Before we begin, get those dirty thoughts out of your head! This has nothing to do with any of my lower extremities!

I've decided to pick the games against the point spreads this season. But don't ridicule me too much, because these are wild guesses more than anything else. I have no detailed knowledge of the teams' roster moves, injury reports, etc. (which hopefully will mean that as more games are actually played I might get better at it). So even more so than Letterman's Stupid Pet/Human Tricks, these are offered "for amusement only--please, no wagering!"

The point spreads below are the current odds from USA Today's website. Home teams are in capital letters.

My picks for Week 1:

San Francisco -3 1/2 over N.Y. GIANTS
Philadelphia +1 over TENNESSEE
N.Y. Jets -3 over BUFFALO
Arizona +7 over WASHINGTON
Baltimore -2 over CAROLINA
Minnesota +4 1/2 over CHICAGO
CINCINNATI -2 over San Diego
CLEVELAND -3 over Kansas City
Atlanta +7 over GREEN BAY
Indianapolis -3 1/2 over JACKSONVILLE
MIAMI -8 over Detroit
St. Louis -3 over DENVER
Seattle +7 over OAKLAND
TAMPA BAY -5 1/2 over New Orleans
HOUSTON +8 over Dallas
NEW ENGLAND +2 1/2 over Pittsburgh

It seems that I had a 6-10 record against the point spread. Would it be unethical of me to go back and edit that post to change my picks and give me more winners?

[quote]Originally posted by Joe in Philly:
It seems that I had a 6-10 record against the point spread. Would it be unethical of me to go back and edit that post to change my picks and give me more winners?

---

I guess when you spread 'em, expect to get screwed.

But I spread 'em every night at the corner of 13th and Spruce and I still don't....never mind.

Anyway, I'm back to try again. The point spreads below are the current odds from USA Today's website. Home teams are in capital letters.

Miami +2 1/2 over INDIANAPOLIS
Jacksonville +4 over KANSAS CITY
Green Bay -2 over NEW ORLEANS
New England +1 1/2 over N.Y. JETS
ATLANTA -3 over Chicago
BALTIMORE +3 1/2 over Tampa Bay
Detroit +3 over CAROLINA
Cincinnati +4 over CLEVELAND
Tennessee -3 over DALLAS
ST. LOUIS -12 1/2 over N.Y. Giants
Arizona +3 1/2 over SEATTLE
MINNESOTA -5 over Buffalo
SAN FRANCISCO -3 1/2 over Denver
SAN DIEGO -12 1/2 over Houston
Oakland +4 over PITTSBURGH
Philadelphia -3 over WASHINGTON

Well, I've already shown improvement! From 6-10 last week to 7-9 this week. So for the season I am 13-19, .406.

Interestingly, I am 4-0 in Sunday night and Monday night games. Hmmmmmmmm. Maybe, as Dick Vitale would so elegantly state, I'm a PTP'er, baby!!!

Each Friday in the Phila. Daily News they have 7 writers pick all the NFL games against the spread. They don't put it online but since I'm home this weekend I got to see their records to date. The best record is 16-16. My record doesn't look so bad now, eh?

Week 3 picks (same as always, point spreads are the current odds from USA Today's website and home teams in capital letters):

MIAMI -6 over N.Y. Jets
Cleveland +4 over TENNESSEE
CHICAGO -1 over New Orleans
PHILADELPHIA -9 over Dallas
Indianapolis -11 over HOUSTON
NEW ENGLAND -9 over Kansas City
Carolina +6 over MINNESOTA
Seattle +6 over NY GIANTS
ARIZONA +1 1/2 over San Diego
Green Bay -8 over DETROIT
SAN FRANCISCO -9 over Washington
Buffalo +9 over DENVER
ATLANTA -7 over Cincinnati
St. Louis -2 over TAMPA BAY

[quote]Originally posted by Joe in Philly:

Seattle +6 over NY GIANTS

---

sorry Joe but miss Cleo told me "honey now you better take the Giants -6 over the seagulls, that Shawn Alexander aint no good no more, I laugh at people who drafted him #1 in fantasy leagues, LOL, and what a joke of a defense, the doors open run right through it:
Garner 15 for 127 8.5 Avg.
Wheatley 18 for 65
Thomas Jones 24 for 173 7.2 Avg.
Look for Tiki Barber to have a career day, and the NFC's top rated passing offense of the Giants should also have a great day with the seagulls, Ike Hilliard will catch 3 td's and even if Collins throws an interception dont worry, He can run down Springs in a sprint and toss him out of bounds just like Gannon did, so honey I see the Giants winning 38-19, and dont worry your man misses you a lot"

Even with their win over the Rams, I don't have the feeling that the Giants are that great of a team. Call it a hunch (as they all are, pretty much) but I can see a letdown happening.

[quote]Originally posted by gp43:


sorry Joe but miss Cleo told me "honey now you better take the Giants -6 over the seagulls,

---

More proof Miss Cleo is a fraud!

Damnit it took her 30 minutes to tell me that at $3.99 per minute

See? You should have called 1-900-JOE-SPREADS! I charge a lot less...

I had a 9-5 record in week 3, and in 3 of the games I lost the teams gave up late scores to either lose or make it close. That's right, I'm talking to you, Bears and Patriots and Packers!

Season total: 22-24, .478

My week 4 selections.....

Miami -3 over KANSAS CITY
Chicago +3 over BUFFALO
DETROIT +7 1/2 over New Orleans
GREEN BAY -7 over Carolina
N.Y. Jets + 3 1/2 over JACKSONVILLE
PHILADELPHIA -20 (20!!! ) over Houston
Cleveland +6 over PITTSBURGH
ST. LOUIS -12 over Dallas
N.Y. GIANTS -3 over Arizona
Tampa Bay -7 over CINCINNATI
Tennessee +7 over OAKLAND
New England -3 over SAN DIEGO
Minnesota +3 over SEATTLE
Denver -7 over BALTIMORE

joe, i made 5 grand last week picking the 'pick 12' on the spread.

not to sound a genious but i can only see 4 of your picks coming true.

please don't spend a lot of cash, bud

Dude - You haven't picked the Saints yet. Are you high or just plain atheistic?

In a duplicate thread, jeremyshokey posted:

by having this sports site, you guys have broken some misconceptions and myths about gays.

oh yeah, my week 4 picks.
watch for a tom brady concussion. SD beats fluke and lucky NE (-4) by 10.
also KC beats mia (-3) by a touchdown.
add in a saint riot of the lions and we have a perfect pick 3 for those of you guys wagering the spread.

god bless

[quote]Originally posted by mlh29:
Dude - You haven't picked the Saints yet. Are you high or just plain atheistic?

---

I'm just not that impressed yet that they're really a great team. I gave them serious consideration this week, though. And even though they're playing the Lions, I just couldn't go with the Saints this week.

What was that question about the Saints again?

[quote]Originally posted by jeremyshokey:
i can only see 4 of your picks coming true.

---

Bah, straight person who may not be reading this board any longer! I repeat: Bah! You were wrong!

Only three of them came true!

*heavy sigh* 3-11.....ouch!

Season total: 25-35, .417

I have to hand it to you re: Saints/Lions. One out of 4 (Saints' games) ain't bad.

Yes...well...I'm actually picking the Saints this week!

New England +3 over MIAMI
NEW ORLEANS -3 over Pittsburgh
Washington +5 1/2 over TENNESSEE
Tampa Bay -1 1/2 over ATLANTA
Oakland -3 over BUFFALO
CAROLINA -3 1/2 over Arizona
N.Y. Giants (Even) over DALLAS
INDIANAPOLIS -13 1/2 over Cincinnati
Kansas City -3 over N.Y. JETS
San Diego +4 1/2 over DENVER
St. Louis +7 over SAN FRANCISCO
JACKSONVILLE +3 over Philadelphia
Baltimore +7 over CLEVELAND
Green Bay + 1 1/2 over CHICAGO

Actually - This is the first week that I wouldn't pick the Saints. I'll be rooting for them, but injuries to Donte Stallworth and Joe Horn make the offense fairly one dimensional this week. Good luck anyway.

