There is no greater time to try to get into this competition than right now, as every week you beat me gives you another opportunity at that big cash prize at the end of the year. Let's get started right now with my Week 17 picks…

Oakland Raiders (+3.5) @ Kansas City Chiefs – Can you say, "Motivation?" The Raiders have it. The Chiefs don't. The only thing that KC really has to play for is the difference between being the No. 3 and the No. 4 seed, and the truth of the matter is that it is far more important to stay healthy and get ready for either the New York Jets, Baltimore Ravens, or Pittsburgh Steelers next week. QB Jason Campbell and company are trying to save the job of Head Coach Tom Cable. They might get the job done by finishing at .500 this year. Oakland +3.5

Miami Dolphins @ New England Patriots (-3.5) – Sure, I know that QB Tom Brady isn't playing much, if at all this week, but this is still QB Chad Henne on the other side of the field. I could care less whether it's Tom Brady or Tom Cruise under center. If this one is anything like the last meeting, the special teams will cover this spread for the Pats. Go with New England -3.5.

Tennessee Titans (+9.5) @ Indianapolis Colts – The Titans found a way to hit the backdoor a few weeks ago against the Colts, and there is no reason to think that they might not be able to do it again. Don't be shocked if QB Peyton Manning is looking at the scoreboard for the Jacksonville Jaguars game. If the Jags are losing handily, Manning is inevitably going to be taking himself out of this game. I'll play the odds with Tennessee +9.5.

Jacksonville Jaguars (+3) @ Houston Texans – Haven't Houston fans suffered enough this year? If there is a football god watching over this team, the Jags are going to win this game to help put Head Coach Gary Kubiak out of his misery. QB Trent Edwards has to be smirking right now that he has a chance to take this team to the playoffs and potentially the Super Bowl, while his former team, the Buffalo Bills are just sitting there thinking about draft picks for next year. If Tim Tebow can throw for three bills against this secondary, so can Edwards. Jacksonville +3.

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cleveland Browns (+6) – Don't kid yourself in this one. The Steelers are in a lot of trouble if S Troy Polamalu doesn't play. This is the whole season for the Browns, who are one of the teams that might be playing for the job of their head coach next year. Cleveland finished up last year in good shape, and it might be able to pull it off again in this one. Remember that QB Colt McCoy played relatively well the first time around when these teams met, and that was his first career start. The Browns might not win it outright, but Cleveland +6 is still the easy choice for me.

Cincinnati Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens (-9.5) – The Ravens are just too strong to be taken down in this game with so much on the line. It might not ultimately mean anything, and as a result, there might be some changes in the lineup earlier than the end of the game, but before Baltimore turns out the lights in this one, it will have a comfortable enough lead for it to not make a difference. Baltimore -9.5

Minnesota Vikings (+3) @ Detroit Lions – Blah. Whatever. The Vikes looked good last week, and it still seems like there is an ethical issue with laying points with the Lions. Minnesota +3.

New York Giants @ Washington Redskins (+4) – The Giants might be the team that is looking forward to the playoffs with a win and some potential help this week, but this just feels like a situation where QB Eli Manning completes one too many passes to DB DeAngelo Hall… Sexy Rexy, QB Rex Grossman gets the job done and eliminates Big Blue, potentially putting Head Coach Tom Coughlin at risk. Washington +4

Chicago Bears @ Green Bay Packers (-10) – What a sucker set of NFL odds this is from the oddsmakers… Green Bay is absolutely going to demolish the Bears in this one, whether they rest their starters or not. QB Aaron Rodgers gets to the 4,000 yard barrier and blows out Chicago to get into the second season by a comfortable margin. Green Bay -10 for me.

Carolina Panthers (+14.5) @ Atlanta Falcons – This would be the biggest collapse in the history of the world as we know it if the Falcons end up having to go on the road for the playoffs this year. It won't happen, but it could be a lot more interesting than Head Coach Mike Smith really wanted. Take Carolina +14.5 and don't be so shocked if this ends up being a lot closer than the NFL lines suggest.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+7.5) @ New Orleans Saints – This could be the biggest game that the Bucs have played in quite some time, and even though it probably won't ultimately mean anything, it would be huge to end this year with ten wins one way or the other. There are too many offensive pieces to the puzzle out of the lineup in this one for the Saints to beat this type of a number. They'll probably win this one SU, but Tampa Bay +7.5 is the right side.

Arizona Cardinals (+5.5) @ San Francisco 49ers – Head Coach Jim Tomsula came into San Fran as the new man in charge and promptly guaranteed victory against the Cards this week. You know what that means, right? Arizona +5.5 is a mortal lock.

San Diego Chargers @ Denver Broncos (+3.5) – It would only be fitting for the Chargers to go out with a fizzle this year. This was just the team that you hated to see underachieve all season long, and this is the type of team through college that QB Tim Tebow just destroyed. Don't be shocked if he does it again. Go with Denver +3.5 for one of the upsets of the day.

St. Louis Rams (-3) @ Seattle Seahawks – Remember to make your tiebreaker picks in this game!!! QB Charlie Whitehurst is really going to be playing in a de facto playoff game? Really? Let's get realistic here. The Seahawks can't possibly head to the postseason with this guy at the helm. QB Sam Bradford and Head Coach Steve Spagnuolo really deserve this division title this year even though they are only going to finish at .500. That's still a tremendously marked improvement from a team that won just one game a year ago. St. Louis -3

There is no greater time to try to get into this competition than right now, as every week you beat me gives you another opportunity at that big cash prize at the end of the year. Let's get started right now with my Week 16 picks…

Detroit Lions @ Miami Dolphins (-3.5) – I know that every single person and their brother is going to think that the Lions are going to find a way to win yet another road game, while the floundering Fins just continue to be mired in their own sorrow, but I have to remember that this is just a case of the Lions being the Lions. Would you really want to back this team with QB Matt Stafford in this spot? What about with QB Shaun Hill? No? Then why are you doing it with QB Drew Stanton? Miami -3.5

Washington Redskins (+7) @ Jacksonville Jaguars – You might as well just flip a dang coin in this game. Who knows which Washington offense is going to show up in this one… The one where a quarterback didn't throw for two TDs in the same game for over two month of the season, or the bizarre one that saw QB Rex Grossman score four TDs. Sexy Rexy is coming back to the Sunshine State, and he really might be ready to shine when push comes to shove. So what the hell… Gimme Washington +7.

San Francisco 49ers @ St. Louis Rams (-1.5) – For the love of god, please let St. Louis win this game so we at least have a chance of the NFC West winner finishing at .500… St. Louis -1.5

Tennessee Titans @ Kansas City Chiefs (-5) – This line makes absolutely no sense to me whatsoever. The Titans are only still technically in the playoff race because they have ran into teams that are more dysfunctional than they are right now. Have we forgotten that, contrary to popular belief, the Chiefs are a fully functional team? KC moves within one win of shocking the world and winning the AFC West. Kansas City -5

Baltimore Ravens @ Cleveland Browns (+3.5) – When I see 81% of the people on one side of a game and the line really hasn't moved all that much, you better believe that I'm playing the other side. Cleveland has been playing the last month of this season for the right to spoil the seasons of the Ravens and Steelers. The Browns will nip of these two teams in the butt and cost one of the them the division title. Baltimore is the team in my opinion. Cleveland +3.5

New York Jets @ Chicago Bears (-1) – Toughest game of the day, by far. New York is in a spot where it really isn't going to need this game if the chips fall properly around it, and though it is going to be trying to improve on the best road record in the league at 6-1, it isn't going to figure it out. I think the Bears are too tough… but then again, I just can't stand backing the Bears on a regular basis. This one could go either way, but I'll take Chicago -1 and curse myself later if QB Jay Cutler throws four picks in typical Jay Cutler fashion.

