Panger and I Take a Long Hard Look in the Mirror: National League

Yesterday I took the deep dark voyage into the past to see how Panger and my predictions before the baseball season have shaped up so far. It hurt, but it seems as if Panger did a better job in the American League than I did. So today we're all going to take a look at our National League predictions, and I'm going to pray that I did better in the senior circuit.

I just don't think I could take Panger's bragging.

So I'm crossing my fingers, and looking back in our crystal ball.

NL East Fornelli

1. Mets
2. Phillies
3. Braves
4. Marlins
5. Nationals

NL East Panger

1. Mets
2. Phillies
3. Braves
4. Marlins
5. Nationals

NL East Actual

1. Mets
2. Braves
3. Phillies
4. Marlins
5. Nationals

NL Central Fornelli

1. Brewers
   
2. Cardinals
3. Cubs
4. Reds
   
5. Astros
   
6. Pirates

NL Central Panger

1. Brewers
2. Cardinals
3. Cubs
4. Astros
5. Reds
   
6. Pirates

NL Central Actual

1. Brewers
2. Cubs
   
3. Cardinals
4. Pirates
5. Astros
6. Reds

NL West Fornelli

1. Dodgers
2. Diamondbacks
3. Padres
4. Giants
5. Rockies

NL West Panger

1. Dodgers
2. Diamondbacks
3. Padres
4. Rockies
5. Giants

NL West Actual

1. Padres
2. Dodgers
3. Diamondbacks
4. Rockies
5. Giants

Jesus. She wins again. We were both smart enough to see that the Brewers would "surprise" everyone in the NL Central, and though we both had the Padres in third place, she wins the West for having the Rockies over the Giants.

Faaaaaantastic. Maybe she can take my job over at FanHouse while she's at it?

Panger and I Take a Long Hard Look in the Mirror: American League

Since there really isn't much going on in the world of sports right now, I figure I might as well take the time to see how Panger and my pre-season predictions for the baseball season are looking now that we've reached the halfway point.

Today we'll take a look at the American League.

AL East Fornelli

1. Yankees
2. Red Sox
3. Blue Jays
4. Orioles
   
5. Devil Rays

AL East Panger

1. Red Sox
   
2. Yankees
3. Blue Jays
4. Orioles
5. Devil Rays

AL East Actual

1. Red Sox
2. Blue Jays
3. Yankees
4. Orioles
5. Devil Rays
   

AL Central Fornelli

1. Tigers
2. White Sox
3. Indians
4. Twins
5. Royals

AL Central Panger

1. Tigers
2. Indians
3. White Sox
4. Twins
5. Royals

AL Central Actual

1. Tigers
2. Indians
3. Twins
4. White Sox
5. Royals
   

AL West Fornelli

1. Angels
2. Rangers
3. A's
4. Mariners

AL West Panger

1. Angels
2. A's
3. Rangers
4. Mariners
   

Al West Actual

1. Angels
2. Mariners
3. A's
4. Rangers

As you can clearly see, the psychic abilities of Panger and I are astounding. If I had to give us grades, which I don't, I would say that Panger is winning in the East and Central, whereas we're both tied in the West.

Neither of us knew how truly bad the White Sox would be, and as everyone does, we underestimated the Twins. The Yankees are killing me in the AL East, but Panger knew that the Red Sox would run away with it.

In the West we both hit on the Angels, but neither of us had any idea how good the Mariners were going to be. We both knew that Jeff Weaver would suck, and even though he did for the first two and a half months, they kept winning anyway.

Tomorrow we'll look at the NL and see how we're doing there.

Foul Balls Presents - Useless Baseball Predictions!

Well, the season starts tonight in St. Louis as the Cardinals get their World Series rings, and take on the team they beat to get there, the New York Mets.

With that in mind, it's about time Panger and I told you how the season would end up.

That's right, we already know. We're just that damn smart. So without further ado, here are our predictions for the 2007 season. It's going to be a pleasant year for baseball fans in Los Angeles...too bad there aren't any.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

AL EAST-Fornelli

1. New York Yankees
2. Boston Red Sox
3. Toronto Blue Jays
4. Baltimore Orioles
5. Tampa Bay Devil Rays

AL EAST-Panger

1. Boston Red Sox
2. New York Yankees
3. Toronto Blue Jays
4. Baltimore Orioles
5. Tampa Bay Devil Dogs

AL CENTRAL-Fornelli

1. Detroit Tigers
2. Chicago White Sox
3. Cleveland Indians
4. Minnesota Twins
5. Kansas City Royals

AL CENTRAL-Panger

1. Detroit Tigers
2. Cleveland Indians
3. Chicago White Sox
4. Minnesota Twins
5. Kansas City Royals

AL WEST-Fornelli

1. Los Angeles Angels
2. Texas Rangers
3. Oakland Athletics
4. Seattle Mariners

AL WEST-Panger

1. Anaheim Angels (I refuse to say Los Angeles)
2. Oakland Athletics
3. Texas Rangers
4. Seattle Mariners

NATIONAL LEAGUE

NL EAST-Fornelli

1. New York Mets
2. Philadelphia Phillies
3. Atlanta Braves
4. Florida Marlins
5. Washington Nationals

NL EAST-Panger

1. New York Mets
2. Philadephia Phillies
3. Atlanta Braves
4. Florida Marlins
5. My Next Door Neighbor's Labrador Retriever
6. Washington Nationals

NL CENTRAL-Fornelli

1. Milwaukee Brewers
   
2. St. Louis Cardinals
   
3. Chicago Cubs
4. Cincinnati Reds
5. Houston Astros
6. Pittsburgh Pirates

NL CENTRAL-Panger

1. Milwaukee Brewers
2. St. Louis Cardinals
3. Chicago Cubs
4. Houston Astros
5. Cincinnati Reds
6. Pittsburgh Pirates

NL WEST-Fornelli

1. Los Angeles Dodgers
2. Arizona Diamondbacks
3. San Diego Padres
4. San Francisco Giants
5. Colorado Rockies

NL WEST-Panger

1. Los Angeles Dodgers
2. Arizona Diamondbacks
3. San Diego Padres
4. Colorado Rockies
5. San Francisco Giants

WILD CARD TEAMS

Fornelli

• Boston Red Sox
• St. Louis Cardinals
  

Panger

• New York Yankees
• Arizona Diamondbacks

LCS

Fornelli

• Angels over Tigers
• Dodgers over Mets

Panger

• Angels over Tigers
• Dodgers over Mets

WORLD SERIES

Fornelli

• Angels over Dodgers

Panger

• Dodgers over Angels

Thank God It's Thursday

Finally, those three days off between the second round and the Sweet Sixteen have passed, and once again we are blessed with March Madness.

There are bound to be some great games over the next four days. At least, there better be. Aside from Saturday, the first weekend sucked, and on Saturday I was too busy getting Irish to really enjoy it.

