the week eleven predictions

Last Week SU: 13-2-0
Season to Date SU: 85-59-0

Last Week ATS: 9-6-0
Season to Date ATS: 71-72-1

Last Week Upset / Week: winner.
Season to Date Upset / Week: 5-5.
This Week's Upset / Week: Bears (+3) over Eagles.

The Picks:

* at Panthers (-3) 24, Dolphins 17.
* at Lions (-3 1/2) 6, Browns 2.
* at Jaguars (-9) 34, Bills 13.
* at Ravens (+1) 24, Colts 23.
* Falcons (+6 1/2) 34, at Giants 20.
* at Vikings (-10 1/2) 45, Seahawks 20.
* at Cowboys (-11) 34, Redskins 6.
* Saints 27, at Bucs (+11) 24.
* at Packers (-6 1/2) 28, 49ers 17.
* Cardinals (-9) 31, at Rams 3.
* at Patriots (-10 1/2) 74, Jets 0.
* Bengals (-9 1/2) 20, at Raiders 3.
* at broncos (-3) 20, Chargers 14.
* at Bears (+3) 31, Eagles 28.
* at Texans (-4 1/2) 27, Titans 20.

The Chiefs Prediction:

This used to be one of my three most anticipated home games, along with denver and oakland.

Every year in the 90s and early 2000s, it seemed like Pittsburgh visited Kansas City. (Prior to the 2006 trip to the Ketchup Bottle, the Chiefs / Steelers played eight straight times at Arrowhead). Nearly all of them were memorable for one reason or another. You had the Chiefs winning the 1993 wildcard game in overtime, thanks to a blocked punt and a 4th and goal Montana to Barnett touchdown. Then came three straight Monday Night showdowns -- a Steelers defensive slugfest in 1996; the Chiefs winning in 1997 on a Marcus Allen touchdown pass; and the Steelers winning on a blocked punt in 1998.

(Also in that 1997 game ... is when Elvis Grbac went down with the separated shoulder. The quarterback position in this town wasn't the same for five years after that).

The Chiefs won a blowout on a Saturday afternoon in December 1999, a game affectionately known as "The Mitch Lyons Game". The Steelers returned in early 2001 and held on to beat the Chiefs in the game known affectionately as "The Beer Boy Game". The Chiefs returned the favor in 2003, returning an interception and a punt for touchdowns in a shocking rout of the Steelers.

The last time these two "rivals" met, in 2006, it was a catastrophe for the Chiefs. A game a Chiefs beat columnist would describe as "The Steelers using the Chiefs as their own personal urinal" (one of my favorite descriptions of all time). A 45-7 beatdown that could have destroyed the Chiefs season. Somehow, Herm got the Chiefs off the mat, won 5 of their next 6, and the Chiefs were on their way to the playoffs, while the Steelers finished at .500.

A lot has changed since 2006. For one thing, the Steelers have a new coach in Mike Tomlin. Unfortunately, he's just as competent and savvy as the old one. The Steelers also have a sixth Lombardi Trophy proudly displayed in their offices. The Chiefs, meanwhile, are a shell of those teams from 1991-2006 that were in playoff contention every year. They stand at 2-7 this year. They were 2-14 last year, 4-12 the year before that. That's 8-33 in the last 41 games that count, 8-34 if you count the playoff debacle in Indy.

There is not one sane, logical reason for me to pick the Chiefs to win this game. And in fact, I'm not going to. Because I don't see any way the Chiefs can win this game, short of every member of the Steelers coming down with some horrific illness or injury.

What I want to see Sunday, is something that really we haven't seen yet this season out of Coach Haley. Professionalism.

(Out of respect for the word, professionalism, I will refrain from calling Coach Haley my patented nickname for him. But I still think he is "one", and he proves me more and more correct in that regard every time he takes the field).

I want to see a competent, coherent, respectable gameplan on offense. I want to see a composed, dignified behavior on the sideline. I want to see our best players on the field, not in some proverbial doghouse because Coach has his panties in a bunch over some missed assignment from three weeks ago.

I want to see a PROFESSIONAL football team on display. The final score doesn't matter. Its the effort, the execution, the attitude, that does. At least for six of these final seven games. (December 6th, on the other hand ...)

I want to see that on Sunday. And every Sunday going forward. Professionalism. Starting with the man supposedly in charge of one. Anything less than that, and Coach Haley doesn't deserve to see season two.

at Steelers (-10) 51, Chiefs 10.