Hello friends and welcome to everybody’s favourite poorly-named NFL picks column, the Fleetwood/Matt NFL picks.
We are Fleetwood Brown and Matthew Ederer, two comedians / dumb idiots / Madden veterans who like to watch football while we donate money directly to the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation via the dumb idiot tax known as Pro-line. Also, 50% of us played high school football.
We took a little bit of a bath last week, although Fleetwood managed to go 8-6 and move within a game of myself, who went a disappointing (yet somehow still nice) 6-9.
Overall records:
Matt – 38-24-1
Fleet – 37-25-1
Los Angeles Rams (3-1, 7th NFC) @ Seattle Seahawks (3-1, 6th NFC)
Matt – Extremely tough game to call. Two division rivals with the same record, both coming off losses, and both with some major questions to answer.
LA has won their last two games in Seattle, and three of their last four. The Rams have figured out how to play in Seattle, which remains one of the hardest places to play in football for 30 other teams. Seattle will be playing with a lot of pride tonight, but the Rams do not fear the vaunted 12th man.
Seattle also lost to a New Orleans Saints team last week that the Rams beat in Week 1, which on paper seems to favour the Rams — though you could argue that the Saints were shocked by the loss of their QB Drew Brees in Week 1, and now that backup QB Teddy Bridgewater has had time to settle in, they are a different team.
On the other hand, the Rams are almost nothing but question marks at this point.
LA’s Riddler-esque Question Mark Spam begins with their franchise QB Jared Goff, who had probably the least inspiring 500-yard passing day in football history last week in a 55-48 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The O-line looks shaky, Todd Gurley’s knees are apparently liable to turn to dust at a moment’s notice, and the defense gave up 55 points to Jameis Winston last week.
Tough, tough game to call. I am leaning toward Seattle here, at home, in prime-time, vs a Rams team who has come to their house in two straight seasons and eaten their lunch in front of them. Los Angeles is not rolling up to Seattle with a lot of swagger this week, and I think the shaky O-line and general Goff-ness of the Rams will be their downfall vs a team that will be playing with a lot of pride this week.
Matt’s Pick – Seattle Seahawks
Fleet – This game is going to be a tough, gritty, and American. Just like the Dodge truck I own.
Fleet’s Pick – Los Angeles Rams