New England Patriots @ Buffalo Bills (+9) – Yuck. If there is a team out there that I hate to back more than the Bears, it's the Bills. In fairness, these guys have been absolute gold to NFL bettors over the course of the last couple months, and that's because of the play of QB Ryan Fitzpatrick. This is the biggest game of the year in Buffalo, and the Bills would love nothing more than to pull the upset. New England knows that it is going to clinch the No. 1 seed in the AFC at some point one way or the other. We know that the Pats are mortal, and it is encouraging to me that the Bills already hung around in this series once this year, before they got on a roll. Grab Buffalo +9.

San Diego Chargers (-9) @ Cincinnati Bengals – Who dey gonna stop dem Bengals? Everybody, apparently. The Bolts have kicked it into gear and look like an absolutely unbeatable team right now, but they know that they need to make a stand to have any chance of getting into the playoffs. A loss would be hilarious and would be well worth my money. However, I'll put my money where San Diego's mouth should be and back the Bolts -9.

Indianapolis Colts @ Oakland Raiders (+2) – The Raiders aren't in the greatest playoff positioning in the world right now, but they are in a position where they can really spoil the season for the Colts. Indy looks beatable and might be ready to fall from its throne atop the AFC South. Don't be shocked if Oakland +2 comes in for an outright upset.

Houston Texans (-2.5) @ Denver Broncos – Here's the biggest dog game of the day. The Texans look like a team just going through the motions right now, but just as they figured out how to beat the crap out of Rusty Smith and the Titans, they'll figure out how to beat QB Tim Tebow and his gimmick offense and the Broncos. Houston -2.5

New York Giants @ Green Bay Packers (-3) – QB Aaron Rodgers is back, but who really knows whether he is going to be able to play at the highest level this week after coming back from his second concussion of the season. The Pack still have revenge on their side in this one, as they know that they can really do some damage to the playoff lives of the G-Men with a victory here. New York might clinch a playoff berth with a win, but I'm still going with Green Bay -3.

Seattle Seahawks (+6) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Do I need to say anything else about the Seahawks aside from the fact that I clearly have a man crush on this team. Seattle +6

Minnesota Vikings @ Philadelphia Eagles (-14.5) – Remember to make your tiebreaker picks in this game!!! There really doesn't seem to be a tremendous desire for anyone to back the Vikes in this game, and there's good reason for it. QB Michael Vick is an MVP candidate. QB Joe Webb is surely to be an MVP candidate in the CFL sometime soon. There is just a discrepancy in this game so great that there really isn't a way that the Vikes hang in this one. There isn't a line high enough to keep me from taking Philadelphia -14.5.

There is no greater time to try to get into this competition than right now, as every week you beat me gives you another opportunity at that big cash prize at the end of the year. Let's get started right now with my Week 15 picks…

Kansas City Chiefs (-2) @ St. Louis Rams – Call me a sucker. Call me a contrarian. Call me whatever you want. The Chiefs are just a better team in this game, and I tend to think that the oddsmakers are trying to trap you by giving you a sexy looking line on a St. Louis team that, on paper, feels like it should be favored in this one. QB Matt Cassel will hopefully suit up, but whether he does or not, I tend to think that RB Jamaal Charles and RB Thomas Jones are going to be in for big time days. I'm just not a believer that the Rams are actually getting into the playoffs. Thus, give me Kansas City -2.

Houston Texans (+1) @ Tennessee Titans – Haven't we seen this script for the Texans before? Like, every single season? The team gets down to the point that it basically can't make the playoffs, and then it flips the season, finishes with a .500 record, and saves Head Coach Gary Kubiak's job. Good news for Houston fans, though. Even if he does finish 8-8, unless he happens to win the AFC South with that record (good luck), Kubiak is toast regardless. Still, the rest of the script is probably going to remain exactly the same. Houston +1

Jacksonville Jaguars (+5) @ Indianapolis Colts – Will it be 100% of you mere mortals that are backing the Colts, or just the mass majority of you? Think for just one second, if you would, if the quarterback in this game were Drew Brees, not Peyton Manning. Same guy in terms of on field talent, right? We'd look at this game and say, "Wow, Jacksonville is just so much of a better team than Indy is," and love jumping all over this five point spread. However, we don't say that. We say, "Wow, there's no way that Peyton Freaking Manning isn't making the playoffs!" I beg to differ. Manning is past the point in his career and doesn't have the pieces to the puzzle around him to really make that much of a difference. Jacksonville is winning this game and winning it outright. Gimme the Jags +5.

Arizona Cardinals @ Carolina Panthers (-2.5) – Skelton! Clausen! It's the NFL on Fox!!! Really, if the oddsmakers have the balls to make a 1-12 team a favorite in any situation, I just have to roll with the punches. Either I look like a genius, or I come back to myself next week, laugh at why I laid 2.5 points with a 1-12 team, and move on. It's too funny not to do, so I'll take Carolina -2.5.

Cleveland Browns @ Cincinnati Bengals (-1.5) – Haha. Same situation. Same exact situation. Just replace 1-12 with 2-11 and 2.5 points to 1.5 points. Why the hell not? Cincinnati -1.5

Buffalo Bills (+5.5) @ Miami Dolphins – Miami's going to find a way to blow this, right? I mean really, can I lay 5.5 points with a team that has exactly two offensive touchdowns in its last two games combined? Really? The Bills have only been beaten once by more than three points in the last two months, and I tend to think that that's going to continue. However, if I had my guess, I won't be needing the 5.5 points. Something tells me that the Dolphins are hitting the self-destruct button just as they did last year against the Houston Texans in a very similar spot. Buffalo +5.5

Philadelphia Eagles (+2.5) @ New York Giants – Is it just me, or should this game have been played in primetime this week? The Eagles are good enough to come on the road and win a game like this one, and I could really see it happening. If QB Michael Vick thinks that he is an MVP this year, he can come on the road and take out a New York team that has been known to struggle at times when faced with stiff challenges. Without WR Steve Smith in the lineup, we could be due for another one of these games for QB Eli Manning in which he throws for 340 yards and three scores, but gets picked off three times as well. In what should be the de facto NFC East title game, gimme Philadelphia +2.5.

Washington Redskins @ Dallas Cowboys (-6) – Remember when this series used to mean something every single year? Not this year. Dallas remembers the beginning of the season when the Redskins smacked it around thanks to that holding penalty at the end of the game. Memories like that just don't go away, and when you've got two teams that have already been mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, you look for any motivation you can find. Dallas is 5-0 ATS under Head Coach Jason Garrett. Make it 6-0 and take Dallas -6 on Sunday.

