NFL Divisional round playoffs

Loren and I went 3-1 in the Wild card round of the playoffs. I'm up 56-37-1 why Loren trails at 48-45-1.

Baltimore at New England

Derek - Baltimore. Joe Flacco the greatest post season QB? Ehh sure. But he is 2-1 vs. the Pats in the playoffs and dropped pass away from being 3-0.

Loren – New England. Very few things can convince me to bet against Brady or the Patriots in the playoffs. Baltimore isn’t one of them.

Carolina at Seattle

Derek - Seattle. While the Panthers are playing well they're running into one of the hottest teams across the country. So yeah...

Loren – Seattle. Rested, at home, chip on shoulder, momentum. This might get ugly.

Dallas at Green Bay

Derek - Green Bay. I'm taking the Packers for a long haul. And while the Cowboys are having a good year they're up against one of the best teams in the game.

Loren – Green Bay. Calf-gate! I have inside information that it’s not really a muscle tear. It’s really gout brought on my eating too much cheese. So, gout-riddled Rodgers or doubt-riddled Romo? Frankly, Rodgers could be missing his entire left leg and I’d probably still take Green Bay.

Indianapolis at Denver

Derek - Denver. Taking the home team but Denver is losing that feeling of domination.

Loren – Denver. Revenge, sweet revenge. Luck may end up in the HOF someday, but I’m pretty confident he’ll first have to watch an all-time great pick his team apart. Hey, Manning went through the same thing before putting it all together.

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NFL picks for week 15

Loren and I split our games again for the 4th week in a row, going 3-3. I'm now up 48-35-1 why Loren trails at 39-44-1.

 

Miami at New England

Derek - New England.The Pats are back on track after their win in San Deigo. Miami has been up and down all year and I don't think they'll have enough to beat the Pats twice this season.

Loren - New England. Miami has been a game opponent all season. Unfortunately for them, and maybe the rest of the AFC, New England found their game and look dominating again. It took Green Bay firing on all cylinders to slow them down. Can't give Miami much hope on the road.

 

Houston at Indianapolis

Derek - Indianpolis. The Colts are just a better team than the Texans. Even if the Texans can pound the rock all day and keep Luck on the run I still see TY Hilton getting is 100 yards and a TD.

Loren - Indianapolis. Win this on the road and Houston is only a game back. Perfect fantasy football watch game.

 

Cincinnati at Cleveland

Derek - Cincinnati. I'm just picked agasin't Johnny Football. Probably a bad idea.

Loren - Cincinnati. Can the flagging Bengals rain on Manziel's parade? I sure hope so.

 

Denver at San Diego

Derek - Denver. The Chargers are capple of winning this game but the Broncos have seemed to learn how to run the ball. What if they figure out how to run and pass in the same game?

Loren - Denver. Another great fantasy football watch. If Denver played more consistently this year, I'd have less stress picking them to win on the road against a dangerous offense.

 

Dallas at Philadelphia

Derek - Philadelphia. Going with the home team in this one. Great RB matchup.

Loren - Dallas. Yeah, pick this this week and their bound to disappoint me. Argh, I hate this team.

 

New Orleans at Chicago

Derek - New Orleans. UGH. Everyweek I seem to pick the Saints. Why!

Loren - New Orleans. I had to check the weather before making this pick. If it were miserably cold or snowing, I'd have taken Chicago. But with a projected dry day in the 50s, no chance Chicago turns this into a grinder.

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NFL Week 12 Picks

Loren and I split our games last week going 3-3. This puts me at 39-26-1 why Loren trails at 30-35-1.

Miami at Denver
Derek - Miami. Do I really think Miami will win? No but this is  Derek's team versus Loren's team game and I just have to go with my guys!
Loren – Denver. How different things begin look after the last two weeks. Suddenly there are questions about Denver’s depth and resilience coping with injuries. This week, they get the second best rated defense. Miami’s numbers are skewed by playing Buffalo (twice), Oakland, KC and Jacksonville. On the other hand, they did shut down Brady, Cutler and Rivers. No way to predict this, but Miami’s offense matches up poorly with Denver’s D. I’m taking the home team.

Detroit at New England
Derek - New England.The Pats are just chewing through people right now and I don't see that stopping for awhile. Probably the playoffs.
Loren – New England. Detroit has a puncher’s chance and a great ground defense. But the Pats don’t lose at home and have too many offensive dimensions.

Cincinnati at Houston
Derek - Houston. I think the Houston D will have a decent day against the up and doooowwwwnnnnn Andy Dolton.
Loren – Houston. Seems like I just can’t get a Cincy game right this year. So you should expect them to win by 40.

Arizona at Seattle
Derek - Seattle. I'm going with the home team here. Arizona has been playing well enough to win games but I think they'll split the season sereies with the home team each winning one.
Loren – Seattle. With Palmer in there for consistency, I’d have taken Arizona. Probably time for him to hang up the cleats while he can still walk.

Dallas at New York Giants
Derek - Dallas. The Cowboys will run the ball 35+ times and control this game from the begining.
Loren – Giants. Whatever. I’m not taking Dallas.

Baltimore at New Orleans
Derek - New Orleans. Won't take the Saints if they're on the road anymore but they're at home for this one and the Raven, while a quality team won't handle Graham.
Loren – New Orleans. Everyone thought they were back. This could be the most inconsistent frustrating year for gamblers. Seriously, there have to be a lot of desperate dudes in over their heads this year. Why New Orleans? Why not?

