Week 17 NFL Pick Review – 2006

A crazy last week in the NFL had me going 7-9. That finishes me just a game under .500 for the regular season. With a playoff push dancing in the streets, I’ll do my damnedest to hop over to the winning side of Humpty’s wall.

Gimmie-Games

Jaguars over the Chiefs (loss)
Bears over the Packers (loss)
Saints over the Panthers (loss)
Rams over the Vikings (win)
Seahawks over the Buccaneers (win)

Saturday:

New York Giants @ Washington Redskins (+3): (loss)

The Giants did their best to lose this game, despite Tiki Barber’s amazing performance in his last home game in the NFL. The Redskins fought back, and had a chance, but as it turned out Tiki was just too much. For the first time in quite a while, I started my week with a pre-Sunday loss.

Sunday:

Atlanta Falcons (+9.5) at Philadelphia Eagles: (win)

The Falcons couldn’t pull out a win against the AJ Feeley led Eagles, but they did walk away with a win against the spread. And if you follow, that means I got a big win as well.

Buffalo Bills (+10.5) at Baltimore Ravens: (loss)

The Bills played the Ravens tough, but fell a point and a half short of covering the spread in Baltimore. The Ravens defense played well in the last game of the year, and won themselves a first round bye.

Carolina Panthers at New Orleans Saints (+3): (loss)

The Saints played like a team that didn’t have much to play for, and finally, Carolina came out looking like a team that everyone expected them to be all season. What can we expect from Carolina next season?

Cleveland Browns at Houston Texans (-4.5): (win)

The Texans got a big defensive touchdown early in the 4th quarter, and that was just what they needed to cover at home against the Brownies.

Detroit Lions at Dallas Cowboys (-12.5) (loss)

Not only did the Cowgirls fail to cover against the lowly Lions, they pulled out of a home game against the 2nd worst team in the NFL with a big L, and a first round playoff match-up with the Seahawks in Seattle.

Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears (-3): (loss)

The Packers dominated a Bears team that walks into the playoffs limping at quarterback, and it’s not because of injuries. Rex Grossman played for about a half, and Brian Greise the same, and both had a couple turnovers. As for the Pack, well, them might have seen the last of QB stability, as Brett Favre may have played his last game. All this, and a loss for Lucky Lester.

Jacksonville (+3) at Kansas City: (loss)

David Garrard threw a bad interception and then got pulled, while Byron Leftwich watched from the sidelines. A Jaguar loss has me wondering what happened to all that “Byron won’t start in Jacksonville next year” talk went. The Chiefs won by 5, and I lost another close one.

Miami Dolphins at Indianapolis Colts (-9): (loss)

The Colts walked away with a win, but they can’t be comfortable with how they’ve played in the second half of the season, as Miami almost pulled one out via Chris Lemon and a Dolphins rushing attack that struggled all season long. Indy’s 5 point win wasn’t god enough to make me a winner.

New England Patriots (+3) at Tennessee Titans: (win)

When Vincent Young sprinted to a 28 yard touchdown near the end of the 3rd quarter, I thought I was going to be done in by the Magic Man once again, but as it turned out, Vince Young couldn’t corral this W, making me a big winner.

Oakland Raiders (+13) at N.Y. Jets: (loss)

The Raiders didn’t cover against New York, as the Jets came out and smacked Oakland in the teeth. Do the Raiders have any more teeth? Apparently not, as even their normally stout defense fell short of expectations in this one, sending the Jets right into the playoffs.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals (-6): (loss)

The Bengals needed a win to be playoff eligible, but couldn’t even do that as the Steelers stomped into Cincinnati and ended any hopes of a Bengal victory. I was sure Cinci would come out strong in this one, apparently sure doesn’t mean jack in Week 17.

Seattle Seahawks (+3.5) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers: (win)

I was really surprised the Hawks were underdogs in this one. An easy win (though a couple secondary injuries might kill the Hawks in the playoffs) was just what the Hawks needed, as they’ll host the Cowboys next Saturday.

St. Louis Rams (-2.5) at Minnesota Vikings: (win)

The Rams easily walked over the Vikings in Minnesota. Steven Jackson showed why he was recognized as a pro-bowler and Marc Bulger did what he needed to do to get the Rams to .500 on the season.

Arizona Cardinals (+15) at San Diego Chargers: (win)

The Cardinals couldn’t pull out a win, Dennis Green couldn’t pull out his job, and the LT couldn’t pull out another touchdown. But I did pull out a much needed win as the Cards covered in San Diego behind Kurt freaking Warner.

San Francisco 49ers (+11) at Denver Broncos: (win)

The 49ers brought the game into overtime and took down the Broncos in Denver to kick Mike Shanahan and his beloved Broncos right out of the playoff picture, and Larry Johnson sent Frank Gore a new car. The last one was a guess, but the win to get me to 7-9 was just what the Lester ordered.

Free Football Picks 06-07 Week 17

Last week of the year, and this is a make or break section for El Lucky Lester. As I rest 1 game up on the season, 116-115 and some ties, I need some solid picks to assure that I finish at or above .500 for the 3rd time in as many chances. Put on your reading glasses and pay full attention, as these picks will rock your world!
Gimmie-GamesJaguars over the Chiefs
Bears over the Packers
Saints over the Panthers
Rams over the Vikings
Seahawks over the Buccaneers

Saturday:

New York Giants @ Washington Redskins (+3):

It’s going to be fun to talk about when the Giants, who only needed a win to reach the playoffs, lost to a Redskins team, that just happens to be out of the playoffs, and playing for nothing but the right to say, “ha-freaking-ha!” Ladell Betts is too tough a runner to allow a beaten Giants team to slow him. Jason Cambell will elude the Giant rush, without Strahan, allowing him to connect with Moss, Randel El, and Brandon Lloyd for some big plays in the passing game.

Sunday:

Atlanta Falcons (+9.5) at Philadelphia Eagles:

I love the Eagles, and think they’ll win this game at home against Mike Vicks and the Falcons, but, but the Falcons play a close style of football, and to think the outcome will end with more than a touchdown difference seems like a stretch to me. The Eagles would love this game to finish off the division, but Atlanta also has hopes of improvement, and maybe a playoff birth.

Buffalo Bills (+10.5) at Baltimore Ravens:

The Ravens are one of my favorites to make it to the AFC Championship round, but the Bills have been playing tough lately, and this will surely be the last game in this season, so they’ll be playing with nothing to lose. With JP Losman, Willis McGahee and Lee Evans allowed to fully use their athletic gifts, expect the Bills to possibly pull out a season finale shocker on the road.