Detroit Lions @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-5.5) – The Bucs are limping towards staying in the race in the NFC playoffs, but they keep finding teams like this one to put on the schedule. They had no business beating a very similar Washington Redskins crew last week, and now they must be very, very careful. I know that the Lions played well last week against the Green Bay Packers, but in the end, this is still a team that has lost 25 consecutive games on the road. Though it would be poetic justice if the team that streak ended with was the team with the longest losing streak all time in this league (Tampa Bay once had 26 straight losses), it just isn't happening. I'll take Tampa Bay -5.5.

New Orleans Saints (+1) @ Baltimore Ravens – Toughest call on the entire board. If you're a fan of super teasers, I've got the streak for you! The Ravens haven't been beaten by more than eight points at home in a game since 2007… or basically, since they've been good in the post-Trent Dilfer era. That being said, I just can't do it. There's something screaming to me about this New Orleans team, as the Saints have won six in a row. They know that they are going to have to play on the road in the playoffs, and they know that they have the biggest game of the year next week against the Atlanta Falcons in the Georgia Dome. Even if 13-3 doesn't turn out to be good enough to win the No. 1 seed in the playoffs, that would send a huge message to everyone else in the league. The defending champs are back to try to regain the Lombardi Trophy again. Take New Orleans +1.

Atlanta Falcons @ Seattle Seahawks (+7) – One of these days, I'm going to learn that betting against the Falcons and betting on the Seahawks (or any team from the NFC West for that matter) are both very, very bad ideas. But for whatever reason, I chose not to learn for this one. Going with Seattle +7.

New York Jets @ Pittsburgh Steelers (-6) – Aren't the Jets due to make us really think that they're done? I mean really, that's what happened last year when Head Coach Rex Ryan thought that his team was eliminated from the playoffs, and then when they got in, he promptly said that his team should be favored to win the Super Bowl. Damn if he wasn't nearly right about it, too! Still, Pittsburgh is just too tough of a town to play ball in, especially when you're a playoff contending team. The Steelers just live for games like this, and they'll find a way to win by two scores. Pittsburgh -6

Denver Broncos (+6.5) @ Oakland Raiders – Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, Mr. Tim Tebow. It sure sounds like the legendary Florida Gator is going to try his best to make winners out of a miserable team on Sunday, but if there is one man that has the inspirational tools to do just that, this is the guy. Oh yeah, it's not going to help Oakland that it ran up the score and dropped 59 on the Broncos in Mile High. Gotta take the points in this one and go with Denver +6.5 even though the Broncos don't have any pulse whatsoever right now.

Green Bay Packers (OTB) @ New England Patriots – Remember to make your tiebreaker picks in this game!!! No picks on this game, as we don't know whether QB Aaron Rodgers is going to be healthy enough to give it a whirl or not after suffering his second concussion of the year. Do remember to make your tiebreaker total picks, but there's no action on this game.

There is no greater time to try to get into this competition than right now, as every week you beat me gives you another opportunity at that big cash prize at the end of the year. Let's get started right now with my Week 14 picks…

Oakland Raiders @ Jacksonville Jaguars (-3.5) – There's something about the way that the Jags are playing right now that I like. They're running the ball well, they're playing the stoutest defense that they have played in quite some time, and they just feel like a winning team. They're really going to win the AFC South, something that even myself, the smartest of NFL pundits, never would have thought at the start of the year. This is a tough, tough test for Oakland to come all the way to the East Coast in an early start time game, and I just don't see it being able to hang for the full 60 minutes. Take Jacksonville -3.5.

Cincinnati Bengals (+9) @ Pittsburgh Steelers – This is a horrifying letdown spot for the Steelers this week at home, and the oddsmakers have put us into a perfect trap because of it. The Bengals really don't have many games left to get up for this season, and though they have lost about 174 games in a row, this is one that they are going to want to use their best in. They can throw the ball all over the field with QB Carson Palmer, and that is the one chance to win this one against the iffy Pittsburgh secondary. If Palmer gets some time, this one could be remotely interesting, especially with the Steelers in a bad scheduling spot after the SNF win over the Ravens. Cincinnati +9

New England Patriots @ Chicago Bears (+3) – Here we go again. The Bears are getting disrespected at home against a team that it might be better than. I'm sorry, the Pats aren't nearly this good. Perception is high as a kite on them because of that ridiculous 45-3 beat down that was issued to the New York Jets last Monday Night Football. This is a brutal road game and a test that will not easily be passed. Chicago just keeps finding ways to win games, whether by hook or by crook. It might have to be by crook in this one, but the Bears get it done again. Chicago +3

Cleveland Browns (+1) @ Buffalo Bills – Let me just get my snooze button out for this one, and hopefully I'll sleep for the whole three hours that it is on TV… Actually, this game is remotely intriguing to me, because these two teams, in spite of the fact that they stink, play some entertaining football at times. RB Peyton Hillis is the difference maker in this one. The Bills have not fared well against power running games all season long, and if that remains the case, they aren't going to survive for their third victory of the season against a Cleveland team that has already nailed down a few really big road wins on the year, including last week against the Miami Dolphins. I'm taking Cleveland +1.

New York Giants @ Minnesota Vikings (+2.5) – Sometimes, you just have to let sleeping dogs lie, and perhaps I should be doing just that with the Giants on Sunday, but I just love this spot for the Vikes. They're back at home once again, and QB Brett Favre (whom you absolutely know is not sitting this one out) wants to make one last charge to see if he can really get his team to claw all the way back from a 3-7 start to the season to at least finish .500. I'm also not all that convinced that the G-Men are all that good this year, as they really haven't beaten any tremendous teams with consistency. It's a rough road trip. I wish I was getting the full field goal, but I'll have to settle for taking Minnesota +2.5 instead.

Green Bay Packers (-6.5) @ Detroit Lions – Ugh, I am so sick and tired of these damn Lions! These guys feel like they are blowing me up each and every week, and now they're going it with guys like RB Maurice Morris and QB Drew Stanton. That's right. Drew Freaking Stanton. Hopefully, Mr. Clay Matthews introduces himself to Stanton a few times on the afternoon in this one. The Green Bay defense has played too well on the road this year to be toppled like this, and as long as things don't fall apart at the seam offensively, there is no reason to think that the 'O' can't put together a 400+ yard performance with at least 28 on the board against the Lions. I'll stick with Green Bay -6.5.

Atlanta Falcons @ Carolina Panthers (+7.5) – Call me crazy (go ahead…. "You're crazy!"), but I kinda think the Panthers can win this game… outright… I don't know why. I just do. This is probably the last stand for Head Coach John Fox, as this is the last truly meaningful game on the slate in all likelihood for the Panthers, and he would love nothing more than to at least make a case for his future job somewhere else if he can take this one down and give his team in black and blue something to be happy about. If all else fails, at least I have 7.5 points on my side… Carolina +7.5

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Washington Redskins (+2) – For my money, this is the toughest call on the board all week long. The Bucs really, really need this game, while Washington is finished, but there is something about the way that Tampa Bay finished that game last week against the Atlanta Falcons that is disturbing to me. I just don't think that it has a great comeback to get into the playoffs in it. Head Coach Raheem Morris should be proud of his men for sticking around in the race this long, but the Bucs are finished. Take Washington +2.

St. Louis Rams (+9) @ New Orleans Saints – Preseason football doesn't mean much to me, but the most vivid memory I have of the 2010 preseason was seeing QB Sam Bradford with his head held high in Gillette Stadium as his Rams beat the New England Patriots in the third game of the preseason, the one that the starters usually play at least three quarters of. Bradford and this St. Louis team are special and deserve to get into the playoffs this year. New Orleans is going to find a way to squeak this one out, but its home struggles are going to come back to rear their ugly head once again, as St. Louis +9 proves to be the right play.

