2009 NFL Mock Draft: Picks 24-26

The NFL Draft is growing closer and closer, but for now, you'll have to settle for our 2009 NFL Mock Draft. 

We're in the mid-twenties now in our third-to-last set of three picks, and these three are all about the pass catchers. 

24. Falcons: Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State

The Falcons have a few other needs, namely on the defensive line, but tight end is a glaring need as well and with the best tight end in the draft still available, Pettigrew should be the pick here. He's got great hands and, better yet, he can block. He's truly a complete tight end and an athletic freak, so the Falcons shouldn't need too much time to make this pick. 

25. Dolphins: Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers

Several teams late in the first round are looking at Britt, but we think the Dolphins will pull the trigger before the other teams get a chance. Of course, there are a few other similarly talented WRs that the Dolphins could go for, but we think the Phins will Phall (lame) for Britt and his tremendous size and skill set. 

26. Ravens: Darius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland

The Ravens are one of those teams that could be looking at Britt, but they'll take Heyward-Bey at this point, and might even feel like he's more talented than the previous pick. Heyward-Bey isn't the best receiver in the draft, but some wild-card projections have him going as high as seventh overall, before any of his peers. He's a fast riser and, well, a fast runner--probably the quickest pass catcher in the draft. 

That's all for today, folks. But be sure to check out the final installments of our 2009 NFL Mock Draft tomorrow and Thursday, with a recap and some other draft analysis on Friday. Of course, make sure you also check out the first 23 picks, located conveniently on the upper right hand side of this site. 

Super Bowl XLIII Prop Bets: Steelers Players

Leading up to the Super Bowl, we'll be taking a look at various proposition bets for the 2009 Super Bowl, Super Bowl 43, Super Bowl XLIII, The Big Game, or whatever you want to call it. You can check out previous prop bet analysis on the upper right sidebar.

Earlier, we gave you three Cardinals players props that we see good value in. Now, as you might have guessed, it's the Steelers turn.

Hines Ward OVER 69 1/2 receiving yards (EVEN)

Talk all you want the injury to Hines Ward, but if he plays (which he will), he'll produce. Taking the under is the trendy play, due to the injury, but if Ward is on the field, he's Ben Roethlisberger's go-to guy.

Hines has eclipsed the 69 1/2 yard mark in four of his last five games, missing the mark only in the Ravens game when he suffered his knee injury and had to leave with just 55 yards. Santonio Holmes might put up some nice numbers, but Ward will rise to the occassion as well. With this prop at even odds, you should do the same.

Nate Washington UNDER 34 1/2 receiving yards (EVEN)

With Hines playing, Nate Washington won't be getting that increase in looks that some might have expected him to get. He hasn't crossed the 34 1/2 yard mark in any of his last three games, posting totals of just 13, 30, and 21.

Like the Ward bet, this prop is for even money. While there is a good chance that both hit, there's a great chance that you'll at least get one, which means you won't lose any juice if you go 1-1. Still, expect to go 2-0 on these two.

Mewelde Moore UNDER 27 1/2 rushing and receiving yards combined (-110)

Mewelde Moore did an admirable job filling in for Willie Parker earlier this season, but it's Willie's show now. Mewelde got just two touches in the AFC Championship, and his role has been largely reduced in the playoffs. His totals of 25 and then 15 yards in the two playoff games for the Steelers show that they are slowly going away from Mewelde "not getting the ball any" Moore.

There's more Super Bowl 43 prop bet coverage to come here at Stock Lemon, so go ahead and bookmark us and get yourself back here before Super Sunday.

At Least It's Not Lead

We apologize for the consecutive Joe Flacco posts, but after searching for more instances of the Unifrown, we found a picture of a Joe Flacco action figure, which pays very close attention to detail.

Unless we're just imagining things, it looks like the toy manufacturer made sure to include a thick and bushy unibrow on the Flacco figurine, ala a certain Sesame Street character whose action figure bears a striking resemblance to the Ravens quarterback.

We know Flacco has sort of embraced the unibrow look, if only for lack of a better idea, but when it starts showing up on your action figure and, as Kissing Suzy Kolber finds, other places, it might be time for a pluck.

We hate to kick a guy when he's down, mere hours after Flacco and the Ravens took a third beating from the Steelers this season, but since he won't be relevant for a few months, we figured we'd better get it out there.

Unifrown

Joe Flacco has gotten plenty of attention for the unibrow he so proudly displays under his Ravens helmet, but we came across a picture of him after the AFC Championship loss to the Steelers wearing something else on his face: a frown. A great, big, unifrown.
We wonder if he was posing for a picture that otherwise appears candid or if he was simply moving his mouth in a strange manner at the time or what. There's no way his frown is really that big, is there? We admit we're making a big deal out of something very arbitrary, but come one, that's a huge freaking frown. He's all out pouting there.

