This is totally ridiculous, and Mike Tomlin should be suspended by the NFL. His argument that he just made a mistake in not getting out of the way of Jacoby Jones until Jones had to adjust his path is not believable. Anything like this that directly impacts the integrity of the game needs to be taken seriously by the NFL. A fine is not enough. Tomlin should be suspended for one game.

As expected, the wheels have fallen off. I’ve gone 2-6 the past two weeks and my once-winning record is now tattered and torn. But f&$k it, let’s make some picks this week anyway.

Falcons (9-2) @ Bucs (7-4), 4:15PM ET
Call it a hunch, a feeling or intuition, but I think the Falcons are due for a letdown. They’ve won five in a row, have covered in three straight games and have not turned the ball over in four straight. Five straight would be a NFL record, so something tells me this house of cards comes down on Sunday in Tampa. That’s not to say that I’m not a believer in the Falcons because I am. But I can see it now: On Monday, everyone will be talking about how the Saints are the “forgotten team” in the NFL. If they win in Cincinnati on Sunday and Atlanta loses in Tampa, the Saints and Falcons would have the same record. The media is dying for a here-comes-the-Saints frenzy and I think they’re about to get it. The Bucs have yet to beat a team with a winning record this year, but they’ve always given the Falcons trouble. I smell an upset.
THE PICK: BUCS +2

Saints (8-3) @ Bengals (2-9), 1:00PM ET
As previously mentioned (if you had bothered to read my write up on the Falcons-Bucs, that is), everyone is ready and waiting to jump back onto the Saints’ bandwagon. The Saints have been lying in the weeds for most of the season and now their crap schedule (the Bucs and Steelers with winning records that the Saints have beaten this year) has allowed them to stay right up the Falcons’ butts in the NFC South. And once they wax the floor with the inconsistent Bengals on Sunday and the Bucs spring an upset over the Falcons in Tampa, New Orleans and Atlanta will be tied at 9-3 heading down the stretch. Oh yes, I can see it all now.
THE PICK: SAINTS –6.5

Redskins (5-6) @ Giants (7-4), 1:00PM ET
Everyone has been ready and willing to write the Redskins off and at 5-6, maybe we can. But when nobody expected the Skins to beat Dallas in the opener, they did. When nobody expected them to take down the Eagles in Philadelphia, they did (albeit without Michael Vick playing most of the game). When nobody expected them to go on the road and beat the Packers and Bears, they did. So now that nobody expects them to pull off an upset in New York this Sunday, will they surprise us again? Donovan McNabb has had the G-Men’s number over the years and even if Washington doesn’t win outright, I’m willing to bet the Skins keep it close.
THE PICK: REDSKINS +7

Steelers (8-3) @ Ravens (8-3), 8:20PM ET
This one is set up too nicely for the Ravens. Big Ben is hobbling around with a bad foot/ankle, the Ravens are at home and they’ve already beaten the Steelers once this year (in Pittsburgh, no less). But Roethlisberger (much like McNabb when it comes to playing the Giants) has had Baltimore’s number over the years. In games that he starts against the Ravens, he’s 7-2 in his career. When he doesn’t start due to injuries or him being suspended for being a perv, the Ravens are 4-0. There’s just something about the Steelers getting points that makes me feel all warm and secure inside.
THE PICK: STEELERS +3

Season Record: 21-22-1

“This series is brought to you by T.G.I. Friday’s, where every Sunday means Food, Fun & Football! Hut, hut, hut!”

The Scores Report has teamed up with T.G.I Friday’s to promote the action in Week 13 of the NFL. Here’s a look at Sunday’s top games.

The Top-5 Games of Week 13:

1. Jets (9-2) @ Patriots (9-2), 8:30PM ET, Monday
Besides Panthers-Seahawks on a Sunday evening, does it get any better than Jets-Patriots on Monday Night Football? Rex Ryan vs. Bill Belichick. Tom Brady vs. Darrelle Revis. Mark Sanchez vs. Mark Sanchez. It’s outstanding football! The winner of this game will own sole possession of first place in the AFC East and if the Jets win, they’ll essentially have a two-game lead over New England by virtue of a tiebreaker (they would have won both games in the series this year). If last year is any indication, the Patriots could roll on Monday night. They lost to the Jets earlier in the season (Week 2 in fact, the same week they lost to gang green this year) and then stomped them 31-14 in Foxboro later in the year. Can Ryan figure out a way to beat Belichick on his home turf?

2. Steelers (8-3) @ Ravens (8-3), 8:20PM ET, Sunday
The two primetime games are outstanding this week. Just like in the Jets-Pats matchup, the winner of this game will have sole possession of first place in the division. And just like the Jets, if the Ravens win they’ll have a two-game lead over the Steelers because they would have beaten Pittsburgh twice this season. Of course, that win came during Ben Roethlisberger’s suspension and even though he suffered an ankle injury last Sunday in a win over the Bills, Baltimore has had issues with Big Ben in the past. Roethlisberger has missed four games against the Ravens due to injury or suspension since entering the league, and the Steelers have lost all four games. But when he starts, they’re 7-2 against Baltimore. Can the Ravens get the best of Big Ben this year?