Carolina Panthers at New Orleans Saints (+3):

The Saints will be playing a dumbed down style, with back ups playing later in the game, but they have enough skill position depth to ruin yet another Panther game to end the season. The Saints don’t “need” this game, but the Panthers’ players have all but written off their chances, after struggling two weeks in a row. Carolina will continue to be one of the leagues’ most disappointing teams.

Cleveland Browns at Houston Texans (-4.5):

While Houston is relatively healthy, (sans out for the entire year RB, Dom Davis) the Browns could very well be starting their 3rd quarterback on Sunday. Cleveland wasn’t deep at the position to start the season, let alone know. The Brown rushing attack has been suspect throughout the year, so it’s not like they’re ready to run to the rescue. Thus, the Texans, David Carr, Andrew Johnson, and Ronald Freaking Dayne, will all get their chances to win yet another game. Winning that last game is important for “next season”. Houston gets the job done.

Detroit Lions at Dallas Cowboys (-12.5):

The Cowboys are ready to come back this week, despite their donkey-airhead WR running his yap. All in all, the Cowboys are feeling their way into the playoffs, and possible make a run at a title. Dallas has to play better defensively, and Tony Romo needs to limit his mistakes, and the Boys can easily win a few games in the very near future. This spread is huge, but you’ve got to admit, the Boys are 2 touchdowns better than the Lions.

Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears (-3):

I guess I’m tired of the Packers in the Playoffs talk that seems to be following me around everywhere I go. The Bears are just as good with Brian Grease running the show, so even if Rex doesn’t play much, it’s not as if the backup is a no show. The Bears have wonderful special teams play, a great 1-2 Punch at running back, and plenty of speedy young WRs that need more reps, so they should get in plenty of practice against the Packers’ secondary.

Jacksonville (+3) at Kansas City:

Unless Damon Huard comes with it and stars for the Chiefs, this is going to be a boring battle, headlined by Maurice Drew outperforming Larry Johnson. Not because LJ isn’t absolutely legit, but because the Jaguar defensive front, teamed with a line backing corps that knows Green isn’t much to be scared of,

Miami Dolphins at Indianapolis Colts(-9):

It’s very tough for me to trust the Colts against anyone, but I have a gut feeling that Indy is on the way back this year. They certainly struggled last week, but they’ll get back in the swing of things just before the playoffs begin. I also don’t think the Dolphins can offensively match what the Colts are about to do.

New England Patriots (+3) at Tennessee Titans:

I know Vince Young had his best game as a pro last week, but do you think Bill Billichick will allow Young to do the things he likes to do? Hell no! Vince will get a little lesson on intelligent defenses in the NFL. The Patriots have struggled off and on, but they’ll definitely have a quick and tricky scheme set up for Yong.

Oakland Raiders (+13) at N.Y. Jets:

Everyone and their mother knows how I feel about the Raiders, and there is no reason to take them, unless they’re getting mucho points in the spread. Well as it turns out, neither of these teams plays in too many blowouts, and especially with a playoff birth on the line, expect the Jets to me safe. I hate safe, because it rarely is safe, it’s ugly, it renders points for your opponent, and keeps your defense on the field to lose the game. Another boring one, with a nice Raider defense performance, this game will be too close for that huge spread, so, gulp, take the Raiders.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals (-6):

The Steelers (huge losers last week) are now officially eliminated from a chance at the post-season. The Bengals need some help, but they still have a chance, and are actually a good football team. Take Chad, Carson, Rudi, TJ, Chris Henry, and the rest of the Bengals in an annihilation of the Steeler defense that loves to give up big plays in the most inopportune time.

Seattle Seahawks (+3.5) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers:

The Bucs are much better with Tim Rattay, I must say, but hey, they don’t live by the bay, they live where the water’s gray, and killer whales ride the waves. Say, the Hawks have to know the way, as it seems they’ve done this all before, just yesterday, not May. The Hawks dump the Bucs, with or without resting their starters on the road.

St. Louis Rams (-2.5) at Minnesota Vikings:

Believe it or not, the Rams still have a chance at ending up smack dab in the middle of the first round playoff race. The way Steven Jackson has been playing, I have to take the Rams. And then there’s Marc Bulger, Tory Holt, and Isaac Bruce, amongst many other big stars. Minnesota have been underperforming all season long. Look for the Rams to continue to ride stud back Steven Jackson, and go for the jugular early.

Arizona Cardinals (+15) at San Diego Chargers:

I just think this is too much. San Diego will rest some key guys, as they go into the playoffs wrapping up home seed throughout. I think the Charges can easily pull this one out, but with Dennis Green fighting for his job, and the Cardinals rolling with Kurt Warner, Arizona has a swinging shot to down the league’s best on Sunday. And that’s why football is so brilliant.

San Francisco 49ers (+11) at Denver Broncos: I like the way the 49ers have stuck there hearts on the line lately, but they are tougher than they seem. Denver has more talent, and at the skill positions, the Broncos are dominant, but here’s this guy named Frank Gore, and he’s ready to cover al by his lonesome. This could very well be the finale for bother these teams. With all those points on their side, I’m rolling the dice on the 49ers in Denver. Plus, all the cold weather means for a tighter game all around.

Week 16 NFL Pick Review – 2006

4-1 in my top 5 gimmie games, but after that, well, things weren’t shiny, happy, and warm like Christmas gifts are supposed to be, that’s for sure. I needed a strong Monday to lift me over the top… This is how it worked out.

Gimmie-Games

Bengals over the Broncos (win)
Bears over the Lions (win)
Chiefs over the Raiders (win)
Colts over the Texans (loss)
Ravens over the Steelers (win)

Thursday:

Minnesota Vikings (+3.5) @ Green Bay Packers: (win) Tarvaris Jackson didn’t do to well, but the Vikings played the Packers, and therefore, Jackson’s poor starting performance was just good enough to cover by a couple points in Green Bay.

Saturday:

Kansas City Chiefs (-6.5) @ Oakland Raiders: (win) “Larry Johnson is running for the Chiefs who have to win or face a sure exit from playoff hopes. Justin Fargas is running for the Raiders, who, ah, are never going to win again this year.” LJ was great against a good Raider defense, and the Chiefs easily covered, winning by 11 on the road.

Sunday:

Baltimore Ravens (+3.5) at Pittsburgh Steelers: (win) “I know the Steelers are coming on strong of late, but really, do wins over Tampa Bay, Cleveland, and Carolina really count? No.” The Steelers were bad once again, as the Ravens proved the point I was trying to make, beating sub par teams doesn’t make the Steelers good. The Ravens smoked Pittsburgh.

Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons (-6): (loss) The Falcons are probably the most inconsistent football team in the league. With the talent they have, scoring 3 points against the Panthers in Atlanta is just flat out pathetic. What do the Falcons need to be winners in the NFC? When you can’t beat a Chris Weinke led team, you’re in trouble.

Chicago Bears (-4) at Detroit Lions: (win) “Is this some kind of sick joke?” It wasn’t a joke. The Lions hung in there until the very end, but the Bears won by 6, making me sweat one out, but ending the game with a smile was just fine with me.

Indianapolis Colts (-9) @ Houston Texans: (loss) What were the Colts up to in Houston? After slanging the Bengals last week on MNF, the Colts just weren’t ready for Ron Dayne. Ron “freaking” Dayne for God’s sake. 3 shots of Jack D later and Mike Vanderjagt will be calling Peyton Manning just some drunk quarterback running his mouth.

New England Patriots at Jacksonville Jaguars (-2.5): (loss) It was close, and I thought the Jags were on a comeback trail, but behind is not a thing Jacksonville is good at coming back from, and that’s why Byron Leftwich will get his starting gig back when he’s healthy. Maurice Drew has been the best freshman running back this season. YEAH, that’s right, you herd it right. Consistent and explosive, just like cornbread, ain’t nothing wrong with that.

New Orleans Saints (+3) at New York Giants: (win) “I just don’t see how the Saints are underdogs here. I don’t think the Giants have a chance to make the playoffs, so it’s not as if they’ll be playing with extra umph. And Drew Brees has been shredding suspect secondaries all season long, and the Giants certainly have one of those. Look for Drew and the Saints to perform well in a bounce back game.” The Saints just flat out dominated this game. New York started off hot, but after that, Eli was Eli, the Giant defense was bad, and the Saints smashed their running game right down the throat of the pathetic Giants.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+3) at Cleveland Browns: (win) “With Tim Rattay getting the starting nod, I actually believe the Buccaneers are a tough team.” And what can I say? They looked good. The Browns couldn’t handle the Buccaneer pressure, and Tim Rattay looked like a young signal caller playing for a chance at a starting gig. He played well.

Tennessee Titans at Buffalo Bills (-4.5): (loss) The Bills, like many other teams, couldn’t tame the ghost of Vincent Young. This rookie is a winner, something that’s unteachable. Mr. Young has done enough to get it done all year, but yesterday he was more than anyone expected. An amazing run, some pin-point passes, and a “we can’t lose” attitude took down the Bills in Buffalo.

Washington Redskins (+2) at St. Louis Rams: (loss) Steven Jackson was just too much. The Redskins didn’t have an answer for 1 handed catches and Reggie Bush type open field moves for touchdowns. Oh, and how about that power? The game went into overtime, but a game winning touchdown run for SJ was all she wrote in St. Louis.

Arizona Cardinals @ San Francisco 49ers (-4): (loss) San Francisco couldn’t take advantage of a Hawks loss, as the Cardinals managed to upset a team making a run at the playoffs. When will Arizona play as well as they can for an entire year? Next year? Nope. It’ll always be next year, if you know what I mean.

Cincinnati Bengals (+3) at Denver Broncos: (win) I like Jay Culter, but he won’t be able to shred the Bengals defense like Peyton Manning did last Monday Night. And there is no way the Bengals come out as flat as a tire for the second straight week in a row, especially with their playoff lives on the line. This spread is like giving the game away. Thanks for free money, fellas.

San Diego Chargers (-4) at Seattle Seahawks: (loss) A late touchdown pass ousted the Hawks, while the final score, 20-17, was just enough to make me a loser by a point. Phillip Rivers has really struggled of late, so if he wants to help his Chargers win, he better get back to the confident and accurate passes he threw the first 10 games of the season.

Philadelphia Eagles (+7) at Dallas Cowboys: (WIN) I love it. A- I’m the most competitive guy this side of Mike Jordan, and I love to win while hating to lose, but B- and more importantly, Cowboy suffering and Eagle playoffs certainty without their star quarterback, plus a TO tantrum that has a Randy Moss of Owens trade in the cards, wow, this can’t get any better!

Monday:

New York Jets (+2.5) at Miami Dolphins: The Jets struggled to a boring win in Miami, but since this game pushes me over the top for the week, landing me at 9-7, I’ll bust out one of these… “Yippy Kye Eye Yay!” Okay, got it out, for all those who took bets on my winners… “Congrats!”

2006 Fantasy Football Review – Week 16

This Week’s Top Team: 87 points? Damn it all to hell, maybe I counted wrong….

QB: Drew Brees: Brees, unfortunately, had no reason to produce much through the air. His running back tandem destroyed the Giants psyche and boosted the Saints into the 2 seed in the NFC. Drew had 9 points.

RB: Ladell Betts: 129 yards and 2 touchdwons for Ladell hooked me up with 25 points, and he ranked 5th amongst runners in Week 16.

RB: LaDainian Tomlinson: LT’s had a human day against Seattle, rushing for 120+ and catching a pass for 10 yards. No scores for the TD King though, as LT came out with 13 fantasy points.

WR: Terrell Owens: TO had more drops (3) than catches (2) but his 23 yards and 1 score were good enough for 8 fantasy points. Thanks.

WR: Javon Walker: Javon had 52 yards and a touchdown, a few points better than TO, but not nearly good enough for me to be happy. 11 points for J-Walk.

TE: Antonio Gates: Zero. Rivers looked real bad, as Gates didn’t have a chance to do much. He’s still the best TE in fantasy football, though, as he raked in 67 yards on two grabs. 6 points.

K: Adam Vinitieri: To go along with my teams theme this week, Vini had 6 total points. Yeah!

D: Bears: After drastically underperforming once again, the Bears walked away with 9 fantasy points. Yes!

LUCKY’S Week 16 SLEEPERS

Matt Hasselbeck: This guy has played real bad of late, hopefully for the Hawks that business stops right quick. Matt had 4 points in a Seattle loss.

Jay Cutler: Jay had 13 points as he threw for 2 TD’s for the 4th straight time since he started for Jake Plummer. Kid’s gonna be money.

Edgerrin James: Edge only had 10, but double figures for the former dreaded one isn’t a bad total this year, he had 105 rushing yards on Sunday.

Ron Dayne: “Even though Indy did a nice job slowing the run against the Bengals, I think they’ll have trouble this week with Dayne. Ron has been running well, so don’t be surprised if he has a nice week at home.” Nice? Try 3rd ranked back in Week 16, try 153 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns. 27 points for the chubby runner.

