raiders 21

Chicago Bears (8-6) at Philadelphia Eagles (8-6)
Kickoff: 7:30pm CST on (NBC)
Odds: Eagles -3, 56 O/U
Best game of the week. Two teams within reach of the playoffs. A brutal playing environment. Sounds like Thunderdome, doesn’t it? Who run Bartertown?!? Say it!
Bears 41, Eagles 31

Monday, December 23

Atlanta Falcons (4-10) at San Francisco 49ers (10-4)
Kickoff: 7:40pm (CST) on (ESPN)
Odds: 49ers -13, 45 O/U
This game falls under the title “There’s only so much Tony Gonzalez can do”. Tony’s great – the greatest TE of all time. He’ll probably go for 200+ receiving yards in this one and 2 or 3 touchdowns . . . but it is still not enough. The Giants should have picked him up the year before he went to Atlanta, they would have another Vince Lombardi trophy in their case if they had done so.
49ers 49, Falcons 41

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Happy Thanksgiving – 23 things to be thankful for in 2013

2013/11/27 Joe_Wooldridge Leave a comment

Happy Thanksgiving! 2013 was a year of growth. This year I am thankful for the following (in no certain order):

1. Health, wisdom, and good sleep when I need it,

2. The love of family and friends,

3. The best friends in the world that are like family (you really are),

4. People with dreams, vision, passion, and that like to build things,

5. A Guardian Angel that works overtime,

6. Anyone that believes in me – that means the world, and a great community that decided that my dream was worthy of becoming real,

7. Thinkers – for they help us consider our consciousness and reality in new ways,

8. Inventors, Innovators and Tinkerers – for they help us experience existence in new (and hopefully better) ways,

9. Artists, Entertainers and Storytellers – for they help us all to see, hear, smell, touch and taste the World from new and amazing points of view,

10. The Kansas City Chiefs, #amazingyear

11. The greatest Mom in the world,

12. The Love of a Benevolent God,

13. Thunderstorms,

14. People that stand up for what is right,

15. Forgiveness,

16. Passion and Inspiration,

17. Second chances (even ones that haven’t come yet),

18. The Internet and other cool technology (as long as we use it right),

19. Free Thinkers that ask questions,

20. The ability to learn from mistakes,

21. My dog (such unconditional love, loyalty and companionship),

22. Those strong enough to win their own battles and help others that struggle,

23. Being part of the World at important time where we are beginning to grow up.

So there is the short list. What are YOU thankful for this year? Please weigh in, I’d love to hear your thoughts!

And Happy Thanksgiving to you!

– Joe

Yes I am grateful! — Happy Thanksgiving!

A Word From Joe, Football (NFL, NCAA), Latest News, Sports Columns, Uncategorized

Joe’s NFL Picks, Week 13: Chiefs seek redemption, Seahawks lose at home

2013/11/26 Joe_Wooldridge Leave a comment

Picking the winners and losers of week 13 in the NFL.

NFL Parity Illustrated, courtesy Deadspin.com.

Last Week: 6-7-1. Season: 57-41-1 (57.57%).

Grab your Turducken, it is Thanksgiving week in the National Football League! Time to enjoy great food, family and fun – and then escape to watch football when you’ve had your fill of the rest.

There are many things to be thankful for as an NFL fan this year. Especially as a Kansas City Chiefs fan. In addition to being grateful for parity in the league where your team CAN go from worst to first – and that the ‘Any Given Sunday’ rule holds true (see graphic, courtesy, Deadspin.com). Side note: Sunday Night we saw all we need to see in the Brady versus Manning debate. Brady is better. That game illustrates the difference between a Champion and a guy who puts up great numbers. There’s no comparison.

I’m grateful for Calvin Johnson’s superhuman performances, Tom Brady’s competitive fire, the passion of NFL fans, and for fantasy football that brings together old friends for fun each year from locations around the globe.

Happy Thanksgiving to you! Let’s look at this week’s buffet of games.

