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Defeated
Week
14's monster spread differential vexed old Lucky Lester.
As you can see by my Atlanta Hawkish record, (5-9-2)
it was more of a three legged race to 95 than a sprint
to 100 wins. At the end of Week 15 my record slid in
at 95-93-3. I've had better days, but the best are still
to come. Another 16-0 record would work quite nice.
I won the lottery this week, 3$ prize, I'm letting it
ride on the Chiefs to win. This week will solve much
of the playoff dilemma, just wait and see. One certain
undefeated team should end all the talk of a perfect
season. Wins over losses, ready, break!
Tampa
Bay (+3) at New England - The Buccaneers are the
better team here. Everyone seems to have hopped back
on the Patriot bandwagon, but it's going to take a lot
more than a win over buffalo to get me on the rusty
old thing. Tampa Bay owns one of the leagues best defenses
along with an offense that is run-heavy. New England
will find it difficult to stop Carnell Williams, and
even the young Chris Simms should find room in the Patriot
secondary. Look for Tampa Bay to assist a couple wayward
sports-riders off the Patriotic Bandwagon.
Game Date: 12/17/05 13:30 ET
Kansas
City (+3) at N.Y. Giants - The Chiefs really dominated
the Cowgirls through much of the Kansas City / Dallas
match-up a week ago. Then, with 16 seconds left, the
Chiefs had all but lost to the Boys. Lightening struck,
a 15 yard out, a 40 yard pass to Donte Hall, and whammy,
all the Chiefs needed to do was kick a 40 yard field
goal to send the game into overtime. Wide right. Not
Jay Feeley wide right, we're talking Kris Brown wide
right. It was terrible. The Chiefs can't lose this game.
It would all but guarantee their seat on the couch come
playoff time. The Giants really don't have room to lose
either, but they aren't as good as Kansas City, so they'll
lose. Eli Manning has shown he's not ready to be an
NFL star quite yet, and the Giant defense has shown
it's age. Look for Larry Johnson to dominate yet again.
Game Date: 12/17/05 17:00 ET
Denver
(-9.5) at Buffalo - The Bills are a terrible sack
of rotting cow-manure. They struggle on offense, and
because they're so bad at keeping the ball, their defense
struggles as well. JP Losman is young, and already people
are giving up on him. This is his first year as a starter.
Give the kid a break. Look at Drew Brees, it took him
4 years to contribute. The Bills aren't ready. Their
best offensive weapon, Willis McGahee, is hurting, and
their best defensive player has been out since Week
4. Buffalo has nothing to play for. Denver comes into
town looking to keep their division lead and possible
a couple home games come post-season play. Mike Anderson
and Tatum Bell should form an admirable duo in this
one. Jake won't make mistakes and the Broncos will play
much better than they did last week. Game Date: 12/17/05
20:30 ET
Arizona
(-1) at Houston - With the way Kris Brown kicked
that field goal at the end of last weeks game, I truly
can't justify betting on the Texans to win a football
game. It's apparent that they either A- aren't trying
to win, or B- are trying very, very hard to lose. Okay,
there is a C- the Texans are cursed by the the prince
of darkness and they will never win another football
game as long as humans rule the earth. You decide. I'll
decide this one, the Cardinals win in a game that means
about as much as a regular season Major League Baseball
game. Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin blow up. (Figuratively)
Game Date: 12/18/05 13:05 ET
Carolina
(-8.5) at New Orleans - The Panthers are levels
above Atlanta. The Saints were destroyed by the Falcons
on Monday Night Football. How in the hell can I justify
taking the Saints in a game that isn't even during prime
time? I can't. The Saints' season was over months ago,
just like the outcome of this game. I would be surprised
if the Saints get within 20 points of the Panthers.
Carolina has too much on the line, and they've been
looking forward to this rematch since their opening
day loss to New Orleans.
Game Date: 12/18/05 13:05 ET
N.Y.
Jets at Miami (-9) - The Jets showed they could
win a football game last week against... wait, they
just beat the Raiders, that's all. How bad is Oakland?
Miami has won 3 in a row since Nick Saban told the world
that wins didn't matter for his football team. Fooled
me. Miami beat the Chargers in San Diego last week.
Who are they kidding? If New England loses out, (Almost
impossible because NE plays the Jets) and the Dolphins
win out, (possible), the Dolphins would go to the playoffs
and the Patriots would sit home. Needless to say, this
game means a lot for the Fins. Nick Saban will lead
his team to their biggest victory since they upended
the Dolphins in Week 1.
Game Date: 12/18/05 13:05 ET
Philadelphia
at St. Louis (-3) - The Eagles played tight with
the Giants, but not even a stellar first-start performance
by Ryan Moats could propel the Eagles to victory. This
week, the Rams will outgun the Eagles in St. Louis.
Torry Holt will have a big game, he's always wide open.
Steven Jackson will bounce back from 3 consecutive weeks
where he pooped the bed, to lead the Rams to victory
with 25+ carries. Moats will find room to run once again,
but Mike McMahon won't do enough for the Eagles to win.
Game Date: 12/18/05 13:05 ET
Pittsburgh
(-3.5) at Minnesota - The Steelers ended the Chicago
streak last week with a gutty and flawless performance
by their second year signal caller, Big Ben Roethlisberger.
