Week 5 Predictions Revisited

I decided it is time to follow up on these random, poorly considered predictions. I even made a color-code. Red means I was flat wrong, orange means I got the winner, but the score was a bit off, and green means I was mostly right. With Week 5 complete, I have six out of 14 in the green and four more orange. The four red doesn't look very good.

Prediction: Bills 23 Browns 16
Reality: Browns 6 Bills 3
I figured the Bills would be able to score. They didn't. Another special teams blunder finally sunk them, but with or without it, this was an awful day.

Prediction: Cowboys 27 Chiefs 13
Reality: Cowboys 26 Chiefs 20 OT
This game was a little closer than expected, though I didn't see the Chiefs taking it into overtime. The Cowboys have to be a little worried about how difficult it has been to get to 3-2. Side note: The Chiefs helmets were really cool. Apparently, that was the first time they have worn anything but their normal helmets since the mid-1970s. Wow.

Prediction: Vikings 30 Rams 24
Reality: 38-10
I underestimated how bad the Rams could be. They moved the ball fairly easily, but committed three turnovers in the red zone. the Vikings got a lot of breaks in this game; it could have been a lot closer.

Prediction: Giants 27 Raiders 14
Reality: Giants 44-7
OK, I didn't get the full blowout correct. I figured that with Eli Manning playing hurt the Giants would scale it back a little. Wrong.

Prediction: Eagles 38 Buccaneers 17
Reality: Eagles 33 Buccaneers 14
This one went almost exactly as expected. Can't give myself much credit, I think everybody got this one right.

Prediction: Steeler 31 Lions 24
Reality: Steelers 28 Lions 20
The Lions offense can move the ball, and they've proved that every game so far. Unfortunately, when they needed a big play, Daunte Culpepper was sacked three plays in a row.

Prediction: Panthers 19 Washington 13
Reality: Panthers 20 Washington 17
To nobody's surprise, this was an ugly game. No stats really pop out, but once again Jason Campbell can't get the win.

Prediction: Ravens 24 Bengals 14
Reality: Bengals 17 Ravens 14
The Bengals are good. Cedric Benson is having a very good season. The Ravens are reeling a little, but Minnesota should expect a real fight next week.

Prediction: 49ers 17 Falcons 7
Reality: Falcons 45 49ers 10
Probably my worst pick of the week. I was completely wrong about the 49ers defense. They gave up a bunch of big plays, and the rest of the team kept coughing up the ball.

Prediction: Seahawks 24 Jaguars 20
Reality: Seahawks 41 Jaguars 0
It turns out that the Jaguars went very quietly. What a difference Matt Hasselbeck makes. None of the running backs had a big day, but the committee produced a nice game.

Prediction: Cardinals 34 Texans 28
Reality: Cardinals 28 Texans 21.
After jumping out to a 21-0 lead, the Cardinals needed an interception for a touchdown and a goal line stand with under a minute to pull this off. Both offenses did their part, but Matt Schaub made the error that cost the Texans.

Prediction: Patriots 20 Broncos 6
Reality: Broncos 20 Patriots 17 OT
This one looked good at halftime, with the Pats leading 17-7. Then the Broncos shut them out in the second half and Kyle Orton completed a lot (35 for the game) passes. Yep, they're for real.

Prediction: Colts 27 Titans 13
Reality: Colts 31 Titans 9
I'm leaving this one in the orangecategory simply because I really didn't think it would be a blow out. I thought the Titans would keep it close into the 4th quarter before the Colts closed the door.

Prediction: Dolphins 16 Jets 13
Reality: Dolphins 31 Jets 27
A half hour before the game started, I was listening to Cris Carter go on about how the Jets would stop the Wildcat and how Rex Ryan proved he had a scheme for it last year, when the Ravens crushed the Dolphins in the opening round of the playoffs. Well, he was wrong. The Dolphins are the only team so far who has consistently moved the ball against the Jets, and they did it, surprise, with the Wildcat. If Chad Henne continues to build on what he has done in his first two starts, the Dolphins may have the most promising young quarterback in the league.