Alright now. These are my picks for week#15 in the NFL. I have struggled throughout this season. Last week was my first winning week since I was being investigated for not being upstanding ( that is some coincidence and I thank you Johnttickle ). Now that I have the winning week out of the way, I will look to make it 2 straight winning weeks. So here are my picks for week#15 in the league where they play...for pay:
Thursday, December 13th,2007
Denver Broncos +1 1/2 @ Houston Texans 8:15pm--- I know that Sage Rosenfels is starting for the hurting Matt Schaub. But before the season started, who heard of Matt Schaub??? The Texans showed alot of heart beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week. I also understand that they had their third string QB starting in that game. But still... the Texans have been really good at home at 4-2 while Jay Cutler and his Broncos have struggled at 2-4 on the road. Both teams are in desperate need of this game to keep any hopes of the playoffs alive. Both teams are 6-7. I will favor the Texans to beat the Broncos.
Saturday, December 15th,2007
Cincinnati Bengals -8 @ San Francisco 49ers 8:15pm--- San Francisco comes in here at 3-10. They have actually played well within the division at 3-3. But if it isn't a divisional game they are 0-7. I would anticipate 0-8 after Cincinnati makes a visit to San Francisco on Saturday Night. Cincinnati can put up big points and in a hurry with Carson Palmer, Chad Johnson, Chris Henry and T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Though San Francisco has shown moments of brilliance on defense this season, if Cincinnati comes out the way I think they should, the 49ers have no shot at winning the game. When asked what the turning point of the game was they will all answer when the Bengals plane landed on the runway. Taking the Bengals.
Sunday, December 16th,2007
Arizona Cardinals Pick 'em @ New Orleans 1:00pm--- Both teams are in need of this game. The last playoff spot in the NFC is on the line here. Both teams are 6-7. The Vikings are 7-6 and lead for that last spot. The loser of this game will probably not have any shot at that last spot. The winner however is not gaureenteed anything. This should be a great game. For Arizona it is their last road game of the season. They are 2-5 on the road. For the Saints, they are 2-4 and a struggling team at home. Their last home win came against Jacksonville 41-24 on November 4th. Nobody said this would be an easy game, but I must go with the home team.
Atlanta Falcons Pick 'em @ Tampa Bay 1:00pm--- What a week for the Falcons. First their star QB Michael Vick gets sentenced to 23 months in prison. Second they get crushed at home to the Saints 34-14. Then their Head Coach Bobby Petrino who wants to draft a QB according to an interview done with Falcons owner Arthur Blanc takes off for Arkansas to be their next Head Coach leaving the Falcons high and dry. If it weren't all true, it would almost be laughable. Unfortunately for the Falcons this season has not been laughable. They are 3-10 and facing the Buccaneers who have their sights set on clinching the NFC South. Tampa Bay with a win will, in fact, do that. The last time these two teams faced each other back in Atlanta the Falcons were destroyed 31-7. I do not expect anything to change here. The biggest surprise to me is that this was an even game by the oddsmakers in Las Vegas. Taking the homestanding Buccaneers.
Baltimore Ravens -3 1/2 @ Miami Dolphins 1:00pm--- The Ravens have lost 7 in a row. They are out of any kind of playoff contention. No doubt that the loss to the Patriots on Monday night is still fresh in their minds as they slept walked their way through the Colt game last week. I get the feeling here that the Ravens are going to take some of their frustrations out on the winless Miami Dolphins. Cleo Lemon will start in this game for the Dolphins. I am not sure it would matter who is starting for the poor Fish these days they are going to take this one on the chin. Look for the Ravens to pound the Fish.
Buffalo Bills +5 1/2 @ Cleveland Browns 1:00pm--- With a Cleveland Browns win in conjuction with a Titans loss, Broncos/Texans tie and a Bengals loss will clinch a playoff spot for the Cleveland Browns for the first time since 2002, when they lost in the Wild Card round to the Pittsburgh Steelers 36-33. So if you are a Browns fan, be prepared to go to the playoffs. With a win against the Bills it is almost certain you will be there.
Green Bay Packers -9 @ St. Louis Rams 1:00pm--- Green Bay has lost 3 of the last 4 games to the Rams. But this is not the same Rams team. And certainly they are not healthy enough to give the Packers a fight. St.Louis is probably starting their third string QB and though Stephen Jackson is now healthy, it will not be good enough to stop Brett Farve and the Packers. Taking the Packers on the road to cover this game.
