Tag Archives: Tony Romo

NFL Picks, Week 16: Cowboys beat Redskins, Underwater Knife Fight in Detroit

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Picking the winners and losers of week 16 in the NFL.

NFL week 16, 2013 SeasonLast Week: 9-7.  Season: 87-59-1 (59.59%).

Mid-December football in the NFL is upon us.

What’s old is new again, except for some of it which is now really, really old (insert Tony Romo December Choke comment or 4th Quarter Interception joke here).

Some highlights:

  1. The Chiefs are now rocking on offense (101 points in the last two games) and have the best turnover ratio in the NFL. NOBODY will want to see these guys in the playoffs.
  2. Peyton Manning’s arm is looking very weak and tired. Perhaps it is everything else adding up – the bumps and bruises – but the velocity is WAY down on his throws.  Eek for Denver fans,
  3. Chicago is a dangerous team with two quarterbacks (which may cover up for one lousy defense).
  4. Could it be a Seattle-Kansas City Super Bowl come February 2, 2014?

Grab your Cheeseheads and Machineheads, here we go:

Sunday, December 22

Indianapolis Colts (9-5) at Kansas City Chiefs (11-3)
Kickoff: 12:00pm CST on (CBS)
Odds: Chiefs -7, 45 O/U
A marginalized Colts team pays a visit to Arrowhead in late December to face a Chiefs team that is on a roll. I pity the fool.
Chiefs 42, Colts 35

Miami Dolphins (8-6) at Buffalo Bills (5-9)
Kickoff: 12:00pm CST on (CBS)
Odds: Dolphins -2.5, 42.5 O/U
A tough Miami team leaves the sunny confines of South Florida to visit Buffalo, NY and play the QB-challenged Bills in the elements. I think the Dolphins steal a close one but I’m not very confident in the pick.
Dolphins 24, Bills 21

Cleveland Browns (4-10) at New York Jets (6-8)
Kickoff: 12:00pm CST on (CBS)
Odds: Jets -2.5, 40.5 O/U
Getcha Pepto Bismol. A much-maligned Cleveland team (which is to say, a Cleveland team) visits NYC to play the J-E-T-S. Why does the better team have the worse record? Vive le butt-fumble.
Browns 28, Jets 20

Tennessee Titans (5-9) at Jacksonville Jaguars (4-10)
Kickoff: 12:00pm CST on (CBS)
Odds: Titans -5, 44 O/U
Call it in the air? Yes, I know the Titans are favored but the Jaguars will want this more. I can just see Chad Henne throwing for 423 yards.
Jaguars 34, Titans 26

Denver Broncos (11-3) at Houston Texans (2-12)
Kickoff: 12:00pm CST on (CBS)
Odds: Broncos -10, 53 O/U
Evidence of opposites attracting. Denver wins, but not by more than the 10 point spread.
Broncos 27, Texans 20

Dallas Cowboys (7-7) at Washington Redskins (3-11)
Kickoff: 12:00pm CST on (FOX)
Odds: Cowboys -2.5, 53.5 O/U
Even an ugly rendition of this classic rivalry is cause celebre. As much as Kirk Cousins is a very serviceable QB, the ‘skins are out-manned against Dallas. The Cowboys also are vying for a postseason appearance.
Cowboys 38, Redskins 13

Minnesota Vikings (4-9-1) at Cincinnati Bengals (9-5)
Kickoff: 12:00pm CST on (FOX)
Odds: Bengals -8.5, 47.5 O/U
Cincinnati has too much on the line to lose this game – at home at least. A spoiler-minded Vikings team could quite conceivably roll into Cincy and blast the Bengals, but I’m not sure that Matt Cassel can throw for more than 400 yards for two weeks in a row. Nay.
Bengals 30, Vikings 27

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-10) at St. Louis Rams (6-8)
Kickoff: 12:00pm CST on (FOX)
Odds: Rams -4, 43 O/U
Jeff Fisher has his team playing confident, aggressive football. I could see the Rams overlooking the Bucs this week if they were a playoff contender this year, but they are not. It is a pride game and a chance to build momentum going into the off-season.
Rams 31, Buccaneers 21

New Orleans Saints (10-4) at Carolina Panthers (10-4)
Kickoff: 12:00pm CST on (FOX)
Odds: Panthers -3, 46.5 O/U
They’re the Saints at home and the ‘Aints on the road. Guess which one shows up in Carolina this weekend? Lest we forget, the Panthers field a strong defensive unit and a Colossus at quarterback.
Panthers 35, Saints 31

