Chargers GM Tries "Inception" To Lure Players Back

Yes, I'm beginning to believe that San Diego Chargers general manager, A.J. Smith is actually Leonardo Di Caprio is disguise. If you have seen the latest hit movie, "Inception", you may know what I mean. Follow my logic and tell me if you think that Leo is filling in for A.J.

As you know, the Chargers have several key players who haven't signed their tender this season. Not just some third string tight end, but rather a starting left tackle (Marcus McNeil), a starting linebacker (Shawne Merriman), and a number one receiver (Vincent Jackson). Yep, that is three potential pro bowl players who are currently missing camp and have talk about lengthy hold outs.

Just in case you missed it, here are the players complaints, in a nut shell. Let's begin with McNeil, the Chargers Pro Bowl, left tackle. It seems that he would like a long term deal for an amount worthy of a person who is paid to protect the 92 million dollar investment at quarterback. The Chargers want him to sign his one year tender of about 3.5 million and get his large butt into camp. At this point, McNeil is talking about sitting all of camp and the first 10 games of the season. OUCH! That being said, I do believe there is hope in McNeil's case. I'll get back to that later.

Vincent Jackson would also like top dollar and several years, much like teammate Antonio Gates recently received. Smith is telling him the same thing that he told McNeil. Sign your tender and come into camp! Jackson is also holding out and my not be back until after week 10. The reason Jackson doesn't have as much hope as McNeil is that he is not the professional that McNeil seems to be.

Jackson has had two D.U.I. arrest and was actually cuffed and sited for driving on a suspended licence and blaring his car stereo, the morning of the Chargers/Jets playoff game last season. Not to mention that during the game, Jackson was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct and cost the Chargers critical yards. When asked about his behavior during the game, his response was, "I think it's comedical." Yes, I think that says it all.

Then there is Merriman who, in my humble opinion, should just sign and get into camp to prove that he is healthy and is able to return to his old form. He needs to become the player from before the three major injuries and the suspension for PED's. As Steve Martin, or John Belushi would say...."But noooooo!" Merriman says he wants to be assured that he will not have to worry about being traded during the season. Apparently, he forgot that he is a professional football player, not a short order cook somewhere.

Merriman claims to have abandonment issues that stem from when he was a child. Personally, I feel badly for Merriman, but I think he needs to sign and get into camp. He can use his millions to get some help for his problems. Okay, I don't feel that bad.

Now, why is A.J. Smith actually Di Caprio is disguise? The way he is using the media is much like Di Caprio attmepts inception during the movie. "Inception" is planting a thought in someone else's mind is hopes that they will do what you want them to do. You want it to seem like their idea, so they don't resent you. Smith is trying hard to achieve inception with his prodigal players.

Here is Smith's work in a nut shell:

1. Now that camp is open, the media has been reporting on how individuals look for the upcoming season. Much has been made about the Chargers moving offensive lineman, Brandon Dombrowski to left tackle (McNeil's position). The Chargers brass was talking him up and sharing how he is a natural on the left side of the line and they really don't think he is much of a step back from McNeil.

2. Boy has Buster Davis looked great in camp!!! Wow, you would think this is the second coming of John Jefferson or Charlie Joiner, the way they have been pumping him up. The fact is that he has never made it through a season healthy and I find it hard to believe that the Chargers are counting on him now.

And 3. Larry English is a beast this year! By all accounts, English is reeking havoc this preseason and spending most of his time in Philip River's space.

Well, there is the evidence. Three messages going out of one reason and one reason alone....to make McNeil, Jackson, and Merriman feel like they have no leverage and that they are in danger of losing their positions and a lot of money. With Smith's reputation of being a hard head, they have to already be worried that he would rather lose games on the field than lose them in negotiations.

Now, as I stated earlier, McNeil has hope. For one, he is an upstanding citizen. For two, he is a fine left tackle and keeps Rivers on his feet. Most importantly, if English is prospering, than Dombrowski is struggling and there is really no one else to play the position. Let's face it, if English is blowing away Dombrowski, imagine what other top pass rushers will do to him. It's not a pretty picture.

So with all the facts in, I believe that Merriman will sign after sitting out at least half of camp, because he has no leverage. Jackson will sit out and try to make up more words like comedical, because he is not the sharpest tool in the shed. Finally, McNeil will get a new contract and get to play football in 2010, because even A.J. Smith will have to admit that his back is against the wall and he needs a stud at left tackle.

Enjoy the season!

Bolt Notes: Super Bowl Edition

Well, here we are on the eve of the Super Bowl and once again my Chargers are sitting at home (or in a strip club, knowing many of them) preparing to watch the big game. I would love to go on a rant about how the Chargers showed again that they are immature and don't get the responsibility that comes with the paycheck. I could go on and on about LaDainian Tomlinson asking for his release and how it seems star players never leave San Diego in a pleasant fashion, but rather they leave frustrated, angry, and disappointed (See AJ Smith and Norv Turner).

I could talk about those things, but I would rather just move on and focus my attention on the teams that had the talent, maturity, fortitude, coaching, and luck to make it all the way to Super Bowl Sunday!

Yes, the Saints and Colts will meet tomorrow to provide much of the world with something to watch between commercials. We have arguably the best quarterback of all time in Peyton Manning, versus one of the greatest emotional stories in the New Orleans Saints. This should be a barn burner to the end.

I must admit that I am having a hard time picking this game's winner. I have been successful so far in the post season with just three losses, but I think I have changed my mind on this game on a daily basis. Most days, I say, "I want the Saints and Drew Brees, but I expect the Colts and Peyton to win." Then other days it's, "The emotion of the Saints will take them to another level that the Colts won't be able to match. Not to mention, with Freeney being hurt, the Colts defense will be much more vulnerable to the pass and run. Hopefully, I will come to a decision by the end of this post.

Looking at the Colts, I see an excellent passing game, led by Peyton Manning. However, with the late week injury to Reggie Wayne, I could see that attack slowing down if the injury has much effect of Wayne's running or cutting ability.

The Colts have the worst running stats in the league. That is true, but I would not say they have the worst running game in football. That privilege goes to my Bolts thank you. The Colts don't run poorly, they just don't run often. Their reliance, and the success of their passing game, makes it hard to rack up too many yards for Indy running backs.

Defensively, the Colts are small and fast. With Freeney, they have a very good pass rush and with Bob Sanders, they have the ability to cover well and turn the ball back over to their offense. Without Freeney and Sanders, they are average at best.

