What about Bob? Glauber's NFL Blog

Big Ben is Back! has compiled the standings, and it looks like yours truly is out in front, thanks to my decision to remain squarely on the Giants' ever-growing bandwagon.

A major decision coming up for the Super Bowl. Plenty of conflicting emotions. Coming into the season, I predicted the Patriots would win it all, and now that they've gotten this far, it's a tempting pick.

Then again, the Giants look like a team of destiny, I've been riding them throughout the playoffs (especially after they astutely ignored my advice to rest their starters for the Patriots' game), so you never know.

Here are the standings. Thanks once again BBiB! for doing yeoman's work as the official Glauber Nation Scorekeeper. Feel free to share this triumph with your friends, and put it on your resume if you wish.

If La Monica is out there and has time to make this list look more official and presentable, that would be dandy. If not, at least you have totals.

One note from BBiB!: "Great games and some good picking. Nice to see the expert at the top. Newcomer Chris is ahead of Hookslide."

Place Blogger Wins Points Differential

1. BG 5 7

2. Poppy 5 10

3. DC Jets Fan 5 34

4. bigfroe 4 21

5. Karl 4 43

6. tenn tom 3 1

7. Richie G 3 7

8. BNG 3 14

9. Chilkoot 3 22

10. NKR 3 53

11. BBiB! 2 1

12. Best 2 96

13. Chris Mascaro 2 111

14. Hookslide 1 53

Breaking news: Glauber blog reader Charlie Chilkoot, whom we have co-opted off Best's blog, is making the trip from sunny San Diego to Foxboro for Sunday's Chargers-Patriots game. He's taking the Mrs., their son and a friend to the big tilt. We expect a full report upon his return.

In the meantime, we're sorry to break it to CC, and any other Chargers fan, for that matter, but we see a bad ending for the Bolts in this one. We admired San Diego's gritty win over the favored Colts at the RCADome last week, but the ride ends here, at the feet of the 18-0 Patriots.

A few reasons for our thinking.

1. The Chargers are hurting big-time. Philip Rivers has a knee. LaDainian Tomlinson has a knee. Antonio Gates has a toe. (It's NFL-cool to just say the body part when referring to an injury, so please don't think I'm a bigger ignoramus than I already am.)

2. The Patriots are sizzling. They withstood some early success from the Jaguars last weekend, but did what the invariably do in those circumstances: Pull away in the second half and get it done.

3. Tom Brady is from another planet. He is about as perfect a quarterback as we'll ever see, and he is at the very top of his game. Actually, he might not even be at the top of his game, because he believes he can do even better.

4. Rodney Harrison. You think this man isn't stoked to go against his old team? Harrison will be a burning, churning chunk of intensity by the time this one starts, and he'll be delivering plenty of knockout blows to anyone who gets in his way. Not to mention the fact that he has a streak of one interception in four straight playoff games.

5. The cold. It's not quite Dan Fouts-against-the-Bengals conditions, but it's going to be bitterly cold - and windy, too. Not good for a team that plays its home games in a locale that normally features 70-degree temperatures and sunny skies.

6. Bill Belichick. Um, he's the best coach in football. Have we mentioned that before?

Ok, I really need to get those cold cuts now.

ttyl

BBiB! reports that not everyone who made the picks for last weekend's games has made their choices for the AFC/NFC Championship Games.

Let's get on the stick, people! It's showtime.

(And if you didn't make picks and still want to make 'em for this weekend, fire away.)

Note to BBiB! Please let us know who you're still missing from the original list, and we'll humiliate them into getting their picks in.

I know you've been waiting for this pick all week, and finally, the moment has arrived.

It's been quite a run already for the Giants, and I think it can continue with a win over the Packers at historic Lambeau Field.

I offered a five-point blueprint on how to beat the Packers for the newspaper, so I'll let you chew on them for a bit.

There's even an "exclusive" Newsday video we did the other day at Giants Stadium with beat reporter Arthur Staple and columnist Shaun Powell. If for no other reason, check out the video to see Powell's ear muffs. He will no doubt be wearing them at Lambeau on Sunday.

No ear muffs for me. No jacket either. Like the Giants' offensive linemen, I will tough it out and go sleeveless for this one.

