JoeBucsFan.com analyst Bob Fox expects an ugly start for the post-McNabb era in Philly

Joe knows many of his readers love to bet on football games.

Now Joe is sure all of his readers fly to Las Vegas to wager legally, versus calling the guy whose phone number changes every week and repeats back to them things like, ‘So that’s a 50-timer on the Skins’ or ‘That’s a three-team tease – Bills, Saints, Niners.’

To please the gambling crowd, Joe has turned to superpicker Bob Fox. A writer for various sports publications over the years, Fox flashed his stellar picking skills back in 2008 on JoeBucsFan.com, when Joe had a contest here among local sports media personalities.

Fox will be here to give you a few games every week.

By BOB FOX
JoeBucsFan.com analyst

Green Bay Packers 27,  Philadelphia Eagles 17
 
The Packers haven’t won a NFL game in Philadelphia since a couple of weeks after the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. That’s a LONG time. There is also the memory of the 4th-and-26 playoff game in Philly a few years ago, when QB Donovan McNabb brought back the Eagles in miraculous fashion. That was yet another NFC Championship game when a late Brett Favre interception was the difference between winning and losing. The Packers’ offense is almost unstoppable right now, but the Eagles will try and slow down QB Aaron Rodgers and company with heavy blitzing pressure. The Packers’ defense was ranked No. 2 overall in the NFL last year, but struggled against high octane passing offenses. The Eagles can pass pretty well with QB Kevin Kolb, but I see the Packers forcing a mistake or two into the willing arms of someone like 2009 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Charles Woodson. I see the Packers ending their 48-year curse in the City of Brotherly Love this weekend.

New Orleans Saints 27,  Minnesota Vikings 13
 
The 2010 NFL season begins with a game that pits the two teams that met for the NFC Championship last year, also in New Orleans and at the Superdome. QB Brett Favre of the Vikings was hit hard and often during the game last year by the Saints defense, badly spraining his ankle, severely bruising his thigh and having a couple of gashes on his forehead. Favre also threw two interceptions in the game, including the one that took away any chance of the Vikings winning in regulation, as the Vikes were near field goal range then, before losing in OT. Even without the likes of S Darren Sharper (who is on the PUP list), expect the Saints to give Favre another dose of what worked last January. I expect the physical Vikings defense to try and do the same against QB Drew Brees of the Saints. However, Brees has more healthy offensive weapons than Favre now (minus WR Sidney Rice for instance), and I expect the Saints to get behind their boisterous home crowd and beat the Vikes somewhat convincingly.
 
Cleveland Browns 16,  Tampa Bay Bucs 13
 
This was a game that a lot of Bucs fans figured to be a victory when the schedule was first announced in April. However, QB Josh Freeman has had very limited practice after breaking the tip of his thumb in the second preseason game. The Bucs expected Freeman to be ready for the opener vs. the Browns, but that looks ominous right now. Speaking of QBs, Bucs killer Jake Delhomme is now the QB of the Browns, and has looked very good this preseason, after looking horrendous in 2009 as the starting QB of the Carolina Panthers. I expect this game to be close, so QB play will be very important. Bottom line, based on the what I have seen (and not seen at QB), I have to side with the Browns this Sunday in a close game. 
  
Ohio State Buckeyes 27,  Miami Hurricanes 20
 
There are a number of great college football games this weekend, including FSU at Oklahoma, Penn State at Alabama and this one, a game between the participants of the 2002 national championship game. Ohio State is ranked No. 2, while Miami is ranked No. 12. The Buckeyes are led by QB Terrelle Pryor, who can make things happen with his arm or his legs and is a Heisman candidate. Things should be hopping at the Horseshoe in Columbus, but a road game has never bothered the ‘Canes.  Miami got a flavor for the Big Ten when they played Wisconsin in the Champs Sports Bowl last year, and were physically beaten down in a 20-14 loss. The Canes are led by QB Jacory Harris. If Harris can play within himself and not force things, the Canes have a chance to upset the Buckeyes.  However, I see Pryor having the better game at QB, and the Buckeyes will make most of the 100,000 plus fans at the game very happy in an Ohio State win.