I was going to continue with my social media conversation today, but I've decided to pursue a different topic based upon what my streaming friend Jon decided to do with his stream recently.
Live-streaming and recording game play has become an increasingly popular thing for gamers to do. The most successful people have managed to make the practice of sharing their gaming experiences a full-time, and lucrative, job, but it's a relatively small segment of the population that's been that successful.
For the rest, it's a struggle to find a foothold, even if you manage to become partnered and make a little bit of money. Some are trying to make it a full-time job, others, such as myself, do it strictly as a hobby. Many though have unrealistic expectations of what's going to happen and fail to understand how much work it takes to grow a successful gaming channel.
I wanted to talk about this because Jon recently made a decision to make the chat in his stream subscriber-only, meaning those who aren't subscribed to his stream can watch, but they can't actively participate in the chat. It wasn't an easy decision for him to make, but he laid out his decision in a VOD (video on demand) on his Twitch profile that was well-thought out and helped me understand why he was making his decision.
It's easy for me to be okay with it though. I've been subscribed to his stream since he was partnered last summer and will stay subscribed as long as he continues to stay active with it. Yet I can understand why those who were unable (or unwilling) to subscribe might find this upsetting; Jon's chat is one of my favorite parts of the stream. I've known many of the active members since I started watching him 2 years ago and they've been a tremendous help anytime I've had a computer-related question or issue.
However, it may hurt his audience in the short-term as people are turned off by the notion of not being able to chat unless being subbed. His decision is sound though.
I won't get into too much detail about why he made the decision, but he essentially has a one year time frame to grow the channel or he may have to walk away. For more details, you're going to want to watch this as he lays it out clearly and even gets a little emotional about 30 minutes in, which was very touching and clearly was touching towards the people watching him live.
This post isn't just about that kind of decision. I fully support any streamer that makes a decision that they think is best for their channel. As Jon said, you can still watch the stream at high quality for free, you just can't chat unless you sub. I know other streamers have either made their chat sub-only permanently or have select sub-only streams.
No, this post is about how difficult it really is to operate a stream or gaming channel and grow. A good portion of people who watch have no clue how much work goes into it, how much money these people are investing in this. Some have put thousands of dollars of their own money into PC/recording/editing equipment in exchange for only getting a few hundred follows (or subscribers on YouTube).
The first problem is there are a TON of people trying to record and stream right now. The idea of putting your gameplay up on the internet caught on a few years ago and has exploded recently as the tools to do so have become relatively affordable. Most anyone with a decent PC can download recording software for under $50, a microphone for under $100, and OBS (streaming software) for free and get up and running with YouTube and/or Twitch (or any other streaming service that's available).
Many see the bigger names apparently raking in the money and think that they can do the same. They start streaming/uploading their games and wait for the views/follows/likes/subs to start rolling in. When the success isn't instantaneous, many just stop out of the blue and cease video production. They learn it isn't as simple as recording or streaming some gameplay, that there's actual work involved.
Yes, it takes work to put out high quality videos and streams. You have to have a machine capable of maintaining a good frame rate while recording/streaming, good internet for uploading your content, and some artistic ability to create overlays and such. For YouTube, you need to be able to at the very least do basic editing and be able to create decent thumbnails. For Twitch, the overlay is more important. It also helps to have a web cam, a "bot" to handle advance chat options, and a good set of moderators once you become more popular.
It's a lot of work and it's very time consuming for most, which often leads to people becoming burned out when the growth isn't as fast as they would have hoped.
Let's be honest. If you put hundreds of hours of work into your channel and you weren't seeing any growth, you'd probably become frustrated and wonder why you should even bother to continue going forward. For me, this isn't really an issue. I'm not doing this full-time and have no plans or aspirations of doing it full-time. It's strictly a hobby and nothing else.
But for people like Jon who are trying to make it work full-time, lack of growth can become increasingly frustrating as time goes on. You start to wonder why you're even bothering and the pressure to do better makes the games themselves less fun.
I've seen it with Jon. He doesn't appear to be having as much fun as he did a year ago. The pressure of trying to get his channel to grow has been wearing on him for a while and once you get in a funk, it becomes very difficult to break out of it if things don't turn around quickly. I'll give Jon credit for fighting through it, but it's not easy to do and he seems to be hard on himself, which isn't a bad quality at all.
Most people don't think about playing games as being stressful, they don't think it can burn you out, but in reality, if it's what you're doing to try and earn a living, it becomes a job, and jobs can become stressful no matter how "fun" they might be.
Imagine you HAVE to stream or upload videos 4-5 days a week, every week, and if you don't, you lose your audience. Imagine if you miss a couple of days, people stop watching your content and never come back. Imagine if your audience wants you to play certain games in order to stick around.
It can become pretty stressful very quickly, and that's without the rude viewers who show up simply to harass you until you finally ban them, only to have them sign up under new names and continue the assault. Imagine if people are telling you awful things about your content, or worse, you and/or people you know.
Now, it's not necessarily going to be always be that bad, but it could happen and I've seen a few people give up YouTube/streaming because they couldn't handle the noise. I've seen people burn out because the pressure of keeping up daily content became too much for them to handle, or they actually got sick of playing games and trying to keep them interesting.
I myself, even only doing YouTube on occasion and just starting up with streaming, have grown tired at times of it. I burned out on Minecraft a while back and have struggled to consistently get back into it even with new updates pushing across recently.
My reasons are more due to having a 40 hour work schedule and a two year old I'm often chasing when I'm off work. It leaves me a small window at night to do my recordings/streams, and often I'm just tired and don't have the energy to make content, which sounds absurd since it's not the most strenuous thing in the world.