So I think we're owed a triple overtime thriller this weekend, but which game will it be? What will be the upset? There has to be at least one upset, right?

For the next few paragraphs, allow me to pretend I know - seriously, have you seen my bracket? Thankfully I still have the best name - what the hell I'm talking about, as I prepare you for tonight's games.

#1 Kansas vs. #4 Southern Illinois-7:10PM Est.

Kansas has been the best #1 seed in the tournament by far, and at times they have a lineup on the court that includes five future pro ballers, but are they ripe for an upset? Could be. We have to look at a few factors. First and foremost, not many people are giving the Salukis a real shot to win this game, and that's always dangerous. You combine that with the fact that SIU is one of the best defensive teams in the country, and they may be dancing in Carbondale tonight. Also, we can't forget this is Kansas we're talking about, it wouldn't be the first time it happened. Of course, despite all that, I say Kansas by 8.

#2 Memphis vs. #3 Texas A&M-7:27PM Est.

To be honest, I didn't expect Memphis to even make it this far. Yes they had a good season, but they play in Conference USA. Conference USA is yet another in a long line of reasons for other countries to point and laugh at us. (The biggest being our President and Two and A Half Men) Now Memphis will be running into Texas A&M and frankly, I don't see this game being all that close. I think Acie Law takes this thing over and the Aggies move on with at least a 10 point victory.

#2 UCLA vs. #3 Pittsburgh-9:40PM Est.

Teacher vs. Student. Ben Howland takes on his old team, and his protege Jamie Dixon. There are a few things working against Pitt in this game as far as I'm concerned. One is that UCLA is the better team in my opinion, and two, I'll be watching this game. I hear that Pitt is a pretty good team most of the time, but for some reason whenever I watch them they crap the bed. The most recent case of this phenomenon was the Big East Final in which they got rolled by Hibbert and the Hoyas. So based on that, I have to take the teacher and the Bruins. Plus I just like saying Luc Richard Mbah Amoute and Afflalo. It's always a good time.

#1 Ohio State vs. #5 Tennessee Volunteers-9:57PM Est.

The Volunteers have played very well in their first two games, and they're facing the #1 seed that most people think is the most vulnerable right now. It's not inconceivable that the Vols and Bruce Pearl's painted man boobs will be moving on to the Elite Eight, but I don't think it will happen. The Buckeyes faced their scare against Xavier, and they were able to fight back and win the game in overtime. Plus we've finally seen Greg Oden get angry, and it's scary. When these two teams played earlier this year, the Buckeyes just edged out the Vols by two, but I think they come out strong tonight and don't look back.

Of course keep in mind that I'm an idiot, so none of what I just told you will happen is likely to happen. So I guess you just wasted your time didn't you? That's all the victory I need, dear reader.

Tommy the Dago Presents: Super Bowl XLI

And so we've come to the end of this incredibly long NFL season.

If I had any idea what I was doing when it came to picking these games, I'm sure the season would have seemed quicker.

But I don't.

And it didn't.

It's fine, though. Yes, it was easily the worst season I've ever had, but look how it ended up! The Bears are in the Super Bowl!!

The Bears!!

Super Bowl!

If my abhorrent record is what's needed to get the Bears to the promised land, then I promise next season I'll never pick against Oakland, Arizona, Cleveland or Detroit.

Colts vs. Bears (+7)

You may have noticed how over the last two weeks, I haven't spent too much time talking about the Bears. I've posted YouTube clips, and stupid things like that, but when it came to actual analysis of either the Bears or the Colts, I refrained.

Why?

I'm nervous.

Not over the Colts specifically. I'm just nervous. Realize, these things don't happen very often in Chicago. The Cubs don't win, the Blackhawks don't win, the White Sox win once every 90 or so years, and the Bulls haven't won in eight years.

So this is weird for me. You have to realize, that even though I give the Bears as much crap on Foul Balls as I do praise, I'm your stereotypical Chicago Bears fan. I live and breathe with this team during the season.

Still, there are things I keep thinking about that calm my nerves.

Like the fact that, sure, Chicago teams very rarely get to a championship game, but when they get there they don't lose.

Think about it. The White Sox have been in one World Series in the last 90 years, but they won the only one they were in. The Bears have only been in one Super Bowl in the games 41 year history, but they're 1-0. The Bulls have been to six NBA Finals. They're 6-0. The Cubs won't get to a World Series, but I'll bet if they did somehow make it, they'd win.

The only team in Chicago to reach a championship game or series in the last 30 years and lose is the Chicago Blackhawks in 1992 when they lost to the Penguins in 4 games.

That means since 1974 the City of Chicago has been in 9 championship games/series and are 8-1.

Now tell me, how many championships has Indianapolis won?

Another thing I take comfort in is the fact that Peyton Manning is the Colts' quarterback and Rex Grossman is our quarterback.

Rex Grossman went to the University of Florida.

Peyton Manning is 0-for-his life against Florida.

Then there's the fact that hardly anybody thinks the Bears are going to win this game. Get outside of Illinois, and nobody does.

Good. That's the way it's been all season, and this team seems to feed off of it. They weren't supposed to beat New Orleans. They won by 25. Most people thought the Bears would lose at home to Seattle in Week 4. They won that game 37-6.

They were told they'd lose in Week 10 in New York. They won 38-20.

They were told they'd kill Arizona on a Monday night in Week 6. Instead, they fell behind 23-0, and were saved by Devin Hester and the one man wrecking machine that was Brian Urlacher in the second half.

They were supposed to kill Tampa Bay and Detroit in Weeks 15 and 16. Instead, they barely escaped both games.

They weren't supposed to have too tough a time with Seattle in the Divisional Round but needed a 49-yard field goal in overtime to win.

Do I really need to keep going on or do you get the point?

People aren't sure whether or not the Bears can stop the Colts offense. Well, can the Colts defense stop the Bears offense? Both teams scored 427 points in the regular season, but the Bears are averaging 33 points a game in the playoffs to Indy's 25.

Then there's the fact that Indy gave up 173 yards a game on the ground. Even if you add in their performance this postseason, they still give up 157 yards a game. The Bears have two running backs with fresh legs. Thomas Jones got a ton of rest down the stretch, and in two playoff games has four touchdowns and 189 yards. Cedric Benson hardly got any touches during the first 10 games, and has been destroying tacklers ever since.

I like Bob Sanders. He's a helluva player, but you know what? When Bob Sanders meets Cedric Benson head-on in the hole? Cedric Benson is going to win that battle, trust me.

The Bears are going to win this Super Bowl, and it won't have anything to do with Peyton Manning choking. They'll say he choked if the Colts lose, but the truth will be he just got beat.

By the better team.

