2009 NFL Week 1 Predictions

The Bar was set in Shots Heard's first season of prognosticating winners of NFL games. In that 2008 regular season Shots Heard record was 152-101.

Tennessee Titans @ Pittsburgh Steelers

Winner: Steelers

Miami Dolphins @ Atlanta Falcons

Winner: Falcons

Denver Broncos @ Cincinnati Bengals

Winner: Bengals

Minnesota Vikings @ Cleveland Browns

Winner: Vikings

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Indianapolis Colts

Winner: Colts

Detroit Lions @ New Orleans Saints

Winner: Saints

Dallas Cowboys @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Winner: Cowboys

Philadelphia Eagles @ Carolina Panthers

Winner: Eagles

Kansas City Chiefs @ Baltimore Ravens

Winner: Ravens

New York Jets @ Houston Texans

Winner: Jets

Washington Redskins @ New York Giants

Winner: Giants

San Francisco 49ers @ Arizona Cardinals

Winner: Cardinals

St. Louis Rams @ Seattle Seahawks

Winner: Seahawks

Chicago Bears @ Green Bay Packers

Winner: Packers

Buffalo Bills @ New England Patriots

Winner: Patriots

San Diego Chargers @ Oakland Raiders

Winner: Chargers

Notes

The Patriots are no longer in the elite class of teams. An expert (like the kind you would find on Shots Heard) should realize that in advance. The Patriots do not have a go to clutch runner (not that they did) and now their defense is mediocre. Yet laughably, five out of eight so-called 'experts at NFL.com picked the Patriots as the top team in their power rankings. Those five guys should be fired, including Michael Lombardi. As if we do not know how a guy named Lombardi got a job writing about football.

Out of the three remaining 'experts' that did not pick the Patriots as the top team, only Bucky Brooks was smart enough to have the Vikings, Steelers and Ravens in his respective top seven. How is that? Teams with dominant defenses and fair to good offenses like the Vikings, Ravens and Steelers should always get high spots. That is a proven formula for winning.

In 2001 and 2003, the Ravens and Buccaneers each won a championship with great defenses and sub par quarterback play. Even the Bears came close to winning in 2007 despite their offense being only their third best scoring threat. Defensive touchdowns and returned kicks for touchdowns by Devin Hester almost scarred NFL history permanently. Can you imagine Rex Grossman getting a Super Bowl ring as a starting quarterback?

Of course there are many story lines. How long will the Lions continue the 17 game and counting losing streak for? Will Mark Sanchez be this year's Adrian Peterson? The guy that teams foolishly passed up on in the draft. Will Matt Ryan have a sophomore slump? Will the Eagles incorporate Michael Vick into a wildcat offensive scheme? Is Ledainian Tomlinson going to return to form as an elite running back? Will Aaron Rodgers be the Favre Apparent (There are doubters after a 6-10 season)?

But the biggest story is Brett Favre going to the Vikings. Shots Heard believes Favre coming to town, along with the brilliant draft pick of Percy Harvin will take the Vikings to NFC front runner status. Even in 18 years, Favre never had the best running back in the league (Adrian Peterson) to go along with a dominant defense. This is a story that Shots Heard will follow closely.

NFL: 2008 Week 5 Predictions

Last week's performance: 7-6
Overall Performance: 33-28

It has been a tough season to pick the winners. The discrepancy between the teams has been small and few teams are rising above the fray. But Shots Heard has a winning record in each week.

Kansas City Chiefs (1-3) @ Carolina Panthers (3-1)

Pick: Panthers

Stopping the Chiefs is as easy as stopping Larry Johnson and yes that is easier than it sounds. But the Broncos horrible defense could not do it.

Outcome: Panthers 34 Chiefs 0 - Panthers defense throws first shutout of the season

Chicago Bears (2-2) @ Detroit Lions (0-3)

Pick: Bears

The Bears are getting the lowly Lions just in time to climb over .500 and make their playoff chase official.

