IN THE FIRST edition of Pick Six last week, Sky Sports’ pundit Kevin Cadle narrowly beat TheScore.ie 4-3 thanks to a late, late score changing the course of the Buffalo Bills and Minnesota Vikings game in his favour.
This week, it’s the turn of Kilkenny hurling star Jackie Tyrrell and while you probably know the defender is an eight-time All-Ireland winner, you may not know he’s a massive American football fan too.
“I’m a Dallas Cowboys fan because they were playing in the very first game I watched and I just liked the look of them, the swagger of Jerry Jones, etc. It’s a bit like the ABUs with Manchester United, everyone who doesn’t support the Cowboys hates them but that makes me like them even more.
“I found an ally in Dublin’s Liam Rushe though. When were were over in Notre Dame playing the Super 11s I found out he’s a Dallas fan too.”
Here’s who the four-time Allstar has picked this week.
San Diego Chargers @ Denver Broncos
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Jack Dempsey / AP/Press Association Images
Jack Dempsey / AP/Press Association Images / AP/Press Association Images
Jackie: It’s going to be very tight, both are doing very well this year. I think Denver are a better overall team this year with Emmanuel Sanders an upgrade on Eric Decker and adding DeMarcus Ware to that defence is a huge improvement. For me, Philip Rivers is playing the best football of his life but the Chargers are too dependent on him so I think the Broncos will win.
TheScore.ie: San Diego are coming into this game on the back of just their second defeat of the season but it will sting to lose to a divisional rival. They beat the Broncos in a Thursday night game last December by holding onto the ball for nearly 39 minutes. With the second best third-down conversion rate in the NFL, except a similar game plan on a short week. The Chargers for me.
Detroit Lions @ Atlanta Falcons (London)
Jackie: There’s going to be a lot to take in for both teams with a different setting, different time zone, etc. I love the way Detroit have worked their running back tandem and, even though they’re missing Megatron, Golden Tate and Corey Fuller have really stepped up. As for the Falcons, I watched them against the Giants in New York and they’re really struggling. The O-line is possibly the worst in football so it’s the Lions for me.
TheScore.ie: This game will take place at 9.30am US east coast time. Imagine trying to play a came of hurling before 10 in the morning? Everything – form, offence, defence – points to a Detroit win but the time zone factor could have an impact. Still though, I expect the Lions to stretch their win streak to three and keep on top of the NFC North.
Baltimore Ravens @ Cincinnati Bengals
Jackie: I think this is a tough one to call. Both teams are in a very different head space. Joe Flacco and Torrey Smith are putting up mad numbers for Baltimore but I think I’m going to have to go against the grain. The Bengals have a great record at home and the rumour is that AJ Green is possibly coming back. That x-factor makes a big difference.
TheScore.ie: It seems an awful long time since Cincinnati started the year 3-0 and, after being shut out last week for the first time since the final game of the 2009 season, they will hope to use the safety of Paul Brown Stadium – where they are undefeated in 11 regular season games – to bounce back. The Ravens have the best points differential (+89) in the league and they can beat the Bengals on both sides of the ball.
Philadelphia Eagles @ Arizona Cardinals
Michael Perez / AP/Press Association Images
Michael Perez / AP/Press Association Images / AP/Press Association Images
Jackie: As a Cowboys fan I’d like to think this is not an NFC playoff preview but that Eagles offence is on fire. The Cardinals are doing some nice things with both Larry Fitzgerald and Carson Palmer finding a rich vein of form. Because of that, and the fact the Eagles rely too much on Darren Sproles and Shady McCoy, I’m going for the Cardinals with their good run defence and home advantage.
TheScore.ie: There’s no doubt that Arizona have the best run defence in football (72.5 yards per game) but they’ve yet to come up against an offence that produces the volume of plays that Philadelphia are capable of. It’s been such a strange season for the Eagles – overachieving on defence and under-performing on offence – but an impressive win over a streaking Giants last time out can and will be backed up.
Green Bay Packers @ New Orleans Saints
5-2 packers 2-4 Saints. Saints perfect at home, lost every game way so far
Jackie: I’m a big Drew Brees fan but I know New Orleans are really struggling at the minute. This week they face Randall Cobb and Jordy Nelson, two of the best receivers in the game. However, I just think that the Packers defence has too many holes and there are a lot of problems in the secondary. Because of that, and their motivation to keep their home record in tact, I’m backing the Saints.
TheScore.ie: The Superdome is an intimidating place to go but only the Colts and Cowboys are on a better run than Green Bay at the moment. Eddie Lacy is starting to run the ball well and, if he doesn’t get you the receivers and Aaron Rodgers will. Both teams have problems on defence, sure, but the Packers have impressed me more on offence.
Washingon @ Dallas Cowboys
Jackie: This is a big game for Dallas as, typically, these are the kind of games the Cowboys would do something stupid in and lose over the last few years so it will be a big statement for them to win. With so many weapons on offence and an O-line this is possibly the best in the game, I have every confidence in my Cowboys.
TheScore.ie: I’d love to make an argument for Washington but benching your backup quarterback for his backup is never good. Just how the Titans managed to lose to them last week remains a mystery and, against a team that ranks 12th against the run, I fully expect DeMarco Murray and the Cowboys to continue their streak.
