Week 15 Picks

San Fransisco at SEATTLE (-9.5) Bring back the Kingdome: Tonight they are expecting wind gusts up to 70 miles an hour in Seattle.

DALLAS at Atlanta (+3.5) Terrell Owens has grabbed professional sport's "stop snitching" mantle from Denver Nuggets' swing man Carmelo Anthony. When Carmelo Anthony had it, it was a dangerous appendages to an inner city culture out of control. Now that snitch stopping is Owens' domain it's just goofy and bratty.

MIAMI at Buffalo (-1) It pleased many to see Nick Saben turn down that record annihilating mega-contract he was offered to appease the University of Alabama booster club's delusions of uniqueness grandeur. Now if only such a humbling would befall Notre Dame . . .

WASHINGTON at New Orleans (-10) I checked Drew Brees statistics the other day and was ready to conclude that, not only is Brees the top quarterback this year, but he has been the league's top QB over the last three years. Then I saw Peyton Manning's statistics over the past three. Wow. It makes the whole Colts' thing that much more tragic.

Pittsburgh at CAROLINA (+2.5) Now that he is back in the picture, I think we need to revisit Chris Weinke's Heisman trophy win at the age of 26. How was that allowed to happen? And why don't more college teams go after players in their mid-twenties who still have their college eligibility? Military and released prisoners would be a good place to start -- and would make for quite an imposing team of 25-year olds. Jerry Tarkanian should resurrect himself as football coach and give this technique a try.

TAMPA BAY at Chicago (-13.5) Despite the most fawning press coverage this side of Tom Brady, apparently Illinois Senator Barack Obama gets demonstrably bothered by the occasional press reference to his prominent ears. If this is true, he needs to get a sense of humor. Or start flapping those things and fly away.

JETS at Minnesota (-3) I heard a rumor that Chad Pennington can no longer throw a football more than 30 yards. But he was once a Rhodes Scholar finalist (OK, from West Virginia.)

CLEVELAND at Baltimore (-11) Since I've been accused of "Raven hating" in the past I want to point out this pick is indicative of my belief the low scoring Raven's can not beat a bitter division rival by more than a touchdown and a field goal, and not an indictment of their overall prospects.

JACKSONVILLE at Tennessee (+3.5) To the outsider, some of Vince Young's touchdown dances can be scary.

Houston at NEW ENGLAND (-11.5) At this late point, New England seems to be a legitimately flawed team. Good thing the Texans are in town.

Detroit at GREEN BAY (-5) I did a quick inventory of NFC QBs and was shocked to discover that both Kitna and Farve would be in the argument for third All-Pro QB representative. Sad days for the old league.

DENVER at Arizona (+3) Cutler showed signs of being alive last week. Leinert showed signs of being really good.

ST. LOUIS at Oakland (-2) Oakland's defense is actually pretty good.

PHILADELPHIA at Giants (-6) Fine, I don't really believe what I just wrote. This is why it is important to never use these picks for actual wager.

Kansas City at SAN DIEGO (-9) LT is a great touchdown scorer but, judging from this week's feeble attempts to provide bulletin board material, not much of trash talker. He's like the bizzaro Keyshawn Johnson.

Cincinnati at INDIANAPOLIS (-3) So a lot of Bengals have been arrested this year, but wide receiver Chris Henry still stands alone in being arrested four times.

Last weeks picks: After two steps forward, it was one step back. 6-10 for the week. 88-98-6 for the year.