Week 8 Predictions

Last Week: 11-2
Season: 62-42

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Minnesota Vikings: I know most people don't, but I really like what Greg Schiano is doing with that team, especially in the locker room.
TB: 20
MIN: 17

Carolina Panthers @ Chicago Bears: I've done nothing but trash Cam Newton all year and that isn't going to change this week against the best defense in the NFL (at the moment).
CAR: 10
CHI: 23

San Diego Chargers @Cleveland Browns: This, could be an interesting game. Its in Cleveland, in what could be terrible weather in lieu of Hurricane Sandy and the Chargers are traveling across the country, coming off about as bad a loss as possible. The Browns have been a lot better than their record would suggest and if those receivers can catch the ball, I think they have a good chance this week.
SD: 16
CLE: 19

Seattle Seahawks @ Detroit Lions: Megatron struggled mightily against Peanut Tillman last week and now he gets the best secondary in football. If Russell Wilson can lead that offense to two touchdowns, they'll win.
SEA: 20
DET: 19

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Green Bay Packers: The Jaguars sucked enough before losing their best player.
GB: 41
JAC: 13

Miami Dolphins @ New York Jets: Eventually they have to let Tebow at least lead a drive, right?
MIA: 17
NYJ: 9

Atlanta Falcons @ Philadelphia Eagles: This is a tough call. Andy Reid is 13-0 coming off of bye weeks, but the Falcons are undefeated. Philadelphia is expected to get hit with some strong winds and rain, which spells trouble for Michael Vick's turnover rate, but Atlanta isn't used to these kind of conditions at all. I'll take Philly, mostly because the Falcons aren't as good as their record suggests.
ATL: 23
PHI: 27

Washington Redskins @ Pittsburgh Steelers: Dick LeBeau's only loss to a rookie since joining the Steelers came against Troy Smith in week 17 of 2007, when Pittsburgh was resting starters. On top of that, Washington's pass defense is absolutely horrendous. Ben should have a field day regardless of the weather.
WAS: 17
PIT: 38

New England Patriots @ St. Louis Rams: New England is 0-2 against the NFC West this season, but I have a really tough time believing they'll continue that streak this weekend in London.
NE: 31
STL: 20

Indianapolis Colts @ Tennessee Titans: I had both making the playoffs in August...
IND: 23
TEN: 24

Oakland Raiders @ Kansas City Chiefs: I also had Kansas City... who have since decided they would be better off with Brady Quinn under center than Matt Cassel.
OAK: 27
KC: 20

New York Giants @ Dallas Cowboys: Tony Romo is average against every team except the Giants but Eli is undefeated at Jerry World.
NYG: 30
DAL: 29

New Orleans Saints @ Denver Broncos: Toughest call of the week.  Call me crazy, but I still think that both teams will make the playoffs. Saints are more desperate, and they just got their "real" interim Head Coach back.
NO: 34
DEN: 31

San Francisco 49ers @ Arizona Cardinals: I tried to get smart last week and picked San Francisco to lose. Twas a mistake.
SF: 23
ARI: 17

Oregon's Uniform Debate

By: Eric Brill

Last week, a few of us here at The ‘Burgh Report got into an argument over the Oregon philosophy of constantly changing their uniforms. For two of us, myself included, we believe that what Nike has done with the program is essentially just a flashy marketing ploy but if people like the jerseys, that’s fine. Where the argument ensued, was over the philosophy of the system. My opinions on the shortening attention span of the average fan is well documented on this blog but I believe that this particular debate reveals a more deeply seeded issue.

You see, as far as I’m concerned, this idea that “you have to look good to play good” is frustrating. 

Frustrating for a few reasons. First and foremost, its blatantly not true. I’ve played football (nothing special but I at least understand what its like to put pads on and go out on that field) and I can understand wanting to look cool. Its a great feeling when you look at yourself in a mirror before leaving the locker room and realizing how “sick” you look. That’s true of every sport and I would never fault someone for wanting to look good. Though I always felt that it was more about feeling physically comfortable than anything else, if your attire gives you confidence and provides that certain swagger needed to perform, than go for it.

