Weekly Picks

The Final Week!
4-3 record last week season total of 43-25. Harley and Adam rose to the occassion, going 8-1, getting 12 points for the week, earning the degree check mark and taking a one point lead on Goodman/Glantz for the whole ball of wax. Barring a major collapse, second place is a likely consolation prize for the loser of this battle. Our magic number is 16. Any combination of our wins and their losses equaling 16 gives us the title.

With all that being said, let's go:

FALCONS +3.5 panthers: Inconsistent doesn't mean always bad, it means sometimes good, sometimes bad. Two weeks ago I banked on Carolina to beat New Orleans big. They won by 17. Last week I fingered them as inconsistent and thusly, I took Dallas. Not only did Dallas get points, they won outright. Atlanta is out of the playoffs, and Carolina has a lot to play for. They can miss the playoffs if they lose, or win the division if they win. Plus I hate Mike Vick.

COLTS -6.5 cardinals: This is too many points to lay for a team that doesn't care about this game. The Dungy element is certainly a wrinkle, but even if Indianoplis is leading 20-7 at halftime, Arizona only needs to outscore them by one touchdown in the second half to cover. Eliminate Manning from this discussion and you have Josh McCown versus Jim Sorgi. Over the past two years, Arizona is 9-9 when Josh McCown starts, 2-11 when he doesn't. So I think Arizona will win this game outright, but then again, look what I'm wearing.

BUCCANEERS -13.5 saints: Tampa Bay needs this game. New Orleans lost to Detroit. This is a lot of points though for a team that is actually in the playoffs. I'm going to hope that Tampa Bay puts in the effort. Plus New Orleans has a great history of quitting on Jim Haslett at the end of the season.

JETS -1.5 bills: New York is so awful right now. Buffalo at least showed heart. I can't see New York giving points to anyone.

VIKINGS -3.5 bears: Chicago has nothing to play for and Minnesota should be pissed that they lost last week with huge playoff implications. Btw, Harley and Adam picked Baltimore which is the game that gave them the current one point lead. I think Chicago will play well enough to keep it close because they want to keep working Rex Grossman into the offense.

PACKERS -2.5 seahawks: I know this could be Brett Favre's last game ever at Lambeau Field. Maybe he'll throw three bad interceptions for old time's sake. That should be fun. I have a feeling Seattle will keep their regulars on the field long enough to get Shaun Alexander that touchdown record. Hopefully that will be enough to beat this putrid Green Bay team.

JAGUARS -3.5 titans: This will definitely be Steve McNair's last game for Tennessee. But he is not going to play. Matt Mauck is. Who knows what that means? Even though Jacksonville is locked into the 5th seed will they really lose this game to Matt Mauck. I guess I'll buy into the hype that teams actually do care about going into the playoffs with momentum and hope Jacksonville plays their starts so that they will "stay sharp."