But trust me, it isn't that easy. You have to be into the game you're playing, be up to recording/streaming it, and if you record it, you have to have the motivation to sit and edit the footage into something interesting. If you're like me, you also have to go through and do noise removal because you have a noisy PC fan, which adds to the process. Then you have to wait for the render to finish up, compress it (if the file is big), and upload it with a description and thumbnail ready-made.
It's time-consuming, and when you don't have a lot of time, it can make you feel a little pressure to go a little faster, which sometimes leads to mistakes.
It's why I am constantly telling people who have no kids and can afford to work on videos full-time to appreciate it and enjoy it as much as you can. That time isn't always there forever and before you know it, you're trying to do as much work in a smaller window of opportunity, which can deter you as well.
I know I've made it sound like a chore, but it's still something that I enjoy doing. I don't have the same time as others, and I certainly don't have the same resources, but I make the most of what I have and when I do record/stream, I try to enjoy it as much as possible.
For example, my third stream was me playing "Goat Simulator." I didn't have many viewers (in fact, I don't think it went above 3 at any point and virtually no one chatted with me), but I enjoyed the hell out of the game regardless and if anyone did watch, they got to see me run around with an NPC glitching into my goat most of the time. I eventually gave the character the name of Jerry and turned it into a game of "what can we do with Jerry next."
My next stream was "Borderlands," which garnered me a few more views (as high as 10), and a new follower and again I enjoyed it despite not garnering a lot of attention.
But it can be frustrating for those who want to see their channel and brand grow and make something of it.
Live streaming and recording your gameplay has become a very popular thing to do over the last couple of years. While some have become successful, many struggle to retain viewers. Here's to hoping if you're considering jumping in you keep your expectations reasonable.
Showing posts with label games. Show all posts
Showing posts with label games. Show all posts
Thursday, August 27, 2015
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Flashback! - Gaming with my mom
I saw that Toejam & Earl was being re-released on XBox Live and PSN next month.
This may not be significant for most, but for my mom and myself, this is exciting (although it would be more exciting if a Wii version was coming) since this was a game we played to death when I was younger.
For those unfamiliar with the game, it was about two aliens crash-landing their spaceship on Earth, which consisted of several large levels for you to explore as you tried to find your broken pieces and head back to Funkotron. The game was simple to play. You found presents laying around that contained a random, mysterious item that either tremendously helped or impeded your progress. Each level was filled with "earthlings," which contained killer bees, cupids, mobs of people, a lawnmower man, hula girls, the crazy dentist, an ice cream truck, and the infamous boogie man (there are more enemies/characters, but you get the idea).
Gifts could have tomatos you could throw, rocket skates, a slingshot, an extra life, death (total bummer), a randomizer (presents became unknown again), or money, among other items.
The game was simple, but it was fun. When you started in a level, you had no idea where anything was. As you roamed around the level, areas of your map opened up, allowing to see more of your surroundings. The idea was to avoid the enemies, pick up the goodies, and find your ship pieces before locating the elevator, which took you to the next level. As the game went along, it obviously became more challenging, but luckily two-player co-op via split-screen was supported.
My mom and I would rent this game regularly until we finally bought it, then played it to death even more. I was usually Earl since he was slower, but I was better at the game. My mom would be Toejam, who was faster, a must if she was going to escape some of the later enemies. One of the quirks of the game was when you were in your split screen, only your character felt the effect of a present opened. However, if you ended up in the same spot on the map together, the split-screen went away in favor of a larger view. In this case, a present opened applied to both characters.
There were many times when I'd walk into her section as she was opening a total bummer, thus killing me as well as her. The other common occurrence was her opening rocket skates as I walked into view, thus sending me off the edge of the world (which luckily just meant you would fall to the previous level).
Upon telling the world via Facebook that the game was being re-released, she immediately began commenting on the status with some of her memories and this went on for a little bit.
The game was always fun, albeit frustrating later on when the enemies became more difficult and we inevitably became tired. This, being an older game, didn't offer a save feature. If you wanted to beat the game, you had to make it through in one pass. There was no saving and coming back later.
It added to the challenge, but made it worthwhile when you finally made it through.
I have a lot of fond memories playing this game though. My childhood friend, James, and I would play this game at sleep overs. He was actually the one who introduced me to it, and when it came to finding it, it was hard. Blockbuster for some reason didn't carry it for rent, and the only other game rental place in Brunswick at the time was I believe called "The Sound of Music," which was odd since it was a music store. But they had Toejam & Earl, so whenever it was in, we'd rent it and play it virtually every day we could.
Gaming was something we did as a family though. While my dad didn't care for games, my mom loved them, especially in the NES/SNES/Genesis era. She doesn't do so well with the 3D games of today, but she can still play the puzzle games.
When we had Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda, my mom had first crack at them before we could play them. I remember watching her play A Link to the Past for hours before I was able to step in and play. She was never exceptionally good, but she was funny to watch and I'm pretty sure she knew it.
My sister and I usually would play the co-op games, but Toejam & Earl was the game my mom and I probably played the most together. It was maddening, it was frustrating (stop opening all the presents!), but it was one of the greatest memories I have as a child.
With a little luck, we'll be able to relive those memories next month.
Hey mom, want to come over and play Toejam & Earl with me?
This may not be significant for most, but for my mom and myself, this is exciting (although it would be more exciting if a Wii version was coming) since this was a game we played to death when I was younger.
