The NFL was again generous in locating a Monday Night Football game in our nation’s capital on the eve of a monumental presidential election.

The Steelers however, were determined not to lose the head position in their AFC North office, and soundly defeated the host Redskins 23-6. Even without the majority of the people’s votes, Pittsburgh’s campaign relied on an always ready defense to shut down Washington’s offense.

With the commissioner on hand and a nation of potential voters looking on, there was no question as to who was the unanimous victor from FedEx Field. If the old adage “defense wins championships” is true, then the Pittsburgh Steelers may be serious title contenders with their top-ranked unit. Read more »

Between draft day busts, first half injuries, and bye weeks fantasy owners have had their work cut out so far in 2008. With the options listed below, many owners will have the opportunity to bolster their rosters before they have to struggle through the middle of the season.

Pay close attention to the matchups every week because often times a player’s opponent is more important than the player himself. Especially with D/ST’s, it may be easier to pick up a team playing an awful offense than it is to pick up a quality defense. Read more »

With the half of the 2008 NFL season already passed, most teams will look to streak down the home stretch towards their goal of making the postseason. Getting the chance to play in January isn’t easy, and it looks to be a long, bitter journey for many bubble teams, which at this point, is just about everybody minus Tennessee and the Giants.

Look for some key matchups this week, including several that will have major implications on division races. Among the best of this week are big-time rivalries, like Baltimore-Cleveland and Buffalo-NY Jets. The Sunday night game should be incredible to watch with two AFC powers dueling inside Lucas Oil Stadium, along with an old-fashioned NFC East dogfight at the Meadowlands. Read more »

This year’s trade deadline came and went Tuesday afternoon, supplying several familiar faces in much newer places. Easily, the major deal included sending Detroit WR Roy Williams and a few draft picks to Dallas for a slew of similar draft picks, including a first rounder in next year’s draft.

Elsewhere, former MVP Shaun Alexander signed as a free agent with the Washington Redskins, joining a club that already boasts the league’s leader in rushing yards, Clinton Portis.

The headline deal that wasn’t made was Chiefs TE Tony Gonzalez. The disgruntled future Hall-of-Famer will now finish out the season with Kansas City, for better or worse. Read more »

Ocho Cinco promises to kiss the star in Dallas.

Miami tries to slay another AFC giant.

Defending champs suspend their biggest playmaker.

Bills and Titans are unbeaten.

A big-time NFC East clash. Yeah, just another week in the NFL.

After a solid 8-5 record in Week 4, Raisin’ Brant currently sits at 32-27-1 against the spread this season. I am feeling a big week ahead … let’s take a look at the picks! Read more »

Another week in the NFL has meant another week of NFC dominance. The NFC East, which sent three teams to the playoffs last year, is dominating through the first four weeks. All four teams are in the top 10 of Imaginary Gridiron’s power rankings, and the Eagles are sure to rise once Brian Westbrook (ankle) is healthy.

The undefeated Bills and Titans are the class of the AFC thus far, while the Colts and Patriots look to re-gain their historical dominance coming off bye weeks. Both teams need to get healthy and address shortcomings in a hurry in order to contend for playoff berths. Read more »

The first quarter-mark of this 2008 season came and went last Sunday. It is true that championships are not won in September alone, but it sure doesn’t hurt to get off to a good start heading into autumn.

Four more teams won’t be in action this weekend, including St. Louis and Oakland. Notably, both teams will have two weeks to prepare under new head coaches: Jim Haslett as the Rams new interim coach and Tom Cable as the Raiders new leader. Meanwhile, both the Browns and Jets stroll into the off week coming off big wins in Week 4. Read more »

If you have ever been sucker-punched in the gut, you know exactly how I feel after a dreadful Week 3. The 5-11 performance leaves the one and only Raisin’ Brant at a disappointing, but manageable, 24-22-1 through three weeks.

Week 4 has got it all: quarterback questions (Rams, Chiefs, Browns), injured stars (RB Willie Parker and DE Jason Taylor ruled out for respective divisional matchups), even GM firings (… and fans in Detroit rejoice). With all of that and more playing into the picks, this week is the trickiest one to date. Read more »

Two more days, and most NFL teams will hit the quarter pole of a 16-game season. Six bye weeks leave this weekend’s slate a little lighter than previous weeks, but there’s still plenty of Week 4 action to obsessively watch.

Divisional rivalries and an in-state shootout headline our top games to watch in this week’s edition of The DVR Report. Sunday Ticket owners with an abundance of choices and those who have the bad fortune of being away from a TV this week, press record for the following must-see games. Read more »