It's Football Season! Week One Picks With a Fantasy Twist

I've been waiting for football season since...well, the All-Star break. With Virginia Tech's loss last week to Alabama, college football got off to a rocky start for me. I had an un-blogged 0-3 last Saturday with Maria Sharapova, Virginia Tech, and the Mets all losing.

If my NFL picks go the same way as, it's going to be a long winter as I eagerly await another disappointing New York Mets 2010 campaign.

And no, it doesn't feel good to say that.

Here's a look at this week's games - most of my picks will be impacted by my fantasy roster, which probably isn't a good idea. If I do bad on my picks, it probably means I lost in fantasy football, too.

(lines courtesy of sportsbook.com)

Thursday:

Titans @ Steelers (-6)
-somehow I ended up with Willie Parker AND Rashard Mendenhall on my fantasy team. I guess it will work out when Parker inevitably gets hurt, but I just hope my bad luck doesn't overpower the defending champs.

Sunday:

Dolphins @ Falcons (-4)
- Michael Turner will also have an impact on my fantasy team this year. Let's start things off right and pray last season wasn't a fluke.

Broncos (+4) @ Bengals
- I actually think the Bengals will win this game since I don't have Carson Palmer on my fantasy team this year. I just don't think they have the fortitude to win it by more than a field goal. Broncos to cover, Bengals to win. Should Denver pull out the win, I'll take the cheapie despite not only knowing I was wrong, but also having it published for all to see.

Remember, Denver doesn't have Jay Cutler anymore. The top two QBs on the depth chart (Kyle Orton, Chris Simms) are both listed as questionable. But why they're even on the depth chart is questionable, too.

Vikings (-3) @ Browns
- There's apparently a conspiracy in the NFL against Brett Favre. He's being fined/investigated/trash talked as if he's on the Bengals. It almost seems that nobody wants him playing anymore. Let's ask Packers and Jets fans, as well as 50 percent of Vikings fans and players.

Regardless, I'll go out on a limb and say even the deepest conspiracies can't stop the Vikings from beating Eric Mangenius and the Browns.

Jaguars @ Colts (-7)
- Peyton Manning is my starting quarterback. Here's to hoping to him not screwing around and getting right to the point, throwing for 350 yards and four TDs.

Lions @ Saints (-12)
- This isn't good. I've taken the favorite all but once so far. We all know it never ends up that way when it's all said and done. I've got John Carney kicking for me, and Lance Moore is one of my wide receivers, but he's riding the bench this week. Carney should get at least four extra points and hopefully a couple of field goals!

Cowboys (-6) @ Buccaneers
- Again, how can I go against the favorite when its opponent is in complete shambles? The team I'm playing against has Marion Barber and Roy E. Williams, but also has Matt Cassel and Marshawn Lynch in the starting lineup (shhhhhhhhhhhhh).

Eagles (+1) @ Panthers
- This seems like a decent opportunity to take the under"dog." Get it? Too soon? Tasteless? I know.

I never took the time to write up a column about how I'm rooting for Mike Vick and the Eagles this year, but in short, Vick is a Hokie at heart and deserves a second chance. The NFL also needs to give him a second chance because if one of the league's ex-convicts can turn into a success story, it's a step in the right direction, cleaning up the NFL's image.

Back to football, the Panthers went 8-0 at home last year in the regular season, but I think a healthy Eagles team can do some serious damage. It will be interesting to see how Jake Delhomme rebounds from the five interception playoff loss to the Cardinals - which was at home. I'm playing the Eagles defense/special teams over the Redskins, in hopes of getting a few more of those INTs!

Chiefs @ Ravens (-13)
- Haha.

Jets @ Texans (-4.5)
-Mark Sanchez needs to show me something before I start picking them to win, or even cover. He conquered L.A. Can he conquer New York (New Jersey)?

Redskins @ Giants (-6.5)
- The Redskins have a great defense, and played the Giants tough last year...wait a second. No they didn't! Eli looks like he's getting pretty good at this quarterback thing.

49ers @ Cardinals (-6.5)
- Now I definitely know I'm taking too many favorites, but it seems absolutely insane to take many of these underdogs. I wish I had Larry Fitzgerald on my team, but I couldn't do that with the No. 2 pick, and by my second round pick at No. 18, he was long gone. Maybe I can trade Jamal Lewis for him.

Rams (+8.5) @ Seahawks
- This is absolutely just for the sake of taking an underdog. Last year both teams scored less than 300 total points, so maybe the Rams can keep it within a touchdown and I sneak away with a victory.

Bears (+3.5) @ Packers
- Jay Cutler was a pretty big steal for the Bears in the offseason. I took Chicago more often than not in my picks last year and I was wrong most of the time. I also drafted Greg Jennings at WR since he schooled me every time I played against him. I'll take 160 yards and 2 TDs from him in a 24-21 Bears victory.

If only we lived in a perfect world...

Monday

Bills @ Patriots (-10.5)
- First drive, Tom Brady to Randy Moss for an 80-yard TD? Brady's return is going to be big, much to the dismay of Terrell Owens and Trent Edwards. Makes you wonder...if the Bills had kept J.P. Loss man, would the two clubhouse cancers have canceled each other out?

Chargers (-9) @ Raiders
- Al Davis.