NFL Week 13 Picks

If you’re going to go down, go down in style! Well, I don’t know how much style I did it in, but I did go down, only Miami saved me from falling below the .500 mark…at your expense, I thank you guys! I think this week emphasized the fact that there is no such thing as a sure thing as we watched Eli Manning literally throw away any chance New York had to win, San Francisco found a way to sweep Arizona in both of their match ups, Devin Hester fueled a fire that started a comeback victory in a game the should have been lost, and A.J. Feeley came one ill-decided pass away from the biggest upset of the season. Of course I wasn’t satisfied with the drama the NFL dished out this week so I added my own by picking upsets that only upset me. Houston couldn’t get it done, Tennessee fell short, Washington lost the intensity they brought to Dallas, and Baltimore couldn’t carry the intensity that almost won them the game the week before. All that and I finish the week with the weak and feeble record of 8-8, and a season total of 108-68 (.614). This week SCREAMS from improvement, so lets get the show on the road!

ALL TIMES ARE EASTERN

Thursday, November 29 2007

Green Bay Packers(10-1) at Dallas Cowboys(10-1) 8:15PM

What a match up, what a game! To bad it will be aired on NFL Network!!! What a rip off! Local fans in Green Bay and Dallas without NFL Network won’t even be able to watch this game without a ticket, and I’m expecting one hard fought match. Brett Favre is having the season of a career, and it’s been a long career at that. Tony Romo is still fresh and new to the league, but has numbers of his own to back the talk the Cowboys are talking. Such a hard call, such a great match up, and most of the “experts” are literally giving this to the home team. I can’t say how many times I’ve heard “I’m taking Dallas, but it this game was at Lambeau…,” well I’m not waiting for the rematch in Lambeau, I’m taking the upset early this week. Game One, Thursday night, the Packers will travel to Dallas and upset the Cowboys.

Packers in the upset!

Sunday, December 2 2007

Atlanta Falcons(3-8) at St. Louis Rams(2-9) 1:00PM

Both of these teams have suffered from injuries and bad seasons. Now they match up while the Rams have started to pick up some steam. With Steven Jackson back in the backfield, Marc Bulger and Gus Frerotte have been finding time to breath and the Rams have marked up two wins and a near miss on the third. Joey Harrington will be leading the Falcons into this game with hopes of taking advantage of the less than stellar Rams defense. It could be a close game, but I’m going with the home team for this match up.

Rams get back on a winning track.

Buffalo Bills(5-6) at Washington Redskins(5-6) 1:00PM

Two weeks ago the Skins showed a spark of life as they challenged Dallas and put up a brutal fight just short of the win. But Jason Campbell and Clinton Portis couldn’t get it done then, and then fell short in Tampa the following week. Now they’ll host the Bills who have just switched back to Trent Edwards after J.P. Losman couldn’t find a way to get it done against Jacksonville. I originally wanted the Bills here, but the more I think of it, the more I want the home team in a match up like this.

Redskins secure a home win.

Detroit Lions(6-5) at Minnesota Vikings(5-6) 1:00PM

Jon Kitna better get back on the winning side of the scoreboard if he intends on making good on his promise of 10 wins this season. With only 5 games left to go and 4 wins short of 10 it’s starting to look a little hopeless. But don’t worry, as long as Kitna spends plenty of time watching Eli’s film on how NOT to be an NFL quarterback he might be able to hold the Minnesota defense scoreless. If Kitna and the Lions can accomplish that, they may have a shot at out scoring the possible return of Adrian Peterson.

Lions find a way to add another win on the season.

Houston Texans(5-6) at Tennesse Titans(6-5) 1:00PM

Both of these teams let me down last week. The only difference is that Matt Schaub and company didn’t get blown out in the fashion that Vince Young and the Titans did. Andre Johnson should be good and warmed up by this point as the Titans seem to be in a back pedal. I think this match up is going to end with Tennessee and Houston switching places on the AFC South rankings.

Texans find victory on the road.

Jacksonville Jaguars(8-3) at Indianapolis Colts(9-2) 1:00PM

In the first meeting of these to teams Jacksonville hosted and the Colts made themselves more than comfortable in the Jaguars house in a 29-7 victory for Indy. However, I believe that this match up will have a different air about it. David Garrard and his running tandem of Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew haven’t been slouching this season and with the Colts still suffering from injuries I think an upset may be in the works. Even with the possibility of Peyton Manning welcoming the return of his favorite receiver Marvin Harrison, there is the possibility Harrison will be rusty. Nope, I’m going to have to go with a second upset this week.

Jaguars return the favor and upset Indy at home.

New York Jets(2-9) at Miami Dolphins(0-11) 1:00PM

The Dolphins have to win at some point don’t they? And after another heartbreaking three point loss in the final seconds to Pittsburgh in last weeks 0-3 Mud Bowl, this game should be their closest thing to hope. So here’s what I see, neither team has a hope nor a prayer for a playoff and Miami is desperate not to be a shut out on the season. With John Beck at the lead, and the hopes of a healthier Jesse Chatman or Ricky Williams, the Dolphins sneak their only chance at a win.

Dolphins find their one and only win.

San Diego Chargers(6-5) at Kansas City Chiefs(4-7) 1:00PM

The Chargers are back! What happened to the Chargers? Oops, their back again. No wait, what happened to them in that game? OK, their back again. Yup, it’s been quite the rollercoaster season for the Chargers and their fans, but in a rivalry match up against a struggling Chiefs team that has lost their magic in Arrowhead; I can only expect a big game from Philip Rivers and LaDainian Tomlinson. Add the receptive abilities of Antonio Gates and the defensive threat in Shawne Merriman and the outcome looks bleak for the Chiefs. However, let’s not forget…”Any Given Sunday.”

