Steelers -8 over BRONCOS
GIANTS -3 over Atlanta

TEXANS -4 over Bengals
Lions +10.5 over SAINTS

Chad’s Picks
Steelers -8 over BRONCOS
GIANTS -3 over Atlanta

Bengals +3 over TEXANS

Lions +10.5 over SAINTS

Last Week
Justin: 5-0
Chad: 0-4-1

Season
Justin: 48-34-3
Chad: 36-43-6

Justin’s Picks
Saints -6.5 over VIKINGS
TEXANS -6.5 over Panthers
Patriots -6.5 over BRONCOS
Ravens -2.5 over CHARGERS
Steelers +3 over 49ERSChad’s Picks
GIANTS -6.5 over Redskins
Saints -6.5 over VIKINGS
Bengals -6.5 over RAMS
Lions -1 over RAIDERS
Steelers +3 over 49ERS

Last Week

Justin: 3-2
Chad: 2-3Season
Justin: 37-30-3
Chad: 31-35-4

Justin’s Picks
Texans +3 over BENGALS
PACKERS -11 over Raiders
Saints -3.5 over TITANS
Patriots -8 over REDSKINS
49ers -3.5 over CARDINALS

Chad’s Picks
PACKERS -11 over Raiders
LIONS -7 over Vikings
Patriots -8 over REDSKINS
TITANS +3.5 over Saints
Giants +3.5 over COWBOYS

Last Week
Justin: 2-3
Chad: 3-2

Season
Justin: 34-28-3
Chad: 29-32-4

Every year we talk about how the league has changed from a primarily rum/defensive league to a pass happy, light up the scoreboard and we’ll see what happens when the dust settles sort of league. Having an elite quarterback seems to be a must to win in today’s NFL on a consistent basis. That being said, is there any wonder why three of the favorite teams to make a championship run have these QBs?

• Brees – 3689 Yds, 70.2% Comp, 27 TDs, 11 Ints
• Rodgers – 3475 Yds, 71.8% Comp, 33 TDs, 4 Ints
• Brady – 3627 Yds, 65.8% Comp, 28 TDs, 10 Ints

The level of play we are seeing out of these guys is almost mind boggling, and the way that today’s elite quarterback runs his offense is as beautiful a thing that there is to see in sports.

…

Which brings me to Tim Tebow. Much has been said about Tebow’s 5-1 stretch as the starting quarterback of the Denver Broncos. Some will tell you to ignore his stats because what he does is beyond the box score.

But just for the hell of it, let’s take a look at those numbers anyway.

6 games started, 852 Yds Passing, 455 Yds Rushing, 45.5% Comp, 8 TDs Passing, 3 TDs Rushing, 1 Int, 5 Fumbles

By almost any statistical measure Tim Tebow is a sub par quarterback, but as runningback/quarterback hybrid his results have been intriguing to say the least. Tebow is succeeding in the same way that the Dolphins got success out of running the Wildcat a couple of years ago. The Broncos average a league leading 159.7 Yds/game rushing, they rarely turn the ball over and force teams to play into what has been their strengh lately – their defense.

If you want to lavish praise on somebody for Denver’s recent success it should be rookie linebacker Von Miller, who has 57 tackles,10.5 sacks and two forced fumbles this season, is undoubtedly the defensive rookie of the year and should be in the running for defensive player of the year.

Outside of their week 15 game against the Patriots, the Bronco’s have very winnable match-ups the rest of the season. It’s not that far of a stretch to say that Denver has at least a punchers chance of winning the AFC West and making the playoffs. If you are getting tired of “Tebowmania” you may want to start watching a different sport.

May I suggest the NBA. It starts in 23 days and is pretty great.

Justin’s Picks
STEELERS -6.5 over Bengals
Ravens -6.5 over BROWNS
Lions +9 over SAINTS
Cowboys -4.5 over CARDINALS
Packers -7 over GIANTS

Chad’s Picks
Titans +1.5 over BILLS
BEARS -7 over Chiefs
Cowboys -4.5 over CARDINALS
Panthers +3.5 over BUCCANEERS
Broncos +1.5 over VIKINGS

Last Week
Justin: 3-1-1
Chad: 2-3 (What I was told, and since we are not betting anything this year I’ll allow it.)

Season
Justin: 32-25-3
Chad: 26-30-4

As if I needed another reason for Thanksgiving to be my favorite holiday, just two days after feasting on delicious turkey and falling into a food coma the NBA has tentatively come to an agreement with the NBAPA and it looks as if we may have basketball for Christmas. I’m not sure I can think of anything in the sports realm that I am more thankful for than being able to watch Bulls/Lakers on Christmas Day. The very thought of it is enough to bring a tear to my eye.

In the next couple of weeks you can look forward to an accelerated Free Agency period, the start of camps, and more hoops talk than David Stern can stake a stick at. The season may have been cut to 66 games, but I don’t think too many casual NBA fans are going to complain, and even though losing 16 games still irks me a bit, I’ll certainly take it over the loss of a whole season.

There’s not a lot more to be said about the situation right now. SI.com’s Sam Amick posted some info about the tentative deal earlier tonight. I’ll have more to say about what the deal means for the players and owners when it is final, but it seems at fist glance like the owners made more concessions to the players than most thought the owners were capable of.

Today’s news is great for anyone that has been worrying that they were going to have to watch college hoops all year to try to satiate their need for good basketball. (Shudders) I’ve been in a bit of a sports rut the last couple of weeks, but now everything seems right in the world of sports again.

…now to our regularly scheduled picks.

Justin’s Picks
Texans -3.5 over JAGUARS
Panthers -3 over COLTS
Patriots -3 over EAGLES
CHARGERS -6 over Broncos
BEARS +5 over Raiders

Chad’s Picks
(When I get them)

Last Week
Justin: 2-1-2
Chad: 1-3-1

Season
Justin: 29-24-2
Chad: 24-27-4

Source: SI.com