Coach Caldwell, of Indy, has a ton of pressure on him this week. Not only is he a rookie coach, he is the coach who threw out a possible perfect season in order to rest up for the post season. If he wins, he is mostly vindicated. If he loses, his fans will regret missing out on the perfect regular season. Fortunately for Caldwell, he has a pretty good coach on the field in Manning.

As for the Saints, they have many things on their side. For instance, Drew Brees is no slouch in the passing game. He moves the ball down field with a strong vertical attack and has Reggie Bush to dump the ball off to if the defense shuts down the deep balls.

The Saints also can rely on a solid running game with Pierre Thomas and company. The Saints should try to move the ball on the ground in order to open up the passing game, slow down the rush of the Colts, and keep Manning off the field.

The Saints defense is interesting. They just gave up a little less than 500 yards to Brett Favre and the Vikings. That leads me to believe that the Colts should be able to carve them up for ridiculous yards and with Manning's ability in the "red zone", the Colts should be able to put points on the board. However, the Saints "D" also forced five turnovers against the Vikings. Every defender is trained to strip the ball from runners and the corners and safeties are not afraid to cut a route and try to intercept the ball. Manning has had days in the past where he gets a case of the picks, but not too often.

What it comes down to is, can the Saints D keep the Colts offense out of the endzone? Also, can the Colts D do the same to the Saints? I must admit that my mind says that the Colts will win this game with relative ease. My heart however, and that little voice in the back of my head, says that Brees and Co. will outscore Manning and the Colts and win the game by less that a touchdown. In fact, I see a last minute drive by the Colts actually falling short due to a Manning interception to secure the victory for the Saints. It will be the biggest play the Saints D makes all day.

Final Score: Colts 34 Saints 38

MVP: Drew Brees

Bolt Notes: Pro Bowl Edition

Here is my official take on the NFL Pro Bowl.....WHO CARES?

That's about it! Okay, as a Chargers fan, I would like to see the Chargers who made the team do well and have the AFC win the game. That being said, if they don't, I won't lose any sleep at all.

Now, when this game was played in Hawaii and it was after the Super Bowl, I still didnt care that much, but I was far more interested than I am now. This new way of running the Pro Bowl has to be one of the worst ideas in sports history. The NFL changed the location from Hawaii to the Super Bowl site. Result: Many players were not inspired to go (no offence South Florida). Next, the NFL decides that they should play the game before the Super Bowl (am I allowed to write "Super Bowl"?), instead of the week following. Result: None of the Super Bowl participants will be allowed to play. They get to show up to Florida a day before their team and wave at the crowd during pregame festivities. Sounds like fun to me! Further results: So many players have opted out of the Pro Bowl that it isn't even an all start game anymore.

The NFL says that this new Pro Bowl setup is already a success because the media is talking about the game more than ever! The problem is that the media, and Joe Blow on the corner, are only talking about it to say how stupid it is.

Prediction: AFC 38 NFC 31

MVP Chris Johnson (assuming he is going to play)

Enjoy the game.....if you bother watching.

Bolt Notes: Pissed Off Edition

Well, I was waiting to write this post until I got over the Chargers loss from last Sunday. Apparently, that is not going to happen in time for this week's games. The one thing I will say is that I give the Jets credit for waiting patiently for the Chargers to self destruct. The Jets are a decent team, but do not belong on the same field with the Chargers when comparing talent. However, the Chargers are a bunch of mental midgets who act like they are sill in high school with their coach changing their grades so they can play. MORONS!

Okay, now that that is out of my system, here are my picks for the Championship round:

jets vs COLTS

The Colts are similar to the Chargers on offense with a more mature group of guys. Even the rookies play like veterans. The Colts also have a better defense than the Chargers so they should be able to stop the Jets running game and force the Jets to throw the ball. The Colts "varsity" team will handle the Jets with relative ease.

jest 10 COLTS 24

vikings vs SAINTS

This one could be a toss up, but I am going with Drew Brees at home and the Saints first ever trip to the Super Bowl! The Vikings have the better defense, but the Saints are on fire offensively. I also don't see Favre having the kind of day that he had last week again.

vikings 20 SAINTS 31

Bolt Notes: Divisonal Round Analysis and Picks

Okay, it is late on Friday night and I just got home from a high school girl's water polo tournament. I am hearing my bed calling me, but I have to at least make my picks for this weekends game. After all, it could be the most exciting week of football on the whole season. Anyway, sorry so brief, but I hope you will check it out and give me your picks as well. By the way, I was 3-1 last week.

CARDINALS @ saints

As with many of these games, my pick has changed on a daily basis this week. It should be a shootout, but who knows where the Saints are right now. I began the week liking the Saints to win at home in a high scoring game. As the week went on, I started dwelling on the fact that the Saints haven't played to win in a month! Are they so good that they can turn off the switch in week 15 and then turn it back on and beat Kurt Warner and the high flying Cardinals? I don't think so. Cards 38 Saints 24

ravens @ COLTS

I hear people talking about the great Ravens defense and the powerful Ravens running game. Okay, I'll buy that (for the most part). I hear others say that the Colts, and Peyton Manning, don't do well in the playoffs after a bye. Okay, I'll buy that (history doesn't lie). Then I look at the fact that Joe Flacco is hurt, the Colts are at home, and the Colts are pissed off that they didn't get a chance to be perfect. Also, the last time these two teams met, Flacco was healthy and his powerful offense only scored on 5 field goals. If the Ravens can't score touchdowns, they can't beat the Colts. Ravens 12 Colts 24

cowboys @ VIKINGS

Here is another game that I have flip-flopped on all week. Yes, the Cowboys are on fire right now. Yes, Tony Romo has knocked the playoff monkey off of his back. Yes, Brett Favre is almost as old as I am. Yes, Adrian Peterson hasn't broken the century mark in a game in the last seven weeks. All that being said, I think the Cowboys don't have the pressure they had on them last week and may relax just a little bit. Also, Favre is sure to have one great game in the playoffs. In fact, I see him playing great this week and having a tough game next week and missing the Super Bowl (at least that is what I feel today). Look for the Cowboys to come back down to earth. Cowboys 20 Vikings 28

jets @ CHARGERS

Well, obviously I am going with the Bolts this week. I always go with the Bolts. I'm a homer and have no problem admitting it! That being said, I must say that the closer we get to game time, the wider I think the margin of victory will be. The way I see it is that the Jets have one studly defensive back in Revis. The problem is that they don't have anymore. They need someone to cover all the other weapons that they Chargers possess. Go ahead and lock down Jackson. Just look out for Floyd, Gates, Nanee, Sproles, Tomlinson and even Tolbert. The Chargers just have too much fire power for the Jets.

