I like Lucas' idea, so I will try to add some pundits like Peter King and Bill Simmons to the pickboard on the left. So far we're all getting beaten by Peter King, which is sad, but if I knew that Daunte Culpepper would show up to the game looking like a skeleton (or Jay Fiedler) then I never would have picked the Dolphins.

BAL at TB: As much as I love football and look forward to the start of the season, matchups like this remind me that it's not all gumdrops and candycanes in footballland. The word on the street is that Brian Billick is on the hot seat, and it's about damn time. TB

ATL at CAR: I really think the Panthers are overrated, with everyone in the world thinking they'll win the Super Bowl, but the Falcons haven't had a direction as a team since Jamal Anderson and the Dirty Bird. CAR

DEN at STL: Lucas and Bill Simmons have much more faith in the Rams than I do, but the Broncos are definitely not a dome team. STL

BUF at NE: I side with Deion Branch in his salary situation, since NFL players have no guaranteed contracts and he has completely outplayed his rookie deal, but how does it possibly benefit his career to sit out the season? NE

PHI at HOU: Now that the Eagles don't have TO, no one seems to care about them anymore. Something tells me that one of these seasons not having a running back or wide receivers will hurt them. Upset Special! HOU

NO at CLE: I was hoping Lucas would be suckered in by the Saints hype, but clearly he's not ready to pick them on the road either. CLE

SEA at DET: Rams games aren't nearly as entertaining without the insane Mike Martz at the helm, so it's good that he's found a home in the most dysfunctional franchise in the NFL. SEA

NYJ at TEN: It will be a long season for the weak-armed Chad Pennington. TEN

CIN at KC: Apprently Lucas wasn't paying attention when the Bengals players did everything short of punching a police horse this past offseason. The Chiefs are in a decline, but not quite yet. KC

CHI at GB: Part of the reason I won last season was always picking against the Packers while Lucas foolishly stuck to them through every ill-advised interception. CHI

DAL at JAX: It's time for the TO crazy train to leave the station! DAL

SF at AZ: The Cardinals are overrated, but the Niners are a trainwreck. AZ

IND at NYG: I don't know if I'll be able to stand watching this game with all the gratuitous sucking up by the announcers to the entire Manning family. I'll go with the Manning with the funnier commercials, since it's not January yet. IND

MIN at WAS: Taylor! Betts! Mark Brunell's Reanimated Corpse! It's the NFL on ESPN! WAS

SD at OAK: Speaking of franchises that are deep in their own crapulence, the Oakland Raiders are choosing to start Aaron Brooks at quarterback rather than Jeff George. Damned if you do and damned if you don't. SD