Chargers add to the woes of Arrowhead

Seattle Seahawks(7-4) at Philadelphia Eagles(5-6) 1:00PM

OK, I’m just going to admit to falling into this trap right up front and center. Last week Washington played a ferocious game against Dallas, but flopped in the following week when I expected them to win and now I’m looking follow the same logic in this match up. How can the Eagles play such a tough game against undefeated New England then lose to Seattle in the following week? I have to think the team that can rise up in Foxboro and give New England a run for their money can win at home against the not so hot Seahawks…can’t wait to find out.

Eagles carry last weeks fight into this week’s victory.

San Francisco 49ers(3-8) at Carolina Panthers(4-7) 1:00PM

Um,…uh,…I don’t know? How about…

The 4thers defeat the Pan9ers?

OK, so neither of these teams has been spectacular this year. Both have only mustered up one pair of back-to-back wins. That gives me two forms of logic to work with: 1) The 49ers just won a game and the odds of second, back-to-back win is unlikely and 2) the Panthers have the home field advantage where they’ve won…OH GREAT! The Panthers haven’t won a home game all season!!! Where’s my coin? Do I have to flip? Nah, I’m just going to cross my fingers and say…

Panthers find their first home win of the season.

Cleveland Browns(7-4) at Arizona Cardinals(5-6) 4:05PM

Kurt Warner has been able to lead the Cardinals to a couple of wins this season, and Edgerrin James hasn’t been a stranger to the end zone, but this week they get to welcome the Browns to their home field. Cleveland’s defense will be more than friendly enough to give way for a few Cardinal touchdowns, but the chances are pretty good that the Derek Anderson / Braylon Edwards connection with get more. Add one on the ground, courtesy of Jamal Lewis and the Browns will continue to roll in their pursuit to over take Pittsburgh for the AFC North.

Browns remain in the hunt for their division

Denver Broncos(5-6) at Oakland Raiders(3-8) 4:05PM

Jay Cutler is settling in behind the center in Denver as his numbers continue to rise, and the Broncos offensive line continues to prove they can pave the way for any of their running backs whether it’s Travis Henry, Selvin Young, or Andre Hall as Hall filled in last week like he had been their all season. Now if only Denver’s defense could find a way to preserve a winning lead. OK, so not all the blame can go to defense. Special teams could use some work too, Devin Hester or not! Lucky for the Broncos, the Raiders don’t have an offense or a great return man.

Broncos light up the Black Hole.

New York Giants(7-4) at Chicago Bears(5-6) 4:15PM

Oh boy. Where should I go here? Battle of the interception prone quarterbacks? OK, I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that in no way will Eli Manning repeat the AWFUL performance he had last week. He couldn’t possibly do it two weeks in a row…could he? On a brighter note for the Giants, the Bears defense isn’t nearly as dominating as they were last year. So with all that said, Plaxico Burress continues to push through the pain, Jeremy Shockey continues to be Shockey, and the Giants defense hurries Rex Grossman into a few mistakes.

Giants manage a road win.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers(7-4) at New Orleans Saints(5-6) 4:15PM

New Orleans started out the season on shaky ground and has already traveled to Tampa for a loss this season. Since then, Tampa managed a fairly decent season and currently controls the NFC South. However, this week the match up will take place in the Superdome in New Orleans and Drew Brees will hope to energize the home crowd with the help of Marques Colston and Reggie Bush. Brees and the Saints will be looking to erase the memory of their last home game against St. Louis with a reenactment of their match up vs. Jacksonville.

Saints march this one in for the upset.

Sunday, December 2 2007 Sunday Night Football

*Note: Sunday night games in Weeks 11-17 subject to change.

Cincinnati Bengals(4-7) at Pittsburgh Steelers(8-3) 8:15PM

I think I’ve found myself torn on more games this week than I have all season. I look at the records of these teams and think that I should be taking the Steelers for a win hands down, but after their last two match ups against the Jets and Miami…well, we all know the Bengals have the power to run up a scoreboard. I want to pick the Steelers, especially at home. OK, here’s where I’m going to go with this one. Steelers have had their two in a row glitch and yet they have remained undefeated at home. This is the week they bounce back and put the points up on the board.

Steelers rebound two tough weeks with a home win.

Monday, December 3 2007 Monday Night Football

New England Patriots(11-0) at Baltimore Ravens(4-7) 8:30PM

The Patriots have shown they have a weakness, and had it not been for an ill-thought throw from A.J. Feeley in the finally minutes of last weeks game they may not have been coming into this match up undefeated. Now they travel to Baltimore were Tom Brady is sure to still be rattled from the week before and Randy Moss will be throwing a tantrum over his less than great week. The defense will cry like babies and Belichick will get caught cheating again as the Ravens go on to victory…

OK folks, let’s get real here, it ain’t happening!!!

Patriots answer last weeks close call with a blow-out on Monday Night.

There you have it. Another conclusion to the weekly picks of hard hitting, bloodied, smash-mouth football. On the field, all is fair in love and football. Bo Jackson said it best, “If my mother put on a helmet and shoulder pads and a uniform that wasn't the same as the one I was wearing, I'd run over her if she was in my way. And I love my mother."