The Jets will be able to run the ball, but other teams have run the ball as well and still lost to the Bolts. The Chargers give up a lot of yards, but not that many points. In the last half of the season, the Chargers defense has played very well in the redzone. You can ask the Dallas Cowboys if that statement is true.

The fact is that if the Chargers can score like I think they can, the Jets will be forced to pass the football more than they want to. Not that Sanchez is terrible, but he is a rookie and I don't think he beats Philip Rivers in a battle of the quarterbacks. If it becomes a shootout, the Jets don't stand a chance.

Don't get me wrong, I do think the Jest have a chance to win this game. I am not looking past them. I just think that the Chargers are a better team and if they play their game, the Jets so not have the answers for them. That really became clear to me when I started hearing quotes from Jets coach Rex Ryan. The way I see it is if the coach is talking smack, it is probably to try to get in the Chargers heads and to convince his own team that they have a chance.

Jets 16 Chargers 31

Enjoy the games!

Bolt Notes: Wild Card Weekend Analysis And Picks!

In the immortal words or George Thorogood...."And away we go!" That's right, the 2009/2010 NFL playoffs will begin on Saturday with some great wild card matchups! We have the Jets invading Cincinnati, and the Eagles flying to Dallas! Both games are repeats of week 17 matchups that had the Jets and Cowboys claiming victories and momentum going into the post season. Do last week's victories really mean that much? Or, do we throw them out and start from scratch?

If that wasn't enough excitement for one weekend, we have the Sunday games! We begin with the Ravens trying to rough up the ailing Patriots and the Packers trying to win back to back weeks against the Cardinals.

I don't know about you, but I can't wait. Now, let's see who I pick and why. I would love to see some comments from you sharing how you feel things will work out.

New York Jets vs Cincinnati Bengals

Last Sunday, the Jets hosted Cincinnati and simply put a beat down on them. The Bengals started their first string and accomplished nothing. Literally nothing! Carson Palmer only completed one pass for exactly zero yards! His backup didn't fare much better as the Bengals folded for the Jets, allowing New York to waltz right into the playoffs where they will meet the Bengals again.

The question is, how bad did Cincy want to win that game? It appeared that they tried to keep things simple and not give away too much. That may have been their theory but they had to leave the game wondering why they could not move the ball at all against the Jets top rated defense. Not to mention, Bengals star receive, Chad Ochocinco slipped in pre-game and injured his knee. He will play Sunday, but he may be somewhat limited. Perhaps Ochocinco will be happy in the long run to have an excuse why he got shut down two weeks in a row.

Jets Head Coach Rex Ryan has explained in the media that despite their 9-7 record coming into the playoffs, their top rated defense and their top rated running game should make them favorites to win the Super Bowl. Well, I hear where he is coming from, but I'm not buying what he is selling.

It has been said that the team that can run the ball and play the best defense will win in post season. I would even say that I agree with that statement. However, let's look at why it is true most years. First of all, defense tends to show up every week when offenses can have bad days. Second, there are fewer bad things that can happen when you run the football and you control the clock when you keep it on the ground. Okay fine. I'm with you so far Rex. Here is where I split apart. In my humble opinion, the reason that teams with tough defenses, and offenses that feature the run are so hard to beat in post season is the weather. Normally, there are teams in the post season, hosting games, in the bitter cold, snow, ice, and rain soaked fields. In those conditions, it is very difficult to pass the ball. If you don't have a run game, you are really hurting. Looking at this year's venues, we won't be having inclimate weather games to deal with. After the wild card week, all the games are likely to be played in a dome, or a warm weather site like San Diego. Passing offenses could flourish this year.

As for this game? Well, this is the one exception to the good weather games for this post season. It is supposed to be cold and snowing in Cincinnati on Saturday. That is bad news for Carson Palmer and the Bengals offense. The Jets have shown that they can win without the help of rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez. He can throw 15 times a game to keep the other team honest and then let his potent ground game take over. Much like the Steelers a few years ago. With that in mind, I have to pick the Jets to win this one in a low scoring, fast moving game.

Jets 20 Bengals 13

Philadelphia Eagles vs Dallas Cowboys

I have flip flopped on this game at least five times this week. Romo and the Cowboys have never won a playoff game together. The Eagles tend to move through the playoffs every year until they lose focus and falter. The thing about this game that makes it a tough call is that the Eagles were shutout by the Cowboys just a week ago! Shutout!!! In fact, the Cowboys defense has thrown back to back shut outs to end the regular season. That is hard to do against anyone, much less the very talented Eagles offense, lead by Donavin McNabb.

Some people say that the Eagles laid down because they had the playoffs locked up. I don't see it that way. They could have earned a bye in week one and a home game next week if they had won the game. They had to be trying. Yet, they failed to even kick a field goal.

Well, just as the Cowboys silenced the critics by showing they can win a game or two in December, I think they are in line to win one in the playoffs this year. Since they are at home, I will be going with Tony Romo and the Cowboys.

Eagles 20 Cowboys 27

Baltimore Ravens vs New England Patriots

As a Chargers fan, this matchup is particularly interesting to me. If the Patriots win, the Chargers will face them in the divisional round. If the Ravens win, the Bolts will face the winner of the Jets/Bengals game. With the injuries that New England has suffered and the veterans they have lost on defense, I think most Bolt fans would tell you that they want the Patriots to win and then come to San Diego to get humiliated! But then again, you can't forget the last couple of times they have met in the playoffs and the game has not turned out so hot for the Chargers. Be careful what you wish for keeps coming to mind.

Let's not get ahead of ourselves though. The Chargers have the luxury of sitting and watching this weeks game. In fact, if the Chargers are hoping for anything it may be that the Patriots and Ravens play a brutally physical game and both teams crawl off the field needing medical attention and perhaps last rights! In that case, it wouldn't matter who won.

The Patriots go into this game with some real challenges. Top clutch receiver Wes Welker blew out his knee last week and will not be available. That is a huge loss, even though they do have a Welker clone in Julian Edleman who came in for Welker last week and grabbed 10 receptions for 103 yards. The question is, can this rookie receiver perform on the big stage? Also banged up in New England is quarterback Tom Brady. Cracked ribs and a broken finger on his throwing hand have been reported. Some of his passes last week leads me to believe the stories are true. Pats coach Bill Belichick claims that Brady is fine, but we all know that Belichick has a different take on what the truth is than most fans outside of New England.

The Ravens had their issues this year but they do have a strong running attack and a very good second year starting quarterback in Joe Flacco. Also, Ray Lewis is still making plays and delivering big hits for the Ravens defense. The Ravens defense is not the feared D that it once was, but they can still come up with plays and hits that make you remember the team that once was at the top of the NFL on that side of the ball.