For those unfamiliar with the game, it was about two aliens crash-landing their spaceship on Earth, which consisted of several large levels for you to explore as you tried to find your broken pieces and head back to Funkotron. The game was simple to play. You found presents laying around that contained a random, mysterious item that either tremendously helped or impeded your progress. Each level was filled with "earthlings," which contained killer bees, cupids, mobs of people, a lawnmower man, hula girls, the crazy dentist, an ice cream truck, and the infamous boogie man (there are more enemies/characters, but you get the idea).
Gifts could have tomatos you could throw, rocket skates, a slingshot, an extra life, death (total bummer), a randomizer (presents became unknown again), or money, among other items.
The game was simple, but it was fun. When you started in a level, you had no idea where anything was. As you roamed around the level, areas of your map opened up, allowing to see more of your surroundings. The idea was to avoid the enemies, pick up the goodies, and find your ship pieces before locating the elevator, which took you to the next level. As the game went along, it obviously became more challenging, but luckily two-player co-op via split-screen was supported.
My mom and I would rent this game regularly until we finally bought it, then played it to death even more. I was usually Earl since he was slower, but I was better at the game. My mom would be Toejam, who was faster, a must if she was going to escape some of the later enemies. One of the quirks of the game was when you were in your split screen, only your character felt the effect of a present opened. However, if you ended up in the same spot on the map together, the split-screen went away in favor of a larger view. In this case, a present opened applied to both characters.
There were many times when I'd walk into her section as she was opening a total bummer, thus killing me as well as her. The other common occurrence was her opening rocket skates as I walked into view, thus sending me off the edge of the world (which luckily just meant you would fall to the previous level).
Upon telling the world via Facebook that the game was being re-released, she immediately began commenting on the status with some of her memories and this went on for a little bit.
The game was always fun, albeit frustrating later on when the enemies became more difficult and we inevitably became tired. This, being an older game, didn't offer a save feature. If you wanted to beat the game, you had to make it through in one pass. There was no saving and coming back later.
It added to the challenge, but made it worthwhile when you finally made it through.
I have a lot of fond memories playing this game though. My childhood friend, James, and I would play this game at sleep overs. He was actually the one who introduced me to it, and when it came to finding it, it was hard. Blockbuster for some reason didn't carry it for rent, and the only other game rental place in Brunswick at the time was I believe called "The Sound of Music," which was odd since it was a music store. But they had Toejam & Earl, so whenever it was in, we'd rent it and play it virtually every day we could.
Gaming was something we did as a family though. While my dad didn't care for games, my mom loved them, especially in the NES/SNES/Genesis era. She doesn't do so well with the 3D games of today, but she can still play the puzzle games.
When we had Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda, my mom had first crack at them before we could play them. I remember watching her play A Link to the Past for hours before I was able to step in and play. She was never exceptionally good, but she was funny to watch and I'm pretty sure she knew it.
My sister and I usually would play the co-op games, but Toejam & Earl was the game my mom and I probably played the most together. It was maddening, it was frustrating (stop opening all the presents!), but it was one of the greatest memories I have as a child.
With a little luck, we'll be able to relive those memories next month.
Hey mom, want to come over and play Toejam & Earl with me?
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
The Sports Mixer - Only took a quarter for fans to turn on regular refs; picks for week 5
The NFL welcomed back its regular refs, and for the most part, they weren't part of the highlights.
Well, aside from them tipping their caps at the ovations they received and actually being interviewed by reporters before the games they officiated.
In any case, it only took a quarter in most games for the cheers to turn back into boos and life to return to normal completely on the NFL field. Most of the time, the refs got things right, but the Green Bay Packers were once again part of some interesting calls. The Pack tried to challenge a play early on that appeared to be called correctly, thus losing a challenge. They later challenged a catch by the Saints that appeared to hit the ground, yet in a bizarre turn of events, the reception was upheld. The Pack were out of challenges, which was unfortunate when Darren Sproles fumbled a kick return late, but he was ruled down by the refs. They couldn't challenge it, but luckily for them, the Saints decided to penalize themselves into a missed field goal at the end that secured the win.
All in all, there were some surprises last week. The Cardinals, despite themselves, found a way to stay unbeaten. The Giants missed a field goal late thanks to offensive pass interference. The Bills blew a 14 point third quarter lead, ending up being blown out by the Patriots. The Panthers should've upset the Falcons in Atlanta, but they decided that covering receivers downfield was overrated.
What does this week bring us? There isn't an intriguing matchup in the NFL this week, one that makes me think I have to see that game. Sure, I'll be glued to the TV when the Browns play, but there isn't much to get excited about this week.
So without further fanfare, here are the picks.
Thursday
Arizona (4-0) at St Louis (2-2) - 8:20pm NFL Network
The only thing more surprising than the Cardinals being 4-0 is how they've done it. Kevin Kolb threw a horrific interception late in their game against the Dolphins, yet managed to overcome it and win the game. In fact, the Cardinals looked like they were going to get blown out before deciding they were going to play. Of course, it helps when Ryan Tannehill is your opposing quarterback and he throws an equally horrifying interception in overtime, allowing the win. The fact is, the red birds are sitting on top of the NFC West a fourth of the way through the season.
The Rams have been up and down thus far. Sam Bradford has had some moments, but he's also still struggled at times. The Cardinals have been opportunistic on defense, but I keep thinking this ride is going to come to an abrupt halt soon. Why not in St. Louis? There's reason for optimism with their young offense and they get to play at home.
