2012-13 Picks - NFL - Week 17

Game of the Week - Sunday, December 30

DAL @ WAS | Cowboys - It’s only fitting that a game of this magnitude should be the last of the regular season. The final pieces of the NFC playoff puzzle won’t be in place until it ends. So what’s on the line? More than your everyday “W”, that’s for sure. The winner of this bitter rivalry earns a playoff berth and a division title in the starkly competitive NFC East. Then there are the individual accolades (to a lesser degree of importance, of course). For Jason Garret, a win likely means another season of tenure as Cowboys head coach. For RG3, it adds another layer onto his case for Rookie of the Year in the race against Russell Wilson and Andrew Luck. For Tony Romo, it’s another chance to get the proverbial monkey off of his back as it pertains to winning big games—although the games to proceed will only get bigger for everyone involved. Jerry Jones must be pleased...

Sunday, December 30

CHI @ DET | Bears – The Bears need this one. They Bears haven’t had Cutler healthy in a game they needed him in for quite some time.

MIA @ NE | Patriots – This is the kind of game the Patriots have historically over-played their stars in.

TB @ ATL | Falcons – Nobody is quite sure what happened to the Falcons today.

NYJ @ BUF | Bills – This is just the kind of situation that the Bills can win in; dysfunctional team without leadership.

BAL @ CIN | Bengals – The Bengals are in the playoffs!!! And they’re poised to play spoiler.

JAC @ TEN | Titans – ATTN Jacksonville: Tebow is on the way. I REPEAT. Tim Tebow is on the way.

HOU @ IND | Colts – If Reggie Wayne gets his way, the Colts get the “W”.

CAR @ NO | Saints – With the news of Sean Peyton returning the sidelines, this team should be fired up to springboard into next year with a “W”.

PHI @ NYG | Giants – Mike Vick should be play like this is an audition for next year – but the Giants are a prideful bunch and although their playoff hopes are slim, I imagine they’d give them life support until the very end.

CLE @ PIT | Steelers – The Browns have already won more than their fair share of games this year. (Sorry Browns fans).

KC @ DEN | Broncos – The only team that makes this team any scarier than last year’s team is Peyton Manning – oh wait…

GB @ MIN | Packers – Indirectly, a Packers win helps the Bears which is the last thing they want – but the Vikings are a rival, too and I’m sure they’d prefer AP didn’t go breaking records on their franchise.

OAK @ SD | Chargers – I misspoke last week. The Raiders didn’t play Pryor last week. They played Matt Leinart…

ARI @ SF | 49ers – The 49ers are slowly deteriorating…at the worst possible time.

STL @ SEA | Seahawks – The Seahawks have caught fire…at the best possible time.

Thanks for reading guys.

2012-13 Picks - NFL - Week 16

Photo Credit: (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)

Sunday, December 23 - Game of the Week
SF @ SEA | Seahawks
The Seahawks are perfect at home this season. Whether or not that should be the case (Packers) or if they were just extremely fortunate (Patriots), is neither here nor there. The fact is, they're a good football team. The Seahawks always play like they have something to prove, like they have a chip on their shoulder; something that's a common thread with many Superbowl champion teams in recent memory. The 49ers on the other hand showed that they can withstand the hardest hit from the NFL's best in their win versus the Pats. But something still feels off kilter about the Kaepernick move to me. Even the slightest bit of distrust with player personnel can have a ripple effect. Harbaugh is all-in on CK for the remainder of the season. Personally, I don't know if he's the guy for the job. But who am I to make that call. Harbaugh knows what he's doing, right?

Saturday, December 22
ATL @ DET | Falcons - Seems like a no-brainer, but the Falcons do seem to spontaneously lose games like this.

