2007 Fantasy Football Review – Week 13

This Week’s Top Team: 116 points – bad production from the bottom end killed me – defensive points, kickers (duh) and TE’s proved to be pretty worthless for me this week.QB: Tom Brady vs. Baltimore: Teams can’t run against Baltimore, but passing has come very easily. This should be one of those “pile it on” games, which Tom likes to throw 4 or 5 touchdowns in. Needless to say, I like my chances with this year’s fantasy hero. 21 points ain’t bad though.

RB: Brian Westbrook vs. Seattle: Westy had 19 fantasy points, but broke my heart when he didn’t take that punt return to the house. How does a guy not cut that back to the inside, instead just getting pushed out of bounds? I’m sure he’d like that move back. Anyway, he had a big rushing score and His 7 catches for 46 yards helped to. What a great season for Brian.

RB: LaDainian Tomlinson vs. KC: This fine TCU product excelled this week, putting up those stats I’ve called “LT stats” in the passed. 31 fantasy points is one of his best days of the season, and finally Norv Turner is begainning to realize how Marty won all those games. 177 rushing yards and 2 TDs – nice work.

WR: Randy Moss vs. Philadelphia: 34 yards and a touchdown, will the real Randy Moss please stand up? Randy didn’t do all the damage I expected, but his TD pass was a savior that got him to 9 points on the week. What about next week in Pittsburgh? They are actually good…

WR: Reggie Wayne vs. Jacksonville: 158 yards and a touchdown (a long one for an extra 2 points) – yeah, I’d say Reggie did 24 points of damage for me at the WR spot – gotta love that.

TE: Kellen Winslow vs. Arizona: Winslow only had 35 yards, but he did catch a 2 pt conversion, and he did catch a touchdown that was completely missed as time expired. I hate referees. How do they not call that a pushout? Fantasy be damned, I just think a guy should get the score he deserves, and the right team should win. Did that happen on Monday Night?

K: Adam Vinitieri vs. Jacksonville: “I just pick a kicker and that seems to make them have a bad week. So now, I’m picking kickers of teams I want to lose – it worked last week, here goes nothing. A Jaguar win in Indy would be nice, and it’d tie things up in the South.” Damn, the Jags didn’t win, they lost by a field goal – and not one that Adam kicked, because he only had 4 extra points. God, I hate kickers!

D: New England vs. Baltimore: Willis McGahee came to play this week, and the Patriots were let off the hook (as Dennis Green so kindly said) – I wanted to crown them, but the were let off the hook. 4 points against the Ravens – I’m not even angry, I’m just disgusted!

LUCKY’S Week 13 SLEEPERS

Kellen Clemens: Clemens only had 12 points, and against Miami – that just isn’t’ that good. Granted, he didn’t have to throw much in the 2nd half, but I’m not as impressed with Clemens as I thought I’d be. C

Earnest Graham: Another 100 yard game from this consistent little back, and another fantasy team for my team since I picked him up weeks and weeks ago. Talk about a great option. 19 fantasy points, and another A+.

Jesse Chatman: Jesse got hurt, so it’s hard to be fair – but he did kill me in one league, so I’ll just take an F for this call. I guess you have to be weary of those injured players.

Thomas Jones: 75 yards rushing, 25 yards receiving, and it’s about damn time, a rushing touchdown for TJ. He still didn’t look great, as Leon Washington almost matched his yardage on about 20 less carries. All in all, though, this was a good day for Jones’ owners. 15 points. A

Donte Stallworth: He only had 63 yards, as the Patriots didn’t look crisp against the Ravens. Baltimore came to play. Anyway, Stallworth was 2nd on the team in receiving with 68 yards, good for 6 points. I’ll take a C-

Nate Washington: 2 catches for 16 yards? Gross. F

Owen Daniels: 3 grabs for 42 yards – I hate to say it, but 4 points from a TE isn’t all that bad. I’ll take a C for this one.

Chargers: Once again, my second defense outscored my top pick, this time by 21 fantasy points. The Chargers shut down the Chiefs very well, and put up 24. That’s an A+.

LUCKY’S Week 13 Splinter-Butts (bench him, son)

Rex Grossman: Hey haters! Rex had 296 yards and a touchdown without a pick. He still got sacked a ton, and probably cost his team with all those negative plays, but he didn’t turn the ball over. I was wrong, and he had a nice day despite all the sacks. 17 pts.

Laurence Maroney: Laurence didn’t do much on the ground, 13 carries for 34 yards, but he did make 2 catches and piled up 79 yards receiving on those two grabs. 10 pts isn’t that bad, and more impressive than I thought.

Warrick Dunn: 10 carries for 17 yards – all I have to say is, your welcome for that advice.

Deion Branch: 5 catches for 40 yards – is that the kind of production you expected from the #1 option in Seattle? I didn’t think so. Nate Burleson and Bobby Engram both had better days than the other Deion.

2007 Fantasy Football theRUNDOWN Week 13

This Week’s Top Team: And 140 is… here?

QB: Tom Brady vs. Baltimore: Teams can’t run against Baltimore, but passing has come very easily. This should be one of those “pile it on” games, which Tom likes to throw 4 or 5 touchdowns in. Needless to say, I like my chances with this year’s fantasy hero.

RB: Brian Westbrook vs. Seattle: Westy is too good for the Hawks. He’s too fast, he’s too shifty, and he’s too versatile to take out of an offense. Running backs with elite speed that run hard seem to give the Hawks trouble, and Seattle’s run-stuffing defensive line isn’t the strength of their team

RB: LaDainian Tomlinson vs. KC: If the Chargers are going to win this game, they’ll need to pass the ball – but that doesn’t eliminate LT. He can catch the rock just fine, and he will this week. Norv Turner wants to lead this team to a playoff win, but he has to get them there first. I know if I needed a win, and had LT, the ball would be in his hands 30 times or more.

WR: Randy Moss vs. Philadelphia: A bad week last week, blowing up this week. Baltimore can’t guard this guy – and they had to see that doubling him just leaves everyone else open for business. This week, Randy and Tom hook up in the zone again.

WR: Reggie Wayne vs. Jacksonville: The Colts will need to put up points, and the Jaguars haven’t been known for their stellar secondary play. With Marv out, Reggie is definitely the man. He’ll get his fair share of looks on Sunday, and that means a TD catch or two.

TE: Kellen Winslow vs. Arizona: I like KWII to have a very good week against the Cardinals. Arizona’s best safety is out for the season, leaving a hole just for Kellen to take advantage of.

K: Adam Vinitieri vs. Jacksonville: I just pick a kicker and that seems to make them have a bad week. So now, I’m picking kickers of teams I want to lose – it worked last week, here goes nothing. A Jaguar win in Indy would be nice, and it’d tie things up in the South.

D: New England vs. Baltimore: I get big points for shutouts, and I think there’s a solid chance the Patriots could get one of those in Baltimore.

LUCKY’S Week 13 SLEEPERS

Kellen Clemens: Against the Dolphins, Kellen has a good shot to make up for the terrible week he had against Dallas on Thanks Giving.

Earnest Graham: I like Earnest as a sleeper every single week – he doesn’t get near the credit he deserves. Same goes for this week, especially against a Saints team that doesn’t tackle very well. TB will want to keep Brees and company off the field, so Earnest will become a major factor.

