RECAP - WEEK TWELVE

This Week: 5-11 (82-88-5)
Linebusters: 3-2 (30-29-1)
Straight Picks (w/o line): 8-8 (107-65-1)

You know it's a bad week when even my straight picks aren't over .500. What the hell happened? I guess we're back to the NFL where half the league craps the bed in a given week. I'm upset about this one...descriptions will be very short.

Not Cold Enough
Cincinnati Bengals @ Pittsburgh Steelers
Line: Steelers -11
O/U: 34.5
My Pick: Bengals +11. Steelers win 23-13!
Result: Steelers 27-10
Didn't think that many points would be scored in the cold, snowy weather. I was wrong.

Cleveland Most Decidedly Does NOT Rock
Houston Texans @ Cleveland Browns
Line: Browns -3
O/U: 50.5
My Pick: Browns -3. Cleveland wins one for the Dog Pound 31-24.
Result: Texans 16-6
Hello, Under. Let me tell you a little story about a football team with no offense and a mediocre-at-best defense that beat the defending Super Bowl Champion, gained a bunch of confidence, and found its groove offensively. It won a couple games here and there, and then beat the Buffalo Bills, on Monday Night, on the road. Then it faced a somewhat lousy defensive team in their own building, and scored only six points. How you ask? If you find out, LET ME FREAKING KNOW!

At Least My Team Kicked Some Butt
Buffalo Bills @ Kansas City Chiefs
Line: Bills -3
O/U: 43.5
Linebuster!
My Pick: Bills -3. Buffalo finally gets back on the horse 26-14.
Result: Bills 54-31
When I'm picking well, the Bills lose and make me feel miserable. When I'm picking like crap, and feel miserable anyway, the Bills somehow score points. A lot of them. They need to win this week, and win 2 of the final 3 games against division opponents, to have any playoff shot.

Why Wouldn't I be Forced to Rescind My Jets Views...
New York Jets @ Tennessee Titans
Line: Titans -5
O/U: 40.5
My Pick: Titans -5. Tennessee is legit. New York isn't. Titans 27-17.
Result: Jets 34-13
A crappy team with nearly the same lineup as last year adds a couple guys on the O-line, a proven QB, and suddenly is a powerhouse? Not really. They lost by 19 to the Chargers. They lost to the Raiders. They almost lost to the Chiefs. The Jets have gelled together as the season has progressed, and you cannot underestimate the importance of a QB that knows how to win. They're now a playoff team, and I do think they are on the upper tier of the AFC East, mostly because they have the confidence to win any game they're in. You likely won't see a Giants-Jets Super Bowl, but like I said, they should get in the playoffs now.

No Contest
New England Patriots @ Miami Dolphins
Line: Dolphins -1
O/U: 42
Linebuster!
My Pick: Patriots +1. I can't believe I get points on this one! Pats win it 24-16.
Result: Pats 48-28
This had to happen. New England doesn't lose to the same team twice in one season, and Cassel is getting better. Playoffs are still a maybe, though.

Double Edged Sword
San Francisco 49ers @ Dallas Cowboys
Line: Cowboys -10
O/U: 46.5
My Pick: 49ers +10. Cowboys still win it 31-23.
Result: Cowboys 35-22
I was close on the score, but the Dallas D held up just enough to cover. Of course, the points they earned helped my fantasy team win, so this "loss" is bittersweet.

Top of the South
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Detroit Lions
Line: Bucs -8.5
O/U: 41.5
My Pick: Bucs -8.5. The Bucs should power by the Lions 23-13.
Result: Bucs 38-20
HA! I knew the Bucs could win by more than a handful. Now they're tied atop the division...how good is the NFC South this year?

