The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

Week 13 RESULTS

Ramblings: 9-7

Sannie: 9-7

Fisher: 7-9

Season STANDINGS

Ramblings: 126-65-1

Fisher: 118-73-1

Sannie: 115-76-1

NFL Picks Week 14

Denver Broncos at Oakland Raiders

My power circle of athletes - Peyton Manning, Usain Bolt, Lebron James. I’m completely irrational when it comes to them and I refuse to look at anything objectively. Therefore I think Manning’s your comeback player of the year and MVP. “Hold Me Back” has been the soundtrack for his entire comeback trail. They told him he had to get out of Indy, they told him his arm strength would never come back, but Manning has come all the way back and all is right with the world. By the way, he’s playing the Raiders…so there’s that.

BRONCOS over Raiders

Kansas City Chiefs at Cleveland Browns

I’m in a weird state where I want to begin by saying football takes a backseat to the bigger picture, then again it really didn’t…because the NFL went ahead and played just hours after the Belcher-Perkins murder-suicide tragedy. It took a heroic and inspired effort to make the Chiefs look respectable for a week, but that won’t last on the road. 

BROWNS over Chiefs

San Diego Chargers at Pittsburgh Steelers

There’s one thing I’ve learned about Charlie Batch’s career as a backup, he’s good for one out of every three games. We’ve seen the good one.

CHARGERS over Steelers

New York Jets at Jacksonville Jaguars

Chad Henne is actually the best quarterback in this game. How surreal is that. When Greg McElroy becomes the best option at quarterback, I think it’s time to call it a season for the Jets. It’s times like this when I wish the WWE and the NFL traded places. The only way to make this game watchable is for Tim Tebow to nail Mark Sanchez with a folded chair, strip off his Jets jersey only to reveal a Jaguars jersey underneath.

JAGS over Jets

Tennessee Titans at Indianapolis Colts

Andrew Luck officially entered the MVP conversation last week. The last time these teams met Vick Ballard was the hero with that ridiculous leap which apparently kept going on and on and on until it landed the Colts into the playoff hunt. I’m beginning to think the NFL didn’t want Andrew Luck to rush into the season on “All-Madden” with soft schedule early, but it’s paying off now.

COLTS over Titans

Atlanta Falcons at Carolina Panthers

A SuperBowl contender at home versus a team in a free fall that questioned there quarterback’s body language. In a bad situation, clearly Cam Newton needs to go to the Manning body language school of “No Worries” and have the same expression on his face whether up by 20  or leading a tremendous comeback down by 20. P.S. As a side note football prospectus (trust me it’s a real thing) has the Falcons as the Superbowl favourite so far based on their scheduled road to the Superbowl and their desire to see the “Dirty Bird” dance return.

FALCONS over Panthers

Dallas Cowboys at Cincinnati Bengals

Trust Romo in November. For some reason it works, so we roll with it.

BENGALS over Cowboys

St Louis Rams at Buffalo Bills

The two constant heirs to the “sleeper team” throne for the past three years prepare to go at it in the “Almost There Bowl” presented by the 1990s Buffalo Bills.

RAMS over Bills

Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings

I’d like to pick against Jay Cutler for the sole purpose of causing me the playoffs in my main fantasy league. Can the Vikings finally play Joe Webb? I need a good quarterback controversy here.

BEARS over Vikings

Philadelphia Eagles at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Nick Foles, Bryce Brown, Damaris Johnson. Watching the Eagles last week, I had no idea whether it was week 13 of the regular season or week two of the preseason.

BUCS over Eagles

Baltimore Ravens at Washington Redskins

As long as Ray Lewis is credited for coining the phrase “Pissed Off For Greatness,” I’ll be a believer. You’ll never hear a person talked about more in a game where they’ll have no impact on the field, than you’ll hear about Lewis this week. Unless you’ve ever heard of Tim Tebow…then Lewis is second on the list.