Jesse Chatman: Jesse is said to be healthy which means YHATZEE! Against the Jets. New York hasn’t stopped the run worth beans all season long, and Miami has a physical rushing attack that could mean big yards for Jesse.

Thomas Jones: Jones goes up against Miami, and it’s time for him to start going off. He’s had a slow season, has been a major disappointment, but the Jets have to take advantage of a bad Dolphins run defense.

Donte Stallworth: He didn’t do much this week, but I think he could go off against the Ravens. Tom doesn’t look to him first or even second, but the Ravens have to pay less attention to one of the main three, and I think Stallworth will benefit from that this week.

Nate Washington: With Santonio Holmes out for a 2nd straight week, Washington gets his chance to go up against the Bengals and prove he can do work in a big conference game. The Bengals can put points up on anyone, which should mean the Steelers will have to let a few loose. Washington is a cheap pick up, and he could get you into the playoffs this week.

Owen Daniels: With Matt Schaub back, the whole Texans’ receiving corps gets a boost, and that’s a good thing for the 2nd year tight end. Daniels has reliable hands, and against a Titans’ secondary that has been loosey goosey, I think OD is a nice pick this week.

Chargers: I see the Chargers bringing the house at the Chiefs – that will cause turnovers and quite possibly defensive scores.

LUCKY’S Week 13 Splinter-Butts (bench him, son)

Rex Grossman: He hasn’t been bad, but this week looks scary against that Giants’ pass rush.

Laurence Maroney: I love this kid, as much as he’s struggled fantasy-wise this season, but he should only struggle more in this game. The Ravens are deadly to fantasy running backs, and the Patriots can pass downfield so easily, why run into a brick wall.

Warrick Dunn: WD40 is a great little back, but the Rams are plenty fast, and have been decent against the run in all but a couple games this season. Dunn has been decent of late, but not this week.

Deion Branch: I see the Hawks using Branch as more of a decoy this week in Philly, plus Seattle doesn’t play well on the road. Steer clear of the former Patriot.

Free NFL Football Picks 07-08 Week 13

Lucky number 13… Is it time to go back to the well and call up WINNIE Cooper? Ah yes, for those of you who have been following me over the years, you’ll surely recall how I called on Winnie to help win me some games in one glorious Week 13 a few Novembers ago. And if you recall that, you’ll definitely recall how I ended up dancing a dance of perfection, ravaging the NFL to the tune of a 16-0 week. Well, hopes are high, and Winnie’s poster (fat head) is getting put up on the board. Here’s my free picks for week 13.

Thursday’s Game…

Green Bay Packers (+8) @ Dallas Cowboys:
(Line: Tuesday, 3:00am EST: 5Dimes)

These are two very good teams that rival the best the league has to offer. That being said, I do think Dallas is a little better than Green Bay, but just a little. Defensively, I actually like what the Packers do more than the Cowboys. They have a solid secondary with two safeties that can really move on the ball in the air. Dallas has two huge hitters and can be taken advantage of deep down the middle, or in man to man coverage with either safety. I think these teams are very equal offensively, with the Packers having the slight upper hand. This is the best the NFC has, and that being said, I think both teams feel as though they have something to prove on Thursday. This should be one hell of a game, a close one, and getting more than a touchdown, I have to go with a Packers team that should probably be undefeated right now. Yes, believe it. They are a self destructive second half away from a perfect record. Each team has had their close games, and I see this being yet another one.

Sunday’s Games…

Atlanta Falcons @ St. Louis Rams (-3.5):
(Line: Wednesday, 9:00pm EST: Bookmaker)

I think the Falcons are just about done winning games this season, and the Rams just started. Despite losing last week at home to Seattle, St. Louis played a pretty solid game, and still has one of the best offensive units in the game when healthy. The Falcons don’t have enough offensive firepower to keep up with St. Louis, unless the Rams have an injury to Bulger or just come out flat-lined. I like Steven Jackson to exude some force in this one, especially against a defensive tackle group full of backups. I’m sure the public will be riding the Rams in this one, but I honestly think they’ll win by more than a touchdown.

Buffalo Bills @ Washington Redskins (-5):
(Line: Tuesday, 5:00am EST: Bookmaker)

I hate to bet on this game at all, honestly. There are too many emotions floating around in Washington, and I’m not privy to the team enough to know how they’ll react as a unit. I know they are hurting bad after the murder of their friend and teammate, Sean Taylor. However, I like how the Redskins have been playing lately despite their losing ways. They are fighters, and I’m not so sure that the Bills, without their 1st and 2nd string running backs, will be able to compete from start to finish. I’m taking the Redskins here, but it’s not one of my strongest plays of the week. Basically, when I’m not sure, I lean on a team to step up in time of emotional crisis.

Detroit Lions (+3.5) @ Minnesota Vikings:
(Line: Tuesday, 5:00am EST: Bookmaker)

I know that the Lions are less than stellar on the road, but I don’t buy how well the Vikings played last week, and I also am not bidding on the Lions fall down the NFC. Detroit has gotten away from what made them strong, and I’m guessing they’ll get back to their open attack this week against a weak Vikings secondary. From what I’ve seen, the NFL doesn’t really work in runs. The Vikings were one of the more dominant teams in Week 12, and my guess is they’ll struggle in Week 13. I like the money line for the lions here, but getting more than a field goal, I’ll roll with Detroit to get a big road win to keep them in the playoff hunt.

Houston Texans @ Tennessee Titans (-3.5):
(Line: Tuesday, 5:00am EST: Bookmaker)

I like the Titans to rebound here. I don’t believe the hype that Albert Haynesworth’s absence has caused all the problems with Tennessee, but obviously getting him back would give the team a boost against a Texans team that is playing pretty solid football right now. Andre Johnson is back, and if the Titans can’t pressure Matt Schaub into some mistakes, it could be another long day for Tennessee’s secondary. However, I think they’ll easily shut down the Texan rushing attack, and force Schaub into 3rd and long situations – that will be the key for Tennessee to cover this one.

Cincinnati Bengals @ Pittsburgh Steelers (-7):
(Line: Tuesday, 3:00pm EST: Belmont)

The Bengals had a nice performance last week against the Titans, dominating in most aspects of the game, and putting up nice offensive numbers while completely shutting down Vince Young and the Titans. They got up early, and actually took some chances in the game, and that’s what the Bengals need to do to be successful. However, the Steelers, in my opinion, are still one of the NFL’s best teams. They play very well at home, and the also play big in big games. I think this is a huge game for Pittsburgh after the 3-0 ridiculously sloppy game last Monday Night. Plus, I just can’t bet on the Bengals because of one good game.

Seattle Seahawks @ Philadelphia Eagles (-3):
(Line: Tuesday, 5:00am EST: Bookmaker)

I think Brian Westbrook is trouble for the Seahawks, I like the Hawks team more than Philly’s but Seattle plays poor on the road, and they didn’t play well last week despite beating St. Louis. They aren’t strong enough with their run game, and Philly has the physical corners to disrupt the Hawks short stuff. And like I said, Brian Westbrook is going to be a Hawk killer on Sunday. I’m not sure if McNabb is playing or not, but A.J. Feeley can do enough to keep the Hawks secondary honest. Reggie Brown’s size will help the Eagles keep possessions going and defensively, I really like the Eagles’ confidence right now.

