Week # 12 “Suerte Cinco” Moneymaker NFL Picks

Record after Week # 11 is: 34-20-5 *note: first 5 picks were all college picks

Broncos (+7) over Chargers

Alrighty, Denver and Tim Tebow at +7, meaning they are the underdog and they are getting 7 points here. Now, it’s at San Diego but it has always been one of the least relevant home field advantages in the NFL and the Broncos are 4-1 in Tebow’s 5 starts. The big story has been how good Denver’s defense has been. John Fox is an excellent defensive coach, Vaughan Miller probably going to be defensive rookie of the year, Champ Bailey remains a lock down corner, and he’ll take Vincent Jackson, the wide out, out of the game for San Diego – their best weapon. The other big story is that San Diego’s defense has become atrocious under Norf Turner’s coaching because they have regressed! They have given up about 30 points in the last month and a half. Defensive line in this game? huge edge to Denver, for special teams? Huge edge Denver. Linebacker, defensive back and coach…huge edge Denver. I’m going to take the 7 points all day long. Denver and Tebow win outright against a team that doesn’t know what they are doing and where they are going. Denver is limited but they know what they are, 24-20 take the points. Denver wins outright.

Lions (+7) over Packers

Alright, Green Bay is the better team but Detroit’s at home getting 7 points. It’s the Packers’ third game in 11 days! Even if you’re talented, that is a ton. James Starks, the running back, leg injury…may not play, certainly not at 100% and on the offensive and defensive lines; I give be edge to Detroit. Now the Packers can throw with anybody, but running the football – under 4 yards a carry. Meanwhile Detroit – which has not been what you would consider a great running team most of the year – ever, since they gave Kevin Smith the chance to be the running back, because Jahvid Best got hurt, he’s taken advantage of it. Since Week 11 due to injuries, he’s been fairly formidable and Green Bay, defending the run is not great. They’ve given up 4.7 yards per attempt. But I go back to this: Matt Stafford at home is better than Matt Stafford quarterback on the road, Green Bay …3^rd game in 11 days and because of that, I think Detroit keeps it very very close. I still think the Packers are too reliant on Aaron Rogers. I’ll take the 7 points. Green Bay wins it 28-27, but I’m taking the 7 points.

Redskins (+4) over Seahawks

The Seahawks are favoured for the first time in a season; do you know why that is? They’re not very good. They are still a weak team in a bad division. Of their last 10 wins, 6 have been against the dreadful NFC West. Meanwhile the Redskins may get rolled in their own division, but when you get them out of the NFC East, they are 4 out of their last 10 – 4 for 6, not a bad team. There are times when they have looked good – don’t look at the Redskins stats, those are John Beck’s at quarterback. Santana Moss is back and Rex Grossman can throw the football. The Seahawks are favoured, this is the first time in 17 games. Don’t buy it for a second, even if Seattle wins, you’ve got to take the value. I get a better quarterback – in my opinion, I may get a better NFL coach. I get a Seattle Seahawk team that could potentially win their third game, but let’s not kid ourselves, when’s the last time they won 3 straight games? Take the points, it’s where all the value is, I’m going to go with the Redskins winning the game, 21-20.

Cowboys (-7) over Dolphins

Alrighty, the Dolphins are playing well, but typically people will overreact to teams winning streaks against dogs. The Dolphin wins have been against Washington, Kansas City and Buffalo – those are not elite offenses and they are travelling on a short week against Tony Romo – who is the hottest quarterback not named Aaron Rogers, in the NFL. He’s 65 for 90, 8 TD’s with no picks. Huge edge in this game…       quarterback, goes to Dallas. Huge edge in this game…offensive linemen, running back and receiver…Dallas. The Dolphins have been marginal at protecting their quarterback and Dallas has 26 sacks. DeMarcus Ware leads the NFL with 14.To me; this game will come down to Dallas at home, short week, as a very good football team. Miami has been very inconsistent against the pass. If they don’t get a pass rush – and Dallas’ offensive line has improved. You’re not getting to Tony Romo and he’s going to eat you alive. I’m going to swallow the 7 ½ points. Dallas wins 27-17.

Arkansas (+12) over LSU

 I haven’t a picked college game in a long time, depending on where you bet, you can get 12, 13 or 14 point with Arkansas…I’d take all of them, I’d take 12, 13 or 14. The Razorbacks, like USC, are a young team who has grown massively in the last month and a half. By the way, Bobby Petrino is 2-1 against Les Miles, the only loss? Was an overtime loss. This is a young team, outstanding at quarterback and Tyler Wilson…big edge quarterback to Arkansas, big edge wide receiver to Arkansas, coach? Bobby Petrino – who is no slouch, is at least equal to Les Miles and the Razorbacks have Jerius Wright, Coli Hamilton, Greg Childs and Joe Adams. They have a bebby of offensive playmakers. LSU wins the game, but Arkansas – don’t kid yourself, they’re also 13^th nationally in scoring defense and they don’t have to face a great quarterback! They face LSU’s quarterbacks. This is a tight football; I think it’s one of the best college lines of the year. I’ll take LSU to win, 31-24, but you gotta take the points at 12, 13 or 14.