But the idea that you need to look good, well that's taking it too far. Its amazing to hear the same people advocate tougher football out of one side of their mouth and then quote Deion Sanders out of the other. How they can cite and admire the “old school” style of play that the greats followed but then claim that appearance is an important factor in a player's performace. How rough and tough hockey fans, who enjoy a lost tooth as much as a goal, claim that you need to look good. You think that Jack Lambert was concerned with how “sick” his uniform looked? How about Mel Blount? Gordie Howe? No? Didn’t think so. 

I know those were different times but they relied on mental toughness, not looking cool. Hell, if anything, looking cool probably would have been a disadvantage as it would have taken away from the intimidation factor.

You can want to look good, hell you should want to. But let’s make one thing clear, you do not need to. At the end of the day, talent and work ethic trump all. Its far more important for players to be focused on the gameplan, than having the nicest shoes. 

Eventually this argument became so jumbled that all five of us were arguing a different thing but it got me thinking and allows for a nice segue into a more complex problem that I believe is chewing away at the fabric of our society.

From a philosophical viewpoint, this issue goes deep into the psychology of American fandom. I think most of us would acknowledge that we are a society of bandwagoners, or followers if you will. Be it in sports or music, through our religion or our politics; we do what we believe to be societally acceptable. I’m generalizing, I know, but if we broaden the spectrum of what we take from that truth, we can delve into the ideology of Americans, and one thing that has been made abundantly clear in this age of pop culture, constant technological advancements and an overly reactionary social media, is that our “opinions” are always changing as a result. 

If you could go back in time and play Dubstep for kids five years ago, most of them would have said it was “gay” or "stupid" or "I don't know what the hell this shit is but kindly stop making my ears bleed." (I don’t mean that to offend anyone. I'm simply stating a reality) Yet if you play for those same kids today, many would say it was good music. Why? Have everyone's musical interests progressed the same way over the time? No, its because the masses like whatever is popular and anyone who says otherwise is either stubborn as all Hell, or was in the ultimate minority in terms of musical interests five years ago. The reason for this sudden sway, isn’t because the music is better -far from it- its simply become popular. Its a fad. Just like the ones we get in sports.

Coincidentally, one of my opponents in this debate is a proponent of the notion that corruptness drives the NBA. He is of the opinion that pro teams in this day in age require Superstars to succeed. Simple premise, yes, but an understated one. His opposition to the NBA, a sentiment I share for the most part, argues that the great players would rather team up, to create superpowers (i.e. Miami Heat) than win on their own. Its not their fault, its just that's its difficult to win because the super powers are always the ones playing for the title. I suppose the logic is essentially that "if you can't beat em, join em." This loop is great for bigger markets, but small market teams simply aren't going to be able to attract bigger names. They will develop guys, much like the Cavaliers did with LeBron, only to see them leave for a bigger city like Chicago, Los Angeles or New York.

Certainly there are exceptions, but we’ve seen it happen again this offseason with Dwight Howard demanding a trade to go play in a different city where he would have a better chance to win (among other reasons). This isn’t the first time this has happened but it does appear to happen more often these days. 

Loyalty is dying in pro sports. Rarely do you see a guy finish his career with the team that drafted him. Often times, there are guys who would like to stay, but circumstances don’t allow for it. Which is why the bigger issue is that if the teams don’t show loyalty, why would the players? And if the players don’t show loyalty, why would their fans? Many of whom, may have had limited knowledge and interest in that sport to begin with. This is why we get such a high volume of bandwagon fans, because we follow bandwagon leagues, in a society where bandwagoning is the norm, but still held as a vice. 

Its a notion that holds true across our culture as we have instilled a “follower” mentality within our youth. Children’s minds are susceptible to indoctrination, even if it is innocent in intent. Parents instill certain values in their kids, ones they hold as virtues, stemming from morality, usually correlating with their religious and political beliefs. That much is obvious, but what of the values society indirectly ingrains in our youth? Implanting a plethora of “American ideals,” ranging from patriotism to humility.

