2012 NFL Pickery -- Week #6

Last Week 

Joe: 10-4

Aaron: 9-5 

Current Standings 

Joe: 48-29

Aaron: 45-32

 

Pittsburgh at Tennessee 

Aaron: Lots of ugly football last week and the Steelers' unwatchable contribution followed their usual low-scoring, formulaic slog.  The Titans are undeniably awful, but these Thursday Night games do tend to bring out the best in the home underdogs.  Tennessee outright?  Nah, but they'll hang around long enough for late Steelers score to decide it.  Pick: Pittsburgh 

Joe: It's a good thing there's so much baseball on tonight to distract from this dog of a game. Are the Steelers the most uninteresting playoff contender in the league? Nobody even cares about Roethlisberger and how he's a disgusting rapist anymore. They're the better team here, but I continue to hold on to some dumb hope that the Titans are a spoiler this season. Plus, like I said before, gotta keep these Thursday picks interesting. Pick: Tennessee

 

Oakland at Atlanta 

Aaron: Weird season for my Raiders, as the media narrative surrounding them seems to change from week to week.  After losing to the Dolphins in week two, the team was "terrible".  Oakland upset Pittsburgh in week three and the team has "heart".  Peyton Manning surgically removes the Raiders' hearts in week four and we're back to "terrible".  One thing hasn't changed: the Raiders' secondary IS terrible.  If you missed the evisceration that was Buffalo at San Francisco last week, you'll get to witness it here.  Pick: Atlanta 

Joe: Nobody's really going to have any faith in the Falcons once the playoffs roll around, right? Pick: Atlanta

 

Cincinnati at Cleveland 

Aaron: Is this the game in which we all look at Cleveland's last two or three weeks as moral victories based on their effort or relatively small margin of defeat and pick 'em to beat an up-and-down Bengals team at home for their first victory of the season?  Just checking.  Pick: Cincinnati 

Joe: Oh, twist my arm. Pick: Cleveland

 

St. Louis at Miami 

Aaron: I'm not sure that a pair of in-division home wins are enough of a case for me to pick the Rams this week.  The Dolphins surprisingly possess the best run defense in the league, which shouldn't surprise anyone who can actually name someone on Miami's defensive front line.  Without looking it up, Joe.  I am not that person.  Pick: Miami 

Joe: I mean ... Jason Taylor, right? Pick: Miami

 

Indianapolis at NY Jets 

Aaron: After last week's emotional win home win against Green Bay, the Colts will inevitably be the inspirational pick here against the dysfunctional Jets.  But, sometimes the happy ending goes horribly wrong.  Like when a rookie QB plays on the road or for those of you who planned on voting "Democrat" in November.  Pick: NY Jets 

Joe: I refuse to listen to you on BOTH those counts, sir. And I will also not mention baseball AT ALL right now. Pick: Indianapolis

 

Detroit at Philadelphia 

Aaron: Have the Eagles fielded the three most famous black quarterbacks in NFL history?  I need to bring this up at my barbershop next weekend, but Randall Cunningham, Donovan McNabb and Michael Vick are 75% of the famous black QB Mount Rushmore, no?  Who's the fourth?  Warren Moon?  Good, borderline great, but famous?  Steve McNair?  More famous in death.  Holy cow, is it Kordell Stewart?  Pick: Philadelphia 

Joe: Doug Williams won a Super Bowl! Daunte Culpepper was a 1st-round fantasy pick! Vince Young is Kordell Stewart with a NCAA National Championship! Pick: Philadelphia

 

 

Kansas City at Tampa Bay 

Aaron: The Bucs have nice little run defense, but a closer look at the numbers shows that they've been stopping a sorry collection of RBs this year -- including Carolina's two-headed, four-legged mediocrity, Dallas' perpetual black hole in the backfield and, of course, Ahmad Bradshaw.  Pick: Kansas City 

Joe: Kansas City's defense might be the perfect salve for Tampa's sputtering offense, though. Pick: Tampa Bay

 

Dallas at Baltimore 

Aaron: Look, I've defended Cowboys QB Tony Romo. I think he gets WAY too much sh*t considering the supporting cast that Old Man Jones has brought on board.  But, the narrative after last week's loss to the Bears ("It wasn't Romo's fault!  His receivers can't run routes!") makes me wonder if we've come all the way back around to mollycoddling the guy.  This week should take care of that conundrum.  Pick: Baltimore 

Joe: Mollycoddling! Jalen, you go out back and cut your daddy a switch! Pick: Baltimore

 

New England at Seattle 

Aaron: The Seahawks field a top 10 running game and a top 10 defense against both the run and the pass.  They're next to last in passing offense, though, so this one should be low-scoring and dependent on the ground game.  Seattle certainly could steal this, but would you trust Seahawks QB Russell Wilson to move the length of the field, if needed, to win the game?  Now, how about Tom Brady?  Yup.  Pick: New England 

Joe: All my usual platitudes about "It would be great to see the Pats lose but they won't" apply here. Pick: New England

 

Buffalo at Arizona 

Aaron: Fun fact -- With last week's loss, Bills head coach Chan Gailey's career winning percentage is .435.  It all depends on when he's fired this year, but he still maintains a slim lead over the career winning percentage of Dick Jauron, the previous Bills head coach (.423). So, there's that, Joe.  Pick: Arizona 

Joe: He's not getting fired this year. He's a good coach. Not even kidding. Pick: Arizona

 

NY Giants at San Francisco 

Aaron: We're six weeks into the season and STILL haven't had one of those nonsensical week-long sports talk conversations where we collectively ask, "What's wrong with Eli Manning?" or "Has Tom Coughlin lost this team?"  We're due.  Pick: San Francisco 

Joe: Are we? I'm sensing an overconfident letdown game. Or am I hoping for it? Pick: NY Giants

 

Minnesota at Washington 

Aaron: I'm not trying to make light of this, but the Redskins QB options are a concussed Robert Griffin III or a healthy Rex Grossman.  I mean...they're both...so...  Pick: Minnesota 

Joe: Keep trying to find SOMETHING interesting to say about this one, but I'm coming up empty. Hey! Remember when the Redskins won the Super Bowl IN Minnesota? Perfect place for a Super Bowl, the dead of winter in January in Minneapolis. Who'd they beat again? Pick: Minnesota

 

Green Bay at Houston 

Aaron: The performance of Texans RB Arian Foster single-handedly torpedoed two of my fantasy teams last week.  I'm just saying I'll be pissed if he doesn't give that same kind of effort here, when he knows he WON'T be playing against my fantasy team.  Pick: Houston 

Joe: Whereas an uncommonly quiet day from Andre Johnson saved by fantasy bacon. Yin and Yang! Pick: Houston

 

Denver at San Diego 

Aaron: I didn't think I could enjoy a Chargers loss any more thoroughly. But, listening to their fans meticulously piss n' moan about the officiating -- verbally breaking down the Saints game tape like the Zapruder film -- all week long has been absolutely magical for me.  Magical.  Pick: San Diego 

Joe: One of these days, I want a link to a blog written by one of Cam's neighbors or co-workers or someone who is subject to all these anti-Chargers screeds on a daily basis. I just want to see how the city of San Diego copes with such an assault. Pick: San Diego