Dark-day 'dogs (Jack Bog's Blog)

When the pro football season rolls into December, things start to get pretty serious. And so it is with our charity pro football underdog pool, where we have several players vying for top honors. But there are still weeks to go, as we play all the way through the playoffs.

Here are this week's entries. Which of these underdogs (in caps) can win its game outright, without benefit of the point spread?

13 DETROIT at Cincinnati
13 CLEVELAND vs. San Diego
11.5 OAKLAND at Pittsburgh
9.5 WASHINGTON vs. New Orleans
9 ST. LOUIS at Chicago
7 TENNESSEE at Indianapolis
6.5 TAMPA BAY at Carolina
5.5 ATLANTA vs. Philadelphia
5 MIAMI vs. New England
5 KANSAS CITY vs. Denver
3 BUFFALO vs. NY Jets (Thursday, 5:20 p.m. PST)
3 BALTIMORE at Green Bay
2.5 NY GIANTS vs. Dallas
2 ARIZONA vs. Minnesota

Houston at Jacksonville and San Francisco at Seattle are both "pick 'ems," and so by rule they are off the table for us.

Players, let's have your picks. Kibitzers, let's have your advice. If you want Buffalo, I'll need you to declare that by the Thursday time noted next to that game. For all the others, the deadline is 11:59 p.m. Saturday. The current standings of our players are here. Good luck, everybody.

Comments (15)

How does Oakland have less chance of beating Pittsburgh than Washington has of beating New Orleans?
Oakland's beaten the Eagles(sob!) and the Bengals. Nobody's beaten the Saints and Drew had 5 touchdowns against the Pats in only 23 throws. 371 yards in only 17 completions. That's ridiculous. Over 21 yards a catch.

Posted by Bill McDonald | December 2, 2009 12:01 AM

The Oakland game's pretty uncertain at this point. Most bookies are not yet quoting a money line on that one.

My sources currently give Washington an 18.6% chance of beating New Orleans. But having bet on them twice this year, I wouldn't go there again. Last week they had a solid defense... for three quarters.

Posted by Jack Bog | December 2, 2009 12:10 AM

Man, I'm getting rattled I'm so bad at this, so for every reason I can find for a pick, I'm imagining lots of reasons against.

Baltimore might edge Green Bay. Best I can do. That's the pick.

I was tempted by KC to punch way over weight class and bring down an inconsistent Denver but it seems like there are fewer and fewer of those level surprises every week -- or is that just my skewed perception?

Posted by George Anonymuncule Seldes | December 2, 2009 12:21 AM

Two weeks ago, Kansas City beat Pittsburgh and Oakland beat Cincinnati. Tampa Bay over Green Bay a month ago, Carolina over Arizona -- these things happen. Hang in there.

Posted by Jack Bog | December 2, 2009 12:34 AM

I'm counting on the Ravens to make amends to me this week for intercepting Dixon last week in OT, so gimme Baltimore over Green Bay.

Posted by Hank Stern | December 2, 2009 6:09 AM

I'm going with the RED HOT TENNESSEE TITANS over Indy. Which is a ridiculous sentence to write about a 5-6 team I suppose.

Consider it picked, Jack.

Posted by Flynn | December 2, 2009 8:56 AM

Pittsburgh is going to unleash hell and run all over one of the worst run defenses in the NFL. Plus, the Raiders are a traditional old rival that's bitten them as a weak opponent in the recent past (Cowher was coach), and LA Raiders fans Humphrey-ized a Steeler fan one day in the stands at LA Coliseum and left the young man a paraplegic, which the Steelers organization remembers to this day.

The Titans and Ravens could well prevail, but a better pick, I think, is TB over the Carolina Kittycats, who are disintegrating weekly and becoming paranoid, beat-up (Delhomme broken finger on throwing hand, etc.), and depressed, while the Bucs are having more fun on Sundays now and with "a renewed defense" came within seconds of winning another one against a favorite last week. Antonio Bryant should have a great day vs. CAR, too. NE will be expected to eat MIA alive after being embarrassed by NO on MNF, but it sure would be great to see them go down again. Miami just doesn't have the passing offense to do the trick, alas -- but, it's a weird-shaped ball that does bounce funny....

Posted by Mojo | December 2, 2009 11:00 AM

I can't imagine many people around here watching the NFL game Thursday night.
Go Ducks!

Posted by Bad Brad | December 2, 2009 11:04 AM

I'll take Tampa Bay to beat the Panthers.

Posted by Gary K | December 2, 2009 11:32 AM

Damn those Colts. Thought I had actually made a smart play last week picking the Texans.... sigh.

For this week, I like Tampa Bay over Carolina. The Panthers did not look good against the Jets on Sunday.

Posted by jmh | December 2, 2009 12:10 PM

genop's mom will take the Bills over Jets Thurs. night and watch during commercial breaks in the Un-civil war.

Posted by genop | December 2, 2009 12:45 PM

I am taking WASHINGTON. Perfect season here I come!

Posted by Sid | December 2, 2009 4:01 PM

I'll take Atlanta.

Posted by annie | December 3, 2009 6:48 AM

If I didn't love them, I would pick St. Louis to upset my Bears.

Posted by Kevin | December 3, 2009 4:16 PM

One of my favorite quotes was by John McKay, who was asked about the execution of his team and said that he was in favor of it. That was, I believe, during a winless season. They're almost as bad this year, but put me down for Tampa Bay this week anyway. Rick

Posted by Rick | December 4, 2009 10:36 PM

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Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Dark-day 'dogs

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