PREDICTION: Bears 30 Colts 21

PS. Another advantage for my Bears that I forgot to mention: Lovie Smith and Tony Dungy are both black, but Lovie is blacker. Go Bears!!

Tommy the Dago Presents: The Conference Championships

Approximately 53 hours from now, the Bears will either be celebrating a berth in Super Bowl XLI or mourning a lost opportunity.

I don't know that I can wait that long.

The joy that washed over me after Robbie Gould kicked that game winning field goal on Sunday to beat Seattle left me Tuesday morning.

Ever since then my mind has been focused on one question.

"How do we beat the Saints?"

The world loves the Saints right now. They're playing well, and they have that whole Hurricane Katrina thing going for them.

Well, you know what? We had the Great Chicago Fire back in 1871. For three days the city burned, but you don't hear us bitching about it, do you? Nope. We just rebuilt the city into what it is today. The greatest city in the world.

And in that city, there is a team. A team called the Chicago Bears, and this week, they're the underdog.

Nobody is picking them to beat the Saints. Never mind the fact they have compiled a 14-3 record this season. Seriously, just look at what the ESPN "experts" think. The only pick for the Bears comes from a computer!

I'm not saying I don't understand their opinions. The Saints are a good team, and they might be playing their best football of the season. But they're by no means unbeatable.

Of course, nobody will know for sure until Sunday night. And, of course, not knowing has never stopped me from picking games before!

Bears (-2) vs. Saints

I'm not just making this pick as a Bears fan. I really think the Bears will win this game, and by more than two points. The Saints are a very good football team, but they're nowhere near as good as everybody suddenly thinks they are. Their offense is scary, yeah. Drew Brees, Deuce McAllister, Marques Colston, Reggie Bush. I get it. Still, their defense sucks. Everybody talks about what a complete team this is, yet their defense sucks. They gave up over six yards a run last week against Philadelphia, and during the regular season they were the 23rd ranked defense in the NFL stopping the run, giving up 128.9 yards a game. In the secondary, while Mike McKenzie is good but not exceptional, I feel like I can burn Fred Thomas deep all day long. What's Bernard Berrian going to do to him? The Bears are going to pound the ball all day with Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson, while occasionally utilizing man coverage with Fred Thomas on Berrian. They're going to control the clock, and keep the Saints off the field. Bears 27 Saints 21

Colts (-3) vs. Patriots

It's pretty unusual for me to pick against the Patriots when they're getting points, especially in the playoffs, but I really think this is the year for Indianapolis. It's weird. A part of me feels like it's kinda meant to be, even though the Colts did everything in their power to lose it. They started out 9-0, and then stumbled down the stretch, but yet here they are playing at home in the AFC Championship anyway. Also, I don't think these Patriots are as good as the Patriots we're used to seeing. Where has Laurence Maroney been this postseason anyway? I think it's going to be close thanks to Tom Brady, but I don't think he's going to be able to do it on his own this time. Remember, if Troy Brown doesn't strip that ball out of Marlon McRee's hands, we're talking about how Tom Brady has thrown two Peyton Manning-like interceptions in the playoffs the last two seasons. (Last year's to Champ Bailey in the loss to Denver.) Colts 31 Patriots 24

Tommy the Dago Presents - The Divisional Round

You know, I would really appreciate it if the Bears could just jump out to an early 21-0 lead against Seattle on Sunday. It would mean a lot.

I don't want to spend my entire Sunday afternoon on the verge of crapping my pants cuz I have no idea how long until Rex is going to throw a season-ending interception.

Last year, I had barely settled into my seat before Steve Smith was burning the Bears secondary, putting the Panthers up 7-0.

In my life, I've come to expect the worst when watching the Bears play in the playoffs. Ya, they won the Super Bowl in my lifetime, but I was five years old. Not exactly at the age to really appreciate what was going on. So it seems that all my memories of Bears playoff games are of losses.

At Soldier Field.

Don't get me wrong, it's really nice that the Bears have homefield advantage throughout the playoffs.

Well, until you realize that they've lost their last three playoff games at home.

Then I think I hear some good news about the weather on Sunday. It's supposed to be about 34 degrees, with a nice "wintry" mix of snow and rain during the game.

Well, it's good news until I come across Greg Couch's column in the Chicago Sun-Times on Wednesday. Couch had to go and remind me that since 1987 the Bears have played seven home playoff games in "Bear Weather." (Below 40 degrees)

In those seven games, they've compiled a 1-6 record, the lone win being a 16-6 victory over the New Orleans Saints in 1991. The following week the Bears got went to New York and got killed by the Giants 31-3 in "Bear Weather."

Then I look at the Seattle Seahawks, and I don't see how the Bears can lose to this team. They have a guy who was an insurance agent two weeks ago, Pete Hunter, playing the nickel corner position.

Hell, if Tony Romo could have held onto a snap last weekend, I'm worrying about the Dallas Cowboys right now, not the Seahawks.

Ya, the Seahawks made the Super Bowl last season, but this team is not the same team it was last year. Matt Hasselbeck is having a pretty mediocre season, and Shaun Alexander just doesn't look the same after his foot injury. Combine that with the fact they will likely be without their top receiver in Darrell Jackson, and all the injuries they have on defense, and this should be easy for the Bears.

This is the same team that the Bears routed 37-6 earlier this season.

Then I remember the fact that the Bears beat the hell out of the Carolina Panthers during the regular season last year, and it didn't do much for them come the playoffs.

So here I am, nervous as hell about this game.

And you know why? It's quite simple really. It's not all the things I just talked about, though admittedly, they don't help. The fact is most of those factoids are meaningless. They have no effect on the actual game.

Nope, there's only one reason I'm nervous, and it's name is Rex Grossman.
If Rex hadn't had that craptacular game against the Packers to finish the season, I wouldn't be worried. He had looked great in the Bears previous three games, not throwing a single interception. I foolishly began to think that he might be in the clear.

If Rex would have just gone 12-20 for 145 yards, and maybe a touchdown in that first half against the Packers, I wouldn't be worried about this week's game at all.

But he didn't.

And now instead of enjoying watching the Bears beat Seattle on Sunday, I'll be sitting there closing my eyes and praying everytime Rex drops back to pass.

Pray for me Foul Ballsians (Sorry, I can't think of anything better right now. I've had so much Pepto Bismol that I'm pretty sure my brain has a healthy pink coating right now.) Pray for the Bears.

Onto my picks for this weekend.

