NBD - Week 8 Previews & Predictions

The Death Panel (4-3) vs. Harry Lance Hannibal (4-3)
There's a lot riding on this game. If I lose, I've gotta paint a large portion of my parents house, and if I win, they have to fund a party I'm having there in a few weeks. I'm feeling pretty confident. The Falcons pass defense is nothing special, presumably meaning good things for Drew Brees and Lance Moore. And if Matt Forte is ever going to look like a first-round back, it'll be against the Browns. Meanwhile, Ray's bright spot from last week, Ryan Grant, is taking on the run-stopping Vikings. The Panel is ready to party on Ray-Ray's dime.

This Guy Here is Dead (4-3) vs. Mental Errors (4-3)
Elliott's been on a roll lately, having won three in a row. And even though he's without Tom Brady this week, Derek is just grasping at straws for running backs (Lynch, Tomlinson, Beanie) and his wideouts aren't much better. Unless Tony Romo goes insane-o against the Seahawks (which doesn't seem impossible), I'm going with Mental Errors.

Who Gonna Check Me Boo? (5-2) vs. Smegma Amuse Bouche (3-4)
There's an awful lot of red letters next to Papkin's players. Not a good situation when you're taking on the top power-ranked team in the league. Colly's got three guys going in what should be a shootout between Atlanta and New Orleans tomorrow night, and his big boy, Maurice Jones-Drew, is taking on the hapless Titans. I don't know that I've had an easier pick this season than Check Me in this one.

Globo de Aire Mi Equipo (2-5) vs. Matt Ryan Loves Dogs (2-5)
Both of these teams are near the bottom of our standings (10th and 11th place), but only one of them has spent the past month improving his team through trades. The talent on Haller's squad is significantly better than that on Koehler's, but the match-ups may keep things close. Globo's Rivers-to-Jackson combo is taking on the Raiders, who most teams seem to prefer running on, and DeAngelo Williams is taking on the Cardinals, who've held down running backs pretty well this season (5th-best in points against). Still, I don't see anything on MRLD, other than Steven Jackson potentially finally having a multi-TD day against the Lions, to give Haller much to worry about. It should be close, but in a close game I'll always take the better team: Globo de Aire.

Burke City Giants (6-1) vs. Wild Stallions (4-3)
It's time for Michael Toobin's shittiness to start catching up with his record, and I think it starts this week. DeYoung's got a solid squad and some weak opponents (Mike Sims-Walker against the Titans, Larry Fitzgerald against the Panthers). I wish he didn't have to start Willis McGahee, who seems to have out-lived his usefulness in Baltimore, but maybe he can squeeze off another goal-line touchdown this week. Ride on, Stallions.

Woody's Warriors (2-5) vs. Deuceburger (2-5)
As of this writing (10:15am on Sunday), Kekky's got four players on bye in his starting line-up, one of whom is suspended for the next month. He's only got replacements on his bench for two of them, and they are nothing special. Which means that either there's gonna be some waiver-wire surfing in California this morning, or Woody's gonna be taking on some empty slots. Either way, should be an easy win for the Warriors.

2 weeks ago: 4-2
Overall: 22-14

Good luck to everyone this week except for Ray. Pops, you can go ahead and call Buzz & Ned's now and open the ordering with 100 pounds of cucumber salad. Does anyone know where in Richmond I can get a keg of Old Fezziwig's Ale?