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NFL Week 16 Christmas Lineman picks

By Steve Keating

Well, after two weeks of 4-2 the Lineman is still searching for that perfect Christmas gift and hopes he has found it with this six-pack of holiday picks.

Keeping in the spirit of the holiday season, the Lineman offers you all the best and may all your picks be winners HO HO HO.

Record: 47-43. Last week 4-2; Pick of the Week: 13-2

PICK OF THE WEEK

Denver Broncos (8-6) at Buffalo Bills (5-9) (Line Broncos minus-2.5)

You do not need to be one of the Three Wise Men to know this has the look of a Christmas Special.

The Lineman: Week Two NFL picks

The Lineman got the season off to a Tom Brady like start going 5-1 but still room to improve so here’s the Six Pack for Week 2.

Record: 5-1. Last week 0-0; Pick of the Week: 1-0

PICK OF THE WEEK Houston Texans (1-0) at Miami Dolphins (0-1) (Line Texans minus-2.5)

The Texans beat the Manning-less Colts like a rented mule in their opener while the Dolphins were filleted by Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in the Monday nighter.

Brady shredded a Miami pass defence for over 500 yards and even though the Texans do not have the same offensive weapons as the Pats I expect to see Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson to put up big numbers.

More bad news for Miami, the Texans are likely to have Arian Foster back in the lineup after last season’s rushing leader missed the season opener with a tweaked hamstring.

Dolphins quarterback, Chad “I get no respect” Henne put in a gutsy effort against New England and wide out Brandon Marshall was a monster and that combo could give Texan cornerbacks nightmares.

The Lineman’s NFL picks — Still backing the Pack

That was another great football weekend made all the more exciting for the Lineman by going a very respectable 3-1. Only two games this week and both look like crackers. Enjoy.

Playoffs: 5-3. Pick of the Week 1-1.

Last week: 3-1

Regular Season Record: 53-49

PICK OF THE WEEK:

Green Bay Packers (12-6) at Chicago Bears (12-5) (Line Packers minus-3.5): I backed the Pack to get to the Super Bowl when the season started and there is no reason to slip off the Green Bay bandwagon now.

The Bears and Packers have clashed 181 times since 1921 but number 182 promises something special as the NFL’s two most storied franchises renew a rivalry that is as old as the league itself.

The Lineman’s NFL picks — classics on the cards

The Lineman is only sure of one thing this weekend and that is that football fans are in for a real treat with all four games shaping up as potential classics.

It was a rough ride for home teams last weekend with only the Seattle Seahawks surviving and who says you need an elite quarterback to win in the playoffs.

Saints Drew Brees and Colts Peyton Manning will watch this weekend’s action from the couch while Jets’Mark Sanchez and Seahawks Matt Hasselbeck moved on.

Yes indeed, shaping up as another wild and wonderful weekend in the NFL.

Playoffs: 2-2. Pick of the Week 0-1.

Regular Season Record: 53-49

PICK OF THE WEEK:

The Lineman’s NFL playoff picks — Saints march on

Well, the Lineman sneaks into the playoffs with a solid but unspectacular finish to the regular season. OK, so we were not the New England Patriots of predictions but neither were we the Seattle Seahawks.

But this is the start of the real season, when things really count. Super Bowl here we come.

Regular Season Record: 53-49

Last week: 4-2. Pick of the Week: 9-8

PICK OF THE WEEK:

New Orleans Saints (11-5) at Seattle Seahawks (7-9) (Line Saints minus-10.5): Picking this one was the Big Easy. The defending Super Bowl champs roll into Seattle to face the first ever NFL team with a losing record to qualify for the post-season.

Qwest Field can be a hostile place for visitors and the Seahawks received a bit of good news on Thursday learning that banged up QB Matt Hasselbeck is fit enough to get the start.

The Lineman’s NFL picks

Big shout out to all those who came through with Christmas gift picks last week, especially the G-Man, Fine Tooner and the Bark with big wins.

But here we are in the final week of the season and the Lineman is going it alone.

At this time of year the Lineman leans towards teams that are still playing for something but then again as the Philadelphia Eagles demonstrated going down to the Vikings on Tuesday, there are no sure things this wacky NFL season.

Record: 49-47. Last week: 3-3. Pick of the Week: 8-8.

PICK OF THE WEEK:

Pittsburgh Steelers (11-4) at Cleveland Browns (5-10) (Line Steelers minus-5.5): The Steelers are playing for a first round bye, the AFC North crown and the second seed, which would guarantee them a second round home playoff date.

