Picks Against the Spread Week 16: New York Giants vs New York Jets Not the Only Game on the Schedule

I’ve really been coming on strong lately at the end of the season with three winning weeks in a row. This week all you’ve heard about is that the New York Giants will play against the New York Jets. Obviously there is a lot of importance attatched to this game, but there are a lot of other important games during the week too.

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Lined are updated as of Friday Night 11/23/2011

Date & Time Favorite Spread Underdog
12/24 1:00 ET At Kansas City -2.5 Oakland
12/24 1:00 ET Denver -3 At Buffalo
12/24 1:00 ET At Tennessee -7.5 Jacksonville
12/24 1:00 ET At Cincinnati -4 Arizona
12/24 1:00 ET At New England -9.5 Miami
12/24 1:00 ET At Baltimore -12.5 Cleveland
12/24 1:00 ET At NY Jets -3 NY Giants
12/24 1:00 ET At Washington -6.5 Minnesota
12/24 1:00 ET At Carolina -7.5 Tampa Bay
12/24 1:00 ET At Pittsburgh -14 St. Louis
12/24 4:05 ET At Detroit -2 San Diego
12/24 4:15 ET San Francisco -2.5 At Seattle
12/24 4:15 ET At Dallas -1.5 Philadelphia
12/25 8:30 ET At Green Bay -12 Chicago

Monday Night Football Point Spread

12/26 8:35 ET At New Orleans -6.5 Atlanta

Texans at Colts

The Colts finally got their first win and the Texans are coming off a terrible loss. Even when Manning is healthy and the Colts are good, the Texans tend to stay close and I think they’ll win this game big. I’d give 8-10 points without hesitation…one caveat if Wade Phillips isn’t around again this week I might take the Colts if they have a lot of points.

I did not Lock this game in.

Broncos at Bills

The Bills will probably only be a few point underdogs at home, but I think the Bills match up terribly with the Broncos. The Bills can’t stop the run and the Broncos can sure run the football. I think the Broncos could win by 10 points pretty easily here. The wheels have officially come off the Buffalo Bills bus. Fitzpatrick is doing just enough to give the Bills pause whether or not they should pursue another quarterback, at least you hope if you’re a Bills fan.

I’m going to take Buffalo as the underdogs at home.

Dolphins at Patriots

The Patriots are coming off an impressive win against the Broncos, while the Dolphins continue to hum along. The Patriots are the better team, but the Dolphins should be able to keep this close. I like the Dolphins as underdogs here if they are getting about a touchdown. The Broncos had a good chance to give the Patriots a run for their money, but half way through the second quarter they got the dropsies and started fumbling the football all over the place, beating themselves and got too far behind to make this a close game.

9.5 points is too much for me here. The Dolphins seem to play the Patriots pretty close even when the Dolphins are worse than they are playing right now. Dolphins to cover the 9.5 points.

Browns at Ravens

On cue, the Ravens play a bad game against the Chargers. This team is impossible to figure out, but at least they win enough games to get into the playoffs, unlike a team like the Giants who are trying their best to miss the playoffs. I think the Ravens could come back with a vengeance on the Browns, plus I don’t think the Browns have good enough quarterback play to overcome the Ravens plus defense. Ravens to cover anything 7 or under .

The Ravens are favored by too many points for my liking. I’m going to take the Browns to keep it closer than 12.5 points.

Raiders at Chiefs

This seems like a huge opportunity for a let-down from the Chiefs, but this is a game I really don’t have a great feel for this game though to be honest. I can’t get my pulse on the Raiders. The Raiders MUST win this game if they want any chance of making the playoffs. I’m not going to give an opinion on this game yet, but I think I’m leaning towards Raiders -3 to -4.

I like Oakland to win this game outright but they are underdogs by 2.5 points. Give me Oakland to save their season against the Chiefs.

Vikings at Redskins

I think the Redskins will win this game outright. They have played pretty well recently. I also think they will open up at about three point favorites, which I’m comftorable taking. Bad Rex Grossman could always show up though which makes you nervous, but I think the Redskins defense is gelling.

I did not see the Redskins being favored by so many points. 6.5 points? I don’t trust Grossman that much when Jared Allen could single handily wreck the game. I’ll take the Vikings to cover the near touchdown they are getting.

Cardinals at Bengals:

Quick Pop Quiz. What is the Cardinals record in their last 7 games? 6-1. 6-1 in their last 7 games. With wins over the Eagles, Cowboys, and 49ers. This is one of the best teams in the league right now surprisingly. The Bengals are up and down, young and talented, but up and down. I like the Cardinals here, especially if they are underdogs as I expect they will be. I could see the Cardinals win this game outright.