Hines Ward fought a big fight on his way to the endzone
for the Steelers' first touchdown and Jerome Bettis
rumbled and bumbled for their second. Pittsburgh's defense
wouldn't allow Kyle Orton to get anything going through
the air, and they did a nice job shutting down the Bear
rushing attack. This week will be a little bit of the
same in Minnesota. The Vikings will find their streak
ended by the Steelers, just as the Bears did. Both teams
need this victory to stay in the playoff hunt, but the
Steel show will out play the Vikings on Sunday. Their
will be no room to run, and Brad Johnson won't find
the same success through the air. The Steelers don't
commit turnovers, so it will be hard for the Vikings
to capitalize. Game Date: 12/18/05 13:05 ET
San
Diego (+8.5) at Indianapolis - The Chargers need
this victory about a million times more than the Colts
do. If anything, a loss for the Colts here might actually
help their Super Bowl chances. A loss would put an end
to any speculation on resting players, an undefeated
season, what should Tony do, and all that other junk.
Don't get me wrong, I think the Colts should go for
the gusto, nothing is more powerful than a perfect season
Super Bowl Champion. Think about it. Everyone knows
about the Ô72 Dolphins, but can you name the last
5 Super Bowl Winners? Okay, the Patriots have won three,
but everyone only knows that because they won three.
The other two? Exactly. Unfortunately for the Colts,
a pissed off Charger team will tromp into Indianapolis
with their playoff lives at stake, and come out with
a huge upset. LT will show up on Sunday as the best
player in the NFL, and a couple big plays on defense
will surprise Peyton and the Colts. Game Date: 12/18/05
13:05 ET
Seattle
(-7.5) at Tennessee - The Seahawks won't overlook
the Titans just because they play the AFC's top team
in Week 16. Mike Holmgren knows the Titans can play
tough football, and he also knows that the best thing
the Seahawks could do is put this game out of reach
by half time like they did last week against the Niners.
The Titans don't have the firepower to hang with the
Hawks, and they know it. Plus, next week might be just
as meaningless for the Hawks as it should be for the
Colts. Look for Shaun Alexander to score 3 times in
the first half before he's pulled for a spot on the
sideline begging Holmgren to put him back in so he can
run for the record books. Is it just me or does Mike
enjoy watching Shaun squirm about?
Game Date: 12/18/05 13:05 ET
San
Francisco at Jacksonville (-16) - The 49ers are
a very bad football team with a very bad running game
and a rookie quarterback who is years away from making
an NFL impact. Did I mention their defense hasn't managed
to prevent Urcle from scoring? The Jaguars might not
be as good without Byron in the lineup, but David Garrard
has all it takes to put a lump on the Niners. He can
run much better than Byron, and the Jaguars will use
that to their advantage. All games from here on out
are must wins for Jacksonville. The AFC is crazy. Game
Date: 12/18/05 13:05 ET
Cincinnati
(-8) at Detroit - The Bengals will bounce back from
their most pathetic offensive performance of the season
last week against the Browns. The thing that speaks
volumes about the Bengals is that even in their off
week they managed to come out victorious. This week
Cincinnati goes to Detroit to play the red-hot Lions.
Their faces are red with embarrassment, and their asses
are hot from getting kicked around by every team in
the league. Nothing will put an end to Detroit's misery
this season, not even that crazy fat lady from the movie
Misery. Watch Carson Palmer come back in fine fashion,
making a late season push for the MVP award.
Game Date: 12/18/05 16:10 ET
Cleveland
(+3) at Oakland - The Browns haven't played too
shabby of late. The Raiders are worse than the Duke
Blue Devil football team. I don't think it's right to
give Tui one start and then write him off for good,
but Andrew Walter is a young gun slinger who just happens
to be waiting for a chance to shine. Could he do for
the Raiders what Charlie ÒBrownÓ Frye
has done for the the Browns? Randy Moss sure hopes so,
anyone who can get him the ball would be real nice,
especially for my fantasy football team. Reuben Droughns
will take advantage of a tired and depleted Raider defense
on Sunday. Look for the Browns to come out with much
more firepower as they take down the Raiders at home.
Game Date: 12/18/05 16:10 ET
Dallas
(+2.5) at Washington - The Cowboys are better than
the Redskins. Ouch. It hurts to say it, but the Cowboys
should win this game. I'll take a loss in the bank account
to watch the Girls lose to the Skins on Sunday. The
problem is I don't see it happening. Drew Bledsoe, yes,
my least favorite quarterback since Ryan Leaf, has been
playing some fine football lately. I hope to God that
ends sunday, mind you, but signs point to that not happening.
Expect the Skins to put up a late fight, but the season
sweep of their biggest rival is out of the question.
The Cowboys will still find the playoffs tough sledding,
but with a win here they'll stay in the hunt.
Game Date: 12/18/05 16:20 ET
Atlanta
at Chicago (-3) - The Bears lost last week, and
all of a sudden their bandwagon lost a ton of weight.
Well, now it has enough room for my big ass. The Bears
will shut down Mike Vick and pound Thomas Jones into
an Atlanta defensive front that couldn't stop a gang
of Care-Bears. The Falcons don't match up well against
the Bears, and that doesn't bode well for Falcon playoff
aspirations. Mike Vick will be at home watching this
years post-season for the first time since he was hurt.
Kyle Orton will do just enough for the Bears to slay
the Dirty Birds. Game Date: 12/18/05 20:40 ET
Green
Bay (+3.5) at Baltimore - The Packers aren't a good
football team. In fact, they're down right pitiful.
The Pack is fighting for wins that don't mean a thing
and Brett Favre is starting, getting needlessly pounded,
and throwing oodles of interceptions while rookie quarterback
Aaron Rodgers is waiting for his chance to show the
Packers who they picked in the first round. They won't
sit Brett, though, in which case they'll have just enough
to take down the Ravens in Baltimore. But it will be
Samkon Gado who leads the Packers to victory, not the
old man with the gray beard. Mike Sherman has seen his
last days in Green Bay, why not make them wins?
Game
Date: 12/19/05 21:10 ET
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