Outcome: Bears 34 Lions 7 - Kyle Orton has career day

Atlanta Falcons (2-2) @ Green Bay Packers (2-2)

Pick: Packers

This will not be the week, the wheels fall off the bus for the Packers if AaronRodgers and Ryan Grant cannot get in sync.

Outcome: Falcons 27 Packers 24 - Matt Ryan outshines Aaron Rodgers

San Diego Chargers (2-2) @ Miami Dolphins (1-2)

Pick: Chargers

The Chargers look like they have shook off the off-season rust. Their defense needs to improve much more, so that they can dominate opponents like the Dolphins, rather than get into shoot-outs every week.

Outcome: Dolphins 17 Chargers 10 - Plenty of sunshine, but Chargers do not feel at home in Miami

Seattle Seahawks (1-2) @ New York Giants (3-0)

Pick: Seahawks

It's easy for a team to forget how good the Seahawks have been over the last five years. Expect Seattle to be loose and ready for this game.

Outcome: Giants 44 Seahawks 6 Changing of the guard in the NFC is complete as Seahawks cannot keep up with Giants

Washington Redskins (3-1) @ Philadelphia Eagles (2-2)

Pick: Eagles

The McNabb-Westbrook tandem is looking filthy so far. The Redskins beat the Cowboys in their back yard, but this is a new week.

Outcome: Redskins 23 Eagles 17 - Portis out rushes Westbrook, 145 to 33 yards

Tennessee Titans (4-0) @ Baltimore Ravens (2-1)

Pick: Titans

Kerry Collins is enjoying his second chance. This type of game will let us see if the Titans really still have the old Collins or not.

Outcome: Titans 13 Ravens 10 - Titans score ten unanswered in the fourth quarter to stay undefeated

Indianapolis Colts (1-2) @ Houston Texans (0-3)

Pick: Colts

The Texans look worse than when their first year as an expansion team.

Outcome: Colts 31 Texans 27 - Texans give away a win to the Colts

Tampa Bay Bucaneers (3-1) @ Denver Broncos (3-1)

Pick: Broncos

Jay Cutler will need to have a good td:int ratio.

Outcome: Broncos 16 Bucs 13 - Bucs can only score 13 against Broncos' inept defense

Buffalo Bills (4-0) @ Arizona Cardinals (2-2)

Pick: Bills

The Bolden injury swings the pendulum back to the Bills.

Outcome: Cardinals 41 Bills 17 - Bills exposed as wannabe contenders

New England Patriots (2-1) @ San Francisco 49ers (2-2)

Pick: 49ers

Bill Bellichick believes too much about what the media says about how his coaching is the Patriots strength. He believed that he would be better at molding Matt Cassel, rather than bring in the independent minded Jeff Garcia at QB.

Outcome: Pats 30 49ers 21 - 49ers have not arrived

Cincinnati Bengals (0-4) @ Dallas Cowboys (3-1)

Pick: Cowboys

The only trainwreck that is bigger than T.O. is the Bengals.

Outcome: Cowboys 31 Bengals 22- Cowboys barely hold off lowly Bengals

Pittsburgh Steelers (3-1) @ Jacksonville Jaguars (2-2)

Pick: Jaguars

The Steelers have too many injuries, especially on offense.

Outcome: Steelers 26 Jags 21 - Jags cannot summons two-minute drive or a victory

Minnesota Vikings (1-3) @ New Orleans Saints (2-2)

Pick: Vikings

The Saints have the upper hand on paper, but they tend to get complacent in games that they can afford to lose. Meanwhile, the Vikings know they cannot go to 1-4.

Outcome: Vikings 30 Saints 27 - Vikings put 30 on the board despite only 32 rushing from Adrian Peterson

NFL: 2008 Week 4 Predictions

Week 3 Performance: 9-7
Overall Performance: 26-22

San Francisco 49ers (2-1) @ New Orleans Saints (1-2)

Pick: Saints

Reggie Bush excels against soft defenses and the Saints are much better at the Super Dome.