 

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NFL Week 11 Picks

Loren and I only differed on one game last week and although I had to pick agasint my team I extended my lead with a solid 5-1 week. This puts me at 36-23-1 why Loren trails at 27-32-1.

Cincinnati at New Orleans
Derek - New Orleans. Last week I stuck with the Saints at home and lost, but I'm goin gto give them some love again. The way Dolton played last week can't be overlooked and he needs to show something this week before you can feel confident with Cincinnati again.
Loren - New Orleans. Good god that division sucks. Looks like the Saints have solved some of their early season woes and get the struggling Bengals as reward.

San Francisco at N.Y. Giants
Derek - San Francisco. I don't like picking teams traveling across country but the 49ers just won in NO and that's a better team and tougher environment crowd wise. The 49ers also have to keep winning in order to make the playoffs.
Loren - San Francisco. Yeah yeah, west coast team traveling across the country blah blah. Have you seen the Giants? What a mess! Can't take the last ranked defense against even a mediocre team.

Seattle at Kansas City
Derek - Seattle. I could go either way on this game. But I just think Seattle can do a bit more than the Chiefs in all three phases. Then again Arrowhead is a tough place to play. I'm grasping at straws here.
Loren - Seattle. Look, twinsies! Both teams with decent defenses, excellent ground games and a complete lack of ability to throw the ball. An important, but likely boring, game. Again, taking the better defense.

Detroit at Arizona
Derek - Arizona. Detroit seems to pull of a lot of close ones but so do the Cards, I'll go with the home team and a who knows what you get back up QB.
Loren - Detroit. Would have taken the Cardinals here if Palmer was healthy. Still could be a coin flip game, and Bush is out, but Detroit should be able to chuck it successfully.

Philadelphia at Green Bay
Derek - Green Bay. Should be a good one, but the way Rodgers is playing makes me think even other good offensive teams won't be able to stay with the Pack.
Loren - Green Bay. Potentially the best matchup all weekend. I'm taking the home team, but only because they're the home team.

New England at Indianapolis.
Derek - Indianapolis. I think Luck will outduel Brady and will see the first one to 35 win this game.
Loren - New England. The Colts actually look better on paper but the Pats are killing it lately. Not that the Colts have been slouches. It just feels like Brady is back to some degree and he has the Colts number.

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NFL Week 10 Picks

Another solid week for me going 5-1, but Loren keeps falling behind with a 2-4 record last week. This puts me at 31-22-1 why Loren trails by a game at 23-30-1.

Miami at Detroit
Derek - Detroit. If the game was in Miami I'd take the Dolphns but even as a fan I don't see them as a playoff team and the return of Megatron could be big.
Loren - Miami. An upset special here. I like the way Miami is playing and their defense is really clicking. Dome game means their offense doesn't have to deal with the weather.

San Francisco at New Orleans
Derek - New Orleans. Saints at home and the 49ers are stumbling. How else are the Saints going to win the division with 8-9 wins if they don't win their home games. :)
Loren - New Orleans. Even though San Francisco is getting healthier on defense and is a dangerous team, New Orleans has the momentum and home field advantage. Manning tore apart the Niners this season, I expect Brees to do much of the same.

St. Louis at Arizona
Derek - Arizona. I'm not sure the Cardinals are planning to lose any more games. They're not the best team but they just keep winning. The Rams arn't an easy out but they can't beat the entire division back to back to back...can they?
Loren - Arizona. St Louis sure looks energized the last few games. Unfortunately, the Cardinals are waiting. May not even be close.
New York Giants at Seattle
Derek - Seattle. Giants going across the country to play a far superior team? Good luck Eli!
Loren - Seattle. Boy, things will get ugly in Seattle if the Seahawks blow this one. I'd kind of like to see that, actually. Probably won't happen, but I'll definitely be paying attention to this game.

Chicago at Green Bay
Derek - Green Bay. Packer were playing well heading into their bye week last week. I don't for see any slow starts here and lots of fantasy points will be put up in this one.
Loren - Green Bay. Chicago is a confusing damn team. Loads of talent, lots of yards, little to show for it. Forte is having a great year but everything else is completely schizophrenic. Another game that could be terribly fun to watch.

Carolina at Philadelphia
Derek - Philadelphia. If the Panthers are going to win they better hope that their D comes to the game as they thought it would have all year long. Don't let Sanchez beat you. Of course I'm sure that's why they have that McCoy guy.
Loren - Philadelphia. Honestly, I don't know what I'm doing here. What's the over/under on Sanchez interceptions? Carolina has a fighting chance.

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NFL Week 9 Picks

Now we're seeing the better picker seperate. I went 5-1 last week while Loren went 1-5. This puts me at 26-21-1 why Loren trails by a game at 21-26-1.

 

San Diego at Miami

Derek - Miami. Both of these teams seem to be up and down, but the Dolphins are always good for a win at home against a decent west coast teams. They won't turn it over as much as they're prone to do and Miller will get over 100 yards and lead them to victory.

Loren - Miami. I was ready to take San Diego until I realized the teams they've beaten are a combined 11-24. San Diego's signature win so far is against 4-3 Seattle at home. Doesn't sound much like a dark horse Super Bowl contender.