So I’m taking mostly underdogs:  I’m taking Detroit at +7, Redskins +4, Broncos +7 and my only favourites is  Cowboys at -7. Dallas is my only favourite…and I’m playing underdog. Denver +7, Lion +7, Redskins +4, Arkansas +12. So I’m taking 4 underdogs and I’m taking the Dallas Cowboys at -7 over the Miami Dolphins

Presenting The Next Head Coach of The Ohio State Buckeyes…Urban Meyer!

The first story today – and this is something that has been in the works for like weeks and months now, is that Urban Meyers is going to become the next head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes. Now this is just according to what my research has led me to believe. I read that he was calling the Buckeyes – the legendary Buckeyes, over the last week. He wanted to make sure that the entire family was in and that he was going to need their support. He’s basically, through agents and different connections…he’s setting it up! He doesn’t want to talk about it out of respect for the fans and out of respect to Luke Fickle – who he, by the way, is going to keep on the staff, which I think is awesome!

Listen; here is the way it works. Christmas isn’t until December 25^th, you don’t want to talk about it until then with your kids or family members on what they’re getting, but the present is already made, the present is already wrapped – it’s the same thing! It’s a done deal! Nobody is going to talk about it; Urban isn’t going to talk about it because he doesn’t want it to be a distraction. Ohio State plays Michigan @ Michigan as a touchdown dog this weekend, I totally get it. He’s going to go to the SEC and take a couple of co-ordinators from there, it’s all done. In my opinion – I think ethically and morally, Urban doesn’t want to sign on it until after the Michigan/Ohio State game because 10 years from now, he doesn’t want anyone to say to him “see you signed on…” he’s going to wait until the game is over before he signs the deal.

But, you know, the infrastructure is in place, he’s setting up his coaching staff and it’s going to be great! Now Ohio State fans have absolutely no perspective (including myself I guess) so I’ll try to add some. He will dominate the Big Ten, much like Nick Saben is doing in the SEC. Now, it doesn’t mean that he’ll go undefeated every single year. Nebraska, Michigan and Wisconsin have very good coaches and infrastructures and at least at home, they’ll be able to beat Ohio State. If you lose a game in the Big 10, which is not even close to the SEC, in my opinion, and not as good as the PAC-10 or the Big 12, then you’re not getting to the National Championship game. What Urban Meyers really translates into is dominating the Big 10 – losing occasionally, but dominating the Big 10…and I think he will.

Now, the SEC is not going to get any worse because they still recruit better players in more talent recruiting areas…USC is back baby! Oklahoma is too! Oklahoma has to win 1 or 2 big games a year and they’re in. While Ohio State is going to have to win 3 or 4, so USC has got to beat Oregon – other than that, they always have better players than everyone else in the PAC-10. If USC goes unbeaten, I’ve got news for you, they’re getting in. So this doesn’t mean that Ohio State is going to National Championship games every single year. What it means is that for the next 10 years, they’re going to win a lot of football games, they’re going to get to a lot of BCS bowls, and they’re going to get to National Championship games very regularly. But you know Buckeye fan, with zero perspective, has them going to the next 9 National Championships and that’s simply not the case.

Urban Meyers is fantastic! Listen, God doesn’t make you great ever at 3 things, rarely at 2 things, generally at one thing. He’s a great football coach, he’s okay on television, but he’s a great football coach. The most impressive thing he’s ever done is that he rebuilt 3 programs. His record in college football is 104-23, 7-1 in bowls…and that’s rebuilding. Fans and media often confuse records. Bill Parcell has only won 56% of his games in the NFL, but he took over rebuilding jobs. Wade Philips has a higher winning percentage than Bill Parcells…don’t be confused by that. He took over 3 really really messed up programs. Bowling Green was a mess at 2-9, then the next year their 8-3. Utah was sub.500 in a crappy conference, the next year; they’re 10-2 and then 12-0 the following year. Florida was a mess at 7-5, Ron Zook took over for Spurrier, couldn’t get it done.

Within 2 years, they’re playing for the National Championship. He won before Tebow, won during Tebow, he won after Tebow. His last year at Florida unraveled; he had major health issues and his coaching staff left for better jobs. That’s one of the vagaries of building a national power, you lose top assistance. Ask Mac Brown…it happens! But Urban Meyer will eventually be the coach at Ohio State because he’s a really classy guy, he’s not going to sign that contract until after Ohio State/Michigan battle this weekend. He doesn’t want to be a part of that; he’s not going to sign it. A lot of times in life folks, stuff is going to happen, you’re going to get a divorce, you don’t have to have it on paper…it’s understood.

I think it’s – as I’ve said for years, I like national powers. I don’t want TCU playing Hawaii in a bowl game. I want Ohio State to be great,  USC to be great, Oklahoma to be great, Alabama to be great, Virginia Tech to be great…I like national powers, so for me, this is great! We get the Buckeyes and Michigan – both appear to have great coaches right now. I mean it looks like Michigan and Ohio State – the rivalry is back and it’s awesome!! You know, I don’t want the Orioles winning the American League East, I want the Yankees and the Red Sox’s to be battling it out, that’s why I’m a proponent of the Wild Card. So if the Red Sox’s go into the toilet – like this year, they’d still make the playoffs. I want more opportunities for more great BCS bowls, World Series, NFL playoffs…I want the legends in the game. Think I’m wrong? How’s golf been without Tiger? Not very interesting at all which is why College Football is better when Ohio State, Notre Dame, USC, Oklahoma, Florida and Alabama are good…that’s what I like!