week 3

I did pick Atlanta to beat TB 21 to 13 with a confidence level of 6 but clearly Tampa Bay was not up for this game. It is harder to watch NFL games with all the off the field issues going on. As I thought more absurd decisions would be coming this year and the NFL has not let me down. Players like North Carolina's Greg Hardy was able to play last week despite being convicted of domestic abuse and owners,GMs and Comissioner Goodell are waving their fingers in the public opinion wind to see what the right thing is to do rather than being strong leaders and making tough decisions on their own. Two cases in point involving one person I greatly respect and another I hold in complete contempt.
Regarding the Ray Rice incident it was sad to read that coach Jon Harbough lobbied to remove him from the team after seeing the original TMZ video of Rice dragging his fiancee out of the elevator only to be overruled by GM Ozzie Newsome and owner Steve Bisciotti. Afterward after the video of Rice striking his fiancee inside the elevator was made public, Harbough alone had to give a conference on Rice's removal on the team alone without eitherNewsome or Bisciotti there. Ozzie Smith is someone I have tremendous respect for but this decision along with owner Bisciotti is disgraceful and more scrutiny should be directed at these two men.
Now on to Commissioner Goodell's press conference after he has been hiding away while more scandals are being made public. Goodell admitted that he got the original ruling on Ray Rice to suspend him for two games and said that he will now get it right on matters like this. In the same press conference he still insists that he did not see the infamous video of Rice striking his fiancee even though TMZ did see it and the video was sent  to the NFL offices. This man is a phoney and a liar and my guess is the reason he was hiding out all week was to install the CYA method of staying ahead in business. I have a feeling that every employee at NFL headquarters has been told to say they never received the Rice video and to remove any evidence that suggests otherwise. Goodell should have been removed instantly but as long as owners see him as a man who brings them money, don't look for him to be gone anytime soon.
Below are my picks for games that frankly I am losing interest in.
Chargers vs Bills (bills -2.5) Bills 24 Chargers 17            2    W W
Cowboys vs Rams (Dallas  - 1.5). Dallas 31 Rams 7        14  W W
Eagles vs Redskins (philly -6.5)  Wash 27 Eagles 21        1 L L
Texans vs Giants  (even)   Houston 24 Giants 10              16   L L
Vikings vs Saints (saints -10.5) Saints 35 Vikings 10        15 W W
Bengals vs Titans (bengals -7.) Cincy 27 Titans 14          12  W W
Ravens vs Browns (ravens -2) Ravens 21 Browns 17       4  W PUSH
Lions vs Packers (Det -2.5)  Lions 24 Packers 21             3  W  W
Jaguars vs Colts  (colts - 7.5) Colts 28 Jaguars 17            11   W W
Patriots vs Raiders (patriots -14.5) NE 35 Raiders 7        13 W  L
Cardinals vs 49ers (sf -3)  49ers 21 cardinals 14               9 L L
Seahawks vs Broncos (Seattle -5) Seattle 28 Denver 20   10 W W
Chievs vs Dolphins (dolphins -4) Miami 24 Chiefs 14      8  L L
Panthers vs Steelers (carolina -3) Panthers 28 Steelers 14   5  L  L
Bears vs jets  (jets -2.5)               Bears 21 Jets 10              7  W  W
 
11 WINS 5 LOSSES
9 WINS 6 LOSES 1 PUSH AGAINST SPREAD