After two weeks the Monroe Times sports department is still separated by just two games in the weekly football picks. Sports reporter Mark Nesbitt stands 12-2 while sports editor Adam Krebs is 10-4. With nine games on the board this week, just one matchup had differing opinions. That means next week Mark's lead will be either three games or one game. It's just a matter of if Monroe can put together a full game.
Oregon at Monroe
Mark: It's the start of a new season for the Cheesemakers as Badger South play begins. It's a battle of two teams, Monroe and Oregon, in search of their first win. I expect the Cheesemakers to run the ball more with Jon Becker and Dylan Schwitz in an effort to stay out of third-and-long situations. The Monroe defense has played stout most of the season, but the offense is averaging just 3.5 points per game. It's a great time for the Cheesemakers' offense to avoid turnovers and penalties and get on track with an early lead. My pick: Oregon
Adam: It's only the third week of the season, so most teams try not to think they are falling into desperation mode. However, two tough losses, one of which to a team of equal talent (Sauk Prairie), has Monroe needing to win three conference games to make a bid for playoffs. Of the six games on its schedule, only one favors the Cheesemakers right now - Week 4 at Fort Atkinson. That means in Friday's game against a classic Badger South rival (Oregon) the Cheesemakers must have as much energy on the field as possible. This game could make or break the season. Pick: Monroe
Walworth Big Foot at Brodhead-Juda
Mark: Big Foot may not be as explosive and dominant as the team that won the WIAA Division 4 state championship last year, but the Cardinals will have their hands full. Big Foot may be the best 0-2 team in the state and despite a rocky start the Chiefs remain the favorite to win the Rock Valley South. The Cardinals can make a statement with a balanced offensive attack that rolled up 414 total yards last week. Brodhead-Juda quarterback David Earleywine, who passed for 171 yards and three TDs last week, is a playmaker in the passing game that could make the difference. Pick: Big Foot
Adam: Big Foot hasn't lost a conference game in years and went undefeated last season, winning the state title. Despite graduating loads of talent from last year, the Chiefs are still the obvious team to beat. Brodhead-Juda has a strong tradition and the ability to step up in big games, but a flop in Week 1 and a dominating effort in Week 2 makes me wonder which Cardinals team will show up: Jekyll or Hyde. Pick: Big Foot
Darlington at Fennimore
Mark: Darlington, ranked No. 3 in the WisSports.net Coaches Poll, opens up SWAL play against Fennimore. Fennimore opened some eyes with an 18-14 win over Lancaster last week. It took the Redbirds until the final seconds to beat the Golden Eagles 27-20 last year. It was the first time Darlington beat Fennimore since 2004. The Redbirds don't want to share a conference championship again this year. Pick: Darlington
Adam: Fennimore is a state-caliber team every season, it's just a matter of putting a healthy team on the field every week. Case in point, last Friday's win against Lancaster, which beat Darlington in the playoffs last season. However, this year the Redbirds' offense has yet to miss a beat, and the defense is playing just as well. Darlington's first two opponents, Wisconsin Heights and Platteville, each have individual talents, but lack in overall program stature. This will possibly be the biggest game of the regular season for the Redbirds, and it comes on the road. Pick: Darlington
Columbus at New Glarus-Monticello
Mark: New Glarus-Monticello running back Tyler Dorn has rushed for 352 yards (176 yards per game) and five touchdowns in the first two games. The Knights have proved that a power running game and a stingy defense that forces turnovers will be a recipe for success. Pick: New Glarus-Monticello
Adam: The Knights rushing attack can both score points in a hurry and run the clock when they need to. Columbus will be no easy task, but NGM should fit the bill, especially at home. Pick: NGM
Black Hawk at Benton-Scales Mound
Mark: Black Hawk quarterback Michael Wolff had a career day passing for 252 yards and two touchdowns and running for one in a big win last week. The Warriors are trying to avenge a 22-12 loss to the Zephyrs last year. Benton has to keep winning to make a showdown with Potosi Oct. 8 matter. Pick: Benton-Scales Mound
