Sunday, December 30, 2007

Week 17 Pick 'em

I gained 4 games on Durden last week and we're both looking at seasons above .500, but nothing to really get excited about.


I'd like to preface these picks by saying I don't even know who's actually going to play for most of the teams so to quote the Gin Blossoms, "don't expect too much from me and you might not be let down".


Also, anyone who bets significant money on these games is an idiot, and you're probably the same person that bets on preseason games. But, we have a job to do, so here are our week 17 picks.




New England Patriots
@ New York Giants +13.5
Durden: Regardless of what happens, it’s important that everyone remembers this.
Pick: Patriots -13.5


Mazzone: Please God, let them lose in the playoffs.
Pick: Patriots -13.5

Buffalo Bills @ Philadelphia Eagles -7.5
Durden:
Too little, too late, for the Eagles. It’s too bad, because while I fully expect Dallas and Green Bay to meet in the NFC Championship game, I think Philly is playing better than the other NFC playoff teams and would’ve stood the best chance to upset that scenario. Pick: Eagles -7.5

Mazzone:
Trent Edwards dedicated last week’s game to Kevin Everett, or at least the first two drives anyway. With that out of the way and much less pressure this week, he should be able to keep it close with the iggles.
Pick: Bills +7.5

Carolina Panthers @
Tampa Bay Buccaneers +2.5
Durden: This game is the first of several this week, where we have to guess if either team is resting its key players and/or is at all motivated. Fortunately, Jon Gruden threw us all a bone this week and made it known he’ll be resting his starters. I’ll take Matt Moore and the rest of the pesky (of late) Panthers.
Pick: Panthers -2.5

Mazzone: Even against the Bucs C-team, I just don’t feel comfortable taking the Panthers and some guy I’ve never actually seen throw an NFL pass.
Pick: Bucs +2.5


Cincinnati Bengals @ Miami Dolphins +3
Durden: Tough game for Joey Porter, a guy whose mouth and style is more suited to 7 on 1, than 11 v 11. He and Levi Jones on the field for the first time since that happened will likely be uneventful, but I’m looking forward to Porter at least talking $hit while he’s “held back.”

In other Dolphin news, Bill Parcells recently had this to say about the kind of players he wants: "If football is not their most important thing to them other than their immediate family, then I'm probably not going to be interested in them," Parcells said Friday. "That's the why I am. And I want people around me that are like that." That’s right, Bill Parcells wants players who are on a mission. Unfortunately for John Beck, it’s not THAT kind of mission.
Pick: Bengals -3

Mazzone:
All accounts seem to have Cam Cameron not resting his starters this week, a peculiar decision, but one that should pay off with a win.
Pick: Dolphins +3


San Francisco 49ers @ Cleveland Browns -10
Durden:
While I would take great pleasure in the Browns not winning a game all year, a close second might have to be them coming this close to the playoffs and having nothing to show for it, but low draft picks. I’ll root happily for them to beat up on the 49ers (who have been forced to play Chris Weinke), as I wait to root like hell for the Titans. Lastly, it appears some people are finally starting to wonder if Derek Anderson actually isn’t the best QB of all time. Good times.
Pick: Browns -10

Mazzone: I’m not going to lie, I think Derek Anderson competing with Kyle Boller in Raven camp next year would make for great tv…or at least youtube. So, I’m rooting for that. Durden’s furious reaction to the signing would just be a bonus.
Pick: Browns -10

Detroit Lions @ Green Bay Packers -4
Durden:
I’m guessing the Lions starters are better than the Packers’ backups.
Pick: Lions +4

Mazzone: Durden tells me Aaron Rodgers is better than Brett Favre. I’m on board with that. Help get the word out!
Pick: Packers -4


Jacksonville Jaguars @ Houston Texans -6.5

Durden:
I hate to pick against the Jags who are playing incredibly well right now, but I think the Texans will end their season on a high note, while Jacksonville could care less about this game.
Pick: Texans -6.5

Mazzone: I said above .500 wasn’t out of the realm of possibility for my semi sleeper Texans. Well, now it is, but 8-8 in the toughest division in football wouldn’t be a bad season for this team. especially when you consider the injuries on offense throughout the year. I think they win here, but the Jags do enough to cover.
Pick: Jags +6.5

