NibblyPig

(Best ain't bad either.)

Detroit have a good team... Would like to see Stafford stay healthy!

Matthew Stafford (that is, a healthy Matthew Stafford) is bloody awesome!

Playoff football is going back to Detroit.

Here they are, the predictions you've been waiting for, from 45-19 Nibs:

BILLS over eagles

SAINTS over panthers

TEXANS over raiders

CHIEFS over colts

JAGUARS over bengals

CARDINALS over vikings

GIANTS over seahawks

STEELERS over titans

49ERS over bucs

CHARGERS over broncos

PATRIOTS over jets (go pats!)

PACKERS over falcons

LIONS over bears

I think Bradford can be good, too. I'm a big fan... Luck compared to Bradford two years ago = very similar. Trading away Bradford would be a step backwards, I think. I don't think the Rams' woes lie at the QB position. Use the advantage to strengthen other positions.

(Of course, my knowledge of this sport is very poor... I will yield to the experts on this one.)

Get in. (Sorry, Mich!)

Think I'll be supporting the Brewers from here on in.

Cards lose at home to the Phillies. 2-1 Philadelphia in that NLDS clash.

Big game coming up. Come on, you Tigers!

Alright... I'm 33-15 and ready to rock and / or roll... Here's my predictions for Week 4:

LIONS over cowboys ... TICK

BEARS over panthers ... TICK

BILLS over bengals ... CROSS

BROWNS over titans ... CROSS

CHIEFS over vikings ... TICK

RAMS over redskins ... CROSS

SAINTS over jaguars ... TICK

TEXANS over steelers ... TICK

EAGLES over forty-niners ... CROSS

GIANTS over cardinals ... TICK

FALCONS over seahawks ... TICK

CHARGERS over dolphins ... TICK

PATRIOTS over raiders (go pats!) ... TICK

PACKERS over broncos ... TICK

RAVENS over jets ... TICK

BUCS over colts ... TICK

12 ticks, 4 crosses

45-19 for the year.

I gotta stop picking the Rams.

This past year, Major League pitching has had a shadow cast over it by one man and five syllables: Just-in Ver-land-er.

Good result for Detroit teams in two different sports today.

Well, it will be North v. South in the final. Anyone care to guess who it'll be?

I'll go for England v. N.Z.

I can't imagine a worse World Series than Phillies v. Yankees... I'd end up going for the Phillies, but of the last eight teams, these are my two least favourite.

Yanks were in damn good form last night... Rays had a bit of a hiccup after going ahead early.

Fingers crossed for some better results today (better for me, that is)

Alright... I'm 33-15 and ready to rock and / or roll... Here's my predictions for Week 4:

LIONS over cowboys

BEARS over panthers

BILLS over bengals

BROWNS over titans

CHIEFS over vikings

RAMS over redskins

SAINTS over jaguars

TEXANS over steelers

EAGLES over forty-niners

GIANTS over cardinals

FALCONS over seahawks

CHARGERS over dolphins

PATRIOTS over raiders (go pats!)

PACKERS over broncos

RAVENS over jets

BUCS over colts

Feeling sad about Tito... but it was to be expected. Thanks for eight great years, Terry!

The Rays destroyed the Rangers today. How good was Moore? There have been a few fairytales coming out of St. Petersburg, Florida in the last few days, none more than a guy pitching seven shut out innings in only his second Major League start to open the playoffs.

Oh, I totally agree about their run production and reliance on their pitching this year. But they do have the runs in them if need be and, as you point out, they are probably full to the brim in terms of the 'feel good factor'. It would amuse me no end if the Yankees lost to the Rays in the ALCS... but hopefully the Yankees won't even get that chance

Guess we'll find out come 5pm ET. Let's go Rays!

PS: Proctor pitched ok, last night. He wasn't the problem.

The Rays are on a tear. You can't read too much into one game (i.e., last night)... they have a lot of runs in them.