Arizona at Dallas

Derek - Arizona. Since Romo's out then the Cowboys will be way too much one diminstional. Murray's been good but already shoulders too much of the load. If your a Dallas fan your hope here is that you walk out of this game healthy.

Loren - Arizona. Having the lone blemish on your record be a loss to Denver isn't such a bad thing. With Romo out, the D-line can stack the box and try to lock down Murray.

Philadelphia at Houston

Derek - Philadelphia. The Eagles should be able to score enough to make Houston throw it and when the QB is a hairy Fitzpatrick that can only be good...for the defense.

Loren - Houston. I still don't know what to expect from the Eagles. Like San Diego, they'e proven they can beat the bad teams. Do they have an extra dimension to call on, a winning spirit to help them in tough games against tough teams? This matchup should help answer that question. Houston plays their best at home and you can bet Foster is looking forward to the sub-par Eagle's D.

St. Louis at San Francisco

Derek - San Francisco. The bye week came at a good time for the 49ers. They can regroup and get a bit healthier. They also get a home game agaisnt a middling Rams team. They should control the ball from the opening kick off.

Loren - San Francisco. With a chance to get healthier through their bye week, San Francisco should come out and blow the doors off St Louis.

Denver at New England

Derek - New England. Yeah no idea, it's in the snow and both teams like to pass...so. I picked agasint Loren's team, that's how I do.

Loren - Denver. Big, big game. Brady and the Pats look back on target and enjoy playing the foil to whatever team Manning is leading. But you still have to consider that the Pats barely beat the Jets and Raiders and have lost to the Dolphins and Chiefs. The Broncos have been more consistent and they have a defense that can actually make a difference in games.

Baltimore at Pittsburgh

Derek - Pittsburgh. Not sure about this one either, but I've done ok picking agaisnt the Ravens, so I'll keep it up. Brown is a stud at WR and I hope Fat Ben uses him well.

Loren - Baltimore. What a mess the AFC North is. You have a 4-2-1 team at the top of the standings because no one else has been able to put it all together and pull away. Even with the Steeler's offensive output last week, the Ravens have scored more points and allowed far fewer. Have to follow the stats in this one.

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NFL Week 8 Picks

Loren and I only picked 1 game different last week and it was looking good for me until the Saints gave up two TD's in the last 3 mins. I knew I shouldn't have taken them on the road. This leaves me at 21-20-1 why Loren trails by a game at 20-21-1.

Seattle at Carolina
Derek - Even though this is a cross country trip and the Seahawks look down a bit I'm thinking they bounce back big and take care of an under preforming Panthers team.

Loren - Carolina. Long trip east for an early game and doubts abound for the Seahawks. Seattle's short yardage passing D has been terrible this year. If the home team can control the clock and get a decent day from their defense, Carolina pulls the upset.

 

Baltimore at Cincinnati

 

Derek - Cincinnati. The Bengals have to get going here and I think this is one of those AFC North games where you don't know what's going to happen and are still surprised.

Loren - Baltimore. Are we supposed to be surprised that the Ravens are good this year? Perhaps we just hoped that karma would smack the team from top to bottom. Regardless, Cincy's D isn't going to help. I don't think they're disciplined enough to win a close game.

 

Chicago at New England

 

Derek - New England. The Pats seem to be back, dang it, and look to be one of the better teams int he AFC, darn it, and should be able to beat a very inconsistent Bears team at home. Another ho hum game for the Pats.

Loren - New England. Wouldn't be surprised to see Chicago reinvigorated from their post-game meltdown. Sometimes those episodes have a way of focusing a team. Unfortunately, the Pats are still an elite level team. I wonder what Marshall will do for an encore.

 

Philadelphia at Arizona

Derek - Arizona. This is one where I'm taking the home team on a near cross country trip. Their D is good and the Eagles have yet to get a running game going. I the Cards will handle the Philly O just fine.

Loren - Philadelphia. Coming off a bye week and healthy, I think the Eagle's offense is ready to put on a show.

 

Indianapolis at Pittsburgh

Derek - Indianapolis. The Colts are good the Steelers are...who knows, another inconsistent team. But they are dangerous, but not dangerous enough.

Loren - Indianapolis. Denver winning and Dallas losing are the only football related thing that makes me happier than Pittsburgh losing. Also, I need a big game from Luck to help me stay undefeated in Derek's fantasy football league. Isn't that right, Derek?

 

Green Bay at New Orleans

Derek - New Orleans. Again! why am I doing this? Well at least they're at home.

Loren - Green Bay. The Packers are on a roll. They've won four straight and the mess that is the Saints are going to beat them? Not feeling that. Wait, did the Saints replace their entire defense? No? Then Packers it is.

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Week 3 NFL Picks

Bad week for both Loren and I. Loren got one game right but I couldn't gain much ground as I got 2 correct. But this does bring me to a tie. Both of us have 6-6 records.

San Diego at Buffalo
Derek - Buffalo. Classic west coast team traveling to the east coast. I think you could make an easy living picking these games stright up. I'm still not sold on Buffalo but I think they're a good defensive team who can control the ball.
Loren – San Diego. Ah, the early part of the season when you have no clue what you’ll get from certain teams. Are the Chargers the team that resoundingly beat the Seahawks last week or the team that couldn’t get anything going against the Cardinals in week 1? Is that one point loss to the Cardinals more impressive now that the Cardinals are now 2-0 with an east coast win? How strong are Buffalo’s wins? For me, I see San Diego as a veteran team less likely to make mistakes, and the Bills have to come back to earth at some point. The Chargers can take advantage of a team that might be suffering from early season inflated hopes.