The Browns are playing to save coach Eric Mangini’s job. Ummmm, it seems the Steelers have a little more incentive this week.

Bengals can be Christmas Grinch says Lineman

Tis the season so, the Lineman is getting a little help from his friends this week.

Ms. Lineman, who has her bookie on speed dial and is a sparkling 5-1 the last two weeks, is willing to share her secrets (this one time only, she claims) while the G-Man has been eagerly waiting for the chance to atone for his dismal 1-5 showing filling in for the Lineman last season.

The Fine Tooner, aka the Wichita Lineman, who stepped in for the Lineman for one week this season and posted a very respectable 4-2, returns bearing gifts.

The Fine Tooner will go to extreme lengths to get the inside story and for those who need proof, check out Dr. Fine’s expose on Olympic speed skating suits and the affect they have on performance.

Simon Evans, who takes an unconventional look each week at the NFL from a European point of view in his Left Field blog ‘Unnecessary Roughness’, promises to be gentle as he makes his first ever contribution to this corner.

Rounding out the list of dazzling prognosticators is “the Bark”, whose picks are often much worse than his bite.

So, Happy Holidays from all of us here at Team Lineman and may all your picks be winners.

The Lineman’s NFL picks – Week 15

Being the holiday season there have been a few gifts from the odds-makers the last two weeks and they helped the Lineman to a couple of nice 4-2 Sundays.

There were no presents this week but settle in for what should be an intriguing Sunday, loaded with matchups that have major playoff implications. Record: 43-41. Last week: 4-2. Pick of the Week: 7-7

PICK OF THE WEEK: Denver Broncos (3-10) at Oakland Raiders (6-7) (Line Raiders minus 6.5)

In a week jam-packed with mouth-watering matchups, this is not one of them. The Raiders playoff hopes are on life support and the Broncos have been dead and buried for months. Only in the minds of those deranged residents of the Black Hole, do they actually believe the Raiders are a Super Bowl team but compared to the Broncos – they are. Denver fired coach Josh McDaniels last week but the move failed to inspire the Broncos, who were spanked 43-13 by the punchless Arizona Cardinals, losing for the eighth time in nine games. QB Kyle Orton started the season looking like the second coming of John Elway but more recently has reminded everyone why the Chicago Bears gave up on him.  I’m not expecting a repeat of the 59-14 drubbing Oakland laid on the Broncos at Mile High stadium in October but it could be nearly as ugly with the Raiders getting healthy at just the right time. Running back Darren McFadden, who rumbled for four-touchdowns in the Mile High nightmare, could be in for another big day against a soft Denver defence that is ranked 31st against the run. Back in Black. Take the Raiders and give up the 6.5. - – - - Green Bay Packers (8-5) at New England Patriots (11-2) (Line Patriots minus-7.5) For a moment, I was considering making this my Pick of Week – but being a Cheesehead at heart, I just could not do it. But loyalty will only take you so far and the Packers are in BIG trouble this week, venturing into the Dead Zone known as Foxborough, needing a win and probably having to do it without concussed quarterback Aaron Rodgers. If Rodgers is unable to go then the Pack will turn to backup Matt Flynn and rely on the league’s top ranked defence that has allowed an average of just 14.5 points per game and a measly 8.8 points their last six. But even an inspired Green Bay defence might not be able to keep QB Tom Brady and the Patriots top ranked offence from lighting them up like a Christmas tree. Brady has thrown 268 passes without an interception shredding some of the NFL’s elite defences on their current five game winning streak, putting 45 points on the Jets, 39 on the Steelers and last week 36 on the Bears before stepping off the gas. Brady has won an NFL record 26 consecutive home games and with a win on Sunday, coupled with a Jets loss, can clinch the AFC East title and a first round.