Well, the Saints did win, but only by 3. Thus, I finished with an 8-5-1 record for Week 5...much better than (ugh) last week. Take away last week and I'd have a winning record for the season! Oh, well...

Season total 33-40-1, .453

Okay, here are my Week 6 picks. Note: the odds used at USA Today's website don't include any spread for the Giants-Falcons. I picked up yesterday's Phila. Daily News when I got off the train and they do have a spread listed for the game. Also, while there's a half-point difference here or there, in the paper it says the 49ers are 7-point favorites while the USA Today site says it's only a 3-point game. And that seems wrong to me. So I'm using the point spreads listed in the paper.

New Orleans -1 over WASHINGTON
Pittsburgh -6 1/2 over CINCINNATI
DALLAS -2 over Carolina
HOUSTON +7 1/2 over Buffalo
INDIANAPOLIS -6 1/2 over Baltimore
Detroit +4 1/2 over MINNESOTA
Green Bay +4 1/2 over NEW ENGLAND
NY GIANTS -5 over Atlanta
Jacksonville -2 over TENNESSEE
TAMPA BAY -7 over Cleveland
Oakland -7 over ST. LOUIS
Kansas City +3 over SAN DIEGO
DENVER -3 1/2 over Miami
San Francisco -7 over SEATTLE

Week 6: 6-7-1
Season total: 39-47-2, .455

Back to try again with Week 7 selections......

KANSAS CITY +3 over Denver
Buffalo +4 over MIAMI
San Francisco +2 1/2 over NEW ORLEANS
N.Y. JETS –3 over Minnesota
PHILADELPHIA –3 1/2 over Tampa Bay
ST. LOUIS –5 over Seattle
ATLANTA –5 1/2 over Carolina
BALTIMORE –1 over Jacksonville
DETROIT +3 over Chicago
San Diego +7 over OAKLAND
Houston +8 1/2 over CLEVELAND
GREEN BAY –7 over Washington
ARIZONA –3 1/2 over Dallas
Indianapolis +4 1/2 over PITTSBURGH

[quote]Originally posted by Joe in Philly:
But I spread 'em every night at the corner of 13th and Spruce and I still don't....never mind.

---

I THOUGHT that was you!

Try 12th and Spruce. There's even a convenient pay phone, though it shuts down after 10pm; or 13th between Chestnut and Sansom. I think the action got "Bumped" past Locust by that new bar - famous for the two-dollar-martini happyhour.

Don't ask how I know...my sources must be protected.

Okay, so here's why I didn't end up 14-0 this week: I had KC +3...but they blew a lead and lost by 3 in OT. I had the Niners +2 1/2 but they blew a lead, and declined the penalty that would have nullified the Saints' late TD and kept it a one-point game. Sheesh! I had the Texans +8 1/2 and they were close until almost the end of the game. I had the Cards -3 1/2 but they only won by 3 thanks to all those missed field goals prior to overtime. And the Colts....well, the Colts and Buccanneers ought to be matched up in the Teams-That-Think-They're-Great-But-End-Up-A-Flop Bowl (aka the Dungy Bowl?)

Week 7: 9-4-1
Season total: 48-51-3, .485

Week 8.....and another good week would put me over .500, so keep your fingers crossed!

Oakland –2 1/2 over KANSAS CITY
Chicago –1 1/2 over MINNESOTA
Atlanta +4 over NEW ORLEANS
N.Y. JETS –3 over Cleveland
Pittsburgh –2 over BALTIMORE
Detroit +7 over BUFFALO
Tampa Bay –7 over CAROLINA
Tennessee –5 1/2 over CINCINNATI
DALLAS –2 1/2 over Seattle
Arizona +8 over SAN FRANCISCO
NEW ENGLAND –3 over Denver
JACKSONVILLE –11 over Houston
Indianapolis (Even) over WASHINGTON
PHILADELPHIA -7 over N.Y. Giants

[quote]Originally posted by Joe in Philly:
Week 8.....and another good week would put me over .500,

---

Wow....4-9-1....way to jinx myself!