Green Bay at Detroit
Derek - Green Bay. I think Green Bay just ahs the better team all around but this could go either way...first one to 40?
Loren – Green Bay. Flip a coin and hope for a barn burner.

San Francisco at Arizona
Derek - San Francisco. Who's the starting QB for Arizona? If Vernon Davis is healthy this could be a double digit win. The 49ers D hasn't dropped off as some thought. I'll stick with them...for now.
Loren – San Francisco. Yeah, the Bears made the Niners look silly for a quarter. The Niners were fairly in control up to that point, though, and a bad quarter does not make a season. They’re still a more dynamic team than the Cardinals, even if their defense may have lost some potency.

Denver at Seattle
Derek - Seattle. Forget the Super Bowl, forget the Seahawks D and the Broncos O. This is the best home field advantage in the NFL and the crowd will get to see the home team win another.
Loren – Seattle. Wow, this really pains me. I’d like to think the Broncos learned their lessons about crowd noise and preparation. I’d like to think the Broncos are a stronger team since the last meeting. I’d like to think that Seattle’s going to be full of doubt after being embarrassed by San Diego. What I really think is that Manning won’t be able to audible effectively and they’ll have trouble running consistently. Meantime, Seattle’s going to be looking to bounce back and they just happen to be at home and playing a team they know they can beat. Prove me wrong, Broncos.

Kansas City at Miami
Derek - Miami. Not sure what to expect from either team. This would could be a blow out either way or a close one. I'll be a homer here and pick my team and hope the O can produce more consistant drives.
Loren – Miami. So much is in question for this game. Will Charles play? Can Miller step in and produce with Moreno out? Which QB will give more fuel to the doubters? Could the Dolphins be a more confounding team? When in doubt, take east coast home team, not the visitor with a long trip.

Pittsburgh at Carolina
Derek - Carolina. Can the Panthers repeat last years preformance? Are the Steelers to old and going downhill? I bet on both is yes.
Loren – Carolina. The Panthers’ performance against the Lions was a little more what we expected of them this year. Cam Newton was making plays, the defense was opportunistic, and they didn’t let the opponent off the mat.  They’ll need to establish some kind of running game to keep Newton healthy through the season.

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Week 2 NFL Picks

Well my Green Bay over the Seahawks gamble didn't pay off last week. I have a 4-2 record and Loren has a 5-1 record after the first week.

Miami at Buffalo
Derek - Miami. I'm a pessimistic Dolphin fan, but they showed me something last week. The Pats normally crush the Phins and it looked like it was going to happen again. But Miami dominated the second half, running over the Pats D and chasing Brady all around the field.
Loren – Buffalo. I’m going to need to see consistency from Miami before I take them against a team that beat the Bears in Chicago last week. Buffalo’s D will be better than expected and if Manuel can limit turnovers, Miami will have a hard time staying in this game.

New England at Minnesota
Derek - New England. Yes, Loren picked before AP was deactivated. But so did I. The Pats don't lose two in a row and not to Matt Cassel.
Loren – Minnesota. Too many options for a thin New England defense to contain. This feels like a down year for the Pats while the Vikings have young talent, confidence, and can still fall back on AP as needed.

Atlanta at Cincinnati
Derek - Cincinnati. Tough one, but I'm going to go with the team that has a defense. I expect a high scoring game but the Bengals at home should have enough juice to pull out a victory.
Loren – Atlanta. What a match up! If this was played in Atlanta, I wouldn’t think twice about taking the Falcons. But we haven’t seen them play on the road this year and this is a difficult first test. I expect, though, that the Falcons will have the Bengals defense spinning by the end of the game. Who do you cover? Whoever you choose, you’ll eventually get burned.

Detroit at Carolina
Derek - Detroit. Lets see if the Lions O can move against the Panthers D. This is a game of strength against strength and weakness against weakness. I just think the Panthers aren't up to last years standards and they might only score 10 points.
Loren – Detroit. Detroit would not let up against the Giants. If they continue to make use of all their offensive capabilities while being opportunistic on defense, there won’t be a lot of teams that can take them down. Doesn’t figure that a weakened Panthers team would be one of them.

Chicago at San Francisco
Derek - San Francisco. I was thinking the bears would have a great team this year, but after watching the inconsistent plays last week I can't buy into them yet. The 49ers while down on D this year comparatively should still have enough at home to be the Bears by double digits.
Loren – San Francisco. Are there two veteran QBs more inconsistent than Romo and Cutler? At least they’re consistently inconsistent. The 49ers handled Romo last week, I anticipate they’ll be up to the task of limiting Cutler’s chances. I foresee more Cutler pouty bro-face…

Philadelphia at Indianapolis
Derek - Indianapolis. Which team will need to comeback in this game. I'm going with the home team but I expect to see a lot of fire works.
Loren – Indianapolis. It took them a while to get rolling, but Indy’s offense eventually started looking legit against Denver last week. Same goes for Philly, but their efforts were against Jacksonville. I’ll take the team the slugged it out with the Broncos over the team that needed a comeback against the Jags.

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Super Bowl Picks

Well as we wrap up the season Loren gained one game on me last week going 2-0 while I lost the 49er/Seahawk game. 74-37-1 to 54-55-1.