Pick: Rams 20, Cardinals 17
Sunday
Miami (1-3) at Cincinnati (3-1) - 1pm CBS
The Dolphins have been snake-bit the last two weeks. They played well enough to win against the Jets, but lost in overtime. Then last week, they had the lead on a number of occasions, but couldn't hold it, eventually falling after Ryan Tannehill threw an interception in overtime. Now they get to go to Cincy, where the Bengals have been thriving against sub-.500 teams the last couple of seasons. Tannehill has shown promise, but has been prone to rookie mistakes at inopportune times. If they can run the ball effectively against the Bengals, they'll have a chance at winning this game as long as Tannehill avoids a bad mistake.
The Bengals have been lighting up the scoreboard on both sides of the ball. They can't stop anyone, but they can't be stopped either. Their lone loss was to the Ravens in week one, when they were thumped pretty badly. Since then they've had to hang on to beat the Browns, hung on to beat the Redskins, and pulled away from the Jaguars for their first "easy" win of the season. This game could be a high-scoring affair as well, but I give the edge to the Bengals since they're at home.
Pick: Bengals 33, Dolphins 30
Green Bay (2-2) at Indianapolis (1-2) - 1pm FOX
The Packers needed that win last week against the Saints. The offense had been struggling, and following the end of game debacle against the Seahawks, needed something to rejuvenate their playoff hopes. The Saints fought them to the end though and only held on when the Saints missed a field goal at the end. Aaron Rodgers has struggled, but it became apparent how much they can't afford to lose him in that game. His backup, Graham Harrell, fumbled the only snap he took when he tripped on someone's foot trying to hand the ball to Cedric Benson. The Saints didn't need long to score and take the lead, which led to a furious drive by Rodgers to regain it.
The Colts had a bye last week, which should give them a slight edge early on. They lost a game to the Jags that they should've won though, so it's imperative that they come out the gate strong this week or it could be a long Sunday in Indy. Luckily, the Colts have Andrew Luck, who has been as advertised so far. They should keep things interesting for a while at least.
Pick: Packers 31, Colts 23
Baltimore (3-1) at Kansas City (1-3) - 1pm CBS
The Ravens have to be licking their chops for this game. They've had extra time to recover after a more physical than expected game against the Browns. They get to see how well they can contain Jamaal Charles, who looks to be near, if not back to, his previous form. Matt Cassel provides them more opportunities for interceptions. And the Ravens offense has been nearly unstoppable. This has blowout written all over it.
Meanwhile, the Chiefs are struggling. Aside from a shocking come from behind win in New Orleans, they've looked awful. Charles can run with the best of them, but it does no good when Cassel insists on throwing to the other team as frequently as he did last week against the Chargers. It's just hard to see them hanging in there very long against the Ravens, but stranger things have happened. They are at home and sometimes the Ravens play down to their competition.
Pick: Ravens 27, Chiefs 10
Philadelphia (3-1) at Pittsburgh (1-2) - 1pm FOX
I can't understand how the Eagles are 3-1. Michael Vick has been a turnover machine. They don't run with LeSean McCoy enough. The "explosive" offense hasn't been there. They should be 1-3 at the very least, very possibly 0-4. Yet behind a very strong defense, the Eagles have managed to win. The defensive line is among the best in the NFL, using speed to get around larger offensive linemen. They've given everyone fits thus far, and going against a line in Pittsburgh that already has its issues is a recipe for disaster for Ben Roethlisberger.
Luckily for the Steelers, they should have James Harrison and Troy Polamalu back to shore up a defense that has been lackluster thus far. Those two alone should cause Vick problems, causing more turnovers for the machine that hasn't stopped coughing the ball up since the first game against the Browns. I think the Steelers get back on track with this game.
Pick: Steelers 24, Eagles 14
Atlanta (4-0) at Washington (2-2) - 1pm FOX
The Falcons are lucky to be 4-0. The Panthers had last week's game locked up when Cam Newton scrambled for a late first down that would've sealed the game. Except that he forgot the ball and it was recovered by a teammate short of the first down, forcing a punt (they could've gone for it though; it was only fourth and one). Even then, the Falcons were pinned down at their one yard line with 59 seconds left. Somehow, they fooled the Panthers with a playfake, then Matt Ryan unleashed a bomb to Roddy White, who somehow slipped behind the safety on the play. A few plays later, they're in field goal range and the game is over.
The Redskins have played well offensively under RGIII. He's thrown the ball well, ran it when needed, and has overall looked to be in complete control of the offense. It of course helps that Tampa Bay decided not to play defense on the Redskins' game winning drive either, allowing the 'Skins to move right down the field into field goal range with ease. The worry for most is that the Redskins defense has been decimated by injuries, and against a high-octane offense that had a scare put into last week? That spells trouble for the home team, although I think the points will continue to fly.
Pick: Falcons 31, Redskins 27
Seattle (2-2) at Caroline (1-3) - 4:05pm FOX
The Seahawks deserve to be 1-3. This isn't a knock on how they've played; they've played well enough to win all their games. They had the lead against the Rams last week, but couldn't hang on for the win. The previous week? Yeah, they should've been handed a loss. That said, they're still 2-2 and have shown a lot of promise. Marshawn Lynch is one of the best in the game at running the ball and Russell Wilson has a lot of upside. Don't forget the defense, which has been a force all season long.
The Panthers, I want to like them. I want to enjoy Cam Newton playing quarterback. It's just hard to when he pouts like he did after getting toasted by the Giants two weeks ago, or when he fails to secure the ball on a pivotal third down run that would've won them the game last week. Instead, he's 7-12 as a starter and doesn't appear to be any closer to being a leader than he was last season. Sure, he has tremendous ability and can make a play whenever he wants it seems, but the maturity doesn't appear to be there yet.
