Seattle Seahawks (+6.5) over Chicago Bears

Two teams have never controlled their own destiny this early in a season more than the Chicago Bears and Seattle Seahawks. If either team wins out, they will win their respective divisions, which makes this Week Six match-up OTR’s Featured Game Of The Week. Unfortunately, for the Seahawks, Sunday’s game won’t be featuring Todd Collins, who completed six passes to his own team and four passes to the Carolina Panthers last week. His performance most resembled Damon Wayans’ 2006 stand-up routine Still Standing, entertaining and humorous. There was one play where Collins actually threw an incomplete hand-off, also known as a fumble, but I like my wording better.  Let me explain. Instead of gently laying the ball in the stomach of his running back, Collins flinged the ball to his gut with a weird front-handed wrist toss. There was no need for him to do that. However, nobody can question his toughness and fortitude. He was still standing at the end of the game with a win and 32 more passing yards added to his career totals. Bears fans can’t wait to see Jay Cutler back.  Chicago Bears 24 Seattle Seahwaks 20

Baltimore Ravens (+2.5) over New England Patriots

What happens when two teams square off on the same field they battled nine months before in the 2009 Wild Card playoff round?  It becomes, OTR’s Featured Game Of The Week.  However, two key components from last years 33-14 beat down will not be suiting up, Randy Moss and Ed Reed.  Randy Moss (five catches for 48 yards on Jan. 10th) was traded to the Minnesota Vikings less than two weeks ago and Ed Reed (four tackles and one interception on Jan. 10th) is still on the PUP list recovering from off-season hip surgery.  So, let’s turn our focus on their replacements, Baltimore safety Tom Zbikowski and New England wide receiver Brandon Tate.  Actually, let’s not.  Let’s discuss what’s going to happen in the game.  Tom Brady will get pummeled by never-ending blitz packages.  They will come from the right.  They will come from the left.  And some will actually come through the middle.  Who is New England’s threat anymore?  BenJarvus?  Aaron Hernandez?  Little Julian Edelman?  The Pied Piper of Hamelin?  Jack Bauer?  I’ll give you Wes Welker, but Baltimore will keep him in check.  Tom Brady is a great quarterback, but I just don’t see the weapons that can pick apart this Ravens defense.  Furthermore, the Ravens are not as sloppy as the Miami Dolphins, so you won’t see punt blocks, kick returns for touchdowns or any other special teams disasters.  It’s quite possible we might see a repeat of January’s playoff game.  Baltimore Ravens 33 New England Patriots 14

Pittsburgh Steelers (-14) over Cleveland Browns

In this super-exciting, lopsided rivalry, two quarterbacks will be getting their first start of the season.  Ben Roethlisberger is coming off his four-game suspension for doing steroids and smoking endless amounts of pot.  And rookie Colt McCoy will be under center for the Browns after the dramatic deaths of Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace.  You know the phrase ‘Any given Sunday’?  Well, the phrase doesn’t have anything to do with this game, which just so happens to be OTR’s Featured Game Of The Week.  Cleveland has zero shot to win this game, or to even cover.  There’s a better chance that the Philadelphia 76ers will play the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals this season.  There’s a better chance that Lindsey Lohan will stop snorting Red Bull and coke up her nose.  There’s a better chance that I won’t watch anymore episodes of River Monsters.  All I want to know is what’s on the end of his line and I’ll watch one full hour to see.  I’m hooked, no pun intended.  I’m lying.  That pun was most certainly intended.  I had ‘addicted’ but changed it to hooked.  There’s a better chance that the…..alright, we get the picture.  Cleveland is getting smoked like Santonio Holmes’ bong.  Pittsburgh Steelers 31 Cleveland Browns 10

Oakland Raiders (+7) over San Francisco 49ers

What?  The 49ers have proved week after week that they stink worse than a dirty hippie on a curry diet.  So, Vegas makes them a seven point favorite?  Granted, they are playing the Raiders, but a seven point favorite?  What this line tells me is that as bad as the 49ers are, the Raiders are that much worse, but I’m not buying it.  Did 49ers owner Jed York’s speech about them winning the division inspire the gambling nation?  Has everyone been taking the Niners, pushing the spread to minus seven?  Or are the Raiders this bad?  I’m confused with this game.  I also feel bad for the state of California.  All three of their NFL football teams stink.  They are a combined 4-11.  That’s how short Snookie from the Jersey Shore is…4’11”.  And that’s how tall Alex Smith plays at quarterback…4’11”.  You know what?  Oakland isn’t this bad.  This line is an insult to the Raiders and their fans.  And they will take their frustrations out on the miserable 0-5 49ers in OTR’s Featured Game Of The Week.  Alex Smith can kiss his starting job away.  Oakland Raiders 27 San Francisco 49ers 13

Season Record (5-3)

Odds based on Saturday’s NFL lines on Vegasinsider, MGM Mirage.

Adam Schefter mentioned this last night on Monday Night Countdown or whatever the hell that six-hour show is leading up to Monday Night Football. But here is another person saying that Colt McCoy is going to start for the Cleveland Browns this Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Chip Brown of OrangeBloods.com tells us that his sources say McCoy will be the guy this week with injuries to Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace.

“My sources confirm former #Longhorns QB Colt McCoy has been told his first NFL start will come this week for Cleveland against Pittsburgh,” Brown tweets.