Look for this to be a hard hitting, turnover filled game. The weather should not be a huge factor. It should be very cold, but clear. As long as it stays dry, both teams should be able to pass the ball. However, a cold ball is a slippery ball so look for fumbles and picks to make the difference. I have to give the Pats credit for knowing how to win the big games against teams they should beat.

Baltimore Ravens 23 New England Patriots 24

Green Bay Packers vs Arizona Cardinals

The last game of the weekend is another rematch form week 17. The Cardinals took a beating last week as Aaron Rodgers and the Packers ran right over them. However, that doesn't mean much this week as you must remember that Arizona had nothing to play for and they had Matt Lienhart at quarterback most of the game. That being said, you have remember that Arizona did decide to play much of their first string which lead to the high ankle sprain of wide receiver Anquan Boldin. That is bad news for Arizona. Although Boldin is as tough as they come, he may not be very effective this week.

The Packers come into this week as the hottest team in football not named the Chargers. Aaron Rodgers is playing at an extremely high level and looking for a possible third matchup with his old teammate, Brett Favre. The Packers have the entire package. They run fairly well, they play solid defense, and they can throw the heck out of the ball. This should be one exciting game to watch!

When it comes down to it, you have to consider the pride of the Arizona Cardinals. They come into this game as the reigning NFC champions! They do not want to lose that honor to a wild card team at their own field. Look for Kurt Warner to make miracles happen on Sunday.

Green Bay Packers 27 Arizona Cardinals 32

Enjoy the games!

Bolt Notes: WEEK 17 Analysis and NFL Picks!

Here we are, the last week of the regular season! Personally, I think this is the toughest week of the year to pick winners. Who is going to rest starters? Who is going to play it safe? Who has already packed it in and started their vacations? Who has something to prove? Who is playing a do or die game? All of these angles make it hard to decide the winners in week 17. That's okay, I'll give it a shot anyway.

Last week I went 10-6 (again), to move my overall record up to 152-88. Read my picks and let me know what you think!

NFL PICKS WEEK 17

colts @ BILLS

It feels strange to pick the Bills over the Colts. However, the Colts have shown that they are going to rest their studs and play their backups. Also, it was obvious last week that the team was let down by their coaches decision to pull starters and lose their perfect season. That could linger as the year comes to a close. The only question is if Buffalo will show up for this game.

jaguars @ BROWNS

This could be four in a row for the Browns!!! Are you kidding me? Leave it to the Browns to win enough to lower their draft pick, yet not make the playoffs. Oh well, it's a sign of improvement. As for the Jags, they could very well win this game. Is going .500 enough of an incentive to go on the road an beat a hot team? I doubt it.

BEARS @ lions

I don't like either team in this one. The Lions don't know how to win. Also, Jay Cutler is a bottom feeder. He loves to pad his stats against the bad teams. He has to want to go out on a good note so the off season isn't filled with people calling for his head on a platter. That should be enough for the Bears to win this in a close one.

NINERS @ rams

If the Niners have folded their tents, they will lose. I'm betting that Coach Singletary will not allow that is his players. If they show up, the Niners should have too much fire power for the lack-luster Rams.

STEELERS @ dolphins

Another tough call. I just think that the champions will show up and force the rest of the league to keep them out of the playoffs. The Dolphins at their best could beat a banged up Pittsburgh, but I don't see Miami at their best right now. That being said, I don't see Pittsburgh in the playoffs either (thank God).

giants @ VIKINGS

Vikings jockeying for position in the playoffs and the Giants looking like a shell of their former selves. There is no way that Favre wants to play anywhere but in a dome in the playoffs and he also really needs a bye week. The Vikings will pull out all the stops to win this game. Fortunately, it shouldn't take that great of an effort to beat the G-Men.

FALCONS @ bucs

Congratulations to the Bucs for their big win last week. Enjoy it while it lasts Tampa Bay. The Falcons will not relax for the Bucs this week. Falcons win easily.

saints @ PANTHERS

The Saints have been struggling and have shown that they will rest Brees and other starters to ready them for the playoffs. If the Panthers are still playing with pride, they should be able to squeak this one out.

patriots @ TEXANS

Billy Boy says he will start Brady, and I believe he will. However, how long will he play and how many other starters will see limited, if any time at all? I see the Pats resting this week and more or less handing the Texans this one. Also, the Texans are playing for their playoff lives at home. Advantage Houston.

EAGLES @ cowboys

Maybe the best game of the week. Both teams need it and both teams are playing well. I almost went with Dallas at home, but I think the Eagles are too explosive for Americas Team. (note to Fox TV. Just because I live an hour North of San Diego does not mean that I am not a Chargers fan. I am very displeased that I will have to watch the Cowboys game when my Bolts are playing a sold out home game. Remember, not everyone is a Cowboys fan!

chiefs @ BRONCOS

It looks like Denver is going to pull off a miracle! They are about to become the third team in NFL history start 6-0 and not make the playoffs. However, for this to happen, it will take a little bit of help since I can't see them losing this game. Coach McDaniels must be confident as well as he picks now to bench his best receiver, Brandon Marshall. Even if the Broncos win, which I think they will, they need the Jets, Ravens, and Steelers to lose as well. Looks like another long postseason for the Broncos. Two first round draft choices next year should help.

RAVENS @ raiders

This game will not be close. As good as the DB's of the Raiders are, I don't believe they will be able to control a motivated Ravens offense. Also, the quarterbacks of the Raiders leave something to be desired. Sorry, Charlie Frye and JaMarcus Russell, I don't think you are saviors.

packers @ CARDS

Another potentially good game. Should be lots of passing and some big plays in this one. I think the Cards are starting to peak and will blow past the Packers at home.

TITANS @ seahawks

They should just flip a coin for this game. The Titans played poorly last week against the Chargers and they are banged up. The Seahawks (let me see if I can put this kindly)...hmmm...are ...............horrible! If the Titans board the plane, they win this game.

bengals @ JETS

New York is fighting for a birth in the playoffs and Cincinnati is pretty well locked in. Playing at home, with a solid defense, and something to play for, should be enough to put the Jets over the Bengals.

redskins @ CHARGERS

This is a much harder game to call then it looks. Coach Norv Turner has said that he wants to get as many starters on the team some quality playing time as possible. However, he has also said that subs like quarterback Billy Volek will get a large amount of snaps. My guess is that the starters will get a quarter and then the most valuable, and banged up starters will be done for the day.

Then you have the Redskins. They should be playing their starters throughout the entire game, unless there are subs they want to look at for next year. Normally, that would give them the advantage. However, judging by the previous two weeks for the Skins, I don't think the starters are trying anymore. They were destroyed in a big rivalry game on Monday night two weeks ago and then turned around and got shut out last week. I can't see the Redskins beating the Chargers in any scenario this week.