Seattle Seahawks (+5.5) @ San Francisco 49ers – Hey oddsmakers, give me a break, will ya? It's absolutely ridiculous, with the season on the line or not, that the 49ers are laying 5.5 points against anyone in the NFL, even the Seahawks, who are about as effective on the road as the Arizona Cardinals have been anywhere this year. QB Matt Hasselbeck and company were booed off the field at halftime against the Carolina Panthers, but then they stormed to 31 unanswered points to put the worst team in the NFL away. Now, they'll use that momentum to help put the biggest disappointment in the NFL away as well. Seattle +5.5

Miami Dolphins (+5.5) @ New York Jets – This one just seems to be a close game waiting to happen. The Dolphins have been a stingy team all season long, particularly on the road, and especially against really good teams like New York. The Jets think that they have moved on from that 45-3 debacle against the New England Patriots, but I'm not totally sure that they can win this one by a TD. New York will come away with a victory I think, but the play for me is on the Dolphins +5.5, as they really know that a loss in this one ends their season.

Denver Broncos @ Arizona Cardinals (+5.5) – What. Ever. Hopefully the Broncos continue to get what they deserve for hiring HC Josh McDaniels in the first place. About the only intrigue right now in Denver is the fact that Florida Gators HC Urban Meyer quit just two days after McDaniels was canned. Does anyone aside from me see the parallels here? Oh, the game? C'mon, do you REALLY care? Arizona +5.5.

Kansas City Chiefs (+7) @ San Diego Chargers – Is there going to be a squarer team on the schedule this week than the Chargers? I mean, really. San Diego has its entire season on the line, knowing that it will be mathematically eliminated from the postseason with a defeat, while Kansas City is starting to crumble just a bit and had its quarterback in the emergency room getting his appendix removed on Wednesday night. KC is winning this game, and it is finding a way to win it outright by shoving the ball right down the Chargers' throats, just like the Oakland Raiders did last week. I don't need the points, but I'll take Kansas City +7 anyway.

Philadelphia Eagles (-3.5) @ Dallas Cowboys – Remember to make your tiebreaker picks in this game!!! The Eagles are laying 3.5 points against a team that has looked absolutely unstoppable since interim Head Coach Jason Garrett took over, but we tend to believe that it is justified. QB Michael Vick threw a second INT last week against the Houston Texans, but that was a game that was really in control for the most part from start to finish with just one hiccup in the middle in the third quarter. Philly has everything rolling right now, and as long as its defense doesn't totally collapse under the pressure of playing on MNF in "Big D," the Eagles are going to fly high and pull out a big time win. Philadelphia -3.5

There is no greater time to try to get into this competition than right now, as every week you beat me gives you another opportunity at that big cash prize at the end of the year. Let's get started right now with my Week 13 picks…

Buffalo Bills @ Minnesota Vikings (-5.5) – I know that the Vikes might be playing this one without RB Adrian Peterson, but how can I back a team that is allowing the most rushing yards in the NFL on the road against a great ground game? RB Toby Gerhart has all of the tools to be a special back in this league, and he'll make good on his start if he gets the opportunity. I know that the Bills haven't lost a game by more than three points in a month and a half, but all of that is going to change on Sunday, as the Leslie Frazier led Vikes are going to be able to take this one by two scores at home to at least keep a false sense of hope alive for a playoff bid. Rock and roll with Minnesota -5.5.

Cleveland Browns (+4.5) @ Miami Dolphins – I'm not so sure why I'm taking Cleveland +4.5 in this one, but I'll call it a gut shot. The Browns are a gritty, gritty team, and though they haven't been able to figure out how to string many wins (or covers, for that matter) together, they can certainly play on the road and win this game outright. I tend to get the feeling that QB Chad Henne is going to do just enough to win this game, and if that's the case, perhaps the Dolphins are going to win by exactly three points. You heard it here first.

Denver Broncos @ Kansas City Chiefs (-9) – I hate laying this many points with a Kansas City team that I'm not so convinced is all that good, but I am convinced that this is that bad of a matchup for the Broncos. This was a different scenario a few weeks ago when these two teams met at the Mile High Stadium, as there was a big heaping of revenge that needed to be served up for Denver on the Chiefs. Now, it's payback for the payback. Having already seen this passing game once, Kansas City probably won't be all that fooled, and as long as RB Jamaal Charles and RB Thomas Jones can keep the ball moving on the ground, there is no reason why QB Kyle Orton and company are on the field long enough to do that much damage. Lay the points and go with KC -9.

Washington Redskins (+7) @ New York Giants – Can someone please explain to me why on earth the Giants are in a position where they are always laying a TD at home against a reasonable team? I mean really, let's think this one out logically here. There are just too many injuries for New York to contend with right now, and it was very, very lucky to have beaten the Jacksonville Jaguars last weekend at home when it was, you guessed it, a seven point favorite. Now, I have a stingy Washington team that has proven it can win games in division, even on the road. Yep, I'll take the points and go with Washington +7 in a heartbeat.

San Francisco 49ers (+9.5) @ Green Bay Packers – The Packers are coming off of a fairly awful game against the Atlanta Falcons in which they just couldn't seal the deal. Now, they're coming home in a game that legitimately could be a postseason preview. The 49ers are still probably the best team in the NFC West, and they badly need to take a game like this to get some momentum going for the rest of the year to get to the head of the class. Green Bay isn't going to lose this one, but to win it by double digits seems like an awfully large task. Take the points and back San Fran +9.5.

New Orleans Saints (-7) @ Cincinnati Bengals – I can already hear your whining now. "But Gridiron Great," how are you going to lay seven points on the road with a team that hasn't played that well on the road against a team that really usually plays well at home?" Easy. Watch me. QB Drew Brees is going to rip this Cincinnati defense apart, and covering a TD is going to be as easy as holding the Bungals to about 20 points or so. No problemo. New Orleans -7

Atlanta Falcons (-3) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers – I know that the Bucs have shown some fight in recent weeks, and I know that they really had a chance to win this fixture up in the Georgia Dome. And yes, I even know that the season is on the line for Tampa Bay and that it is probably going to be an incredibly sharp play. But here's what else I see. I see an Atlanta team that usually gets beaten by passing games, not running games, and I see a Bucs team that really just wants to use that short passing attack to avoid making mistakes. You're not going to beat QB Matt Ryan by just trying to avoid mistakes. There really are no other options here for me but to lay the points and go with Atlanta -3.

Oakland Raiders @ San Diego Chargers (-13) – Simply put, I'm not so sure that there is any team in the NFL right now that would be derailing the train that is that of the San Diego Chargers. This is just a well tuned machine that just continues to rip apart everything in its path. The Raiders could compete in this one, but I just don't see it happening. Somehow, QB Philip Rivers will find a way to throw for 300+ yards, and if that happens, RB Mike Tolbert will get his yards as well, and there's no way that Oakland is sticking within two TDs of a team that is coming up with 400 yards.

