Last week of the regular season and I’m too sick to write anything meaningful here. (As if I write anything meaningful here on my good days.)
The featured games this week are Ravens at Bengals, Chiefs at Denver, and Cowboys at Giants.
You can download the podcast directly (running time 75 mins) or subscribe to the feed.
If you use iTunes, just click here and then click subscribe and iTunes will take care of the rest.
NFL Week 17 2011 Picks
Straight Up
| MATCHUP | Vegas Vinny | BostonMac | RJ | Burton | Actual |
| Bills @ Patriots | Patriots | Patriots | Patriots | Patriots | |
| Bears @ Vikings | Bears | Bears | Bears | Vikings | |
| Panthers @ Saints | Saints | Saints | Saints | Saints | |
| Titans @ Texans | Titans | Texans | Titans | Titans | |
| Lions @ Packers | Lions | Lions | Packers | Lions | |
| Niners @ Rams | Niners | Niners | Niners | Niners | |
| Jets @ Dolphins | Dolphins | Dolphins | Dolphins | Dolphins | |
| Redskins @ Eagles | Eagles | Eagles | Eagles | Eagles | |
| Colts @ Jaguars | Jaguars | Jaguars | Colts | Jaguars | |
| Steelers @ Browns | Steelers | Steelers | Steelers | Steelers | |
| Bucs @ Falcons | Falcons | Falcons | Falcons | Falcons | |
| Ravens @ Bengals | Ravens | Ravens | Ravens | Ravens | |
| Chargers @ Raiders | Raiders | Raiders | Raiders | Raiders | |
| Chiefs @ Broncos | Chiefs | Broncos | Broncos | Chiefs | |
| Seahawks @ Cards | Seahawks | Cards | Cards | Seahawks | |
| Cowboys @ Giants | Giants | Giants | Giants | Cowboys | |
| Prev Week | 10-6 | 9-7 | 11-5 | 9-7 | |
| Overall | 162-78 | 150-90 | 153-87 | 148-92 |
Against the Spread
| MATCHUP | Vegas Vinny | BostonMac | RJ | Burton | Actual |
| Bills @ Patriots (-11.5) | Bills | Patriots | Bills | Patriots | |
| Bears @ Vikings (+1) | Bears | Bears | Bears | Vikings | |
| Panthers @ Saints (-9) | Panthers | Saints | Panthers | Panthers | |
| Titans @ Texans (2) | Titans | Texans | Titans | Titans | |
| Lions @ Packers (+3.5) | Lions | Lions | Packers | Packers | |
| Niners @ Rams (+10.5) | Niners | Niners | Niners | Niners | |
| Jets @ Dolphins (-2) | Dolphins | Dolphins | Jets | Dolphins | |
| Redskins @ Eagles (-9) | Redskins | Redskins | Eagles | Eagles | |
| Colts @ Jaguars (-3.5) | Jaguars | Jaguars | Colts | Jaguars | |
| Steelers @ Browns (-7) | Steelers | Steelers | Browns | Steelers | |
| Bucs @ Falcons (-13.5) | Falcons | Falcons | Falcons | Falcons | |
| Ravens @ Bengals (+2) | Ravens | Ravens | Ravens | Ravens | |
| Chargers @ Raiders (-3) | Raiders | Raiders | Raiders | Raiders | |
| Chiefs @ Broncos (-3.5) | Chiefs | Chiefs | Chiefs | Chiefs | |
| Seahawks @ Cards (-3) | Seahawks | Cards | Cards | Seahawks | |
| Cowboys @ Giants | Giants | Giants | Giants | Cowboys | |
| Prev Week | 8-8 | 6-10 | 6-10 | 5-11 | |
| Overall | 124-111 | 118-117 | 116-119 | 123-112 |
Locks of the Week
Vegas Vinny: (7-9, Balance=$1030) There’s not much thinking that goes into this week’s pick except that the Pittsburgh Steelers own the Cleveland Browns. In the past 5 years, the Browns have only beaten the Steelers once, and that was when Pittsburgh went on a 5 game losing streak and couldn’t beat anyone. When the Steelers win though, they tend to rub it in. With season ending blowouts like 41-9 and 31-0, Pittsburgh likes to use the Browns as their personal Washington Generals before hitting the postseason. Easy money here folks. $990 to win $900 on the Steelers (-7).
BostonMac: (10-6, Balance=$1,815)I can’t believe I’m putting my faith in this season on the Oakland Raiders, but here I am. The Raiders can smell the playoffs right now. They need to beat the already-eliminated Chargers and have the Chiefs beat the Broncos. Let’s face it– God is a cruel bastard. It is definitely within His realm of amusement to throw Denvers fans a bone with Tebow-mania all year, only to watch their hopes crumble with a devastating loss to their archrivals in Week 17, and then have to watch the Raiders go to the playoffs over them. The Chargers are bringing their surfboards and golf clubs on this one, and they are all out the door (including Norv) at 7:30 Eastern time after a two-touchdown loss. They’ll be happy just to escape Oakland alive and without malaria. I may have a slightly unfair advantage on this one, as both Vin and Burton have made their bets already, but I’m going to put $165 to win $150 on OAKLAND (-3) in order to bypass Vin, and then I just have to wait for Burton’s Atlanta Falcons to let him down once again, and the Locks title is mine. Small consolation since my straight-up and ATS picks sucked this year, but beggars can’t be choosers.
RJ: (3-10, Balance =$5.50)
Burton: (10-6, Balance =$2,465)You guys knew two weeks ago what my lock would be. You did. Because I told you two weeks ago. I told you two weeks ago that I was locking against Tampa until Tampa gave me a reason not to lock against Tampa, and I told you that Tampa wouldn’t give me a reason.
So here were are, week 17, with me sporting a solid-but-not-insurrmountable lead. So what can I do? Make it insurmountable. I’m going $1,111 to win $1,010 on Atlanta to cover the 13.5 against Tampa Bay, making it impossible for me not to win.
Yeah, I don’t back down to nothin’. $1111 on the Falcons (-13.5)