Ravens (-4) vs. Colts
So, we were all shocked by the performance of the Colts defense last week. Well, the shoe's on the other foot this weekend. The Ravens defense is going to harass Peyton all day, just like the Steelers did last year, and the Patriots did before them. It is the playoffs after all, and it is Peyton Manning. He choked last week, it's just he had his ass saved by the defense, and it's about time too. They owe him like 50. (CBS 4:30PM Est. Saturday)

Saints (-6) vs. Eagles
If Lito Sheppard was playing in this game for the Eagles, I would be taking them and the points. Since he's not, though, that will be huge for the Saints. With Sheppard out, it affects the Eagles entire defense. They can't blitz as often cuz they'll be leaving their corners on an island. Sean Payton and Drew Brees like to go deep, whether it's to Marques Colston or Devery Henderson. With a thin Eagles secondary, I'd expect the Saints to give a healthy dose of Deuce to the Eagles defense to soften them up, and then kill them with the long ball. All that combined with the emotion of the playoffs in New Orleans....it should lead to the end of the Jeff Garcia fairy tale. (FOX 8:00PM Est. Saturday)

Bears (-8.5) vs. Seahawks
I have as much confidence in this pick as I do in my ability to outrun Brian Urlacher. That being said, there's no way in hell I would pick against my Bears, even with the Rex Grossman ulcers I'm getting. (FOX 1PM Est. Sunday)

Chargers vs. Patriots (+4.5)
LaDainian Tomlinson is a great football player. He is probably going to end up the greatest running back of all time if he stays healthy. It's too bad he has Marty Schottenheimer as a coach, and a quarterback in Philip Rivers making his first career post season start. This game can be broken down into a mathematical equation.

LT-(Marty Schottenheimer+Philip Rivers)/(Tom Brady+Bill Belicheck)=Loss

It's very simple. In fact, I recommend taking New England on the moneyline (+180) in this game, cuz a road team always wins in the Divisional Round, and the Patriots are the most likely candidate. (CBS 4:30PM Est. Sunday)

Last Week: 2-2

Goin Bowlin Previews - The National Championship

Well it's finally here. Tonight the Ohio State Buckeyes face off against the Florida Gators in Glendale, Arizona for the national title.

You know what's already been settled?

Foul Balls' Goin Bowlin' Contest.

No matter what happens tonight, nobody will surpass the current leader. So, who won?

Me.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

I am the winner of my own contest! How sweet is that?!


Anyway, since I'm such a nice guy, I'll be awarding second and third place instead of first and second. So congratulations to Aaron VanHueklon for finishing in second and taking the $25 Amazon Gift Certificate, and to Rob Vandervate for finishing third, and getting a choice of any one of Busted Tees shirts.

Onto the actual game, which is meaningless unless you care about football.

Ohio State and Florida are the two teams not named Notre Dame and Penn State that I saw the most this season, so I like to think I may know what I'm talking about. Most of what I'm hearing from people is they think Ohio State is going to blow out Florida, but I don't agree.

Ohio State's defense has not faced a team as fast as the Gators, and that could cause them some trouble. On the other side, the Buckeyes offense hasn't faced a defense as fast as the Gators either.

Of course this is always a point made when a Big Ten team faces a SEC team in a bowl, yet if you look at the two games in which these conferences have clashed this year, the Big Ten has emerged victorious in both.

Wisconsin beat Arkansas, and Penn State beat Florida.

Then there's the way that OSU QB Troy Smith tends to perform in the big games. The Heisman Trophy winner saves his best for these situations.

My opinion is that this game will be a lot closer than most people think, but I've been saying that nobody can beat the Buckeyes all season, and I'm not about to change my mind now.

PREDICTION: Ohio State 27 Florida 21

Tommy the Dago Presents: NFL Wild Card Round

Finally, it's here. No longer do I have to pick the winner of the Browns/Texans game or the Raiders/Lions.

Nope, it's only the good teams left now.

Well, and a few NFC teams too.

But it's the playoffs and things tend to make more sense in the playoffs, so I'm planning on finishing with a record that I can be proud of.

Colts vs. Chiefs (+7)
What's the Colts' biggest weakness? Their run defense. The Chiefs' strength? Run offense. Why is the Colts' run defense so horrible? They're tiny, especially up front on the D-line at the tackle position. Why are the Chiefs' so good running the ball? Cuz of Larry Johnson and the offensive line. Particularly their center and guards. What that means is you can probably expect to see Larry Johnson running up the middle a lot on Saturday. I'm not sure that the Chiefs are going to beat Indianapolis straight up, but I do think that they'll be able to keep it close enough that they have a realistic chance. (NBC 4:30PM Est.)

Seahawks (-3) vs. Cowboys
Neither of these teams was very impressive down the stretch. In fact, the only reasons I'm taking Seattle are cuz they're at home and it's Tony Romo's first postseason start in a very difficult stadium for a road team to get a victory at. That, and Shaun Alexander seems to be full strength again; just have to look at his performance against San Diego to realize that. So, I think that Seattle's experience will get them this win. (NBC 8:00PM Est.)

Patriots vs. Jets (+8.5)
This is probably the toughest one for me to figure out. That's kinda odd considering one of the teams is the Patriots. But the facts are these: The Jets beat New England 17-14 in New England during Week 10. They lost to the Patriots at home 24-17 in Week 2. But in either game, they cover that spread. Also, the Jets went 6-2 on the road this season. So put those together that's how I settled on the Jets. What I'm trying even harder to do is block out that part of my brain that keeps screaming, "It's Tom Brady, you jackass!! In the playoffs!!!!" (CBS 1:00PM Est.)

Eagles vs. Giants (+7)
I'm kinda treating this game the same way I did the Patriots and Jets. When division rivals meet each other in the playoffs, it generally makes for a close game. It's the third time they've played each other, and they know each other's best moves. Still, I'm a little worried about Eli, and the fact that the Giants won't have Strahan. This game was a lot easier to pick before Tiki's performance last week. Now this entire game can come down to whether or not he's ready to call it a career yet. Don't know if the Giants win, but it smells like whoever does will do it with a late field goal. (FOX 4:30PM Est.)

NFL Week 17 Recaps-My Only Friend, the End

It's over!! Thank you, Jeebus, it's over!!

It's a new year, and I feel like a new man. The pain that was picking the NFL regular season is finished. Now it's time for the playoffs, but before we move forward, let's recap my last week picking games.

