NFL 2012: Week 13 Picks
The NFL is in the home stretch with just five weeks remaining and I expect a lot of great football this weekend as teams get closer and closer to clinching those coveted playoff spots. The Bengals can't clinch a spot in the postseason with a win Sunday in San Diego, but a win would sure help their chances. Thoughts on the Bengals and the rest of the games in Week 13 are next.
Week 13 Picks (Home team in CAPS)
ATLANTA over New Orleans: All signs tell me to pick the Saints in this football game, but I just don't see that happening. According to ESPN, Atlanta is 18-4 in its last 22 regular season games and three of those losses have come at the hands of the Saints. Drew Brees and the New Orleans may put up 31 points again like they did in Week 10, but I like Matt Ryan and the Falcons at home.
BUFFALO over Jacksonville: The Jaguars did just get their second win of the season, but I'll circle the wagon and take the Bills.
CHICAGO over Seattle: Pretty simple, when Jay Culter plays, the Bears win and he'll be playing on Sunday. I expect it to be a close game though as Seattle has a pretty darn good football team.
San Francisco over ST. LOUIS: Don't expect these two to tie again. I like the 49ers big on the road in St. Louis.
New England over MIAMI: The Patriots kicked the crap out of the Jets Thanksgiving night and not even sprinklers going off will stop Brady and the Pats from winning in South Beach.
NY JETS over Arizona: In order to win in the NFL, a team must have a very good quarterback. Neither the Jets nor the Cardinals have very good quarterbacks, which is why these two teams will be watching the playoffs from their couches this January. I have to pick someone, so I'll take the Jets since they are at home and because the Arizona Diamondbacks have won more games since the Arizona Cardinals last won a game.
Indianapolis over DETROIT: The Lions are the favorites in this one and a lot of the experts are taking Detroit, but I got to go with Andrew Luck and the Colts on Sunday. At 7-4, the Colts are currently fifth in the AFC playoff race and with everything they've had to endure this season with their head coach fighting leukemia; it would be quite a feat to make the playoffs. I think Indianapolis will make the playoffs and I think they win on Sunday in a very close ball game in the Motor City.
GREEN BAY over Minnesota: Despite the Packers getting embarrassed last Sunday night in New York by the Giants, I look for Aaron Rodgers and company to rebound with a win over
Houston over TENNESSEE: If I had to pick one team right now to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl it would be Houston. The Texans are 10-1 and even though it took overtime to beat the Lions and Jaguars the last two weeks, I still think they are one of the top two teams in the league.
Carolina over KANSAS CITY: At 1-10, the only thing Kansas City needs to worry about is who they are going to choose with the first overall pick in the draft come April.
DENVER over Tampa Bay: 3,260 passing yards, 26 TD, 8 INT, a quarterback rating of 104.8, his team is 8-3 and they can clinch the division with a win on Sunday. Yeah that sounds like the Peyton Manning we all know. Jamaal Charles was very smart in asking for Peyton's autograph after last week's loss because the guy is flat out amazing.
OAKLAND over Cleveland: Let's be honest, the Raiders are a terrible football team. The only thing worse is Oakland right now is Carson Palmer's mustache; however, I like them to beat a pretty bad Browns team at home.
BALTIMORE over Pittsburgh: The Steelers had eight turnovers and lost to the Cleveland Browns last week without QB Ben Roethlisberger, so I can only imagine how bad things might go this week for Pittsburgh in Baltimore.
DALLAS over Philadelphia: Any other year this would be one of the league's premier games, but 2012 has been a disappointing year for both the Cowboys and Eagles. The only reason to tune in to this one is to see head coaches Jason Garrett and Andy Reid one last time before both of them are fired at seasons end.
NY Giants over WASHINGTON: I was stunned by what the Giants did last week against the Packers, so I expect them to handle RGIII and the Redskins with relative ease on Monday night.
Bengals over CHARGERS: Three wins in a row for the Bengals and all of them have been in pretty impressive fashion. First, a 31-13 dismantling of the world champion New York Giants, then a steamrolling of the pathetic Kansas City Chiefs 28-6 and last week an absolute beat down of Carson Palmer and the Raiders 34-10.
At 6-5 and with the Pittsburgh Steelers losing last week, the Bengals playoff hopes have never looked better and a win in San Diego Sunday afternoon will only help their chances even more. The Steelers will be without QB Ben Roethlisberger again this week as they face a tough test in Baltimore against the Ravens.
I expect the Steelers to lose on Sunday and if they do, along with a Bengals win of course, that will put Cincinnati into the sixth and final playoff spot in the AFC. A win against the Chargers will be no easy task, however. The Ravens needed a conversion of 4th and 29 last week to kick a game tying field goal to send their game against the Chargers into overtime, which they eventually won, so the Bengals will have their hands full with Philip Rivers and Co.
The Chargers have a lot of talent, but they never seem to play an entire 60 minutes of good, mistake free football. I think the Bengals have the best defensive line in the NFL and I expect Geno Atkins, Michael Johnson and Carlos Dunlap to get pressure on Rivers, which could result in him turning the ball over, something he has been prone to do this season.
It been hard to believe in the Bengals at times this season, but I believe in this team and a win a Sunday would turn many Bengals skeptics into believers. Cincinnati will get it done on the road and get one step closer to returning to the playoffs. Bengals 20, Chargers 17.