Anquan Boldin: ‘Quan had 6 whole fantasy points. Not the production I needed, as I lost my Fantasy Super Bowl by 10 points. Of course, the 1 point from Chad Johnson didn’t help me much either.

Marques Colston: The young rook had 34 yards and a score, good for 9 points, not too bad at all.

Algae Crumpler: Crump had 3 points, good for, eh, pretty much nothing…
Indy Colts DST: After an encouraging performance against a surging Bengals squad, the Colts sucked bad against the Texans. Which almost seems impossible. Anyway, 2 points continues to make me look stupid this week.

LUCKY’S Week 16 Moss’S

Jon Kitna: Kitna blew me out of the water, busting out 3 touchdowns against a suddenly suspect secondary in Bear country. 21 points for the slanging Lion.

Deuce McCallister: Well the Giants were in for a long day, because they had no answer for Deuce and Reggie. I was wrong. Not the first time.

Keyshawn Johnson: 2 fantasy points…. It’s nice to be correct from time to time, I’ll tell ya.

Randy Moss: Is this guy still playing football? Haven’t heard anything from him in sometime now. He was out this weekend, and he’ll be out next weekend, and hmmm… will we ever see the great Randy again?

Suspensions – The NBBA

Suspensions – The NBBA; National Basketball & Boxing Association

The New York Knicks and the Denver Nuggets First of all, let me start out by saying this. WHAT A JOKE! And when I say joke, I mean the hundreds of people spouting out stuff like “Carmelo Anthony should be gone for the year!” or “Mardy Collins should have more games suspended” and especially “George Karl and Isaiah Thomas should be suspended!” Don’t link George and Isaiah in the same group in this one. That is just plain stupid. Garbage. Ignorant.

Lets go over the whole incident, and then see if we can’t come to a conclusion on the whole thing.

Lets just agree on some stuff to get started, here. Karl left his studs in to run up the score on Isaiah. Thomas put in Mardy Collins to foul someone hard if they got close to the basket. During free throws prior to the brawl, Thomas told Anthony “Don’t go in the paint, you and Camby should be out of the game.” JR Smith went up for a dunk, Collins fouled Smith hard. The Brawl ensued. JR Smith puffed his chest out and got in Collins’ face. Collins held his ground. Nate Robinson (Mighty Mouse) came over and shoved Smith. Smith and Nate go wrestling into the stands. Egos got trampled, and now Melo comes over and tries to direct the situation. Jared Jeffries tries to stop everything. Melo walks around and punk-slap/hits Collins in the face, then moonwalks all the way down the court. Jeffries is pissed, he follows, trying to get back at Anthony. Sound about right. Watch the fight 50 times and when you agree, good.

Now, Carmelo was suspended 15 games, and though I’m okay with that suspension, my reasons are different than most. First of all, if I’m on a team, and the coach of the opposing team tells me I should be out of the game, and then warns me not to go in the paint, and then my best friend on the team gets fouled intentionally, I’m probably going to go punch someone. But it’s not going to be Marty, it’s going to be Isaiah. And after I punch him in the dome, I’m not going to run like a lightweight fighting Lennox Lewis, I’m going to stand in there and bust his chops again. So, sure, I suspend Melo, but only because he had time to think about what he was going to do, and pulled a hit and run on the Rookie. But more than 15 games is just too many. People out there not involved in sports who think this kid should be out for the year, go back to sitting at your desk, making Jamoca shakes, eating paint chips, or whatever else it is you do. What you have to think about in the Cermelo situation is Thomas threatening action against him and his teammates, and then a hard foul happening. What would you do? If you’re playing hoops at the Y and a kid on the other team says, “If anyone comes in the lane, I’m going to knock em out,” and your little brother comes down, drives to the rack, and gets smashed into the floor. That’s right, you’d come in pissed as all hell, ready to do battle. And then you think. And you don’t run over and punch a dude, I’m sure. But, you can understand a little bit, now.

JR Smith and Nate Robinson were suspended 10 games a piece. For Robinson, I’d say at least that much is deserved, because after the foul, he seemed to instigate the rest of the fray, and that’s coming from me, a guy who thinks as highly of Nate as anyone. He came in and wrestled Smith, I think he tossed at least an attempt at a punch, and he ran around with his fists up high like a damn fool.
JR on the other hand, just stood up for himself. And sure, its easy for onlookers to say, “He should have just let it go and walked away from the situation,” sure, but lets be honest, you don’t become an elite athlete, a guy who competes every day as hard as you can, and walk away from that situation. Think about it. Smith got in Collins’ face, and then when Nate came over biting at his ankles, he grabbed him and the two went at it for a couple seconds. Nate 10 games, maybe even 15 (If it was Melo in Nate’s position, he would have gotten 15 at least). But I understand Nate’s 10, because he didn’t hit and run. But JR should have had 5 games at the most. He didn’t walk away like a good boy, but his actions weren’t irrational.

Mardy Collins got 6 games. Why? The kid fouled someone hard, then stood there and took abuse. What did he do wrong? Hard fouls have always been part of the game, and just because his coach stuck him in there to make sure no one got free points, and a fight happened because he did his job, doesn’t mean he should get nicked like this. He got punched in the head, pushed around, and he didn’t retaliate at all. Shit, he should get a raise, not a suspension.

Jared Jeffries tried to keep everyone separated, and then ran after Melo when the start punched his teammate in the head and then ran like a freaking cheetah. Big deal. 1 game maybe, if just because his jersey was torn in the process. Protect your teammates. What did Jeffries really do to get suspended? Run after a guy who punched his friend in the face – that’s it. Suspension? In some parts of the world, you get metals for standing up for your men.

And last, the coaches. Karl, even if he was running up the score, telling his guys to only shoot threes until the last second of the game, shouldn’t have any action taken against him. So what. He didn’t direct a brawl, instigate a hard foul, or anything else. He wanted to embarrass a guy who embarrassed his good friend, big deal. Hell, I even understand that. However, Isaiah is another story. Though its his fault because he always manages to be to honest, being tough at the end of a game is something that has always happened in sports. But you can’t warn players on opposing teams if you’re a coach. Thomas too often crosses the line between player and coach, and this was one of those times. Old school or no school, Thomas should be reprimanded for his actions a few nights ago.

But, this is sports. And if people are trying to clean up sports, they should start to watch Ice Skating (aside from smashing knee caps of opposition), swimming, and soccer, where dives are just part of the game. These guys are big, strong, competitive, selfish, do anything to win, stand up like a man, get your teammates’ backs kind of guys. This will happen. But when will the Commisioner of the NBA pull his head out and actually look at what happened in a situation like this?

