Week 13 Picks cont...

If Gabe was thankful for anything this past Thanksgiving, it's that his one win last Thursday(as opposed to my 0-3 on Turkey Day) gave him a one-game edge for the week and pushed his season series lead to two. We also had this year's first tie, thanks to the compelling Arizona-Tennessee game that ended with an amazing catch from Kenny Britt(FROM: Rutgers) at the end of regulation. That being said, here's the rest of our Week 13 picks



LAST WEEK: Gabe: 6-9-1, Dave: 5-10-1



SEASON: Gabe 97-76-1, Dave: 95-78-1



THIS WEEK: Gabe 1-0, Dave 1-0



Broncos(-4.5) at Chiefs



Dave: Chiefs - The Chiefs have screwed me all season, whether it be picking them in an upset(like last week against SD) or picking them to get steam-rolled(two weeks ago against Pittsburgh). So, with my selection of KC here, that means the Broncos should win this one by 14. However, the Broncos are 1-16 lifetime in December at Arrowhead and, Thanksgiving's dismantling of Gabe's Giants not withstanding, I'm still not very impressed with Josh McDaniels' boys. I like the emergence of Jamaal Charles and Chris Chambers here, not enough to call for the upset, but perhaps to only lose by a field goal.

Gabe: Broncos - I think the Broncos will have momentum after smoking the Giants. They'll have had 10 days to prepare for the lowly Chiefs. I think the Broncos roll and win by 10.

Raiders (+14.5) at Steelers



Dave: Raiders - Oddly enough, I'd like Pittsburgh to cover here if they went with Dennis Dixon over a woozy Big Ben. You don't just step in a couple weeks after your fourth concussion and go back to putting up 400-yard games. The Steelers have been solid running the ball with Rashard Mendenhall and that takes pressure off Ben and the passing game, but the Raiders are pesky(as proven in wins over Philly and Cincy) and Nnamdi Asomugha is good enough corner to make Big Ben pay if for some reason his dizziness forces him to throw Nnamdi's way. I like the Steelers here, but it's hard to like them more than two touchdowns when their QB has half his wits. Steelers by 13.

Gabe: Steelers - The big reason I am taking the Steelers here is because of the travel. The lack of success of West Coast teams traveling to the East Coast is well documented. The Steelers need this win to stay in the playoff hunt. I think the Steelers make a statement and win by 17.

Houston (PK) at Jacksonville

Dave: Houston - Jacksonville might be the worst team that might make the playoffs in NFL history. They're horrible against the pass because their pass rush is non-existent and that doesn't help against Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson. The Texans have been a huge bust thanks to their Jason Biggs-like inability to close and it's easy to give the Jags the edge because their at home and fighting for a playoff spot, but this season has been so nutty, you have to expect a letdown somewhere. I reluctantly like Houston here by a touchdown.

Gabe: Houston - The last time these teams played Matt Schaub threw for about 1100 yards and Mojo D ran for about 640 yards (those numbers may be exaggerated.) Since then the Texans have become the best run defending team in the league. Even the 150 yards they gave up to Chris Johnson last week was little more than half of the total he had the first time they played this season. The Jags still have one of the worst pass defenses in the league. I think the Texans contain Mojo and Schaub goes nuts again. Texans win by 7.



Titans (+6.5) at Colts



Dave: Titans - We keep waiting for the Colts to finally fall and it never happens. Do I think it happens against red-hot Tennessee? No. Do I think Vince Young can make it close against a beat-up Colts defense? Sure. Peyton Manning, who is intentionally out to make me take back my Drew Brees MVP pick, has not been the same QB he was in first month but he's still been pretty good. However, the Titans D has also improved as their QB has, and I think they frustrate Manning into one of those hard to watch 16-13 games, with Indy on top.

Gabe: Titans - I'll say it again, I'm picking up what the Titans are putting down. The Colts have been winning close games and getting by because of Peyton Manning and his laser rocket arm. Vince Young has always had a strong arm and he is all of a sudden a good quarterback. I think Young will do well against the Colts beat-up secondary and Chris Johnson will do his thing. I like the Titans for the outright win in my....wait for it...Upset Special!!



