A Chicken Is Not Pillage

Week 17 Picks

Oh look, all of the games are on Sunday ... AS IT SHOULD BE!  Yes, I am an old school curmudgeon. 

With the exception of the sixth seed in both conferences, the playoff field is set.  Seeding is a different story.  Picking the week 17 games is so difficult because you have no idea which team will sit players and which won't.  Still I will do my best.

Bloody Monday (the day coaches and GMs generally get their walking papers) is on New Year's day this year, so it may be delayed a bit until Plasma Tuesday.  Still, the coaches I expect to take the long walk are Pagano, Fox, Lewis (which is already a given), and probably Mularkey.  Since Cleveland will go 0-16, I think Hue Jackson might be leaving.  But he has a done a significant amount of talent and pride building of a team desperate for something resembling consistency, so we'll see.  I'll have more to say next week.

Sunday:

Washington (7-8) at New York Giants (2-13) - Taterskins

It's Cousins' last chance audition.  I think he's earned the job, but Washington is the most fucked up GM/Ownership situation in the NFL.

New York Jets (5-10) at New England (12-3) - Hatriots

Krap (Kraft) will not allow his team to lose home field through the playoffs.  I can't be all that unhappy, because, at least in the AFC, a record of 13-3 tends to be a curse.

Chicago (5-10) at Minnesota (12-3) - Vikings

It doesn't matter if the Vikings rest their starters.  They are still better than the Bears and they are playing for the bye week.

Green Bay (7-8) at Detroit (8-7) - Lions

Pride

Houston (4-11) at Indianapolis (3-12) - Colts

Not much to work with here.

Cleveland (0-15) at Pittsburgh (12-3) - Steelers

Yes, Pittsburgh will rest starters and still beat the hapless Browns at home.

Dallas (8-7) at Philadelphia (13-2) - Cowboys

The Eagles have everything as they want them.  They will not play anyone who risks a playoff run.

San Francisco (5-10) at Los Angeles Rams (11-4) - 49ers

The Rams have already announced they are resting starters before the Wildcard weekend.

Oakland (6-9) at Los Angeles Chargers (8-7) - Chargers

The LA team is playing for a possible playoff birth.  They need a win and some help, which they might get.

Kansas City (9-6) at Denver (5-10) - Broncos

The Chiefs have their seed and nothing to play for save safety.  I don't like the Broncos QB carousel drifting back to Lynch, but they should be able to beat the KC seconds.

Jacksonville (10-5) at Tennessee (8-7) - Jaguars

The Jags may rest on offense, but that defense is still smarting from being spanked by the 'Niners.

New Orleans (11-4) at Tampa Bay (4-11) - Saints

The Saints are just a better team.

Buffalo (8-7) at Miami (6-9) - Dolphins

My upset pick of the week, and Cutler is playing for a job.  The Bills run the ball, the Miami D is set to stuff the run.  I think the 'Fish take this.

Arizona (7-8) at Seattle (9-6) - Seahawks

The Hacks are playing for a spot in the post season and ...

Carolina (11-4) at Atlanta (9-6) - Panthers

Julio Jones is dinged and the Panthers are hungry to take the top spot from the Saints.

Cincinnati (6-9) at Baltimore (9-6) - Ravens

It would be nice to see Marvin Lewis go out with a win.  But no.

Last Week's Score:  13 - 3,  81%   Overall:  161 - 79,  67%

 

Week 16 Picks

Have I mentioned that I really hate Saturday NFL football?  Good.  This is especially true because I picked a Thursday night game that wasn't ... until Saturday (which is today as of the writing of this post.)

 As if I needed yet another reason to hate the team from New England, the officials just gave them another win.  This one has terribly huge Playoff importance in that New England has the tie breaker for Home Field over the Steelers, and nobody beats the Hatriots in Foxborough in January.  I will never understand how that Jesse James touchdown got overturned.  First, he caught the ball cleanly, went to the ground untouched, and then spun to get the ball over the goal line.  That was a clear football move, which broke the plane.  Second his right hand was under the ball when his left slipped.  Still a catch, still a touchdown.  Pittsburgh was robbed and there is no other way to see it, other than bad officiating once again decided the outcome of an extremely important game.  As fans that isn't why we watch football.  The Hatriots legend grows due to sheer luck and bad sports, again, and this will be used as just more evidence of New England's 'greatness'.  Truly disgusting. 