Free Football Picks 06-07 Week 16

Week 15 went well, making 3 straight weeks of winners for the come back kid of the season. Follow me, good ol’ Lucky Lester, on the way to my 4th straight week of big winners.Gimmie-Games

Bengals over the Broncos
Bears over the Lions
Chiefs over the Raiders
Colts over the Texans
Ravens over the Steelers

Thursday:

Minnesota Vikings (+3.5) @ Green Bay Packers: What can I say? I’ve been waiting for the Vikings to pull their heads out of their respective asses and bench Brad Johnson for the young and extremely talented Tevares Jackson. They did, and so I’m going to go ahead and shoot for tooting my own horn in my review. The hapless Vikings upset the hapless Packers.

Saturday:

Kansas City Chiefs (-6.5) @ Oakland Raiders: Larry Johnson is running for the Chiefs who have to win or face a sure exit from playoff hopes. Justin Fargas is running for the Raiders, who, ah, are never going to win again this year.

Sunday:

Baltimore Ravens (+3.5) at Pittsburgh Steelers: I know the Steelers are coming on strong of late, but really, do wins over Tampa Bay, Cleveland, and Carolina really count? No. If they beat Baltimore this week, sure, I’ll admit, they’re a force once again, but until they beat a team that isn’t completely useless, there’s no way they beat one of the best squads in the AFC.
Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons (-6): The Panthers aren’t nearly the team I’d thought they’d be, and that’s with Jake Delhomme at quarterback. This Chris Weinke guy was made to lose NFL football games, and thus far he’s followed the pattern brilliantly. Despite losing last week, the Falcons are healthy, and playing well, so expect them to tame the Panthers in Atlanta.

Chicago Bears (-4) at Detroit Lions: Is this some kind of sick joke? I know the Bears are the beasts of the NFC, and can’t possibly be caught, but lets be honest, these are the Lions here. The Kevin Jones-less Lions, and no, they won’t be able to hang with half of the Bears, a team that historically tries to win every game down the stretch anyway, and has something yet to work on with consistency on both sides of the ball.

Indianapolis Colts (-9) @ Houston Texans: I have a feeling the Colts are going to get on a hot streak here that will lead them into the 2nd spot in the AFC, and a nice little run to the Super Bowl. They aren’t trying to do things they aren’t good at anymore, that died before the Bengal game, and now they’re ready to just take what defenses give them. Luckily for the Colts, Houston is ready to give them anything they want. Peyton’s only question will be, who to get the ball to, they’ll all be open.

New England Patriots at Jacksonville Jaguars (-2.5): With the Jags in need of a win to stay in the playoff hunt, they’ll play all out against the Patriots. I know Tom Brady and his Pats were back to their old selves last week against Houston, but Jacksonville plays well against tough opponents, and the Jags aren’t the Texans. Look for Jacksonville to outrun New England on way to a very important home win.

New Orleans Saints (+3) at New York Giants: I just don’t see how the Saints are underdogs here. I don’t thin the Giants have a chance to make the playoffs, so it’s not as if they’ll be playing with extra umph. And Drew Brees has been shredding suspect secondaries all season long, and the Giants certainly have one of those. Look for Drew and the Saints to perform well in a bounce back game.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+3) at Cleveland Browns: With Tim Rattay getting the starting nod, I actually believe the Buccaneers are a tough team. Cleveland, on the other hand, has also played well since their back up, Derek Anderson, has come in for an injured Charlie Frye, but I like Cadillac Williams to have his best game of the season, Joey Galloway to light up the airways, and a Buccaneer defense to shut down the Browns.

Tennessee Titans at Buffalo Bills (-4.5): Buffalo has been a very good team of late, giving Bill fans something to get excited about next season, and if the cards fall right, this season too. Tennessee’s luck will run out this week in Buffalo, as there’s no way they’ll win with another piss poor offensive performance. Against a finally healthy Bills defense, trouble for the Titans will continue. But how about the YOUNG kid, he’s gonna be something!

Washington Redskins (+2) at St. Louis Rams: Personally, between me and you, I like the Rams as a team much better than I like the Skins. But, Ladell Betts is a terrible match up for the Rams. St. Louis struggles against downhill runners with a knack to break tackles, and Ladell has proven to be that. Steven Jackson will get his, but the young Redskins skill players will be the deciding factor in a Washington win on the road.

Arizona Cardinals @ San Francisco 49ers (-4): The public likes the Niners here, and so do I. With Frank Gore, San Fran will control the ball all day long. Alex Smith is finally playing to his #1 pick potential, something that will be proven again on Sunday against the Cardinals. The 49ers defense has a little pop as well, but if they can’t find a way to stop Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald, this game will be a late shootout.

Cincinnati Bengals (+3) at Denver Broncos: I like Jay Culter, but he won’t be able to shred the Bengals defense like Peyton Manning did last Monday Night. And there is no way the Bengals come out as flat as a tire for the second straight week in a row, especially with their playoff lives on the line. This spread is like giving the game away. Thanks for free money, fellas.

San Diego Chargers (-4) at Seattle Seahawks: I’d love to take the Seahawks here, with the belief that they are ready to turn the corner, ready to step up in crunch time, ready to throw that killing punch. But then again, I’d love a perfect record, more money than Bill Gates, and more booty than Jennifer Lopez, but all I got is this computer, a couple hooves to type with, and an editor who claims to be an ex-ultimate fighter extraordinaire. Basically, me and the Hawks are rolling in the same boat. Seattle has proven that they aren’t ready to defend their NFC Title, while the Chargers are destined to get LT a few more touchdowns. Unfortunately for the Hawks, this game still has meaning for SD. What has Seattle done to make me think they could win this game? Win the NFC last year. Key word, last.

Philadelphia Eagles (+7) at Dallas Cowboys: You’ve got to root for Jeff Garcia and the Eagles in this one, right? With TO running his mouth in Dallas, and Jeff Garcia playing like the pro-bowler he was when last tossing to TO, it would be sweet for Philly to win this game. And I’m not a believer in destiny, but an interview with TO after the game that has this question, “So, remember that QB you called Gay? He just smoked your boys in Dallas. Did you thoroughly enjoy them apples?” Yeah, I have to pick the Eagles in this one. Brian Westbrook to the rescue, but Jeff Garcia with the final dagger.

Monday:

New York Jets (+2.5) at Miami Dolphins: This is a tough one, so I’ll go with the Jets, since they still have a shot at post season play. New York has been off and on more times than my power over the last few weeks, but I think their offensive line is coming into their own, and Chad Pennington is back to trusting his receivers down the field. Laveraneus Coles is one of the best the league has to offer, and Chad will get him the ball to win this game in Miami.