Monday Night Football Game

New England Patriots (-20) @ Baltimore Ravens:
(Line: Tuesday, 5:00am EST: Belmont)

Okay, this 20 point thing is getting a little ridiculous, but unlike the Eagles, the Ravens can’t put up points against the Patriots. Also unlike the Eagles, the Ravens don’t have a secondary that is strong enough to eliminate Randy Moss, or cover well enough to make Tom hold on to the ball that extra second. This spread is huge, and I’m not a fan of huge spreads, but I have to take the Patriots. I wouldn’t be surprised if they had a Monday Night shut out of the Ravens. I think the score will be 31-7 or something ridiculous like that. Baltimore is bad, and their amazing run defense won’t matter against New England.

Week 13 College Football Picks Review: 2007

3-2 with my free picks – 0-5 with my free dogs – and 3-2 with my elite picks… Another tough week in college…

LUCKY LESTER’S Free NCAA Football Picks Review

Free Picks: Week 13

Virginia Tech Hokies (-3.5) @ Virginia Cavaliers: win
(Line: Wednesday, 6:00pm EST: Belmont)

33-21, the Hokies have a spot in the ACC Championship game, and they could very well find themselves in a nice BCS Bowl game at season’s end.

Tulane Green Wave @ East Carolina Pirates (-12): win
(Line: Wednesday, 6:00pm EST: 5Dimes)

35-12, and Tulane scored half their points in the final quarter, already down huge. The Pirates were just the way better team, and that’s all there is to it.

Tennessee Volunteers @ Kentucky Wildcats (-3): loss
(Line: Wednesday, 6:00pm EST: Belmont)

It came down to the 3rd overtime, and Tennessee got it done when it counted the most .I thought I had this game when it went into the extra session, but as it turned out , my luck wasn’t with my on Saturday.

Texas El Paso Minors @ Central Florida Knights (-19): loss
(Line: Wednesday, 6:00pm EST: Belmont)

The Central Florida Knights waited too long to dominate this game, winning by just 16 after smacking UTEP around in the 4th quarter. I lose yet another game by a field goal. Blast!

Florida Atlantic Owls (-11.5) @Florida International Golden Panthers: win
(Line: Wednesday, 6:00pm EST: 5Dimes)

The FAU Owls had an easy time of it on Saturday. They were up 35-3 at half, and while the 4th quarter produced 40 total points and killed under bettors everywhere, it wasn’t enough to oust me, as the Owls rolled winning by 32 points in this instate rivalry game.

Five Free Dogs to Walk!

Not a day for the dogs – early close game tough luck had me reeling, and then the Mounties just destroyed the Huskies on way to an o-for with my 5 dogs…

Boise State Broncos (+3.5) @ Hawaii Rainbow Warriors: (loss)
(Line: Wednesday, 6:00pm EST: BetEd)

Wyoming Cowboys (+3) @ Colorado State Rams: (loss)
(Line: Wednesday, 6:00pm EST: Belmont)

Utah Utes (+4.5) @ BYU Cougars: (loss)
(Line: Wednesday, 6:00pm EST: Belmont)

Connecticut Huskies (+17.5) @ West Virginia Mountaineers: (loss)
(Line: Wednesday, 6:00pm EST: 5Dimes)

USC Trojans @ Arizona State Sun Devils (+3): (Thanks Giving Thursday) (loss)
(Line: Thursday, 4:00pm EST: Belmont)

Who2BetOn NCAA College Football Pay Picks – Week 13 Lucky Lester

Missouri Tigers @ Kansas Jayhawks (-1.5): loss
(Line: Thursday, 11:55pm EST: Bodog)

Cincinnati Bearcats (-19.5) @ Syracuse Orange: win
(Line: Thursday, 11:55pm EST: betED)

Washington State Cougars @ Washington Huskies (-5.5): loss
(Line: Wednesday, 6:00pm EST: Belmont)

Clemson Tigers @ South Carolina Gamecocks (+3): win
(Line: Wednesday, 6:00pm EST: Belmont)

Florida State Seminoles @ Florida Gators (-13.5): win
(Line: Wednesday, 6:00pm EST: Belmont)

Free Football Picks 06-07 Week 13

13 shows some promise, as I see a couple gimmie-games on the horizon. Those are a few games (5) I’m pretty dang sure about. Check them out in my attempt to bust out 16 wins in Week 13. Lucky number 13, that’s what ol’ Lucky has to say about that!
Gimmie-GamesFalcons over the Redskins
Jaguars over the Dolphins
Jets over the Packers
Texans over the Raiders
Panthers over the Eagles

Thursday:

Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals (-2.5): This is the toughest game of the week for me. Both teams come in playing very well, the Ravens defense dominating things for Baltimore and both the Bengals offense and defense playing together to handle things. I have to go with the Bengals, thinking their offense is good enough to score on the Ravens. Steve McNair will have his chance to shine though, as Cinci will be slamming the box and pressuring the Raven signal caller. Should be one hell of a Thursday Night game…. If you get NFL Network that is. Dough!

Sunday:

Minnesota Vikings @ Chicago Bears (-10): I don’t think the Vikings will be able to do jack against the Bears, especially run, and God knows Brad Johnson and company have a tough time completing passes against the air. The Bears will find running room sparse, but against a Viking secondary that’s been picked apart 5 too many times this season, even Sexxy Rexxy should be able to do a fine job for the win.

Atlanta Falcons (+2) at Washington Redskins: I guess I just don’t believe in Jason Campbell at quarterback and how he’s the second coming. He’s been great, and I liked him a lot more than most people when he was coming out of Auburn, but in a game he’s supposed to win (or so say the bookies) Jason will struggle, and Mike Vick will come out with something to prove. Take the Falcons here.

Arizona Cardinals at St. Louis Rams (-6.5): The Cardinals are just getting ready for Dennis Green to be fired, as you can see by their “toss it up” offense they ran last week in a loss to the 5 point loss to the Vikings. Well, they’ll be tossing it up this week too, because Steven Jackson is a beast, and he’ll be getting plenty of action against the sieved that is the Cardinal defensive front. Take the Rams in this one, as Tory Holt will also return to Pro Bowl form.

Kansas City Chiefs (-5) at Cleveland Browns: This is usually where the Chiefs do me dirty, but I’m betting for a change this week. They’ve looked good, rely on Larry for most of their offense (brilliant plan), and are ready to stop disappointing me. The Browns (like everyone else in the NFL) can’t stop LJ. Cleveland’s team, and offense especially, is sapped with turmoil, so expect a Chief drilling here.

Jacksonville Jaguars (+1.5) at Miami Dolphins: So, obviously the Dolphins are better under Nick Saban at the end of the year, and Jacksonville is as reliable as your neighborhood drug dealer, but he bottom line is Jacksonville is the better team here, even with all their injuries this season. On the road, the Jaguars will feel at home, taking down Miami late.

San Diego Chargers (-6) at Buffalo Bills: Anthony Thomas nor Willis McGahee can rush against the Chargers, as I don’t think there’s a guy, not on their own team, that can do it. With Shawn Merriman back in Charger gear, look for San Diego to look charged a week after stumbling to an ugly win against the Raiders.