New York Giants (5-9) at Detroit Lions (7-7)
Kickoff: 3:05pm CST on (FOX)
Odds: Lions -9.5, 49 O/U
This match-up is like an underwater knife fight, in the dark. I’ve lost faith in the Giants this season – they’ve just too many holes to plug. Eli can’t cover up the inadequacies of the team. On the other side, Detroit can’t get out of their own way. Getcha Pepto Bismol back out. Ouch.
Lions 14, Giants 13

Arizona Cardinals (9-5) at Seattle Seahawks (12-2)
Kickoff: 3:05pm CST on (FOX)
Odds: Seahawks -10.5, 43 O/U
If Carson Palmer leads the Cardinals to a victory in Seattle this weekend, I’ll eat my own foot (well, not really).
Seahawks 28, Cardinals 21

New England Patriots (10-4) at Baltimore Ravens (8-6)
Kickoff: 3:25pm CST on (CBS)
Odds: Ravens -2.5, 45 O/U
Forget the rest, this is the “Hey, check out what a REAL elite quarterback looks like!” game for these teams. I suspect Tom Brady will end up screaming at someone on the sidelines (Josh McDaniels?), but the Patriots will leave Baltimore with another “W” on their record.
Patriots 30, Ravens 28

Pittsburgh Steelers (6-8) at Green Bay Packers (7-6-1)
Kickoff: 3:25pm CST on (CBS)
Odds: Pick’em
Aaron ‘Brittle’ Rodgers still is out this week. Don’t expect Matt Flynn to have that kind of a second half against Dick LeBeau’s defense – even an OLD Dick LeBeau defense.
Steelers 42, Packers 17

Oakland Raiders (4-10) at San Diego Chargers (7-7)
Kickoff: 3:25pm CST on (CBS)
Odds: Chargers -10, 50.5 O/U
San Diego is a tough and talented team that just went into Denver and played flawlessly in a victory over the Broncos. Do I think they will beat the lowly Raiders this week playing at home? Yes I do, even in this crazy world that is the NFL.
Chargers 45, Raiders 21

Chicago Bears (8-6) at Philadelphia Eagles (8-6)
Kickoff: 7:30pm CST on (NBC)
Odds: Eagles -3, 56 O/U
Best game of the week. Two teams within reach of the playoffs. A brutal playing environment. Sounds like Thunderdome, doesn’t it? Who run Bartertown?!? Say it!
Bears 41, Eagles 31

Monday, December 23

Atlanta Falcons (4-10) at San Francisco 49ers (10-4)
Kickoff: 7:40pm (CST) on (ESPN)
Odds: 49ers -13, 45 O/U
This game falls under the title “There’s only so much Tony Gonzalez can do”. Tony’s great – the greatest TE of all time. He’ll probably go for 200+ receiving yards in this one and 2 or 3 touchdowns . . . but it is still not enough. The Giants should have picked him up the year before he went to Atlanta, they would have another Vince Lombardi trophy in their case if they had done so.
49ers 49, Falcons 41

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Joe’s NFL Picks, Week 13: Chiefs seek redemption, Seahawks lose at home

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Picking the winners and losers of week 13 in the NFL.

NFL Parity Illustrated
NFL Parity Illustrated, courtesy Deadspin.com.

Last Week: 6-7-1.  Season: 57-41-1 (57.57%).

Grab your Turducken, it is Thanksgiving week in the National Football League! Time to enjoy great food, family and fun – and then escape to watch football when you’ve had your fill of the rest.

There are many things to be thankful for as an NFL fan this year. Especially as a Kansas City Chiefs fan. In addition to being grateful for parity in the league where your team CAN go from worst to first – and that the ‘Any Given Sunday’ rule holds true (see graphic, courtesy, Deadspin.com). Side note: Sunday Night we saw all we need to see in the Brady versus Manning debate. Brady is better. That game illustrates the difference between a Champion and a guy who puts up great numbers. There’s no comparison.

I’m grateful for Calvin Johnson’s superhuman performances, Tom Brady’s competitive fire, the passion of NFL fans, and for fantasy football that brings together old friends for fun each year from locations around the globe.

Happy Thanksgiving to you! Let’s look at this week’s buffet of games.