Thursday Games:

Green Bay Packers (-1.5) at Detroit Lions
A divisional road game without Aaron Rodgers? NO way Green Bay. I’ll be watching this one to see Calvin ‘The Human Highlight Reel’ Johnson pull down rainbows from Matt Stafford. I bet Megatron is on Stafford’s ‘Things to be grateful for’ list. Ya think?
Lions 38, Packers 17

Oakland Raiders at Dallas Cowboys (-7)
Toughness won’t be enough for this tough Raiders team on the Holiday Road. Dallas has too much talent and Romo has a paycheck to earn.
Cowboys 31, Raiders 13

Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens (-2.5)
A great AFC North matchup. Although Pittsburgh has turned the corner, look for Baltimore to defend their home turf in a close battle. Anybody seen the weather for Thurs in Baltimore?
Ravens 24, Steelers 21 (OT)

Sunday Games:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers (-8)
How scary are the Buccaneers now?? Very. A young team playing with grit and growing confidence will give Carolina fits. Will the real Panthers team please stand up? I’ll take the home team.
Panthers 27, Buccaneers 24

Jacksonville Jaguars at Cleveland Browns (-7)
The Jaguars have made some progress, but not enough to come into Cleveland against a stout defense in front of the Dawg Pound in a December game. Start prepping for the draft – and sign Tebow to fill seats and sell merch.
Browns 28, Jaguars 14

Tennessee Titans at Indianapolis Colts (-4)
Underachiever team plays on the road against erratic team with a better quarterback. Not only that, but the Colts have to win this game to keep their slim playoff hopes alive.
Colts 23, Titans 13

Denver Broncos (-5.5) at Kansas City Chiefs
It isn’t like the Chiefs pass rush will suffer without either Hali, Houston or both. They didn’t get to Manning two weeks ago. In fact, I suspect an increase mix of zone defense will play big dividends for Sutton’s recently stagnant unit. Then you look at a Kansas City offense that finally learned how to put points on the board prepping to play against a suddenly depleted Broncos secondary. Add in a hairline fracture of Peyton’s heel, no Julius Thomas and 137 decibels every time Manning tries to audible? I’ll take the underdog Chiefs at home. Good gravy I’m a homer.
Chiefs 41, Broncos 31

Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings (Pick ‘Em)
Bounce-back week for the Bears. The Vikings played a depleted Packers team to a tie last week, which is pathetic. Look for the Bears to come out and steal a win on the road. Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jefferies and Martellus Bennett should have a feast this Sunday as well.
Bears 20, Vikings 17

Miami Dolphins at New York Jets (-2)
Picking a winner here is like considering political candidates. You don’t like or trust either candidate. Miami is a conundrum. The Jets are an eyesore. I’ll take the tough defense of the Jets at home in a one-score game. Ugh.
Jets 16, Dolphins 14

Arizona Cardinals at Philadelphia Eagles (-3)
An overlooked Cardinals team seems to be gelling at the right time. Even though the Eagles have impressed lately, I don’t trust them. It always seems like QB play is an issue with the danger that Chip Kelly’s offense places them in. Look for a statement game from a Cardinals team eyeballing a playoff berth. What was it Roseanne Rosanna-Danna used to say? “Ya know, it just goes to show you that no matter what – it’s always something!”.
Cardinals 34, Eagles 27

Atlanta Falcons at Buffalo Bills (-3.5) [Toronto, Ontario]
Technically a home game for the Bills, but they would fare better in Ralph Wilson Stadium. That said, Matt Ryan and the old birds will continue to slide. Perhaps Jadevon Clowney is in their future?
Bills 30, Falcons 21

St. Louis Rams at San Francisco 49ers (-8)
Hear that clicking sound? That is the 49ers offense gearing up for the playoffs. Combine that with a beast of a defense at home and the odds of the Rams stealing one in San Fran are very slim. Expect a biceps-kissing make-out session between Colin Kaepernick and his right arm.
49ers 38, Rams 28

