NFL Week 13 Picks and Analysis
Saturday, December 5, 2009 20:16
WHO IS REALLY TOUGHER… DUMBER?
Look for a culture clash in NFL locker rooms for the next couple of years… Between concussed players who rightly see the necessity, and have the toughness, to say, “My head’s not right, I’m not playing,” and the young guys who earned their helmet dings showing they were toughest by returning to the field as fast as possible even if they couldn’t focus on the Jumbo-Tron.
Hopefully, the issue will be no more disruptive than the helmet/mouth guard brou-ha-ha in the NHL. Sidney Crosby has more original teeth and less brain tapioca than does Bobby Clark. So, the question is: would you rather be tough and carry around a drool bucket or be smart and able to eat corn on the cob?
DID HE REALLY SAY THAT?
- Steeler coach, Mike Tomlin promised his team would “unleash hell” upon remaining opponents beginning with the visiting Raiders this week.
You gotta love the guy if only because his press conferences are bearable. But, coach… “Unleash hell”???… Can we leave religious imagery out of football talk? Next thing you know the Saints are gonna be “hurlin’ halos” or the Cardinals “unzipping flies.”
- The November Tampy, as you all must now know, was awarded to Bill Belichick of the Patriots for the way he quit with 5:00+ minutes to go by inserting a rookie QB during last week’s New Orleans Massacre.
We wanted to amuse ourselves and see how many times the coach cleared his throat as the crack New England media mercilessly peppered him with questions about his decision to bench three time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady in favor of Brian Hoyer.
(”Who?…You mean Woody Harrelson’s character in WHITE MEN CAN’T JUMP?”
“No, that was Billy Hoyle. Hoyer, Brian Hoyer.”
“Well, I’m pretty sure he’s no Woody Harrelson.”)
Seriously, here was the lengthy, backbiting exchange between Belliquit and the relentless Boston fourth estate:
Q: What was behind your decision to put Hoyer in the game?
BB: Just to give him some experience. We were down 21 points with five minutes to go.
That is it.
Not one more word about that decision, in the transcripts I’ve read, found here: http://www.patriots.com/mediacenter/index.cfm?ac=audionewsdetail&pid=40601&pcid=47
It never dawned on that pack of media wolves to ask: “Coach, do you agree reasonable people might see that as you waving a white flag?”
Our only choice is to nominate the Patriot beat writers for the December Tampy—a bunch of guys afraid to risk their access by asking the hard questions.
PICKING MY NOSE
After a horrendous Week 12, your very humble columnist is 87-85-3 and fondling the sticky doorknob of mediocrity. However, he hit 3-0 on his Specialty Picks and stands at an impressive 30-10-1. Can he keep it going?
SUCKERS BET OF THE WEEK
Tampa Bay visits Carolina to exact revenge on Dante Wesley for his cowardly blatant hit on the unsuspecting Clifton Smith, who was signaling fair catch when Wesley launched himself into Smith’s grill during the teams’ previous NFC South battle. How did Wesley get by the Golden Tampon nominating committee? This is perhaps one of the cheapest shots in the history of the genre: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cAyhCTaz2Y
Besides, that emotional powder keg, these two teams have been wildly inconsistent all season long.
There are much surer bets this week. Especially this one…
LOCK OF THE WEEK
Dallas has something to prove. Namely, that they can win a big game in December or January. They’ll start with a semi-big win against a Giants team that seems to have lost its way.
UPSET SPECIAL
Bill Belichick cost his team a game with a dumb call in Indy. He made them quit in New Orleans. You have to wonder if some of his players are unhappy, maybe distracted. Miami plays tough at home. The cozy pick would be an angry Patriot club running up the score against the Dolphins…I just have a feeling…
As always, the weekly lines I use are found here: www.footballlocks.com/nfl_lines.shtml
My picks are in bold italics below:
NFL Lines For Week 13 – 12/6 – 12/7, 2009
| Date & Time | Favorite | Line | Underdog | Total |
| 12/6 1:00 ET | Denver | -5 | At Kansas City | 38.5 |
| 12/6 1:00 ET | At Pittsburgh | -14.5 | Oakland | 37 |
| 12/6 1:00 ET | At Jacksonville | PK | Houston | 46.5 |
| 12/6 1:00 ET | At Indianapolis | -6.5 | Tennessee | 46.5 |
| 12/6 1:00 ET | Philadelphia | -5.5 | At Atlanta | 43.5 |
| 12/6 1:00 ET | At Cincinnati | -13 | Detroit | 42 |
| 12/6 1:00 ET | New Orleans | -9.5 | At Washington | 47 |
| 12/6 1:00 ET | At Carolina | -5.5 | Tampa Bay | 40 |
| 12/6 1:00 ET | At Chicago | -9 | St. Louis | 41 |
| 12/6 4:05 ET | San Diego | -13.5 | At Cleveland | 43 |
| 12/6 4:15 ET | At Seattle | PK | San Francisco | 41.5 |
| 12/6 8:20 ET | Minnesota | -3 | At Arizona | 48 |
| 12/6 4:15 ET | Dallas | -2.5 | At NY Giants | 45.5 |
| 12/6 1:00 ET | New England | -4 | At Miami | 45 |
Monday Night Football Line
| 12/7 8:35 ET | At Green Bay | -3 | Baltimore | 43.5 |
PK = Pick… No favorite, no underdog… A line of zero.
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