Week 17 NFL Picks Jan 1 2006

Last week was a tough week and this week doesn’t look to be any easier. Who knows how well the second stringers of teams who have already clinched playoff seeding will come out and play against the dregs of the league. Colts? Seahawks? Bears? They’re just looking to rest their starters. Then there’s the dreaded scoreboard watching that could quickly deflate a team. Bettor beware. But, here we go with the week 17 picks.

Note that there is no podcast this week but we’ll be back next week with our playoff predictions podcast.

Week 17 Picks

Locks of the Week

Vegas Vinny: My LOCKS this year have gone much like the way of the Eagles – down the toilet. Now I’m reduced to trying to win the last game so I can build some momentum going into next season. Granted, this is a week where you shouldn’t bet any games. With all the possible playoff scenarios and teams resting starters, it might be one of the hardest weeks to pick ATS this year. I’m going to go with a team that I never thought I would: the Baltimore Ravens. Kyle Boller is playing as good as he’s ever in the league and Cleveland is wrapping it up for the season. After completely falling apart last week in a 41-0 drubbing, don’t expect the Browns to come out with any intensity this week. Neither team has much to play for but at least the Ravens are playing well as of late, 4 wins in the last 6 games. Take the Ravens (-3) this week.

Teri Berg: Cincinnati is getting 7 points on the road versus KC, but the spread will be wider than that — maybe even more than two TDs. For starters, the Chiefs are 6-1 at home this season, and league-wide Arrowhead is considered a tough place to play, especially in December. Also, the Bengals are bunged up and likely will choose to keep starters on the sidelines or, at most, play them for just a few series in this game. Finally, KC and Larry Johnson have been on a tear for the last six games, despite their losses to Dallas and the Giants. LJ will be running for his 9th straight 100+ yard game, which could boost him past Tiki Barber if the Giants decide to rest the No. 2 rusher in the league on Sunday. Crazy, isn’t it, that Larry Johnson has put together this kind of running game in the second half of a season he started behind Priest Holmes. Kansas City’s not going to the playoffs this season (unfortunately), but Dick Vermeil will coach his team to a big win on Sunday for his last game in the NFL. Chiefs (-7)

BostonMac: I was at Giants Stadium on Monday night for the slaughter of the Jets at the hands of the defending champs, and I can’t see the “Jersey/B” team winning this week. The Bills are coming off a nice win over the playoff-bound Bengals and have a little something to prove (such as the worth of their coach). The Jets will have a shot at Reggie Bush or Matt Leinart, but in the words of a WFAN host that we heard on the way down to the Meadowlands, “It doesn’t matter what pick the Jets get, they will screw it up somehow.” What a joke of a franchise right now. I’m taking BUFFALO (-1) in East Rutherford.

Trevor F:
The San Francisco 49ers are getting a point at home and that is absolutely
ludicrous. First off, Houston is going to mail this game in because a win
here and they don’t get Reggie Bush. It wouldn’t shock me if you read ten
years later that the Houston GM was bribing players behind Dom Capers back
to throw this game. Toss in the fact that the San Francisco 49ers have
been extremely competitive with good teams during the second half of the
season (1 point losses to Chicago and Jacksoville, two point loss to
Seattle) and are coming off a win which eliminates them from any shot at
Bush and you have the recipe for what could be an ass kicking. Not only
do The Five Time Super Bowl Champions win this game outright, but it
wouldn’t shock me if they win by a lopsided score. 49ers 31 Houston 14.
Alex Smith has his best day as a pro.