The Pack defence may be able to keep Brady from turning them into a pinata but without Rodgers they will still take a beating. No Rodgers. No hope. Rodgers and out. Take the Pats and give up the 7.5. - – - - Chicago Bears (9-4) at Minnesota Vikings (5-8) (Lines Bears minus-1.5) Remember when the Vikings quarterback debate was Brett Favre or Tarvaris Jackson. Well this week the talk in Minny is whether to start rookie Joe Webb or journeyman Patrick Ramsey. But with Favre sidelined with a bum shoulder and Jackson hobbled by a toe injury, that’s what it has come down to for the Vikings, a raw rookie or a veteran, who has not played a down of football since 2008. The Bears had a five game winning streak end with crushing 36-7 loss to the Patriots last week but can lock up NFC North title with a victory over the Vikings and a Green Bay loss in New England. Chicago has the NFL’s third ranked defence giving up an average of 17. ppg and is second best against the run yielding just 87 ypg. Without Favre or Jackson calling plays, the Vikings are likely to rely on running back Adrian Peterson, who has seen his production drop off in recent weeks but is still the NFL’s fifth leading rusher with 1,149-yards.     The game will be played outdoors at the University of Minnesota while repairs are made to the Metrodome roof that was damaged in last week’s snowstorm. You have to feel for the Vikings who have endured a season from Hell. The Favre fiasco, the Randy Moss nightmare, coach Brad Childress sacked, the Metrodome collapsing, it has been a season to forget in Minny. Moosejaw, Miami or Minnesota, you have to believe the Vikings just want this to be over. Take the Bears, give up the 1.5 and get out of town.    - – - - Jacksonville Jaguars (8-5) at Indianapolis Colts (7-6) (Line Colts minus-4.5) A year ago, the Colts came into Week 15 with a perfect record. This year they are fighting for their playoff lives.  How bad are things in Indy, a Jacksonville victory would cap a stunning turnaround for the Jaguars, who would go from finishing last in the division a year ago to capturing their first AFC South title in 11 seasons and all but eliminate the Colts. As always, the Colts playoff chances ride on the arm of QB Peyton Manning, now the NFL’s quarterback Ironman at 205 games after Brett Favre’s record streak of 297 consecutive starts ended on Monday, while the Jaguars rely on a punishing ground game and the running of Maurice Jones-Drew. Manning leads the NFL with 4,028 passing yards while Jones-Drew is second in rushing with 1,278. Jacksonville defence ranks 28th against the pass while the Colts are 29th against the run. Something has to give. Take the Colts and give up the 4.5  - – - - Washington Redskins (5-8) at Dallas Cowboys (4-9) (Line Cowboys minus-6.5) One of my few rules is, never pick any game that has two teams playing out the string and nothing to play for. But I just could not ignore this one. It called to me, “take me, take me”.  Sad to see that this great rivalry has been reduced to playing for nothing more than pride and the Cowboys have shown a lot more of it in recent weeks than the Redskins. The Cowboys have played with energy since Wade Philips was sacked going 3-2 under interim coach Jason Garrett – and those two losses were both by just three points to Eagles and Saints. The Redskins, meanwhile, are in a mess winning just once in their last six. The game is the Cowboys last at home this season and I expect them to ride into the sunset with a big win over their biggest rival. Cowboy up. Take Dallas and give up the 6.5. - – - - Philadelphia Eagles (9-4) at New York Giants (9-4) (Line Giants minus-2.5) Eagles QB Michael Vick said he wants dog as pet one day. Eagles fans want a win, the Giants want revenge and I want to win the lottery. It’s crunch time in the NFC East, where 9-4 co-leaders the Eagles and Giants set to square off in New Jersey with the winner earning the inside track to a possible playoff bye or home field advantage in the first round. This is almost certain to be a close game but the Giant have been on roll winning three straight since falling 27-17 to the Eagles. The Giants will lean on the double-barreled running threat of Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw while the Eagles offence revolves around Vick, who sure to be in the cross-hairs of a New York defence that leads the NFL in sacks. This one is more of hunch than a homerun. But sometimes you have to go down swinging. Giant win. Take the G-Men and give up the 2.5.

The Lineman’s NFL picks — week 14

Tis the season, to be jolly and a 4-2 Week 13 has put the Lineman in the holiday spirit, The Lineman is also feeling pretty good about Week 14 because it looks like there are a few gifts. So in the spirit of giving, here are Week 14′s winners.

Record: 39-39.

Last week: 4-2. Pick of the Week: 6-7

PICK OF THE WEEK:

Atlanta Falcons (10-2) at Carolina Panthers (11-1) (Line Falcons minus-7.5): The Falcons share the best record in the NFL, the Panthers own the worst.

What more can you say.

Merry Christmas everyone. Take this gift and give up the 7.5. Ho Ho Ho.

The Lineman’s NFL picks — week 13

Another tough week made tougher by losing two games by a half-point each. Ouch.

If you believe in such things, this should be unlucky Week 13 but with the results last week, my luck cannot be any worse this Sunday.

Record: 35-37.

Last week: 2-4. Pick of the Week: 5-7

PICK OF THE WEEK:

Chicago Bears (8-3) at Detroit Lions (2-9) (Line Bears minus-3.5): The Bears have come out of their mid-season hibernation stringing together four straight wins, including last week’s impressive decision over the high-flying Eagles.

At the same time, the wheels have started to fall off in the Motor City following four straight losses.