One of the more intriguing articles I’ve ever read was Professor Lawrence Kohlberg’s study on the stages of moral development. I won’t bore you with the details, though I strongly suggest giving it a look, but one idea I want to emphasize is the third stage (there are six). This is what’s known as “the interpersonal accord and conformity driven stage." In layman’s terms, this is the period in one’s life when judgement of what is right and wrong, is based on societal approval. Its why pre-teens get so caught up in fads, and doing what the masses have deemed popular. This stage is about our desire to feel accepted. Unfortunately, a lot of people never outgrow this stage, at least not entirely.

It is this immaturity that drives the Heat bandwagon. If society and pop culture show that loyalty isn’t important, than why would fans treat the system any differently? We want to feel accepted - its only natural - and for some, their decisions are made almost entirely based on what their friends and family want them to do. Its all about gaining the approval of their peers and this aspect of moral development is often times exploited by sports media. 

But back to Oregon's Uniforms. Allow me to first reiterate that I have no issue with wanting to look good, nor do I believe that it is a sign of being shallow to like the Ducks. My original point was that if you change the look every week, it's no longer your school's uniform, it's just an outfit, a wardrobe, a trend. It's like having a blackout every other week, it loses its significance and people stop caring. Not consciously, but it takes away from the core of the program and puts the emphasis on the flash of how the players look. That might be fun while they are a winning program but what happens when they have a bad year? That said, my frustrations lay more in what this program says about our society. That we are more concerned with appearances then the product on the field.

At the risk of straying too far from the issue I’ll be brief on the disgusting effects that have come about as a result of what our society says about appearances and what it does to anyone who doesn’t abide by its “rules” for being attractive. If you’re not skinny, toned, tanned etc, you’re shunned by a society that values all the wrong things. I suppose that seeing these same guidelines applied to football upsets me as much as anything because I don’t want fans to value the antics of players more than traits like leadership or modesty. 

I hate seeing diva wide receivers become polarizing figures for all the wrong reasons while the pedestrian, but hard working Pro Bowler on the offensive line is overlooked, despite clear superiority in terms of talent and work ethic. We are continuing the trend of devaluing what is on the inside. Its true of people, relationships and its spread to sports. This is an inevitability, I know, but that doesn’t mean I like watching it decimate the landscape of the sporting world.

As far as Oregon and its fans are concerned, if you think that their approach is just a cool way of attracting recruits and making the game more fun for their fans, that’s fine, because you’re right. But understand that my reservations revolve around the indirect results of what their actions are having on an already ignorant society. Fans cheer for guys who dress well and have that swagger about them, but then we shrug our shoulders when those same players are bankrupt after three years of retirement. 

Way to many young players have been implanted with the idea that they are celebrities. That their money is endless, that they will always be adored by their fans and that they are in essence, invincible to the inescapable glass shattering moment that will one day hit them harder than any shot they ever took. If fans encourage this ignorance, we'll only continue to hear more stories of bankruptcy and abuse among former players because the reality is that their celebrity lifestyle only lasts so long. We can't keep treating young men like they're anything more because its hurting them in the long run. At Oregon, these boys are made to feel confident to the point of arrogance. That this program is something more is fun for them, but damaging to their psyche whether they realize it or not. 

Supporting their system is perpetuating arrogance and conceit where it has no place.

When Penn State decided to put names on the back of their jerseys, it was big news, because it was the first real change to their classic style uniform. What the program was saying for decades under Joe Paterno, was that no player was bigger than the team.

I understand that guys coming out of high school want to be recognized, as would I, but it was such a strong sense of tradition that really kept the old uniforms going for so long. Its not about a classic look, its about showing loyalty to the program, the players and the fans, and its worked if you’ve ever been to Happy Valley on a Saturday afternoon during football season. Sure their jerseys are boring, but to the Nittany faithful, that’s not important. 