Denver vs Seattle

Derek - Denver. Pure and simple I don't think the Seahawks will score enough points to win the game, Will they hold Denver below their average? I think so but I don't think it'll be enough. I hope for a good one but think we'll see some ugliness in the first half before the Broncos pull away. 

Loren - Denver. How often do you get to pick your home team in the Super  Bowl? By my count, six times in my lifetime. Wow, that makes me feel bad for KC, Philly, the Jets...maybe not that last one. Denver's D had the chance to rest up and get healthy. Good thing, too, since that will decide the game. If they are consistently strong on 3rd down, the offense will have enough chances to score. Denver in an entertaining game but pulling away late. 

As for the Omahas, if you're Peyton Manning, aren't you a little tempted to have someone bet the Omaha line for you? After all, he's in control of the Omahas. I'm pretty sure he could have as many or few as he wants. He could have a friend's cousin's sister-in-law put a few hundred k down and split evenly. I know, ridiculous. But still...

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Conference Championship Week

A nice 4-0 week was one better than Loren. 73-36-1 to 52-55-1.

San Francisco at Seattle
Derek - San Francisco. What am I doing!?!?! Well I think I'm taking the hotter team. And Arizona did show that Seattle can be beaten at home. Plus isn't it an NFL rule that one of the Superbowl teams will have to win every game on the road to get there?
Loren – Seattle. I see Wilson as less mistake prone than Kaepernick, especially when you factor in the stadium and the noise the fans generate. Seattle’s D is consistently good while San Francisco’s comes and goes. Plus, I really want to see an old AFC West matchup in the Super Bowl. Which leads me to…

New England at Denver
Derek - Denver. I've watched the Pats all year and I just don't think they should be in the Superbowl? Something about them doesn't say best team or even elite team this year. I'll have to go with the best team all hear in Denver. 
Loren – Denver. Broncos v. Seahawks! Okay, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. The Pats beat the Broncos during the season via an improbable second half surge and a complete Denver meltdown. I don’t see that happening again and the home field might make all the difference. Manning has the tools to manage the game effectively against a defense that isn’t nearly as strong as their previous championship runs. Brady will probably make swiss cheese out of a horrible Denver secondary, and I’m getting nauseous thinking about Keenan Allen eating Quentin Jammer’s lunch last week, but will the Pats be able to stop the Broncos at 5,280 feet?

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NFL Divisional Playoff Picks

Not a great week for either of us. I was 2-2 and Loren was 1-3. 69-36-1 to 49-54-1.

Saturday
New Orleans at Seattle
Derek - Seattle. The Saints will put up a better show than they did the first time they made the trek to the NW, but that still doesn't mean they'll win. Seattle is a heck of a team and as long as they run the ball they'll win.
Loren - Seattle. Too much ball control, a secondary that's too fast and can play man, a line that doesn't leak, and just enough offense means Seattle gets a trip to the NFC title game.  
Indianapolis at New England
Derek - New England. The Colts can't play in the first half like they did last week and expect to win. you can't turn the ball over to the Pats.
Loren - New England. I don't think New England has a title ready team, but they've got enough to take out an inexperienced Indy squad.  

Sunday
San Francisco at Carolina
Derek - San Francisco. This could be a close low scoring game, but I think the 49ers playoff experience an coaching will be enough to eek out a close one. 
Loren - Carolina. Upset special!  Or more likely just another in a long string of embarrassing picks. Anyway, after seeing SF's D struggle to contain a damaged Packers squad, I like Carolina's chances after an extra week to get ready to host a home game.  
San Diego at Denver
Derek - Denver. The Chargers don't have anything to loose, but the Broncos are by far the better team and have an extra weeks rest/Manning prep time for this one.
Loren  - Denver. Like I'm not going to take Denver? However, the Chargers have the right kind of pass oriented offense to take advantage of Denver's weakness. This could be a nail biter. 

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NFL Wild Card Weekend Picks

Well Loren picked up 2 games on me the last week of the regular season. 67-34-1 to 48-51-1.

Saturday
Kansas City at Indianapolis
Derek - Indianapolis. I"m picking Mr. Hyde...or is Dr. Jekyll, well heck I guess that's the point, you don't know who you're getting with the Colts. But I think they have one win in them for the playoffs and don't be surprised if there are multiple lead changes in the second half of this game.
Loren – Kansas City. I think resting their starters last week was a good idea. They earned the trip and couldn’t impact their seeding with a win. This means most of the offensive and defensive first units are going to be rested and healthy. KC needs that defense to get back some early season mojo and their offense to control the clock. I think they do both.

New Orleans at Philadelphia. The Saints are just a different team on the road then at home. Add in winter conditions and the need to run you just have to go with the Eagles. 
Derek - Philadelphia.
Loren – Philadelphia. It’s cold, and that favors the team that can run. That ain’t the Saints. I don’t see the Saints being capable of sustained drives without dropped balls, fumbles, wind-forced errors, etc.

Sunday
San Diego at Cincinnati
Derek - Cincinnati. The Bengals have the D and home field. The only thing they don't have is a QB who is consistent. But hey just throw a jump ball to AJ Green and that should be enough.
Loren – Cincinnati. If you’re the Chargers and you barely beat the Chiefs’ second stringers last week, how positive are you feeling about your team right now? I always give Rivers a puncher’s chance, but Cincy has the talent on both sides to make life miserable for the Chargers.