Season total: 52-60-4, .466

On to Week 9......

BUFFALO –2 over New England
TAMPA BAY –7 over Minnesota
Baltimore +7 1/2 over ATLANTA
Philadelphia –6 1/2 over CHICAGO
Pittsburgh –3 over CLEVELAND
Dallas +3 over DETROIT
Cincinnati +3 over HOUSTON
INDIANAPOLIS –3 over Tennessee
SAN DIEGO –7 1/2 over N.Y. Jets
OAKLAND –3 over San Francisco
St. Louis –3 over ARIZONA
Washington +2 1/2 over SEATTLE
Jacksonville +3 over N.Y. GIANTS
Miami + 3 1/2 over GREEN BAY


½

Week 9: 6-7-1
Season total: 58-67-5 .465

And I have to make the Weed 10 picks early since I'll likely be away from my computer...maybe it will help?

[ November 12, 2002: Message edited by: Joe in Philly ]

Week 10 Picks:

PHILADELPHIA -9½ over Indianapolis
Cincinnati +5½ over BALTIMORE
GREEN BAY -10 over Detroit
N.Y. Giants -1 over MINNESOTA
Atlanta +5½ over PITTSBURGH
ST. LOUIS -6 over San Diego
Houston +9½ over TENNESSEE
New Orleans -4½ over CAROLINA
JACKSONVILLE -2 over Washington
ARIZONA -3½ over Seattle
New England -3½ over CHICAGO
SAN FRANCISCO -6½ over Kansas City
N.Y. JETS -2½ over Miami
Oakland +5½ over DENVER

A little better, at least...
Week 10: 8-6
Season total: 66-73-5, .476

Week 11:

Green Bay –6½ over MINNESOTA
New Orleans +3 over ATLANTA
Cleveland –3½ over CINCINNATI
INDIANAPOLIS –7 over Dallas
Buffalo +3½ over KANSAS CITY
Baltimore +4½ over MIAMI
Washington +3½ over N.Y. GIANTS
PHILADELPHIA –11 over Arizona
Pittsburgh –3 over TENNESSEE
SAN DIEGO +2½ over San Francisco
TAMPA BAY –8½ over Carolina
Denver –5 over SEATTLE
DETROIT +3 over N.Y. Jets
HOUSTON +6 over Jacksonville
New England +3½ over OAKLAND
ST. LOUIS -10 over Chicago

At the risk of jinxing myself again, I'd like to point out that I now have two consecutive winning weeks. Can a .500 record be far behind?

Week 11: 9-7
Season total: 75-80-5, .484

Week 12 picks:

Detroit + 5 ½ over CHICAGO
St. Louis – 4 ½ over WASHINGTON
Buffalo + 3 over N.Y. JETS
MIAMI – 3 over San Diego
NEW ENGLAND –7 ½ over Minnesota
Atlanta – 3 ½ over CAROLINA
Jacksonville – 2 ½ over DALLAS
Cincinnati + 11 over PITTSBURGH
NEW ORLEANS – 6 over Cleveland
Tennessee – 1 ½ over BALTIMORE
Oakland – 8 over ARIZONA
Kansas City – 3 ½ over SEATTLE
N.Y. Giants – 5 ½ HOUSTON
Green Bay + 3 over TAMPA BAY
Indianapolis + 6 over DENVER
Philadelphia + 7 over SAN FRANCISCO

Week 12: 7-9
Season total: 82-89-5, .480

My picks for Thursday only...the rest will come later...

