RJ's NFL Picks, Week Fifteen

Part of: NFL Picks

I went 12-4 last week. That puts me at 130-78 for the season. For a comparison, check out the "experts" over at ESPN.

Note: This week’s column will be very short due to several factors - a Thursday game, the author getting ready to go out of town in a few days, and the author feeling incredibly lazy. Please submit any complaints and/or computer viruses to Blogcritics Magazine Sports Editor Matt Sussman. Bonus points for attaching nude photographs of passable transsexuals.

Here are my picks for the NFL's Week 15:

*Thursday, December 13, 2007*

Denver (6-7) at Houston (6-7) - 8:15 pm (Sheridan's line: Houston by 1) [Worth Watching!]

Denver crushed the Chiefs last week, 41-7. The Broncos are just 2-4 on the road this season. Houston beat Tampa Bay last week. They are 4-2 at home this year. Sure thing first-ballot Hall of Famer Sage Rosenfels will start under center again this week for the Texans.

RJ's Pick - Houston by 11

*Saturday, December 15, 2007*

Cincinnati (5-8) at San Francisco (3-10) - 8:15 pm (Sheridan's line: Cincinnati by 8) [Worth Missing]

The Bengals are just 1-5 on the road this season. But the 49ers have gone 1-5 at home.

RJ's Pick - Cincinnati by 4

*Sunday, December 16, 2007*

Arizona (6-7) at New Orleans (6-7) - 1:00 pm (Sheridan's line: New Orleans by 3.5) [Worth Watching!]

Arizona got spanked by the Seahawks last week, and now they only have a slim chance of making the postseason as a Wild Card. The Cardinals are just 2-5 on the road. New Orleans beat Atlanta on MNF last week to keep their meager playoff hopes alive. The Saints have lost four of six at home so far this season.

RJ's Pick - New Orleans by 1

Atlanta (3-10) at Tampa Bay (8-5) - 1:00 pm (Sheridan's line: Tampa Bay by 12) [Worth Missing]

It's been an interesting week for the Atlanta Falcons organization. They got blown out at home on MNF to a mediocre team, Michael Vick was sentenced to 23 months in federal prison, and their head coach, Bobby Petrino, resigned, meaning Emmitt Thomas will act as interim head coach for the remainder of the season. Atlanta is 1-5 on the road and has dropped four straight. (The curse of Joey Harrington lives on!) Tampa Bay is 5-1 at home and Jeff Garcia is expected to return this week.

RJ's Pick - Tampa Bay by 17

RJ'S LAME-GAME OF THE WEEK: Baltimore (4-9) at Miami (0-13) - 1:00 pm (Sheridan's line: Baltimore by 3) [Worth Watching!]

Continued on the next page Page 1 — Page 2Page 3Page 4

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Article Author: RJ Elliott

RJ is a graduate student at the University of Central Florida. His passions in life are sports, politics, nature, and women who have piercings they never told their daddy about. He dislikes daytime television, left-wing dictators, and people who talk like Garrison Keillor. …

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  • 1 - alessandro

    Dec 13, 2007 at 12:59 am

    Houston.

    Gee, things sure are quiet 'round here without Suss. He's a big shot writing about fugo or tofo or sofa or something. We're nothing to him now. NOTHING.

  • 2 - zingzing

    Dec 13, 2007 at 1:00 am

    but which sex toy do you prefer?

    (that's for picking chicago.)

    *go vikes*

  • 3 - RJ Elliott

    Dec 13, 2007 at 2:21 pm

    Does anybody think I should continue writing these columns during the playoffs? I mean, instead of 13 or 14 or 16 games per week to write about, there would only be four games during the first two rounds, then just two games, and then of course the Super Bowl. Feedback appreciated.

  • 4 - Christopher Rose

    Dec 13, 2007 at 2:48 pm

    sure, just go into a bit more detail.

  • 5 - Bennett

    Dec 13, 2007 at 3:24 pm

    Okay, here goes... Based on my own formula taking into account win/loss, gut feeling, coin toss, and uncertain brain chemistry

    Cincinnati
    New England
    Baltimore
    Cleveland
    Tennessee
    Tampa Bay
    Green Bay
    Jacksonville
    Seattle
    Indianapolis
    San Diego
    Dallas
    New York
    Minnesota

    I say keep up the column right through the SB.

  • 6 - Chris McVetta

    Dec 13, 2007 at 3:34 pm

    I think you should keep on, keepin' on, RJ! Heck, if Matt Millen keeps going ...why can't you??? (That was NOT a jab at you, RJ ...honest and true ...but, seriously, what kind of blackmail material does this guy HAVE to keep his job, year after year...?)

  • 7 - Brian

    Dec 13, 2007 at 5:28 pm

    Couldn't hurt to keep picking. I'm sure there are some crazy pick-um pools that start just for playoffs or continue that far.

    I have a question or ya R.J. about your picks though.

    When you have a spread like:
    Washington (6-7) at New York Giants (9-4) - 8:15 pm (Sheridan's line: New York Giants by 4)

    And you Pick:
    RJ's Pick - New York Giants by 2

    Are you saying the NYG's will actually win by 2 and therefore not cover?