San Francisco at Green Bay
Derek - San Francisco. Not sure why I'm picking the 49ers other than they're the better team. Sounds strange but that might not be enough. On the road and Rodgers is back, the Pack could go deep.
Loren – San Francisco. It makes me really nervous taking San Francisco after the Superman routine Rodgers pulled last week. Should you ever count Rodgers out? Well, San Francisco has a top-shelf defense, so they’ve got that going for them. Kaepernick can run circles around the Packers’ D, too. This is the Niners game for the taking.

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NFL Week 17 Picks

The regular season comes to an end and so do Loren's chances of winning this season. Including this week and the playoffs there are only 17 games left. As of now my lead stands at 21. 64-31-1 to 43-50-1.

New York Jets at Miami
Derek - Miami. Fingers crossed, but it would be like the worthless Jets to knock the Fins out of the playoffs.
Loren - Miami. Putting this one in to make Derek happy. Yes, the Dolphins make the playoffs!

Baltimore at Cincinnati
Derek - Cincinnati. The Bengals are the better team and have something to play for. AJ Green will have a monster day.
Loren - Cincinnati. Baltimore has been inconsistent and the pressure is on. This feels like a Flacco choke job. 

Green Bay at Chicago
Derek - Chicago. I think the Bears are playing better right now and I'm going with Forte to get the Bears to the playoffs.
Loren - Green Bay. Rodgers' return gives Green Bay the lift they need and Cutler...well, he's Cutler.

Tampa Bay at New Orleans
Derek - New Orleans. Over matched. No way the Saints lose this one.
Loren - New Orleans. Will Tampa keep the Saints out of the playoffs? No.

San Francisco at Arizona
Derek - Arizona. The Cards have more on the line here. I'm thinking they're gonna pull out all the stops.
Loren - San Francisco. I think SF finds their mojo at the right time, becomes the nasty team no one wants to face in the playoffs.

St. Louis at Seattle
Derek - Seattle. The Rams are a decent team but Seattle is better and need the win.
Loren - Seattle. The Seahawks have stumbled lately, but they're still a formidable team and light years ahead of the Rams. The NFC West crown is theirs. 

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NFL Week 16 Picks

Both Loren and I went 3-3 last week so I maintained my 19 game lead. In fact this week I let my brother-in-law make my picks. 60-29-1 to 41-46-1.

Indianapolis at Kansas City
Derek - Kansas City. The brother-in-law is a Chief fan so that pretty much sums up this one.
Loren - Kansas City. The Colts have already clinched their crappy division. The Chiefs are still fighting for the AFC West and a number one seed. The Colts have alternated wins and losses for the past 7 weeks. Guess which result they're due for.

Dallas at Washington
Derek - Dallas. Cause Kirk Cousins sucks was the answer I got on this one.
Loren - Washington. Being so far in the hole means I can make heart instead of head picks. I hope Dallas gets embarrassed. That is all.

New Orleans at Carolina
Derek - Carolina. Cause Carolina's defense is really good.
Loren - New Orleans. They already showed up Carolina 31-13 at home. That gets in your head. Until I see the Panthers play the Saints like they mean business, gotta take the Saints.

New York Giants at Detroit
Derek - New York Giants. Because the Giants can't keep sucking every week.
Loren -  Detroit. Must win game for Detroit to try to salvage the season. They know Chicago is playing a tough game against Philly and a win for them combined with a Chicago loss leaves the division up for grabs. I think they get it done at home, then promptly puke all over the place in the final week.

Arizona at Seattle
Derek - Seattle. Cause Seattle is really good.
Loren - Seattle. Best team in the NFC playing at home? No brainer, right? Arizona is a tough team and they played Seattle close earlier in the year. Defensive struggles are usually fun to watch, but I'm looking forward to this one.

Chicago at Philadelphia
Derek - Philadelphia. Cause Cutler is inconsistent and Shady McCoy won't lose. And He needs Desean Jackson to do well for his fantasy team.
Loren - Philadelphia. I like the Eagles at home. Plus, it would have the added bonus of further burying the Cowboys and making the NFC North really interesting in the final week.

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NFL Week 15 picks

Another bad week for Loren. I got 5 of 6 and he only managed a 2 our of 4 record for the week.  57-26-1 to 38-43-1.

Washington at Atlanta
Derek - Atlanta. The Washington team looks to be in shambles, do they even care anymore? I'll take the home dome team that it at least healthy.
Loren - Washington. It's the battle of broken expectations! Kirk Cousins gives Washington a lift and perpetuates the Falcons' misery.

Seattle at New York Giants
Derek - Seattle. I don't like taking teams traveling across country but this seems to be a miss match at every step. Will the Seahawks score 2 or 3 TDs on Defense?
Loren - Seattle. It's a long trip east, but Seattle shouldn't struggle too much against the Giants. It might be cringe inducing watching Eli throw into the teeth of Seattle's secondary.

New York Jets at Carolina
Derek - Carolina. Ugh. Why do we keep putting Jets games on here?
Loren - Carolina. Can the Panthers recover from a pasting last week? Well, they're playing the Jets, so....

Green Bay at Dallas
Derek - Dallas. This might have signaled a white flag for the Pack. I think the Cowboys bounce back and put up some points on the Green Bay D.
Loren - Dallas. As much as I hate to say it, I have to go Dallas. Home field advantage, no Rodgers, another week further away from the playoffs for the Packers.