Giants 34 Redskins 28
The Giants and Tiki Barber had to go and ruin all the possible fun on Sunday, by winning on Saturday night. Seems like Tiki just wasn't ready to hang it up yet. (My pick: Redskins +3 Loss)

Steelers 23 Bengals 17
The Bengals' chance to make the playoffs was ended by Santonio Holmes in overtime. Also, this was likely Bill Cowher's last game as head coach of the Steelers. (My pick: Steelers +6 Win Best Bet)

Lions 39 Cowboys 31
Something tells me that if Tony Romo hadn't been spending so much quality time with Carrie Underwood lately, he wouldn't have been tackled at the half yard line to end the game. Women weaken legs, Tony. Now you know that. (My pick: Cowboys -13 Loss)

Texans 14 Browns 6
Afterwards, both teams held each other and cried. (My pick: Texans -4 Win)

Chiefs 35 Jaguars 30
This combined with the Broncos loss to the Niners put the Chiefs into the playoffs. If you want to point out that the Chiefs backed in, it's true, but with a matchup against the Colts and Larry Johnson on their side, we could have a first round upset here. (My pick: Jaguars +3 Loss)

Rams 41 Vikings 21
Just to be clear, getting rid of Randy Moss and Daunte Culpepper in successive seasons is not good for your record. Maybe for the locker room, but not for the record. Of course, there are no locker rooms in the offseason. (My pick: Rams -3 Win Best Bet)

Panthers 31 Saints 21
Oh well, we picked the Saints, they rested their starters, and still kept it close. (My pick: Saints +3 Loss)

Jets 23 Raiders 3
Okay, how many of you thought the Jets would make the playoffs this season? Raise your hands. Everybody else punch those who've raised their hands. They're lying to you. (Raiders +13 Loss)

Seahawks 23 Buccaneers 7
The records are wiped clean and Shaun Alexander looks like last year's MVP again. Watch out for Seattle in the playoffs. (My pick: Seattle +3.5 Win)

Patriots 40 Titans 23
The worst part is now I have to wait until next season to see Vince Young play again. (My pick: Titans -3 Loss)

Ravens 19 Bills 7
Do you want your team to have to face the Ravens in the playoffs? I don't. (My pick: Ravens -9.5 Win Best Bet)

Colts 27 Dolphins 22
The Colts can make up for their defense at home, but when they go on the road in the divisional round, they're done. (My pick: Colts -9 Loss)

Eagles 24 Falcons 17
Well, you can go apply for that University of Washington job now, Mr. Mora. (My pick: Falcons +8 Win)

49ers 26 Broncos 23
I'd be a lot meaner about the Broncos losing at home to San Francisco with the playoffs on the line, but since Darrent Williams got shot and died in Javon Walker's arms early Monday, I'll leave 'em alone. (My pick: Broncos -10.5 Loss)

Chargers 27 Cardinals 20
Did Denny Green crown the Chargers' ass? Does it matter if after the game the Cardinals canned his? (My pick: Chargers -13.5 Loss)

Packers 26 Bears 7
I just wanna thank Rex Grossman for having a crappy game so I won't hear about anything else for the next two weeks. (My pick: Bears -3 Loss)

Week 17

• Overall: 6-10
• Best Bets: 3-0

Season

• Overall: 103-125-8
• Best Bets: 23-27-2

Tommy the Dago Presents-NFL Week 17

Finally, it's here. The last week in what has been a long, agonizing process for me. Only sixteen games left to flail at wildly before the records are wiped clean, and I can start anew with the playoffs.

I cannot stress enough how freeing this is. I don't care if I go 0-16, and really, it's not impossible. Week 17 is one of the hardest to pick cuz you never know who's going to play whom, and for how long. I mean, the Panthers are three point favorites on the road at New Orleans. That's how insane Week 17 is.

But I'm going to try anyway, and who knows? Maybe the fact I couldn't care less about the results right now we'll be exactly what I need in search of that perfect week.

Best Bets in CAPS

Redskins (+3) vs. Giants
The Giants aren't going to make the playoffs. This team is on the brink of exploding, and not in a productive way.

Bengals vs. STEELERS (+6)
Aside from games against Baltimore, the Steelers are actually playing pretty well. Not sure they'll beat Cincy, who's playing for the postseason, but I don't think they're gonna get blown out.

Cowboys (-13) vs. Lions
Not even the combination of Carrie Underwood distracting Tony Romo, and T.O.'s dropped passes will affect the Cowboys enough to have any trouble with the Lions. The Lions are so bad, even their fans can't do anything right. Sunday against the Bears, all the fans were supposed to stand up and leave at the same time in protest of GM Matt Millen. Only 100 did.

Texans (-4) vs. Browns
What else would you rather do on New Year's Eve than watch these two heavyweights battle it out?

Chiefs vs. Jaguars (+3)
I don't know what to expect from either of these teams. I just figure it'll be close.

Vikings vs. RAMS (-3)
Ya, I don't feel right picking the Rams on the road as a dog either, but they're playing for a playoff berth, and the Vikings are starting Travares Jackson, so I'll go with it.

Saints (+3) vs. Panthers
Not sure if Delhomme is going to play, and who's gonna play for the Saints, but I'll take New Orleans at home getting points based on principle alone.

Jets vs. Raiders (+13)
I'm supposed to trust the Jets to score 13 points? Don't hate on the Raiders defense, they're doing their job, it's the offense that's hideous.

Buccaneers vs. Seahawks (+3.5)
I know Seattle has nothing to play for, but I don't think they're playing well enough to afford resting all their key players. They got a ton of things they need to fix first.

Titans (-3) vs. Patriots
Vince Young is my hero.

RAVENS (-9.5) vs. Bills
So much for that "Bills always cover" theory. Ravens have a chance at home field, so they won't take it easy on Buffalo.

Colts (-9) vs. Dolphins
I trust the Colts can perform at home. If this was on the road I'd take Miami, Cleo Lemon or no Cleo Lemon.

Eagles vs. Falcons (+8)
I'm not saying Atlanta will win, but this just seems like the type of game I talked about a few weeks ago. A team wins a few games in a row pretty convincingly, then they're declared big favorites and don't cover. Atlanta will at least keep it close.

Broncos (-10.5) vs. 49ers
Jay Cutler is starting to relax, and it's showing.

Chargers (-13.5) vs. Cardinals
Since LaDainian didn't score any TD's last week, I figure that means he's due for 4 or 5 this week.

Bears (-3) vs. Packers
Listen, I don't care if the Bears are using nothing but third stringers. If I don't pick them against the Packers I'll be used as target practice in Tank Johnson's backyard.

Goin Bowlin' Previews -Emerald Bowl

Okay, so I've previewed a couple of bowl games so far this season, and claimed they were big time games.

I was lying.

What? Don't look at me like that. At least I'm admitting it.

Today though, I'm being serious. We finally have an interesting matchup involving two schools from top notch conferences. The Emerald Bowl is tonight in San Francisco, and it features UCLA and Florida State.

Granted, Florida State has had a down year when compared to its programs standards, but I'd still rather watch the Seminoles than Middle Tennessee State.

So far, after eight games I'm 6-2, which proves I should have been picking college games this season instead of the NFL.

Live and learn, I guess.

UCLA Bruins (8-4) vs. Florida State Seminoles (6-6)-ESPN 8PM Est.

The story for this season's Seminoles has been the same as it has been over the last few years. Great defense. Oakland Raider-esque offense. Abysmal. Horrid. It hasn't been fun to watch. It was so horrible that offensive coordinator, and coach's son, Jeff Bowden resigned during the season.

