KICKOFF.gif (6464 bytes)

(By Rice World Staff)


RICE WORLD'S NFL WEEK 6 STAFF PICKS
by None, Rice, Gerry

     After a fantastic week 5 for all of us, week 6 caught all of us totally off guard. You'd think we had the NFL solved, the way we scored... especially None, who was flirting with a perfecto up 'till the Sunday night game. Well, this past week, two of us barely made .500 while the champ has been reduced to the chimp. Or rather, in Rice World terms, the Ass. Some say redemption is at hand. Some also say... "Parity in Rice World"? Okay, shoot me now. The fact of the matter is that sometimes we all need to have our dose of humility. Back to business though, as this is a new week. Hopefully, the tide will turn. Football is the best sport in the world to watch, and maybe the hardest to predict. Hang on tight! Week 6 is coming at full speed.

_OVERALL_
Wins Losses Locks Back
None 46 26 4-1 ---
Gerry 45 27 2-3 1
Rice 44 28 2-3 2
kurupt 9 5 1-0 N/A

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5
Gerry 10-5 - 9-6 - 8-6 + 11-3 + 7-7 -
None 9-6 + 10-5 + 9-5 + 12-2 - 6-8 +
Rice 8-7 + 11-4 - 8-6 - 10-4 - 7-7 +
kurupt N/A N/A N/A 9-5 + N/A

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

ass-of-the-week-5-none.jpg (31999 bytes)

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

brownssmall.gif (1058 bytes)  vs  jagssmall.gif (1459 bytes)
Cleveland Browns @ Jacksonville Jaguars
--------------------------------------------
Gerry: Jacksonville
None: Jacksonville
Rice: Jacksonville

None: Damn AFC Central. I don't care much about this game either. But, one quick comment. Last week, after the Browns scored their first touchdown on the fake field goal, did anyone watch their 'spike'? It was great! The holder , who scored, took the ball, tossed it up, and the kicker kicked it in the stands! Now that's a replay! Anyways, the Jag defense shouldn't have problems with this Browns offense. I'll tell you, though, the Browns have made small steps each week. First they score, then they lead at halftime, then they lose by only 1 point. Maybe next week they'll win? Oh crap, they play the Rams...uh...no.

Gerry: I gotta be stupid to take Cleveland this week against one of the best teams in the AFC. However, keep in mind Chris Palmer is the former offensive coordinator for the Haguars. Perhaps he can figure out their system enough to know how to stop it, or just predict the plays. Who knows.

Rice: No Further Comments
_

vikingssmall.gif (1892 bytes)  vs  lionssmall.gif (559 bytes)
Minnesota Vikings @ Detroit Lions
--------------------------------------------
Gerry: Minnesota
None: Minnesota

Rice: Minnesota

None: Let's just say Randy Moss must be feeling pretty pissed off. I don't know why they don't throw it to him play after play. The Lions have finally come back down to Earth, after starting 2-0, and their season should go down from here. They didn't impress against the #1 defense in the form of San Diego, they shouldn't impress against the #1 offense in the Vikings.

Gerry: Detroit plays everyone tough, but they lose constantly. However, this week Herman Moore comes back, freeing up Johnnie Morton and Germane Crowell more. But, Ron Rivers ain't enough to stop the Vikings, and either Randall Cunningham or Jeff George will throw for 2 TD passes. Robert Smith's just barely getting back to old form. Watch for his 100-yard game.

Rice: Minnesota ought to win, but I swear I am the worse curse the Vikings will ever pick up. Can you believe they lost to the Bears? I picked them to win too. I've decided that I hate the Vikings, so every week I will pick them, and they will lose. Har har! Oh, and you know what, Randy Moss? You can take your temper tantrum and shove it up your @#$% Sophomor slump, maybe? How about playing like a team? The best example would be Bill Russell & Wilt Chaimberlain. Wilt is, undoubtely, the most prolific player ever to play in the NBA. Russell, however, was the most prolific winner. There is no "I" in team. Someone should tell Randy that.
_

coltssmall.gif (1927 bytes)  vs  jetssmall.gif (736 bytes)
Indianapolis Colts @ New York Jets
--------------------------------------------
Gerry: Indianapolis
None: Indianapolis

Rice: NY Jets

None: Let's just say the Jets did not impress much against the Jags last week, scoring only 6 points. On the other hand, the Colts scored 31 points in a losing effort against the Dolphins. This is a big game for both teams, as the Colts can prove they're for real. I think they are, and I don't think this reeling Jets team can stop Manning and the offense. Should be a relatively easy game.

Gerry: "Manning to Harrison" is a combo we'll be hearing for a long time. But for Indy to pull this one out, Edgerrin James has to have a big game, because it ain't that easy to pass on the Jets. However, due to the Jets' lack of a halfway decent QB, their offense will struggle and will undoubtedly lead to an Indy victory. Indy 500. Huh huh huh.