Carolina Panthers (+6) @ Seattle Seahawks – Gag me with a spoon, please… This the biggest dog game of the day, and it is one that is surely going to stink up the joint… especially if what I think is going to happen comes true. The first team to six in this game wins… and it might just be the Panthers! Go with Carolina +6.

Dallas Cowboys @ Indianapolis Colts (-5.5) – My gut feeling suggests that the carriage for the Cowboys is about to turn into a pumpkin and that the pumpkin for Colts is about to turn back into a carriage again. I don't care what form either team is in right now. QB Peyton Manning is only laying 5.5 points at home against QB Jon Kitna. Someone please tell me what I'm missing here… Indianapolis -5.5.

St. Louis Rams (-3.5) @ Arizona Cardinals – Only in the NFC West can you have one team go on the road and be laying points at the start of the season, cover the spread, and then come back home without any notable injuries three months later to be a 3.5 point underdog… Yet somehow, I have this strange trust in the Rams that we cannot ignore. QB Sam Bradford impresses me quite a bit, as I think the kid should be a Pro Bowler for the way that he has played in the second half of the season. Hey Derek Anderson, this is no laughing matter. Your team is going to get its butt kicked again. St. Louis -3.5.

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Baltimore Ravens (-3) – Remember to make your tiebreaker picks in this game!!! This is a tough game that is going to be very difficult to make a call on. I'm just happy that I don't have to publically make a pick for the New England Patriots/New York Jets game (though for the record, I'd go with New York +3.5)… These two AFC North rivals are really just matched up dead evenly, just as they are seemingly each and every campaign. The confidence has to be brimming from the Ravens though, as they already have that last second win in Pittsburgh to bank on. Sure, QB Ben Roethlisberger is playing in this one and he was out of that one, but this game isn't in the Steel City either. Baltimore -3.

There is no greater time to try to get into this competition than right now, as every week you beat me gives you another opportunity at that big cash prize at the end of the year. Let's get started right now with my Week 12 picks…

Minnesota Vikings (+1) @ Washington Redskins – Everything suggests that the Redskins should be winning this game, as they are coming off of a great OT victory against the Tennessee Titans and are playing against a Minnesota team that is really just a train wreck right now. However, do you remember what happened when the Dallas Cowboys fired HC Wade Phillips and let Jason Garrett take over? Now, Dallas looks like a bunch of gangbusters. I'll take my chances that Minnesota +1 is the right choice for new HC Leslie Frazier.

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Buffalo Bills (+6.5) – An interesting line here… Three weeks ago, Buffalo would have been a double digit underdog in this one. The Steelers haven't had their very predictable trip up yet against a team that they have absolutely no business losing to, and though I'm not so certain that this is going to be the week, I know that the Bills are playing their best ball of the year, and they are catching Pittsburgh at a time in which it is still reeling with a lot of line injuries on both sides of the ball. I'll grab Buffalo +6.5.

Tennessee Titans @ Houston Texans (-6.5) – The Texans continue to invent new ways to lose games, but there's no way that they are losing this one to a team with QB Rusty Smith at quarterback, right? The only way that Houston gets beat here at home is if RB Chris Johnson goes absolutely bananas… just like he did twice last season. But I tend to think that this tough luck Texans squad will get the job done on Sunday just simply out of being in survival mode. I'm backing Houston -6.5.

Jacksonville Jaguars (+7) @ New York Giants – Something really seems wrong right now with the Giants, as they just don't have the look of a team that is winning the Super Bowl or even making the playoffs this year. There are a lot of injuries for QB Eli Manning to contend with, as he won't have the services of either WR Steve Smith or WR Hakeem Nicks on Sunday. Jacksonville is playing its best ball of the season and is really in a position to make the AFC South. Though I'm not so sure that the men from the Sunshine State are going to be pulling off the upset, I'll gladly take Jacksonville +7.

Carolina Panthers (+10) @ Cleveland Browns – Welcome back in the saddle, QB Jake Delhomme! The former Panthers signal caller is going to be leading his new team into battle on Sunday. Assuming that I am dealing with QB Jimmy Clausen and not QB Brian St. Pierre, I have to go with Carolina +10 in this one. There is just no way that I can lay double digits with the Browns no matter where the game is being played.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Baltimore Ravens (-7.5) – Tampa Bay really still hasn't beaten a great team this year, but after pitching a shutout against the San Francisco 49ers, there are some more heads turning in the direction of the 7-3 Bucs. Still, the Ravens are a 7-3 team as well, as I already know that they are a fantastic team. Baltimore might be the best in the NFL, and if that's the case, this isn't a game that it should be losing, or even remotely struggling in. Go with the Ravens -7.5 to make a huge statement.

Philadelphia Eagles @ Chicago Bears (+3.5) – I am so tired of hearing all of this BS about how the Bears aren't a great 7-3 team. Are they going to make the playoffs? I don't know. Toss a coin in the air in the crowded NFC. However, I know that the Eagles are the most overhyped team in the NFC right now, and there is no way that they should be favored at Soldier Field at the end of November. QB Michael Vick could put up another one of these superhuman efforts and beat the snot out of me, but I'll take my chances with the Bears +3.5.

Green Bay Packers @ Atlanta Falcons (-2) – This is probably the best game of the day, and it might be the best game of the entire season. The Packers are one of the best teams in the NFC, and they are in a spot where they can become the top team in the conference with a 'W' and some help. QB Aaron Rodgers has a shot to beat up on the Atlanta secondary, which is clearly the soft underside on the belly of this team as a whole. However, QB Matt Ryan has only lost one game at home in his career, and if the Falcons are going to be the best team in the NFC and have the road ot the Super Bowl go through the Georgia Dome, they have to win this one. Atlanta -2

Miami Dolphins @ Oakland Raiders (OTB) – No picks in this one folks. Sorry about that. Until we know who is playing quarterback for either of these teams, there is no sense in trying to make an NFL pick on the game.

Kansas City Chiefs @ Seattle Seahawks (+1.5) – The Chiefs are going on the road in this one to one of the toughest venues to try to play ball at, Qwest Field in Seattle. The Seahawks are just a different team there, and with QB Matt Hasselbeck in the saddle again, they are very, very tough to tame. It only seems like a matter of time until KC collapses under the pressure of the charging San Diego Chargers. Besides, there's no way that all four teams in the NFC West are going to be under .500 after 12 weeks, right? I've gotta go with Seattle +1.5 at home.

St. Louis Rams (+4) @ Denver Broncos – The Rams are a team with some mojo right now, but they are playing some fantastic defense in relation to what they had played last season when they were just a god awful team. The Broncos are snake bitten right now, and they aren't going to be able to win this game by this many points in all likelihood. Simply put, I'll take St. Louis +4

San Diego Chargers @ Indianapolis Colts (-3) – Remember to make your tiebreaker picks in this game!!! The Colts seem to make a living out of beating NFL spreads like this one. QB Peyton Manning and company wouldn't be in the playoffs if they started today, and "The Sheriff" clearly isn't going to like that. I know that the Chargers are on a roll, but they know that they are winning the AFC West with or without this game. At some point, Indianapolis needs a wakeup call. This is the game that that happens. The Colts -3 are my choice for Sunday Night Football.