Their biggest problem is the offensive line. They've given up 25 sacks this season, and due to their inability to block, the Seminoles just don't run the ball at all anymore. When they do, they get nowhere. It'd be nice if they had a quarterback to mask that problem, but they don't. Hell, I'm not even sure who's starting for FSU tonight. Will it be Drew Weatherford or Xavier Lee? Lee replaced Weatherford after he went down with an injury, but neither of them looked very impressive at any point this season. FSU's biggest threat could be WR Greg Carr. The 6'6 Carr could provide a lot of favorable matchups against the UCLA secondary. Of course, the Seminole line will have to give their QB time to exploit them.

The UCLA defense won't make things that easy for the Seminoles. Remember, this defense held the explosive offense of USC to 9 points in the Bruins upset win in their last game. The Bruins pass rush is salivating at the opportunity to go against this Seminole line. DE's Justin Hickman and Bruce Davis combined for 25 sacks, and 35.5 tackles for loss on the season. If the Bruins eliminate the Seminole running "attack" early, those two could have a field day.

On offense, the Bruins don't really scare anybody. The quarterback position has been iffy since Ben Olson went out with a knee injury and was replaced by Pat Cowan. Cowan has showed some leadership ability lately, but needs to cut down on the turnovers. He has 7 interceptions to go along with his 9 touchdowns.

Running back Chris Markey could be the difference maker for the Bruin offense. He leads the team in rushing yards and receptions. If the Bruins are to have success on offense, they're going to have to run the ball right into the Seminole front seven.

The Seminoles are one of the fastest, most athletic defenses in the nation, ranked 8th overall. They aren't that big, though. The linebacking trio of Buster Davis, Geno Hayes, and Lawrence Timmons will be responsible for holding the Bruins run game to a minimum.

I expect this game to be a low-scoring defensive affair. Whichever team suffers the least amount of turnovers is probably going to win this one. We think that will be the Bruins.

PREDICTION: UCLA 17 Florida State 10

Goin Bowlin Previews-Motor City Bowl

It's time for another in Foul Balls' series of occasional bowl game previews. So far in our Goin Bowlin Contest, REV777 and my boss Mark are tied for the lead with 101 points. I'm in third with 89 points, but I have the best name of any entries by far with, JoePa's Colostomy Bag. You can't touch that nor should you want to.

Anyway, today we get back to previewing tonight's lone contest, the Motor City Bowl. Why the Motor City Bowl? Well, why not!? Just look at this matchup! Central Michigan vs. Middle Tennessee State.

It doesn't get any bigger than that, people. You can keep your BCS and your Ohio State's and Florida's. Give us the Chippewas and Blue Raiders any day.

So let's break this baby down!

Central Michigan Chippewas (9-4) vs. Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders (7-5)-ESPN 7:30PM Est.

The Raiders offense is led by running backs Eugene Gross and DeMarco McNair. These two will be the key for MTSU as they go against a touch Chippewa run defense. The Chippewas defensive line is undersized, but very quick and athletic, and they often disrupt run plays in the backfield. The onus for the Raiders offense will ultimately fall on their offensive line. They're going to have to open holes for Gross and McNair, and provide protection for QB Clint Marks on passing plays. Marks is a good quarterback when given time, but makes a lot of stupid decisions when under pressure.

On the other side, Dan LeFevour needs to take better care of the football for the Chippewas. The good news for him is that the Chippewa offensive line should be able to stop the Blue Raider pass rush. This would be bad news for the Raiders secondary, who just don't have the depth to matchup with Central's wide receivers. Of course, CMU is a running team first and foremost, and that means the Raiders can expect a lot of Ontario Sneed. Whether or not the Raiders can stuff Sneed will go a long way in deciding the outcome of this game.

In the end, we think the Blue Raiders will be able to put points on the board against Central Michigan, but they won't be able to keep the Chippewas off the board.

PREDICTION: Central Michigan 31 Middle Tennessee State 21

NFL Week 16 Recaps-And Down the Stretch They Come

Just one more week to go, and I can't wait until this season is over. The NFL has made no sense this season. At least not to me, anyway.

As further evidence of this, you do realize that the Packers can still make the playoffs, right? Seriously. The Packers. When did the Packers find time to win seven games this season? Everytime I saw them play, they were getting destroyed.

The Eagles? They lost their franchise quarterback in November and then proceeded to win three straight division games on the road and are now in first place in the NFC East.

See what I mean? Nothing makes sense anymore. Just sixteen games to go...

Chiefs 20 Raiders 9
Whenever I start to get real down on myself for this season's performance, I just think about the Raiders, and their fans. It really puts things in perspective. (My pick: Chiefs -7 Win)

Titans 30 Bills 29
Vince Young is amazing. I have learned that when two rules clash against each other in a game, always go with Vince Young. (My pick: Bills -4.5 Loss)

Saints 30 Giants 7
This is what's happening with the New York Giants right now for those of you who are confused. The players hate Tom Coughlin and want him gone. Therefore they're basically laying down to get him fired. I'd feel bad for Tiki Barber, but he's Tiki Barber. Screw him. (My pick: Saints +3 Win)

Panthers 10 Falcons 3
I think the NFC has caused about 3,000 suicides this season. It's ruining the lives of gamblers everywhere. (My pick: Falcons -5.5 Loss)

Rams 37 Redskins 31 OT
The Redskins are showing some life the last few weeks under Jason Campbell. Means nothing now, but it might mean something next season. (My pick: Rams -2 Win)

Texans 27 Colts 24
Sigh. Well, at least when the Colts lose in the playoffs this season it won't be so disappointing for their fans. (My pick: Colts -10 Loss Best Bet)

Ravens 31 Steelers 7
The Ravens owned the Steelers this season. In two games, they outscored the defending champs 58-7. Pittsburgh is done, and the Ravens could be going to Miami. (My pick: Steelers -3 Loss)

Buccaneers 22 Browns 7
This is the game that everybody on Santa's naughty list was forced to watch this weekend. (My pick: Browns -3 Loss)

Bears 26 Lions 21
The Bears defense is still scary to me for all the wrong reasons. Thankfully, Mike Williams has hands like my sister. (My pick: Bears -5 Push)

Patriots 24 Jaguars 21
If the Patriots can get past the first round, they may get to the Super Bowl again. Outside of Foxboro, they're 6-1 this season. (Patriots +3 Win)

Cardinals 26 49ers 20
So much for the ridiculous notion of the Niners winning the NFC West. They couldn't even beat the Cardinals after knocking Leinart out in the first half. (My pick: Niners -4 Loss)

Chargers 20 Seahawks 17
LT didn't score this week, which probably sent a lot of fantasy owners home crying in their championship game this week, but the Chargers won anyway. Still, there were no losers in this game cuz even though they lost, the Seahawks clinched the NFC West with the San Francisco loss. (My pick: Chargers -4.5 Loss Best Bet)

Broncos 24 Bengals 23
How painful is it to know that you might not make the playoffs because your holder couldn't catch a football? That's what happened in Denver, and was the difference in the Bengals 1 point loss. (Bengals +3 Win)

Eagles 23 Cowboys 7
Where have all the Romosexuals gone!? (My pick: Eagles +7 Win Best Bet)

Jets 13 Dolphins 10
Did you watch this game last night? I did. I think it was the perfect game to cap this season of MNF. Painful to watch, and nothing exciting happened. (Besides Devin Hester) (My pick: Jets +2.5 Win)

Week 16

• Overall: 7-7-1
• Best Bets: 1-2

Season

• Overall: 97-115-8
• Best Bets: 20-27-2

We're Full of Christmas Cheer and NFL Picks!