New England Patriots (-9) at Houston Texans
Did you see Tom Brady’s mastery in the historic comeback against the Broncos on Sunday Night? How about Brady Screaming Celebration with Gronk? Have you noticed the myriad of issues facing this Texans team? The Pats are now looking fierce and I don’t see a chance of Houston winning at home.
Patriots 34, Texans 20

Cincinnati Bengals at San Diego Chargers (-1)
One of the best games of the week. A solid Cincinnati squad visits a confident Chargers squad led by a fiery and resurrected Philip Rivers. Look for the Chargers to hold serve. Perhaps they’ll show the Jim Rome versus Jim Everett clip at halftime?
Chargers 23, Bengals 20

New York Giants (-1.5) at Washington Redskins
Tom Coughlin’s team now believes. After dropping a close one to the Cowboys, expect the Giants to steal one in D.C. against a tired and bewildered Redskins team facing a short week.
Giants 41, Redskins 38

Monday Night Game:

New Orleans Saints at Seattle Seahawks (-5)
Monday Night Football gets its best match-up of the year. If not for Rob Ryan’s much-improved defense I would have to go with the Seabirds at home. But Sean Payton and Drew ‘Pinball Wizard’ Brees should shine under the bright lights.
Saints 35. Seahawks 24

A Word From Joe, Football (NFL, NCAA), Latest News, Sports Columns

Joe’s NFL Picks, Week 12: Brady and Manning duel in Foxborough, Jets win in Baltimore

2013/11/21 Joe_Wooldridge Leave a comment

Picking the winners and losers of week 12 in the NFL.

Last Week: 7-8. Season: 51-34 (60.00%).

Another Barn-Burner of a week in the NFL! Such parity! Such intruiging match-ups! Peyton Manning’s Prime-Time North American Tour of 2013 makes a stop in Foxborough, Mass where they get to play a wounded and dangerous Patriots team. Does Luck get lucky in the desert? Can KC rebound?

Let’s look at this week’s games.

Thursday Game:

New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons (-2.5, -115)
In what is a lost season for Atlanta, the best they can hope for is to play spoiler versus the Saints. With a depleted roster, I don’t see that happening. I’ll go with the Saints.
Saints 30, Falcons 23

Sunday Games:

Pittsburgh Steelers (-3) at Cleveland Browns
Pittsburgh woke up. Maybe it was the bumblebee unis, but whatever – it worked. I’ll roll with a rejuvenated Steelers squad on the road against a Cleveland team with too many issues.
Steelers 21, Browns 10

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Detroit Lions (-3.5)
Detroit is hard to trust in non-marquee matchups. That said, they also play tough when their backs are against the wall. The Lions can’t afford to drop a game to this Bucs team. Gimme the home team.
Lions 34, Bucaneers 21

Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers (-4.5)
The Aaron Rodgers-less Packers are lacking punch. That said, I don’t think their QB situation is nearly as sad and desperate as that of the Vikings. The circus of incompetence can’t do much for morale in MN. Give me the Pack at Lambeau.
Packers 20, Vikings 17 (OT)

San Diego Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs (-1)
Welcome back to Earth, Kansas City. The pressure is off. Just be yourself and go back to playing defense aggressively. The ghost of #58 seems to visit Arrowhead to lend a hand this year. Nothing against the Chargers – I just don’t think the Chiefs will lose a game at home this year to ANYONE.
Chiefs 19, Chargers 14

Chicago Bears (-1) at St. Louis Rams
The Rams at home will be a tough win for Chicago. Which team will show up? The one that did everything NOT to win against Seattle? or the team that spanked Indy by a bundle? Chicago under Trestman is a consistent quality product that pulls through tough games. I’ll take the visiting Bears.
Bears 28, Rams 20