I’m going to take Arizona +4 points here.

Rams at Steelers

The Rams are awful. I don’t trust the Steelers as huge favorites though, especially with Big Ben’s high ankle sprain. I’m going to wait to see how well Big Ben plays (if he does) with his injury before I give an opinion on this game. If Ben plays bad I might like the Rams to cover a heavy point spread. The Rams showed more heart in their game Sunday than they have in awhile.

Well with Big Ben ruled out the Steeleres -14 line will change, I’m sure of that, but I still like the steelers -8 or less whatever that line ends up

Buccaneers at Panthers

I like the Panthers here, but I’m interested to see how many points they are favored by. The Panthers are a 5-10 afterall. The Panthers have played a ton of close games, and the Buccaneers look disinterested now and I can’t see them getting up for this game.

Ok I’m going to take the Buccaneers to show some pride and cover the hefty spread.

Giants at Jets

These are two of the most disappointing teams in the league. I still think the Jets will make the playoffs and I don’t trust the Giants at all, but this is exactly the kind of game the Giants get up for. I’m really excited to watch the Giants Wide receivers against the Jets cornerbacks. All season long when teams have blitzed and left Hakeem Nicks and Cruz in single coverage they have got torched, but this is Darrel Revis against Hakeem Nicks. Should be a really exciting game. Leaning towards the Jets -3 here.

As a Giants fan I’m fully expecting the worse year. If the Giants have shown one thing the past three years is that they love coming out flat in big moments late in the season. Jets to win by more than three

Jaguars at Titans

The Titans had a real opportunity with back to back games against the Colts and Jagaurs to make a real push to the playoffs. The question I have here for the Titans is why not let the season ride and die with Jake Locker now? He’s looked more impressive than Hasselbeck and the Titans should let Locker be in charge of everything when all their chips are in. The Titans have one of the best returns on the 2011 draft class thus far and look to have a bright future.

I like the Titans to keep it close. There should be a lot or running by both teams, which will speed up the game clock a bit and provide the Jaguars enough opportunity to keep it close.

Chargers at Lions

This might be the game of the week. The Lions play the Packers in week 17 and the Chargers need to win out and get some help to get into the playoffs. Huge implications here. The Chargers, right now, are the team we all expected them to be at the beginning of the season and I think when they are at their best they are better than the Lions at their best. Philip Rivers is also an animal in December. I like the Chargers to win out-right here, we’ll see what the line is.

Later in the week I still love Chargers to win outright.

Eagles at Cowboys

Like the Chargers, the Eagles are now the team we thought they would be at the beginning of the season. And the Cowboys…well. I don’t see them winning this game. The Eagles speedy receivers give the Cowboys old (and not all that talented) secondary fits. I like the Eagles to win out-right here too.

I think the Cowboys match up terribly with the Eagles all over the field. Eagles to win outright. (though if I’m being honest I’m rooting for a tie! or Eagles loss )

49ers at Seahawks

The Seahawks are playing really well in their last seven games. The Seahawks are awful tough at home. I don’t think they’ll be favored at home and I like them as 4 point underdogs, but if they are favored I like the 49ers here, who are a better team.

I think the 49ers to cover the moderate point spread even though I think the Seakaws will keep it pretty close.

Bears at Packers

Now that the pressure of going undefeated is off the Packers and they are playing at home, I expect a huge blowout. The awful part about this game is that it is the NBC prime-time game and on Christmas. Well hopefully I’ll be too distracted to watch this blowout. The Packers big. And if they can’t beat the Bears ( who are playing awfully now) big there might be more trouble in Green Bay than anyone’s thought all season.

I think with the QB change the Bears will come out and play well and keep this fairly close, closer at least than the 12 points they are giving up right now.

Falcons at Saints

The Saints are a well oiled machine at home. The Falcons are playing better, well enough that I think the Falcons will push this line lower than it should be. The Saints, in New Orleans, I’d feel comftorable as 6 point favorites, if they are any less I’ll take them in an instant. I just don’t think the Falcons can come into New Orleans and beat the Saints this year though they did just that last year (27-24 early in the season the Falcons won). I think the Saints are littler better than they were last year and the Falcons aren’t quite as good.

This line is Right at my limit so I’m going to take the Falcons here, but really don’t think they have much of a chance of winning this game outright.

What are some of your early thoughts on this game?

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