San Francisco 49ers @ New Orleans Saints (-7): Sure, Frank Gore will be able to pile up the yards in New Orleans, but for how long? The Niners have trouble scoring, something Drew Brees and the Saints are very, very good at. When the Saints bump a few long touchdowns early, the Niners will result to passing the ball, something they aren’t so good at. The Saints should win this home game easily.

Tennessee Titans @ Indianapolis Colts (-7.5): The Titans won’t sucker the Colts this time. Indy will come out picking apart the Titan secondary, and they won’t fold like the New York Football Giants. No, no, not this Manning. Peyton will be ready to get the Manning name back on solid ground. And although I’d be a lot happier with -6.5, I’ll take the Colts in this one easy.

New York Jets (-1) at Green Bay Packers: I know Brett has played well this season, and the Packers have been better than everyone (even me) originally thought, but the Jets have been even better than Green Bay. New York has been better against the run of late, and Chad Pennington looks like he’s returned to his early season form. Laveranues Coles is back to dominating the air lines, so take him and the Jets in Wisconsin.

Houston Texans (+3) at Oakland Raiders: Are the oddsmakers seeing something I’m not? I don’t think the Raiders have a chance in this one. They can’t score. Sure, the Texans didn’t run the ball well last week, but they’ll have a better day against the Raiders. And David Carr has had a pretty nice season, though no one really knows that because when’s the last time a Texan game has been on TV? Exactly. Mario Williams has had a nice rookie year, he’ll be a great player. The Texans win this game. That’s my bet!

Dallas Cowboys (-3) at New York Giants: I don’t think the Cowboys are going to kill many teams as they did last week, but I do think they’ll find ways to win, because that’s what Tony Romo will do for the rest of his career. So Dallas haters out there, watch out. Owens should have a big day against a defense that won’t be able to stop him, or any of the other Cowboys for that matter.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Pittsburgh Steelers (-7): My guess is the Bucs don’t do dick against the Steelers defense. Pitt hasn’t played well, but they still have explosive players. Even without Hines Ward, the Steel Show will get another win on Sunday.

Seattle Seahawks (+3.5) @ Denver Broncos: I think the Hawks are starting to get it. They struggled early against the Pack, and Denver’s defense is much better than Green Bay’s, but Matt and Shaun look to be back up to speed. With Jay Cutler getting his first NFL start, the Hawks will try to capitalize on a couple rookie mistakes. If their defense can convert one mistake into points, the Hawks get the win on the road.

Monday:

Carolina Panthers (-3) at Philadelphia Eagles: The Panthers have disappointed me all season long, even when they cover, their offense is homely. But the Eagles don’t have their D-Nabb, and Brian Westbrook can only do so much. Look for the Panthers to take it to the Eagles on the road.

Week 13 College Football Picks Review: 2006

As up and down as my season has been, this week I was a very average 5-5, but I won 2 of my 3 top bets of the week. I’m not exactly happy with a .500 record, but I’ll take it in a crazy Rivalry week in college ball.

TOP 5 Bets

1. Boise State (win)
2. Southern Methodist (push)
3. Oregon (win)
4. Texas (loss)
5. West Virginia (loss)

Texas A&M Aggies @ Texas Longhorns (-13): LOSS! Texas struggled through the air, and the coaching staff made a huge mistake by sticking to their game plan instead of just running the ball, which they were doing very well. Their mistake, but we both suffer the consequences.

Oregon Ducks (+3) @ Oregon State Beavers: WIN! I couldn’t believe the Ducks were 3 point dogs, but thank God they were that. A loss for Oregon came, but the Beavers did so in such a fashion to make me a winner anyway. Yeehaw! Go Beaves!

Cincinnati Bearcats (-3.5) @ Connecticut Huskies: Loss. Half a point. Damn it all to hell.

Syracuse Orange (+15) @ Rutgers Scarlet Knights: LOSS! The Orange didn’t stand a chance in this one, as Rutgers out hit, out ran, and out played the Orange all day long.

South Carolina Gamecoks @ Clemson Tigers (-5): LOSS! South Carolina found a way to slang the Tigers, and end the season on a happy note. Apparently the Cocks didn’t get the memo that Spurrier was “moving in a different direction”, but then again, I’m just speculating.

South Florida Bulls @ West Virginia Mountaineers (-21): LOSS! The Mounties came out a little flat, then turned the ball over 4 times, and it was both Pat White and Steve Slaton, so at least the Mounties went down with their best players to blame. Watch out for the Mounties next season!

Southern Methodist Mustangs (+4) @ Rice Owls: PUSH. Rice had a late touchdown to put them in the lead, and the SMU Mustangs couldn’t take the lead, losing by just enough to push me along.

Louisville Cardinals (-10.5) @ Pittsburgh Panthers: WIN! Louisville was down early, but outscored the Panthers 38-10 in the final three quarters, making this game easy breezy and beautifully money making for Ol’ Lucky Lester.

Oklahoma Sooners (-5.5) @ Oklahoma State Cowboys: WIN! The Cowboys fought late, but couldn’t get it done. I guess I pulled out a half a point win, making my half a point loss a little more bearable.

Boise State Broncos (-2.5) @ Nevada Wolfpack: WIN! “LOL!” I definitely had this one pegged. Easy winnings!

Notre Dame Fighting Irish @ USC Trojans (-7): WIN! The Irish just didn’t have a chance from go to done. USC had more talent everywhere on the field, maybe even at quarterback… Anyway you look at it, USC came out and said, “National Championship! Here we come!” Though I still believe Michigan should get the nod.

2006 Fantasy Football Week 13 theRUNDOWN

This Week’s Top Team: I want 150 fellas. That means almost a 20 point average. Gonna need the big guns this week. I’m not holding back. Here are my Week 13 studs!

QB: Drew Brees: My main yardage leader fantasy scoring machine, Drew Brees, should bang out at least 3 scores against the Niners secondary.

RB: Larry Johnson: Cleveland, meet the guy you’ll have to stop 30+ times to even have a chance at winning this game. LJ, meet the team you’ll stomp all over the field until they start diving at your ankles when you’re going in for your 3rd touchdown on the day. Something like that.

RB: LaDainian Tomlinson: I’ve got to put this guy here. He deserves to be on this list forever. Dude is unreal. Responsible for all 3 of the Charger scores last week, he already has 24 touchdowns on the season. Buffalo, this is your chance, good luck. Fantasywise, this cat averages 6.6 more points per game than any other back.

WR: Steve Smith: Smith is way too good to stay so quiet. It’s not like he’s been bad, 6th in the league, but his huge games just haven’t been there. If Delhomme can figure it out, Smith will dominate the Eagles’ secondary.

WR: Javon Walker: I like J Walk against a Hawks defense that can give up the big play. With a gunslinger like Cutler, and the fact that I think the Broncos will be down, Walker looks to get his chances to make a play.

TE: Todd Heap: Heap takes advantage of defenses that take chances, the Bengals are definitely one of those. Look for Steve McNair to find Heap for a couple big ones in this surprise shoot out.

K: Jeff Wilkins: I kind of like this, Wilkins will make a big run against Arizona this week. Look for at least 4 field goals, and 2 extra points out of the big righty.