Pick: Seahawks 24, Panthers 17
Chicago (3-1) at Jacksonville (1-3) - 4:05pm FOX
The Bears defense redeemed itself this past Monday night against the Cowboys. They harrassed Tony Romo into five interceptions, two of which went the other way for a touchdown. When they weren't intercepting him, they were hitting him and everyone else hard. It was more than enough for Jay Cutler and the offense, although the offense supplied some fireworks of its own. When Cutler is on, he's as good as anyone. When he's off though, he's wretched and that's a constant fear for Bears fans. Luckily, they get a team that not only isn't very good defensively, but has Blaine Gabbert as its quarterback.
The Jags are just a mess to watch. Gabbert doesn't seem to have grown as a quarterback at all, looking lost most of the time. Yes, he pulled off the winning throw in Indy a few weeks back, but aside from that, he's been a disaster, much like last season. Maurice Jones-Drew can't carry this team by himself, especially after sitting out all of the preseason. They're in for a long day this week.
Pick: Bears 28, Jaguars 10
Tennessee (1-3) at Minnesota (3-1) - 4:25pm CBS
The Titans are in a tough position. They wanted to go with Jake Locker as their quarterback of the future, but he injured his shoulder and even if he does play, who knows how effective he'll be. Chris Johnson finally showed up, of course it was in a blowout when the numbers don't matter. Johnson needs to have a big day, the defense needs to step up, and whoever ends up playing quarterback needs to stay upright for the Titans to win, something I didn't expect to say going against the Vikings.
Yes, the revived Vikings, led by Christian Ponder, who hasn't thrown an interception yet this season. Having Adrian Peterson back has helped, but the offense overall has looked better this season, never more evident than it their win over San Fransisco two weeks ago. The defense has helped as well, as they held the Lions to 13 points last week in a surprisingly easy win. They will be able to take care of business in front of the home crowd this week as well.
Pick: Vikings 24, Titans 13
Denver (2-2) at New England (2-2) - 4:25pm CBS
Peyton Manning heard the stories that his arm strength wasn't what it used to be, that his passes were fluttering in the wind right to defenders. He knew he needed to have a big game, especially against the Broncos biggest rival. He came through in a big way, leading the Broncos to a decisive win over the Raiders. It comes at a great time too as the Broncos head east to take on Manning's old nemesis, Tom Brady. This could be a fun game, possibly the best game of the weekend, if simply because it's Manning vs. Brady again.
The Patriots are coming off a big win as well. Questions loomed over whether the curtain was falling on the Patriots reign in the AFC East. They had lost a couple of games that in years past, they would've won. They very easily could be 4-0 if the chips had fallen in a different way, but it sounded like the football Gods were shifting agains the Pats. They were down 21-7 in the third quarter against the Bills, who had dreams of taking the reigns from the Pats. Then Brady reverted back to his old form, the Pats scored on five straight possessions, and a 21-7 deficit became a 52-28 blowout in front of the stunned faithful in Ralph Wilson Stadium. I think Brady takes this round as well.
Pick: Patriots 37, Broncos 28
Buffalo (2-2) at San Fransisco (3-1) - 4:25pm CBS
The Bills had dreams of 3-1 in their heads last week. They were ready to take down the Patriots dynasty and take over the AFC East. They had the lead in the third quarter and all of the momentum. Then they reverted back to the old Bills as Ryan Fitspatrick threw pick after pick and Tom Brady picked apart an "improved" Bills defense and the route was on, just going the other way now. The reward? A trip out west to one of the most physical teams in the NFL.
The 49ers needed last week's game against the Jets. They were wounded after a surprising loss to the Vikings and heading east, where traditionally west coast teams have struggled. Yet they came out and dominated the Jets on both sides of the ball. They did what they wanted and they'll do more of the same this week against a vulnerable Bills defense.
Pick: 49ers 27, Bills 20
San Diego (3-1) at New Orleans (0-4) - 8:20pm NBC
The Chargers looked better against the Chiefs, recovering nicely from a whooping at the hands of the Falcons two weeks ago. That said, I'm not convinced they're going to run away with this division just yet. Phillip Rivers is a great quarterback, but it sometimes feels like he tries to do too much sometimes, and going against Drew Brees has the potential to bring out the worst in Phillips. Something about this game just worries me.
The Saints are in need of a win. That goes without saying. They should've had one two weeks ago until the Chiefs showed the one glimmer of offense they had in them. Then they went toe to toe with the Packers, before falling short on a missed field goal. They keep coming close to victory, only to have it snatched away. I think this week they get that win. Yes, it goes against everything that records indicate, but I think this game will surprise some people.
Pick: Saints 35, Chargers 27
Monday
Houston (4-0) at New York Jets (2-2) - 8:30pm ESPN
The Texans are by far the best team in football right now. At this point, it wouldn't matter who the opponent was, they'd be the favorite to win. Their offense is diverse. They have two different running backs who can beat you at any point. They have a good offensive line. Matt Schaub has continued to demonstrate he's a top-level passer, and Andre Johnson is the big target every team wishes they had. Their defense isn't shabby either, shutting down opponents regularly.