There is no greater time to try to get into this competition than right now, as every week you beat me gives you another opportunity at that big cash prize at the end of the year. Let's get started right now with my Week 11 picks…

Oakland Raiders (+7) @ Pittsburgh Steelers – Plenty of interesting NFL lines this week, and I'm one who is a believer in the dogs having their day. Oakland is a team that is good enough to come into Pittsburgh and win this game. The Steelers could be in for a long decent again this year as they were in '09, and if they even have the slightest trip up, they are going to be in a lot of trouble in the AFC South race. The Raiders have control of first place in the AFC West right now for a reason. QB Jason Campbell should at least be able to keep this game tight. I'm going with Oakland +7.

Houston Texans (+7) @ New York Jets – Though I know that the moneyline price really justifies itself, I'm not so sure that the spread really does. Assuming that Houston's QB Matt Schaub does actually suit up, the Texans have the gunslinger that can pick apart this New York defense. The Jets aren't really built to blow you out, and they are in a position where they are going to have to throw the ball all over the field to do the most damage on Houston's porous secondary. This is the one truly contending team in the AFC that the Texans really could have their way with, even on the road, and I'm taking the points. Houston +7

Baltimore Ravens (-10) @ Carolina Panthers – The Ravens are in the spotlight here, as they are in a position where they really should be posting an impressive victory. I was burned by QB Colt McCoy in his first career start for the Cleveland Browns against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but I have no problems going back to the well again going against QB Tony Pike. Carolina barely has 100 points scored this season. It probably isn't putting much distance between itself and that 100 point mark on Sunday. If Baltimore can get to 21, not only does it have blackjack, but it has a cover as well. Quoth the Ravens -10.

Washington Redskins @ Tennessee Titans (-7) – The Skins are a train wreck right now, as they have no confidence in their offense and their defense was just absolutely destroyed by QB Michael Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles in front of a national TV audience. Perception on this team isn't good, and I don't like betting against teams like that, but I know that this is a situation where the team was overhyped beforehand anyway. Don't be surprised to see Tennessee walk away with this in a romp as long as one of its QBs proves to be healthy. Tennessee -7.

Detroit Lions (+6.5) @ Dallas Cowboys – So Dallas beats the snot out of the New York Giants, and all of a sudden, it can be a world beater again? Remember what happened after the Cowboys beat the Houston Texans on the road? That's right. Nothing did. The Lions know that they need to win a road game one of these days, as 25 straight road losses is an NFL record. This might not be the game in which that streak stops, but let's be real about something: Dallas keeps finding ways to lose. The Lions keep finding ways to lose… but they also keep finding ways to cover spreads. Detroit +6.5

Green Bay Packers (-3) @ Minnesota Vikings – Bye-bye Love Boat! You had better believe that the Packers would love nothing more than to pick off QB Brett Favre six times and get him yanked from what could be his final game as well. At some point, HC Brad Childress really has to bench Favre, and if that happens, it would be awfully poetic justice, considering the fact that his last pass as a Packer was picked off. You know what they say about karma, Brett. It'll bite you in the seat of your Wrangler jeans. I'm not letting this one bite me where the sun don't shine either. Green Bay -3

Buffalo Bills @ Cincinnati Bengals (-5.5) – The Bills are going to be trendy underdog selections in this game due to the fact that they have finally notched their first win, but I'm not buying it. The Bengals have a team that hasn't looked to have given up this year in spite of their 2-7 record, and as long as they keep up that mentality, this game should prove to be a victory. QB Carson Palmer could go absolutely bananas against this secondary, and if he does, Cincinnati -5.5 is the right NFL pick to make.

Cleveland Browns @ Jacksonville Jaguars (-1.5) – Something just doesn't seem right here. The Browns are implied to be the better team in this matchup, as they would theoretically be -1.5 on a neutral field against Jacksonville. Am I missing something here? The Jags might not be that good, but they are a 5-3 team with QB David Garrard in the sling, and they just appear to be a blessed team after finding a way to put down the Houston Texans with that ridiculous Hail Mary last weekend. I'm not one to buck the trends of karma. HC Jack Del Rio knows that he's going to need some luck and that this won't be the easiest game in the world, but you've got to figure that Jacksonville wins this sucker at least 60% of the time, right? Jacksonville -1.5

Arizona Cardinals @ Kansas City Chiefs (-8) – Someone please come and gouge my eyes out with a rusty fork. It might be less painful than trying to make a pick in this game. Toss a coin in the air… that's good enough. The Cards have no offense, but the Chiefs have no confidence, especially after getting totally blasted by the Denver Broncos last weekend. The hosts have a better all around resume and it isn't even close, so I guess I'll go with Kansas City -8 for the heck of it.

Seattle Seahawks @ New Orleans Saints (-12) – This is a heck of a lot of points to be laying in a game, especially with a team that already has an outright defeat at home to the Cleveland Browns on its resume this year. This is a legitimate playoff team that is coming to town, but I know that the Seahawks wouldn't finish in better than third place in any other division in football outside of the AFC West (and that's not a guarantee either). New Orleans is finally getting a running game back, as RB Reggie Bush expects to play after the team's bye week. That's a huge key that cannot be forgotten about, as QB Drew Brees has been turning around and handing the ball to a bunch of guys that were on the streets the week before of late. I just have a gut feeling that the Saints are going to start this second half of their season with fury and absolutely manhandle the Seahawks. Thus, the play is New Orleans -12 for yours truly.

Atlanta Falcons @ St. Louis Rams (+3) – The Falcons look like a tremendously better team than do the Rams on paper, but a closer inspection doesn't tell me that. Atlanta has made it because of the way that it has played at home this year. After all, QB Matt Ryan has only lost once at the Georgia Dome in his career, and that defeat didn't come this season. However, this is a 2-2 team on the road that really hasn't proven it can go much of anywhere to win games outside of the Peach State. The Rams are below .500, but they have a win against the San Diego Chargers at home and know that they are 4-1 while playing at the Edward Jones Dome. This would be one of those statement wins for a franchise that is turning around, and QB Sam Bradford might be in for a great day against a secondary that really hasn't been all that great. Don't be shocked to see the upset here, so I'm going with St. Louis +3.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ San Francisco 49ers (-3) – The ghosts of trips to San Francisco are going to haunt the Bucs in this one. You know that they haven't won a game here since 1980?!?!?! Tampa Bay has beaten everyone that it was supposed to, but it hasn't done a darn thing against the teams it was supposed to lose to. This game is one of those that is sort of in the middle, and it is definitely a swing game for a team that is probably going to get the you know what beat out of it next week at the Baltimore Ravens. I just like the way that QB Troy Smith looks right now for the Niners, and I have confidence that he can win this game against a defense that really isn't all that great. I'm going with San Fran -3.

Indianapolis Colts (+3.5) @ New England Patriots – Again, this is going to be one of these games that more of you are on the Pats than are only the Colts, and that doesn't surprise me. After all, Indy looks like a mortal team right now and can't beat the pants off of anybody, while New England has beaten some of the best teams in the NFL and is about to come home after its destruction of the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday Night Football. However, there's something about "The Sheriff," QB Peyton Manning in a game like this. New England's defense just isn't that good, and everyone has seen it. Can the Colts take advantage? Many of you are going to bet against Manning. No way in the world will I do the same. Indy +3.5

New York Giants (+3) @ Philadelphia Eagles – Remember to make your tiebreaker picks in this game!!! Philly is hot. There's no doubt about that. However, we just love the matchup of putting this speedy defense against QB Michael Vick. New York's offense won't flounder like it did for most of last week against the Dallas Cowboys, and you can bet that the deep ball that worked so well for the Boys won't work again this week. Last week was simply a look ahead spot for the G-Men, and they aren't going to be caught napping again. All will be forgotten when they pull off the mild upset in the City of Brotherly Love and work towards the NFC East title once again. I'm closing out my Sunday with a big play on the Giants +3.