Sunday, December 23
OAK @ CAR | Panthers - I hear Terrelle Pryor might see significant minutes today. Eek.
NO @ DAL | Cowboys - With the bounty weight off their shoulders, the Saints looked very alive last week ini their 41-0 rout of the Bucs -- but Romo and co. have more to play for than their black and gold counterparts.
TEN @ GB | Packers - The Pack look to strengthen their playoff positioning in this warm up game against the Titans.
MIN @ HOU | Texans - If anyone should slow down AP and his jog through the NFL's run D's, J.J. Watt and the Texans should be able to give it a go--but that's probably what ever other team has likely thought this year.
NE @ JAC | Patriots - Looking to re-calibrate after last weeks thriller / near historical comeback versus the 49ers.
IND @ KC | Colts - Luck and co. look to be playoff bound. #ChuckStrong
BUF @ MIA | Dolphins - Bills have become the Bills of old again...
SD @ NYJ | Chargers - Lets not talk about the Jets this week.
WAS @ PHI | Redskins - RG3 returns to the field in what may be the last few weeks of Andy Reid as Eagles head coach.
CIN @ PIT | Bengals - This late in the season, I never fathomed picking the Bengals over the Steelers, but they seemed to have nearly turned a corner.
STL @ TB | Buccaneers - After last weeks thrashing, the Bucs "D" will be thrilled not to see Drew Brees on the other side of the ball.
CLE @ DEN | Broncos - They're going to be 12-3 after this week. Seriously? 12-3.
CHI @ ARI | Bears - The Bears have been reeling -- injuries, offensive woes, etc -- the Cards should provide a breather and keep their playoff hopes alive.
NYG @ BAL | Ravens - This could be the week that the defending champs get eliminated from playoff contention.


Thanks for reading guys.

2012-13 Picks - NFL - Week 15

Sunday, December 16 - Game of the Week
GB @ CHI | Bears - This is in all likelihood, the most storied and exciting rivalry in football. This is also the biggest game of the year for the Monsters of the Midway. They're broken, battered and their backs are against the wall. The Packers are slowly getting healthy and their offense has been treacherous as of late. No surprise they've won 4 of their last 5 games. There's a stat that's been flying around, though; it says that Jay Cutler is one of the league's best in the 4th quarter. This is the kind of game that defines a season. With division titles on the line and playoff positioning in play, I think Cutler plays like it's the 4th quarter and the Bears pull out a close win.

Thursday, December 13
CIN @ PHI | Bengals - To put it nicely, the Eagles have under performed  They'll do so at home versus the surging Bengals this week, too.

Sunday, December 16
NYG @ ATL | Giants - Just the kind of game the Giants usually win and the Falcons lose (tough team in an important match up).
DEN @ BAL | Ravens - I get the feeling Flacco shows some guts this week and pulls out a close win at home versus a Broncos team who has yet to beat anybody of significance.
WAS @ CLE | Browns - The Browns have won 3 games in a row. (shocking!) The Redskins are likely going to be without RG3 Sunday--tough turn of events in their playoff run.
IND @ HOU | Colts - The Colts are on fire and the Texans are coming off of an embarrassing loss to the Pats on MNF. Momentum prevails.
JAC @ MIA | Dolphins - I've waited for this game for longer than it takes the state of Florida to count its votes ... NOT...Dolphins win.
TB @ NO | Buccaneers - I'd like to say the Saints get a home win here, but they likely won't.
MIN @ STL | Vikings - Adrian Peterson continues creating fantasy havoc worldwide.
DET @ ARI | Lions - The Cardinals are pretty pathetic this year. Sorry, Larry Fitz.
SEA @ BUF | Seahawks - If they're in the playoffs, you're not going to want to see them...
CAR @ SD | Chargers - Chargers squeeze out a tough one at home.
PIT @ DAL | Cowboys - HUGE game for Romo and the boys. Cowboys by a FG.
KC @ OAK | Raiders - Raiders show signs of talent every now and then.
SF @ NE | Patriots - I think Belichick exposes the rookie Caepernick and exploits his weaknesses. Although, his strength is the Pats biggest achilles heel.

Monday, December 17
NYJ @ TEN | Titans - SUBJECTIVE PICK: I'd kind of just like the Jets to lose because of how they treated Tebow -- and even Sanchez.

Thanks for reading guys.

