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2005 - 2006
NFL Season Free
NFL Picks
2004 - 2005 NFL Season
Stock the fridge with beer, and throw some bratwursts on the grill, the
NFL season is here! Before the games begin, let Lucky Lester break down
whose to loose and whose in for a win. At the time of this article being
posted the spreads were accurate. If the spread changes after the posting,
I can't help that but my picks will stay the same.
SUPER
PICKS
Ravens
(-3) @ Browns: Jamal Lewis ran for 500 yards in two games against
the Browns last year, not to mention 295 in one game. Watch Jamal run
over a small defensive line that has done nothing but underachieve. The
already great Raven Defense will be extra juiced with the much awaited
return of Prime Time. With Butch Davis in danger of loosing his job and
new QB Jeff Garcia upset with the team's cohesiveness, I wouldn't be surprised
if the Browns didn't score a point. Game Date: 09/12/04 13:05 ET
Chiefs
(+3) @ Denver: The odds makers must have more trust in Jake Plummer
than I do. Dick Vermeil's super offense should give a solid Denver defense
more then they can handle. Priest Holmes is always good in openers and
the Chiefs are perennial quick starters (10-0 last season). Denver will
miss Clinton Portis when they can't rush past the very average Kansas
City defense buoyed by Gunther Cunningham's new schemes. At three point
underdogs the Chiefs are a safe pick in week one. Game Date: 09/12/04
20:40 ET
Chargers
@ Texans (-5): David Carr has the Texans running on full throttle.
His weapons are lethal with Andre Johnson and Dominique Davis in their
second seasons as NFL players. Corey Bradford has always been a deep threat,
gaining 20 yards a catch last year. The Chargers on the other hand have
LaDainian Tomlinson, and that's it. I can't name a wide receiver; they
cut Kevin Dyson, the only one I had ever heard of, and wide receiver coach
James Lofton said his receiving corps number one job was blocking for
LaDainian Tomlinson. Sounds like a tough year. The Texans are good and
San Diego is bad. This is a no-brainer.
Game Date: 09/12/04 13:05 ET
Falcons
(-3.5) @ 49ers: Bet against the Niners. They are bad. The Miami Hurricane's
have a more potent offense. At 3.5 point favorites I suggest mortgaging
your grandmother's house on the game. Game Date: 09/12/04 16:20 ET
Lucky
Lester's Picks For Week One
Colts
(+3) @ Patriots: Lucky's going to buck the trend here and go with
the Colts to break out of their funk and take it to the Pat's in their
own house. Manning is out to show he's worth the bank he got paid this
off-season and I say he will. Look for a huge game out of Indianapolis'
offense and an end to New England's daunting 14 game winning streak. Take
the colts and the three points. Game Date: 09/09/04 20:05 ET
Titans
(-3) @ Miami: Look for the Titans to exploit Miami's nightmarish off-season
and win impressively. Tennessee replaced Eddie George with the much faster
and more explosive Chris Brown, giving the Titans a ground attack they've
lacked the last few years. Co-MVP Steve McNair will find Derrick Mason
and Drew Bennett for big plays to seal the victory.
Game Date: 09/11/04 13:00 ET
Raiders
(+4) @ Steelers: I know the Raiders have lost their last nine road
games, and I know they were last in the league in rushing defense one
year ago, but they've turned the corner. There's no way new additions
Warren Sapp and Ted Washington will let running backs run with ease on
their watch. Rich Gannon will be back to his Pro Bowl status of 2002,
and he'll find Jerry Porter for big plays. Al Davis went into the off-season
making sure his Raiders wouldn't embarrass him again this year. The Raiders
will upset Pittsburg in week one.
Game Date: 09/12/04 13:05 ET
Buccaneers
@ Redskins (-1.5): The Buc's are going to realize how much they're
going to miss the likes of Warren Sapp and John Lynch when they meet Joe
Gibbs' new workhorse Clinton Portis in week 1. Tampa Bay's totally revamped
offensive line has yet to gel. Brad Johnson will feel the effects and
miss his favorite receiver, camp holdout Keenan McCardell. Giving up only
1.5 points at home will is a bargain against the still-unsettled Buccaneer
squad.
Game Date: 09/12/04 13:05 ET
Jaguars
(+3) @ Bills: Unfortunately for the Bills and quarterback Drew Bledsoe
the Buffalo offensive line is still a work in progress. Not a good sign
for a quarterback who was sacked 49 times a year ago. Bledsoe has never
been quick on his feet, i.e. Fat Seventh Grader, and should prove helpless
to escape from the athletic and young Jaguar defense. Points have been
hard to come by in Jaguar pre-season, but Fred Taylor's return should
benefit the team enormously, and look for Byron Leftwhich to hook up with
stud rookie Reggie Williams early and often.
