NFL Week 12 Picks and Analysis
Saturday, November 28, 2009 21:33
THANKSGIVING DAY MASSACRE
Wow, The Gairzo laid a Turkey goose egg on his Thanksgiving football picks, including 0-2 on his specialty picks.
Somebody forgot to tell the G-Men that once you put pads, helmets and uniforms on, you should think about playing football.
Da Raidas stink only a bit less with Bruce Gradkowski at QB and couldn’t manage four more points to cover the spread. I didn’t think it was possible to hate Oakland more than I did on Wednesday. I was wrong.
The Lions were game and the Packers bagged them, but I don’t regret picking Detroit because Matthew Stafford will win a Super Bowl someday.
OTHER WEEK 12 NUGGETS
Remember the Titans – With Vince Young at the helm, Tennessee has already won more consecutive games after opening with six straight losses than any team in history. What a story it would be…
Shut up, Ben! I didn’t know the Steelers QB was a neurologist. He spent most of the week practicing and taking “thousands of tests” only to experience post-practice headaches on Thursday. He won’t play Sunday. Tomlin needs to tell his players: stop talking to the media about internal team matters.
The league is changing. Used to be, of the top five defensive teams, at least four topped the playoff totem pole. Today, only #1 Pittsburgh can say they are or can be a major player come January. Conversely, each of the league’s offensive leaders is a legit Super Bowl contender. Once upon a Sunday, at least four of the top five rushing teams were definitely playoff bound. Only the Saints can carry that banner in today’s league. Here are the stats: http://www.nfl.com/stats/team. How do you interpret them?
You’re Joshin’ me! Looks like Bronco’s coach Josh “Pretty Boy” McDaniels uses curse words on the sideline. Kills me. NFL players report to the stadium many hours before the games, psyching themselves up to collide with other human beings at full speed. It is a coach’s job to maintain that edge through an entire game. Billions of dollars, and tons of testosterone are in play and at stake. Fucking get over it!
OUCH!!! The aforementioned collisions–clocked by physicists–would be like accelerating to 15 MPH and slamming your car–your body, your head–into a brick wall 75 times in a three-hour period. Stop wondering why NFL retirees’ brains turn to oatmeal or why players suffer so many concussions. It is like wondering why bull riders have so many broken bones or why bakery chefs have big bellies.
PICKING MY POISON
After my oh-fer Thursday, I come into the meat of Week 12 with a mark of 82-79-2 over-all and 27-9-1 on my specialty picks.
I’ll still pick my usual weekend trifecta beginning with…
SUCKERS BET OF THE WEEK
Too many variables in Baltimore. Dr. Roethlisberger and the Steelers are going to need paramedics if they lose to the Poe Birds. The Ravens are looking to avenge three ‘08 losses to the Steelers and plan on making life miserable for former Oregon sensation Dennis Dixon. All signs point to a Raven victory–which is exactly why I’m picking Pittsburgh. There has been some locker room sniping from James Harrison, who thinks the defense has taken too much of the blame for the Steelers’ 6-4 record. It’ll be a close game, but the Steelers, with the league’s best defense and the sixth most potent offense (in yardage) are the NFL’s most balanced team. If they don’t give the Ravens a return TD, the Steelers will win, but I wouldn’t bet on it.
UPSET SPECIAL #2
Washington brings a stout defense into Philly, and I say here that they’ll cover and maybe win on a field goal late. McNabb has seemed a tad off the whole season and the Eagles might be pressing.
LOCK OF THE WEEK
St. Louis is having awful injury luck in a terrible year. Seattle should win by 14.
NFL Lines For Week 12 – 11/29 – 11/30, 2009
| Date & Time | Favorite | Line | Underdog | Total |
| 11/29 1:00 ET | Indianapolis | -3.5 | At Houston | 48 |
| 11/29 1:00 ET | At Cincinnati | -13.5 | Cleveland | 38.5 |
| 11/29 4:15 ET | At Minnesota | -11 | Chicago | 47 |
| 11/29 1:00 ET | At Philadelphia | -9 | Washington | 40.5 |
| 11/29 1:00 ET | Miami | -3 | At Buffalo | 39.5 |
| 11/29 4:15 ET | At Tennessee | -3 | Arizona | 45.5 |
| 11/29 1:00 ET | Seattle | -4 | At St. Louis | 42.5 |
| 11/29 1:00 ET | At Atlanta | -12 | Tampa Bay | 46 |
| 11/29 1:00 ET | At NY Jets | -3 | Carolina | 41.5 |
| 11/29 4:05 ET | At San Francisco | -3 | Jacksonville | 41.5 |
| 11/29 4:05 ET | At San Diego | -13.5 | Kansas City | 45 |
| 11/29 8:20 ET | At Baltimore | -1.5* | Pittsburgh | 39* |
Monday Night Football Line
| 11/30 8:35 ET | At New Orleans | -2 | New England | 57 |
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