RAVENS over Redskins

Miami Dolphins at San Francisco 49ers

There’s nothing like playing the Dolphins defense to reassure coach Harbaugh that his quarterback non-controversy is one of the best things that can happen to a team. Reminds me of Childish Gambino saying “I do dimes, if not that I’m walking out with two fives.” This had to be Harbaugh’s approach to the offseason courting of Peyton Manning. The Niners didn’t get the dime, but their two fives can get them to a Super Bowl.

NINERS over Dolphins

Arizona Cardinals at Seattle Seahawks

It’s the only game where Russell Wilson has been the clear cut favourite at quarterback going in. That’s saying a lot.

SEAHAWKS over Cards

New Orleans Saints at New York Giants

I’m still not fooled by all this fake losing the Giants are doing. You’re all going to be lulled into that false sense of security until Tom Coughlin has the material he needs to deliver the perfect “Nobody believes in us speech.”

GIANTS over Saints

Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers

With the Thanksgiving Day debacle completely ruining any chances the Lions had of saving their season, the high point of this game is waiting for the Suh implosion, and you know it’s coming. Also, reports of the demise of the Packers locker room has been greatly exaggerated. Clay Matthews will either make Aaron Rodgers and Jermichael Finley talk out their issues logically, fight to the death or anything in between. It’s Clay Matthews, you try telling him no.

PACKERS over Lions

Houston Texans at New England Patriots

The scheduling gods of the NFL finally caught a break this week. It’s not often that you get a conference championship preview in December on a Monday night, but here it is.

TEXANS over Pats

SANNIE’S PICKS

BRONCOS over Raiders

“Besides the fact that it’s my boss’ fav team, turns out - the Raiders suck!”

BROWNS over Chiefs

“It sickens me that this team is dedicating games to a murderer. Jovan was not a saint, he killed someone before killing himself. He should no be honoured.”

STEELERS over Chargers

“Troy Polamalu’s hair is so gorgeous. He is the only man who can get away with that long, curly hair and still look masculine.”

JETS over Jaguars

“So Tebow, who is injured, called a football player in high school who was injured in a car accident, to give him encouragement. Such a sweetie pie.”

COLTS over Titans

“In a battle of the cutest quarterbacks Andrew Luck def wins this one. “

FALCONS over Panthers

“The Real Housewives of Atlanta is heating up! I just love that place and the talent that comes from there.”

BENGALS over Cowboys

“I’m giving the Bengals a chance, like a certain person pointed out, I was unfair to them because I thought they were the Bangels like the bracelets.”

BILLS over Rams

“The Bills are pulling out all the stops for this game on Sunday. They are honouring teachers, some worthy kids and giving back to their fans. Gatta love it.”

BEATS over Vikings

“So why didn’t anyone tell me how sexy Jay Cutler was? That magazine cover on Michigan Venue is just perfection.”

BUCS over Eagles

“Gonna go with the Bucs just because it’s my brothers team and I miss him (a little).

RAVENS over Redskins

“I’m picking the Ravens purely off principle. Too many people are RG3 fans, I refuse to become one (unless he gets a new stylist for that hair).

49ers over Dolphins

“My heart is saying Dolphins but my head is saying 49ers. I haven’t had much luck when it comes to my heart soooo 49ers it is.”

SEAHAWKS over Cardinals

“There is someone in Arizona walking around with the winning power ball ticket for 587.5 million they haven’t claimed. I’m both jealous and confused by this.”

GIANTS over Saints

“My favourite store in the UK is opening their first US store in New York! They get my vote just because of that.”

PACKERS over Lions

“Hold on, who is this blond specimen called Clay Mattews and does he like short, sassy Bahamian women?

TEXANS over Patriots

“This was tough because I love them both, but I love Texas more!”

FISHER’S PICKS

BRONCOS over Raiders

BROWNS over Chiefs

STEELERS over Chargers

JAGUARS over Jets

COLTS over Titans

FALCONS over Panthers

BENGALS over Cowboys

BILLS over Rams

VIKINGS over Bears

BUCS over Eagles

REDSKINS over Ravens

49ers over Dolphins

SEA HAWKS over Cardinals

GIANTS over Saints

PACKERS over Lions

PATRIOTS over Texans