Carolina Panthers at Miami Dolphins (-1.5)
This Carolina team is on a roll. The question is, can they maintain their focus against a Dolphins team in turmoil? Miami has proved to be dangerous with their backs against the wall – but Cam Newton is too much for the ‘fins.
Panthers 38, Dolphins 27

New York Jets at Baltimore Ravens (-6)
I so want to pick the Jets to pull and upset here. They’re a win ugly team that pulls out the most unlikely victories. The Ravens have been playing very tough the last few weeks, but I think the Mr. Hyde Jets are going to steal one in Poe’s hometown.
Jets 24, Ravens 20

Jacksonville Jaguars at Houston Texans (-10)
If Kubiak can’t let Case Keenum finish the game, then he may lose his job. Inserting Schaub is NOT the answer. I’m not saying Schaub isn’t good, I’m saying that Andre Johnson can’t HEAR HIM at the line of scrimmage because of the LOUD BOOING OF THE CROWD caused by Kubiak replacing Keenum with Schaub. C’mon Gary, let it go. Let the kid play.
Texans 30, Jaguars 20

Indianapolis Colts at Arizona Cardinals (PK)
I don’t see the Luck getting lucky in the desert. There are many things great about Andrew Luck, but I must say he has been most fortuitous in many situations this year. Not this week. Not in the desert. The Cards are hitting stride with a focus on the postseason.
Cardinals 24, Colts 21

Tennessee Titans at Oakland Raiders (-1)
Oakland is a team rising. The Titans are tough but lost. Although both teams are in turmoil at QB, Raider Nation thrives on this stuff. There is no ‘Titan Nation’. Gimme the dwellers of the Black Hole.
Raiders 32, Titans 23

Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants (-2.5, -115)
Good God. Romo versus Eli in NYC. Do the overly-talented Dallas Cowboys roll into town and post a victory? Do the Giants stay on a roll? Hmmm.
Cowboys 28, Giants 27

Denver Broncos at New England Patriots (-1.5)
Good Gravy. Manning-Brady in November. In Foxborough. An angry Pats team ready to smack down Manning. This game comes down to health and home field advantage. I’ll take New England in a huge upset. I don’t care if NE is favored – ANYONE beating the All-Madden Broncos of 2013 is an upset. Still . . .
Patriots 45, Broncos 42 (OT)

Monday Night Game:

San Francisco 49ers (-1.5) at Washington Redskins
This tough, motivated 49ers team is playing for its postseason lives. On a Plane, on a Train, in the East, against the Least. I’ll take the beast.
49ers 27, Redskins 16

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Joe’s NFL Picks, Week 11: Chiefs over Broncos and other Upsets

2013/11/14 Joe_Wooldridge Leave a comment

Picking the winners and losers of week 11 in the NFL.

Last Week: 9-5. Season: 44-26 (62.85%).

HUGE week in the NFL! The Chiefs finally square off against the Denver Mannings. The Eagles get a chance to show what they know, and many other noteworthy games.

On to the notes.

Thursday Game:

Indianapolis Colts (-1) at Tennessee Titans
Straight off you have a Titans team that got beat by the lowly Jaguars in week 10. Think it might have been a tough and emotional week for these guys? On the flipside, the Colts aren’t the same with Reggie Wayne. T-Rich isn’t explosive for the offense. A suddenly hot Rams team exposed the Colts as inconsistent at best last week in a 38-8 drubbing, In Indy! Look for the home team to exercise some demons this week.
Titans 30, Colts 20

Sunday Games:

New York Jets at Buffalo Bills (-1.5)
The coin flip of the week. A case can be made for the Jets to win this one, but I don’t trust them. Too many recent snafus, headaches, heartaches, erratic decisions and butt fumbles for me to pick the Jets this week. The Bills team is on the rise, Manuel’s back and they are playing in Buffalo.
Bills 16, Jets 10

Baltimore Ravens at Chicago Bears (PK)
Ravens are too erratic on the road. I’ll take Trestman’s Bears at Soldier Field in a November game.
Bears 28, Ravens 21

