NFL Picks - Week 17

Another fairly horrible week by both of us, with Derek managing three correct and I only get two. My picks have a habit of blowing games late. At least that's what I tell myself to make it all right...

Make sure you check out Derek's pick for Miami/NYJ. I think he's channeling the ghost of Bill Swersky's Super Fans.

Derek

New York Giants at Minnesota
New York Giants. Minnesota is playing for a playoffs spot NY has already clinched the NFC’s #1. So you would think the Minni would man up and get the job done but I have a feeling the Giants learned from last year momentum counts big time in the playoffs. 24-13

Tennessee at Indianapolis
Indianapolis. No I’ll take the opposite approach from the NY/Minni game. Indianapolis is the home team but both teams have clinched and can’t do anything about their playoff position win or lose. I think Indy needs to win this to put the AFC on notice come playoff time. 31-24

Miami at New York Jets
Miami. Are you kidding me how would I not take the Dolphins here? Sure they are playing in a cold weather game against a team they have lost 5 straight too. But that does not matter this team went 1-15 last year and is a win away from a division championship and the hosting a playoff game. Plus they could ruin the NY Bretts season and knock Pats out of the playoffs. 112-3

Carolina at New Orleans
Carolina. The Saints are just to up and down for me, some people say they will throw the ball just to get Brees the record, but he needs 402 yards, that’s tough to do when the defense knows what you are trying to do. Plus the Panthers can and will run the ball keeping the Saints O off the field. Oh yeah the Panthers are playing for momentum too. 28-17

Denver at San Diego
San Diego. The first reason I’ll take the Chargers is to give Loren a chance here to pick up a game on me. The other reason I’ll take them is they are the home team and have been playing better than the inconstant Broncos. 21-13

Bonus game (too many good games this week)
Dallas at Philadelphia
Philadelphia. Really tough game. I think the Eagles D is good enough to slow down the Cowboys O. Plus the friendly fans of Philly will be out in full force. 17-14


Loren

Giants @ Minny
Giants. New York should be able to limit Peterson, control the ball, and force turnovers. That sounds like a recipe for a win.

Titans @ Indy
Titans. This is a strange game to try to predict. Both teams will likely rest their starters for much of the game so we're basically picking on depth. I happen to think that the Titans are deeper than the Colts.

Miami @ Jets
Jets. Again, I'm picking here more because I need to make up ground and not because I actually think the Jets can, you know, win. But, hey, it could happen...

Carolina @ New Orleans
Carolina. See Derek's post above. Ditto.

Denver @ San Diego
Denver. Gotta be the homer here and go with the hometown team, even though I have no idea how they will pull this out. The only hope I have is that San Diego will realize the name of their city is German for whale's vagina and refuse to take the field due to embarrassment.

Dallas @ Philly
Dallas. Interesting pick here. I do think Philly has more momentum than Dallas (duh). But Dallas has a better ability to make up for mistakes. Besides, Philly used up all their karma with a World Series win, it's time to get back to reality.

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More NFL Picks - It's Almost Like it Matters!

Okay, so now I'm down by 7 or so. The saying is true, you can't dig your way out of a hole. So this week I shall rise above, and climb out of this pit so that I'm in a slighly less deep hole next week.

Here's the picks:

Derek

Pittsburgh at Tennessee
Pittsburgh. Normally I take the home team or the team with the better record but I'll take the team here that seems to be pulling games out the butts. The Steelers D can stop the Titans running game and force Collins to win it. That's good enough for me. 17-14

Atlanta at Minnesota
Atlanta. Why stop picking them now. Not much of a home field advantage since both teams are dome teams. I'll pick the young QB versus the crappy QB. 24-14

Carolina at New York Giants.New York. Wow really tough game to pick. I'll take the Giants D at home. That's my deciding factor. I think they can stop the Williams/Stewart combo. 21-13

Arizona at New England
New England. Slim pickens this week for games. I'll go with the consistant team who is blowing folks out lately at home. Do you realize that if New York and Miami win this week that means the Patriots will be out of the playoffs even though they could finish 11-5. And I for one say YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! 35-28.

Philidelphia at Washington
Philidelphia. Once again I'll take the team that is winning games of late. McNabb seems to be back in gear and the D should be able to hold a one deminsional team to minimal points. 24-10

Loren

Pitt @ Tennessee
Tennesse. I've got to pick against Derek whenever there is even a small chance of victory, so I'll take the home team even though they are missing a key defensive stopper in Haynesworth.

Atlanta @ Minnesota
Minnesota. I used Derek's logic last week and it bit me in the butt. Yes, I realize I'm picking Tavaris Jackson's team based on his performance from last week. God help me. The best part of this game, though, is two guys reaching for the rushing title. Watching these elite runners, assuming you can actually see the game, should be fantastic.

Carolina @ Giants
Carolina. Why not? They're on a hot streak, they have more weapons than the Giants, and they're not afraid of anyone. Do I think they'll win? No. Do I think they have a chance? Yes.

Arizona @ New England
Pats. This is actually an interesting matchup seeing as the Pats secondary is slow of foot. However, that hasn't stopped them from playing well as a unit so far. The bottom line is that the Cards just don't have the defensive talent to hang in there against upper eschelon teams. They just have to be thankful they play in the atrocious NFC West.