New England -5½ over DETROIT
DALLAS +1½ over Washington

Here are the rest of my Week 13 picks:

Miami -2½ over BUFFALO
GREEN BAY -9½ over Chicago
Baltimore -3 over CINCINNATI
Carolina +7½ over CLEVELAND
Pittsburgh -3 over JACKSONVILLE
Arizona +9½ over KANSAS CITY
Atlanta -3½ over MINNESOTA
N.Y. GIANTS -2½ over Tennessee
Denver -3 over SAN DIEGO
INDIANAPOLIS -11 over Houston
PHILADELPHIA +2½ over St. Louis
SAN FRANCISCO -9 over Seattle
Tampa Bay (even) over NEW ORLEANS
OAKLAND -6 over N.Y. Jets

Week 13: 8-7-1
Season total: 90-96-6, .484

Week 14 picks:

Indianapolis +2 over TENNESSEE
KANSAS CITY – 4½ over St. Louis
NEW ENGLAND –4 over Buffalo
San Francisco –4½ over DALLAS
PITTSBURGH –13½ over Houston
WASHINGTON –3 over N.Y. Giants
CAROLINA –3 over Cincinnati
JACKSONVILLE –2 over Cleveland
New Orleans –2½ over BALTIMORE
Detroit +1 over ARIZONA
Philadelphia –3 over SEATTLE
SAN DIEGO +3 over Oakland
Denver –1 over N.Y. JETS
GREEN BAY –9½ over Minnesota
Atlanta +4 over TAMPA BAY
MIAMI –9 over Chicago

Isn't this season over yet?

Week 14: 6-10
Season total: 96-106-6, .476

Week 15 picks:

MIAMI -1½ over Oakland
ATLANTA -10 over Seattle
BUFFALO -3 over San Diego
N.Y. Jets -6½ over CHICAGO
CINCINNATI +3 over Jacksonville
Indianapolis -2 over CLEVELAND
Tampa Bay -8½ over DETROIT
Baltimore -3 over HOUSTON
NEW ORLEANS -7 over Minnesota
PHILADELPHIA -7½ Washington
Carolina +8½ over PITTSBURGH
Kansas City +3½ over DENVER
Green Bay +3 over SAN FRANCISCO
Dallas +5 over N.Y. GIANTS
Arizona +11 over ST. LOUIS
TENNESSEE -2½ over New England

Week 15: 8-8
Season total: 104-114-6, .478

Here's a fun project for anyone with free time... look over my picks for the year and see which teams I picked most often, and which ones I went against most often, and see how those teams performed. (I picked the Eagles every week, that much I already know.)

Week 16 picks:

MINNESOTA +3 over MIAMI
San Francisco -4 over ARIZONA
Philadelphia -6½ over DALLAS
GREEN BAY -6½ over Buffalo
Detroit +10½ over ATLANTA
CAROLINA -3 over Chicago
New Orleans -7 over CINCINNATI
INDIANAPOLIS -5 over N.Y. Giants
Tennessee -3 over JACKSONVILLE
San Diego +3½ over KANSAS CITY
Houston +6½ over WASHINGTON
SEATTLE -1 over St. Louis
OAKLAND -3½ over Denver
BALTIMORE -2½ over Cleveland
NEW ENGLAND -3½ over N.Y. Jets
TAMPA BAY -4½ over Pittsburgh

Week 16: 8-8
Season total: 112-122-6, .479

My picks for Saturday's games:

Philadelphia -2 over N.Y. GIANTS
OAKLAND -7 over Kansas City

(Edited to change selection to Raiders instead of Chiefs)

[ December 27, 2002: Message edited by: Joe in Philly ]

And the rest of the week 17 picks...

Miami (even) over NEW ENGLAND
Dallas +6½ over WASHINGTON
Cincinnati +7½ over BUFFALO
Atlanta -3 over CLEVELAND
Minnesota -3 over DETROIT
Tennessee -8½ over HOUSTON
Carolina +7 over NEW ORLEANS
Baltimore+7½ over PITTSBURGH
INDIANAPOLIS -7½ over Jacksonville
N.Y. JETS -1½ over Green Bay
DENVER -11 over Arizona
Seattle +3 over SAN DIEGO
CHICAGO +7 over Tampa Bay
San Francisco +2 over ST. LOUIS

Week 17: 8-8
Final regular season total: 120-130-6, .480

On to the playoffs.