McCoy has been absolutely awful in just about every appearance he’s made this year. While he hasn’t really gotten into any real games, we can’t imagine that regular season games against the Steelers are easier than garbage time of preseason games. But that’s just a guess.

This one could be downright ugly.

The Cleveland Browns are being relatively quiet regarding Jake Delhomme’s ankle injury. But, we would expect as much from a Bill Belichick disciple.

However, the fact that Delhomme is still wandering around in a walking boot indicates a high-ankle sprain, according to the Canton Repository.

“Eric Mangini only will say Jake Delhomme is getting better, but Delhomme has spent a week in an ankle boot, an indication of a high ankle sprain and at least a two-week furlough from the starting job,” writes Steve Doerschuk.

So, expect more Seneca Wallace. And expect more bad football from the Browns.

According to Jay Glazer, the Carolina Panthers have released QB Jake Delhomme. Delhomme got a big contract after stinking up the joint against the Arizona Cardinals in the 2008 playoffs, but clearly he is not someone the organization wants running the show moving forward.

“I’m reporting a surprise release, panthers are releasing QB Jake Delhomme, likely as early as tomorrow according to several GMs,” Glazer tweets.

Of course all the talk now is that this must mean that the Panthers are going to make a move for Philadelphia Eagles QB Michael Vick. Not so. According to Darin Gantt, it just ain’t happening.

“And before anyone else asks — no this does not mean the interest from Vick is mutual. Won’t happen,” Gantt tweets.

Just because Vick mentions that he wants to play for the Panthers because he likes their uniforms doesn’t mean that the team has any interest in signing them. So until then, he can go bet $500 on Tampa Bay because Dwayne likes their helmets.

Carolina Panthers QB Jake Delhomme is headed to injured reserve, according to Adam Schefter, after he tested his injured finger this week and the swelling continued. This is probably good news for Panthers fans, who have absolutely had it with his lousy play.

So, is the Delhomme era over in Charlotte? Could be, but it’s tough to say. In last year’s playoffs, Delhomme thoroughly stunk up the joint against the Arizona Cardinals and the Panthers rewarded him with a new contract.

After a completely worthless 2009 season, who knows, maybe he’ll get the keys to the city.

Carolina Panthers starting QB Jake Delhomme is not likely to play this week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After his four-interception performance last week, you’d think it was because he stinks and got benched. But no, it seems like it’s due to injury.

“Panthers QB Jake Delhomme unlikely to play Sunday due to finger injury and likely Carolina starter is Matt Moore,” tweets Adam Schefter.

Look for the Panthers to go on a hot streak and win the Super Bowl with Matt Moore. Ever see a QB throw for 4,000 yards in just a handful of games? You are about to.

Photo Caption: Delhomme acts out the scene from “What’s Happening?” when Rerun’s brother-in-law can’t believe he just bet $500 on Tampa Bay because Dwayne liked their helmets.

Carolina Panthers head coach John Fox was non-committal on Monday as far as who would start at QB for him next week.

“I don’t know that and even if I did I probably wouldn’t announce it quite yet,” Fox said, per Steve Reed of CarolinaGrowl.com. “We’ll evaluate it and see who gives us the best chance heading out to Arizona… We’ll do whatever it takes for us to start developing some confidence in the (passing) game, whether that is staying the same or making a change or if there’s a viable option or not, those are all things we’re evaluate just like we do at all positions. Sometimes it’s a matter of executing better like our run game was a couple of weeks ago.”

Delhomme is 32nd in the NFL in passer rating, which some experts would consider a bad thing. He is on pace to throw a whopping 35 INT’s this season. Re-read that. Yeah, it’s bad. And they gave this guy a new contract in the offseason! We thought the economy was supposed to be bad. How can you afford to give a bad employee a lot of money?

Fox did have some positive things to say about Delhomme.

“I still believe Jake is our best quarterback. I would have no reason to believe otherwise. Truth be told. But collectively we’ll do whatever it takes for us to improve. What that is I can’t honestly tell you this second. That is the best I can answer it.”

Expect Matt Moore and A.J. Feeley to get more reps. John Fox’s job ain’t exactly secure and he can’t afford to keep losing games.

We think Steve Smith was kidding when he told Jake Delhomme that he never really liked him as a QB, but that he loves him as a person. But we aren’t really sure why he would say something like that in the midst of Delhomme’s awful, awful game on Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles. The two have played together for quite some time so we have to believe they have the type of relationship where they can kid one another like this. Especially since Steve Smith puts up his best numbers when Delhomme is playing, as opposed to say Chris Weinke.

But still, check it out:

The Carolina Panthers took Donovan McNabb’s rib, and now they have taken A.J. Feeley, according to our buddy Reuben Frank of Phillyburbs.com. Any hopes that the Eagles might be able to bring back Feeley disappeared as the Panthers have added the veteran to replace a bad backup QB (Josh McCown, who is out a month or so) and an even worse starter (Jake Delhomme).

Feeley has been a relatively productive backup for the Eagles over the years, but has been downright awful with other teams. It shouldn’t be long before he gets a chance to start in Carolina. We aren’t sure how many more INT’s John Fox can stomach from Delhomme.

Photo Caption: Feeley brings an important skill set with him to Carolina.