Let me start this post off by saying that I have absolutely no idea where it's going to go. I can tell you that this will be the only post of the day, and that it will end with my picks for the NFL this weekend.

I'll be back tomorrow, but since I'm kinda tied up away from the computer thanks to the holidays, and Panger is somewhere in Siberia, this is all I'm going to be able to produce today. Consider it a Christmas gift of sorts.

Anyway, since I don't have the NFL Network, I wasn't able to watch the Packers/Vikings game. Judging from what I've read and heard about the thrilling 9-7 Packers victory, it's probably for the best. Here are some numbers from the game.

Favre threw for 285 yards, but had no touchdowns and 2 interceptions.

The Vikings managed 104 yards of total offense, including only 27 passing. They only managed three first downs in the entire game. Three!

The two teams combined to go 9/33 on third down conversions, there were 4 turnovers, and 15 punts.

Man, I wish I coulda seen that game.

The other annoying thing is that the game was promoted as possibly being Brett Favre's last game at Lambeau Field.

No it isn't. He'll be back next year. He's too close to breaking all of Marino's records to retire.

I did get to watch part of one football game though, the Las Vegas Bowl. The 38-8 BYU win was just as exciting as the score indicates. The only thing that stood out was how butt ugly the Oregon Ducks uniforms are. Especially with their new "glowing" helmets.

It boggles my mind how anybody could want to play football at Oregon and be forced to wear those things. I'm guessing that for every Oregon football game, there are at least 5 people who suffer a seizure while watching it at home due to those uniforms.

I love the steel plate designs on the shoulders and knees too. Ya, nothing says "Ducks" like steel plates.

The only thing I can think of that would produce something uglier than those uniforms would be if Gheorghe Muresan, and Sloth from the Goonies somehow impregnated Sarah Jessica Parker during a three-way.

I'll let that image sink in for a second.

Let's see, what else is going on. Did you hear about that guy who stole the identities of like a hundred baseball players by digging through some agent's garbage? His name is David Dright, and he's from Chicago. Some of the players included Jim Thome, Miguel Tejada, and Pedro Martinez.

Am I the only one who thinks that if you're going to steal somebody's identity, it probably shouldn't be that of a famous person? Isn't that kinda hard to pull off?

I can sneak into Angelina Jolie's bed at night, and tell her I'm Brad Pitt, but she isn't going to believe me. Luckily I'd also be smart enough to bring some chloroform and a video camera just for when that problem arose.

I guess now it's time to talk about the Bears. Since the whole Tank Johnson thing is done, and we know he's going to be suspended for a game, there's a new story surrounding the Bears right now.

With home-field advantage locked up, and two meaningless games against the Lions and Packers left on the schedule, should Lovie Smith rest his stars, or play them.

I have no idea. All I know is that I feel sorry for Lovie Smith, cuz he's screwed either way. In fact the only thing that can save Lovie is if the Bears get to at least the NFC Championship.

No matter what he does, if they lose, he's an idiot. If he rests them and they lose, it'll be Lovie's fault cuz he'll have stolen any momentum.

If he plays them and they lose, it will be Lovie's fault cuz he wore his team out.

Personally, I'm leaning towards resting the stars. The way we've had players dropping around here the last few weeks, I can envision Brian Urlacher being shot by an errant bullet from one of Tank's guns.

Well, that's it. I'm tapped. I know, I can't believe that's all I had to say either. I must be getting sick or something.

I guess it's time to get to my picks for the week. Did you know that if I go undefeated the next two weeks I'll finish the season over .500? It's entirely possible too.

As always, Best Bets in CAPS.

Raiders vs. Chiefs (-7)
I suggest that Herm Edwards listens to his running back, and just keeps giving the ball to Larry Johnson. Only Herm Edwards could think that his best way to beat the Chargers last week was by not giving the ball to his best player.

Bills (-4.5) vs. Titans
This game is the clash of two of my new rules. The first being "Take Buffalo." The second being "If Vince Young is getting points, take Vince Young." This decision would be a lot harder to make if I didn't know how horrible the Titans played last week.

Giants vs. Saints (+3)
Having to pick games between any NFC teams is really unfair at this point. I have no idea what I'm going to get from any of these guys from week to week. I guess I just have to cross my fingers and hope that last week was just a result of an emotional letdown after the Saints destroyed Dallas, and that the Saints will play well again this week.

Falcons (OFF) vs. Panthers
I don't care who the Panthers start at QB, or what the spread is, this team has quit. I'm taking Atlanta with whatever they want me to give up at this point.

Rams (-2) vs. Redskins
Whatever.

Texans vs. COLTS (-10)
I'd be more worried about Indy giving up ten points on the road with their run defense if the Texans "best" running back wasn't named Ron Dayne. Besides, after Peyton throws three touchdowns in the first quarter, Houston won't be running anyway.

Steelers (-3) vs. Ravens
The Steelers are playing like last years team the last few weeks. Add that to the fact they can actually make the playoffs still, and I think they take the Ravens down this weekend.

Browns (-3) vs. Buccaneers
Christ, I'd rather watch Rosie O'Donnell host The View nude than watch this crap.

Lions vs. Bears (-5)
I have a feeling the Bears bench can beat the Lions by more than five points. Funny how Roy Williams hasn't guaranteed a victory this time around.

Jaguars vs. Patriots (+3)
Well, they're playing a good team so that means the Jaguars will play well, but it will be close.

49ers (-4) vs. Cardinals
An early Christmas gift for all of us! From Satan.

Broncos vs. Bengals (+3)
A little bit iffy cuz I think Carson Palmer's shoulder is hurting a lot more than the Bengals are letting on.

Seahawks vs. CHARGERS (-4.5)
That stadium is louder than hell. You know how you combat that as a visitor? You run the ball. The Chargers have this running back named LaDainian Tomlinson. He's kinda good.

Cowboys vs. EAGLES (+7)
Apparently the line makers have not paid any attention to how either of these teams have played the last few weeks.

Dolphins vs. Jets (+2.5)
The Jets can't make the playoffs. They just can't. I think that much was made obvious when they visited Sesame Street earlier this week.

