Now Joe is sure all his readers fly to Vegas to wager legally, versus placing bets with the guy whose cell number changes every week. 

Regardless of how or why you wager, Joe knows there are many aspiring handicappers reading. So 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 sports media members.

Fox will be here weekly to give you a few games. Fox is 6-2 over the past two weeks.

By BOB FOX
JoeBucsFan.com analyst

Wisconsin Badgers 23, Ohio State Buckeyes 20

No. 18 Wisconsin always plays well under the lights at Camp Randall Stadium when the the top ranked Ohio State Buckeyes come to town. In 2003, the Badgers beat the defending national champion Buckeyes 17-10 — and also stopped OSU’s 19 game winning streak — in Madison. In 2008, it took a Terrelle Pryor touchdown run in the last minute for the Buckeyes to beat the Badgers. Like most Badger teams of recent history, the 2010 team has an explosive running game led by the 2009 Big Ten offensive player of the year John Clay and freshman phenom James White. The two have combined for 1,177 yards and 17 TDs. The Buckeyes play the run very well, at least so far. Pryor will once again be they key. He’s a threat to pass and run, although he was hampered last week by a left leg injury and didn’t run much Bottom line, I see the Badgers being able to run on the Buckeyes with their two-headed monster, plus I don’t see QB Scott Tolzein making the mistakes he made last year in Columbus. I see Pryor making some big plays, but it won’t be enough.

Minnesota Vikings 27, Dallas Cowboys 21

Anyone who thinks Brett Favre won’t be able to continue his consecutive starting streak that started in 1992 (289 straight regular season games) because of elbow tendonitis, would get a reaction from John McEnroe. As in, “You can not be serious.” Favre will play, and he will play well, even with the Jenn Sterger story hanging out there, much like his text messages to Sterger. Favre has never won a game against the Dallas Cowboys in Dallas, but he has also never lost a game against the ‘Boys at home. This game is a desperation game for both teams. Both squads come into this game with 1-3 records, and a loss here might dig a hole too deep to get out of for the loser. Favre has struggled, as he only has a 67.0 QB rating and has tosseed five touchdown to seven picks. But in the second half of the Jets game last week, he finally showed some of the magic he displayed in 2009 for the Vikes, although he once again threw a late pick to seal the game for the Jets. ,QB Tony Romo meanwhile, has a 92.7 QB rating and has thrown seven TD passes to five interceptions, and his big weapon is WR Miles Austin. Still, somehow I see Favre, Adrian Peterson, Randy Moss and company doing enough to win a badly needed game at the Humpty Dome.

Tampa Bay Bucs 20, New Orleans Saints 17

The 3-1 Tampa Bay Bucs face their biggest test of the young 2010 season, when the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints come to the Ray Jay. The 3-2 Saints have been inconsistent, evidenced by the loss last week in Arizona to the Cardinals. The Bucs have been winning “ugly” as some would say, plus they always seem to play the Saints tough. In fact, the last loss of the 2009 season for the Saints came from the hand of the Bucs in New Orleans. Josh Freeman has done what he has needed to do this year, although he only has a 84.8 QB rating, along with five TD passes and three interceptions. Drew Brees, meanwhile, has 95.7 QB rating and has thrown nine TD passes and five picks. Brees has many weapons to use, but the Bucs’ pass defense this year is ninth in the NFL. The Saints are ranked in the top 10 in both offense and defense, while the Bucs are ranked 20th in offense and only 18th on defense. On paper, the Saints should win the game. But games aren’t played on paper, and the Bucs will once again find a way to win “ugly.” The win will look beautiful though to the throng of rabid Buc fans at Raymond James Stadium, even if the game isn’t a sell out.

New England Patriots 17, Baltimore Ravens 14

The Pats (3-1) host the Ravens (4-1) in a game that will pit QB Tom Brady and his now Randy Moss-less passing offense against the third-ranked defense in the NFL. But Brady still has weapons like Wes Welker and the recently reacquired Deion Branch, plus Brady leads the entire NFL with his 109.0 QB rating. QB Joe Flacco has many weapons as well, with receivers like Anquan Bolden, Derrick Mason, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, not to mention RB Ray Rice. But Flacco has struggled, as he only has a 72.1 QB rating, as he has thrown just five TD passes, compared to six picks. Flacco should be able to do something in this game, though, as the Pats are only ranked 28th in pass defense. The Pats will squeak by the Ravens at home.