Joe Flacco. Frowning his way out of the playoffs.

Steelers Cover... and Advance to Super Bowl

We did it!

With help from the Steelers, we have achieved what every blog strives for--mediocrity!

With the Steelers 23-14 win over the Ravens, Pittsburgh covered the -6 spread and advanced to the Super Bowl, where they'll face those pesky Arizona Cardinals.

More importantly, the Steelers helped even our playoff record to 5-5 (or 4-4 if you don't count "the lost post"), giving our Free NFL Picks a 2-0 Championship Sunday.

A Troy Polamalu pick six secured the cover, and we love the photo posted above of him running into the end zone while three big Ravens lug behind out of focus. Fitting that there are three of them, since this is the third time this season that the Steelers have proven better than the Ravens.

Stay tuned throughout the next two weeks, as we cover the Super Bowl like never before. We invite you to make Stock Lemon your home for Super Bowl prop bets.

Cardinals Cover... and Advance to Super Bowl

Big news out of Arizona today, as the Arizona Cardinals have done the unthinkable--covered as a Free NFL Pick this week.

The Cardinals beat the Eagles 32-25, covering the +4 1/2 spread. Oh, and advancing to the Super Bowl.

Although we mentioned the return of Anquan Boldin as being a key to the game, obviuosly the play of Larry Fitzgerald is the main reason we'll be hearing about Kurt Warner's career as a grocery store bagger for the next two weeks.

We still need the Steelers to cover the -6 spread over the Ravens in oder to salvage a .500 playoff record, but we'll enjoy this one for now.

Free NFL Championship Game Picks

Our Free NFL Picks have been unimpressive in the playoffs after an average year, but here are some picks for you to follow blindly anyway.

Cardinals + 4 1/2 over the Eagles

The return of Anquan Boldin should bolster a passing attack that didn't really need any bolstering. We like the road dog in this spot, especially with everybody already pinning the Eagles as this year's Giants.

Steelers -6 over the Ravens

We keep betting against the Ravens and keep paying for it, but while it is hard for a team to beat another team three times in one season, a healthy Willie Parker will make the difference for Pittsburgh. Expect a typical close game early between these two, but in the end, the Steelers should pull away convincingly.

So yes, despite all the success of the road teams in this playoffs, both home teams are Free NFL Picks this week.

Good luck.

NFL Divisional Round Playoff Picks

Our Free NFL Picks went 0-2 last Saturday, then bounced back with a 2-0 Sunday. Hopefully, this Saturday will be more like last Sunday. And then Sunday will be like last Sunday.

There's only one way to find out.

Titans -3 over the Ravens

Baltimore is a popular upset pick, but this week we're against the rookie quarterback on the road. Joe Flacco will try to become the first rook to win two playoff games, but we think he'll fall short of that goal. Both teams boast great defenses, but the ageless wonder Kerry Collins and the Titans offense has the edge in a matchup of very similar squads.

Panthers -10 over the Cardinals

Yes, that says -10. It's a lot to lay but the Panthers are the good and we're still convinced that the Cardinals are that bad. Go wit DeAngelo Williams and the bruising Panthers offense.

So far, all of our playoff picks have been the favorites when the lines opened. It's not something we're proud of, but that's the way things have shaken out thus far.

Either way, good luck as always!

That's More Like It

If you only check our picks on Saturday, you probably had a bad week.

If you only check our picks on Sunday, you probably had a good week.

If you checked our picks on both Saturday and Sunday, you probably fall somewhere in between.

Lastly, if don't check our picks at all, what are you thinking? And how did you get here?

Our Free NFL Picks went 0-2 on Saturday but rebounded nicely with a 2-0 day on Sunday. The Eagles beat the Vikings, 26-14, while the Ravens took care of the Dolphins, 27-9. Both teams covered -3 spread on the road in the process.

So, all in all, our Wildcard picks ended up at an unimpressive 2-2. Be sure to check back next weekend for more NFL playoff action, and of course, check us out in between weekends as well.

More NFL Playoff Picks

Well, that didn't go as planned. The games yesterday could have gone either way, and obviously they didn't end up going our way.

The good news is that there are two more Wild Card games to bet on, and although we didn't mean for this to happen, we're once again on the road favorites.

Ravens -3 over the Dolphins

Defenses should tell the story tomorrow. Ray Lewis and the tough Ravens D have shut down Chad Pennington in Miami before, and although the teams were both much different in Week 7, the results should be the same.

Eagles -3 over the Vikings

The same can be said with the red hot Eagles storming into Minnesota. Brian Dawkins and Philly's D have been playing great as of late, and we don't expect that to change in the playoffs.