Cleveland Browns at Cincinnati Bengals (-6)
Bounce-back week for Cincy in the battle of Ohio. Cleveland is nasty on D and pulls its wins out this year like a magic trick, but Cincy is nasty on D, explosive on O and playing at home.
Bengals 34, Browns 23

Atlanta Falcons (-1) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Bucs finally put a scratch in the ‘W’ column last week against the Miami Black Eyes. It was only a matter of time (see their game in Seattle two weeks ago). Glennon, Revis, Schiano and the rest of the Buccaneers will get it together this week at home against a Falcons team that has gone adrift.
Buccaneers 34, Falcons 30

Arizona Cardinals at Jacksonville Jaguars (PK)
Well, at least this isn’t on Monday Night Football this week.
Cardinals 14, Panthers 13

Oakland Raiders at Houston Texans (-7.5)
Welcome Back, Kubiak. Case Keenum, J.J. Watt and the boys have missed you. I sense a very close one over a tough-minded Raiders team. RIP Todd Christensen.
Texans 34, Raiders 31 (OT)

San Diego Chargers at Miami Dolphins (-3)
I know that west coast teams often have trouble flying back east for a game, but this Dolphins team is in turmoil and minus the left side of their offensive line. I expect a huge game from Philip Rivers. Gimme the Charge on the road.
Chargers 38, Dolphins 21

Washington Redskins at Philadelphia Eagles (PK)
Has Chip Kelly re-adjusted to the adjustments made by the NFL? This game we figure out what Chip Kelly has figured out. Gimme the home team in a moment of truth.
Philadelphia 42, Redskins 21

Detroit Lions at Pittsburgh Steelers (-3.5)
The Lions are roaring. Matt Stafford grew up against Dallas, and showed that in the victory last week at Chicago. Pittsburgh is tough at home, but are a shadow of their contender teams. I wonder what amazing thing Megatron will do this week?
Lions 35, Steelers 24

Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos (-7.5)
I agonized over this one for two weeks. It finally comes down to what I believe. I know this Chiefs team has been through the hottest of fires last year. The strongest steel of a team has been forged in Kansas City. It is passion, belief, mojo. It is winning nine weeks in a row. It is belief. I believe the Chiefs have some of the most amazing win-ugly luck ever simply because of the fact that they make their own luck through belief, preparation and effort. There is no fear. They already saw the worst that could happen last year. Manning is beat up, less mobile and is already hearing footsteps. Keep telling the Kansas City Chiefs that they can’t. They know better.
Chiefs 31, Broncos 28

Minnesota Vikings at Seattle Seahawks (-6)
My upset of the week. The Seahawks are beatable at home (see the game versus the Bucs two weeks ago). The Vikings are looking to come to town and punch somebody in the mouth. Somewhere between a Jared Allen stamp and an Adrian Peterson cleat mark a Vikings victory will appear.
Vikings 27, Seattle 20

San Francisco 49ers at New Orleans Saints (PK)
I like the 49ers team a lot. After a tough week 10 loss, they are playing for their playoff lives. I really have a hard time picking against the Saints in their ‘dome – but if the Jets can do it, the 49ers can do it better. Break out the paper bags.
49ers 38, Saints 34

Green Bay Packers at New York Giants (PK)
I don’t see a floundering and thin Packers team coming into NY and beating Eli Manning’s Giants. No way.
Giants 42, Packers 10

Monday Night Game:

New England Patriots (-3) at Carolina Panthers
The bright lights on Monday Night Football finally have something to highlight. This Panthers team is H-O-T. Solid defense, solid personnel, freak-of-nature QB and confidence. Bill Belichick and Tom Brady have their hands full. I’ll take the Championship Quarterback on the Big Stage of MNF.
Patriots 27, Panthers 21

Living a Great Life. Poetry, Reviews, Philosophy, Sports & Tales by Joe Wooldridge.

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