Last Week: 10-6
Overall: 117-59
Week 13 Picks (Home team in CAPS)
ATLANTA over New Orleans: All signs tell me to pick the Saints in this football game, but I just don't see that happening. According to ESPN, Atlanta is 18-4 in its last 22 regular season games and three of those losses have come at the hands of the Saints. Drew Brees and the New Orleans may put up 31 points again like they did in Week 10, but I like Matt Ryan and the Falcons at home.
BUFFALO over Jacksonville: The Jaguars did just get their second win of the season, but I'll circle the wagon and take the Bills.
CHICAGO over Seattle: Pretty simple, when Jay Culter plays, the Bears win and he'll be playing on Sunday. I expect it to be a close game though as Seattle has a pretty darn good football team.
San Francisco over ST. LOUIS: Don't expect these two to tie again. I like the 49ers big on the road in St. Louis.
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| Sprinklers coming on during the third quarter of the Seahawks/Dolphins game last Sunday in Miami is the ultimate, "C'mon Man!" (Photo Courtesy of NFL.com) |
New England over MIAMI: The Patriots kicked the crap out of the Jets Thanksgiving night and not even sprinklers going off will stop Brady and the Pats from winning in South Beach.
NY JETS over Arizona: In order to win in the NFL, a team must have a very good quarterback. Neither the Jets nor the Cardinals have very good quarterbacks, which is why these two teams will be watching the playoffs from their couches this January. I have to pick someone, so I'll take the Jets since they are at home and because the Arizona Diamondbacks have won more games since the Arizona Cardinals last won a game.
Indianapolis over DETROIT: The Lions are the favorites in this one and a lot of the experts are taking Detroit, but I got to go with Andrew Luck and the Colts on Sunday. At 7-4, the Colts are currently fifth in the AFC playoff race and with everything they've had to endure this season with their head coach fighting leukemia; it would be quite a feat to make the playoffs. I think Indianapolis will make the playoffs and I think they win on Sunday in a very close ball game in the Motor City.
GREEN BAY over Minnesota: Despite the Packers getting embarrassed last Sunday night in New York by the Giants, I look for Aaron Rodgers and company to rebound with a win over
Houston over TENNESSEE: If I had to pick one team right now to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl it would be Houston. The Texans are 10-1 and even though it took overtime to beat the Lions and Jaguars the last two weeks, I still think they are one of the top two teams in the league.
Carolina over KANSAS CITY: At 1-10, the only thing Kansas City needs to worry about is who they are going to choose with the first overall pick in the draft come April.
DENVER over Tampa Bay: 3,260 passing yards, 26 TD, 8 INT, a quarterback rating of 104.8, his team is 8-3 and they can clinch the division with a win on Sunday. Yeah that sounds like the Peyton Manning we all know. Jamaal Charles was very smart in asking for Peyton's autograph after last week's loss because the guy is flat out amazing.
OAKLAND over Cleveland: Let's be honest, the Raiders are a terrible football team. The only thing worse is Oakland right now is Carson Palmer's mustache; however, I like them to beat a pretty bad Browns team at home.
BALTIMORE over Pittsburgh: The Steelers had eight turnovers and lost to the Cleveland Browns last week without QB Ben Roethlisberger, so I can only imagine how bad things might go this week for Pittsburgh in Baltimore.
DALLAS over Philadelphia: Any other year this would be one of the league's premier games, but 2012 has been a disappointing year for both the Cowboys and Eagles. The only reason to tune in to this one is to see head coaches Jason Garrett and Andy Reid one last time before both of them are fired at seasons end.
NY Giants over WASHINGTON: I was stunned by what the Giants did last week against the Packers, so I expect them to handle RGIII and the Redskins with relative ease on Monday night.
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| Carson Palmer and the Raiders received a beat down from Geno Atkins (97) and the Bengals last Sunday as Cincinnati won its third straight game. (Samantha Grier/Dayton Daily News) |
Bengals over CHARGERS: Three wins in a row for the Bengals and all of them have been in pretty impressive fashion. First, a 31-13 dismantling of the world champion New York Giants, then a steamrolling of the pathetic Kansas City Chiefs 28-6 and last week an absolute beat down of Carson Palmer and the Raiders 34-10.
At 6-5 and with the Pittsburgh Steelers losing last week, the Bengals playoff hopes have never looked better and a win in San Diego Sunday afternoon will only help their chances even more. The Steelers will be without QB Ben Roethlisberger again this week as they face a tough test in Baltimore against the Ravens.
I expect the Steelers to lose on Sunday and if they do, along with a Bengals win of course, that will put Cincinnati into the sixth and final playoff spot in the AFC. A win against the Chargers will be no easy task, however. The Ravens needed a conversion of 4th and 29 last week to kick a game tying field goal to send their game against the Chargers into overtime, which they eventually won, so the Bengals will have their hands full with Philip Rivers and Co.
The Chargers have a lot of talent, but they never seem to play an entire 60 minutes of good, mistake free football. I think the Bengals have the best defensive line in the NFL and I expect Geno Atkins, Michael Johnson and Carlos Dunlap to get pressure on Rivers, which could result in him turning the ball over, something he has been prone to do this season.
It been hard to believe in the Bengals at times this season, but I believe in this team and a win a Sunday would turn many Bengals skeptics into believers. Cincinnati will get it done on the road and get one step closer to returning to the playoffs. Bengals 20, Chargers 17.
Last Week: 10-6
Overall: 117-59
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