As one would expect in a week where an 0-13 team finally wins, and a 13-0 team finally loses, picks last week were amongst the worst we’ve seen all season—still, when you’re 11-5 (Tony) and 10-6 (Andy) overall, that’s not a terrible week.
That puts us at 150-74 (Andy) and 149-75 (Tony) for the season, which puts us on par with many national “experts”.
This week, four games are picked differently—about as many as we’ve ever picked separately, and probably enough to give one of us a solid lead heading into Week 17. Or, if things go as normal, we’ll split and still be just one game apart…
Thursday, December 22nd | Andy | Tony |
Houston @ Indianapolis | Houston | Houston |
Saturday, December 24th | ||
Miami @ New England | New England | New England |
Jacksonville @ Tennessee | Tennessee | Tennessee |
Tampa Bay @ Carolina | Carolina | Carolina |
Cleveland @ Baltimore | Baltimore | Baltimore |
Arizona @ Cincinnati | Cincinnati | Cincinnati |
Minnesota @ Washington | Washington | Washington |
Denver @ Buffalo | Denver | Denver |
St. Louis @ Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh |
Oakland @ Kansas City | Oakland | Kansas City |
NY Giants @ NY Jets | NY Jets | NY Jets |
San Diego @ Detroit | San Diego | Detroit |
Philadelphia @ Dallas | Philadelphia | Dallas |
San Francisco @ Seattle | Seattle | San Francisco |
Sunday, December 25th | ||
Chicago @ Green Bay | Green Bay | Green Bay |
Monday, December 26th | ||
Atlanta @ New Orleans | New Orleans | New Orleans |
Game of the Week: Atlanta @ New Orleans – Finally, a Monday night game that ESPN can’t complain about. There are finally plenty of matchups that could be chosen as Game of the Week heading into the playoffs stretch—New York @ New York, Chicago @ Green Bay, Philadelphia @ Dallas. But the Falcons ride a two game winning streak, and 4-1 over the last five into New Orleans to play the division leading Saints, who have won six in a row, and have a quarterback on track to beat the single season passing record—with another week like he had against the Vikings, possibly even in this game.
Game of the Weak: Minnesota @ Washington – Almost every game this week has at least one team in the playoffs, looking to make the playoffs, or working to build on success in the 2011 season. That’s what makes this game stand out. Yes, the Redskins are coming off of a victory over the Giants—but their season has been marred by injuries, suspensions, and having to choose each week between Rex Grossman and John Beck as a starting QB. The Vikings, meanwhile, need to win one of their last two to avoid setting a franchise record for futility, and need to win out to not tie their record for futility, set in 1984 in the team’s lone season under Les Steckel. Now many fans are starting to wonder if Les(lie) Frazier will suffer the same consequences as Steckel, and coach just one season.
1984… does that mean that beloved coach Childress will come out of retirement to coach the Vikings again?
If they make a change, I’m holding out for Bud Grant. Don’t care that he’s never had to coach in the salary cap era. You want someone that can handle the team in the (hopeful) transition years outside at TCF Bank Stadium, he’s your guy.