Another 'Bold Prediction' for the NFL week 5

First of all let me preface this prediction and all of my future predictions by saying this, bold predictions are exactly that: BOLD. They're designed to force the person making them to go out on a limb.  Having said that, the resulting record for my first two "Bold Predictions" is 1-3. Well I'm here to make another one:

The Indianapolis Colts opened up at an -8.5 point favorite and are currently at -7.5 points an hour before kickoff.  The Kansas City Chiefs are coming off their Bye week and the Colts are coming off a stunning loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars last weekend to even up their record at 2-2.  In their two losses, the Colts have given up a combined 431 yards. The Chiefs have arguably the best running back tandem in the NFL and go up against a Colt defense this week currently ranking 29th against the rush.  Thomas Jones and Jamaal Charles have been licking their chops for two weeks and are poised to take full advantage this Sunday.

Kansas City Chiefs at Indianapolis Colts: Peyton Manning will keep it close but the Chiefs win a tight one on the road 24-21 and improve they're record to 4-0.

Movie Quote Sports Segments 9-30

Cruiser's Bad Gamble:

• Alex Smith and the 49ers
• Lane Kiffin and USC going for 2 point conversions

Vossler's Bad Spot:

• Maurice Jones Drew
• Ndamukong Suh
• Phillip Rivers

What Would Have Been The Odds:

• Arion Foster
• The remaining 3-0 teams in the NFL
• Kyle Orton and Jay Cutler BOTH shine

The Nedermeyer Woodshed

• San Diego Chargers Special Teams
• The Washington Huskies Football Program
• The Baltimore Ravens Rush Defense vs. Peyton Hillis and the Cleveland Browns

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SportsJam Podcast from 9-30

With the MLB playoffs about to start, can the RED HOT Philadelphia Phillies be denied another berth in the World Series? Can the San Francisco Giants and their loaded pitching staff silence the Phils? Are Joey Votto and the Cinderella Cincinnati Reds poised to make a run at the Fall Classic. Can the Braves win one more for soon to be retired Manager Bobby Cox?

Does the Kansas City Chiefs' 3-0 start signal a passing of the torch in the AFC west? The New York Jets used a similar blueprint (a stingy defense and a power rushing attack) last season en route to an AFC title game appearance.

Many experts anticipated the Pittsburgh Steelers would have trouble without Ben Roethlisberger (suspended for the first four games of the season), but to the contrary, Pittsburgh is off to a 3-0 start, with a stifling defense and a serviceable offense. With Big Ben slated to return in week 5, are the Pittsburgh Steelers the team to beat in the AFC?






All these topics and more with Mike Zepeda and Jeff Stoyanoff, with Shawn Welch as this week's guest on The Sports JAM. Take a listen.

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MNF Preview and Prediction

Tom Brady and the New England Patriots head south tonight to take on the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football. For the Patriots, they're coming off a shaky win last week at home when they faced what may be the worst team in the NFL in the Buffalo Bills. The won, but the concerning fact was that they gave up 30 points in the process to a Bills team that ranks dead last in the NFL in total offense. You combine their only other win which came against a Cincinnati Bengal team that just lost to the Cleveland Browns, and at this point the New England Patriots 2-1 record is devoid of a quality win.

Courtesy Getty Images

On the other sideline tonight, the Miami Dolphins are coming off of a crushing, 'oh so close' loss to a team in the New York Jets who seem to be the class of the AFC. How close you ask? They were knocking on the door at the five yard line with 34 seconds to play. But on to this week and a battle between two 2-1 teams in the AFC East. Can the Dolphins keep Tom Brady and Randy Moss in check? Can they impose their wildcat scheme to the tune of a 3-1 record?

Mike Prediction: I'm taking the Dolphins in a ROMP at home. Too many questions for the Patriots and the Dolphins are (-6). I expect them to cover and win convincingly 31-17 Dolphins.

Jeff's take: Pats don't really play well there...but, I look for them to bounce back after not playing great last week....I like Miami in a tight one...late field goal 20-17.

Bold Prediction.....OVERRULED!!!!

Courtesy Anne M. Peterson, AP Sports Writer

Saturday night's matchup between two PAC-10 heavyweights in Eugene, Oregon, turned out to be a one-sided affair.  Final Score: Oregon 52, Stanford 31. Things looked promising at halftime for the visiting team, with Stanford on top 31-24, and I felt pretty good about my 'bold prediction of the week.'  Then LaMichael James, Darron Thomas and the Oregon Duck defense woke up.  

Andrew Luck and company,  who scored consecutive TD's on their first 4 possessions of the game, were SHUT OUT in the second half. In the end, Stanford getting 7 points on the road wasn't enough.  Hell, Stanford getting 3 times that much on a point spread would have resulted in a push.  Thomas and James took over in the second half, accounting for all 28 unanswered points.  Even more impressive was the Oregon Defense, who managed to baffle potential Heisman candidate Andrew Luck into two second half INT's, one of which came in the end zone that crushed any hopes of a Stanford comeback.  Kudos to Chip Kelly and his staff's adjustments at half time.

I felt like I was in the movie, "My Cousin Vinny," during the scene where Vinny objects to the calling of George Wilbur to the witness stand, where I play Vinny and Chip Kelly plays Judge Chamberlain Haller:

Judge Kelly: "Mr. Zepeda.......that is a lucid, intelligent, well thought out prediction."
Me: (all smiles, chest puffed out with a glowing sense of    accomplishment)
Judge Kelly: "OVERRULED!!!"

Courtesy Christopher Onstott and The Portland Tribune

Some afterthoughts:

• How is Stanford going to respond next week versus USC after having a can of whoop ass opened up on them @ Oregon? 
• If Oregon runs the table in the PAC-10, with all do respect to Boise and Ohio State, how does anyone NOT put them in the BCS Championship game?
• Will Oregon's victory over Stanford and the manner in which they did it, catapult them over both Boise State and THE Ohio State University in the BCS rankings?
• If I apply 'Pulp Fiction' Vincent Vega rules to the circus show debacle that was the Red River Rivalry, Texas @ Oklahoma game, don't I have to reject the Big 12 and any of its teams having a real shot at ending up in the BCS national Championship game on principle?  These are the best two teams the Big 12 has to offer?  To quote Jim Mora Sr.: "That was a disgraceful performance."
• Who do you got in a foot race: Denard Robinson or LaMichael James?

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A Bold Prediction for the Week

Courtesy Getty Images

#8 Stanford @ #4 Oregon:

Who would have thought that a game in week five of the college football season between 2 PAC-10 teams would have BCS National Championship implications attached to it (I say this knowing that USC won't be going to a bowl game anytime soon). Oregon is at home and favored (-7), but my question here is: how are Andrew Luck and the Stanford Cardinal, who beat the hell out of UCLA 35-0 three weeks ago and are fresh off a win at South Bend against an improved Notre Dame team, a touchdown dog against a team who's best win this season was @ Arizona State.

Ok let's provide some context for the Ducks' Victory last week. It was on the road in Tuscon, AZ, against a team in ASU who should have won the week previous @ Wisconsin. But isn't Stanford's beat down win @ UCLA, a Bruin team who just dominated the Texas Longhorns @ Texas, and the week prior annihilated another top 25 team, The Houston Cougars, more indicative of who the better team is here? I say yes!

Andrew Luck and company not only cover 7 points, but win outright @ Eugene against Chip Kelly and the Oregon Ducks, 55-38.