Canzano: A week of big (mind) games
My Week 7 picks, predictions and thoughts.
There are some mind games being played this week.
University of Washington wide receivers coach JaMarcus Shephard, for example, declared that the Oregon Ducks starting defensive backs should be fitted for gold jackets and take their place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
“Probably the best pass defense in the United States of America,” Shephard told KJR radio in Seattle. “Probably the best pass defense I’ve seen in my entire coaching career. These guys are long, they’re physical at the line of scrimmage, they play with great technique, they’ve got guys who want to hit you, they’re going to attack the football, they play the football in the air…”
Best in America?!?
Best in your entire coaching career?!?
We’re talking about an assistant who not only worked in the Big Ten, where he saw some gifted defenses, but also interned for the Philadelphia Eagles. If I didn’t know better, I think Shephard was using the platform to lull Oregon’s defensive backs into a trance and fire up his own receivers for Saturday’s challenge.
What do you think?
I went 3-1 with my Pac-12 football picks last Saturday, straight up. I posted a 2-2 record against the spread. I’m feeling particularly locked in with this week’s picks.
My 2023 season record vs. the spread: 21-19 (53 percent)
My 2023 straight-up record: 44-5 (90 percent)
Onto my picks, predictions and thoughts…