Adam: Black Hawk showed last week that its offense can be explosive and put up points in a hurry. Benton Scales-Mound is a top team in southwest Wisconsin, so this makes for a solid early-season matchup. Unfortunately for the Warriors, I usually go with the home team in these situations. Pick: Zephyrs
Pecatonica-Argyle at River Ridge
Mark: The Vikings should find success running the spread offense against River Ridge. This is the start of a three-game stretch where the Vikings can get on a roll. River Ridge is 2-0 - a 40-28 win over Cassville and a 46-24 win over Highland count - but neither team has the weapons like the Vikings have. Pick: Pecatonica-Argyle
Adam: Pecatonica-Argyle has faced two of the top teams in the state in the first two weeks of the season and unfortunately have started 0-2. River Ridge has played two of the weaker teams and started the season with two wins. Look for River Ridge to lose their first of the year. Pick: Pec-Argyle
Lodi at Belleville-Albany
Mark: The Wildcats face a big test in a matchup against Lodi, which made a run to the state semifinals last season. Belleville-Albany will still have every conference game left on its schedule after this week. Pick: Lodi
Adam: Lodi was one of the top team's in the state a year ago. Belleville-Albany is improving, and a win over a team like Lodi would really turn heads. I just don't see that happening this week. Pick: Lodi
San Jose State at Wisconsin
Mark: San Jose doesn't have the depth and horses on the defensive line to slow down the Badgers' running game. This is another tune-up for UW. Pick: Wisconsin
Adam: Wisconsin is using the first two weeks of the season as sort of a preseason, playing teams while using several different combinations. It's like a live practice or scrimmage against another team, except it counts in the win-loss columns. Like UNLV, SJSU will not give the Badgers much trouble. Pick: Bucky
Green Bay at Philadelphia
Mark: Eagles quarterback Kevin Kolb and wide receivers DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin should have a field day against the Packers banged up secondary. However, as much as I hate to say it as a Bears fan, the Packers will win this shoot-out behind Aaron Rodgers. Pick: Packers
Adam: Philadelphia has offensive weapons and a blitzing defense. Usually that leads me to pick the Eagles, this Packers team has an experienced quarterback and an offense that may well end the season as not only the greatest statistically in franchise history, but maybe in NFL history. Pick: Packers
Oregon at Monroe
Mark: It's the start of a new season for the Cheesemakers as Badger South play begins. It's a battle of two teams, Monroe and Oregon, in search of their first win. I expect the Cheesemakers to run the ball more with Jon Becker and Dylan Schwitz in an effort to stay out of third-and-long situations. The Monroe defense has played stout most of the season, but the offense is averaging just 3.5 points per game. It's a great time for the Cheesemakers' offense to avoid turnovers and penalties and get on track with an early lead. My pick: Oregon
Adam: It's only the third week of the season, so most teams try not to think they are falling into desperation mode. However, two tough losses, one of which to a team of equal talent (Sauk Prairie), has Monroe needing to win three conference games to make a bid for playoffs. Of the six games on its schedule, only one favors the Cheesemakers right now - Week 4 at Fort Atkinson. That means in Friday's game against a classic Badger South rival (Oregon) the Cheesemakers must have as much energy on the field as possible. This game could make or break the season. Pick: Monroe
Walworth Big Foot at Brodhead-Juda
Mark: Big Foot may not be as explosive and dominant as the team that won the WIAA Division 4 state championship last year, but the Cardinals will have their hands full. Big Foot may be the best 0-2 team in the state and despite a rocky start the Chiefs remain the favorite to win the Rock Valley South. The Cardinals can make a statement with a balanced offensive attack that rolled up 414 total yards last week. Brodhead-Juda quarterback David Earleywine, who passed for 171 yards and three TDs last week, is a playmaker in the passing game that could make the difference. Pick: Big Foot
Adam: Big Foot hasn't lost a conference game in years and went undefeated last season, winning the state title. Despite graduating loads of talent from last year, the Chiefs are still the obvious team to beat. Brodhead-Juda has a strong tradition and the ability to step up in big games, but a flop in Week 1 and a dominating effort in Week 2 makes me wonder which Cardinals team will show up: Jekyll or Hyde. Pick: Big Foot