There is no greater time to try to get into this competition than right now, as every week you beat me gives you another opportunity at that big cash prize at the end of the year. Let's get started right now with my Week 10 picks…

Cincinnati Bengals (+7.5) @ Indianapolis Colts – I tend to get the impression that the Bengals have had it in this season, but I also tend to get the impression that the Colts are set to fall apart at any point now. No, QB Peyton Manning isn't going to let his team go on some four game losing streak, ala the Pittsburgh Steelers of last season, but winning games consistently by more than a touchdown in this league is one of the hardest things to do. I just don't see anyone, including the great Manning, being able to sit here and pull off something like this week after week. I'm going to take the points and go with Cincinnati +7.5

Houston Texans (+1) @ Jacksonville Jaguars – They may as well call this game the "Losing Coach Gets Fired On the Spot Bowl." No, a defeat won't directly cost either Jack Del Rio or Gary Kubiak his job right away, but either coach not making the playoffs this year is probably going to be handed a pink slip in January. The loser of this one certainly isn't going to the second season. Houston needs to kick it into gear, and it finally finds itself in a position that it has been in a lot this year: It is the better team on the field. I'm taking Houston +1.

Tennessee Titans (-1.5) @ Miami Dolphins – My favorite play of the week. The Titans make a living out of getting to the quarterback on defense, and they were already proven to be incredibly frustrated by the short passing game of the Broncos. QB Chad Pennington made a career of taking three steps and getting rid of the football with precision in spite of the fact that he probably couldn't throw the ball the length of an Arena Football field. HC Tony Sparano is a smart man. This will be the week that we see the "old school" Miami Dolphins come to play, with more Wildcat forms, more creative ways to get the ball into the hands of RB Ronnie Brown and RB Ricky Williams, and the sorts. Pennington won't be asked to do much. Remember that this is a team playing for its life as well, as you have to win a home game eventually to make the postseason. I love getting Miami +1.5 as a pup at home.

Minnesota Vikings (-1.5) @ Chicago Bears – Someone please hand me my rusty fork so I can jam my eyes out… It's less painful than watching this crappy game. The NFC North is turning into a division that I have about as much desire to watch (and handicap) as the NFC West, and that's saying something. There's just no allure in this game for me. HC Brad Childress is a dead duck just waiting to get picked off. HC Lovie Smith isn't making it through the season either because Jay Freaking Cutler is his quarterback. And who knows whether I'm going to see the QB Brett Favre that threw two picks and looked god awful against the lousy Arizona Cardinals secondary or see the one that threw for over 440 yards and led the team to two TDs in the fourth quarter against the exact same team. Screw it. Minnesota -1.5

Detroit Lions (+2.5) @ Buffalo Bills – See, at least this game has some intrigue to it! The Bills might be in their last chance to win a game this year, and they keep finding ways to lose games. The Lions might also be in one of their last chances to win a game this year, and they keep finding ways to lose games. Is it just me, or does this game just stink of something like five safeties, two touchdowns on weird, sloppy plays, and a pair of missed extra points? With the Lions down 12-10 (three safeties, a TD, and a missed PAT against two safeties, a TD, and a missed PAT), I really want to see DT Ndamukong Suh come on and try to kick a game winning field goal. I win either way, and I'm certainly going to get my laughter for the day. Seriously though… Why on earth are the Bills favored against anybody? Detroit +2.5

New York Jets (-3) @ Cleveland Browns – I'm sorry, but seeing HC Rex Ryan wearing a Browns shirt and coming to the table of his press conference wearing those huge curly locks was just hilarious. The Jets know that this is a chance to prove something special, and I think there's a reason that the oddsmakers have made this NFL line so tight. They're begging you to take the Browns here after their performance last week against the New England Patriots. This New York team has this thing called a "defense," though. You know, it's a foreign concept in the greater Boston area. Just ask the Red Sox pitching down the stretch of the season! Heh… Sorry. New York -3

Carolina Panthers (+7) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers – I never thought that the day would come where I would really be considering laying a touchdown with the Bucs. Let's face the facts here, though. Tampa Bay isn't a team that is going to blow you out by 20. It is going to stick around and find a way to take you down. Don't be overly shocked if the Bucs do just that against a bad Carolina team on Sunday. Goodness knows who is going to start the game (or finish it for that matter) for the Panthers at quarterback, but I'm taking Carolina +7 regardless.

Kansas City Chiefs @ Denver Broncos (+1) – Ever heard of this thing called "payback?" It's an interesting little creature that usually insists that when you're an underdog at home and have had two weeks to prepare for the team that single handedly knocked you out of the playoffs and ran up the score on you in the final game of the season in your backyard, that you tend to be just a little irked. You couldn't pay me to back KC in this one. I'm definitely going with the angry Broncos +1.

St. Louis Rams (+6) @ San Francisco 49ers – Don't get me wrong. I know that the 49ers are going to find some way to win this game, and the possibility is really there that they end up posting a blowout as well. There's just something that's rubbing me the wrong way about laying six points against the Rams right now. They're a stingy bunch, and they rarely seem to lose badly in situations like this one. I'm going to bank on QB Sam Bradford to not throw the game away, and if that's the case, St. Louis +6 is most certainly the right side.

Seattle Seahawks @ Arizona Cardinals (-3) – Just when I thought it didn't get any uglier than Minnesota/Chicago… This is the dog game of all dog games this week, which is really saying something considering how bad Detroit and Buffalo are. The Cards at least show some promise right now, but rather than justify why I think Arizona is going to win this game, I think I'll just stick with the fact that it's going to be awesome to wake up on Monday morning and see a 4-5 record sitting atop a division. Arizona -3

Dallas Cowboys (+14) @ New York Giants – I definitely am going to need my antacids for this game. This is going to be an ugly one. HC Jason Garrett is the only reason that I'm strongly thinking about playing on Dallas in spite of the fact that it has a dreadful 1-7 record both SU and ATS. These last eight games are going to show us where Garrett sits in this Dallas franchise, and we figure that he at least needs to go 5-3 to save his job and give him a chance to really become the new head coach of the Cowboys. I know the Giants are on fire, and I know that they manhandled Dallas in Big D just a few weeks ago, but something is telling me that two TDs is far too many to be laying in a divisional tussle. Dallas +14

New England Patriots (+4.5) @ Pittsburgh Steelers – Remember to make your tiebreaker picks in this game!!! Taking Pittsburgh is taking the easy way out. Perception, perception, perception! The whole world has seen these Steelers play some big time ball since QB Ben Roethlisberger has come back to the lineup, and it has seen them play some tremendous defense against some great teams. The whole world also just saw the Pats lose on the road to the Cleveland Browns. Yeah… Those Cleveland Browns. There's no way that a team coached by Bill Belichick got beat that bad in a game like that without holding a little something, something back. Don't be shocked if there is a new look for New England this week, and if that's the case, I'll take the Mad Scientist and his Patriots +4.5.