Eagles (-5.5) at Falcons


Dave: Eagles - No Matt Ryan, No Michael Turner for the Dirty Birds. That's bad news facing a Eagles team that is desperately trying to stay afloat in the NFC East. Also, in the Storylines That Get Forgotten Because They Happened The Same Year As Brett Favre's HGH-Addled Lambeau Return: Mike Vick returns to Atlanta for the first time since going to prison. I say Vick makes a play or two and the Eagles win this one going away. Eagles by 14.

Gabe: Eagles - The Falcons are really beat up. The Eagles have a lot to play for. Mike Vick comes back to Atlanta, which is not really getting a lot of play. I think the Eagles will roll, and win by 10.



Lions (+13) at Bengals

Dave: Lions -I like Matthew Stafford. I think he has great moxie and poise and his cannon arm will complement Calvin Johnson for as long as the two remain together. That being said, he should have been sipping Gatorade by halftime on Turkey Day. With the game out of reach, there was no excuse for Stafford to go through unneeded punishment against a hungry Packers D. Now, as for this week, I see Stafford throwing a few to the other team here as he's facing the underrated corner tandem of Leon Hall and Jonathan Joesph. So why do I like the Lions? Because the Bengals' offense doesn't have the explosiveness to warrant a 13-point spread, even with Cedric Benson back. Bengals grind out another W, win by 10.

Gabe: Bengals - I think the Bengals have too much offense. They have too much talent and are going to grind the ball. The big reason why I like the Bengals to cover this big spread is their defense. They have a great front seven and put lots of pressure on opposing qb's. I think the Bengals win by 17.

Saints(-9.5) at Redskins

Dave: Redskins - Picking the Chiefs, Lions, Raiders and Redskins in the same week? I must be asking for an ass-whooping! Look, I don't think Washington stops the streaking Saints here, but the Redskins are a better team at home and with the weather being a wee bit snowy, that will limit Drew Brees a little bit and force him to use the run game a little more. Remember, the Saints squeaked by St. Louis in a game they should have routed. So I like N.O. here, but only by 6.

Gabe: Redskins - Who has the no. 2 defense, in terms of yards allowed, in the NFL? The Washington Redskins. This is the type of game for which, historically, the Redskins get themselves hyped. They have played poorly all season and now get a chance to flex their muscle late in the year, at home, against a good team. I wouldn't be surprised if the Skins win straight-up, so I'll take them to beat the spread.


Bucs(+5) at Panthers

Dave: Bucs - Yup, picking the Bucs here, too. Jake Delhomme is out(which is actually a good thing) and DeAngelo Williams is hurt(which is a bad thing). Yes, the Bucs suck hard. Yes, the Panthers are at home. But I like Josh Freeman more than I like Matt Moore. Plus, Cadillac Williams went for nearly 80 yards and a score on this Panthers D last time. The Panthers have been the kings of Letdown City, so I like Tampa for the upset here......and I also like me to increase my deficit to Gabe by about 5 games by Tuesday.

Gabe: Panters - The Bucs stink. Jake Delhomme isn't playing so Steve Smith might actually catch more than two passes this week. Jonathan Stewart will run wild against the Bucs. Plus Carolina is at home. The Cats win by 9.



Rams (+9.5) at Bears


Dave: Bears - Almost got cute and took St. Louis here, but I think this is the week we see Jay Cutler and company put it all together. They spent the week getting called out by injured linebacker Brian Urlacher and, with Mike Shanahan breathing down Lovie Smith's neck, I think they take the chains off the offense and let 'er rip. Big games from Forte and Cutler, and Steven Jackson for that matter. Bears by 17.

Gabe: Rams - I am going to get cute. Steven Jackson is playing well right now. The Bears aren't a team to step-up in the face of adversity, much less the psychological mine-field that comes along with the Shananhan rumors. Cutler can throw 4 INT's against anyone. I don't think the Rams win outright, but they keep it close. Bears by 7.



Chargers (-14) at Browns



Dave: Chargers - If you listen closely, you can hear small children in Indonesia stitching together a Colt McCoy Browns jersey.........SD by 21. (P.S. Each week, the Chargers make my SB pick look good.)

Gabe: Chargers - San Diego is playing great. The Browns are the 4th best team in Ohio behind the Bengels, Bearcats, and Buckeyes. (Why do all major sports teams in Ohio start their team nicknames with B?) The Chargers win huge.