Rice: This is going to kill me. Someone please explain to me why I have so much faith in Parcells? Each week, I tell myself, okay, this is the week that Bill turns the team around and heads for the playoffs. Each week, that possibility seems dimmer and dimmer. Okay, I must promise myself. This will be the last week... no, really... I'm serious... =)
_

raiderssmall.gif (1530 bytes)   vs  billssmall.gif (830 bytes)
Oakland Raiders @ Buffalo Bills
--------------------------------------------
Gerry: Oakland
None: Buffalo

Rice: Buffalo

None: Damn Raiders. Anyways, moving on. The Bills have looked like what they are ever since that loss vs Indy: A very solid playoff contender with a great defense. Their offense, despite Doug Flutie's excellent play, seems to not have gotten fully on track. They should do so at home. Is it snowing? Those games are so awesome at Ralph Wilson Stadium when it pours snow and it becomes a great defensive matchup. That's why they need home field advantage. And the Bills, as Flutie says, MUST win all their home games. For at least this one, they will

Gerry: I hate the Raiders, but I have to go w/ them here simply because of their defense. The Raiders D is strong on all facets, and their secondary will give the Beefalo WRs fits while Doug Frutie is being pressured by the Raiders' tenacious pass rushers. I expect a couple turnovers here to decide the outcome of the game.

Rice: Da Bills are da shiet! Okay, enough of that nigguh talk. Oakland seems to be talented, but cannot execute. Somewhat like a machine in need of some oiling. Buffalo is rolling along quite nicely after an embarassing week 1 loss. Certainly, Oakland will not be standing in its way to AFC dominance.
_

eaglessmall.gif (1537 bytes)  vs  bearssmall.gif (1018 bytes)
Philadelphia Eagles @ Chicago Bears
--------------------------------------------
Gerry: Chicago
None: Chicago

Rice: Chicago

None: Hey, Cade McNown's starting today for the Bears. Actually, that only throws a wrench in the game-picking. What if he doesn't have a great game? Can the Eagles do the impossible and win two games in a row? They did beat the mighty Cowboys, and as long as they stick around, they can pull it out... As Gerry says, we need to start taking risks if we want to move up or whatever in the standings....hmm.....nah, take the Bears.

Gerry: Fuck Philadelphia. I hope the Japs nuke that fucking city. Why am I so full of hatred? Well, as you all know, Michael Irvin of the Cowboys suffered a near-paralysis injury last Sunday. But as some of you might not know, the Philly fans cheered the injury, even as he was put onto a stretcher and driven away in an ambulance. What class. What compassion. Fuck 'em.

Rice: Damn, I didn't know that... what an inhumane act. Well Gerry, let's hope your wish doesn't come true, because I have an aunt with 3 children living in that city. Certain fans of the Eagles are S.o.B., but I believe overall there are still better people than bad. Cut the city some slack. Hunt down those individuals.
_

steelerssmall.gif (1522 bytes)  vs  bengalssmall.gif (1350 bytes)
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cincinnati Bengals
--------------------------------------------
Gerry: Cincinnati
None: Pittsburgh

Rice: Pittsburgh

None: I would comment on this game, but I don't give a damn. Sorry. Kordell's offense finally got going in their loss against the Bills. So take them.

Gerry: QB Akili Smith had a pretty goot starting debut last week. Granted, it was against the hapless Browns, but he didn't throw any INTs and led the Bungals (as in bungle) on a comeback. This week I expect the Steelers to harrass Akili more than the Browns did, but his scrambling abilities are comparable to Mr. Slash himself. Watch for Carl Pickens to blow up. Finally.

Rice: The reason he was nicknamed Slash was because he was such a versatile player. QB / (slash) Running Back / if needed, Punt Return, etc... Last week they came close to a good Buffalo team. This week, they will win against a shoddy Cincy team.
_

ramssmall.gif (699 bytes)  vs  falconssmall.gif (644 bytes)
St. Louis Rams @ Atlanta Falcons
--------------------------------------------
Gerry: St. Louis
None: St. Louis

Rice: Atlanta

None: Let's start chanting, fellas: Warner M-V-P! M-V-P! After successive weeks in which a Rams receiver had four touchdowns in a single game, they go into Atlanta with heads held high and confidence showing. These fallen birds don't have the defense to stop Warner and his Arena-playing ways, nor the offense to outscore them. Blowout.

Gerry: They've already beaten the Falcons 35-7 this season, and should destroy Atlanta again, though the score will be closer. Marshall Faulk is iffy right now, and the running game is one of the Rams' weaknesses right now. However, their passing game is top notch, and as long as they keep bombing it to Isaac Bruce, there's no chance in hell they'll lose this gimme-game.