Pick Six leaderboard Kevin Cadle 4-3 v TheScore 3-4
Pick Six: Jackie Tyrrell v TheScore.ie – NFL week 8
IN THE FIRST edition of Pick Six last week, Sky Sports’ pundit Kevin Cadle narrowly beat TheScore.ie 4-3 thanks to a late, late score changing the course of the Buffalo Bills and Minnesota Vikings game in his favour.
This week, it’s the turn of Kilkenny hurling star Jackie Tyrrell and while you probably know the defender is an eight-time All-Ireland winner, you may not know he’s a massive American football fan too.
“I’m a Dallas Cowboys fan because they were playing in the very first game I watched and I just liked the look of them, the swagger of Jerry Jones, etc. It’s a bit like the ABUs with Manchester United, everyone who doesn’t support the Cowboys hates them but that makes me like them even more.
“I found an ally in Dublin’s Liam Rushe though. When were were over in Notre Dame playing the Super 11s I found out he’s a Dallas fan too.”
Here’s who the four-time Allstar has picked this week.
San Diego Chargers @ Denver Broncos
Jackie: It’s going to be very tight, both are doing very well this year. I think Denver are a better overall team this year with Emmanuel Sanders an upgrade on Eric Decker and adding DeMarcus Ware to that defence is a huge improvement. For me, Philip Rivers is playing the best football of his life but the Chargers are too dependent on him so I think the Broncos will win.
TheScore.ie: San Diego are coming into this game on the back of just their second defeat of the season but it will sting to lose to a divisional rival. They beat the Broncos in a Thursday night game last December by holding onto the ball for nearly 39 minutes. With the second best third-down conversion rate in the NFL, except a similar game plan on a short week. The Chargers for me.
Detroit Lions @ Atlanta Falcons (London)
Jackie: There’s going to be a lot to take in for both teams with a different setting, different time zone, etc. I love the way Detroit have worked their running back tandem and, even though they’re missing Megatron, Golden Tate and Corey Fuller have really stepped up. As for the Falcons, I watched them against the Giants in New York and they’re really struggling. The O-line is possibly the worst in football so it’s the Lions for me.
TheScore.ie: This game will take place at 9.30am US east coast time. Imagine trying to play a came of hurling before 10 in the morning? Everything – form, offence, defence – points to a Detroit win but the time zone factor could have an impact. Still though, I expect the Lions to stretch their win streak to three and keep on top of the NFC North.
Baltimore Ravens @ Cincinnati Bengals
Jackie: I think this is a tough one to call. Both teams are in a very different head space. Joe Flacco and Torrey Smith are putting up mad numbers for Baltimore but I think I’m going to have to go against the grain. The Bengals have a great record at home and the rumour is that AJ Green is possibly coming back. That x-factor makes a big difference.
TheScore.ie: It seems an awful long time since Cincinnati started the year 3-0 and, after being shut out last week for the first time since the final game of the 2009 season, they will hope to use the safety of Paul Brown Stadium – where they are undefeated in 11 regular season games – to bounce back. The Ravens have the best points differential (+89) in the league and they can beat the Bengals on both sides of the ball.
Philadelphia Eagles @ Arizona Cardinals
Jackie: As a Cowboys fan I’d like to think this is not an NFC playoff preview but that Eagles offence is on fire. The Cardinals are doing some nice things with both Larry Fitzgerald and Carson Palmer finding a rich vein of form. Because of that, and the fact the Eagles rely too much on Darren Sproles and Shady McCoy, I’m going for the Cardinals with their good run defence and home advantage.
TheScore.ie: There’s no doubt that Arizona have the best run defence in football (72.5 yards per game) but they’ve yet to come up against an offence that produces the volume of plays that Philadelphia are capable of. It’s been such a strange season for the Eagles – overachieving on defence and under-performing on offence – but an impressive win over a streaking Giants last time out can and will be backed up.
Green Bay Packers @ New Orleans Saints
5-2 packers 2-4 Saints. Saints perfect at home, lost every game way so far
Jackie: I’m a big Drew Brees fan but I know New Orleans are really struggling at the minute. This week they face Randall Cobb and Jordy Nelson, two of the best receivers in the game. However, I just think that the Packers defence has too many holes and there are a lot of problems in the secondary. Because of that, and their motivation to keep their home record in tact, I’m backing the Saints.
TheScore.ie: The Superdome is an intimidating place to go but only the Colts and Cowboys are on a better run than Green Bay at the moment. Eddie Lacy is starting to run the ball well and, if he doesn’t get you the receivers and Aaron Rodgers will. Both teams have problems on defence, sure, but the Packers have impressed me more on offence.
Washingon @ Dallas Cowboys
Jackie: This is a big game for Dallas as, typically, these are the kind of games the Cowboys would do something stupid in and lose over the last few years so it will be a big statement for them to win. With so many weapons on offence and an O-line this is possibly the best in the game, I have every confidence in my Cowboys.
TheScore.ie: I’d love to make an argument for Washington but benching your backup quarterback for his backup is never good. Just how the Titans managed to lose to them last week remains a mystery and, against a team that ranks 12th against the run, I fully expect DeMarco Murray and the Cowboys to continue their streak.
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American Football Editor's picks Jackie Tyrell NFL Pick Six Kilkenny US sports week 8