I take you back to last Wednesday. I was in a mad rush to get things sorted before I boarded my plane to Las Vegas. Then I touched down in
Vegas on Thursday, the city lights and general euphoria about being in Vegas completely distracted me.
You know that feeling when you go for a trip and you keep thinking if you
forgot to pack something? Well I had that feeling from when I left my house and
to this specific moment in Vegas. But I doubled n’ tripled n' even QUADRUPLED
checked my bags. Wallet, keys, cell-phone, passport, cash... Check, check,
check, check, check... What was I forgetting?
OHHHHH SNAP. My week 11 picks. There I was sitting in a Las Vegas
Sportsbook having not written my week 11 picks. Whoops. I really couldn’t have been in
a better spot because I had all the lines right in front of me with numerous drunk
people shouting out what they think is going to happen this weekend. But TECHNOLOGY
to the rescue – scramble and text TJ my Week 11 picks and bam, we’re all good.
Also I’m mildly thankful for TJ for writing a piece on short notice like that. I
feel like that last sentence should have an *EDITORS NOTE* before it..... hmph,
nope.
So for Week 12 I’m paying homage to American Thanksgiving, here
are a few things I’m thankful for. Home team in CAPS.
LIONS (+3.5) over Texans
I’m thankful for American Thanksgiving to begin with. What better
way to spend all day Thursday than watching football.
I’m also thankful for Arian Foster and Calvin Johnson. Now I haven’t
been so lucky to own either in fantasy football this season, but I have in
years past and they’ve brought in such rewards that I felt the need to be
thankful for them this year.
I’m thankful for Roger Goodell as well. Because he’s decided to
maybe make a run for the Worst Commissioner in Sports title and rip it from
Gary Bettman. How is it that Houston is playing the 9am game on Thursday coming
off a Sunday game? Why not have them go back-to-back Thursday games? Or even
give them a bye last week? So we have Houston travelling on a short week to
play an early morning game. We’re getting to a point in the NFL where
home-field doesn’t mean as much as it used to in the regular season, but the Thanksgiving game means a lot to the Detroit fans. Not going to be a fun spot for the Texans.
COWBOYS (-3) over Redskins
I’m thankful for RG3. Dude - you make quarterbacking a lot of fun
to watch.
I’m thankful for Tony Romo. Dude – you make quarterbacking a lot
of fun to watch, but often times for many different reasons. But with this game
the proverbial hate might have swung too far. Everybody and their grandmothers
love RG3 and everything he brings to Washington. But there’s no way this pass defence
is going to slow down Dallas (29th ranked Pass D vs. 7th
Ranked Pass O).
JETS (+7.5) over Patriots
I’m thankful for Rob Gronkowski. 1 of my favourite terms in sports
since you entered the league is “GRONK CATCH! GRONKT TD! GRONK SPIKE!” I’ve
enjoyed tweeting it many times over. Sidebar: You know when you get a typo and
that red squiggly line comes underneath – it didn’t do that for “Gronk” – I find
this fascinating.
I know you’re tempted here
to move your mouse towards the “X” at the top right of your window after I
picked Romo against RG3 and now I’m picking Sanchez against Brady in a QB driven league. But 7.5 points for a home-team on a
short week when the away team has a SIGNIFICANT injury to cope with on a short
week. By the way did I mention it’s a short week? The Gronk (still no squiggly
line) injury is huge. Brady in the red-zone this year throwing to anyone NOT
named Gronkowski has actually been a disaster. 29.6% to be exact. THOSE ARE
MARK SANCHEZ NUMBERS!!! But their first matchup was actually MUCH closer than
you probably remember it being (a 29-26 win for New England). If it wasn’t
for Sanchez throwing arm-punts in their first matchup, a Patriots kickoff
return TD, a Jets possession that ended up with Sanchez having to kick the ball
out of his end-zone for a safety, and a horrific drop by Stephen Hill, the Jets
probably win that. That’s a lot of ifs. But hopefully you get the idea. I’m thankful
if you do.
BENGALS (-8) over Raiders
I’m thankful for bad trades. Outside of “Googling”
drafts and conjuring up what if’s, nothing quite takes up my time than going
onto Google to see how a bad trade has shaped a franchise. And this game pits Raiders
QB Carson Palmer against his old team. If you don’t remember, Palmer’s exit was
so heated that Palmer actually RETIRED from football before the Raiders came
calling at the trade deadline last year and gave up a 1st round pick
and a 2nd round pick to acquire Palmer. He’s 7-13 since taking over
in Oakland. Considering what that trade has meant to the Bengals, will they even boo Palmer upon his return to Cincy?
Steelers (-1) over BROWNS
I’m thankful for bad coaching. The
Browns aren’t actually TERRIBLE. I mean they’re 2-8 but really there haven’t
been a lot of times when I watch them and say “wow – Player X is the reason
they lost this game.” Sure Brandon Weeden might have thrown some picks, but the
coaches have put them in a position to consistently fail. And in quite spectacular
fashion week after week after week. So while my heart is telling me to take the
Browns, I can’t take Pat Shurmur over Mike Tomlin.