This week should be interesting, either the books are about to lose a lot of money, or I’m about to have a huge week.

Week 15 NFL Pick Review – 2006

I felt a big week, and hit 11 wins, which feels just nice. How did I do my damage? Kind of like this….

Gimmie-Games

Rams over the Raiders (win)
Jaguars over the Titans (loss)
Broncos over the Cardinals (win)
Cowboys over the Falcons (win)
Bengals over the Colts (loss)

Thursday:

San Francisco 49ers (+11) @ Seattle Seahawks: (WIN) As predicted, Frank Gore led the 49ers offense down the field more than a couple times in the 2nd half, and the Niners got me my first victory of the week. Too bad I didn’t get a chance to see the game, being on NFL Network and all.

Saturday:

Dallas Cowboys (-3) @ Atlanta Falcons: (win) Mike Vick came with his A game, but it wasn’t enough to upset the new-look Cowboys. Dallas got past Vicks 4 touchdown passes with solid performances from Tony Romo and Marion Barber, and a couple nice catches by TO. And some spit in the face. Someone needs to kick this guys’ ass.

Sunday:

Cleveland Browns at Baltimore Ravens (-10.5): (loss) The Ravens won by 10. Carry the 1, yep, I lost by a single point. No, no, I lost by a half point. The bottom line is, Derek Anderson was better than I imagined, and he got me fair and square. My first loss came by a half point.
Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers (-4.5): (win) The Packers got a sub par performance by Brett Favre, but a solid defense and some timely and hard runs by Vernand Morency got the Packers an 8 point win at home. I win again.

Jacksonville Jaguars (-3) at Tennessee Titans: (loss) If you look at the numbers, this game went just as I had imagined it would have. 24 first downs to 4, three times as many yards by the Jags, and just a flat out dominant number performance. Key word, numbers. Special teams killed the Jags, as Pacman Jones had a 1st round pick type day, and the Titans managed to sneak one out.

Houston Texans at New England Patriots (-11): (win) The Patriots destroyed the Texans, as this one wasn’t close from the moment the game began. After the last couple weeks, you had to see this coming from the Patriots.

New York Jets at Minnesota Vikings (-3): (loss) “Honestly, if I didn’t pick every stinking game, I’d stay away from this one.” I can’t say I didn’t warn you in this one. Now the Jets have the upper hand on the wild card in the AFC, amazing.

Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills (even): (win) The Bills just keep finding a way to win. Once again, they came out, and got the W. You’ve got to love the Bills finding a place in playoff talk.

Pittsburgh Steelers (-2) at Carolina Panthers: (win) It doesn’t surprise me one bit that the Steelers banged one out on the road in Carolina. Chris Weinke just flat out doesn’t win games, and the Panthers probably didn’t have a chance with Jake Delhomme in there either. This was easy.

Washington Redskins (+10.5) at New Orleans Saints: (win) “It’s tough to jump off the Saints’ big win over Dallas last week, but a let down against a sub par Redskin team is on the Horizon. I just feel it.” Jason Campbell made a couple big plays that Mark Brunell could only dream about, and Ladell Betts came with it, giving the Redskins a huge upset win over the Saints.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Chicago Bears (-13): (loss) “I really don’t like the Bears (-13) against anyone,” Tim freaking Rattay broke down Chicago’s D late, and gave the Bucs a chance, put the game into overtime, but the Bears do what the Bears do, and get the W anyway.

Denver Broncos (-1) at Arizona Cardinals: (win) “I know things haven’t been great for the Broncos, and Arizona beat the Seahawks last week, but this game shouldn’t be close to even. With Cutler struggling, the Broncos are still a touchdown better than Arizona, just wait and see.” Not only were they a touchdown better than the Cards, they were 17 points better. Champ Bailey is really good.

Philadelphia Eagles (+6) at New York Giants: (win) “Like I said last week, I have a funny feeling, that even without Donovan McNabb, the Eagles might just sneak their way into the playoffs.” When it comes might down to it, the Eagles in the playoffs can become a reality quick. They took a huge step this week in New York.

St. Louis Rams (+2) at Oakland Raiders: (win) “How in God’s good name did some bunch of know-nothings come up with this spread? I often hate betting with the public, or at least it makes me worry, but I’d like to slap the mental munchkins that make up the 20% of the betting population that took Oakland. Steven Jackson and the Rams’ receiving corps will obliterate any Raider hope for victory. Sure, lightening strikes, but it sure as hell never makes an appearance in Oakland.” 20-0, what else is there to say?

Kansas City Chiefs at San Diego Chargers (-8): (win) “The common consensus seems to be that San Diego doesn’t really need this game, and if you look at it in a comparison fashion, yes, the Chiefs need this win more than San Diego. But the Chargers have Shawn Merriman back, and that’s that.” Trent Green played horribly, yet Damon Huard remained on the bench. I know this is a good old boys league, but you can bet your ass that Bill Bellichick would have replaced Trent, or stayed with Huard all along, That’s what separates Herm Edwards from the best coaches in the league. I win again.

Monday:

Cincinnati Bengals (+3.5) at Indianapolis Colts: (loss) I missed this one, no doubt about it. The Bengals came out flat like a model, and never looked good throughout, even when the game was tied at 10, I was worried. With good reason, as the Colts brought all they had and sunk the Bengals.

11-5-1… Not too shabby!

2006 Fantasy Football Review – Week 15

This Week’s Top Team: Okay, so LT instead of Rudi would have gotten me a monster score, but I’ll take 108 with a terrible defensive performance, 3 points from Chad Johnson, and 0 points from Antonio Gates. A special thanks to Peyton and Frank Gore.

QB: Peyton Manning: Mr. Manning busted out a top quarterback performance, making me smile, and proud, of my firstborn… err… Anyway, he did well, posting 36 points for Ol’ Lucky.

RB: Frank Gore: “Gore loves to torch Seattle… The Niners would love to oust the Hawks, so expect Coach Nolan to let Gore do what he does best. The Hawks don’t tackle well, and Gore runs very hard. That’s a good combo for Gore owners, bad for Seahawk fans.” I was on the money with this one, so I had to reprint it. #4 running back, with 23 points.

RB: Rudi Johnson: Rudi did alright, but the Colts pretty much did a damn good job against the Bengals offense. Rudi was 4 yards shy of 100 yards from scrimmage, and his 2nd quarter touchdown gave him 14 fantasy points on the night.

WR: Terrell Owens: 5 catches for 69 yards and a touchdown. Not bad for a pussy who spits in people’s faces. Haha. To was 3rd in the receiver category with 18 points.