Philly at Washington
Philly. I could take Washington here and feel good about it, because it's about time for the Eagles to bone a game they should win. But the Redskins haven't played up to their potential so far this year, why would they start now? Oh, yeah, because I'm picking against them.

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NFL Picks - Week Whatever

Okay, so not only can I not pick games correctly, I can't read Derek's posts and apply simple logic to them.

The end result here is that I'm still 5 down. As long as I'm down, I get to see Derek's picks first, but he gets to choose the games. Elway, I'm sorry, but it looks like I'll be donning the Marino jersey soon.

Here's the picks:

Derek

Tampa Bay @ Atlanta.
Atlanta. Dang these guys. I pick against them all year saying they have to proove it, but then when I finally pick them they stink it up. I'll stick with them since they should be able to run on Tampa like Carolina did. Plus it's a home game. 24-14

Green Bay @ Jacksonville
Jacksonville. Two disappointing teams. I'll go with Jacksonville because they are the home team. I think they will be able to run and control the ball enough to squick out the win. 14-13

Minnesota @ Arizona
Arizona. Minni is playing for their playoff lives. Arizona is already in. I'll again take the home team and the soon to be three time MVP Kurt Warner. I can't believe it. 31-20

Pittsburgh @ Baltimore.
Pittsburgh. Both teams are playing well right now. Both teams have a great D. I'll take the team that won't turnover the ball as much and knows who their RB will be. 13-10

New York Giants @ Dallas
Giants. The boys are doing nothing right, right now. The G-men will take this one easily. 24-14


Loren

Tampa Bay @ Atlanta
Tampa: If I have to start picking against Derek, it might as well be against an inconsistent team like Atlanta, playing a veteran defense like Tampa.

Green Bay @ Jacksonville
Green Bay: Derek's right, these teams are disappointing. I happen to think that Green Bay has more talent over all, but it's a risk picking them on the road. I'll go with Green Bay in a very competitive game.

Minnesota @ Arizona
Arizona: I fully expect Peterson to have a huge game (I need Peterson to have a huge game to give me a shot at $100) but Arizona should find the end zone more often than Minny.

Pitt @ Baltimore
Pitt: This is a dangerous game for the Steelers. They are still working Parker back in, they're coming off two big game wins, so they may be emotionally flat. Baltimore is a team you can't sleep on, so Pitt has to find some fire. I think they will, and it will likely come from their defense as it usually does.

Giants @ Dallas
Giants. I don't think this will be that easy of a game. But I agree that NY should get the victory. Dallas is very talented, but they are internally divisive and cancerous. In other words, they are a team finding ways to beat themselves.

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Thats some mighty fine defense

Check out the video below. It's from our show recorded on 12.5.08.

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How about some more NFL Picks?

Contrary to Derek's assertion last week, I did pick up a game last week. I correctly called Pittsburgh over the Pats, so that leaves the deficit for me at 4. Derek's note. Poor Loren must be confused the comments I made on the week 13 picks obviously refer to week 12 when he went O for 5 and I went 1 for 5, giving me a 5 pick lead. Last week we both went 2 for 5. So I still have a 5 pick lead. Yippie!

On to this week's picks.

Derek

Atlanta @ New Orleans
Atlanta. Ok for a few weeks now I have been picking against the Falcons until they proved to me they could keep it up. Well I think they have done it. Both of these teams are dome teams so expect a high scoring game. 38-31

Miami @ Buffalo
Miami. Buffalo has faltered down the stretch. Miami has played winning football but not great. This game is inside in Toronto, so the Bills home field advantage is out the door. Low scoring game, but the Fins D will stop Lynch. 21-13

Dallas @ Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh. I’m on the Dallas bandwagon but playing in Steal town is a tough task. Pitts D is good enough to hold Big D to a minimal amount of points. 24-14

Tampa Bay @ Carolina
Carolina. The Panthers are one of the few teams I think can run on Tampa Bay. And I don’t think the Bucs O can score versus the Panthers D. 17-6

Washington @ Baltimore
Baltimore. Baltimore is really turning it around right now at the perfect time. They can actually pass the ball for the first time since…ok well this might be the first time. 24-13


Loren

Atlanta @ N.O.
Saints. Since I need to pick up a couple games, this seems like a good opportunity. I'm still not sold completely on Atlanta, and I think the Saints will play with a chip on their shoulder after the loss to Tampa. 35-31

Miami @ Buffalo
Miami. I hate the fact that this is in Toronto, and the Dolphins historically play poorly in cold conditions. However, the Bills are fading and the Dolphins are still playing with confidence. 27-10
Dallas @ Pitt
Steelers. Derek is right, playing in Pittsburgh is tough. The Steelers D has been playing lights out, and the offense is gelling too. This is a dangerous game, though, because Dallas has all the right pieces on offense playing the right way. 31-27

Tampa @ Carolina
Carolina. Tampa is for real, but the Carolina offense is multi-dimensional. They will be able to throw so many looks at the Bucs that they get some open space. Tampa's cover 2 D isn't designed to stop the run, and their front line should get moved around just enough to let Carolina run. 24-12

Washington @ Baltimore
Washington. The Redskins are hit and miss, and it's about time for them to hit. The Ravens are due to get a rookie game from Flacco, and that usually spells a win for the other team. 21-10

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