The Ducks are a fun team and strong program, please don't misunderstand me, but how much of that has to do with the idea that Oregon has become the “cool” program in college football. If they weren’t winning, than changing jerseys all the time would seem ridiculous. 

If they weren’t winning, would this fan base be even half as strong as what it is? How many of their supposed fans have only become fans in the last few years as a result. Certainly those who were faithful prior to Chip Kelly’s arrival will remain, but what of the average fan? The bandwagon fan? They will be dust in the wind, moving onto the next big thing. Sure, some may remain, but the vast majority of such fans will flock to whatever is the new popularity. The same way bandwagon Heat fans will move on to the next team when their big three eventually fall away.

This is my issue with Oregon. Its the negative criterion they are perpetuating in a society that is chalk full of it already. I deal with enough idiocy and ignorance without having it spread to college football. Uniforms do not a team make, and are more a recipe for short term demonstrability than long term dedication. Their perpetuation of short attention span fandom is the driving force behind by objection to their uniform roulette. 

They are devaluing devotion which I hate to see because having grown up in as great a sports town as Pittsburgh, where we expect nothing but our players' best, it disheartens me to see what has happened to programs and franchises across the country, as result of a short attention span society.

The uniforms are just a small scale embodiment of what has become of our interests. Where appearances are more important, loyalty means less and less and we have become increasingly air-headed. Its no wonder that we have an ever increasing divorce rate in this country. America has developed an awful tendency of displaying a short attention span in everything we do and its crushing us. This goes beyond Oregon, beyond sports, its the ideology we’ve developed as a result of becoming progressively lazier. We don’t want to work at anything, we don’t want to have to wait for our team to draft well and become talented. We don’t see anything through anymore. 

Why would we, when we can jump on the nearest bandwagon and root for a winner? Its an enticing alternative but it again perpetuates our short attention span, lack of patience and blatant laziness in regard to work ethic and loyalty to what are supposed to be our values and interests. If we can't realize this glaring ideologic flaw that faces us, our society will only continue to falter.

Week 7 Predictions

Last Week: 8-6
Season: 51-40

Seattle Seahawks @ San Francisco 49ers- Battle of the two best defenses in football.
SEA: 20
SF: 17

Tennessee Titans @ Buffalo Bills-  Battle of the two worst defenses in football. And I had both making the playoffs...
TEN: 23
BUF: 20

Carolina Panthers @ Dallas Cowboys- Dammit Dez Bryant catch the ball!
DAL: 31
CAR: 26

Baltimore Ravens @ Houston Texans- There are five superstars on the Ravens defense. Two are out, two are banged up, one is returning from a sixth month achilles injury and they weren't playing well to begin with.
HOU: 27
BAL: 23

Cleveland Browns @ Indianapolis Colts- First battle of rookie QBs this year.
IND: 24
CLE: 23

Arizona Cardinals @ Minnesota Vikings- Both teams have been pleasant overachievers that are coming off tough losses.
ARI: 19
MIN: 16

Washington Redskins @ New York Giants- If RG3 wins today let's just throw him in the Hall of Fame and call it a career. Calm down people, one of these weeks he's going to come back down to Earth. I promise you he won't sustain that completion percentage by season's end.
NYG: 34
WAS: 27

Green Bay Packers @ St. Louis Rams- This game will either be a blowout or the Rams are getting the upset. I'll take the former.
GB: 41
STL: 10

New Orleans Saints @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Saints have to hope the return of Jonathan Vilma can get the ball rolling if they have any hope of making the playoffs.
NO: 33
TB: 20

New York Jets @ New England Patriots- If the Patriots lose, this season will have officially gone crazy.
NYJ: 24
NE: 31

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Oakland Raiders- Matchup of great running backs on terrible teams
JAC: 17
OAK: 23

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cincinnati Bengals- Desperate times are when Ben is at his best.