WR: Chad Johnson: Chad had really cool shoes in warm ups, and that was about it. Like Sampson after his hair was snipped, Chad played poorly without his shoes. 3 points.

TE: Antonio Gates: Nothing for Gates, but what can ya do? The cat is still the best TE in the game.

K: Jeff Wilkins: Jeff had two field goals and 2 extra points as the rams ousted the Raiders. 8 points for Jeff.

D: Bears: 6 points. Against the Bucs. Pull your heads out fellas.

LUCKY’S Week 15 SLEEPERS

Matt Hasselbeck: Matt had 10 points and the rest of the Hawks, sans Julian Peterson, looked absolutely terrible.

Jay Cutler: Jay through up his gloves and brought it in the head to head match up with the man picked just in front of him. That’s has to feel nice. Jay made me look real good, posting 21 fantasy points, throwing for 2 touchdowns for the 3rd straight time in his career.

Ahman Green: Ahman had 120+ total yards from scrimmage, and broke out 11 points in his contest this week. I have to say, he was a good sleeper here.

Maurice Drew: Mo got his touches, 28 from scrimmage, and he produced, 145 total yards, and a touchdown. The yards per carry wasn’t where I thought it’d be, but you can’t argue with the production, 19 fantasy big ones.

Javon Walker: “Walker hasn’t benefited from Jay Cutler’s move to starter yet, but this week might be another story, as Shanahan has to be emphasizing getting his biggest offensive playmaker the ball.” Walkers deep touchdown catch got me a couple extra points, and J-Walk finished in the top 5 with 16 points.

Larry Fitzgerald: Larry couldn’t find the endzone against Champ Bailey and the rest of the Broncos, but he didn’t leave without points, as he had 77 yards receiving on the night.

Vernon Davis: Davis only had 15 yards receiving, but his touchdown grab made him a Top 5 tight end.

St. Louis Rams DST: The Rams made me look like a genius. I picked them up in my fantasy playoffs and sure enough, they produced 34 fantasy points. Brilliant. Championships here I come!

LUCKY’S Week 15 Moss’S

Brad Johnson: “This guy isn’t a good starting option. Don’t start him. I’d rather start Chris Weinke. What does that tell you?” Apparently, the Vikings finally realized this after this weekend’s contest, as the young rookie, Mr. Jackson, will get the nod in Week 16. And he’ll be a sleeper candidate.

Travis Henry: 12 carries for 37 yards and no scores. Well, I’m getting pretty good at these crafty Moss’S.

Lee Evans: I was wrong, Lee had a good day for the Bills, grabbing 3 balls and making the most out of them, averaging more than 20 yards a catch and scoring 1 touchdown.

Randy Moss: Did he play? I wouldn’t know. I know he didn’t do much offensively, but then again, his heart probably wasn’t in it this game, Oakland’s bad.

2006 Fantasy Football Week 16 theRUNDOWN

This Week’s Top Team: This is when it starts getting tough for the Big Guy. The end of the year is coming, and who knows who’s going to sit and rest. That’s where I come in. Play these guys and you’re assured a big week.

QB: Drew Brees: Only because I think the Colts will run easily on the Texans, limiting Peyton Manning’s touchdown passes, I’ll go with Drew against a Giants team that should have quit already.

RB: Ladell Betts: Ladell Betts is a very safe pick here. The Rams have stunk against the run all year, and with the Redskins recent commitment to giving Betts the rock, he should post over 150 yards on Sunday.

RB: LaDainian Tomlinson: LT’s proven that he’s the best player ever in fantasy football. Even in a week where winning isn’t so important for the Chargers, I still think LT will get enough chances to have a top flight day in Seattle.

WR: Terrell Owens: No pro-bowl bid, an Eagles secondary that gets torched by Plaxico Burress, this should be a huge day for Mr. O.

WR: Javon Walker: I full expect the Broncos to lose this game, but that doesn’t mean bad things for J Walk. JW will get plenty of balls throughout this contest, especially after Indy showed everyone how easy it is to throw on Cinci.

TE: Antonio Gates: I like Gates against a couple safeties that haven’t covered people all season long.

K: Adam Vinitieri: This game will take place in Houston, so the weather should be good. Adam will get his chance to kick meaningless field goals that only add to the Colts big lead. Plus, he’s money.

D: Bears: The Bears were bad last week. Do you think that sits well with them? Me neither. Do you think they’re inclined to take it out on Jon Kitna. Me to. It should be fun to watch on “Jacked Up”.

LUCKY’S Week 16 SLEEPERS

Matt Hasselbeck: Okay, this is Matt’s big comeback week. He’ll have to get rid of the ball quick and just trust his instincts against that fierce Charger defensive line, so he’ll be back to the old gun-slinging Matt. Expect Matt to surprise this week.

Jay Cutler: I almost picked this kid for my top spot, but that was too risky. I may pay for it, as he’ll have a giant day against the Bengals, despite a couple turnovers.

Edgerrin James: What happened to the days where Edge was a top pick and not just a sleeper? Oh yes, right before he relocated to Arizona. Well, those days might be coming back, as Edge and the Cardinals offensive line are much improved.

Ron Dayne: This is usually Maurice Drew’s spot, but he’s no longer a sleeper candidate, he’s just good. Even though Indy did a nice job slowing the run against the Bengals, I think they’ll have trouble this week with Dayne. Ron has been running well, so don’t be surprised if he has a nice week at home.

Anquan Boldin: ‘Quan hasn’t been balling lately, but he always torches the 49ers for at least one touchdown. Expect a big day from one of the league’s most underrated wideouts.

Marques Colston: Believe it or not, some leagues have seen Marques on the bench. Well, pick him up, because the Giants don’t have a secondary that can stop this fine Hofstra rookie. He’d be a great final game pick up if you have any pending injuries.

Algae Crumpler: Algae will take advantage of Mike Vick throwing the ball better, and a Panther defense that has seemingly packed it in.

Indy Colts DST: I’m digging the Colts this week. It should be a low scoring game, as Houston is a part of it, so the Colts are guaranteed some point bonuses. A safe play here.

LUCKY’S Week 16 Moss’S

Jon Kitna: Don’t play this guy unless you’re interested in a bad score from a QB whose bound to play less than a half. Can you say, “Lets see what the backups can do?” You betcha!

Deuce McCallister: The Giants will try to stop the run, because if they don’t, they’re in for a long day. Deuce wont’ have a great day.

Keyshawn Johnson: The Panthers are done. Don’t expect much from anyone on their team offensively. In fact, stay away from them all together unless you have Julius Peppers in an IDP league.