The Jets? They're a mess. Sure, they have two wins but anyone who thinks those wins are legit is crazy. They beat a Dolphins team in overtime on sheer luck and Mark Sanchez had the game of his life against the Bills, who apparently turn into turnstyles when facing fellow AFC East teams. Sanchez looks more and more lost each week, Santonio Holmes is out for the year now, they have no running game, and apparently losing Darrelle Revis completely deflated a weak defense to begin with. Tim Tebow can't save this train-wreck of a team, not this week, not this season.
Pick: Texans 34, Jets 10
The Browns Game
Cleveland (0-4) at New York Giants (2-2) - 1pm CBS
The Browns have fought in each of their games so far. They lost by one to the Eagles, seven to the Bengals, ten to the Bills, and seven to the Ravens. Brandon Weeden has had an up and down rookie season, but appears to be progressing, this despite his receivers treating the football like it was hot potato. Greg Little, Jordan Norwood, Jordan Cameron, and Travis Benjamin all had drops in the loss to the Ravens, a game that was far closer than most anticipated, including myself. They stopped running the ball despite Trent Richardson picking up decent yardage against a good defense. The defense hung in there despite losing players left and right to injury. They now get to go up against the pass-happy Giants. Good luck secondary, you'll need it.
The Giants have to be steamed. They went into Philadelphia and couldn't get it done. Some credit goes to the Eagles solid defense, but the Giants appeared to be off from the get-go. I guess missing one of your starting receivers will do that, but the offensive pass interference that pushed the potential game-winning field goal back hurt tremendously. They now get to go up against a weak secondary missing its best cover corner. It could get ugly. But the Giants aren't good at home, the Browns play up to good competition, and wackier things have happened.
Pick: Giants 24, Browns 20
Bye Weeks
Dallas (they need it), Detroit (they need it too), Oakland (ditto), and Tampa Bay (I sense a theme)
Last week: 10-5
Well, aside from them tipping their caps at the ovations they received and actually being interviewed by reporters before the games they officiated.
In any case, it only took a quarter in most games for the cheers to turn back into boos and life to return to normal completely on the NFL field. Most of the time, the refs got things right, but the Green Bay Packers were once again part of some interesting calls. The Pack tried to challenge a play early on that appeared to be called correctly, thus losing a challenge. They later challenged a catch by the Saints that appeared to hit the ground, yet in a bizarre turn of events, the reception was upheld. The Pack were out of challenges, which was unfortunate when Darren Sproles fumbled a kick return late, but he was ruled down by the refs. They couldn't challenge it, but luckily for them, the Saints decided to penalize themselves into a missed field goal at the end that secured the win.
All in all, there were some surprises last week. The Cardinals, despite themselves, found a way to stay unbeaten. The Giants missed a field goal late thanks to offensive pass interference. The Bills blew a 14 point third quarter lead, ending up being blown out by the Patriots. The Panthers should've upset the Falcons in Atlanta, but they decided that covering receivers downfield was overrated.
What does this week bring us? There isn't an intriguing matchup in the NFL this week, one that makes me think I have to see that game. Sure, I'll be glued to the TV when the Browns play, but there isn't much to get excited about this week.
So without further fanfare, here are the picks.
Thursday
Arizona (4-0) at St Louis (2-2) - 8:20pm NFL Network
The only thing more surprising than the Cardinals being 4-0 is how they've done it. Kevin Kolb threw a horrific interception late in their game against the Dolphins, yet managed to overcome it and win the game. In fact, the Cardinals looked like they were going to get blown out before deciding they were going to play. Of course, it helps when Ryan Tannehill is your opposing quarterback and he throws an equally horrifying interception in overtime, allowing the win. The fact is, the red birds are sitting on top of the NFC West a fourth of the way through the season.
The Rams have been up and down thus far. Sam Bradford has had some moments, but he's also still struggled at times. The Cardinals have been opportunistic on defense, but I keep thinking this ride is going to come to an abrupt halt soon. Why not in St. Louis? There's reason for optimism with their young offense and they get to play at home.
Pick: Rams 20, Cardinals 17
Sunday
Miami (1-3) at Cincinnati (3-1) - 1pm CBS
The Dolphins have been snake-bit the last two weeks. They played well enough to win against the Jets, but lost in overtime. Then last week, they had the lead on a number of occasions, but couldn't hold it, eventually falling after Ryan Tannehill threw an interception in overtime. Now they get to go to Cincy, where the Bengals have been thriving against sub-.500 teams the last couple of seasons. Tannehill has shown promise, but has been prone to rookie mistakes at inopportune times. If they can run the ball effectively against the Bengals, they'll have a chance at winning this game as long as Tannehill avoids a bad mistake.
The Bengals have been lighting up the scoreboard on both sides of the ball. They can't stop anyone, but they can't be stopped either. Their lone loss was to the Ravens in week one, when they were thumped pretty badly. Since then they've had to hang on to beat the Browns, hung on to beat the Redskins, and pulled away from the Jaguars for their first "easy" win of the season. This game could be a high-scoring affair as well, but I give the edge to the Bengals since they're at home.
Pick: Bengals 33, Dolphins 30
Green Bay (2-2) at Indianapolis (1-2) - 1pm FOX
The Packers needed that win last week against the Saints. The offense had been struggling, and following the end of game debacle against the Seahawks, needed something to rejuvenate their playoff hopes. The Saints fought them to the end though and only held on when the Saints missed a field goal at the end. Aaron Rodgers has struggled, but it became apparent how much they can't afford to lose him in that game. His backup, Graham Harrell, fumbled the only snap he took when he tripped on someone's foot trying to hand the ball to Cedric Benson. The Saints didn't need long to score and take the lead, which led to a furious drive by Rodgers to regain it.