D: Bears: I can’t go wrong with Chicago. Wouldn’t be surprised if they shut out the Vikings here.

LUCKY’S Week 13 SLEEPERS

Chad Pennigton and Brett Favre: If the weather permits (check the report on Saturday) I think these two guys will get down to business in an old fashioned shoot out. Coles and Driver should have big days as well.

David Carr: I like Carr again this week. Like last week, the Raiders will try and make David beat them. All he needs to do is throw for 200+ yards and a TD with no more than one interception and the Texans will win. He’ll do better than that.

Steven Jackson: One day this youngster will be in the same league as the L’s (T&J), but right now, he’s numero deuce.

Travis Henry: Last time TH went up against the Colts, he put up an LT/LJ type yardage total. I don’t expect that again, but obviously the Titans know some plays that work against Indy.

Chris Henry: To celebrate the courts throwing Henry’s blood alcohol levels out of his DD court case, Henry will show up and catch at least one touchdown pass on Sunday. It’s nice that the Bengals have a guy as talented as Chris for a #3 receiver.

Terry Glenn: Against a struggling Giants secondary, this #2 wide receiver will have another #1 type game for the Cowboys. Romo likes to find Glenn in the end zone.

Ben Watson: Watson has been laid out to dry by Tom Brady a few too many times, and because of that, has dropped the ball a little too often. Ben is still too talented for Brady not to look for him, and against the Lions, Watson should be easy to find.

Jacksonville Jaguars DST: I’ve got to think the team that’s 3rd in the league in interceptions can get to Joey Harrington a couple times on Sunday. And with Ronnie Brown out, the Jags will crush whomever the Dolphins send in to run the ball. Should mean good things for Jax.

LUCKY’S Week 13 Moss’S

Jake Plummer, Mark Brunell, Drew Bledsoe, and Kerry Collins: Chuckle. I hope you didn’t pick any of these guys for your fantasy football teams.

Brad Johnson: Brad had a huge week in Week 12, but here come the Bears to show everyone why Brad should join Bledsoe, Plummer, Brunell, and Collins, on the Bench.

Edgerrin James: Last weeks totals will be out produced, I’m sure. But on the chance that Edge has another horrendous game, I have to keep him on this list.

Reggie Brown: Without D-Nabb, and with Jeff Garcia, things are looking grim for this young receiver.

Randy Moss: For namesake, I have to keep him here. Though, against the Texans, this might be Moss’s big chance to prove me wrong.

Free NFL Picks 05-06 Week 13

Winnie CooperIn names sake alone, Winnie Cooper shall will me to win. In your heart and mine, Winnie will always have a place, and with a name like Winnie, who else would better fit an article predicting winners such as this one. You must read on, I have the Texans winning for God’s sake. They’re 1-10 on the year, so if my prediction screams true they’ll double up on Sunday. Hold your tits and toes, this is going to be one wild ride.

Atlanta at Carolina (-3) – The Carolina Panthers have really struggled running the football this year. If Stephen Davis was still starting, I would take the Falcons, because there is no way he can pound the Falcons outside the tackles. In an intelligent move, the Panther brass has decided to start Deshaun Foster for the second straight week. Atlanta loses when teams can run the ball against them. This game will be no different. Sunday is huge for both teams, and Jake Delhomme and Steve Smith will find open spaces after the Falcons are forced to gear their defense to stop the run. Take the Panthers at home. Game Date: 12/04/05 13:05 ET

Buffalo (+4) at Miami – The little bird int the window says Miami 17, Buffalo 7, but I hate birds. If Buffalo wins out they could take the Patriot’s playoff spot, well technically anyway. Winning out starts this weekend in Miami. Many people expected more from the Buff, will they prove themselves this week against the weak Miami Dolphins? Ricky Williams had his best game of the year last week, and he’ll continue to get his fair share of carries down the stretch. This is an advertisement session for Nick Saban. He’s selling Ricky as a solid back. And he’s exactly that, but Ronnie Brown has the ability to be great which limits Ricky’s time in Miami. Look for Buffalo to slow Ricky just enough to take the Fins down in Miami.
Game Date: 12/04/05 13:05 ET

Cincinnati (+3) at Pittsburgh – The Steelers were embarrassed on Monday Night Football, so they should be ready and rearing to dismantle the Bengals at home on Sunday. Unfortunately for them, the Bengals are one of the top 5 teams in football and they’re always ready to play. This showdown in Pittsburgh will be the weeks best game, but don’t expect the home team to come out on top. One more week for Ben Roethlisberger to find his touch, then the Steelers will start winning again. Game Date: 12/04/05 13:05 ET

Dallas at N.Y. Giants (-3) – The Cowgirls will fumble their way to second place in the NFC East as the Giants vault themselves to the top of the pack. Look for this battle of 7-4 squads to come down to the wire with the Dallas defense failing to stop Eli Manning at the end of the game. A touchdown late will put the New York Football Giants up for good. Drew Bledsoe is too slow to get away from the Giant pass rush that stymied one of the best offensive lines in football last week in Seattle. I never thought I’d say this, but the Giants defense will be too tough for the Cowboys to pull off the upset.
Game Date: 12/04/05 13:05 ET

Green Bay at Chicago (-7) – The Bears are good. Don’t be confused because their offense isn’t a high-powered, well-oiled, gas-hogging machine. The Chicago Bear defense is back in full force. Who’s touting Brian Urlacher as the most overrated player in the league now? Precisely. The Packers won’t do just enough to cover the spread in this one. For the billionth time this year, Brett Favre’s interceptions will outnumber his touchdown tosses. Thomas Jones will pound the Packers defensive front into submission early.
Game Date: 12/04/05 13:05 ET

Houston (+8) at Baltimore – I don’t know what I’m doing here. Truly the Texans are a horrendous 1-10, and well on their way to the first pick in the 2006 draft. But they’ve played much better of late, really, they have. There is no question in my mind they fell victim to black magic against St. Louis last week, and they’ve played teams tough all year. David Carr looks much more comfortable in the past few games, paving the way for the Texan’s second victory of the season. The Raven defense might be the biggest disappointment of the year, in fact, Baltimore might give the Jets a run for the leagues biggest disappointment. On Sunday they’ll stake their claim for the top spot with a loss to the bottom of the league. I still think the Texans would be 5-6 if they were in the NFC North.
Game Date: 12/04/05 13:05 ET

Jacksonville (-3) at Cleveland – David Gerrard isn’t as great as many people are expecting him to be. There’s a reason why he’s backing Byron Leftwich up. But David will be good enough to hand the ball off to Fred Taylor and Greg Jones upwards of 40 times. His legs will be good enough to make plays when his first read isn’t open and the Jaguar defense will step up in the absence of their starting signal caller. The Jaguars didn’t get this far (8-3) to lose it all because Leftwich broke his ankle. Game Date: 12/04/05 13:05 ET

