Brad Biggs reports that Desmond Clark has made a terrific recovery and may play Sunday. I think he shouldn’t. Take the extra two weeks to rehabilitate the ribs and come back flying in the wherever-the-Falcons-play.
Hunter Hillenmeyer and Pisa Tinoisamoa are highly doubtful for the Lions. This means the starting corps of Briggs-Urlacher-Tinoisamoa will be Briggs-Roach-Williams this week. Some would say thank God it’s the Lions but I don’t and I know the Bears don’t. We’ve been hearing about Roach and Williams for two years and I’m excited to see what these two guys can do for sixty minutes, especially Williams.
ProFootballTalk reports that Kevin Smith practiced (limited) and may play against the Bears. The only way the Lions can steal this ballgame on the road is if they find a way to dominate with the ground game against our inexperience at linebacker.
As for the picks, I apologize for another 1-2 week (3-5 overall). The odd thing is that I’m at about 67% with my overall selections and sending all my crap picks your way. Recovery. This weekend.
Cincinnati -6 at CLEVELAND. The Bengals should be 3-0, if not for the flukiest fluke play in a hundred years. They’re solid defensively and developing a rapport in the passing game, with Carson Palmer slowly adding Coles and Caldwell to the arsenal. The Browns have the worst coach in football and a disgruntled fan base that will make this feel like a road game.
Tampa bay +7 at WASHINGTON. Don’t sleep on Josh Johnson. He may not look like much more than a MAC quarterback but he’s accurate underneath and will keep the Bucs in this game. The Redskins should never have lost to the Lions but their short-yardage running was atrocious and Jason Campbell simply misses too many open receivers in the flat. Take the points and don’t watch the game unless you’re paid to.
Dallas -3 at DENVER. Some teams are just hard to believe in and the Denver Broncos are the team this year. They beat the Bengals on a flukey flukerton and managed to hold down the two of the league’s worst. Dallas will have a skizophrenic season but I don’t imagine them skydiving from contention until, well, when they always do. December. Dallas big.