The Colts had a bye last week, which should give them a slight edge early on. They lost a game to the Jags that they should've won though, so it's imperative that they come out the gate strong this week or it could be a long Sunday in Indy. Luckily, the Colts have Andrew Luck, who has been as advertised so far. They should keep things interesting for a while at least.
Pick: Packers 31, Colts 23
Baltimore (3-1) at Kansas City (1-3) - 1pm CBS
The Ravens have to be licking their chops for this game. They've had extra time to recover after a more physical than expected game against the Browns. They get to see how well they can contain Jamaal Charles, who looks to be near, if not back to, his previous form. Matt Cassel provides them more opportunities for interceptions. And the Ravens offense has been nearly unstoppable. This has blowout written all over it.
Meanwhile, the Chiefs are struggling. Aside from a shocking come from behind win in New Orleans, they've looked awful. Charles can run with the best of them, but it does no good when Cassel insists on throwing to the other team as frequently as he did last week against the Chargers. It's just hard to see them hanging in there very long against the Ravens, but stranger things have happened. They are at home and sometimes the Ravens play down to their competition.
Pick: Ravens 27, Chiefs 10
Philadelphia (3-1) at Pittsburgh (1-2) - 1pm FOX
I can't understand how the Eagles are 3-1. Michael Vick has been a turnover machine. They don't run with LeSean McCoy enough. The "explosive" offense hasn't been there. They should be 1-3 at the very least, very possibly 0-4. Yet behind a very strong defense, the Eagles have managed to win. The defensive line is among the best in the NFL, using speed to get around larger offensive linemen. They've given everyone fits thus far, and going against a line in Pittsburgh that already has its issues is a recipe for disaster for Ben Roethlisberger.
Luckily for the Steelers, they should have James Harrison and Troy Polamalu back to shore up a defense that has been lackluster thus far. Those two alone should cause Vick problems, causing more turnovers for the machine that hasn't stopped coughing the ball up since the first game against the Browns. I think the Steelers get back on track with this game.
Pick: Steelers 24, Eagles 14
Atlanta (4-0) at Washington (2-2) - 1pm FOX
The Falcons are lucky to be 4-0. The Panthers had last week's game locked up when Cam Newton scrambled for a late first down that would've sealed the game. Except that he forgot the ball and it was recovered by a teammate short of the first down, forcing a punt (they could've gone for it though; it was only fourth and one). Even then, the Falcons were pinned down at their one yard line with 59 seconds left. Somehow, they fooled the Panthers with a playfake, then Matt Ryan unleashed a bomb to Roddy White, who somehow slipped behind the safety on the play. A few plays later, they're in field goal range and the game is over.
The Redskins have played well offensively under RGIII. He's thrown the ball well, ran it when needed, and has overall looked to be in complete control of the offense. It of course helps that Tampa Bay decided not to play defense on the Redskins' game winning drive either, allowing the 'Skins to move right down the field into field goal range with ease. The worry for most is that the Redskins defense has been decimated by injuries, and against a high-octane offense that had a scare put into last week? That spells trouble for the home team, although I think the points will continue to fly.
Pick: Falcons 31, Redskins 27
Seattle (2-2) at Caroline (1-3) - 4:05pm FOX
The Seahawks deserve to be 1-3. This isn't a knock on how they've played; they've played well enough to win all their games. They had the lead against the Rams last week, but couldn't hang on for the win. The previous week? Yeah, they should've been handed a loss. That said, they're still 2-2 and have shown a lot of promise. Marshawn Lynch is one of the best in the game at running the ball and Russell Wilson has a lot of upside. Don't forget the defense, which has been a force all season long.
The Panthers, I want to like them. I want to enjoy Cam Newton playing quarterback. It's just hard to when he pouts like he did after getting toasted by the Giants two weeks ago, or when he fails to secure the ball on a pivotal third down run that would've won them the game last week. Instead, he's 7-12 as a starter and doesn't appear to be any closer to being a leader than he was last season. Sure, he has tremendous ability and can make a play whenever he wants it seems, but the maturity doesn't appear to be there yet.
Pick: Seahawks 24, Panthers 17
Chicago (3-1) at Jacksonville (1-3) - 4:05pm FOX
The Bears defense redeemed itself this past Monday night against the Cowboys. They harrassed Tony Romo into five interceptions, two of which went the other way for a touchdown. When they weren't intercepting him, they were hitting him and everyone else hard. It was more than enough for Jay Cutler and the offense, although the offense supplied some fireworks of its own. When Cutler is on, he's as good as anyone. When he's off though, he's wretched and that's a constant fear for Bears fans. Luckily, they get a team that not only isn't very good defensively, but has Blaine Gabbert as its quarterback.
The Jags are just a mess to watch. Gabbert doesn't seem to have grown as a quarterback at all, looking lost most of the time. Yes, he pulled off the winning throw in Indy a few weeks back, but aside from that, he's been a disaster, much like last season. Maurice Jones-Drew can't carry this team by himself, especially after sitting out all of the preseason. They're in for a long day this week.
Pick: Bears 28, Jaguars 10
Tennessee (1-3) at Minnesota (3-1) - 4:25pm CBS
The Titans are in a tough position. They wanted to go with Jake Locker as their quarterback of the future, but he injured his shoulder and even if he does play, who knows how effective he'll be. Chris Johnson finally showed up, of course it was in a blowout when the numbers don't matter. Johnson needs to have a big day, the defense needs to step up, and whoever ends up playing quarterback needs to stay upright for the Titans to win, something I didn't expect to say going against the Vikings.