Thursday Games:

Green Bay Packers (-1.5) at Detroit Lions
A divisional road game without Aaron Rodgers? NO way Green Bay. I’ll be watching this one to see Calvin ‘The Human Highlight Reel’ Johnson pull down rainbows from Matt Stafford. I bet Megatron is on Stafford’s ‘Things to be grateful for’ list. Ya think?
Lions 38, Packers 17

Oakland Raiders at Dallas Cowboys (-7) The Raiders on the Holiday Road, Thanksgiving Day 2013.
Toughness won’t be enough for this tough Raiders team on the Holiday Road. Dallas has too much talent and Romo has a paycheck to earn.
Cowboys 31, Raiders 13

Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens (-2.5)
A great AFC North matchup. Although Pittsburgh has turned the corner, look for Baltimore to defend their home turf in a close battle. Anybody seen the weather for Thurs in Baltimore?
Ravens 24, Steelers 21 (OT)

Sunday Games:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers (-8)
How scary are the Buccaneers now?? Very. A young team playing with grit and growing confidence will give Carolina fits. Will the real Panthers team please stand up? I’ll take the home team.
Panthers 27, Buccaneers 24

Jacksonville Jaguars at Cleveland Browns (-7)
The Jaguars have made some progress, but not enough to come into Cleveland against a stout defense in front of the Dawg Pound in a December game. Start prepping for the draft – and sign Tebow to fill seats and sell merch.
Browns 28, Jaguars 14

Tennessee Titans at Indianapolis Colts (-4)
Underachiever team plays on the road against erratic team with a better quarterback. Not only that, but the Colts have to win this game to keep their slim playoff hopes alive.
Colts 23, Titans 13

Denver Broncos (-5.5) at Kansas City Chiefs
It isn’t like the Chiefs pass rush will suffer without either Hali, Houston or both. They didn’t get to Manning two weeks ago. In fact, I suspect an increase mix of zone defense will Kansas City Chiefs - Redemption in Week 13.play big dividends for Sutton’s recently stagnant unit. Then you look at a Kansas City offense that finally learned how to put points on the board prepping to play against a suddenly depleted Broncos secondary. Add in a hairline fracture of Peyton’s heel, no Julius Thomas and 137 decibels every time Manning tries to audible? I’ll take the underdog Chiefs at home. Good gravy I’m a homer.
Chiefs 41, Broncos 31

Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings (Pick ‘Em)
Bounce-back week for the Bears. The Vikings played a depleted Packers team to a tie last week, which is pathetic. Look for the Bears to come out and steal a win on the road. Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jefferies and Martellus Bennett should have a feast this Sunday as well.
Bears 20, Vikings 17

Miami Dolphins at New York Jets (-2)
Picking a winner here is like considering political candidates. You don’t like or trust either candidate. Miami is a conundrum. The Jets are an eyesore. I’ll take the tough defense of the Jets at home in a one-score game. Ugh.
Jets 16, Dolphins 14

Arizona Cardinals at Philadelphia Eagles (-3)
An overlooked Cardinals team seems to be gelling at the right time. Even though the Eagles have impressed lately, I don’t trust them. It always seems like QB play is an issue with the danger that Chip Kelly’s offense places them in. Look for a statement game from a Cardinals team eyeballing a playoff berth. What was it Roseanne Rosanna-Danna used to say? “Ya know, it just goes to show you that no matter what – it’s always something!”.
Cardinals 34, Eagles 27

Atlanta Falcons at Buffalo Bills (-3.5) [Toronto, Ontario]
Technically a home game for the Bills, but they would fare better in Ralph Wilson Stadium. That said, Matt Ryan and the old birds will continue to slide. Perhaps Jadevon Clowney is in their future?
Bills 30, Falcons 21

St. Louis Rams at San Francisco 49ers (-8)
Hear that clicking sound? That is the 49ers offense gearing up for the playoffs. Combine that with a beast of a defense at home and the odds of the Rams stealing one in San Fran are very slim. Expect a biceps-kissing make-out session between Colin Kaepernick and his right arm.
49ers 38, Rams 28

New England Patriots (-9) at Houston Texans  Brady is better than Manning HANDS DOWN
Did you see Tom Brady’s mastery in the historic comeback against the Broncos on Sunday Night? How about Brady Screaming Celebration with Gronk? Have you noticed the myriad of issues facing this Texans team? The Pats are now looking fierce and I don’t see a chance of Houston winning at home.
Patriots 34, Texans 20

Cincinnati Bengals at San Diego Chargers (-1)
One of the best games of the week. A solid Cincinnati squad visits a confident Chargers squad led by a fiery and resurrected Philip Rivers. Look for the Chargers to hold serve. Perhaps they’ll show the Jim Rome versus Jim Everett clip at halftime?
Chargers 23, Bengals 20

New York Giants (-1.5) at Washington Redskins
Tom Coughlin’s team now believes. After dropping a close one to the Cowboys, expect the Giants to steal one in D.C. against a tired and bewildered Redskins team facing a short week.
Giants 41, Redskins 38

Monday Night Game:

New Orleans Saints at Seattle Seahawks (-5)
Monday Night Football gets its best match-up of the year. If not for Rob Ryan’s much-improved defense I would have to go with the Seabirds at home. But Sean Payton and Drew ‘Pinball Wizard’ Brees should shine under the bright lights.
Saints 35. Seahawks 24

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