There is no greater time to try to get into this competition than right now, as every week you beat me gives you another opportunity at that big cash prize at the end of the year. Let's get started right now with my Week 9 picks…

Chicago Bears @ Buffalo Bills (+2.5) – The crazy Canucks up in Toronto will love this one on Sunday afternoon, though it's a tough call whether the Bills or the Toronto Argonauts have the better team right now… Hey, Buffalo's gonna win one eventually, right? Besides, the Bears flat out suck, and there's just no two ways around that. I don't care whether Chicago had no bye week, one bye week, or 15 bye weeks coming into this one. The Bears aren't winning. Period. In QB Jay Cutler I trust… to throw four picks… Buffalo +2.5

San Diego Chargers @ Houston Texans (+2.5) – This is a heck of a lot of disrespect against the Texans… Reliant Stadium is still a heck of a place to go play football, as Houston always plays incredibly well there. One home win against the Tennessee Titans doesn't make up for these road losses against the Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, and St. Louis Rams… The only thing that I'm afraid of is that QB Philip Rivers might throw for 600 yards in this one, as the Houston secondary has more holes than your average slice of Swiss Cheese. Still, the hosts shouldn't be dogs in this one, and I'm set to take advantage of grabbing a piece of Houston +2.5.

New Orleans Saints (-6.5) @ Carolina Panthers – I know that the Panthers fought tooth and nail with the Saints a few weeks ago in the Superdome, and I know just as well that New Orleans has been an atrocious road team this year, but as long as at least one of the big running backs on this team comes back, everything changes. The Saints don't rely on that rushing game much, but RBs Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush really do keep defenders honest about defending the run, something that doesn't have to be done right now with these boards with angry faces that are running in the backfield right now. Carolina got its win. We don't know what more that it really wants…

Arizona Cardinals (+8.5) @ Minnesota Vikings – Does anyone else feel like HC Brad Childress is going to get fired after this week? The Cards aren't very good, but their offense is at least showing some signs of getting it together. QB Max Hall figured out that he is only going to be as good as he lets WR Larry Fitzgerald be for him, and if that keeps up on Sunday, there's a real chance at the upset. Minnesota needs wins and knows that it is still alive for a postseason push, but let's be real. QB Brett Favre should be benched. There's no emotional tie to him whatsoever, and he is playing like dog poo right now. I give Arizona a great chance in this one. I'm going with the Cards +8.5.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Atlanta Falcons (-8.5) – If it looks like a fish and it smells like a fish, there's probably something fishy about it. The Bucs are right there for the NFC South lead and can snare it with a win on Sunday. But for some reason, the oddsmakers are insistent that they are at least two scores worse than the Falcons are… And they're right. Atlanta might be the crème de la crème of the NFC, and off of a bye week, we love its chance. Sure, QB Josh Freeman is playing the best ball of his career, but the Falcons represent one of those proverbial "good teams" that Tampa Bay has to face every now and again. The two times that the Bucs faced "good teams" in 2010, they were crushed by both the Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints. Don't mind me, as I add Atlanta to that list. Falcons-8.5.

New York Jets @ Detroit Lions (+4) – Nope, the oddsmakers still haven't learned. The Jets are a bi-polar club that just seems to struggle at times for absolutely no reason whatsoever. QB Mark Sanchez is starting to get INT happy again, as he has four picks in his L/2 games after not throwing one in the first portion of the season, and the New York defense has to be scratching its head about what it needs to do to win games. In two defeats this year, the Jets have allowed 19 total points… and have scored just nine. The Lions are still on the rise, and I tend to think that they could still be a playoff team if given the chance. Don't be shocked if there isn't another wild upset in the cards on Sunday. Going with Detroit +4 is the easy call.

Miami Dolphins @ Baltimore Ravens (-4.5) – At some point, the Dolphins are going to lose a game on the road both SU and ATS, and this is a prime spot for that to happen in. This is the hardest venue that Miami has had to go into all season long, and with the Ravens coming off of a bad game and a bye week, you can bet that LB Ray Lewis and company are going to be in no mood to mess around. The Fins are a feisty little bunch, but that doesn't mean that they are capable of beating up one of the most physical teams in the NFL. Baltimore just seems to have a knack for winning games like this by some 20-13ish score line, and that's what I'm calling for again on Sunday. Baltimore -4.5 for yours truly.

New England Patriots @ Cleveland Browns (+5.5) – Here's your first of two major trap games for the weekend. The books are just begging you to take the Pats here, and for good reason. After all, they have the best record in football, they're one of the best ATS teams in the game as well, and they really do appear like they are a better team now that WR Randy Moss is no longer a part of it. Not so fast, my friends! Cleveland is coming off of a bye week, and the offense seems to at least be remotely competent with QB Colt McCoy calling the shots. The New England defense still really hasn't done all that much to impress me, as I think this is a unit that can be had. Oh, don't worry, the Mad Scientist, HC Bill Belichick isn't losing this game… But to watch an 11 point lead get cut to either three or five in the dying moments with a backdoor cover seems like what the oddsmakers are banking on. I'm not falling into this trap! Cleveland +5.5

New York Giants @ Seattle Seahawks (+6.5) – Have we learned nothing about betting against the Seahawks when they're playing at Qwest Field? You're going to ask the Giants to come all the way across the country into the most hostile environment in the league and beat down Seattle by at least a full touchdown? I mean, geez… I like the G-Men, but isn't this a little absurd? I guess the oddsmakers still don't really believe in the Seahawks like I do. It's an easy call to take Seattle +6.5 at home. even a week after the Hawks were clipped by the Oakland Raiders on the road.

Kansas City Chiefs @ Oakland Raiders (-2.5) – Who would've thunk that both of these teams would really be in contention for the playoffs, while the San Diego Chargers are still just mired in their own little slump. Dare I say that Oakland has been the best team in the NFL over the last two weeks? It's fairly undeniable that something has clicked into place in the Black Hole, and the next team to feel the wrath of that might just be the Chiefs. Desperation might be kicking in for the Raiders as well, as they know that a loss here probably ends any hopes of making the playoffs. I'll lay the points and take Oakland -2.5.

Indianapolis Colts @ Philadelphia Eagles (-2.5) – And welcome to the biggest trap game that I have ever seen in all of my years of handicapping the NFL! The Colts are actually catching points for a change? It's not something that you see every day, and there is usually a reason for it. The Eagles have been preparing for this one for two weeks now, and they are going to be getting QB Michael Vick back once again. Add back WR DeSean Jackson to the mix as well. Indy is coming off of its biggest win of the season and is only a short week after playing on Monday Night Football in Week 8. There aren't many more raucous atmospheres than the one that QB Peyton Manning is going to try to conquer on Sunday afternoon. On paper, Indy's the better team. In this matchup though, Philadelphia -2.5 is the right choice.

Dallas Cowboys @ Green Bay Packers (-8) – Remember to make your tiebreaker picks in this game!!! Simply put, I just can't trust the damn Cowboys. They have ruined more Survivor Pool contestants this year across the country than any other team, and the point has to just be realized that they aren't very good. Now, I'm not so sure the Packers are all that great either, and I hate taking a team that is coming off of its best game of the season when perception is as high as it has been on it all season long, especially in a primetime, standalone game. Yet, I hate Dallas that much… Thus I have no choice but to take Green Bay -8.