ONE MORE IMPORTANT REMINDER: If you haven't already made your own picks for both championship games, please do so now. BBiB! will be tallying the votes and will deliver the spreadsheet of results shortly after the Giants-Packers game. I'll be back in a bit with my pick for the AFC Championship Game.

Apologies for the late arrival of our Week 10 picks. But the editors needed a bit more for our Sunday newspaper package, so I had to concentrate on the job for which I actually get paid.

Another reason for the procrastination: This is one of those weeks the scares the heck out of us when it comes to picking the games. So many weird matchups, so many uncertainties about which team is going to show up. Add in the uncertainty about injuries, and it all adds up to the potential for a catastrophically bad performance for the picks.

Anyway, here goes:

Giants over Cowboys: Mostly a gut feeling on this one, having the advantage of watching the Giants up close all season. They're typically sluggish coming off a bye, but with Dallas on the docket, we just see a gut-it-out performance from Brandon Jacobs and a pass rush bonanza from the D.

Falcons over Panthers: Another toss-up game, as far as we're concerned, mostly because the Falcons are unpredictable (hey, they've actually won two games) and the Panthers are beat up at the quarterback position.

Packers over Vikings: Minnesota is one-dimensional with Adrian Peterson and nothing else. And with Brooks Bollinger at QB, we say the Pack's D shines in this one.

Chiefs over Broncos: Oh, man, another weird one. Which Denver team shows up? The one that manages to win on the last-second field goal? Or the one that got drubbed last week in Detroit? Probably somewhere in between, but the Chiefs do just enough to get by.

Dolphins over Bills: This is a tough one, too, despite the fact the Dolphins haven't won. They're coming off a bye. They're ticked off. Buffalo is much improved, but we think this one's a trap for the Bills. (Which probably means Buffalo wins 28-0).

Saints over Rams: New Orleans is the hottest team this side of the Patriots, so if they lose this one to the winless Rams, shame on them.

Steelers over Browns: Cleveland's having a nice little season, but they're no match for Big Ben & Co. We also love the Steelers defense in this one. Derek Anderson, watch out.

Titans over Jaguars: Tennessee is having a terrific season record-wise, but they just can't score points. They're without Albert Haynesworth for this game, which is a big loss, considering how well Haynesworth has been playing. Still, we see Tennessee doing just enough to get by - kind of like they have all season.

Eagles over Redskins: Why? Because despite the crappy performances the Eagles have displayed most of the season, they have too many good players for the losing to continue much longer. (Which means the Redskins will win 28-0).

Ravens over Bengals: Before the season started, this matchup looked like it could have gone a long way toward which team would win the NFC North. Baltimore's offense stinks, but everyone looks better against the Bengals.

Cardinals over Lions: Another game that scares the bejeepers out of us. Detroit has been somewhat spotty on the road, and Arizona hasn't been good since the early part of the season. The hunch here: Kurt Warner exposes a weak Lions' secondary.

Bears over Raiders: Is Brian Griese about to get benched? One more bad performance, and it might be back to Rex Grossman. The Bears stink, but Oakland stinks worse.

Chargers over Colts: A great matchup for Football Night in America, but again, what the heck is gonna happen here? Do the Chargers who looked like they did last year show up? Or do they go back to their putrid performance of a week ago in Minnesota? Do the injuries on offense catch up to Indy? We think so. (Which means the Colts win 28-0).

Seahawks over 49ers: Finally, a no-brainer.

Giants over 49ers: Five in a row for Big Blue.

Jets over Bengals: Chad Pennington finally faces a defense he can throw for 300 yards against.

Steelers over Broncos: Last time the Steelers were in town, they wiped out Denver in the 2005 AFC Championship Game en route to a Super Bowl win. We say Big Ben gets it done again in a huge game for both.

Bills over Ravens: No Steve McNair. No Jonathan Ogden. We think the Ravens are walking into a trap game here, especially against a well-rested Bills team that nearly upset the Cowboys before a bye week. The Trent Edwards era begins in Buff.

Cowboys over Vikings: Adrian Peterson goes against a Cowboys defense that was lit up by the Pats. But if the Pokes can contain Peterson, they get back to their winning ways. If not, watch out. There are already unsettling signs in the Cowboys’ locker room.