49ers (PK) at Seahawks

Dave: 49ers - Prediction: Niners overcome the 2-game hole to Arizona and win the NFC West. With Arizona playing Minnesota and the Niners getting a gimme here against Seattle, that sets up the possibility of SF taking the division lead if they can beat the Cards(which they already did IN ARIZONA in Week 1) on Monday night next week. The schedule the rest of the way? After next week's title fight, SF travels to Philly, then feasts on Detroit and St. Louis. Same goes for Arizona, except instead of Philly, they get a playoff-hunting Green Bay in Week 17. Niners would win the tiebreaker if they enter next Tuesday tied and I can't see either team losing more than once after next Monday. As for this week's game, Seahawks suck, Niners don't. Niners by 9.

Gabe: 49ers - Read the last sentence of what Dave wrote - the Seahawks suck, the Niners don't. Niners win by a touchdown.

Vikings (-3) at Cardinals


Dave: Vikings - Same rules apply for a woozy Kurt Warner that apply to Big Ben. You don't just recover from a concussion in a week and a half and step back onto the field and zing bullets. In the case of the Cardinals, they won't be able to turn to the run game against the Williams Wall. Plus, as much as we all would like to see Benedict Favre implode, I'm afraid the steroids haven't worn off yet. Vikings speed past Arizona here(Get it? Speed? Because AP and Berrian.....oh, nevermind!), win by 10.

Gabe: Vikings - I want to know why this line is only 3. The Vikings are great on every side of the ball. Favre, AP, Berrian, Rice, and Harvin are going to run all over the Cardinals defense. The Williams wall and Jared Allen are going have a field day against whoever is under center for Arizona. The Vikings roll and win by 14.



Cowboys (-2.5) at Giants



Dave: Cowboys - Tough game. Giants are finished and the Cowboys suck in December. From what I'm hearing, it's not expected to be typical Jersey weather for this one, which means we won't get to see Romo sucking it up in the snow(nor do we get to see Eli's "bullet passes" deflate in the Meadowlands wind). The two biggest proponents to the Giants win over Dallas last time(Kenny Phillips and Antonio Pierce) are done for the season and all signs point to Eli joining them(if not by halftime, certainly after they lose this one and fall out of the playoff hunt). I'd love to see the Cowboys crumble, but this Giants team is an enigma. Cowboys by 6.

Gabe: Cowboys - Enigma. That is the perfect word to characterize this game. The Cowboys suck in December, especially outdoors. Both teams need this win. The Giants might already be packing it in for the season though. They beat the Cowboys earlier in the year, but like Dave said, the key proponents of that win are hurt. So what wins out? The Giants being done. The Cowboys still want to play, the Giants don't. As much as it hurts, the Cowboys win by 10.

Patriots (-4) at Dolphins

Dave: Patriots - We keep waiting for Belichick to respond to the criticism with a trademark steamrolling of some lowly opponent. Miami normally plays New England tough but that's usually with Ronnie Brown in the lineup(which, this time, he is not). Brady doesn't look all the way back from his knee blow out and the Dolphins are tough defensively so this can be a trap, but I just can't see The Hoodie dropping two straight with all the fire he's come under. Pats by 6.

Gabe: Dolphins - Brady looks skittish on certain throws, at least that is what the ESPN NFL match-up show tells me. If they know it, then Parcells knows it, and the rest of the Dolphins know it. The game is in Miami so there will be an effect no one ever talks about...cold weather teams getting gassed in the heat. I think Miami pressures Brady and does just enough to win. Miami by 3.


Ravens(+3) at Packers

Dave: Ravens - Purely selfish pick here. Packers are 3-0 when I pick against them and my boys need a win here. To be more specific, while the Packers have done a better job of protecting Aaron Rodgers and this Ravens D is very susceptible to the pass, they're still dangerous. Ray Rice(FROM: RUTGERS!) makes plays on the ground and through the air and Joe Flacco is better than he's played lately. Ravens by 3.

Gabe: Packers - I don't know why really...except that whenever Dave picks against the Pack, they win, and usually big. Ummm...apparently Aaron Rodgers plays well on third down (thanks again NFL Match-Up), and the game is in Lambeau. Packers by 4.