Green Bay Packers (2-1) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-1)

Pick: Packers

The Packers are one of the best teams in the league. They simply lost to a Cowboys team that is at the next level.

Outcome: Bucs 30 Packers 21 - Favre's former understudy throws 3 INTs

Houston Texans (0-2) @ Jacksonville Jaguars (1-2)

Pick: Jaguars

Call your local network affiliate and complain if this game is showing.

Outcome: Jags 30 Texans 27 - For second straight week, Scobee kicks game winning FG

Cleveland Browns (0-3) @ Cincinnati Bengals (0-3)

Pick: Bengals

This may seem like a nothing game, but whoever wins this one will win the state-wide fan base, because who wants to think an 0-4 team has a chance to make the playoffs?

Outcome: Browns 20 Bengals 12 - Browns get first win, Bengals remain winless

Atlanta Falcons (2-1) @ Carolina Panthers (2-1)

Pick: Panthers

The Panthers are now 1-0 with Steve Smith in the line-up.

Outcome: Panthers 24 Falcons 9 - Steve Smith's first TD of season finishes off Falcons

Arizona Cardinals (2-1) @ New York Jets (1-2)

Pick: Jets

Favre will rebound from his left ankle injury, while Warner will remind us why nobody thinks his promotion over Leinart is permanent. But throwing caution to the wind, the Jets defense is among the worst defenses in the league.

Outcome: Jets 56 Cardinals 35 - Favre has first career 6 TD game

Minnesota Vikings (1-2) @ Tennessee Titans (3-0)

Are the Titans over-achievers or AFC favorites? Shots Heard is putting their vote for the former.

Pick: Titans

Outcome: Titans 30 Vikings 17 - 4-12 still possible, Titans linebacker, Keith Bulluck proclaims

Denver Broncos (3-0) @ Kansas City Chiefs (0-3)

Pick: Broncos

Poor Chiefs fans cannot escape their horrid team, since the other Missouri team, the Rams make up the other worst team candidate.

Outcome: Chiefs 33 Broncos 19 - Larry Johnson rushes for 198 yards, exposes Broncos defense

San Diego Chargers (1-2) @ Oakland Raiders (1-2)

Pick: Chargers

Keep watching the Chargers if you like shoot-out games. Their defense needs to come of age by the playoffs though (assuming they make it).

Outcome: Chargers 28 Raiders 18 - Darren Sproles' kickoff return sets up win

Buffalo Bills @ St Louis Rams

Pick: Bills

If the Bills do not take this game for granted, they will have made some serious playoffs traction.

Outcome: Bills 31 Rams 14 - Bills score 18 unanswered points in the 4th quarter

Washington Redskins @ Dallas Cowboys

Pick: Cowboys

The Redskins only chance is to put eight in the box at the right times. Teams have been giving Barber too many chances to run over them. T.O. is no longer the main threat in D-Town.

Outcome: Redskins 26 Cowboys 24 - Redskins win time of possession battle (38:09 to 21:51) as Romo has 19 incomplete passes

Philadelphia Eagles @ Chicago Bears

Pick: Eagles

Last week, the Eagles only scored 15 against a tough Steelers defense. But the good news is, their defense bore down and held the Steelers to six. This week will be a similar test.

Outcome: Bears 24 Eagles 20 - Bears goal line stand ensures victory

Baltimore Ravens @ Pittsburgh Steelers

Pick: Ravens

Roethlisberger shoulder does seem to affect the Steelers ability to get the ball in the end zone. Playing the Ravens only compounds that problem. One could argue that Parker is on a roll, but remember that the Ravens have not let a team rush for 100 yard rusher against them in 21 straight games.

Outcome: Steelers 23 Ravens 20 - Reed's FG in OT finishes the Ravens

Picture 1: Kerry Collins, Tennessee Titans quarterback and Titans offensive line