Rice: All of the above is true, and I'm 99.9% sure that the Rams will squash the Falcons... but this is coming from my gut, and I'm taking the chance that Atlanta (with Chandler back at the helm) will be working hard this week during practice, and the Rams will be so full of self confidence, especially against the Falcons, that they suffer a letdown after a huge win at SF. I'd pause a bit before I tag M.V.P. on Kurt Warner, as there is a lot of football left to be played, and history teaches us an injury etc. would be the end of a short season. Oh hell, what am I saying... I might as well pin the tail of the ass on myself right now...
_

titanssmall.gif (1018 bytes)  vs  saintssmall.gif (959 bytes)
S @ C
--------------------------------------------
Gerry: New Orleans
None: Tennessee

Rice: Tennessee

None: The Saints have blown leads in the fourth quarter in the last two weeks, once that saved my butt against the Bears, once that screwed me against the Falcons. The still-unproven Titans barely beat the Ravens last week, but I think they should be good enough to beat Ditka's team.... ugh....don't like this game.

Gerry: You might be surprised, but the Saints' D is one of the better ones in the league. It's true. Their biggest strength right now is their secondary, which is only giving up like 185 passing yards per game. So don't expect fireworks from Neil O'Donnell, or RB Eddie George either. George's ypc is one the worst in the league.

Rice: Eddie George may be off to a slow start, but he is a consistent back. Sooner or later, he will get into his groove, as long as his attempts are around 20 each game. New Orleans has some offensive troubles. Any team with their QB's named Billie Joe ought to look elsewhere for a leader.
_

  vs 
Miami Dolphins @ New England Patriots
--------------------------------------------
Gerry: New England
None: Miami

Rice: Miami

None: Wow: This is a HUGE divisional game. Can Marino pull out another great performance like he did last week against the Colts? Can Bledsoe rebound from that loss (Damn kicker hit the post, cost me a big game) against the Chiefs? I think this will be a good game, as the Dolphins' defense showed weakness against the Colts and the Patriots' offense didn't look great against the Chiefs. Take Marino, in a squeaker.

Gerry: I dare Jimmy Johnson to let Dan Marino attempt 41 passes again. It ain't gonna work against the Patriots, whom I don't really like but I'm taking here simply because of home field advantage. Ben Coates is in a huge slump, but I expect him to bounce back this week w/ a big fashion, since the Dolphins will most likely key on the hottest WR right now, Terry Glenn.

Rice: This one was so hard to pick... such a toss-up that I just gave up and asked my football illiterate roomie. Let's see how he fares. =)
_

  vs 
Seattle Seahawks @ San Diego Chargers
--------------------------------------------
Gerry: Seattle
None: San Diego

Rice: Seattle

None: Damn, what a defense the Chargers have. Junior Seau is a machine out there. His line for last week was like 9 tackles, 2 sacks, and 3 forced fumbles or something like that.... geezus. I guess it's true what they say: defense wins championships. Kramer looked pretty good filling in at the starting job today. I don't know how long the SD defense can hold it up though, they're on the field 40 out of the 60 minutes every Sunday. For now though, at home, I believe they can beat this suspect Seahawks team.

Gerry: Watch for Mike Holmgren to beat the Chargers through the air. Peyton Manning lit em up for 400 yards, and Jon Kitna can do the same. The Chargers' offense has seemed anemic, and it's their defensive scoring that has kept them in games. Hence, Seattle will not commit as many turnovers, or else they'll find that they lead to 7 points.

Rice: If Seattle is suspect, then San Diego is convicted... of shoddy offense. Their defense is excellent against the ground, but as Gerry said, as long as Kitna can connect with his receivers, then Seattle has this won. I believe defense keeps the team in the game, but it's the offense that wins championships.
_

  vs 
Green Bay Packers @ Denver Broncos
--------------------------------------------
Gerry: Green Bay
None: Green Bay

Rice: Green Bay

None: Damn the Raiders! If they had beaten the Broncos last week, they would have been 0-5 going into the Packer game. But...noooooooo..... well, good news, bad news: Brister's going to start, but Sharpe is out for the season (I think). Favre has been a godsend for me, beating the Vikings, the Raiders, the Bucs, with his last second drives. Hmm...against this team, they should be whupping them by the second quarter. Go GB!

