Hurley's Picks: Richard Sherman Tackles NFL Hypocrisy, While Bucs-Cowboys Is Weekend's Most Intriguing Matchup
By Michael Hurley, CBS Boston
BOSTON (CBS) -- Richard Sherman, you make a great point. But your timing isn't exceptional.
The Seahawks cornerback, never shy when it comes to speaking his mind, ripped the NFL this week for making players partake in Thursday night games while still claiming to care about player safety.
It's an indisputable point. One could argue that the human body is not designed to endure the beating of an NFL game, period. But even if the human body can recover from a 60-minute slugfest, it certainly needs more than 36 hours to do so. And in the case of the Seahawks, who flew home from Wisconsin late Sunday and will be expected to perform a real, live NFL game on national TV on Thursday evening, the opportunity for muscle sprains and tears or any other assortment of ailments is a bit higher than normal.
"It's not even a rough week. It's just an absolute poopfest," Sherman eloquently stated this week. "Congratulations, NFL, you did it again. But they have been doing it all season, so I guess we are the last ones to get the middle finger. ... It's just no regard. It's hypocritical, as I've stated before. They make this huge stance about player safety. Then you put the players in tremendous danger."
He added on The Players' Tribune: "That's why the quality of play has been so poor on Thursday nights this season. We've seen blowouts, sloppy play and games that have been almost unwatchable — and it's not the players' faults. Their bodies just aren't ready to play."
And the kicker: "I'd like to put Roger Goodell in pads for a late game on a Sunday, in December, in Green Bay, on the frozen tundra — then see what time he gets to the office on Monday morning, knowing that he would have to suit up again on Thursday. Then maybe he'd understand."
Bravo! Good stuff, Rick. Really. Unassailable, concise, and potent. Strong work.
There's just one problem: You've picked a terrible time to make your point!
What's gone unsaid throughout Sherman's entire case against Thursday Night Football is that ... the Seahawks are playing the Rams. The Los Angeles Rams. The just-fired-our-coach-after-giving-him-an-extension-and-supporting-him-when-he-publicly-showed-he-didn't-know-the-names-of-opponents Rams.
The Rams!
The Rams, to borrow a term, are a poopfest.
Have you seen the Rams play football lately? It's disgusting. They play every week like it's Thursday night.
So when it comes to a challenge, sure, physically it will not be a fun experience for the Seahawks. But they're playing at home ... against the Rams.
If there's anyone who's going to suffer from this showdown, it's the viewer at home, forced to watch the Rams.
The Rams!
Also, I can't believe Sherman was allowed to say anything bad about this game, considering his Seahawks get to wear odd-colored jerseys and the team has been pumping this up as the greatest moment in sports history for about four months.
We'll start with that game, and then get on to the rest of the picks, as the quest to rise above .500 enters its final weeks.
(Home team in CAPS; Wednesday lines)
SEATTLE (-16) over Los Angeles
I don't think the Rams will score a point in this football game.
Miami (-2.5) over NEW YORK JETS
I know it's Matt Moore, and that's problematic. I really do. But do you want to know something? The Jets have four victories all season. Those wins have come against teams with a combined record of 14-38.
Of the Jets' nine losses, they've lost by fewer than three points just once. They've lost by 10 or more points five times. They've lost by more than 20 points three times.
They're probably going to lose by many points. Even against Matt Moore. On a Saturday night.
What a prime-time slate to start the week, eh?
BALTIMORE (-6) over Philadelphia
Poor Carson Wentz. Poor Eagles. Such a fun start. Such a brutal tumble.
KANSAS CITY (-5) over Tennessee
The Titans don't travel well. They also run the risk of being overly impressed with themselves for winning a game last week.
"This is a totally revamped Titans team from head to toe, and previous times I am not too sure we win this game," Brian Orakpo said. "There is definitely a different mind-set, a different culture now that we are trying to instill in everybody. The winning message is starting to come into play. ... The lowly Titans, as people looked at before, they're not around here any longer. It says a lot for us to beat those guys."
Yeah, neat, but you're still 7-6, so let's hold off on the pizza party for now.
HOUSTON (-6) over Jacksonville
The Jaguars are so bad. So, so bad.
Fun fact about Gus Bradley: He's still employed as the head coach! Not a lot of people know that, but that's what I'm here for.
BUFFALO (-10) over Cleveland
This might be the worst week of football ever.
Green Bay (-6.5) over CHICAGO
The Packers have been infuriating this year. Fortunately, you don't have to stress too much when the schedule has them playing the Bears, who managed to still lose to Green Bay by 16 points in the midst of a 1-5 stretch for the Pack.
Pittsburgh (-3) over CINCINNATI
If these teams don't fight, we all lose.
I recognize I've been favorite-happy thus far. But these underdogs stink.
Indianapolis (+4) over MINNESOTA
Detroit (+4) over NEW YORK GIANTS
New Orleans (+2.5) over ARIZONA
There. There are your dogs, people. Road dogs, no less. Woof woof.
ATLANTA (-14) over San Francisco
The 49ers are sad to watch. Truly. A sad scene.
Meanwhile, Matt Ryan's quest for the MVP will ensure this one gets out of hand in a hurry.
Oakland (-3) over SAN DIEGO
I'm starting to believe the whole "our franchise is trying to leave this city" thing might be taking its toll on the Chargers. But it's also not affecting the Raiders. Sometimes, life doesn't have to make sense.
Really though, the "Raiders" should have a new home every year. Just roam around the country and pillage the land.
Next year, they ought to play in the abandoned Silverdome.
New England (-3) over DENVER
A frightening pick, always, to trust in the Patriots in Denver -- especially when Tim Tebow is not the quarterback. And with their playoff lives on the line, I do expect Von Miller and the crew to be gunning for Tom Brady.
But I've seen Trevor Siemian. And so have NFL teams. He's not going to beat the Patriots in December. He's not.
And unlike last year, the Broncos can't run the ball, while the Patriots can. A simple run game would have gone a long way in both of New England's meetings with Denver last year.
Tampa Bay (+7) over DALLAS
Hey now. That's a lot of points for Dallas against a team that's perhaps risen beyond the tag of "feisty" and all the way to the level of "legitimate."
The Bucs are warm (to quite warm), with a five-game win streak heading into this one. It's yet to be seen if they can actually win on the road against a team some believe to be the best in football. But considering how well they've been playing in the second half of their season, seven points is too many to pass up.
It's equally intriguing to see how Dallas responds to that loss. They had been driving that gravy train for so long with 11 straight wins. Then all of a sudden, they put up seven points in New Jersey, and we've got people talking about Tony Romo.
Dak has been good. Elliott has been great. But Dallas is a tough place to excel. And if some doubt starts to creep into that crowd early on Sunday night? Oh, boy. You won't be able to turn away.
WASHINGTON (-6) over Carolina
The Panthers are 1-4-1 against the spread on the road this year. They're 1-5 on the road overall. That lone win came against the Rams. As evidenced by their Sunday night showing in Seattle two weeks ago, they're not afraid to occasionally flat-out skip a football game.
The Redskins have some fight and are trying to get into the postseason. Smells like another non-competitive Monday night matchup to end a mostly brutal week of football.
Last week: 9-6-1
Season: 100-101-7
You can email Michael Hurley or find him on Twitter @michaelFhurley.