Cincinnati at Pittsburgh
Derek - Cincinnati. The Bengals are out to show everyone that this is their division and they should continue a roll against an over the hill Steelers team.
Loren - Cincinnati. Pittsburgh made a nice run weeks 10 through 12, looking like they might turn the season around. Losses the last two weeks have buried them, though, and Cincinnati will make it three losses in a row.

Baltimore at Detroit
Derek - Detroit. The Lions offense should bounce back and you can't expect the Ravens to keep  up.
Loren - Baltimore. This game should be very interesting. Detroit has lost 3 of 4, Baltimore has won 4 of 5 but they're playing on the road. I have a feeling things are coming together for Baltimore right now while injuries and questions are piling up for Detroit.

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NFL Week 14 picks

Well Loren went for the gusto last week picking 4 games differently than I did. Unfortunately for him I picked all the games correctly. 52-25-1 to 36-39-1.

Indianapolis at Cincinnati
Derek - Cincinnati. Tough one here, but I think I'll go with the more consistent team playing at home with a better defense.
Loren - Indianapolis. Well, why not?

Detroit at Philadelphia
Derek - Philadelphia. Nick Foles has been a monster lately and the Lions are too up and down. 
Loren - Detroit. Should be a slugfest. Going with the team that has more depth and better D. 

Tennessee at Denver
Derek - Denver. Don't think the Titans can keep up with the Broncos both running or passing.
Loren - Denver. I don't see this being a cakewalk for the Broncos. The Titans pass defense is great. Not saying it will be enough, obviously.

Seattle at San Francisco
Derek - San Francisco. Not sure why but I'm going with the 49ers here. I think they are really gunning for the Seahawks after their first encounter this season. The home field advantage is what I'm betting on.
Loren - Seattle. With Wilson and the defense riding high after last week's demolishing of New Orleans, I'm thinking they carry that momentum on the road. 

Carolina at New Orleans
Derek - New Orleans. What's the one thing the Saints don't do? That's right, they don't lose at home. The Panthers have won a bunch of games in a row, but there have been a lot of close ones there, sign of a good team or a team on the edge?
Loren - Carolina. The Saints are smarting from the beating in Seattle and they get no relief from the Panthers. Newton is in the same mold as Wilson but even more dangerous with his legs.

Dallas at Chicago
Derek - Dallas. Who's the Bears QB? That's right McCown. There you go.
Loren - Chicago. Home team in a viciously cold game. Romo freezes up. 

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NFL Week 13 picks

Wow what a bad week for both Loren and I we put up 1-4-1 records. 46-25-1 to 34-35-1.

Green Bay at Detroit
Derek - Detroit. The Packers don't look too good right now and are relying on Matt Flynn. While he can be good you can't rely on the guy. The Lions have a bad loss this last week but you know they can explode at any min.
Loren - Detroit. The Lions have burned me lately, but I think they right the ship against the short-handed Packers. Early in the season this would have been one of the games most looked forward to. Now you just hope it doesn't stink up Thanksgiving.

Pittsburgh at Baltimore
Derek - Baltimore. The Steelers are playing better and the Ravens look old and well...bad. Why am I taking them? Still think they're better than Pit.
Loren - Pittsburgh. Can't trust either team this year and I've got a lot of ground to make up. Why not take the coin flip?

Tennessee at Indianapolis
Derek - Indianapolis. I think Indy leaned something from their rough stretch and part of that is how to beat the Titans, make them pass. No comeback needed here 
Loren - Tennessee. Great matchup. Struggling Colts against revived Titans. If the Colts can't get anything going on the ground, the Titans excellent secondary will sit back in coverage make life hell for what's left of the Colts passing attack. This feels like Titans get revenge for the 3 point loss to Indy 2 weeks ago.

Arizona at Philadelphia
Derek - Philadelphia. Tough one, but I'm going with the home team. We'll see if the Cards can keep putting up big numbers. 
Loren - Arizona. Another winnable road game this week. Of course, that probably means the Cards will lay an egg after a long road trip. However, if their D plays up to their standards, I wouldn't trust the Eagles to put up considerable points against them.

Denver at Kansas City
Derek - Denver. Lots of revenge here. KC's loss to Denver two weeks ago. KC's melt down last week to San Diego. Denver's melt down last week to the Pats. Whatever it is, this is most likely for the division and to get a first round bye in the playoffs. Lots at stake and I'll take Manning over Smith.
Loren - Denver. Will there be a huge hangover from the epic meltdown in Foxboro? A loss like that can scar a team. I don't think Manning lets the team dwell on it. They come out and put a smack down on their only worthy division foe, essentially wrapping up the AFC West.

New Orleans at Seattle
Derek - Seattle. Really hard to go against Seattle at home. In fact that's my deciding factor.
Loren - New Orleans. Seattleites (Seattleans? Seattlers?) will hate me for this, but I don't think the Seahawks vaunted pass defense has really been tested yet. I think they're extremely good, but I'm not sure they're ready for the different level the Saints bring. Yeah, Seattle will get big chunks of yards on the ground, but can they keep up the scoring pace the entire game? I don't think they can.

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NFL Week 12 Picks

No ground gained or lost last week as we both with 4-2. 45-21 to 33-31.