My only fear for this game is that a key starter, or two, will be injured and knocked out of the playoffs. A few years back, I watched my Bolts play a meaningless game against the Cardinals in week 17. During that game, Philip Rivers injured his foot and was very limited in the playoffs.

Over the past three years, key players like LaDainian Tomlinson, Philip Rivers, Shawne Merriman, Antonio Cromartie, Jamal Williams, Antonio Gates, and others have staggered into the post season and the team has not been able to put two playoffs wins together. This year could be different. I believe if the Chargers stay healthy, this is the best opportunity they have had to win it all. I'm not ordering Super Bowl tickets, nor am I getting my ring finger sized for a championship ring (copy of course). What I am saying, is that their won't be any excuses this year and the Chargers have proven they can play with the big boys. Only time will tell!

Enjoy the games!

Bolt Notes: Wrap Up; Preview; and Week 14 NFL Picks!

Alright, I had a little slip last week with a 8-8 total for my picks. That brings my overall total to 122-70. I would be more upset about the eight losses, but a few of them were upsets almost nobody picked, even the players on the winning teams! Who would have picked the Raiders over the Steelers? Most would not have picked the Dolphins to beat the Patriots, or the Cardinals to destroy the Vikings! Oh well, that was last week....time to move on to week 14!

Wrap Up: Chargers 30 @ Browns 23

The Chargers went into Cleveland as heavy favorites in week 13. They were so confident that they could walk all over the Browns that they sat some of their defensive stars (Merriman & Castillo) so they could heal up for the game against the Cowboys this week. In the long run, everything worked out just fine, but there were some tense moments that leave Chargers fans wondering if they have what it takes to beat a top notch team like the Cowboys.

The first drive of the game you could see that the Chargers were not mentally in the game. Brady Quinn marched his offense down the field and quickly put seven points on the board. Fortunately for the Chargers, Philip Rivers and Antonio Gates did take the plane ride to Cleveland. The two teamed up for several big plays and a total of 167 yards through the air. Cleveland had no match for Gates down field.

The Chargers running game was nothing to be excited about, although, future Hall of Famer, LaDainian Tomlinson did move up the ladder of all time leading rushers by passing the legendary Jim Brown. This moment was extra special being that it took place against Browns old team with him present in the stadium. Tomlinson pointed and saluted to Brown after the run that put him into 8th place all time.

In the long run, I can sum the game up fairly easily. The Chargers offense seemed to cruise all day and racked up 30 points as they usually do. The Chargers defense was caught by surprise by an improving Brady Quinn and gave up a large number to the Browns offense, 23. The Bolts leave with the win and fairly healthy for their next game against the Cowboys. However, they did learn that some of their second string guys may not be enough to beat a better team.

Preview: Chargers @ Cowboys

Now we're talking! The San Diego Chargers have been criticized all year for playing in a week division. Now, we could go into the fact that the Broncos, Chiefs, and Raiders have all beaten "great" teams this year, but that is another story. Most experts are looking to the next three games to decide if the Chargers are for real, or just talented bottom feeders.

This week, they fly into Dallas for a shootout with the Cowboys. Tony Romo and company ran up quite a number of yards last week against the reeling Giants, but still managed to lose the game. This has been quite concerning for the Cowboy faithful who know that the Cowboys have a terrible record in December and fear that this year's team has started it's annual fall from grace.

The Chargers, on the other hand, love December. Since Philip Rivers became the starting quarterback, the B0lts have never lost in December. That is a perfect 15-0! This year, that perfect record will be tested. The Bolts play the Cowboys in Dallas, the Bengals at home, and they end up on Christmas night against the Titans in Tennessee! All of this with a slim, one game lead on division rival Denver.

This game has some great story lines:

• Dallas Head Coach, Wade Phillips was formerly the defensive coordinator in San Diego



• Current Chargers Head Coach, Norv Turner was formerly the offensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys and is credited for a huge part of why they won three Super Bowls during his tenure.



• Philip Rivers has been perfect in December as a starter 15-0



• Tony Romo has built a reputation of being a December choker



• Igor Olshansky, defensive lineman for the Cowboys was drafted by the Chargers and played with the Bolts up until this year.
  


• The Chargers are hanging on to a slim lead in the AFC West



• The Cowboys are currently tied with Philadelphia and have a one game lead over the Giants
  


• Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has been complaining about how Phillips has been using Marion Barber



• Wade Phillips has been complaining that he has not been offered a contract extension



• LaDainian Tomlinson is playing a personal home game. He grew up in Waco and played at TCU

It all that doesn't inspire you to watch this game, just go back to sleep until February and wake up in time to watch the Super Bowl commercials.

Week 14 NFL Picks! Winners in bold caps

STEELERS @ browns (I really hate Thursdays)

SAINTS @ falcons (Atlanta has too many injuries to compete)

PACKERS @ bears (I just don't trust Cutler)

broncos @ COLTS (We'll see which Broncos team shows up)

BILLS @ chiefs (I hate this game. Should end in a tie)

bengals @ VIKINGS (Could be an upset in the making)

PANTHERS @ patriots (Pats should win at home, but they are realing and Brady is banged up)

JETS @ bucs (Jets second string QB could be improvement.)

dolphins @ JAGUARS (Could go either way)

lions @ RAVENS (Ravens too tough for Lions)

SEAHAWKS @ texans (I can't figure either of these teams out)

rams @ TITANS (Could be Rams game if Young is out, or limited)

redskins @ RAIDERS (Tough call, both teams inconsistent)
EAGLES @ giants (Eagles too good for Giants)

CARDINALS @ niners (Cards starting to click on offense)

CHARGERS 38 @ cowboys 24

Enjoy the games!

Bolt Notes: Wrap Up; Preview, and Week 13 NFL Picks!

Welcome back to another edition of Bolt Notes. As always, I greatly appreciate that you take a few minutes out of your day to read what I have to share and I would greatly appreciate any and all comments that you leave. I will respond to all comments left, even if you disagree.

Week 12 was another great week for my Bolts and another solid week for my picks as well. With a 12-4 record in week 12, my overall record moved up to 114-62. Definitely getting back to a respectable level, but still not blowing away the "experts" by any means. That's okay, no money is being lost, or made on my picks, just a lot of fun is being had making them.

Wrap Up: Chiefs @ Chargers

As I said, week 12 was a great week for the San Diego Chargers. The Chiefs flew into San Diego feeling really good about themselves after taking down last year's Super Bowl champions, the Pittsburgh Steelers. Most people still believed that the Chargers would win this game, but many worried that it would be a trap game and the Chargers would look past the Chiefs and get beat.