Goin Bowlin' Previews-Poinsettia Bowl

Since there's a Goin' Bowlin competition here at Foul Balls amongst the readers, I figure it would only make sense if I actually wrote something about the bowl games themselves.

Now I'm going to be honest here, I'm not sure I'm going to preview all 32 games. That's a lot of damn games. Especially when you consider that on some days there will be six or seven of them. I can promise you that I'll do my bestestest though.

Tonight marks the start of the bowl season when TCU takes on Northern Illinois.

#25 TCU Horned Frogs (10-2)vs. Northern Illinois Huskies (7-5)-ESPN2 8:00PM Est

Northern Illinois' running back Garrett Wolfe is a nice story. Wolfe leads the nation in rushing yards, and is just 100 yards short of 2,000 on the season. The problem is, the majority of those yards came in the Huskies first seven games, when Wolfe was being mentioned as a Heisman candidate. As of late, Wolfe has appeared to tire, and that can be attributed to his size. He's only 5'7 and 177 pounds. Of course, don't take for granted that Wolfe can't compete against competition outside of the MAC. On opening day he ran for 171 yards against the Ohio State Buckeyes, while also having five catches for 114 yards and a touchdown. That's 285 total yards against the best team in the country.

The rest of NIU's offense though is nothing special. They don't know if Nick Horvath will be able to play tonight after suffering a knee injury against Central Michigan. If he can't go they'll hand the ball to Dan Nicholson.

All of which means that TCU's defense is going to key on Wolfe. TCU has one of the best run defenses in the nation, but it should be noted that the Horned Frogs outscored opponents in the first half by a significant margin. They also dominated time of possession, so when the defense was on the field, they weren't playing the run very often.

Garrett Wolfe vs. the Horned Frog defense should be a very interesting matchup.

On the other end of the spectrum, like NIU, the Horned Frogs like to run the football. With guys like Lonta Hobbs and Aaron Brown, who could blame them? That could change in this game though. Quarterback Jeff Ballard has a strong and accurate arm, and hasn't thrown an interception since October. On top of that, Ballard can use his feet to pick up yardage. The Frogs also have an advantage over the Huskies defense in the secondary. With Quentily Harmon, Michael DePriest, and Donald Massey at receiver, Ballard should have an open option on just about every pass.

NIU is also at a disadvantage in the trenches. The Huskies are fast and aggressive, but the TCU offensive line should overwhelm them with their size and strength. This will leave it all up to the Huskie linebackers, who I just don't think can get the job done.

PREDICTION: TCU 35 Northern Illinois 17

NFL Week 15 Recaps-Rapid Fire Edition

I'm a little pressed for time today, so we're going to make these recaps quick and to the point. Besides, it's not like I did great this week. If I had, you can bet this post would have been 20,000 words.

Cowboys 38 Falcons 28
With all the talk of TO spitting on DeAngelo Hall, how come nobody has speculated that maybe Owens thought it would turn Hall on? Don't act like you have no idea what I mean, either. (My pick: Falcons +3.5 Loss)

Jets 26 Vikings 13
I'd like to see anybody but the Jets make the playoffs. Not cuz I hate the Jets, only cuz I don't feel like watching them lose by 24 in the first round. (My pick: Vikings -3 Loss)

Patriots 40 Texans 7
Take that Bridget Moynahan. (My pick: Patriots -11.5 Win)

Ravens 27 Browns 17
I'll bet the Ravens are happy they resisted the urge to trade Kyle Boller this offseason now that Steve McNair is suffering from stigmata. (My pick: Ravens -11 Loss Best Bet)

Bills 21 Dolphins 0
I've been telling you that this Buffalo team is a guaranteed cover every week. You should start listening. (My pick: Bills -1 Win)

Steelers 37 Panthers 3
Can you believe that with all the crap they've gone through, the Steelers could still make the playoffs? But no, it's only the NFC that sucks. (My pick: Steelers Pick em Win)

Redskins 16 Saints 10
Recap of NFL analysts. "The Cowboys would kill the Bears right now." Then Cowboys lose. "The Saints would kill the Bears right now." Then Saints lose. The Bears? They just keep winning. Also, I called this on Friday. This is the classic game where I'm all over a team's nuts, then they play a crap team the next week, and I go big on em, and then they don't cover. Just you watch. (My pick: Saints -10 Loss Best Bet)

Titans 24 Jaguars 17
The Titans played the worst game ever...and won. Nope...it's just the NFC that sucks. (My pick: Titans +3.5 Win)

Bears 34 Buccaneers 31 OT
How scary would the Bears be if they could get all three phases of the game working during the same game? (My pick: Bears -14 Loss)

Packers 17 Lions 9
Who the hell cares? (My pick: Packers -5.5 Win)

Broncos 37 Cardinals 20
Jay Cutler has one good game and now everyone is playing I told you so. I don't think he sucks or anything, but they played the Cardinals. Keep things in perspective. (My pick: Cardinals +3 Loss)

Eagles 36 Giants 22
The Eagles are better with Jeff Garcia than Donovan McNabb!! There... I said it. (My pick: Eagles +6 Win)

Rams 20 Raiders 0
Al Davis may not be dead, but his team is. (My pick: Rams +2.5 Win)

Chargers 20 Chiefs 9
LaDainian Tomlinson is making me rethink this whole heterosexuality thing. (My pick: Chargers -9 Win)

Colts 34 Bengals 16
Okay, so the Colts aren't dead after all. I forgot it's not the second round of the playoffs yet. (My pick: Bengals +3.5 Loss Best Bet)

Week 15

• Overall: 8-7
• Best Bets: 0-3

Season

• Overall: 90-108-7
• Best Bets: 19-25-2

Tommy the Dago Presents-NFL Week 15

Don't look now, but I've had four consecutive winning weeks. Sure, my mom is responsible for one of them, but I came outta her, so I get some credit, right?

I was smart enough to ask her, too.

With so many teams still in the playoff hunt, it should make for an interesting week, and hopefully things will clear up a little bit afterwards.

Best Bets, as always, are in CAPS.

Falcons (+3.5) vs. Cowboys
Tony Romo looked uncomfortable against New Orleans, and a healthy John Abraham won't help him feel any better. Plus T.O. is too worried about the voices in his head, and that won't help Dallas either.

Vikings (-3) vs. Jets
The Jets had it so easy if they wanted it, but I think it's becoming more evident that the Jets are a mediocre team with an easy schedule. Not a playoff team.

RAVENS (-11) vs. Browns
If Cleveland scores 6 points, they should consider it a victory.

Patriots (-11.5) vs. Texans
Tom Brady struggle with the Dolphins, but then I learn that he broke up with Bridget Moynahan. Now I know last week was an aberration. Besides, there's nothing that will help soothe a quarterback more than the Texans secondary.