As a programmer by trade and a computer scientist at school, I've been a pretty big nerd for a pretty long time. However, this Thursday I reached new heights when I attended the Visual Studio 2005 Launch Party here in KC.

Ostensibly I was there for work, but in reality I was there to get a free copy of the new version of Visual Studio to play with on my own time, since we probably won't be using it at work for a few months at least.

Other than that, I've been working a lot and enjoying the outdoors since it has been unseasonably warm here lately. I haven't much enjoyed the news from across the border in Kansas that teachers will now be teaching intelligent design in schools. Kansas already has the reputation as the most backwards state in the nation, and they're doing nothing to dispel that notion. Raising your children in Kansas should be considered a crime.

KC at BUF: I don't know what to think about this matchup. The Chiefs have been uneven all year, but they have the better record. The Bills are playing at home, but it won't much matter. KC

SF at CHI: Who is starting at QB for the 49ers? Joe Montana must be spinning in his car commercials about now...CHI

AZ at DET: Joey Harrington sans Rogers vs. Kurt Warner sans Boldin. Yuck. DET

HOU at IND: I see the Colts are back to their regularly-scheduled patsy. It was nice of the NFL to ensure that there's no possible way for Indy to have a letdown game. I also see that Jason Whitlock on ESPN.com was the only one who saw Monday night's game for what it was: an exposure of the many holes in the Colts defense. IND

NE at MIA: Thankfully I won't have to watch Duane Starks get torched anymore, but that just means they'll have to find some other scrub to play corner. Is Earthwind Moreland still available? NE

MIN at NYG: If the Vikings were at home, I'd be almost tempted to pick them. But they haven't won a road game all year. NYG

BAL at JAX: I can't in good conscience pick the Ravens to win anything, even with Kyle Boller coming back to "jump start" their offense. JAX

DEN at OAK: And thusly, the slide begins. Upset special. OAK

NYJ at CAR: Will the Panthers be too distracted by this week's cheerleader controversy to take the Jets seriously, or will the Panthers' fans be too distracted by the cheerleaders to provide a home field advantage? CAR

GB at ATL: And here's my weekly one game advantage on Lucas. ATL

STL at SEA: Am I really picking the Seahawks to go 7-2? I just can't do it. I'm going to regret this one. STL

WAS at TB: Two teams that started fast, then faded. The Redskins are coming off a big prime-time win against their division rivals, while the Bucs lost in a similar situation. Letdown game for the Skins? Not with Chris Simms on the other side of the field. WAS

CLE at PIT: This week's pearl of wisdom from ESPN's NFL page: "Batch could pose problems for Browns". Could? It's the Browns. PIT

DAL at PHI: So the Eagles have no running game, a hurt QB, and no receivers to speak of. I want to pick them at home against Bledsoe, but I just can't bring myself to do it. They'll be lucky to score 10 points. DAL