I didn't see it that way. I saw that the Broncos had already won on Thursday and that the Chiefs win over Pittsburgh would be enough to remind the Chargers that they had to show up for this one. Show up they did!

Throughout the game, the Chargers had their way with K.C.. Although they didn't rush for a bunch of yards, they did run effectively when they tried. Rivers controlled the game with his arm, moving the offense up and down the field. Both Antonio Gates and LaDainian Tomlinson had two touchdowns a piece as the Chargers offense racked up 34 points, with the defense adding 9 points of their own!

Yes, the Chargers defense showed up as well. They did have some typical problems stopping the run, but not so much that the Chiefs could strictly rely on it. The Chiefs did have to throw the ball and when they did, quarterback Matt Cassell was running for his life most of the game. Cassell was only sacked once, but he was hit and forced to scramble consistently throughout the game forcing a Cassell fumble (returned for a TD) and throw a pick to Quinten Jammer. The Chiefs threw in a couple more fumbles as well to help the Bolts cause. Final score: Chiefs 14 - Chargers 43

Preview: Chargers @ Browns

This is one of those games where I wish I had some money to bet. Although the Chargers go into it with three defensive starters sitting out due to injury (Merriman, Weddle, and Castillo), I still can't think of a way that the Browns win this game. Even in Cleveland the Browns simply do not match up with the Bolts. Some Browns fans on Internet chat boards have admitted that the Chargers will win, but that San Diego will be held down my the Browns defense. Sorry, I don't see that either. Right now, the Chargers are 13.5 point favorites with the over/under at 42..5. Do yourself a favor, if you have some discretionary funds, and throw down some cash on the Chargers and the over. The Chargers alone have a decent chance of getting 43 points, much less the two teams combined.

Here are some of the stats that bring me to believe this will be a complete blow out:

• The Browns have only 10 offensive touchdowns this entire season.
  
• LaDainian Tomlinson alone has 8 touchdowns and he has been considered washed up by many.
  
• The Browns have only scored 20 or more points twice this season and they lost both games.


• The Chargers have not scored less than 21 points in any game this season. They are also averaging 31 points per game during their six game winning streak.


• Brady Quinn
  
• Philip Rivers


• Philip Rivers 14-0 in December for his career as a starter

Now, what will the score of this fiasco be? That is a tough question. I want so badly to predict my first 50 point game of the year. I just can't do it. You see, the problem is that the Browns give up almost 160 yards per game rushing. That tells me that the Chargers will use Tomlinson, Sproles, Tolbert and Hester all day and chew up the yardage, and the clock. With all that running, the game will be very fast since the clock will not stop often when the Chargers are on offense. With that in mind, I have two scores to use this week for my prediction. 1. Chargers 38 - Browns 6 and 2. Chargers 45 - Browns 6. The difference being if the defense scores a touchdown or not. It the defense (or special teams) scored a touchdown, the Chargers will go over the 40 mark. If not, they should end up in the 30's like they usually do. Enjoy the game!

Week 13 NFL Picks: Winners in all caps

jets @ BILLS (I hate Thursday night games)

EAGLES @ falcons (Many injured players on both sides...flip a coin)

rams @ BEARS (Bears win despite Chokeler)

lions @ BENGALS (Cincy too much for Detroit but could be close)

titans @ COLTS (Ride the Colts until they lose or play San Diego in the playoffs)

BRONCOS @ chiefs (I sure hope I'm wrong)

PATRIOTS @ dolphins (Pats have to take out frustration of someone)

raiders @ STEELERS (Big Ben back and has something to prove)

SAINTS @ redskins (SAINTS COULD GO 16-0)

bucs @ PANTHERS (Don't like either team, but Bucs are worse)

TEXANS @ jaguars (Another coin flip)

COWBOYS @ giants (Giants look bad and Sheli is hurt)

NINERS @ seahawks (Could be a good game but who knows about Seattle?)

VIKINGS @ cards (Vikings seem to be in a hurry to get to Arizona)

RAVENS @ packers (Low scoring, close game)

CHARGERS 38 @ browns 6

Enjoy the games!!!

Bolt Notes: Wrap Up; Preview, and Week 12 NFL Picks!

Now, week 11 in the NFL seemed to make a lot more sense to me than recent weeks. There was an upset or two, but not the kind of play that would make you start to question everything you thought you knew about the sport. Even Kansas City beating Pittsburgh made some sense since Troy Polomalu was out and Big Ben got his bell rung. Even with that, it took K.C. overtime to pull of that upset. Yes, week 11 was much easier to call than recent weeks, in my opinion.

That being the case, I had a much better week than the past few, with a 13-3 record. That brings my season record up to 102-58. Another week like last week and I should regain some of my lost confidence. At this point in week 12, I am 2-1 after missing the Denver game. Great effort by the Broncos, I must admit. That win by Denver may have saved their playoff hopes. Dang-it!

Wrap Up: Chargers @ Broncos

I had predicted that this matchup was not looking good for the Denver Broncos, even at home. Denver was riding a losing streak. The Chargers were riding a winning streak. All the momentum was on the Chargers side and all signs pointed to a Chargers win! This game was one occasion where the signs were pointed correctly and the expected outcome did, in fact, take place.

Yes, the Chargers stormed into Denver and took the Broncos out with very little effort required. Not that Denver never showed signs of life, but rather Denver never showing signs that they could stop the Bolts.

Coaching seemed to be a big part of the Chargers win. As hard as it is to say, Norv Turner has been making great decisions lately and certainly out-coached his 32 year old counterpart, Josh McDaniels. For instance, Norv has done a great job calling plays on offense. He has been capitalizing on the opposing teams defense and has been able to find ways to fix their early season run problems. In this game, the Chargers found success on the ground, so they ran the ball. Norv could have told Rivers to throw 40 times and tried to run up the score. Instead, he saw that the run game was working, his team was dominating the time of possession, and ran the ball for over 200 yards! Norv only asked Rivers to throw the ball 22 times, in which he completed 17, to keep the chains moving and keep the defense honest. Not an easy task for a team that entered the game last in the NFL in rushing.

McDaniels showed his youth early. After just four passes, McDaniels decided to bench Chris Simms and throw in injured Kyle Orton. Orton had torn ligaments in his ankle the previous week and seemed to need some more time to heal. I will admit that Orton was more effective than expected, but why risk the season on just one game. It was especially surprising to see Orton out there when the game was out of reach in the fourth quarter.