Lions over Buccaneers: Another scary one for the Bucs, who are so desperate at running back that they dealt two picks for Michael Bennett at the trade deadline. Lions are rested after bye and should get Calvin Johnson back.

Texans over Titans: No Vince Young, no chance. We doubt he’ll be recovered enough from a quad injury to play, meaning Kerry Collins gets the nod.

Patriots over Dolphins: For whatever reason, New England has had trouble with the Dolphins in Miami. But they’re such a vastly superior team that it’s tough seeing any way Miami pulls off the upset.

Saints over Falcons: This one could be ugly. Saints have some confidence after win on road in Seattle, and Falcons are so desperate they’re going with Byron Leftwich now that their season is over. (Actually, their season ended the day Michael Vick got caught with his illegal dog-fighting operation.)

Redskins over Cardinals: Almost no chance that Kurt Warner plays because of a left elbow injury. That means Tim Rattay gets the start against the Redskins’ underrated defense. This one should be a lay-up for Coach Gibbs.

Raiders over Chiefs: Try figuring either of these teams out. We’ll take the home guys, as they battle it out in this longstanding AFC West rivalry.

Eagles over Bears: How good did this one look on paper? Too bad the season started, because now it’s a matchup of two former NFC powerhouses trying to find their way amidst injuries and brutal play.

Seahawks over Rams: We’d like to give the Rams a shot here, and we still think the upset is possible. But given Seattle’s inept showing against the Saints before a national TV audience, we think a bounce-back is in order.

Colts at Jaguars: Last year’s Colts-Jags game in Jax wound up being a turning point for the Colts. They were waxed 44-17 but turned things around defensively and made their Super Bowl run. Colts rested from the bye week, so we’ll give them the slight edge here. Would we be surprised by a Jags’ win? Not in the least.

With NKR's complicated system in hand, we're bound and determined to have a big week picking games. Here goes:

Eagles over Jets: Philly's season is on the line. Andy Reid is 8-0 coming off bye weeks. All the Jets have going for them is their Titans throwback uniforms. Gimme the Birds.

Giants over Falcons: Osi Umenyiora goes against an undrafted rookie tackle. The Falcons are a mess. If Giants don't win, then something's "bad wrong," as former Giants and Falcons coach Dan Reeves would say.

Patriots over Cowboys: I'll take Tom Brady and Bill Belichick over Tony Romo and Wade Phillips.

Ravens over Rams: Scott Linehan isn't even 1 1/2 years into his job in St. Loo, and his job might be on the line. Might get worse before it gets better, 'cause we like Ravens at home in this one.

Bears over Vikings: Vikes have lost six straight in Chicago. Bears still a desperate team. Vikings still a bad team.

Dolphins over Browns: We like the upset here. Ronnie Brown is coming into his own in the Dolphins' backfield, and we actually think Cleo Lemon will be an upgrade to 37-year-old, concussion-prone Trent Green.

Packers over Redskins: Still don't trust the Packers entirely, mostly because they don't have a running game. But they do have a revitalized Brett Favre and a terrific defense, so we'll take that over a vastly improved Jason Campbell and the 'Skins.

Jaguars over Texans. Jags are awfully boring, but they find a way to win. We'll take a good defense over Matt Schaub in this one.

Bengals over Chiefs: Marvin Lewis is only 1-3 after bye weeks, and the Chiefs are in bounce-back mode after home loss to Jags last week. But we think the Bengals have a bit more desperation in them after getting hammered by New England the week before their bye.

Buccaneers over Titans: Bucs have all sorts of injury problems at running back, and Jeff Fisher has a phenomenal 13-1 lifetime record against teams that now play in the NFC South. Why Tampa? Mostly a gut feeling that they come off last week's thumping in Indy and pull one out at home behind a big defensive effort against Vince Young.

Panthers at Cardinals: Strange but true: The Panthers might be forced to go with Vinny Testaverde at QB because of injuries to Jake Delhomme and David Carr. Either way, we like Kurt Warner at home in this one.

Chargers over Raiders: We're cautiously optimistic that San Diego finally found itself last week in Denver. May not be easy, though. Raiders a better team that people give them credit for.