Yes, the revived Vikings, led by Christian Ponder, who hasn't thrown an interception yet this season. Having Adrian Peterson back has helped, but the offense overall has looked better this season, never more evident than it their win over San Fransisco two weeks ago. The defense has helped as well, as they held the Lions to 13 points last week in a surprisingly easy win. They will be able to take care of business in front of the home crowd this week as well.
Pick: Vikings 24, Titans 13
Denver (2-2) at New England (2-2) - 4:25pm CBS
Peyton Manning heard the stories that his arm strength wasn't what it used to be, that his passes were fluttering in the wind right to defenders. He knew he needed to have a big game, especially against the Broncos biggest rival. He came through in a big way, leading the Broncos to a decisive win over the Raiders. It comes at a great time too as the Broncos head east to take on Manning's old nemesis, Tom Brady. This could be a fun game, possibly the best game of the weekend, if simply because it's Manning vs. Brady again.
The Patriots are coming off a big win as well. Questions loomed over whether the curtain was falling on the Patriots reign in the AFC East. They had lost a couple of games that in years past, they would've won. They very easily could be 4-0 if the chips had fallen in a different way, but it sounded like the football Gods were shifting agains the Pats. They were down 21-7 in the third quarter against the Bills, who had dreams of taking the reigns from the Pats. Then Brady reverted back to his old form, the Pats scored on five straight possessions, and a 21-7 deficit became a 52-28 blowout in front of the stunned faithful in Ralph Wilson Stadium. I think Brady takes this round as well.
Pick: Patriots 37, Broncos 28
Buffalo (2-2) at San Fransisco (3-1) - 4:25pm CBS
The Bills had dreams of 3-1 in their heads last week. They were ready to take down the Patriots dynasty and take over the AFC East. They had the lead in the third quarter and all of the momentum. Then they reverted back to the old Bills as Ryan Fitspatrick threw pick after pick and Tom Brady picked apart an "improved" Bills defense and the route was on, just going the other way now. The reward? A trip out west to one of the most physical teams in the NFL.
The 49ers needed last week's game against the Jets. They were wounded after a surprising loss to the Vikings and heading east, where traditionally west coast teams have struggled. Yet they came out and dominated the Jets on both sides of the ball. They did what they wanted and they'll do more of the same this week against a vulnerable Bills defense.
Pick: 49ers 27, Bills 20
San Diego (3-1) at New Orleans (0-4) - 8:20pm NBC
The Chargers looked better against the Chiefs, recovering nicely from a whooping at the hands of the Falcons two weeks ago. That said, I'm not convinced they're going to run away with this division just yet. Phillip Rivers is a great quarterback, but it sometimes feels like he tries to do too much sometimes, and going against Drew Brees has the potential to bring out the worst in Phillips. Something about this game just worries me.
The Saints are in need of a win. That goes without saying. They should've had one two weeks ago until the Chiefs showed the one glimmer of offense they had in them. Then they went toe to toe with the Packers, before falling short on a missed field goal. They keep coming close to victory, only to have it snatched away. I think this week they get that win. Yes, it goes against everything that records indicate, but I think this game will surprise some people.
Pick: Saints 35, Chargers 27
Monday
Houston (4-0) at New York Jets (2-2) - 8:30pm ESPN
The Texans are by far the best team in football right now. At this point, it wouldn't matter who the opponent was, they'd be the favorite to win. Their offense is diverse. They have two different running backs who can beat you at any point. They have a good offensive line. Matt Schaub has continued to demonstrate he's a top-level passer, and Andre Johnson is the big target every team wishes they had. Their defense isn't shabby either, shutting down opponents regularly.
The Jets? They're a mess. Sure, they have two wins but anyone who thinks those wins are legit is crazy. They beat a Dolphins team in overtime on sheer luck and Mark Sanchez had the game of his life against the Bills, who apparently turn into turnstyles when facing fellow AFC East teams. Sanchez looks more and more lost each week, Santonio Holmes is out for the year now, they have no running game, and apparently losing Darrelle Revis completely deflated a weak defense to begin with. Tim Tebow can't save this train-wreck of a team, not this week, not this season.
Pick: Texans 34, Jets 10
The Browns Game
Cleveland (0-4) at New York Giants (2-2) - 1pm CBS
The Browns have fought in each of their games so far. They lost by one to the Eagles, seven to the Bengals, ten to the Bills, and seven to the Ravens. Brandon Weeden has had an up and down rookie season, but appears to be progressing, this despite his receivers treating the football like it was hot potato. Greg Little, Jordan Norwood, Jordan Cameron, and Travis Benjamin all had drops in the loss to the Ravens, a game that was far closer than most anticipated, including myself. They stopped running the ball despite Trent Richardson picking up decent yardage against a good defense. The defense hung in there despite losing players left and right to injury. They now get to go up against the pass-happy Giants. Good luck secondary, you'll need it.
The Giants have to be steamed. They went into Philadelphia and couldn't get it done. Some credit goes to the Eagles solid defense, but the Giants appeared to be off from the get-go. I guess missing one of your starting receivers will do that, but the offensive pass interference that pushed the potential game-winning field goal back hurt tremendously. They now get to go up against a weak secondary missing its best cover corner. It could get ugly. But the Giants aren't good at home, the Browns play up to good competition, and wackier things have happened.
Pick: Giants 24, Browns 20
Bye Weeks
Dallas (they need it), Detroit (they need it too), Oakland (ditto), and Tampa Bay (I sense a theme)
Last week: 10-5
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