New Orleans Saints @ Chicago Bears +2.5
Durden:
At this point, I feel good about my prediction that had the Saints narrowly missing the playoffs. They won’t have to worry about outside help, because they won’t even hold up their own end of the task at Chicago.
Pick: Bears +2.5

Mazzone: What if da Bears were all 14 inches tall? What’s your score of today’s game? Ok, another scenario, da Bears – they don’t make it, their plane is delayed, and the only one who shows up is Ditka.
Pick: Mini Kyle Orton +2.5


Seattle Seahawks @ Atlanta Falcons -2.5
Durden: A few weeks ago, I was forced to start rooting for bad teams to win around the league once I realized the Ravens were going to try and see how many games they could lose in a row. The Seahawks are probably going to rest players in this game, but I’m pretty sure the Falcons have been without key players since August, so that could not matter much. Therefore, I’m just going to pick the Falcons, hoping that they slide past Baltimore in the draft order.
Pick: Falcons -2.5

Mazzone:
Warrick Dunn has a year left on his contract and will play football next season, recently saying, “I can’t go out like this.” Yet, he hasn’t demanded to be released or traded, so he must be planning on at least two more years.
Pick: Seahawks +2.5


Kansas City Chiefs
@ New York Jets -6
Durden:
This is my favorite game of the week, as these are two of the few teams that are as bad as the Ravens, and one will be forced to win. It’s not easy to go from 13-3, to a Top 5 draft pick, but the Ravens just might pull it off with a little luck!
Pick: Chiefs +6

Mazzone: Herman Edwards is back in a big time revenge game with all sorts of draft pick implications and he’s getting 6 points! If you are stupid enough to be a lot of money this week, this has to be the lock of the century of the week!
Pick: Chiefs +6

Minnesota Vikings @ Denver Broncos +3

Durden: In spite of the Vikings’ poor performance last week, I still refuse to pick the Broncos, as promised last week.
Pick: Vikings -3

Mazzone:
The Broncos were a complete abomination last week, I should have heeded Durden’s advice. Vikes weren’t any better, but they still have a shot at the postseason and can’t possibly let Tarvaris throw it more than 6 times this week with how bad Denver is against the run. Problem is, even 6 times may be too much with Bailey and Bly waiting.
Pick: Vikings -3

San Diego Chargers @ Oakland Raiders +8
Durden: Philip Rivers is bad at making friends. Pretty cavalier of him, considering his own RB can’t stand to look at him.

I did want to note that while JaMarcus Russell starting makes it easy to pick the Chargers, I think the Raiders are making the right decision. Maybe Lane Kiffin simply has the job security to do so, but I look at a team like the Eagles and wonder why they don’t just give Kolb a game.
Pick: Chargers -8

Mazzone: The Chargers kinda still need this game as a win allows them to lose to the Colts in the 2nd round, instead of having to fly across country to New England and lose in the cold weather.
Pick: Chargers -8


St. Louis Rams @ Arizona Cardinals -6
Durden: As Mazzone might say, “whatever.”
Pick: Cardinals -6

Mazzone: I couldn’t have said it much better myself, except I like the Rams. As much as one could like the Rams anyway. Maybe what I should say is, I don't like the Cards so it's the Rams by default. Ok, moving on...
Pick: Rams +6

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Baltimore Ravens +4
Durden: Little Ben is smart to sit this one out, as he’s never been able to play a full game vs the Ravens in his career. See Joey Porter? It is possible to be a coward without ganging up and jumping a defenseless man.
Pick: Steelers -4

Mazzone:
The Ravens are the new Dolphins.
Pick: Steelers -4


Dallas Cowboys @ Washington Redskins -9
Durden: I’ll have a Todd Collins, please.
Pick: Redskins -9

Mazzone:
First the Pro Bowl, now the NFL is trying to vote Sean Taylor’s spirit into the postseason. Fortunately, the Cowboys are playing backups by choice and they’re better than the Redskins backups that they are playing because they have to.
Pick: Cowboys +9


Tennessee Titans @ Indianapolis Colts +6
Durden: Go Titans!!!!!!!!!
Pick: Titans -6

Mazzone:
No one really wants the Browns in the playoffs, and Jim Sorgi doesn’t want to be taken seriously, so I expect him to do the right thing. If the booth for this game doesn’t show me Vince Young at Texas and tell me (at least 25 times) how he lives for big games, I’m going to be really disappointed.
Pick: Titans -6

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

So how did it end up? What are the final records?

-theny