NFL Picks Week 12

Time to try something different, because last week did not work at all.  It is what I would classify in the picking game as pretty close to a disaster.

See the record and weep:

Last Week:  5-9 (.357)

Overall: 105-55-1 (.652)

Chiefs vs. Raiders (Another thrilling Thursday night game.)

Browns vs. Falcons

Titans vs. Eagles

Lions vs. Patriots

Packers vs. Vikings

Jaguars vs. Colts

Bengals vs. Texans

Jets vs. Bills (I did consider picking the snow in this game.)

Buccaneers vs. Bears

Cardinals vs. Seahawks (The Cardinals are definitely for real if they win this game.)

Rams vs. Chargers

Dolphins vs. Broncos

Redskins vs. 49ers

Cowboys vs. Giants

Ravens vs. Saints (The battle of the league’s two most inconsistent teams on Monday night.)

NFL Wild Card Round Picks

The NFL postseason is here at last.  Week 17 was a great week for picks, after several down weeks.

This week the weather will play a huge difference in who wins these games, and advances to next week’s round.

Last Week:  13-3 (.813)

Overall:  163-92-1 (.637)

Chiefs vs. Colts (Kansas City has no momentum on its side, which is always critical in the playoffs.)

Saints vs. Eagles (New Orleans has had a tough time on the road, plus Philadelphia is electric at night.)

Chargers vs. Bengals (Cincinnati is the better team, though the Chargers have momentum on its side.)

49ers vs. Packers (The weather is going to be downright cold, favoring Green Bay, who is used to such conditions.)

NFL Week 17 Picks

It is the final week of the NFL regular season, and there are several key games to wrap up this 2013 season.

Last Week:  9-7 (.563)

Overall:  150-89-1 (.625)

Panthers vs. Falcons

Ravens vs. Bengals

Texans vs. Titans (Titans finish off the disaster that has been Houston’s season.)

Jaguars vs. Colts

Jets vs. Dolphins

Lions vs. Vikings

Redskins vs. Giants (Kirk Cousins won’t go winless in his stretch as starter.)

Browns vs. Steelers

Packers vs. Bears (Aaron Rodgers’ return sparks the Packers.)

Broncos vs. Raiders

Bills vs. Patriots

Buccaneers vs. Saints

49ers vs. Cardinals

Chiefs vs. Chargers (Chargers are hot, and the Chiefs are limping into the playoffs.)

Rams vs. Seahawks

Eagles vs. Cowboys (Romo or no Romo, Eagles win.)

NFL Picks Week 13

Thanksgiving weekend is here, and the end of the season is fast approaching.  Opportunities for teams to turn their season around are ending, and the chances of making the playoffs get a little slimmer.

Last Week:  6-7-1 (.429)

Overall:  112-63-1 (.636)

Packers vs. Lions

Raiders vs. Cowboys

Steelers vs. Ravens

Jaguars vs. Browns

Titans vs. Colts (I’ve completely lost any faith I had in the Colts.)

Bears vs. Vikings

Dolphins vs. Jets (Not sure the Jets will win again this season.)

Cardinals vs. Eagles

Buccaneers vs. Panthers

Patriots vs. Texans (Should have been a good match-up.)

Falcons vs. Bills

Rams vs. 49ers

Broncos vs. Chiefs (Two teams coming off games they had won.)

Bengals vs. Chargers

Giants vs. Redskins

Saints vs. Seahawks

Week 11 NFL Picks

Last Week:  7-7 (.500)

Overall:  96-51 (.653)

Colts vs. Titans (Colts have to rebound.)

Jets vs. Bills

Ravens vs. Bears

Browns vs. Bengals

Redskins vs. Eagles

Lions vs. Steelers

Falcons vs. Buccaneers

Cardinals vs. Jaguars

Raiders vs. Texans

Chargers vs. Dolphins

49ers vs. Saints

Packers vs. Giants

Vikings vs. Seahawks

Chiefs vs. Broncos (Beat up Denver offensive line plus a gimpy Peyton Manning equals a Kansas City win.)

Patriots vs. Panthers

NFL Game Picks Week 8

Almost to the season’s mid-way point, and the picks are remaining slightly above average.

However, for some teams, major mid-season injuries have perhaps changed goals.

Last Week:  10-5 (.667)

Overall:  71-36 (.664)

The Picks:

Panthers vs. Buccaneers

Cowboys vs. Lions (It is really painful to say, but I like the Cowboys overall.  The only thing that will beat them will be themselves.)

Browns vs. Chiefs (If Browns fans liked Brandon Weeden’s decisions under pressure, then they will love Jason Campbell.)

Dolphins vs. Patriots

Bills vs. Saints

Giants vs. Eagles

49ers vs. Jaguars (How do you like the NFL now, London?)

Jets vs. Bengals

Steelers vs. Raiders (At least Pittsburgh is in the right division to make a comeback.)