Another rookie mistake by McDaniels was trying an onside kick when only down by 10 points in the third quarter. This kick came after a Broncos score and a couple of series where the Broncos defense had stopped the Chargers offense. Sure, if the Broncos had recovered the onside kick, he would have been thought of as a genius. However, they didn't get the ball. Instead, Philip Rivers and company had the ball at the Denver 46 yard line and marched in for a huge score. The game was essentially over at that point.

To wrap it up, I would say that the Chargers should be thrilled with the improvement on defense and in the running game. The defense still gave up too many yards on the ground but has really been tough in the red zone. There has been a dramatic increase in the last four or five games in pressuring the quarterback on defense and protecting him on offense.

One worrisome note (that may turn into a blessing) is that the Chargers lost starting right tackle Jeremy Clary for the year. John Runyan, former all pro with Philadelphia has been signed to fill his slot. It is hard to say when he will be expected to be ready to start.

Preview: Chiefs @ Chargers

It hasn't been that long since the Chargers went into Kansas City and began this current winning streak. True as that may be, a lot has changed since that time. The Chargers have continued to improve. The Chiefs got rid of Larry Johnson. The Chiefs have been winning games! In fact, the Chiefs have even beaten the Chargers nemesis, the Pittsburgh Steelers! Crazy!

With that in mind, it is obvious that they Chargers cannot afford to look past the Chiefs this week. If they do, they will be upset and once again tied with the Broncos for first place in the West.

On the bright side, the Chargers has some key things happen over the last week that will help them stay focused on K.C. and give them the whoopin' that they should be able to give them.

• Kansas City beat Pittsburgh


• Chargers took over the lead in the AFC West


• Denver upset New York to keep the pressure on the Bolts
  

This are all motivators that should help the Chargers keep from doing what they have a tendency to do......get over confident.

Distractions have also taken place that could hurt the Chargers chances to win.

• Tila Tequila has filed a law suit against Shawne Merriman for many alleged crimes

• Antonio Cromartie was involved in an incident after last Sunday's game where a person was struck by a Champagne bottle. The victim claims that Cromartie threw the bottle at him. Cromartie says, "It slipped". He showed good hands on Sunday afternoon, but not Sunday night.

Oh well, I guess they are professionals and should be able to put these things behind them and do what they are getting millions dollars to do. We shall see.

Week 12 NFL Picks!

PACKERS @ lions (Lions are horrible)

raiders @ COWBOYS (Raiders are horrible)

GIANTS @ broncos (Broncos stepped up and Giants looked very bad)

bucs @ FALCONS (Bucs are horrible)

DOLPHINS @ bills (Oh yeah, Ricky is still pretty good!)

browns @ BENGALS (Browns are horrible)

SEAHAWKS @ rams (Could be an upset here)

panthers @ JETS (I feel wrong about this one)

redskins @ EAGLES (Redskins are horrible)

COLTS @ texans (Could be a game, but Colts are too good)

JAGUARS @ niners (Could go with Niners, but Jags are tough)

cards @ TITANS (If Warner is still cloudy, Cards will lose)

bears @ VIKINGS (Chokeler is horrible)

steelers @ RAVENS (Good news for Pittsburgh...I picked them to lose)

PATRIOTS @ saints (If Saints win, they should run the table in the regular season)

chiefs 10 @ CHARGERS 35

Enjoy the games!

Bolt Notes: Wrap-Up, Preview, and Week 10 NFL Picks!

Okay, this is getting ridiculous! When you think there is parody in the NFL, teams like the Lions go 0-16. Next, you start thinking that there is the "haves" and the "have nots", a team like Oakland beats Philly! Week 9 was just another example of a rather bazaar year in the NFL. Be honest, did you pick the Bucs to beat the Packers? I didn't. Did you think that the visiting Cowboys, Titans, and Cardinals would go into Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Chicago respectively and come out with wins? I didn't. Did you think the one loss Denver Broncos would lose to the Steelers in Denver? That one I got right! Thanks to the champs for that one.

Anyway, last week didn't do much to help my overall record this season. I was fortunate to come out with an 8-5 record for the week. That brings my season total to 81-48. Again, not bad, but not great either. I vow to do better this week!

Wrap-Up: Chargers @ Giants

Well, I'm going to keep it short and sweet this week. I've got things to do and the weekend is coming up fast. As for the game between the Chargers and Giants last Sunday, I must say that I saw some things that have to raise the hopes of all Chargers fans, as well as some things that could still be a problem.

On the bright side, the Chargers defense is starting to show up to games! They have recorded 15 sacks in the last three games (5 per game). Shawne Merriman has recorded four sacks in the last two games and Shaun Phillips have five in his last three. Those are the guys that the Chargers have been counting on to pressure the quarterback and they are finally getting it done. Along with the pressure comes better coverage (who knew?). Even the latest personnel changes made by Norv and Ron Rivera seem to be working. Weddle is hitting hard enough to get fined by the league and Steve Gregory is doing well as a nickle back and coming in on blitzes.

The other major plus for the day came on the offensive side of the ball. Yes, Philip Rivers threw three more touchdown passes and took the Bolts down field in less than two minutes for the game winning score with 21 seconds left on the clock. That's great, but what excited me was the offensive line was able to protect Rivers in the pocket. The much heralded pass rush of the Giants was mostly held at bay which is more that expected by most Chargers fans.

Then again, the offensive line also brings up my greatest concern.....run blocking. The Chargers are the worst running team in the NFL! With Tomlinson and Sproles, that is unacceptable. Yes, Sproles is small, and L.T. may have lost a step, but the fact is that the offensive line is not opening any holes for anyone to get through. For now, Rivers and his very talented targets (Jackson, Gates, Floyd, and Sproles) are controlling the ball through the air well enough to beat most teams. However, there will come a time when teams decide to focus on pass defense and force the Chargers to run the football. Hopefully the upcoming return of center Nick Hardwick will be just what the doctor ordered for the Chargers ground game.

Preview: Eagles @ Chargers

This Sunday is much like last Sunday for the Chargers. The main difference is that the Bolts are not the team that has to travel across country to play, the Eagles are. Yes, the Bolts host the Philadelphia Eagles in what should look much like last week's matchup against the Giants. Both the Eagles and the Chargers have very talented quarterback (Rivers and McNabb), fast, game breaking receivers named Jackson, talented tight ends (Gates and Celek), and running games that have been struggling at best. The Chargers running problems were described above while Philly has been dealing with a concussion issue with stud back Brian Westbrook. It sure looks like they will be airing it out on Sunday!