COLTS (-3) over Buffalo
I’m thankful for sports and the inspirational moments it brings. I’ve
been talking about it for a while now but this speech by Chuck Pagano
is something fantastic. It’s everything that you love about sports. And at
home against a weak Buffalo team, 3 points is just a hair low.
Broncos (-10.5) over CHIEFS
I’m thankful for the Thanksgiving episodes of Friends. Some sitcoms choose a holiday and make it their staple holiday
episode for that season. Everybody Loves
Raymond had Christmas. How I Met Your
Mother has had some good Valentine’s Day episodes. But Friends has always DOMINATED Thanksgiving. They just rattle off
good episode after another. And before you ask why I’m talking about a mid-90’s
sitcom during a football picks column, it’s because I’m trying to avoid saying
ANYTHING about The Chiefs. And actually Friends
had a Thanksgiving football episode, so there.
But seriously, I’d really like to jump away from a double-digit
favourite on the road, but what exactly about this Chiefs franchise makes you
think they even get a first down. How bad is it? A
man wrote his obituary and claimed that the KC Chiefs have caused him
heart-break. If this was a non-divisional game for the Broncos then I'd go against Peyton, but its not.
JAGUARS (+3) over Titans
I’m thankful for Twitter. Because I’ll
be following this game along on twitter. Nobody should be watching this. Not
even POW’s – that’s cruel and unusual punishment.
Vikings (?) over BEARS
*NOTE: I haven’t been able to find a line on this game because of
the Bears QB injury problem, but if by game-time it’s anything above 2.5 pts I’ll
take the Vikings, or anything below 3, I’ll take the Bears.
I’m thankful for modern medicine. How
Adrian Peterson recovered from his injury so quickly and is putting up these gawdy
numbers is beyond me. Well done to his surgeon. Does he have a twitter
handle? I want regular day-day advice from him. Just simple stuff like “Don’t
listen to Justin Bieber today #YoureBetterThanThat”. Who wouldn’t follow that
guy?
BUCCS (+1) over Falcons
I’m thankful Josh Freeman is back. The master of the back-door
cover from 2 season ago. Freeman was appalling bad last year and now he looks
like he’s back this season after shedding 20 pounds in the off-season, getting
a new stellar running back in Doug Martin and a legitimate deep threat in
Vincent Jackson. Have you watched this Bucs offence? It’s stellar. The defense?
Ok whatever. But I’m still banging the “Atlanta isn’t as good as their record”
drum. So a home underdog? Yes please.
Seahawks (-3) over Dolphins
I’m thankful for conventional wisdom.
Because if it wasn’t for that, teams would have drafted Russell Wilson much
earlier and he’s now becoming a steal of the draft. A 3rd round pick
for what is becoming a legitimate starting QB in the league in his rookie
year?!?! Yes I’m full on homer mode but come on, you can’t tell me Arizona, Buffalo,
Cleveland, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Miami, Minnesota, New York Jets, Oakland,
Philadelphia, Tennessee have better QB situations right now. That’s nearly a 3rd
of the league.
Ravens (-1) over CHARGERS
I’m thankful for that memory erasing device from Men In Black. I
wish I could use that right now and forget that I drafted Phillip Rivers.
SAINTS (+1.5) over 49ers
I’m thankful for the cross-sport
references. The 49ers have named Colin Kaepernick their starter over Alex Smith
and health isn’t the reason. Remember in 2008 when the Montreal Canadiens were 1st
place in the East and traded starting goalie Cristobal Huet to Washington to
turn the keys to Carey Price. Doesn’t this seem eerily familiar? I know Jim
Harbaugh has hit every decision out of the park – but man oh man. To make this
move in Week 12 is different than pre-season. He’s all in on Kaep now. And last
week Kaepernick was competing against Jason Campbell. Now he has to keep up to
Drew Brees in 1 of the stadiums where home-field still means something.
Rams (+2.5) over CARDINALS
I’m thankful for the relevancy of the Seattle Seahawks. In years
past this game would have some meaning to me being 2 NFC West opponents who could
impact the position the Seahawks had in the division and subsequently the
draft. But thanks to the Seahawks being in the playoff mix, this game is 100%
completely meaningless to me. And should be to you to – don’t even pretend you
won’t be watching the Saints – 49ers game.
Packers (+2.5) over GIANTS
I’m thankful for Aaron Rodgers. My fantasy season would be
dreadful without you man. Seriously.
I’m not sure why the Packers are underdogs anywhere right now. I
know it’s vs. the Giants in a marquee big game that the Giants are bound to
show up for, but have you SEEEEEN Eli Manning lately?
Panthers (-2) over EAGLES
I’m thankful for the NBA this year. Thanks to the NHL lockout and this
DREADFUL Monday Night Football matchup, I’ll be watching either a New York
showdown between the Brooklyn Nets and the New York Knicks. Or the Oklahoma
City Thunder take on an up-start Charlotte Bobcats team. Or Chris Paul operate
against the New Orleans Hornets. ANYTHING but this horrific Monday Nighter.
And most importantly, I’m thankful for you. Your support this year
for The Extra Period has been
tremendous and hopefully we see more of it down the road.
Last Week: 9-5
Season: 79-80-1
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