Weekly NFL Related Humiliation: Week 11, The Picks

BS Picks:

My Picks (home team ALL CAPS)

Washington Redskins (+11) over DALLAS COWBOYS (BS: WAS)
BALTIMORE RAVENS (+1.5) over Indianapolis Colts (BS: BAL)
San Diego Chargers (-3.0) over DENVER BRONCOS (BS: SD)
CHICAGO BEARS (+3.0) over Philadelphia Eagles (BS: PHI)
Tennessee Titans (+4.5) over HOUSTON TEXANS (BS: TEN)

All teams (except for Miami and Carolina who played Thursday) have seven games left, and in the next couple of weeks the playoff picture should begin to emerge. In the AFC, Indianapolis is a lock to win their division, while the East is a big muddle (especially if the Patriots slip), the North has the Bengals in control (!) after sweeping both Pittsburgh and Baltimore, and it looks like San Diego should take charge of the West when they beat Denver this week. As it stands now, I'd pick Miami, Cincinnati, Indianapolis and San Diego as the likely division winners, with both Baltimore and Pittsburgh sneaking in with wildcard births, unless Tennessee pulls off the unlikely 10 game winning streak, and finishes 10-6 after starting 0-6, which seems less unlikely than it did a few weeks ago.

In the NFC, Minnesota, New Orleans, and Arizona should all have no trouble winning their divisions, with the only division in doubt being the East. After losing four straight, it would be easy to dismiss the Giants, but they are the same team that won their first five, and their non division games against Atlanta, Denver, Carolina, and Minnesota are winnable (assuming Minnesota will already be locked into a 1 or 2 seed and have nothing to play for that week). The Giants should rally, and should get to 11-5 to finish the year, it helps they have the best coach in the division (which isn't saying much when your competition is Wade Phillips, Jim Zorn, and Andy Reid). I think Philly and Chicago will sneak in with the wildcard births to round out the NFC playoff picture.

Playoffs are a long way off, though, injuries could shuffle these divisions, and a lot of it doesn't matter, cause there's a clear top two in both conferences, with Cincinatti and Indianapolis likely to meet in the AFC Championship, and New Orleans and Minnesota a near mortal lock to meet in the NFC Championship.

(sorry Trooper York, no Manning v Manning Superbowl in Miami)