Minnesota (-3) at Detroit – The Vikings are winning football games left an right. A win this week would make it 5 straight for Brad Johnson and the Vikes. The Bears are running away with the division but with three very winnable games left on the schedule, the Vikings could find themselves in the playoffs at 9-7. I know, it’s unbelievable and highly unlikely, but look at Drew Bledsoe, probably the 15th best quarterback in the league and he is the 6th leading passer of all time. Crazy shit happens. Look for the Vikings to get their 5th straight against the Lions. Sorry, Detroit, Jeff Garcia doesn’t make all the difference. If I hear, ÒIf Jeff didn’t get hurtÓ one more time I’m going to make sure that person dies a painful death. Think hours and hours of ÒI’m a Barbie Girl, in a Barbie WorldÓ by Aqua on repeat.
Game Date: 12/04/05 13:05 ET

Tampa Bay (-4) at New Orleans – The Saints have no right to play close to the Bucs. New Orleans’ defense is better than people think, but to say they’re good is a flat out lie. The Bucs are solid on both sides of the ball. I know the Saints have nothing to play for, and usually they win these meaningless games, but this is even a tough year for the Òonly win when it hurts youÓ Saints. Cadillac Williams will rush for just around 150 yards as he carries the Bucs to 8-4.
Game Date: 12/04/05 13:05 ET

Tennessee at Indianapolis (-16) – The Colts won’t slip up against the Titans. There is no way Peyton, Coach Dungy, and the Defense will overlook this match-up. The Titans don’t have a powerful offensive line. That will be exploited on Sunday in Indianapolis. Edgerrin James will find loads of room to run, as he always does. James almost doubles the amount of 5-9 yard runs of any other back in the league. He’s a sure thing. If the Colts go undefeated this year, he’ll be the difference. Game Date: 12/04/05 13:05 ET

Arizona (-3) at San Francisco – The Cardinals have really struggled, but they’ve found offensive fire power with Kurt Warner throwing powder-puff balls to Larry Fitz and Anquan Boldin. Those two receivers form one of the leagues top receiving units. If the Cards could only get a running game going. Dennis Green is coaching for his job here, but what he really needs is enough losses to draft a top signal caller. This week won’t help as Arizona will walk into San Francisco and trounce the 49ers. Three words: Alex Smith starting. This is exactly what the 49ers need to do. Cleveland, Detroit, Green Bay, Oakland, it’s time for your stubborn donkeys to do the same. It’s time to see what the youth can do.
Game Date: 12/04/05 16:10 ET

Washington (-3) at St. Louis – The Rams won’t get lucky for the second straight week… wait, they’ve been luck since I could spell football. So what if that was only a couple years ago. They can’t get lucky against the Redskins. Not with LaVar Arrington making sure luck gets it’s ass pounded into the ground. There is no way the Redskins give up all those rushing yards two weeks in a row, is there? My bet is staying away from the Rams. One of these days, this luck crap will run down their leg, you’ll see. That day will be Sunday. Clinton Portis will have his best game of the year yardage-wise and Mark Brunell will find Santana Moss for old-times sake.
Game Date: 12/04/05 16:10 ET

Denver at Kansas City (+1.5) – The Broncos are 9-2. Amazing. Who would have thought, after losing to the Miami Dolphins on opening day the Broncs would win 9 of the next 10 on route to the second best record in football. Not I. I didn’t even think the Broncos would have a 1000 yard rusher on the year. Well, I’m sticking to my guns. The Chiefs have more on the line at home against Denver, so they’ll play to win. Larry Johnson will rush for more yards than Denver has given up to any other back all year. And Mike Anderson and Tatum Bell will both fail to reach the 100 yard plateau… in this game. Just trust me on this one, the Chiefs need this game and Angry Larry will pull them past the Broncos. Game Date: 12/04/05 16:20 ET

N.Y. Jets at New England (-10) -The New York Jets will lose their 10th game of the year, streaking their losses to 7 in a row. It’s been a tough year for Jet faithful, and I don’t know if it’s getting better anytime soon. Fortunately for the Jets, they’re still in the Reggie Bush lottery. Another big loss on Sunday could put them in a tie for first place in that league. The Jets still have one of the best secondarys in football, so look for the Patriots to pound all day long against New York’s front seven. Tom Brady will have a solid bounce back game.
Game Date: 12/04/05 16:20 ET

Oakland at San Diego (-11) – The Raiders have struggled to do just about everything. The defense, which was stout to start the season, has really tailed off of late, causing Kerry Collins to panic like that guy swatting the bee away in that Milwaukee’s Best commercial. And like that commercial, Collins should be crushed by a giant can of beer. God knows that’s his dream. Look at him. Collins needs to get his back foot chopped off so he can’t throw off it, then maybe the Raiders would have a chance. But, probably not. Ladainian Tomlinson will look like a scary combination of Tecmo Bowl’s version of Marcus Allen and Bo Jackson, leaving the rest of the writers to agree with Coach Schottenheimer’ s Week 12 assessment.
Game Date: 12/04/05 20:40 ET

Seattle (-4) at Philadelphia – The Hawks will win easily. How Seattle managed to win last week is beyond me. Terrible calls went against them, then more terrible calls went against them, then their offense played like garbage, and they still managed to pull out before anything bad happened. 9-2. That’s solid. The Eagles aren’t playing for much on Monday. The Hawks will be playing for home field throughout the playoffs. Watch Seattle dismantle the Eagles. Shaun Alexander loves to play in prime-time. He’ll run all over the Eagles defense.
Game Date: 12/05/05 21:10 ET
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Lucky Lester – Free Football Picks

Week 13 College Football Picks Review

A Repeat Performance
My second straight winner ended as another 7-4 record. I had some huge reversals as Fresno State was had by Nevada and LSU barely skipped by the Razorbacks. On the other hand, I had some huge winners come through in fine fashion. There were some great games this weekend… Texas almost went down and Georgia vs. georgia Tech was as hard-nosed as advertised. Let the flood gates open…

Toledo (+6.5) @ Bowling Green – (Toledo 44, Bowling green 41) Look at that, I predicted an upset out of the Rockets, and they came through with neons and rainbows. Omarr Jacobs did what he does, 315 yards, 3 touchdowns, but it wasn’t enough to hold down old Lucky Lester. Let freedom ring!

Wisconsin (-7) @ Hawaii – (Wisconsin 41, Hawaii 24) This was an easy pick, as I predicted. The Badgers looked good after their short week of Hawaiian beauties, fun in the sun, and practices in Hawaii forgetting about all of their late season failures. I win again!

North Carolina @ Virginia Tech (-23.5) – (NC 3, VT 30) Mr. Vick was balling on Saturday. Tech looked good taking down the Tar Heels. VT will have a good bowl game on their hands if they can step up and take the ACC Title. Look for them to do so. Look for them to dominate the rest of the season, including whichever shmoe they play in a bowl.

Maryland @ NC State (-2.5) – (Maryland 14, NC State 20) “NC State has crumbled from their preseason rankings, but they aren’t finished just yet. They’ll be bowling come December.” (Me) It’s only a week or two away before we find out which bowl game will host the Wolfpack. NC State struggled out of the blocks, but their 6 wins have been pretty big ones. Watch out for the Wolfpack, I hear their bowling.

Florida State @ Florida (-4.5) – (FSU 7, Florida 34) “The Gators have struggled, but they’ll be up for the task against a very average Seminoles team. A midseason loss to Virginia, teaming with the consecutive losses to NC State and Clemson have the Seminoles on their way out of the Top 25. Hooray!” (Me) The Gators might have done exactly what I predicted, sending the Seminoles packing for a trip outside of the Top 25. I love. In fact, “I like it, I love it, I want more of….” I hate that damn song!