Minnesota at Green Bay
Derek - Green Bay. The Vikings just don't look good right now and even with the Packs QB issues you have to think they're the far better team. As long as Green Bay's D can slow down AP they should be ok.
Loren - Green Bay. I really wanted to take Minnesota here, but the problem is they suck. Their already mediocre (and that's being generous) defense will be short-handed in the middle of the field. Green Bay gets to skate by another week.

San Diego at Kansas City
Derek - Kansas City. The Chiefs D is too good for a Chargers team that keeps getting worse and worse on offense.
Loren - Kansas City. This will be a good bounce back game for KC. Rivers should freeze in the cold weather and KC gets to look toward a Denver rematch and a first place game next week.

Indianapolis at Arizona
Derek - Arizona. People are not giving enough respect to the Cards and this is a home game against a very up and down Colts team. I'll take the team with the better D at home.
Loren - Indianapolis. Okay, some of the shine is gone from the Colts, but they're facing a team that can't take advantage of their weaknesses. Arizona's insistence on using Mendenhall instead of Ellington keeps one of their most explosive players off the field. The Colts should be able to throw it all day long. 

Dallas at New York Giants
Derek - New York Giants. Look at that the NFLs worst division has let a team in the hunt that started off 0-6. And for that reason alone I'll take the Giants. Lets get crazy in the East.
Loren - New York Giants. The Giants have won four in a row and are in the hunt in the NFC East, primarily because the NFC East sucks. Of course, this is the kind of game both teams like to lose, so who knows?

Denver at New England
Derek - Denver. While the Pats look better lately they still don't seem like they can stop the elite teams and I think the Broncos are one of if not the best teams in the league. 
Loren - Denver. If we're picking against the spread, I'm taking NE. This is going to be a cold, cold game and I have a feeling the Broncos will try to exploit NE's run defense. That could make for a close, low scoring game. Still, Denver is the better teams this year, but I'm always nervous taking Manning on a trip to Foxboro.

San Francisco at Washington
Derek - This match up has made a turn for the meh instead of oooh! Anyway I don't like taking teams traveling across country and losing like they haven't done in a few years. And we'll say that RG3 has to have a good one. 
Loren - San Francisco. Battle of what might have been? Both teams haven't performed to expectations this year, but it's clear SF is the better team. RGIII always gives you a chance, but they could find themselves down early forcing Griffin to throw. That plays right into SF's strength. I see an ugly night for Washington.

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NFL Week 11 Picks

What's this you say? Loren actually picked up a game on me last week. NOOOOOOOOOOOO! 41-19 to 29-29. Who you got this week?

Baltimore at Chicago

Derek - Chicago. Cutler has a game under his belt now after coming back from injury, he'll play it somewhat safe and let Forte do the work. The Bears will win bu double digits.

Loren - Chicago. Baltimore picked up a nice win last week, but shouldn't we be expecting that every week from the defending champs? Chicago is a tough place to play and as long as the Bear's offense limits mistakes, they'll send the Ravens home in a further AFC North hole.

New York Jets at Buffalo

Derek - Buffalo. EJ Manual should be back and they'll hope that fantasy football bust CJ Spiller will have a good game to go with "Back up" Fred Jackson. They should control the ball and I think the D will do more than enough to limit Geno and the Jets.

Loren - NY Jets. The Bills are terrible against the run, which just so happens to be the Jets strong suit. Worse for the Bills, two of their starting WRs are out, so Manual will have to do more with less. The Jets are coming off a bye week and bringing a top shelf run D against a corps of banged up backs. I don't think Buffalo has a prayer.

Washington at Philadelphia

Derek - Philadelphia. The Eagles will keep up the offensive machine they have going on and I don't think Washington's D will be able to kink in their plans.

Loren - Philadelphia. This sure feels like one of those games the Eagles inexplicably drop. RGIII has 6 TDs against 3 INTs over his last four and he looked comfortable taking off down the field last week against the Vikings. Unfortunately for Washington, their pass D is terrible and Foles is going to have a field day.

Detroit at Pittsburgh

Derek - Detroit. I think the Lions will have a field day at Pittsburgh. Their run they'll pass and make dump mistakes, but still win by 14+.

Loren - Detroit. Even though the Steelers are 3-2 since their bye week, their defense just isn't the same rock steady Steelers D we expect. Oddly, they've performed well against opposing QBs but are getting shredded on the ground. You could see a lot of 1-2 punches with Bush and Bell today.

Kansas City at Denver

Derek - Denver. The Chiefs seem to find a way to win each week but I don't think they have what it takes on the offensive side of the ball to keep up with the Broncos. 

Loren - Denver. Haven't been sold on KC all year, but they still keep winning. Their level of competition goes up over the next few weeks beginning with this trip to Denver. It looks like Manning isn't bothered by the ankle injury, Moreno has really stepped up, and you have to pick your poison between the receivers and the TEs. I just don't think KC is ready for the onslaught.

New England at Carolina

Derek - New England. Big game for the Panthers. They can make a huge playoff run off this game, but I don't think we'll see it. I think we're discounting the 7-3 Pats too much and now that Gronk is back I'd expect the whold O to really come around.

Loren - Carolina. The Panthers started slow but they've gone on a tear, showing they can win defensive battles as well as shootouts. That D is scary and I don't see any indication that NE can slow the run. That means more time for Cam in the pocket and more open lanes to take off down the field. This will be a nice statement win on the home field for Carolina.

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