Seahawks over Saints: Under-the-radar injury of the week: Seahawks FB Mack Strong forced into retirement because of a pinched nerve in his neck. Has all sorts of ramifications for RB Shaun Alexander. Fortunately, he goes against a soft defense in this one.

NKR is having a phenomenal season picking games, but won't reveal the secret. We'll keep trying. In the meantime, our thoughts on Week 5:

Giants over Jets: Massive spot for Jets, even if they didn't grasp the significance when we were out in Hempstead earlier this week. If Giants' pass rush is anything like it was against Eagles, Jets are in big trouble.

Texans over Dolphins: Miami is the worst team in the NFL. Texans have big-time injury problems, but should win at home.

Chiefs over Jaguars: After dreadful 0-2 start, Herman Edwards has the Chiefs believing with two straight wins. Homefield advantage should work here against much improved Jags.

Patriots over Browns: Does anyone give the Browns a chance? Didn't think so. Patriots have scored at least 34 points in every game this season.

Saints over Panthers: Saints can't be this bad, can they? At 0-3 and coming off a bye, we expect them to come out of their early-season funk against a Panthers team led by David Carr. Ugh.

Steelers over Seahawks: Bounce-back for Big Ben.

Rams over Cardinals: Kurt Warner returns to St. Louis as part of the unique rotation between he and Matt Leinart, but it's the Rams who are the desperate group here. Gus Frerotte might not instill fear in most teams, but I think the Rams gut one out here to get their first win.

Titans over Falcons: Vince Young or Joey Harrington? Uh, that's a no-brainer.

Redskins over Lions: Joe Gibbs had a week off to get over horrible meltdown against Giants. Let's see if Redskins D can deal with Jon Kitna's suddenly explosive O.

Colts over Buccaneers: Both teams are banged up big-time. No Cadillac Williams and Luke Petitgout for Bucs. No Rob Morris and maybe no Joseph Addai, Marvin Harrison and Bob Sanders for Colts. Still gonna go with Peyton in this one.

Broncos over Chargers: Swirl of controversy with Travis Henry's positive drug test, and there's a chance he doesn't play. Even so, Chargers are a complete mess, and rarely win at Mile High.

Ravens over 49ers: Trent Dilfer goes against his old team, but unless Ravens defense has completely fallen apart, we'll take the Ravens here.

Packers over Bears: John Madden gets to fawn over Brett Favre in the NBC game. We say Favre wins one more in his remarkable resurgence.

Cowboys over Bills: Overconfidence the only thing in the way of another Dallas romp.

You can check out Newsday handicapper Ed McNamara for his gridiron guide that goes against the spread, but we'll give you a look at our picks - straight up, no spreads - for the Beat Bob Glauber contest. Even though the season is in full swing, you can still sign up and win the weekly $50 gift card to Best Buy.

Here goes:

Jets over Bills: Buffalo's injury problems are just absurd. Jets will have to try hard to lose.

Eagles over Giants: Donovan McNabb has to be frothing at the idea of facing the Giants' secondary.

Ravens over Browns: Divisional rivalries always seem to produce some odd twist, but the Ravens are clearly the better team. Then again, it's never easy in the Dawg Pound.

Cowboys over Rams: Isaac Bruce has guaranteed a Rams win. Don't think so.

Bears over Lions: Brian Griese to the rescue. But Chicago's defense will have its work cut out against Mike Martz's Lions' offense.

Dolphins over Raiders: Joey Porter guarantees Miami will win. Agreed.

Packers over Vikings: Brett has often struggled in Metrodome, but we like him to keep things going. We also like the Pack's defense against a mediocre Vikes' offense.

Buccaneers over Panthers: I don't think Jake Delhomme plays, and it's a huge dropoff to David Carr.

49ers over Seahawks. Holmgren always struggles when he goes back home to Frisco.

Steelers over Cardinals. Pittsburgh is the best AFC team this side of Indy and New England.

Falcons over Texans. Matt Schaub returns to Atlanta, but we like the home team in this one. Texans' offense very banged up.

Colts over Broncos. At the dome, give me Peyton every time.

Chargers over Chiefs. Could be ugly for Herm.

Patriots over Bengals. No Rudi Johnson for Cincy. No defense, either.