Gerry: Damn, look at Denver's injury list. It's so freakin long! But now we gotta add the best TE in the league to that list. What a shame. Brett Favre, providing he's healthy enough, ought to lead the Packers to a double-digit victory w/ ease. But don't be surprised if Mike Shanahan pulls some magic tricks outta his ass,

Rice: What can I say... Brett Favre is da man. If Sterling Sharpe was still around today, what a combo they would've formed. Denver doesn't stand a chance, and Mike Shanahan better have a deep ass to pull a win. Mile High stadium, however, is as consistent of a 12th man as Arrowhead Stadium is.
_

  vs 
Carolina Panthers @ San Francisco 49ers
--------------------------------------------
Gerry: San Francisco
None: Carolina

Rice: San Francisco

None: Hmm. Intriguing matchup here. The Panthers have gotten their offense in order recently, scoring 36 and 27 points, albeit against unimpressive Cincinnati and Redskins defenses. The 49ers don't have their captain Young, but they are playing at home and looked ok against the Rams... Can Garcia take them to a victory? No...

Gerry: The 49ers seem to always bounce back from tough losses, and last week's debacle against the Rams was something they'd like to forget. Winning this game against their former coach oughta alleviate the pain a little, but not enough until Steve Young comes back. The Niner secondary will make all the difference this week. If they hold WR Muhsin Muhmmad down, SF wins.

Rice: No Further Comment
_

  vs 
Washington Redskins @ Arizona Cardinals
--------------------------------------------
Gerry: Arizona
None: Washington

Rice: Washington

None: Did the Cardinals screw me last week? Oh, yeah; they beat the Giants. Who else screwed me last week? Not the Skins, who had a bye-week last week. Well, Brad Johnson probably needed to rest his arm after throwing like 15 touchdowns in the first four games. Watch the Cardinals roll over and play dead this Sunday...because they are. Look for the Injuns to go hunting for some birds this weekend.

Gerry: Call me crazy, but I think this is a game the Cardinals can win. Washington's D is beatable, especially through the air. Whatmakes me think Arizona has a chance this week is the emergence of rookie WR David Boston, who had a great game last week. This one oughta be an Arizona victory by 3 points.

Rice: The most prolific offense in the league? Not Washington anymore. I'd love to see a St. Louis, Washington match up... scores will be sky high. Anyways, Arizona is too shaky of a team to pull anything out of their bag. Brad Johnson & Co. will squash the hapless Cardinals.
_

  vs 
Dallas Cowboys @ New York Giants
--------------------------------------------
Gerry: Dallas
None: Dallas

Rice: Dallas

None: The Eagles? The Eagles! The Cowboys lost to the Eagles! The same who had not scored a touchdown since week 1! The Eagles! For God's sakes, the Giants beat the Eagles! The Giants! Well, the Giants have screwed me like twice this season. It won't be a third time. Unless they beat the Irvin-less Boys. And they won't. Because this is 1999, and they have the Rocket on their side.

Gerry: The loss of Michael Irvin has a more significant impact on the Dallas offensive plans than one might think. They lost their most physical, mid-field receiver, and more pressure will be put on Rocket Ismail. But fear not, the Cowboys still have RB Emmitt Smith, who usually has awesome games on Monday Night.

Rice: While on my weekly visit to the power rankings on ESPN.com, I nearly fell off of my seat laughing, because I found out that although Dallas was #1 in week 5... the fell to #31 in week 6. The reason? Directly quoted, "The first team in Rankings history to go from top to bottom. But the rule's a simple one: Lose to the Eagles, you drop immediately to No. 31."... with that aside, I also found that Alvin Harper is back on the Cowboys. Deion's ready to erupt, this will be an interesting game.
_


   
_
{ Bye week }

_
Rice: FINAL THOUGHTS- The NFL is like a woman: Just when you believe you have her figured out, she pulls the rug out under your feet. It seems as if the St. Louis Rams are for real, and the Denver Broncos have decided to throw in the towel. The Akili Smith/Tim Couch rivalry has begun, and I look forward to seeing that each season. As of now, they're young and have nothing but hate for each other. Soon, they will grow to be veterans, and respect each other's skills and talents on and off the field. Elsewhere, Steve Young's future looks grim, as he continues to suffer aftershocks of his concussion. Hey Steve, you've had a tremendous career. Time to give your poor body a rest, and enjoy the rest of your life.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

Gerry's LOCK OF THE WEEK: Oakland -> I know by now Rice and None have to be thinking that I always Lock against the Bills because of a personal vendetta I have against them. Well, yeah, they're damn right. I've never liked Buffalo! They're goin' down baby!!!
None's LOCK OF THE WEEK: Miami -> An aging veteran, with an improved running game, a great defense, a mastermind coach, and one last shot at the ring? Sound familiar? Look it up under Elway, John. This week in New England will be huge, and I think an old gun like Marino will recognize the importance of stepping in NE and beating the Pats in a big divisional showdown.
Rice's LOCK OF THE WEEK: Pittsburgh -> I just am so damn sore to lock Buffalo over Oakland, but alas, that would be a gut-less wussy lock! Kordell scared me against Buffalo, and he may just have found a portion of that niche I was talking about earlier.