Randy Moss: Is this guy still playing football? Haven’t heard anything from him in sometime now.

Free Football Picks 06-07 Week 15

After two straight weeks of winning records, I seem to be making a push back towards the green, and we’ll see, as will the Steelers, if there’s still a chance for a salvaged season. Pay special attention, as I feel a big week fluttering in the wings.Gimmie-Games

Rams over the Raiders
Jaguars over the Titans
Broncos over the Cardinals
Cowboys over the Falcons
Bengals over the Colts

Thursday:

San Francisco 49ers (+11) @ Seattle Seahawks: I just don’t trust the Seahawks anymore. After playing very poorly for at least 40 minutes of the Bronco game, and then losing to the Cardinals, I think Frank Gore will give the Hawk defense fits, if not enough to win in Seattle, at least enough to cover the 11 point spread.

Saturday:

Dallas Cowboys (-3) @ Atlanta Falcons: This is where the Cowboys reassert themselves as an NFC powerhouse. Last weeks loss to the Saints was demoralizing enough to light a fire under Parcells’ ass and get the rest of the Cowboys back out of the Never Never Land dream world of NFC Champs that everyone has been predicting. They’ll actually play this week, and physical freaks (Like TO on offense and Demarcus Ware on defense) will slang the Falcons from the playoff picture

Sunday:

Cleveland Browns at Baltimore Ravens (-10.5): It’s all up to the Ravens here. Cleveland won’t be able to do donkey turd against the Ravens defense, that’s a given, 10 points at the very most. So, it’s up to Steve McNair, and more likely, Jamal Lewis, to get the spread covered. I loved the way Lewis was running last week, so I’ll take the Ravens to cover at home.
Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers (-4.5): The roar in Detroit has been pathetic lately, making me think the Raiders will have some competition for that top pick. Jon Kitna hasn’t shown anything to sway the Lions from taking Brady Quinn if they win the spot, and Green Bay has proven they can hog tie lesser teams. I’m not sure many squads are lesser than the Packers, but without Kevin Jones, you can bet the Lions are.

Jacksonville Jaguars (-3) at Tennessee Titans: The Titans sure have impressed me, none more than Vincent Young. Kid is legit. But, the Jaguars are in the hunt for the playoffs, and sooner or later, even this stellar ROY candidate will have a tough game running the show for these young Titans. But the last few weeks from Vince have shown me that the Titans aren’t very far away from the playoffs.

Houston Texans at New England Patriots (-11): I don’t know if the Texans are talented enough to take advantage of the Patriot short-comings, so I have to take New England, Tom Brady, and the rest of the Patriots in a rebound performance against Houston.

New York Jets at Minnesota Vikings (-3): Honestly, if I didn’t pick every stinking game, I’d stay away from this one. The Vikings have disappointed all year while the Jets have just struggled lately. Minnesota still has a good running attack, something the Jets can’t manage to stop. That fact alone has me taking the Vikes at home. But I still think Brad Johnson is holding this team back. Hell, I can throw farther than Brad.

Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills (even): My first instinct was to take the Dolphins, because their defense has been filthy, and JP doesn’t play well against solid defensive squads. Then I realized that the Dolphins only have Sammy Morris at RB, while the Bills have McGahee and Anthony Thomas, plus a score from anywhere guy in WR Lee Evans. So, after further review, I’d like to reverse the call, and go with the home team.

Pittsburgh Steelers (-2) at Carolina Panthers: I’ve lost all hope in the Panthers and still think the Steelers have a pulse. Fast Willie Parker came correct last week, and the Panthers’ defense hasn’t shown me anything lately that would make me think Willie won’t hound the cats in Carolina. Big Ben is back to his old self, and the Steelers defense will only make plays if Chris Weinke is QBing for Carolina. Take Pittsburgh in a big road win.

Washington Redskins (+10.5) at New Orleans Saints: It’s tough to jump off the Saints’ big win over Dallas last week, but a let down against a sub par Redskin team is on the Horizon. I just feel it. Everyone has been playing perfect football for New Orleans, but they’re bound to have an off game. Ladell Betts is a down hill, rough and tumble runner. He’ll keep the Redskins close, and Jason Campbell will make a big play late to help the Redskins cover.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Chicago Bears (-13): I really don’t like the Bears (-13) against anyone but the offensively challenged Buccaneers or the Oakland “Terrible” Raiders. As the schedule staggers into week 15, the Bucs come to Chicago. That can only mean one thing. A low scoring, painful to watch, Chicago 17-3 (or shutout) win. Either way, I’ll take home the victory.

Denver Broncos (-1) at Arizona Cardinals: I know things haven’t been great for the Broncos, and Arizona beat the Seahawks last week, but this game shouldn’t be close to even. With Cutler struggling, the Broncos are still a touchdown better than Arizona, just wait and see.

Philadelphia Eagles (+6) at New York Giants: Like I said last week, I have a funny feeling, that even without Donovan McNabb, the Eagles might just sneak their way into the playoffs. What’s the first order of business to make that dream a reality? An enormous win over the Giants in New York. And, oh yes, it’s possible. Jeff Garcia can pick apart a porous Giant defense, (yeah – I said it), and Eli Manning will find trouble in an Eagles secondary that’s starting to step up and make plays. Only Tiki stands in the way of an Eagle victory. Stay tuned.

St. Louis Rams (+2) at Oakland Raiders: How in God’s good name did some bunch of know-nothings come up with this spread? I often hate betting with the public, or at least it makes me worry, but I’d like to slap the mental munchkins that make up the 20% of the betting population that took Oakland. Steven Jackson and the Rams’ receiving corps will obliterate any Raider hope for victory. Sure, lightening strikes, but it sure as hell never makes an appearance in Oakland.

Kansas City Chiefs at San Diego Chargers (-8): The common consensus seems to be that San Diego doesn’t really need this game, and if you look at it in a comparison fashion, yes, the Chiefs need this win more than San Diego. But the Chargers have Shawn Merriman back, and that’s that. That guy won’t make life easy on Trent Green. The Chiefs back to back losses to Cleveland and then Baltimore may have doomed their playoff hopes. I don’t think they have the firepower in the passing game to keep San Diego honest.

Monday:

Cincinnati Bengals (+3.5) at Indianapolis Colts: This will be the last game in the streak of losses for the Colts. But this week, on Monday Night Football, Chad Johnson will pull out the disappearing football trick as his end zone dance, not once, but twice, as his need-to-win Bengals hobble the Colts in Indy. This should be a great game, but the improving Bengal defense should be the difference, as Indy doesn’t look like they cans stop Rudi Johnson or Carson Palmer, and definitely not Chad Johnson.