By Dalton Del Don
Last week I went 9-7, bringing my season total to 112-91-5. I lost my best bet for the second straight week, yet the two others I specifically recommended came through. My record there stands at 8-4-2. Oh well. Serves me right for going against the force that is the San Francisco 49ers. I need to stop taking road favorites there. Not an easy slate this week by any means, and I must be insane giving that many points in the Colts game. I had an especially difficult time with the Raiders/Patriots matchup, and is there any team in the league that switches from 7-plus point favorites to 7-plus point underdogs as much as the Broncos? The teams I feel most comfortable backing are the Packers (my second best bet), 49ers and Ravens. As for the Cowboys, their losses in the secondary hurt, but can New York’s passing game take advantage? Tony Romo should bounce back with a big effort at home, and Dallas simply needs a win more than the Giants.
Saints +3 at Bears
Buccaneers +2.5 at Falcons
Redskins -7 at Bengals
Titans -3 at Houston
Lions +17.5 at Colts
Packers -1.5 at Jaguars
Chargers -5.5 at Chiefs
49ers +7 at Dolphins
Bills +8 at Jets
Seahawks -3 at Rams
Vikings +3 at Cardinals
Steelers +1.5 at Ravens
Broncos +7.5 at Panthers
Patriots -7.5 at Raiders
Giants +2.5 at Cowboys (best bet)
Browns +14 at Eagles
Having trouble with Giants/Dallas. Initially leaned Giants as my best bet. Reasons:
1. Coughlin isn’t the type of coach to let his team ease up and I can’t see the Giants liking the idea of not taking this game seriously against a hated division rival on national tv with home field still up for grabs.
2. Romo sucks in December. Is it the pressure or is it the weather? If its the weather, it helps that this game is in Dallas (62 degrees). Or does it? Those are 21 mph winds. Not so sure that Dallas will be able to take advantage of the Giants secondary. Then again, might not be an issue since the Giants pass rush might not give Romo much time.
I could definitely see this falling to Dallas but I’m not confident either way with Jacobs and Barber questionable. Too much going on here.
so, rankings question, sorry… I know it doesn’t belong here, but I have to decide on Colston for tonight for the playoffs…
Roll the dice on Colston (he’s been up and down) or take the safe play in Bowe vs. SD.
My opponent is my sworn hated enemy in our league and he’s got some killer matchups (DeAngelo, MJD) so I’m slightly leaning towards going for the home run with Colston… yes, there has been plenty of trash talk going back and forth so I need to back my talk up and take this loser down…
RotoFever – I hear you. I don’t feel confident going against the Giants, who have been the NFL’s best team this season. But with no Plaxico or Jacobs, and possibly no Hixon, this offense is easier to defend. Dallas’ pass rush is underrated. Romo will have a huge game this week.
That said, maybe just avoiding this game as your “best bet” is the way to go.
db – Hmm. That’s tough. Colston was actually closer to having a big game last week than the final numbers showed. But it could be rough conditions tonight, and I expect KC/SD to be a shootout. I’d personally go with Bowe, but it’s close enough I’d recommend going with your own gut. Better to lose b/c of yourself than someone else.
Spread is 3.5 in my pool. Still like Dallas on the other side of 3 pts?
Watching tonight’s preview on the NFL network, I’m tempted to ask: in forty years’ time, what is the spread on the number of Chris Collinsworth’s liver spots vs. the number of stars in the Small Magellanic Cloud?
RotoFever – Ya I try not to let .5 points sway me, so yes still Dallas. That said, it’s certainly an important difference, so I do like them less. Wouldn’t make it best bet, that’s for sure.
Wright Picks:
Falcons -2.5
Redskins -7
Titans -3
Colts -17.5
Jags +1.5
Chargers -5.5
49ers +7
Jets -8
Seahawks -3
Vikings +3
Steelers +1.5
Panthers -7.5
Patriots -7.5
Cowboys -2.5
Browns +14
8-5-1 without Thursday and Monday
College Bowl Pick’em (Rank 34 for valuable game)
Wake Forest 4
Fresno St. 11
South Florida 21
BYU 31
Troy 23
Boise St. 32
Hawaii 13
Central Michigan 16
W. Virginia 8
Florida St. 27
Cal 17
LA Tech 7
Rutgers 14
Missouri 30
Maryland 15
Oklahoma St. 29
Rice 18
Air Force 22
Pittsburgh 12
Boston College 25
Minnesota 3
LSU 2
Iowa 19
Georgia 26
Clemson 5
USC 34
Virginia Tech 6
Texas Tech 28
East Carolina 20
Alabama 24
Connecticut 10
Texas 33
Tulsa 9
Oklahoma 1
Still holding on to first place (4 game lead right now). 138 right for the season. Gotta avoid the choke.
B. Wright – Of course, the week we pick against each other just happens to be my worst week of the year. Figures. Anyway, nice job, although to be honest I don’t remember your picks exactly, and you posted these after the fact, but I guess you deserve the benefit of the doubt.
And why are you revealing your college pool picks??! I’m purposefully not looking at your list until I’m finished with mine.
RotoFever – Nice. At least I got the Cowboys right this week!
I thought you told me to post the college picks online. You should glance at mine if you want to compete. I have a strong feeling about my picks. Also, I know it looks bad when I posted my picks after the fact for week 15. I wrote down our opposite picks and copied the others. I’m make sure to post my picks by Thursday for week 16.
B. Wright – I was just giving you a hard time about posting them after the fact – I’m sure they were legit. But ya, bring it early next week.
Hope you both bring it sometime tonight because I’m two weeks away from winning this thing (25 person pool) and all I have to do is not choke.
I’ll post it by tonight for sure.