The Week 4 NFL Picks - Part 1

I played golf on Tuesday instead of Wednesday this week so my whole body clock is out of whack and as usual, I'm scrambling to get the Thursday night pick in. On top of that, I'm not even going to the game and to be honest, I'm not quite sure why. I don't think I'd ever missed a home night game until last Sunday* and now I'm missing two in a row. Just another step toward getting a flag for my golf cart that lets me drive onto the fringe.

"I really think you guys have been
unfairly criticized and are doing
one hell of a job. Thanks."

The good news is that we will have the real refs working tonight which means that arguably the greatest gambling variable in the history of sports has been take out of the equation. The bad news is that, as a Ravens fan, I thought the replacements did a pretty nice job in the 4th quarter last week . . . especially on the illegal contact penalty on the winning drive and of course, the call on the field goal. I think that's what Bill Bellichick was running out to tell them at the end of the game.

Baltimore by 12 over Cleveland: The Pick - Ravens

In games he has not played against the suddenly woeful Bengals pass defense, Brandon Weeden has thrown for one touchdown pass and six interceptions. The Ravens defense has its flaws but one thing it has always excelled at is plucking the low-hanging fruit. Look for Joe Flacco to struggle against an underrated Browns defense and for it not to matter as the Ravens take it in a classic Thursday night stink bomb 17-3.

Endnote

* Here is my excuse for missing that one - The Week 3 NFL Picks - Part 2. I was so freaking tired Sunday night that I watched Justin Tucker's winning kick sail "inside" the upright through one dying eye. All I remember thinking was that it didn't matter because there was no way those refs were calling that kick anything but good if they had any desire to get out of that stadium in one piece. Remember, Baltimore is the city that inspired a story line where drug dealers killed people and then hid the bodies in the walls of abandoned houses and everyone who lives here thought, "yeah, that could totally happen."