Council of the Learned 2012: Week Thirteen NFL Picks

13th Week

Thursday, Nov. 29

New Orleans at Atlanta, 8:20 p.m- New Orleans is responsible for the only Atlanta loss this season and now get to face the Falcons down another defensive back. Fans may be getting sick of early predictions for Atlanta’s first playoff game demise, but how much confidence could they actually have fabout getting a big rushing first down? PICK: (ATL 9-2)

Sunday, Dec. 2

Jacksonville at Buffalo, 1 p.m- I would have picked this as the 0-0 game until Blaine Gabbert went on the IR, but Chad Henne has been great off the bench and may have ended the Missouri QB’s reign in Jacksonville. The Bills stink, but C.J. Spiller is sort of being used correctly, except for that no rushes in the final 14 minutes in a one score game thing. PICK: (BUF 8-3)

Seattle at Chicago, 1 p.m- If I can’t remain focused enough to finish this sentence, I know of a couple Seattle defensive backs I can call. The Bears will have to focus on keeping an already bad line together enough to keep Cutler after their most effective guy, Lance Louis, went on the IR. PICK: (CHI 11-0)

Indianapolis at Detroit, 1 p.m- Talk about two teams with different feels from one year ago, and Dan Orlovsky wasn’t even involved this year. Chuckstrong is keeping the Colts in the playoff race while the Lions continue to lose, even when the problem is a stupid rule. PICK: (DET 6-5)

Minnesota at Green Bay, 1 p.m- The Vikings seems like they are a bit of a smoke and mirrors club while the Packers are not dominating like they did last year. Still, I doubt this game will decide the NFC North. That game is in Chicago on December 16. PICK: (GB 11-0)

Carolina at Kansas City, 1 p.m- Cam Newton gets another shot to pad his stats against a team that has nothing to play for. Monday Night was Newton’s best game of the season and Chiefs have lost 8 in a row and own the league’s worst point differential. PICK: (CAR 7-4)

New England at Miami, 1 p.m- As with the rest of the AFC East, the Pats have a fantastic recent record with 8 wins in the last 10 meetings here. Tannehill may want to keep the throw total low. Rookie quarterbacks are 6-22 in the last 28 games in which they threw 31+ times. Andrew Luck has five of those wins. PICK: (NE 10-1)

Arizona at N.Y. Jets, 1 p.m- The Most Likely to Finish 0-0 Game of the Week. Yes, everyone seems to be quitting in New York right now. There is no way that Tim Tebow has quit. After all, the Gators still have a shot at the BCS title. PICK: (NYJ 10-1)

San Francisco at St. Louis, 1 p.m- Do the Niners have a chance to have the first NFL two quarterback system that works? Harbaugh seems like he can’t do anything wrong. Of course, it’s easy to look that way with the best defense in football. Atlanta does not have home field wrapped up yet. PICK: (SF 11-0)

Houston at Tennessee, 1 p.m- Jake Locker’s accuracy looks as shaky as it did in college. Weird. Chris Johnson’s dismantling of fantasy football’s playoffs begins next week. I am sure everyone is really excited. PICK: (HOU 11-0)

Tampa Bay at Denver, 4:05 p.m- Josh Freeman last seven games (5-2): 1,971 yards, 16TD and 3INT. Universal MVP Peyton Manning in the last seven games (6-1): 2,098 yards, 18TD and 5INT. This should be an entertaining game. Also, if Bill Simmons read those stats, could someone get him a towel? PICK: (DEN 10-1)

Pittsburgh at Baltimore, 4:25 p.m- It would just make sense that Ray Lewis and Ben Roethlisberger would somehow find a way to each play this week. I think the odds against that are high, but would not be surprised at all if it happened. Of course, in a game like this one, it is much more like that they would leave injured again even if they did return. PICK: (BAL 8-3)

Cleveland at Oakland, 4:25 p.m- It certainly feels like this one will be a battle between Phil Dawson and Sea Bass. It also could be a battle between Mike Holmgren and Sea Bass for the last KFC Double-Down at the pre-game meal. After all, it will be Mike’s last one before taking the Chargers or Cowboys job. PICK: (CLE 7-4)

Cincinnati at San Diego, 4:25 p.m- Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea for the Chargers to allow Darren Sproles, LaDanian Tomlinson and Vincent Jackson to leave. Maybe it wasn’t smart to allow an offensive lineman back into a game with a concussion. The Chargers no longer underachieve; they just aren’t a good football team. PICK: (CIN 9-2)

Philadelphia at Dallas-x, 8:20 p.m- Since the Eagles fired Juan Castillo, opposing quarterbacks have 13 touchdowns with no interceptions. They have completed 94 of 125 (75.2%) passes while averaging 9.7 yards per attempt. Yep, he was definitely the problem. The Cowboys hate their home life more than a 14 year old girl, but even they should win this one. Unless they find out Mikey is dating Sasha; that skank. PICK: (DAL 10-1)

Monday, Dec. 3

N.Y. Giants at Washington, 8:30 p.m- Just when we didn’t think Robert Griffin the Maginificant could not get any better, he went and threw for 8 touchdowns in two weeks while completing something like 124% of his passes. The Giants finally look focused again after some duds after Hurricane Sandy. Note to self: Hurricanes have an effect people; not just the amusement park from "The Jersey Shore." PICK: (NYG 6-5)

LAST WEEK: 10-6
SEASON: 113-62-1 (64.4%)