I just flew too close to the sun. That’s all I can say. While my straight up mark was a solid one this past NFL weekend, my picks against the spread ate it hard. I was the best handicapper in America a week ago. I could have been a contender. I could have been somebody. Instead of a bum. Which is what I am.
You were my brudda, Charlie. You shoulda looked out for me.
Here’s how I did.
This week
Straight up: 10-6
Against the spread: 5-11
Last Week
Straight up: 14-2
Against the spread: 12-4
Season
Straight up: 149-91
Against the spread: 124-116
Considering I only hit on five games against the spread and straight up, there aren’t a lot to choose from for favorites of the week. I called the Ravens barely hanging on against the Colts on Saturday. That was a solid pick, based on pretty much every single Baltimore game of the season.
The Bengals upsetting the Lions and knocking them out of the playoff picture was a good victory for me. Cincinnati could be a dangerous team next Sunday when they travel to Baltimore to face off against the Ravens.
.@NFL Playoffs…strange, but true.
*Ravens could lose but still be #5
*Bills have a shot at #5
*Panthers could still be #2— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) December 26, 2017
My bad losses? There’s just six to choose from, really, but I’m displeased with myself just the same. The Chargers remain in the AFC playoff picture and still had enough in the tank to beat the Jets after travelling cross-country. Brock Osweiler immediately fell back to earth against the Redskins and apparently took the Broncos’ defense with him.
I may not pick against Jimmy Garoppolo again. Especially since that was the first time I selected him to lose since he took over at quarterback for the 49ers and he fed it to me and the Jaguars sideways. Frankly, I’m still surprised the Giants couldn’t muster something more against the Cardinals. Lastly, I just figured the Raiders would show up against an Eagles team that seemed destined to lose at least one more game. I was very wrong.
In Week 16, Jimmy Garoppolo not only won his 4th-straight game as the @49ers QB, but he also did it against the league’s #1 defense@JimmyG_10 had the highest completion percentage (70.0) and passer rating (102.4) of any QB against the Jaguars defense this season pic.twitter.com/uq1oP3OEkj
— NFL Research (@NFLResearch) December 25, 2017
As always, the most important facet of the Tuesday Wrap up is seeing where I stack up against these other palookas picking NFL games. Straight up, Craig Miller of the Dallas Morning News, Joel Wagler of Fansided, Adam Meyers of Fox Sports, Peter King of MMQB and (God help us all), Will Brinson of CBS Sports all topped the week at 14-2.
Stephen White of SB Nation had the worst week at 9-7. For the season, Jeff Ratcliffe leads the way with 170-70 mark. Jamey Eisenberg of CBS Sports is right on his tail at 169-71. I’m still stuck in the middle of the pack with no way of catching them. My goal now is to finish with double-digit losses and go perfect in the playoffs. Which, if you’ll recall, I almost did two years ago.
Against the spread, Case Keefer of the Las Vegas Sun had the best week, finishing 12-4. The worst week belonged to Josh Katsowitz and, much to my eternal shame, your humble narrator. We both went 5-11.
.@NFL Playoffs…strange, but true.
*Ravens could lose but still be #5
*Bills have a shot at #5
*Panthers could still be #2— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) December 26, 2017
On the season, I fell a couple of spots to No. 6 in the country, but I’m still well within striking distance of Frank Schwab of Yahoo Sports, who holds a seven game lead over me at 131-101. A lot of things can happen in this final weekend of the NFL regular season and we’re about to talk about it.
EARLY NFL WEEK 17 LINES
Sunday Early
Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions (-7), O/U: 43.0
Houston Texans at Indianapolis Colts (-4), O/U: 41.0
Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings (-11.5), O/U: 39.5
New York Jets at New England Patriots (-15.5), O/U: 45.0
Washington Redskins at New York Giants (+3.5), O/U: 38.0
Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles (+2.5), O/U: 41.0
Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers (-13), O/U: 39.5
Sunday Late
Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons (-4), O/U: 46.0
Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens (-9.5), O/U: 40.5
Buffalo Bills at Miami Dolphins (+3), O/U: 42.5
New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+7.5), O/U: 50.5
Jacksonville Jaguars at Tennessee Titans (-6), O/U: 41.0
Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos (-3.5), O/U: 38.0
Oakland Raiders at Los Angeles Chargers (-7.5), O/U: 44.0
San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams (-4), O/U: 45.5
Arizona Cardinals at Seattle Seahawks (-8), O/U: 38.5
It’s going to be a very old school Sunday with all the games wrapping up before 8 p.m. EST. It’s good news for us, since we can all sober up from our NFL drinking just in time for some New Year’s Eve drinking.
Of all these 16 games, only six of them matter. First up, the Falcons face a win-and-you’re-in scenario against the Panthers and open up favored by four points. I’m not sure about that point spread on a normal day. Carolina is still playing for an NFC South title. They’ve already clinched a playoff berth and will be no worse than the fifth seed, but if the Saints drop their game to the Buccaneers, then the Panthers are division champs and get to host a playoff game. Probably against those same Saints. In fact, it’s likely going to be Saints vs Panthers no matter what happens in Week 17 for the Wild Card round. What remains undecided is where that game will be. Carolina can do it’s part by beating Atlanta here.
The Ravens control their own destiny as a -9.5 favorite over the Bengals. If they win, they’re in the playoffs as the fifth seed. Cincinnati might not make it that easy. This is likely (very likely) Marvin Lewis’ final game as a head coach in the NFL. Do the Bengals have it in them to get a final win for their coach? Against his old team, no less?
Back in 2003, Marvin Lewis took over a Bengals team that had only 5 playoff wins in franchise history.
In 2017, after 15 years, Marvin Lewis will leave a Bengals team that has only 5 playoff wins in franchise history.
— JP (@JPfromCIN) December 17, 2017
There is a final playoff spot in the AFC (if the Ravens clinch) and three teams realistically vying for it. The Bills have to win to get any chance with the tiebreakers. The Dolphins just beat the Patriots on this same field a few weeks ago, so don’t be too sure that’ll happen. If the Titans win, they’re in as a Wild Card. They’re actually favored over the Jaguars, who are realistically playing for nothing in this game. They’re locked in as the No. 3 seed no matter what happens. But after the stinker they laid in San Francisco over the weekend, they might not want to relax too much in this game. Plus, if you’re Jacksonville you don’t want to play Tennessee twice and that’s probably exactly what will happen if they lose. The Chargers are more than a touchdown favorite over the Raiders, but need to win and some help to pull of an improbable playoff appearance in Anthony Lynn’s first season.
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