Good luck!

A Winning Week in the NFL!

Well, it definitely wasn't the busy Sunday we anticipated earlier in the week, but at least it was a winning Sunday. 

The Ravens beat the Redskins 24-10 to cover the -6 spread and give us a Free NFL Pick win, putting us just shy of that coveted 60% mark at 23-16-2 (59%). 

Hopefully there will be more NFL action next weekend. 

So Much For Having A Busy Weekend

We told you earlier this week that we were looking forward to a potential huge weekend of plays, especially in the NFL. 

Well, if you could tell by the fact that we had no posts earlier today, there were no Free NFL Picks this afternoon. In fact, our only play is the Sunday nighter. 

Ravens -6 over Redskins

Good luck!

Free NFL Picks Ready For an Encore

Fresh off of a 4-0 week, our Free NFL Picks are ready for more. The picks are 17-10-2 heading into Week 10, and we hope to improve on that 63% mark with another successful week. Here are the picks:

Texans +1 over the Ravens

The Texans have underachieved this year, while the Ravens have overachieved. At home, we think that's about to change for both squads. Much is made about the Ravens D, but Mario Williams and some others on an underrated Texans defense will make life difficult for rookie quarterback Joe Flacco. The system sees this as the strongest play this weekend.

Panthers -9 1/2 over the Raiders

The computer likes this one, and while it looks like a sucker bet, it's impossible to be talked out of making.

Jacksonville Jaguars/Detroit Lions UNDER 43

Daunte Culpepper and the Lions will be out of sync, even more than usual. The Jags should get back on track in Detroit, though this could be a surprisingly close and--let's hope--low scoring affair.

Hopefully these three Free NFL Picks can have the same success as the picks had last week. If not, it looks like we might once again have a pick for the Monday Night Football game, so stay tuned and good luck.

The Steelers Have the Edge

Even without Willie Parker, if we had to play tonight's Monday Night Football game, the play is the Steelers -6.

Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers offense should be able to overcome a tough Ravens defense tonight.

Enjoy the game.

Browns to Win in Our NFL Game of the Week

After a 10-6 season in 2007, there were high hopes in Cleveland for the hometown Browns to finally break through and make the playoffs this year. After an 0-2 start, however, the Browns find themselves in a must-win against the division rival Baltimore Ravens.

Cleveland Browns +3 over the Baltimore Ravens

Even if Braylon Edwards, who is questionable, doesn't play, Derek Anderson and the Browns should finally get on the right track this week against a Ravens team that is getting more credit than it deserves.

Rookie quarterback Joe Flacco will take his lumps in this one, even against a Browns defense that has been less than stellar to start the season. We'll take the Browns plus the points any day in this situation.

We have a few more Free NFL Picks on the way, so stay tuned!

NFL Week One Game of the Week

The NFL is finally here, and if you're looking for a site to provide you with winning picks week in and week out, look no further--you're already there.

Here at Stock Lemon, we will provide you with the top plays from our proven system each and every week.

Just as we do in NCAA Football with our Free NCAA Football Picks, we will have a game of the week in the NFL, followed by the rest of our Free NFL Picks.

That being said, here's our Game of the Week for the opening weekend of the NFL:

Cincinnati Bengals -2 over the Baltimore Ravens

Chad Ocho Cinco and the Bengals should be able to handle the one-point spread, or uno-point spread if you will. Although the Bengals defense is not the greatest, the same can be said for the Ravens entire team.

Baltimore's D just isn't what it used to be, and unfortunately for them their offense still is what it used to be, only worse. Look for Carson Palmer to hit his newly-named target all day long. Ray Lewis and the once-proud Ravens defense simply won't be able to stop them.

Good luck and keep checking back for more NFL picks, including a few more for Sunday's games.

Perfect Top Five in the NFL Draft

If you checked in with us prior to the NFL Draft, you might have noticed our mock draft for the first five picks. If you checked in with us after the NFL Draft, you might have noticed we correctly picked all five of them. Hopefully it was in time to make some of you a little bit of money on NFL Draft props. Of course, Jake Long to the Dolphins was already in the books, but four out of four isn't bad, either.

If not, you aren't completely out of luck. We'll be back tomorrow with a Free NBA Playoff Pick we've been waiting all week for.

Unfortunately, Brian Brohm was not the second quarterback selected, as the Baltimore Ravens reached for Joe Flacco and ruined what should have been a sure-thing. We get where the Ravens are coming from, but we still like Brian Brohm's potential... to hold a clipboard as a career backup to Aaron Rodgers on the Packers.

All in all, it was a fun draft, and we hope you came out with as much money in your pocket as Jake Long (above with Roger Goodell) did.