Game Date: 09/12/04 13:05 ET
Bengals @
Jets (-4.5): The usually generous Jets defense (28th against the run
last year) will get a much needed lift when Carson Palmer shows up for
his first start in week one. The Jets will surprise Palmer with their
defensive team speed and rookie Jonathan Vilma will show why he was a
first round selection. The Jets Chad Pennington will show why he's one
of the best young quarterbacks in the league by wiring it out with superb
accuracy to Santana Moss and new addition Justin McCarrins. Curtis Martin
will be a force again this year, he's healthy and in as good a shape as
ever. Coach Herman Edwards finally has his teams attention, they should
surprise a lot of people his season. Game Date: 09/12/04 13:05 ET
Lions
(+3) @ Bears: The young Lions will give an overmatched Bear defense
too much to handle. Young stars are abundant on this skilled team, starring
rookies Roy Williams and Kevin Jones and second year stud Charles Rogers
who showed an ability to reach the end-zone early last season. Joey Harrington
is primed for a breakout year and will be encouraged to let the ball fly.
Steve Mariucci, in his second year, will have his young lions roaring
early this season. The Bears are bad. Game Date: 09/12/04 13:05 ET
Cardinals
@ Rams (-11): Ouch! Eleven points is a lot to lay, but what else
can you do? The hapless Cardinals will showcase Emmitt Smith's Hall of
Fame ability, only five years too late. Dennis Green can't be excited
about the loss of budding superstar Anquan Boldin, nor the nagging injuries
to Larry Fitzgerald and Bryant Johnson. Marcel Shipp will be one of the
team's biggest losses of the pre-season. All-Pro wide receivers Torry
Holt and Isaac Bruce should torch a sub par Cardinal secondary. It's going
to be easy to feel sorry for Dennis Green in his first year with Arizona,
but we might as well win money of his woes. This years Draft Bowl will
take place early in the year as Phoenix takes on San Diego in week 2.
Game Date: 09/12/04 13:05 ET
Seahawks
(-2) @ New Orleans: It's put up or shut up for a Seahawks team that
is touted as an early Super Bowl contender. It's a lot to say for a team
that hasn't won a play-off game since Holmgren began coaching the Hawks.
They were also a dismal 2-6 on the road last year. But I'm taking the
Hawks in this one. This young team showed their skill in the pre-season
and will highlight hard-nosed running back Shaun Alexander against a Saints
D that is shaky at best. Brooks was hurt often in the preseason and has
yet to establish any rhythm. This high scoring affair should be entertaining,
and the Seahawks will turn their road woes around.
Game Date: 09/12/04 13:05 ET
Giants @
Eagles (-9.5): Like the Ram/Charger game, this spread is a little
too large for comfort. But the Giants offensive line has been hard-pressed
to protect the ever-so-mobile Kurt Warner this pre-season, and I don't
see that changing against the blitz-happy eagles and defensive coordinator
Jim Johnson. The play of new additions of Javon Kearse and Terrell Owens
should convince Tom Coughlin to go back to NASCAR. Donovan McNabb's accuracy
has improved, and his offense is stronger. Take the Eagles in an old rivalry
that's turned into a new blow out. Game Date: 09/12/04 16:20 ET
Cowboys @
Vikings (-4.5): The Vikings had the number one ranked offense last
season. The Cowboys had the number one ranked defense. Daunte Culpepper
has looked phenomenal in the pre-season, completing nearly 80% of his
passes. The Cowboys on the other hand have had trouble finding corner
backs to start opposite Terrence Newman. Pete Hunter has seen pre-season
balls fly over his head and into opposing receiver's hands. Randy Moss
is awesome and should be ready to fly bye constant double teams. With
the Cowboys paying too much attention to Moss, Nate Burleson and Kelly
Campbell should find themselves connecting with Culpepper for big plays.
Vinny Testeverde will feel every bit his age in the menacing confines
of the Metro Dome. Game Date: 09/12/04 16:20 ET
Packers
(+3) @ Panthers: Brett Favre has declared this year a Super Bowl or
bust for his Packers. Brett's always been a Monday Night Hero. Carolina
has stayed intact throughout their skill positions but has gutted their
offensive line. Four starters are at new positions. The run-happy Panthers
will find them self needing more time to gel, take the Pack and the points.
Game Date: 09/13/04 21:10 ET
Well folks
there you have it, my picks for week one. Make sure you come back to check
out Lucky Lester's picks for week two of what should turn out to be an
excellent football season.
WAGERING
SMART MAKES WATCHING NFL GAMES MORE FUN
Good Luck
with your NFL Football Wagering!
Lucky Lester
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