Offensive Juggernaut
Philadelphia Eagles @ Baltimore Ravens
Line: Ravens -1
O/U: 39.5
Linebuster!
My Pick: Philly +1. Eagles pull it out 23-9.
Result: Ravens 36-7
You've gotta be kidding me. Where the heck is the offense? McNabb, pull your head out of your ass and command the freaking game! At the start of the year, I was concerned the Eagles would not put up big O numbers, but after they came out of the gate guns-blazin' I changed my mind. Well, I'm back to the old way of thinking. Stupid Birds.

Rammin' Nothin'
Chicago Bears @ St. Louis Rams
Line: Bears -8.5
O/U: 43
My Pick: Rams +8.5. Chicago still wins a squeaker 24-21.
Result: Bears 27-3
Rams were doing good. Surprising people. Now they're not. They suck again. Nuff Said.

Season's Officially Over
Minnesota Vikings @ Jacksonville Jaguars
Line: Jaguars -2.5
O/U: 40.5
Linebuster!
My Pick: Vikings +2.5. Again, I can't believe I'm getting points here. Minny wins 23-17.
Result: Vikings 30-12
People had the Jags in the Super Bowl this year. They won't be. What a poor showing for the Jags all season long...

What Does This Mean?
Carolina Panthers @ Atlanta Falcons
Line: Falcons -1
O/U: 42.5
My Pick: Panthers +1. Carolina sweeps the season series 24-23.
Result: Falcons 45-28
I actually thought better of this one after I picked it. With all the bunching atop the NFC South, what does this mean for the playoff picture? Tampa and Carolina are 8-3, and the Falcons are 7-4. At most, two of these teams will be in the postseason. Maybe only one, if the Skins and Cowboys both pull it together. Who will it be?

I Hate Denver SOOOOO Much
Oakland Raiders @ Denver Broncos
Line: Broncos -9.5
O/U: 42.5
My Pick: Broncos -9.5. Denver crushes Oakland again 34-14.
Result: Raiders 31-10
Explosive offense and no D vs. No offense and some D...and keep in mind, Denver won by a ton IN Oakland....so of COURSE Oakland wins it. It makes perfect sense. The Broncos love to screw my picks up, and now they've lost to the Chiefs and Raiders, beat the Chargers thanks to Ed Hochuli, lost to the lowly Jags at home, and lost to the Fins at home. Can we change the playoff structure? No one from the AFC West deserves to polish the cleats of a playoff team, let alone compete against them.

Stupid Redskins
Washington Redskins @ Seattle Seahawks
Line: Skins -3.5
O/U: 40
My Pick: Skins -3.5. Washington wins 24-20.
Result: Skins 20-17
Of course they won by a field goal. That was my only hesitation is picking them. Lazy offense-less jackasses.

I Know, I Know
New York Giants @ Arizona Cardinals
Line: Giants -3
O/U: 48.5
My Pick: Cards +3. Arizona will catch the Giants napping and win outright 34-30.
Result: Giants 37-29
I did not truly think the Cards were better...I just expected the Giants to come out flat. They didn't. They're a VERY good team. To win without Jacobs and Burress, on the road, and look good doing it? Wow.

Vinatieri To The Rescue!
Indianapolis Colts @ San Diego Chargers
Line: Chargers -2.5
O/U: 49.5
My Pick: Colts +2.5. Glad to take the Colts with points when they need wins. Indy 31-28.
Result: Colts 23-20
The Colts should make the playoffs. The Chargers may overtake the Broncs, but only because both teams are awful. There seriously could be an 8-8, or god forbid 7-9, team in the playoffs. That's how bad the AFC West is.

Too Little, Too Late
Green Bay Packers @ New Orleans Saints
Line: Saints -2.5
O/U: 51.5
Linebuster!
My Pick: Packers +2.5. They were great against the Bears; They'll shred the Saints 34-24.
Result: Saints 51-29
I didn't realize that the Packers would implode in the 3rd quarter, or I would have considered a Saints win. New Orleans is not going to make the playoffs, despite being a favorite when the season began. There are too many good teams emerging in front of them in the South. The Packers have work to do, as the Vikings and Bears are now winning games.