C'mon you Tigers and c'mon you Rays!

(Fingers crossed the winner of Diamondbacks/Brewers beats the winner of Phillies/Cards in the NL.)

What Nibs thinks:

PATS over Bills... BUGGER

PANTHERS over Jaguars... YES

BENGALS over 49ers... BUGGER

BROWNS over Dolphins... YES

LIONS over Vikings... YES

SAINTS over Texans... YES

EAGLES over Giants... BUGGER

TITANS over Broncos... YES

RAIDERS over Jets... YES

CHARGERS over Chiefs... YES

RAMS over Ravens... BUGGER

PACKERS over Bears... YES

SEAHAWKS over Cardinals... YES

BUCCS over Falcons... YES

STEELERS over Colts... YES

COWBOYS over Redskins... YES

12 yeses and 4 buggers.

I'm improving by one point every week (10, 11, 12, . . .)

At this rate, I'll be getting 17 out of 16 by week eight.

Stay tuned for more of what may become the NibblyPig prediction thread. (Does no-one else do predictions here?)

Man, oh man... That was a ridiculous end to the regular season. As I said above, the Red Sox didn't deserve to make it... Pathetic collapse in September.

I hope the Rays win it.

I think Detroit have a damn good chance against the Yankees.

Blimey. Bottom of the 8th, it was Yankees 7-0 Rays... now it's in the 10th: 7-7. Yankees... you suck!

Red Sox still winning in Baltimore (3-2, top of the 8th).

It's close. Very close.

C'mon Sox!! (Either way, though, I'll be hoping that the AL wild card winner wins the World Series... always had a bit of a soft spot for the Rays.)

Rays and Sox are now tied in the WC race. Baltimore are really making life miserable for Boston down the stretch!

So I take it you guys are writing off Cano for MVP?

And I agree Granderson's average will probably cost him, but other than that he's had an unbelievable year. The combination of production, runs scored, stolen bases and solid D: Amazing.

Definitely not writing off Cano. It's a really tough one to call this year in the AL. No player has dominated; all candidates have arguments against.

The Sox have really let this one slip. To be honest, the way they've played this September, they don't deserve to play in October. Here's hoping for a good couple of nights, though, where they turn things around!

... and, dare I say it, go Yankees

Halfway through the year, I thought Gonzalez was a certainty to win the MVP... but his long hitting has really dried up in the second half. Ellsbury is awesome. Bautista has had a huge season -- but I just can't see a player in a .500 team winning the MVP. Curtis Granderson is another good shout -- but for his homers, still only a .270ish hitter.

It's a tough year to call on the AL side.

I'm firmly in the camp that says pitchers should never be awarded the MVP. They play only 20% of the games for the season... and they have their own award. JV is surely a certainty for the Cy.

That was a very, very, very important win for the Sox!! A potentially season-saving HR from Jacoby Ellsbury in the 14th.

Three games against the Orioles now. The season is in our own hands. Go Sox!

The AL wildcard race has got ridiculously close. Sox are on a ferocious downward spiral this September; Rays are chasing hard. (Looks like the Angels are almost done.)

Sox and Yankees are 4-4 in the 14th inning of the 159th game. If the Sox lose this, the Rays and Sox are tied with three games to go. If the Sox win, they're a game up.

[4-4 in extra innings Sox-Yankees has been a harbinger of unlikely Sox successes in the past (see, games 4 and 5 of ALCS 2004.)]

C'mon Sox! Turn it around here!

What Nibs thinks:

PATS over Bills

PANTHERS over Jaguars

BENGALS over 49ers

BROWNS over Dolphins

LIONS over Vikings

SAINTS over Texans

EAGLES over Giants

TITANS over Broncos

RAIDERS over Jets

CHARGERS over Chiefs

RAMS over Ravens

PACKERS over Bears

SEAHAWKS over Cardinals

BUCCS over Falcons

STEELERS over Colts

COWBOYS over Redskins