Currently, the Chargers are a one point favorite at home against the Eagles. That seems a little surprising to me, but the home field advantage is usually good for three points in the eyes of the sports books. Personally, I would not lay money down on this game, but I will continue my homer ways and predict a Bolt victory. If only the Redskins stood a chance to beat the Broncos. Either way, if the Chargers win, next up is a huge matchup with the division rivals.

WEEK 10 NFL PICKS

BEARS @ niners (I could have lied. How bad is Chokeler?)

bills @ TITANS (Look out, here come the Titans!)

SAINTS @ rams (No contest)

bucs @ DOLPHINS (I can't see the Bucs having a winning streak)

lions @ VIKINGS (Again...no contest even with a banged up Brett)

jaguars @ JETS (Tempting to go with Jax, but I can't on the road)

bengals @ STEELERS (Ochocinco offered me a dollar to pick the Bengals, but I declined.)

BRONCOS @ redskins (I wish I could justify picking the Skins, but I can't)

FALCONS @ panthers (Delhomme not good enough against Falcons defense)

CHIEFS @ raiders (Who cares?)

COWBOYS @ packers (Packers lost to the Bucs. Enough said)

seahawks @ CARDS (Could be a wild one)

PATRIOTS @ colts (The coin landed on tails)

RAVENS @ browns (Terrible Monday night game)

eagles 20 @ CHARGERS 24

Enjoy the games and I'll see you next week! I'd love to read your comments and get back to you.

Bolt Notes: Wrap Up, Preview, and Week 9 Picks!

Wasn't last week in the NFL an interesting week? I had a decent week with my picks (9-4), but I won some games I was worried about, and lost some "sure things". For instance, I thought the ground game of the Jaguars would put them past the win-less Titans and their quarterback problems.....wrong. I was sure that the explosive Cardinals would be able to fly past the inconsistent Panthers at home.....wrong. I also thought the Brett Favre returning to Green Bay would put too much pressure on Favre and he would have a bad day.....wrong. That being said, I was right that the Saints had too much for Atlanta, the Dolphins would find a way to win against the Jets, the Ravens would bring the Broncos back to Earth, and the Chargers would beat the leaderless Raiders. So, my overall record is a decent, but not great 73-43 and I'm looking for at least 10 wins this week.

Wrap Up: Raiders @ Chargers

As expected, the Chargers took out the Raiders last Sunday. What wasn't expected by most is the apparent trouble the Raiders caused the Chargers. The game was close and the Raiders did beat the 16 1/2 point spread by half! However, if you look closer, you will see some signs that the Chargers held back a little on offense so they would not give the Giants too much to study before this week's game.

The first pass of the game was a beautiful strike from JaMarcus Russell, right between the three and the one of Chargers Antonio Cromartie. That was Cromartie's first pick of the year and gave the Chargers the ball quickly. The Chargers offense started out with a 50 yards bomb to Malcolm Floyd, down to the Raiders 6 yard line. The very next play, the Chargers went into the "wild cat" offense for the first time ever! The ball was snapped to L.T. who ran a simple "power" play and scored with ease. As easy as that was, it was not a sign of things to come from San Diego.

As the game went on, the Chargers never showed the wild cat offense again. They kept the ball on the ground when they could and threw short to mid range passes most of the game. Tomlinson showed some signs of his old self and Vincent Jackson topped 100 yards receiving again.

The game was kept close by the power running of Raiders Justin Fargas and a fumbled punt return by Darren Sproles. As close as the game was, you never felt a sense that Oakland had what it took to make it all the way back and win the game. The Chargers kept their cards close to their vests and held on to their eight point lead until the end.

Preview: Chargers @ NY Giants

This is a fascinating match-up. It appears that with few exceptions, these two teams are interchangeable. Both teams score a lot of points. Both teams have trouble scoring in the red zone. Both teams have been giving up big yards on defense. Both teams only have one win on their record this year that shows anything at all (Chargers beat Miami and the Giants beat the Cowboys). Both teams are dealing with key injuries, but starting to get some guys back. The quarterbacks of the two teams were traded for each other on draft day. Etc...

That being said, there are some differences that are worth mentioning. The Chargers coach is a mild mannered, players coach who hasn't had much success in the NFL. He takes much criticism for being soft and unable to lead men. The Giants Head Coach is known as a tyrant, but has a Super Bowl ring on his finger.

The Giants, when playing well, are a run first team that wears down the opposing defense. The Chargers air it out and use the pass to set up the run.

To me, the main problem for the Chargers isn't the New York football Giants. It is the location of the game. Norv Turner has brought the Chargers to the East coast nine times in the last few years. Their record is an appalling 1-8! Yes, the Bolts do not travel well and there is no reason to think they will this time. In fact, if I were not a self-proclaimed homer, I would have to pick the G-Men in this one.

BUT!!! I am a homer, so I have to figure out how the Chargers will pull this one out. Here is what I think needs to happen:

• Philip Rivers has to torch the young defensive backs and safeties of the Giants. They have given up a ton of yards and points in recent weeks and if the Chargers can hold off the Giants pass rush, they will be able to have big plays down the field.


• Shawne Merriman (2 sacks against Oakland) and Shaun Phillips (4 sacks in last two weeks) have to continue pressuring the quarterback. Like most QB's, Eli doesn't like getting hit. Hit him early, and he may get happy feet and throw some picks.


• Open up the offense! Use the wild cat (or "wild frog" as some are calling it), use the spread, have Tomlinson throw the ball, throw screens to Tomlinson and Sproles to neutralize the Giants pass rush. Hold nothing back!


• If the Chargers can do those things and not turn the ball over, they can pull this one out. If they fail at any of the three main aspects of the game, they will go down in flames.
  

NFL PICKS FOR WEEK 9 (winners in all caps)

redskins @ FALCONS (No contest)
cards @ BEARS (I want the Cards, but can't trust them)
RAVENS @ bengals (Ravens defense is hitting stride)
texans @ COLTS (Could be close, but can't bet against Manning)
dolphins @ PATRIOTS (Two weeks for Billy Boy to play, Miami would get lucky aGinn)
PACKERS @ bucs (See home team)
chiefs @ JAGUARS (M.J.D will run over troubled Chiefs)
lions @ SEAHAWKS (Never know with the Seahawks. Could be a surprise)
panthers @ SAINTS (Panthers play well in N.O., but I have to go with Brees)
titans @ NINERS (Stop the run and the Titans lose...Can the Niners do it?)
cowboys @ EAGLES (No sure thing, but Cowboys like home cooking)
STEELERS @ broncos (I'm trying to start a streak here. Broncos could well win, but they looked horrible against the Ravens. You have to knock out the champ!)

CHARGERS 32 @ giants 28

Good luck to your teams and enjoy the games!!!