Saturday:

Indianapolis (3-11) at Baltimore (8-6) - Ravens (16-23, Ravens)

Minnesota (11-3) at Green Bay (7-7) - Vikings (16-0, Vikings)

Sunday:

Detroit (8-6) at Cincinnati (5-9) - Lions (17-26, Bengals)

Detroit is desperately clinging to the hopes of a playoff birth.  Of those currently on the NFC outside looking in, they have the best chance.

Miami (6-8) at Kansas City (8-6) - Chiefs (13-29, Chiefs)

Buffalo (8-6) at New England (11-3) - Hatriots (16-37, Hatriots)

Cleveland (0-14) at Chicago (4-10) - Bears (3-20, Bears)

I really hope to be wrong on this one.

Tampa Bay (4-10) at Carolina (10-4) - Panthers (19-22, Panthers)

Cam is heating up on the late season.

Atlanta (9-5) at New Orleans (10-4) - Saints (13-23, Saints)

The saints and Panthers control their own destinies.  The Falcons are just looking in.

Denver (5-9) at Washington (6-8) - Taterskins (11-27, Taterskins)

The Broncos haven't played very well in the east this year.

Los Angeles Rams (10-4) at Tennessee (8-6) - Rams (27-23, Rams)

Los Angeles Chargers (7-7) at New York Jets (5-9) - Chargers (14-7, Chargers)

Jacksonville (10-4) at San Francisco (4-10) - Jaguars (33-44, 'Niners)

Garrapolo loses his first.

Seattle (8-6) at Dallas (8-6) - Cowboys (21-12, Seahawks)

The loser is assured of spending January on the couch.

New York Giants (2-12) at Arizona (6-8) - Cardinals (0-23, Cardinals)

I'm going with the odds, but I'm strangely uncomfortable with this pick.

Christmas:

Pittsburgh (11-3) at Houston (4-10) - Steelers (34-6, Steelers)

Oakland (6-8) at Philadelphia (12-2) - Eagles (10-19, Eagles)

The Eagles lock up the top seed.

Last Week's Picks:  13 - 3, 81%,   Overall:  148 - 76,  66%

Week 15 Picks Official

Still no time so Im'a make this quick.

My picks last week sucked, but the Dolphins beat the Hatriots, so I kinda like Jay Cutler again.

Thursday:

Denver (4-9) at Indianapolis (3-10) - Colts (25-13, Broncos)

Saturday:

Chicago (4-9) at Detroit (7-6) - Lions (10-20, Lions)

Los Angeles Chargers (7-6) at Kansas City (7-6) - Chargers (13-30, Chiefs)

Sunday:

Baltimore (7-6) at Cleveland (0-13) - Ravens (27-10, Ravens)

Arizona (6-7) at Washington (5-8) - Taterskins (15-20, Taterskins)

Philadelphia (11-2) at New York Giants (2-11) - Eagles (34-29, Eagles)

Miami (6-7) at Buffalo (7-6) - Bills (16-24, Bills)

Green Bay (7-6) at Carolina (9-4) - Panthers (24-31, Panthers)

Houston (4-9) at Jacksonville (9-4) - Jaguars (7-45, Jaguars)

Cincinnati (5-8) at Minnesota (10-3) - Vikings (7-34, Vikings)

New York Jets (5-8) at New Orleans (9-4) - Saints (19-31, Saints)

Los Angeles Rams (9-4) at Seattle (8-5) - Rams (42-7, Rams)

New England (10-3) at Pittsburgh (11-2) - Steelers (27-24, Hatriots)

Tennessee (8-5) at San Francisco (3-10) - 'Niners (23-25, 49ers)

Sunday Night:

Dallas (7-6) at Oakland (6-7) - Cowboys (20-17, Cowboys)

Monday Night:

Atlanta (8-5) at Tampa Bay (4-9) - Falcons (24-21, Falcons)

Last Week's Score:   8 - 8, 50%    Overall:  135 - 73,  65%

 

Saturday Picks

Working today, still no time.

Saturday:

 

Chicago (4-9) at Detroit (7-6) - Lions

Los Angeles Chargers (7-6) at Kansas City (7-6) - Chargers