Benster and D Pick Your Games -- Post-Lambeau Beatdown Edition

We now return to our regularly scheduled HYYYYYYYPPPPPPPEEEE! But first, a few brief thoughts about the game last night. Jay Cutler's mouth wrote a check his team couldn't cash. The Packers defense has been criticized a lot. And it should be. But not last night, baby! It was 2010 Tramon Williams and 2010 Clay Matthews out there! And finally, the Packers have a quasi-bye week to get healthy. The funny thing about the NFL season is that panic can turn to happiness in just a few hours. And yes, the Benster is happy. How about you, old dude?

I'm good with it.

Thought so. Watch me work!

Western Michigan Broncos (+2 1/2) vs. Minnesota Goooolden Gophers. I was dead wrong about the Gophers last week. In fact, to accept my great regret at picking against them, I submit the following video:

That's actually a childhood representation of Jerry Kill as he played in his youth on the plains of Kansas, or wherever the heck he's from. But enough of that. I would normally put the Gophers on upset alert, but they seem to be figuring a few things out and Jerry Kill is a former MAC coach, so he knows how to beat Western Michigan. And so, Go Go Gophers 35, Broncos 10.

Western Michigan has had a few good teams and players over the years, including one of our favorites, Greg Jennings. Unfortunately for the Broncos, he won't be at TCF Bank Stadium tomorrow unless he's there as a spectator. So I'll take the Gophers, too. Gophers 27, Western Michigan 17.

Utah State Aggies (+14) vs. Beloved, Battered Wisconsin Badgers. So, what the heck happened in Corvallis? Are we sure that the Badgers actually were there? It sure didn't look like the Badgers, especially the offensive line, which got stuffed big time by Oregon State. This is a little alarming, but Bret Bielema has already taken bold action:

But there's one thing to keep in mind about recent history -- in the 2010 season, the Badgers lost to Michigan State. That didn't derail the season. In 2011, the Badgers lost twice in a row in heartbreaking fashion. That didn't derail the season. Do you really think the Badgers are done? I don't think so and Utah State, I don't care how good they are -- no team wants to play an angry group of Badgers in Madison. Badgers 100, Utah State 0.

Uh, no. Don't get me wrong -- I think the Badgers will win, but this team isn't as good as the teams in 2010 or 2011. They could get better, but based on what I've seen thus far Danny O'Brien looks like Scott Tolzien with a better haircut. That might be good enough to win the Leaders Division, but they've got work to do. Badgers 31, Utah State 24.

Minnesota Vikings (-1 1/2) vs. Indianapolis Lucks. So check that line out -- the Vikings are a road favorite? Really? These Vikings? Are you kidding me? Well, the wise guys in Vegas usually know something we don't, which is why their offices are in multi-million dollar entertainment complexes and we're writing this on a laptop at the dining room table. But do you think that stops us! No! The Vikings looked better last week against a terrible Jacksonville team. How terrible were they?

Just turrible. And yet the Vikings almost lost to some guy named Cecil Shorts. The Vikes got lucky because they've got the Project. The Blair Walsh Project. A scary little kicker who boots 55 yard field goals like it's nothing. And he's easier to understand than Martin Gramatica. Vikings 13, Colts 12.

The Vikings should win if they get a pass rush. I think Andrew Luck will eventually be a very tough quarterback to beat, but the Vikings picked a good time to play him. So yes, the Vikings could be atop the NFC North at the end of the weekend. We'll explain why shortly. That's called foreshadowing. . . . Vikings 27, Colts 19.

Detroit Motor City Kitties (+6 1/2) vs. San Francisco 49ers. So, how good are the 49ers? Based on last week, pretty good. They went into Lambeau and kicked our beloved Packers around like they were barely there. Given that, why should we assume that the Lions, who barely beat the woeful Rams in Detroit last week, will have any shot at Candlestick, or whatever they're calling that dump these days. Niners 42, Lions 24.

I was impressed by what I saw last week, too. San Francisco looks like a complete team -- athletic, nasty and well-coached, as much as that pains me to say, given Jim Harbaugh's colossal ego and overall poor deportment. I believe the Lions haven't won a game in San Francisco since the Eisenhower administration, although I might not have that exactly right. I don't see it changing on Sunday. 49ers 34, Lions 17.

Hey Geritol Fan, you know what? We didn't disagree on anything this week. You must be learning something. Ben out!