    Or that they will win by 2 over the spread... in this case 6 points?

  • 8 - RJ Elliott

    Dec 13, 2007 at 5:52 pm

    Bennett:

    Thanks for your picks, but you missed a couple of games (Denver-Houston and Arizona-New Orleans).

    Chris:

    I think William Clay Ford, Sr. simply hates the hometown fans. That's the only thing I can think of.

    Brian:

    I pick the winner and the margin of victory for every game. So, for example, I believe the Giants will win this week by 2 points (say, a final score of 22-20). If you are counting straight-up pick 'em, then I'm picking the Giants to win the game. If you are counting spread picks, then I don't think the Giants will cover the 4 point spread. I keep track of both my straight-up picks and my spread picks over the course of the season.

    REMF:

    Wishing you a delightful holiday season.

  • 9 - eastcoastlb

    Dec 13, 2007 at 5:54 pm

    He means they will win by 2 and not cover.

    RJ you HAVE to keep on writing! I look forward to this every Thursday night. It's part of my system when I make picks for my pool.

    Open to anyone - if you had to pick 1 game(team) this week to beat the spread who would you pick?

  • 10 - Bennett

    Dec 13, 2007 at 6:35 pm

    Ack! That's the brain chemistry I mentioned...

    Houston (over the hated Broncos)
    Arizona (in honor of Temple Stark)

    Have a great weekend!

  • 11 - alessandro

    Dec 13, 2007 at 6:42 pm

    Definitely. Go for it. The playoffs are cool.

  • 12 - RJ Elliott

    Dec 14, 2007 at 12:38 am

    Texans 31, Denver 13 - RJ 1-0

  • 13 - alessandro

    Dec 14, 2007 at 8:53 pm

    RJ, you think the coming snow storm will effect NE's chances? Weather may stand in the way of their perfect season. We're expecting 40 to 60cm in Montreal. I'm going to be fucken buried in snow.

    Cincinnati, TB, Baltimore (I want to take Miami soooo bad), Cleveland (going with home field here), GB, NE, Seattle, Tennessee, Indy, SD, Dallas (fricken Cowgirls), NYG, Minnesota, Pittsburgh (for no better reason that home field. Jacksonville as good as they are have not topped the so-called big teams enough to merit a pick here) and NO (again playing it safe with the home side. Anything can happen in these games.)

    That Romo clip is priceless! Whoever chose Ti Amo for this is hilarious. Growing up in these parts that song was big for the slow dances. Huge hit in Italy.

  • 14 - RJ Elliott

    Dec 15, 2007 at 2:49 am

    Alessandro:

    Yes, the weather could be a factor. In fact, I would like to amend my pick.

    New England by 41

    ;-P

  • 15 - DOM @ HSU

    Dec 15, 2007 at 12:04 pm

    vikings
    chargers
    cardinals.. (red bird of some sort)
    49ers
    Baltimore.. does not want to be the team to lose against the fins.

    everything else the same...

  • 16 - Alexandria

    Dec 15, 2007 at 3:41 pm

    CIN, SEA, CLE, TN, MIA (they gotta win one), NE, NO, PIT, GB, TB, IND, DAL, SD, NYG, MN

    RJ, keep writing if you can. I mostly like your anecdotal comments.

  • 17 - RJ Elliott

    Dec 16, 2007 at 2:10 am

    Final Score:

    SF 20, Bengals 13 - RJ 1-1

  • 18 - DOM @ HSU

    Dec 16, 2007 at 4:06 am

    niners.. haha i money lined that spitt..

  • 19 - YuTang

    Dec 16, 2007 at 8:31 am

    RJ, What effect and what cities is this storm going to hit, cheers.

  • 20 - Bennett

    Dec 16, 2007 at 9:34 am

    I don't like the weather factor in today's NE/NYJ game. It brings the random element more into play. I'd rather this match up was in less severe weather...

    If the Pats go into this game overconfident, they could end up on the short end.

    What's with Cincinnati?

    Bennett 1-1

  • 21 - alessandro

    Dec 16, 2007 at 12:56 pm

    Five minutes to kick off. Maybe it's the wine kicking in but I'm amending my pick to Miami. Sue me.

  • 22 - Bennett

    Dec 16, 2007 at 5:04 pm

    I should have shared that bottle alessandro... Good pick!

    I'm 7-4 at this point

  • 23 - RJ Elliott

    Dec 16, 2007 at 5:17 pm

    Final Scores:

    NO 31, Arizona 24 - RJ 2-1

    TB 37, Atlanta 3 - RJ 3-1

    Miami 22, Baltimore 16 (in OT) - RJ 4-1

  • 24 - RJ Elliott

    Dec 16, 2007 at 5:21 pm

    Final Scores:

    Cleveland 8, Bills 0 (!) - RJ 5-1

    Gren Bay 33, Rams 14 - RJ 6-1

    Jacksonville 29, Pittsburgh 22 - RJ 6-2

  • 25 - RJ Elliott

    Dec 16, 2007 at 5:26 pm

    Final Scores:

    New England 20, Jets 10 - RJ 7-2

    Carolina 13, Seattle 10 - RJ 7-3

    Tennessee 26, KC 17 - RJ 8-3

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