- looking back, how did we lose to Oakland? How did Oakland score 45 against us?
- that Tampa game - and the 59 yard kick by Canizaro - was a complete farce. We had no business losing that game
- and then there was the Saints game - now it's shocking we only lost by 3 to them on the road! And we could have easily won that with an average kicker.
So we realistically could be 6-3-1, and leading the wild card chase in the AFC. Argh. So frustrating. At least one of our issues has been removed (Hue).
Anyway, it's time to take a breath, sit back and relax this week and watch other teams flail. And there's one show on that I watch that is "feel-good" TV - sit back, watch, and get a smile on my face. I'm a sap for Ina Garten and the Barefoot Contessa.
Show: The Barefoot Contessa
Network: Food Network
Time: Weekends, around 8:30 am
Starts: Ina Garten, Jeffrey Garten
What else to say? I enjoy watching Ina cook as she gets ready for her dinner parties. Each show usaually is about a dinner party she is preparing for her friends in the Hamptons on Long Island. How will she make a fancy feast for 6-8 in just a few hours with minimal to no work? It's easy!
Ina takes the viewers on that journey, starting from the items as bought - from a butcher, fish market, or vegetable stand- usually asking the vendor to prep it in some way for ease. ("I asked to butcher to tie this roast for me - so easy, and it saves time"). Then she whips together some sauce or marinade for the meat - can be done in 30 seconds or so - places it on the meat, and voila! "Put in the oven for 60 minutes.
How easy is that?
She repeats for a vegetable and a side - dishes that seem like they need 45 seconds to prepare, if you have everything pre-measured and cut from the store - and there you go! An elegant dinner party in just 5 minutes!
Ina got her start in cooking after marrying Jeffrey in 1968; he was in the military and they were stationed in France; he started to learn cooking methods over there and was enthralled by all the food markets in France. They came back to the US and Ina worked - can you believe this - in the Office of Management and Budget under Ford and Carter.
She quit the government work in the 70s and focused on working full time in cooking; she bought a store called "Barefoot Contessa" and owned that for 20 years. She then went into publishing cookbooks in the late 90s and was a complete surprise hit. I think I bought 3 of these cookbooks for Janice as Christmas gifts in the early 2000s.
She was approached for a show for the Food Network in 2002 - and she turned it down multiple times before finally agreeing; it was the top rated show on the Network for years. It played constantly on the Asia satellite channel when we were in Guangzhou; Janice and I would watch marathons when we were bored.
So that's my comfort food on this bye weekend. Settle down and watch Ina cook a banquet for 8 in 11 minutes flat. About as fast as Nick Chubb's time to run 92 yards against the swiss chees Atlanta defense!
To the picks:
Atl 34, Dal 23. Talking about the Falcons, they are a different team at home and I don't see Dallas outscoring them. I know Zeke may have 200+ yards.....Julio will have 200 of his own.
Bal 30, Cin 17. I think the Bengals are done. Very interesting to see what Jackson can do for the Ravens today.
Car 31, Det 27. A sneaky hard game for the Panthers. They struggle on the road and Detroit will put up points at home. The Lions could actually sneak this one out.
Ind 27, Ten 20. Playing the home teams big this week. Tennessee is coming off their emotional win vs. the Pats, and the Colts offense looks very good. The Colts will do just enough on D to win.
NYG 24, TB 20. I can't talk rationally about the Bucs anymore. They should score 35 every game but a comedy of errors each week prevents them from doing that. They are the Browns of the NFC.
Hou 23, Was 20. No real clue here. I just think Hou's run D will force the Skins to pass more than they want, and they just don't have the weapons in the passing game.
Pit 27, Jax 20. Waiting for the annual Pittsburgh road misstep vs. an inferior opponent. This could be the time. Jax's offense looked competent in the second half last week.
Az 23, Oak 13. What to say about the Raiders any more? Not sure how they get more than 13 against a pretty good defense on the road. I like Rosen to move the ball here.
LAC 24, Den 20. The Chargers can be stopped by good defenses, and Denver has an OK defense. he Chargers won't run away with this one.
NO 34, Phi 31. This is the final stand for Philly; I think they will move the ball in the air against the weak Saints pass D. The Saints will do just enough to win.
Chi 23, Min 21. Not the biggest fan of the 1-dimensional Vikes offense - no running game yet - and that plays into the Bears' hands. And the Bears are a much better offensive team at home.
KC 33, LAR 30. Just a hunch; the Rams have not been playing excellent football recently, especially defensively, and the injury of Cupp is big.
Best bets: 13 of them. Last week: 6-5-1; overall: 63-65-4
Sea -2.5 (Winner! Had this for the Supercontest too!)
Atl -3
Dal/Atl over 49.5
Bal -5.5
Ind -1.5
Car/Det over 49.5
TB/NYG under 53
AZ -5
Oak/Az under 41
Den +7
Phi +7.5
Phi/NO over 56
KC +3.5
Supercontest picks: last week: 2-2-1; overall: 25-22-3
Sea -2.5 (winner!)
Atl -3.5
Ind -2
Phi +8.5
KC +3.5
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