NFL 2010 Week 13 Picks

Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.

I have a few things to be thankful for myself. I’m thankful that I did decently with my picks (9-7 week, 85-61). I’m thankful that I’ve all but clinched one of the four playoff spots in my 10-team fantasy league. (And currently sitting on top of the standings.)

Let’s see if we can keep the good vibes rolling with the week 13 picks.

HOUSTON @ PHILADELPHIA
Count me among the millions of Andre Johnson (pictured, right) fantasy owners who heaved a sigh of relief when it was announced WR Andre Johnson wouldn’t be suspended. Count me also among the millions of DeSean Jackson owners hoping for a big game against the Texans’ terrible pass defense. Then again, every time I’ve expected a shoot out, it’s been a disappointment. Watch the Eagles win by a pedestrian score like 17-7. Blech.

NEW ORLEANS @ CINCINNATI
If the Bengals switched Palmers at the QB position, would anyone notice? (I guess if they started getting good QB play people would notice — they’d know Jordan was in there.)

CHICAGO @ DETROIT
Fine, Bears, you ARE who you thought you were. You’re good. My bad.

SAN FRANCISCO @ GREEN BAY
Yes, they looked great at Monday night, but for some reason I’m not in love with the prospect of picking Troy Smith and Brian “One Concussion Away from Joining Frank Gore on IR” Westbrook on the road at Lambeau.

JACKSONVILLE @ TENNESSEE
The best part about the Andre Johnson/Cortland Finnegan fight? Usually people feel at least a little bad when someone gets their brains beat in by someone bigger, but when Finnegan got jacked up, everyone seemed delighted. Let’s just say the 2010 Titans aren’t the most cohesive group.

DENVER @ KANSAS CITY
Denver is kind of a mess and, on top of that, Chiefs coach Todd Haley will be looking for revenge after what he perceived as the Broncos running up the score in their earlier matchup. Dwayne Bowe might catch 7 TDs. (And I might bash my head against a wall 7 times for trading him to my fantasy football league nemesis five weeks ago.)

CLEVELAND @ MIAMI
The Dolphins are the kind of team who seem to stay mathematically alive for the playoffs until the very last week, even though they have no chance of actually doing anything. (The Jaguars are also guilty of this.) Look for a win to help continue that trend.

BUFFALO @ MINNESOTA
Looking forward to finding out how the Bills blow this game as the Vikes huddle together to sing “Kumbaya” with their new coach.

WASHINGTON @ N.Y. GIANTS
I watched the Giants shakily defeat the Jaguars at home last week. They’re do for a big-time win where they pummel someone to hook us into thinking they’re one of the league’s best teams. (Remember when people were saying that way back in November?)

OAKLAND @ SAN DIEGO
I’m looking for the Chargers to win all their games from here on out. Until they get to the playoffs, of course.

CAROLINA @ SEATTLE
The Panthers showed me some heart last week, while the Seahawks rolled over. I can’t believe I’m doing this, but I’m going to go with the team which, two weeks ago, I said I would bet against if my life depended on me getting a prediction right.

ATLANTA @ TAMPA BAY
I was all set to pick the Falcons, but then the Bucs realized safety Sabby Piscitelli this week. That bum spent more time chasing after receivers scoring long touchdowns than he did tackling people. Now, I feel strangely rejuvenated about our chances this year.

ST. LOUIS @ ARIZONA
What is it about the Cardinals and Monday Night Football that makes their personnel go into instant-classic, post-game rants? For some reason, Arizona is sticking with Derek Anderson at QB, so I’m going to go ahead and pick the other team.

DALLAS @ INDIANAPOLIS
Talk about how Peyton Manning is losing it (without many of his top weapons) is getting louder, so I look to him to unleash a 350 yard, 4TD performance this week. (What has two thumbs and is facing a guy who has Manning as his fantasy QB? This guy!)

PITTSBURGH @ BALTIMORE
Even if Big Ben weren’t banged up, I’d be tempted to pick the Ravens. The Steelers haven’t looked quite right in a few weeks.

N.Y. JETS @ NEW ENGLAND
It’s hard to do better than this Monday Night Game. It’s a division game between hated rivals, and they’re tied for the best record in the conference. Even though the Jets had been pulling games out of their butts before their big win over the Bengals, I’ll go with the Pats this time around. It just FEELS like they should play a third time this year, with each team having won once.