in NFL Free Picks

It was such a nice 2-0 week last week that we’ve decided to dole out four more picks this week in the hopes of making you plenty of NFL money. Week 13 got off to a good start with a very entertaining defensive struggle Thursday, as the Bengals prevailed over the Ravens. Baltimore failed to cover the spread as a road dog and also didn’t clinch the division.

Chicago -10

After playing three straight weeks on the road, the Bears return home to the friendly confines of Soldier Field, where they are a solid 4-1 on the season. Chicago hasn’t played at home in a month and you can bet the fans and player will be jacked up. Meanwhile, we can’t forget that the Bears are 7-0 against NFC opponents and 3-0 against division foes.

As for Minnesota? Well, they did win last week but it was against lowly Arizona. The Vikings are not generating anything offensively and we just don’t see them doing much in Illinois. Dare we say shutout? Maybe. But the bottom line is the game won’t be as close as the one these two teams played in the Metrodome earlier in the season. Lay the points and take the Bears.

Miami PK

The Dolphins have lost Ronnie Brown for a while and at first glance you’d think that would shy us away from taking them. Not a chance. Miami has been winning lately with a more efficient passing game and a stellar defense. Jason Taylor and Zach Thomas have been instrumental in this streak and we don’t see it ending this week, particularly when the Dolphins have a chance to get back to .500.

Jacksonville limps in with a lot of question marks on both sides of the ball. They have an astounding 12 players on injured reserve, way too many to overcome against a determined team like Miami. Take the straight out win with the Dolphins.

Buffalo +7

We were all over the Bills last week and we like them again here. The temperatures will be too cold for a west coast team like San Diego to handle. Plus, throw in the fact that the Bills are 3-1 in their last four, have a good track record of keeping games close versus top opponents (such as the Colts and Patriots), and you have a pretty solid play here with a touchdown.

The Chargers are getting Shawne Merriman back and he can make an impact. But we believe the Buffalo running game with a rejuvenated Willis McGahee will be strong in this one. If LaDanian doesn’t rush for 130 or more yards, we like the Bills. Take the points and Buffalo.

Oakland -3

Dare we take the Raiders when they are actually favored? Absolutely. Oakland has been close to pulling over several major upsets in recent weeks and we believe they are bound to finally get it right against a weak opponent. Demoting the offensive coordinator this week will light a fire under Aaron Brooks and that anemic Oakland attack.

As long as Rob Ryan’s defense holds the Texans in check, we think there’s a good chance the Raiders can win this game by as much as 10 points. David Carr’s development is stagnant and there really aren’t any impact players on Houston other than Andre Johnson. Take the Raiders and lay the cheese.

Last Week: 2-0