3. Falcons (9-2) @ Bucs (7-4), 4:15PM ET, Sunday
The Bucs have earned respect around the league for hanging with teams like the Falcons and Ravens over the past month. But if they truly consider themselves a playoff contender, then they need to do more than just gain teams’ respect. They’re lacking that signature win this year – one in which they beat a playoff contender (or at least beat a team with a winning record). Their seven wins have come against the Bengals, Rams, Cardinals, Panthers and 49ers. Not exactly a murderous row of opponents. But they have an opportunity this Sunday to beat a team that has struggled against them in the past. The Falcons own the top record in the NFC but Tampa Bay has always proven to be a difficult place for them to win, which dates back to the Michael Vick era. Win, and the Bucs will keep their playoff hopes very much alive. Lose, and maybe reality will start to set in for this team that they’re still a year away from competing for the postseason.

4. Redskins (5-6) @ Giants (7-4), 1:00PM ET, Sunday
The pressure is on the Giants after the Eagles beat the Texans on Thursday night. If New York loses this weekend, then it’ll be a full game behind Philadelphia in the NFC East and the Eagles already own the tiebreaker between the two teams (although they do play again in three weeks). This is a game that the Giants should win, but they’ve had issues with Donovan McNabb-led teams in the past. When McNabb was with the Eagles, he beat the Giants 11 out of 18 times, including once in the playoffs. That doesn’t mean his success will carry over now that he’s with the Redskins, but the Giants are well aware of what he’s done to them in the past. New York has been a careless team for most of the season and now would be a great time to start protecting the football more. They’re averaging –0.6 turnovers per game, which ranks them 26th in the league. If Tom Coughlin’s team can’t figure out a way to stop turning the ball over, then they may cough up an opportunity to go to the playoffs.

5. Cowboys (3-8) @ Colts (6-5), 4:15PM ET, Sunday
Everyone wants to know what’s wrong with Peyton Manning. Is his poor play of late a direct result of the injuries that the Colts have or are his skills as a passer declining? He still owns a 90.8 QB rating this season, but he’s thrown seven interceptions the past two games. Granted, those numbers are a little misleading. In the Colts’ loss to the Chargers last Sunday night, Eric Weddle should have been flagged for pass interference on one interception and another pick came at the tail end of the game when Manning was just trying to make a play by heaving one to the end zone. Still, even if you subtract those two interceptions he would still have five INTs in two games. That’s a very Brett Favre-like ratio. On the other side, the Cowboys are playing remarkably better under Jason Garrett than Wade Phillips. This isn’t the same team that was blown out by the Packers on Sunday Night Football a couple weeks back, even though Tony Romo is still nursing a shoulder injury. This is a game Manning and the Colts need to win so they can avoid dropping to 6-6 on the year. (Can you imagine the Colts at .500 this late in the season? Yeesh.)

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Jets (9-2) @ Patriots (9-2), 8:30PM ET, Monday
After that 49ers-Cardinals debacle last Monday night, ESPN owes fans one. Fortunately for them, we get to cash that favor this week with a battle of two 9-2 AFC East teams fighting for the top seed in the playoffs. Round 1 went to the Jets back in Week 2 and if they can beat the Bill Belichick’s again this Monday, they’ll essentially be up two full games over their division rivals. Tom Brady completed 20-of-36 passes for 248 yards and two touchdowns against Rex Ryan’s defense earlier this season, but he also threw two costly interceptions. Can he get the best of gang green this time around?
CURRENT ODDS: PATRIOTS –3.5

Steelers (8-3) @ Ravens (8-3), 8:20PM ET
The Sunday Night Football game hits another home run this week. The Ravens own a tiebreaker over the Steelers by virtue of their win earlier this season in Pittsburgh, but that victory came during Ben Roethlisberger’s suspension. Big Ben was in a walking boot after the Steelers’ win in Buffalo on Sunday and could be limited in practice throughout the week. He says he’ll play, but if he’s immobile then the Ravens’ aggressive front seven could have a field day. Pittsburgh better hope its banged up offensive line is up for the challenge this week. This should be a knock-‘em-down, drag-‘em-out kind of a fight between two heavy-hitters in the AFC North.
CURRENT ODDS: RAVENS –3

Falcons (9-2) @ Bucs (7-4), 4:15PM ET
Do the Falcons ever catch a break? After facing the Bucs, Ravens, Rams (on the road) and Packers in consecutive weeks, Atlanta will once again face a playoff contender when it travels to Tampa this Sunday. The good news is that the Falcons face the Panthers twice in their last five games. The bad news is that the Saints and Bucs are breathing down their necks in the NFC South, so they can’t afford to take a week off. Both of their losses came on the road this year and the Bucs played them tough in the Georgia Dome a month ago. Bettors, be weary of a trap.
CURRENT ODDS: FALCONS –2

Cowboys (3-8) @ Cowboys (6-5), 4:15PM ET
Given what has transpired over the past couple of weeks, this game is incredibly intriguing. Thanks to interim coach Jason Garrett, the Cowboys are playing with a renewed sense of confidence and could have beaten the Saints last week had Roy Williams not fumbled in the closing minutes, which set New Orleans up for its game-winning touchdown drive. On the other side, the Colts have looked overmatched the last two weeks and are now on the verge of dropping to .500 on the year. Peyton Manning looked horrid last Sunday night against the Chargers and while Dallas’ defense can be had, the ‘Boys are playing much better on that side of the ball these days. If Peyton Manning puts together his third straight poor performance, there will be no doubt that someone in the media will start to question if age is starting to catch up to him.
CURRENT ODDS: COLTS -5

2010 NFL Week 13 Odds & Over/Under Totals

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