Darlington at Fennimore
Mark: Darlington, ranked No. 3 in the WisSports.net Coaches Poll, opens up SWAL play against Fennimore. Fennimore opened some eyes with an 18-14 win over Lancaster last week. It took the Redbirds until the final seconds to beat the Golden Eagles 27-20 last year. It was the first time Darlington beat Fennimore since 2004. The Redbirds don't want to share a conference championship again this year. Pick: Darlington
Adam: Fennimore is a state-caliber team every season, it's just a matter of putting a healthy team on the field every week. Case in point, last Friday's win against Lancaster, which beat Darlington in the playoffs last season. However, this year the Redbirds' offense has yet to miss a beat, and the defense is playing just as well. Darlington's first two opponents, Wisconsin Heights and Platteville, each have individual talents, but lack in overall program stature. This will possibly be the biggest game of the regular season for the Redbirds, and it comes on the road. Pick: Darlington
Columbus at New Glarus-Monticello
Mark: New Glarus-Monticello running back Tyler Dorn has rushed for 352 yards (176 yards per game) and five touchdowns in the first two games. The Knights have proved that a power running game and a stingy defense that forces turnovers will be a recipe for success. Pick: New Glarus-Monticello
Adam: The Knights rushing attack can both score points in a hurry and run the clock when they need to. Columbus will be no easy task, but NGM should fit the bill, especially at home. Pick: NGM
Black Hawk at Benton-Scales Mound
Mark: Black Hawk quarterback Michael Wolff had a career day passing for 252 yards and two touchdowns and running for one in a big win last week. The Warriors are trying to avenge a 22-12 loss to the Zephyrs last year. Benton has to keep winning to make a showdown with Potosi Oct. 8 matter. Pick: Benton-Scales Mound
Adam: Black Hawk showed last week that its offense can be explosive and put up points in a hurry. Benton Scales-Mound is a top team in southwest Wisconsin, so this makes for a solid early-season matchup. Unfortunately for the Warriors, I usually go with the home team in these situations. Pick: Zephyrs
Pecatonica-Argyle at River Ridge
Mark: The Vikings should find success running the spread offense against River Ridge. This is the start of a three-game stretch where the Vikings can get on a roll. River Ridge is 2-0 - a 40-28 win over Cassville and a 46-24 win over Highland count - but neither team has the weapons like the Vikings have. Pick: Pecatonica-Argyle
Adam: Pecatonica-Argyle has faced two of the top teams in the state in the first two weeks of the season and unfortunately have started 0-2. River Ridge has played two of the weaker teams and started the season with two wins. Look for River Ridge to lose their first of the year. Pick: Pec-Argyle
Lodi at Belleville-Albany
Mark: The Wildcats face a big test in a matchup against Lodi, which made a run to the state semifinals last season. Belleville-Albany will still have every conference game left on its schedule after this week. Pick: Lodi
Adam: Lodi was one of the top team's in the state a year ago. Belleville-Albany is improving, and a win over a team like Lodi would really turn heads. I just don't see that happening this week. Pick: Lodi
San Jose State at Wisconsin
Mark: San Jose doesn't have the depth and horses on the defensive line to slow down the Badgers' running game. This is another tune-up for UW. Pick: Wisconsin
Adam: Wisconsin is using the first two weeks of the season as sort of a preseason, playing teams while using several different combinations. It's like a live practice or scrimmage against another team, except it counts in the win-loss columns. Like UNLV, SJSU will not give the Badgers much trouble. Pick: Bucky
Green Bay at Philadelphia
Mark: Eagles quarterback Kevin Kolb and wide receivers DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin should have a field day against the Packers banged up secondary. However, as much as I hate to say it as a Bears fan, the Packers will win this shoot-out behind Aaron Rodgers. Pick: Packers
Adam: Philadelphia has offensive weapons and a blitzing defense. Usually that leads me to pick the Eagles, this Packers team has an experienced quarterback and an offense that may well end the season as not only the greatest statistically in franchise history, but maybe in NFL history. Pick: Packers