2012-13 Picks - NFL - Week 14

Photo Courtesy: ESPN.com

Monday, December 10 - Game of the Week
HOU @ NE | Patriots - In a potential preview of the AFC Championship, we have Matt Schaub and the Texans against The Golden Boy and the Patriots. Schaub is probably one of the more underrated QB's in the league considering the Texans have one 80% of their last 22 games when he's healthy. Brady is arguably overrated considering he hasn't won a Superbowl since 2004; although he's played in two Superbowls and won an MVP since then. But this game is about two teams that are playing extremely well and in contention (again) for the NFL's highest honor. Monday in Foxboro, we get a glimpse of how bad they want it.

Thursday, December 6
DEN @ OAK | Broncos - Easy pickings for the semi-elite Denver Broncos. I say semi, because they still feel really vulnerable.

Sunday, December 9
STL @ BUF | Rams - Yucky game of the week.
ATL @ CAR | Falcons - Dirty birds dance on the Panthers.
DAL @ CIN | Cowboys - A while back, the Sunday NFL COuntdown crew talked about how big of a game this was for the
KC @ CLE | Browns - Three in a row? ...for the Browns? I'm lost.
TEN @ IND | Colts - Andrew Luck is a franchise QB.
NYJ @ JAC | Jets - Sanchize gets benched after the 1st half. Jets pull out the win.
CHI @ MIN | Bears - Can't say I'm not expecting this game to be close, but I think the Bears pull out the "W"...Barely.
SD @ PIT | Steelers - If Big Ben is playing, the Steelers are winning.
PHI @ TB | Buccaneers - Consistently picking the Bucs makes me queasy...but they're better than they've been.
BAL @ WAS | Redskins - No Suggs. No Ray Ray. RG3 on a roll. The stars are aligning for this team.
MIA @ SF | 49ers - 49ers win...but not easily.
NO @ NYG | Giants - Giants do just enough to keep the Redskins/Cowboys off their coat tails.
ARI @ SEA | Seahawks - I can't say I'm a believer in Russell Wilson, but he has been impressive -- and you can't take away the "W"'s he's picked up this year.
DET @ GB | Packers - Lions keep coming close, but to no avail.


Thanks for reading guys.

2012-13 Picks - NFL - Week 13

Sorry Victor Cruz. No salsa for you.

Monday, December 3 - Game of the Week

NYG @ WAS | Redskins - I guess my last weeks prediction came a week early -- I said that the NFC east race should remain close, because that feels right this season. With the Cowboys getting a (close) win over the Eagles on Sunday night, just when you think the Giants pull away, RG3 knocks off the defending champs in the nationals capital. Sorry Victor Cruz. No salsa for you.

Thursday, November 29

NO @ ATL | Saints - I guess if they don't get it done this week, we can forget about the Saints making any real noise down the stretch.

Sunday, December 2

JAC @ BUF | Bills - The Jags are 1-9. They need a savior. **Looks longingly for Tim Tebow**

SEA @ CHI | Bears - Seahawks "D" is admirable, but Cutler is a difference maker. Short-handed on the offensive side, Bears still get it done.

IND @ DET | Lions - The Lions showed me a little something last week against the Texans. At home, they should build on that.

MIN @ GB | Packers - Adrian Peterson is comeback player of the year for sure, but the Packers are a better team. Not anticipating two poor weeks in a row from ARod, either.

CAR @ KC | Chiefs - Just call it a Sophomore slump, Cam.

NE @ MIA | Patriots - Well, you know.

ARI @ NYJ | Jets - Can we just be honest? The Jets are better off with another guy at QB.

SF @ STL | 49ers - They should win this week, but this Caepernick thing is going to come back to bite them.

HOU @ TEN | Texans - Texans are legit. Proving that week in and week out now.

TB @ DEN | Buccaneers - It's getting tough to pick against Peyton, but this is a week where the unexpected feels more likely.

PIT @ BAL | Ravens - Pittsburgh is in trouble. They need Polamalu on the field -- and Big Ben.

CLE @ OAK | Browns - Picking the Browns 2 weeks in a row. What?

CIN @ SD | Bengals - The Chargers are yucky. I won't even start Ryan Matthews on my fantasy team.

PHI @ DAL | Cowboys - Well, the Eagles are pretty pitiful. 

Thanks for reading guys.