Georgia (-3) @ Georgia Tech – (Georgia 14, Georgia Tech 7) Georgian played tough as timber on defense, taking down the Yellow Jackets after allowing only one single score. This was a battle, as I had expected, but Bulldogs are so much tougher than bumble bees.

Tennessee (-9.5) @ Kentucky – (Tennessee 27, Kentucky 8) I didn’t expect the Vols to go out on the ground and they didn’t. Coaching changes are in the near future for Tennessee, but not because they couldn’t out dual the Wildcats. The Vols brought my win total to 7 on the week. Not bad for a second week in a row.

LOSERS

Arkansas @ LSU (-17) – (Arkansas 17, LSU 19) LSU barely scored 17 damn points. That put a damper on my 17 point spread I had to cover. The Tigers often seem to play to the level of their opponents. I often seem to pick them when they seem to want to play that way. SEEM THIS!

Notre Dame (-18) @ Stanford – (Notre Dame 38 – Stanford 31) Stanford played tough against the team formerly coached by their old coach… what? Ah yes, Ty Willingham used to run the Cardinal. Stanford played well. Well enough to be up with less than two minutes to go. But the Irish weren’t about to allow another Michigan State game to happen. BCS, here come the Irish.

Fresno State (-16) @ Nevada – (Fresno State 35, Nevada 38) The Bulldogs had a big time lull against the gamblers. This will come back to bite them in the ass when they end up playing some barely average Pac-10 team in the Tampax Tampon Bowl.

Oklahoma State (+20) @ Oklahoma – (Oklahoma State 14, Oklahoma 42) Oklahoma is way better than OK State. I missed this one. I still hate Oklahoma though, so this just reiterates that.

NFL Free Picks 04-05 Week 13

Lucky enjoyed another winning week going 9-7 against the spread and moved to 87-80-6 for the NFL season. Let us jump right in with the picks, which should prove lucky even in Week Thirteen!Bengals(+6.5) @ Ravens -The Bengals, of all teams, were the last straw for Butch Davis. After his team gave up 58 points to Carson Palmer and his Cincy squad, Butch called it quits. This makes the Bengals the first team this year to force a coach to quit, and they will respond in week 13. I guess giving up 58 points to the Bengals is pretty amazing. The Bengals D shouldn’t find life too difficult against a raw Baltimore offense that continues to hurt their defense with turnovers deep in their own territory. The stories all over the league before last Sunday stated that Kyle Boller was coming of age, and he’s not just a guy handing the ball off anymore, blah, blah, blah… Right! He didn’t just hand the ball off against the Cowboys, so what. Last week his coach wished handing the ball off was an option. Boller isn’t an impressive QB, don’t know if he ever will be. Jamal Lewis hasn’t been great this year, but the Ravens have been even worse without him. With Lewis being a game time decision, I have to give the nod to the Bengals and the 6 points they are getting. Game Date: 12/05/04 13:00 ET

Cardinals @ Lions(-6) -The Cardinals are an up and down team this year, unfortunately there have been too many downs. The Lions have the same symptoms, losing to Washington and then barely getting beat by a tough Jaguar team in OT. Then a tough Viking team barely snuck past them in week 11. Last week they gave up 6 touchdowns to Peyton Manning alone, in three quarters. To put that into perspective, Mike Vick has 11 TD’s and he hasn’t missed a snap in 11 games. But all stats aside, the Cards are starting an un-drafted rookie at running back, and John Navarre at QB. Combined they have 43 yards of career offense, all coming from Larry Croom. If you don’t recognize that name, it’s okay; he’s the aforementioned rookie running back. The Lions still have Joey Harrington, Roy Williams, Kevin Jones, and a defense that has done all right, except for last week. I expect a better performance from a turbulent Lion team in week 13. Winning by 6 should be doable. Game Date: 12/05/04 13:00 ET

Titans(+10.5) @ Colts – This one might get me medically tested by my employers, but first let me explain. The Colts kicked the Lions to the curb last week; getting 6 touchdown passes from their fearless leader Peyton Manning. The Titans let a good lead slip away against the Texans, losing against the team they use to be. (Oilers, Warren Moon, Run N Shoot… remember?) But that was without Chris Brown, and McNair is just getting healthy. Steve played pretty well, and I think he will dip into his old bag of MVP tricks against a good Colts team. The Tennessee defense is underrated. I don’t know if their corners can hang with the trio Manning tosses the pigskin to, but they aren’t a pushover like the Lions were on Thanks Giving. 10.5 is a ton, and at a huge underdog to pull the upset, (+450) I might even take the Titans to defeat pretty horses.
Game Date: 12/05/04 13:00 ET

Vikings(-7) @ Bears – This game is a no-brainer, and I’ve already put big money down, just in case the odds makers come to their senses. I know the Bears just hired one of the best QB’s of all time, Joe Montana. But even with his amazing football skill and knowledge, the man is old, and he can’t win games on his own at his age. Wait. What am I saying? Just in… the Bears just signed Jeff George, not Montana. Jeff George hasn’t been a winner anywhere, and has been out of the league just about as long as Joe Namath. In fact, I’d rather have Namath. This is how bad it’s gotten in Chicago. What is going on? They aren’t going to the playoffs or anything, and I know damn well Jeff isn’t a long-term answer. So why not start a young fellow and try to teach him something? This is absurd. The Bears will get crushed by the Vikings who are back to full strength with Mr. Moss. Like I said, I’ve already taken a lot of action on this odds makers blunder, I advise you do the same. Game Date: 12/05/04 13:00 ET

Bills(-3.5) @ Dolphins – The Bills just destroyed the Hawks last week in Seattle. I’ve given Drew Bledsoe a lot of crap this year. I don’t see that “slowing down” any time soon. His methodical style only got him sacked one time last week, but in a 38-9 shellacking of the Hawks, Drew managed a 68 quarterback rating, with 3 interceptions to his one touchdown. What are the Bills doing? They are 5-6 and aren’t nearly as good as the playoff teams in the AFC. Drew Bledsoe has been terrible, yet JP Losman sits on the bench and watches. Maybe I should run a football team. I would know well enough to stick my future QB in when the season is lost for my team, and all that’s left is how good my draft pick will be. Sure, 9-7 is nice, but not when 7-9 moves you up 4 spots in the draft. Either way, with or without our world-class sprinter, Drew Bledsoe, the Bills should handle the most pathetic team in the NFL. The Dolphins only hope in winning is a court case against deserter Ricky Williams, and that’s not looking so good either. In a season that has forced the resignation of Dave Wandstedt, seen a top off-season pick up injured in the preseason, (David Boston, out for the year) and lost their only pro bowl offensive player (Williams), I can’t see a win coming even against the Bledsoe led Bills. And it hurts to say that. Drew might even pad his career rushing stats. Who knows? Let him loose!
Game Date: 12/05/04 13:00 ET