Jacksonville Jaguars +4 @ Pittsburgh Steelers 1:00pm--- Jacksonville has won the last two meeting between these two teams over the last two years. Both teams are motivated to win this battle. The Steelers looking to clinch the division in the AFC North and the Jaguars are looking to hold off the Browns for the fifth seed in the playoffs. I will go with the home team to win this battle and clinch the North.
New York Jets +24 @ New England 1:00pm--- The last four times the Jets have beaten New England the games were played in New England. For whatever the reason, they play them tough in New England. The last time the Jets lost by more than 20 points to New England in New England was back in 1996 when they lost 34-10. Since 1996, the Jets are 6-5 in New England. All the hype about how much is New England going to win this game by??? It should be focused on how much would the Jets like to finish all this talk about the perfect season??? I maybe reading this wrong, but I think this game will be a close game and there will be the potential that the Jets will have a chance in the 4th quarter to win this game. Everyone talks about how motivated New England is... but they forget that there is another team on the other sideline that has a different kind of motivation. I know I will be in the minority here but I will take my chances. Since New England has FAILED to cover when they have been favored by 20 points or more, I'll take the Jets and the points.
Seattle Seahawks -7 @ Carolina Panthers 1:00pm--- The Seahawks have not played the Panthers since the NFC Championship game in 2005 when they pounded Carolina 34-14. Since this Carolina team is a shell of that team it should be just as easy for the Seahawks to go in and do a similar job to Carolina that they did in 2005. I will lay the 7 and take the Seahawks.
Tennessee Titans -4 @ Kansas City Chiefs 1:00pm--- The Chiefs have only played the Titans twice since they moved to Tennessee. They have split the two meetings with both games played in Nashville. The Titans need this game to keep their playoff hope alive. That is all the motivation they need to beat the Chiefs and move their record to 8-6. I will give up the points and take Tennessee.
Indianapolis Colts -10 1/2 @ Oakland Raiders 4:05pm--- I was dead on last week with the Raiders and Packers game last week. I will roll the dice that the Raiders are looking to the Christmas and New Year's at home. Hey, they have had a GREAT season, they doubled their win total from a year ago. You have to be impressed with that. Well... maybe not. I'm laying the points and I will go with Manning and the Colts.
Detroit Lions +10 @ San Diego Chargers 4:15pm--- The Lions have not beaten the Chargers since 1978. That is 29 years ago. That does cover 5 victories for the Chargers. In none of those games did the Chargers win by more than 10 points. In order for me to take a team with that kind of spread, I have to believe that they can win by 11 points. History tells me that hasn't happened yet. I expect a close game and a Chargers win. So I will take the points and the Lions.
Philadelphia Eagles +10 1/2 @ Dallas Cowboys 4:15pm--- I got burned going against Dallas the last time these two teams played. You can say I am a quick learner. I will take the Cowboys because I don't believe that the Eagles can keep up with that offense of the Cowboys. I will give up the points and take Dallas.
Washington Redskins +4 1/2 @ New York Giants 8:15pm--- This rivalry goes all the way back to 1932 when Washington was actually in Boston and known as the Braves. For you young whippersnappers who claim to know everything, there is your history lesson for the day. The Giants lead the all-time series 85-60-4 which includes their battle earlier this year. The last time these two teams met back in week #3 the Giants beat the Redskins 24-17 in front of over 90,000 fans. Well they won't draw 90,000 in the Meadowlands but they should witness similar results. Look for the Giants to take it to Washington and knock the Redskins out of any hope for the playoffs. I will take the Giants.
Monday, December 17th,2007
Chicago Bears +9 1/2 @ Minnesota Vikings 8:30pm--- This rivalry isn't as old. They only go back to 1961. The Vikings lead this series 49-41-2 which does not include the Bears playoff win over Minnesota in 1994. But it does include the victory that the Vikings had over the Bears in week#6 34-31 in Chicago. That game Adrian Peterson of the Vikings had 224 yards rushing. I would expect that not to change. Also the Bears will be without Rex Grossman who is gone for the year and the Bears will be starting their third string QB Kyle Orton from Purdue. This looks like it could be a long night in Minnesota for Chicago. Giving up the points and taking the Vikings.
Those are the picks for week#15 in the NFL. Have a GREAT weekend everyone.
