NFL Week 13: Chicken Pho

Continuing on the Vietnamese theme, this week we cover Pho! What an awesome find. Pho is noodle soup from Vietnam, usually served with some sort of meat or fish (chicken, beef, or shrimp is the common option).

When we visited, we didn’t know what to get the kids at the restaurant – Warren was a bit sick on the first day – so we tried this to be safe. Oh my – it’s much more than just plain chicken soup. The noodles are spectacular – wide, tasty, and filling; the meat is not like the Campbell’s meat in their soup, but actual Julienned slices of chicken, and then there is the broth.

We all fell in love with the broth the first time we had it. It was flavorful – not spicy hot, but you can tell the rosemary and (possibly) coriander in there. And it felt –silky. It was definitely not broth made of 99% water. There was something to that broth.

We ended up ordering two full-adult size bowls for the kids that night – all three of them ate it up – and ordered 3 more bowls at a different restaurant on that time with the same results.

Good Pho is an experience worth savoring. We’ve had both good and bad Pho in China so I can definitely tell the difference in quality in the soup. Hopefully you will have a chance to try good Pho sometime soon.

What can make Cleveland Browns fans feel all better during a horrible year? A nice bowl of Chicken soup – and a victory over the Steelers. Yeah, yeah, yeah, spare me the 8 turnovers. We executed on defense and did just enough on O to win. It’s not every year we get a win vs. the inbred – we’ve only had 5 now since 1999 (2 by Chris Palmer!) so we have to savor it. A win over the Steelers is chicken soup for the Browns’ fans’s soul.

Now to follow it up vs. the Raiders. If this team truly is up and coming – many national people say this team is much better than their 3-8 record – then this game vs. Oakland is a game we need to control and win. I’m not talking a 55-20 shellacking like the Ravens, but a solid, 23-13 effort.
Am I predicting that? Hell no. Young team traveling out west? Boy, I’ve seen too many games vs. San Diego to think that we can play well in the 4:25 pm slot.

On to the rest of the games:

Buf 27, Jax 14. So am I the only one in the world who think the Jags’ recent success is a mirage?

Chi 20, Sea 17. Maybe I should believe in the Bears more. But that Seattle D is tough.

Det 27, Ind 16. Indy is a horrible road team, and Detroit is playing better on D.

GB 27, Min 20. The Packers seem to struggle to put inferior teams away at home.

Car 17, KC 16. Sad news from KC after the death/suicide of their linebacker. Who knows what will happen in this game.

NE 27, Mia 24. I think we need to look at the Pats logically and see that they do struggle against good defensive teams.

NYJ 27, Az 17. If you think the Jets are a mess, then you may not know what’s going on in Arizona.

Hou 24, Ten 10. I think that titans are starting to pack it in for the year. They looked awful vs. the Jags.

SF 28, StL 24. Maybe I’m biased by the tie 3 weeks ago, but I think the Rams play tough at home and the Niners are due for a letdown.

TB 26, Den 23. Denver has not played all that well recently, and the Bucs are desperate.

Bal 17, Pit 16. The Steelers still have a great defense, and I have to believe that Batch will play better with one more week of practice.

Cin 31, SD 23. I’m not sure why I think the Chargers will score 23 after the debacle last week wit the 4th and 29 play.

Dal 23, Phi 20. This Cowboys team should not be favored by 10 1/2 over anyone.

Was 27, NYG 24. Monday night underdog? RG3? Yes, please.
Best bets: 17 of them. Last week: 8-8-1 (identical record 2 weeks in a row now); total: 102-81-6.

Buf -6
Det -6
Ind/Det under 51

Car/KC under 40

Mia +7 1/2

NYJ -6

Az/NYJ over 36 1/2

Hou -6 1/2

Hou/Ten under 47

StL +7

SF/StL over 41 1/2
TB +7
Pit +7 1/2
Cin -1 1/2
Cin/SD over 46
Phi +10 1/2
Was +3

Supercontest: Last week: 1-3-1; overall: 32-26-2

Det -5
NYJ -4 1/2

Mia +7 1/2

Pit +7
TB +7