Falcons(+1.5) @ Buccaneers – What has changed in three weeks that makes this game any different than it was in week 10? Oh I see, Atlanta has gone undefeated and the Bucs just lost to Carolina. That makes sense…. unbelievable. I want some of the stuff the odds makers were on this week. The game is in Tampa Bay, but does that really make anyone think the Bucs should be favored? Atlanta is a playoff team, in the weak NFC yes, but the Bucs aren’t a playoff team in any league. Their running game will be shut down again, and Griese won’t be able to beat the Falcons by himself. It’s games like this that make me think that somebody is playing a trick on me, like this week in Tampa the opposing center has to play QB for the first half. The way I see it, even then, Vick will play in the second half, still giving the upper hand to Atlanta. Tampa shouldn’t play with Atlanta, regardless of how erratic the Falcons are.
Game Date: 12/05/04 13:00 ET

49ers @ Rams(-10.5) – The Rams have been terrible. Recently they have only beaten the Hawks, who gave the Rams the game. Bulger has racked up the most passing yards in the league, but then again blind deep passes have to be completed sometimes. When will Mike Martz realize that he has to run the ball to be successful. He’s been doing this stuff since he won his first Super Bowl with the Rams. He has a great tandem with Faulk and rookie Stephen Jackson at his disposal, yet he continues to let his quarterback launch the ball aimlessly down field. Fortunately for the Rams, they are playing the 49ers this week, which can’t even slow down a Bledsoe to Bledsoe air attack. I take back that the Dolphins are the most pathetic team in the league. At least they have an excuse, if not a few. The Niners decided to start the season with Ken Dorsey as their backup. They also lost to Miami last week. Enough said. Even the Rams should beat the Niners by a couple touchdowns. Game Date: 12/05/04 13:00 ET

Panthers @ Saints(-1) – The Saints have played a couple halves of decent ball of late. They hung with the Falcons a week ago, and three weeks ago, they beat Kansas City. But, the Broncos did kill them in week 11. Who knows what the Saints will play like in week 13. Not Jim Haslett, that’s for sure. That’s the thing though; a Sunday couch warrior like me has the same shot as God does in a New Orleans prediction. The Panthers managed to beat Tampa Bay last week behind another good game from Nick Goings. These defenses suck, and both the offenses come and go like Oprah”s cheeks. Honestly, I think the Saints will jump all over the Panthers this week, finish the season strong, but not strong enough to earn a playoff spot. The end of the season will show promise for a team that has been “young” for the last 5 years, and all the sports geniuses will pick them to win more games in 2005. But that’s just my prediction. Either way, I see a Saints win in New Orleans on Sunday. Game Date: 12/05/04 13:00 ET

Broncos @ Chargers(-3) – The Chargers fought off a tough effort from a never say die Kansas City team in week 12. The Broncos lost to a dead Raiders team. I’ll take the Chargers giving only 3 at home. The Broncos have been bad on the road, and San Diego has been good everywhere. The sensational Antonio Gates should have another big week. Also look for my main man Ladainian Tomlinson to reel off a big game. Lets not forget the crucial ingredient in this game, Drew Brees. Yeah, it took me a while to actually believe he was for real, but I have to trust his game now. He hasn’t had the benefit of an awesome season everyone expected from LT. He has had to make throws to win games, and he has done that. He’ll do it again against Denver who let Kerry Collins throw for 339 yards and 4 touchdowns, in the snow, in Denver. Not Peyton Manning, Kerry Collins. Game Date: 12/05/04 16:05 ET

Giants(+2) @ Redskins – The Giants shouldn’t be able to win many games while starting Eli Manning at QB. But this week will be the exception. The Redskins are terrible. Their best player, by far, had 6 carries for 17 yards last week. Clinton Portis was on the bench for a good part of the game because the Redskins were behind so early, that running was out of the question. Tiki Barbar will get his share of carries, and should break the 100-yard mark against a good Washington defense. I’m foreseeing 2 or 3 turnovers from the Redskins, and that’s wishful thinking for Joe Gibbs. Patrick Ramsey doesn’t have NFL talent, and will soon be written off as just another screw up by Steve Spurrier. For a team costing their owner a pretty penny, the Redskins are downright horrid. Odds makers must know something I don’t.
Game Date: 12/05/04 16:15 ET

Packers(+6) @ Eagles – The Eagles look really good lately. But, they played Eli Manning last week, and took advantage of his rookie mistakes. That won’t happen with Brett Favre playing the way he is. Brett has been playing like the champion he is since his slow start. Javon Walker has shown off the talent that made him a high pick in the first place. Ahman Green should be back, but if he isn’t Nejah Davenport can obviously get things done. Terrell Owens and Donovan McNabb has been a lethal combo, but will slip this week. McNabb has been too accurate lately, so I expect a drop off. I’d love to take the Packers to win in this one for a big pay off, but the 6 points are a nice diaper in case this is a nail biter, which I imagine it will be.
Game Date: 12/05/04 16:15 ET

Steelers(-3) @ Jaguars – The Steelers continue to be snubbed by the odds makers. The Jaguars are a tough team, but they just lost to the Vikings by 11 and I think the Steelers are better than Minnesota. That’s bad thinking for betting, but this isn’t. The Jaguars haven’t been as stout against the run this year, and the Steelers have the best rushing attack in the league. Ben Roethlisberger hasn’t had to make plays to win, but I believe he can. He’s got a rocket arm, and is poised enough to make it happen against a Jacksonville secondary that can be picked on. Duce Staley is back this week, and with Bettis backing him up and getting a bunch of carries, the Steelers should always have fresh legs on the field. Pittsburgh also has a D that is just too good to bet against. Game Date: 12/05/04 20:35 ET

Cowboys @ Seahawks(-7) – Where have all the Seahawks gone? In a season that was destined for greatness the Hawks managed to lose by 29 points to the Bills, and my favorite, Drew Bledsoe. Matt Hasselbeck looks horrible, and even the walrus look alike on the sideline has been huffing and puffing. Something is wrong in Seattle. There’s no doubt in my mind that this goes deeper than everyone thinks. I’ve been burned by the Hawks since my 3-0 start with them. This week should be different. Hasselbeck has to realize at some point that he is way better than he is playing. Holmgren should decide to just let Matt play ball, without any dumbing down, and without giving an absurd amount of carries to Shaun Alexander. The Cowboys are just flat out bad on both sides of the ball. Julius Jones won’t find as much yardage as he did against Chicago. The Hawks have a lot of injuries, but they will come to play against Dallas. With everything that has blown up in their faces since they lost to the Rams in week 4, the Hawks still have a good bunch of players that could just come together in adversity, and realize they still control their own playoff destiny. The Hawks will beat Dallas, and if they all come to play, they should really shut them down in Seattle. Game Date: 12/06/04 21:05 ET

Houston @ Jets (-7 ) – Chad Pennington is back, and his team is still headed for the playoffs. Houston is a mere roadblock in New York’s plans. With Chad back behind center, defenses won’t be able to load up on the run, making life easier for Curtis Martin to do what he was doing earlier in the season. Since Pennington’s injury something good has happened in Jetland, Santana Moss has come alive. If this continues, the Jets become a favorite to move on. Moss has been disappointing for the most part, but might pull a presto chango like he did last year. Either way the Jets should win easily at home against Houston. Game Date: 12/05/04 13:00 ET

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Lucky Lester