Redskins vs. Broncos

Falcons vs. Cardinals

Packers vs. Vikings

Seahawks vs. Rams

Week 5 NFL Picks

Thankfully, last week included a bit of a rebound after a week below-.500.  Hopefully, it continues in this week’s edition of NFL picks.

Last Week:  10-5 (.667)

Overall:  41-22 (.651)

Bills vs. Browns (Who would have thought this Thursday night match-up would actually be a good one.) [Thursday 8:25 p.m., NFL Network]

Saints vs. Bears [1 p.m., FOX]

Patriots vs. Bengals [1 p.m., CBS]

Lions vs. Packers [1 p.m., FOX]

Chiefs vs. Titans (The Chiefs’ success isn’t that big of a surprise.  However, the Titans’ success is.) [1 p.m., CBS]

Seahawks vs. Colts (The Seahawks might be 4-0, but it is more of a lucky 4-0.) [1 p.m., FOX]

Jaguars vs. Rams (Congratulations St. Louis, you get the distinct honor of facing the Jaguars.) [1 p.m., CBS]

Ravens vs. Dolphins [1 p.m., CBS]

Eagles vs. Giants [1 p.m., FOX]

Panthers vs. Cardinals [4:05 p.m., FOX]

Broncos vs. Cowboys [4:25 p.m., CBS]

Texans vs. 49ers (Two preseason favorites who have not lived up two their potential.) [8:30 p.m., NBC]

Chargers vs. Raiders [11:35 p.m., NFL Network]

Jets vs. Falcons [Monday 8:30 p.m., ESPN]

NFL Picks Week 4

Last week was not a good one, ending the run the start the season.  However, with the first teams taking bye weeks, you can begin to tell which teams are pretenders, and which teams are contenders.

Last Week:  7-9 (.438)

Overall:  31-17 (.646)

49ers vs. Rams (49ers have to get back on track.)

Ravens vs. Bills

Bengals vs. Browns (Sorry, Brian Hoyer, these aren’t the Vikings.)

Bears vs. Lions

Giants vs. Chiefs (The Chiefs are good, the Giants are not.)

Steelers vs. Vikings

Cardinals vs. Buccaneers

Colts vs. Jaguars

Seahawks vs. Texans (Houston players should have some bad tastes in their mouths following last week’s loss.)

Jets vs. Titans

Eagles vs. Broncos

Redskins vs. Raiders

Cowboys vs. Chargers

Patriots vs. Falcons

Dolphins vs. Saints

NFL Week 3 Picks

Here are the picks for this week, as it is beginning to become apparent which teams will be competing for a Super Bowl, and which teams are competing for the first pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, which just might be South Carolina DE Jadeveon Clowney.

Last Week:  12-4 (.750)

Overall:  24-8 (.750)

At least it’s consistent.

Chiefs vs. Eagles (Philadelphia and Chip Kelly’s offense are for real.)

Packers vs. Bengals

Rams vs. Cowboys

Chargers vs. Titans

Browns vs. Vikings

Buccaneers vs. Patriots

Cardinals vs. Saints

Lions vs. Redskins

Giants vs. Panthers (By rule, one of these teams will no longer be winless, unless it ends in a tie.)

Texans vs. Ravens (Last year, this is a great game.  Still is a good game, but Houston is just a little better.)

Falcons vs. Dolphins

Bills vs. Jets

Colts vs. 49ers

Jaguars vs. Seahawks

Bears vs. Steelers

Raiders vs. Broncos (Might be closer than people think.  Oakland usually plays really well on Monday nights.)

2013 NFL Picks

With the 2013 NFL Season just hours away from kicking off, here are my predictions on the season.  After a tumultuous offseason for the league and some of its teams, there is hope for the good feeling to come back with the on-the-field product.

AFC Picks:

Division Winners:  Patriots (East), Bengals (North), Texans (South), and Broncos (West)

Wild Card Winners:  Ravens and Colts

Don’t be surprised, though:  If the Chiefs make the playoffs, and the Ravens do not.  Obviously with my picks, I don’t think this happens, but it wouldn’t be the craziest thing.

Wild Card Round:  Bengals over Colts, Ravens over Texans

Divisional Round:  Patriots over Bengals, Broncos over Ravens

AFC Championship: Broncos over Patriots

NFC Picks:

Division Winners:  Redskins (East), Packers (North), Saints (South), Seahawks (West)

Wild Card Winners:  49ers and Panthers

Don’t be surprised, though:  If the Falcons take a big step back this year, and the Cardinals surprise everyone and make the playoffs.

Wild Card Round:  49ers over Packers, Panthers over Saints

Divisional Round:  Seahawks over Panthers, 49ers over Redskins

NFC Championship:  49ers over Seahawks

Super Bowl:

The 49ers definitely have the fire-power to return to the Super Bowl, facing Peyton Manning’s Denver Broncos.  John Fox’s tendencies to go very conservative in play-calling in big situations get him again, as the 49ers win, giving both Harbaugh brothers a Super Bowl ring.