PIT: 27
CIN: 17

Detroit Lions @ Chicago Bears- The Bears lead the NFL in takeaways (17) despite playing just five games.
CHI: 30
DET: 26

Week 6 Predictions

Last Week: 9-5

Season: 43-34

Pittsburgh Steelers: 41

Tennessee Titans: 17

Oakland Raiders: 20

Atlanta Falcons: 34

Dallas Cowboys: 24

Baltimore Ravens: 31

Cincinnati Bengals: 16

Cleveland Browns: 13

St. Louis Rams: 17

Miami Dolphins: 20

Indianapolis Colts: 20

New York Jets: 10

Detroit Lions: 33

Philadelphia Eagles: 31

Kansas City Chiefs: 7

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 20

Buffalo Bills: 28

Arizona Cardinals: 14

New England Patriots: 23

Seattle Seahawks: 17

New York Giants: 19

San Francisco 49ers: 26

Minnesota Vikings: 27

Washington Redskins: 24 

Green Bay Packers: 31

Houston Texans: 24

Denver Broncos: 27

San Diego Chargers: 17

Week 5 Predictions

By: Eric Brill

Last Week: 9-6
Season: 34-29

Arizona Cardinals @ St. Louis Rams: As ridiculous as it is to think that the Cardinals could start 5-0, that's what I think will happen.

Cardinals: 19
Rams: 17

Philadelphia Eagles @ Pittsburgh Steelers: Healthy Harrison, healthy Polamalu, healthy Mendenhall, they're at home, coming off a bye and a loss.

Steelers: 31
Eagles: 17

Miami Dolphins @ Cincinnati Bengals: Both teams have overachieved thus far but I trust Dalton more than Tannehill.

Bengals: 23
Dolphins: 20

Green Bay Packers @ Indianapolis Colts: It comes down to whether Andrew Luck can keep up with Aaron Rodgers but I worry about what the loss of Chuck Pagano could mean for such a young team.

Packers: 31
Colts: 20

Baltimore Ravens @ Kansas City Chiefs: The Chiefs manage to disappoint me on a weekly basis. If I predict them to win, they'll lose, If I predict them to lose, they'll win. I'm hoping this logic holds true against Baltimore.

Ravens: 24
Chiefs: 23

Cleveland Browns @New York Giants: The G-men are really beat up right now and what better team to get matched up against than the 0-4 Brownies.

Giants: 27
Browns: 7

Atlanta Falcons @ Washington Redskins: This should be a pretty high scoring affair but my guess is that the Redskins will score most of them in garbage time.

Falcons: 38
Redskins: 27

Seattle Seahawks @ Carolina Panthers: Russell Wilson hasn't been great as of late.

Panthers: 34
Seahawks: 19

Chicago Bears @ Jacksonville Jaguars: I actually think Gabbert has shown some real improvement this year but the defense has recorded two sacks in four games. Chicago's offense is simply too explosive for them.

Bears: 38
Jaguars: 16

Tennessee Titans @ Minnesota Vikings: This is another toss up, but I think Matt Hasslebeck may actually be what this team needs right now and Chris Johnson showed he can still play last week.

Titans: 26
Vikings: 24

Denver Broncos @ New England Patriots: As much as I would rather see Peyton win, New England's offense is firing on all cylindars and I don't think that Denver's is in sync just yet.

Patriots: 31
Broncos: 29

Buffalo Bills @ San Francisco 49ers: If Ryan Fitzpatrick doesn't turn the ball over, the Bills will win. But he's going to.

49ers: 33
Bills: 30

San Diego Chargers @ New Orleans Saints: Every week I pick the Saints, every week I'm wrong. Oh well, here we go again.

Saints: 34
Chargers: 27

Houston Texans @ New York Jets: So let me get this straight; Santonio Holmes and Darrelle Revis are out for the season, Stephen Hill and Dustin Keller aren't playing, Mark Sanchez is still their starting QB and of all the teams to face, they get 4-0 Houston. Sheesh.

Texans: 41
Jets: 3