Week 13 – Screw you NFL Network

The next few weeks, games will be airing on the NFL Network on Thursdays, which also forces me to write this column even sooner than usual. Since no one else has complained much about NFL Network, I think the time has come to unleash some additional fury at the NFL. The NFL Network isn’t available in most places, due to the NFL wanting a very large fee for every subscriber (so, each cable company has either removed NFL Network from their offerings, or are asking like $10/month for it). I can only hope the NFL learns a lesson to not make every broadcast cost money. If they don’t learn the lesson, we could soon be faced with the grim reality of EVERY GAME being pay-per-view, which just doesn’t seem right at all! I applaud the cable companies for not caving into the NFL.

Manwich Matchup of the Week
Dallas at N.Y. Giants – So many storylines… but ultimately, the Giants are in disarray, and unfortunately, I think this may be the “End of the Road” for my NFC Super Bowl pick, the NY Giants. http://lyrics.astraweb.com/display/705/boyz_ii_men..cooleyhighharmony..end_of_the_road.html Sing it with pride like Boyz II Men would. Pick: Dallas

Upset of the Week
Seattle at Denver- So, do we call Jay Cutler a reliever? A closer? A replacement? An heir? A temp? Pick: Denver

Balt @ Cincy- Cobra Commander must be removed from office. Ocho Cinco to the rescue! Pick: Cincy Editor’s Note: I intended this to be my upset of the week, but the bookies are saying the Bungles are the favorite. I also intended on watching this game, but its on the NFL Network.

Arizona at St. Louis – I cannot remember a time when the NFC has been so incredibly even. All of the games are guesses because hardly anyone can even sustain a winning streak. Pick: St. Louis

Atlanta at Washington – No, I refuse to give up on Vick. Pick: Atlanta

Detroit at New England – If the Detroit Lions are supposed to be the Cobra-Kai from Karate Kid, I guess we’re still waiting to see some fire and passion, as well as instructions to “sweep the leg!” Pick: New England

Indianapolis at Tennessee - Not only has Tennesee become a “feisty team w/ resolve”, as I said at some earlier point, they also are suddenly capable of wrecking other teams playoff chances. Unbelievable. I may be hopping on the Titans 2007 bandwagon. Just out of curiousity, did anyone else realize that the Titans spent BIG money on WR David Givens, and only got 8 catches, 5 games, and 1 torn ACL? Pick: Indy

Jacksonville at Miami – Battle for Florida! Because the Jags like to beat good teams (Giants, Dallas) and lose to questionable teams (Texans TWICE, Bills, Redskins), I’m very curious to see how the Jags handle Miami. Miami has suddenly won 4 in a row, so are they good enough for the Jags to show up? Pick: Miami

Kansas City at Cleveland – This just in… from NFL.com… Priest Holmes will not be playing this year. http://www.nfl.com/teams/story/KC/9834439 I know, its completely shocking news, because thousands of fantasy owners have been plannning for months to use him this week on their fantasy teams. In other shocking news, the Cleveland Browns have no offensive line. Pick: KC & the Sunshine Band

Minnesota at Chicago – And now the Bears are fortunate enough to get to play another easy NFC North divisional game! Pick: Chicago

N.Y. Jets at Green Bay – Next time someone raves about Brett Favre, I’m just going to start talking about Steve Beurelein for no reason, and then start mentioning how great of a man Steve Beurelein is, and how he is one of the most underappreciated leaders in the late 20th century. If Steve Beurelein had ever won some playoff games, maybe he would also be popular like Brett Favre, and then everyone would rave about his magnificent 1999 and 2000 seasons while on the Panthers, when the Panthers went 8-8 and 7-9, and Beurelein was in his 12th and 13th seasons. http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/BeueSt00.htm. Pick: NY Jets

San Diego at Buffalo – Marty! Marty! Pick: San Diego

San Francisco at New Orleans – And just like that, the 49ers are no longer .500. Pick: Saints

Tampa Bay at Pittsburgh – See, if Pittsburgh had kept Omar Jacobs, we could have seen who was better between MAC standouts Omar Jacobs and Bruce Gradkowski. Pick: Pittsubrgh

Houston at Oakland – Toilet Bowl! Toilet Bowl! Pick: Houston

CAR @ Philly – What the hell is wrong with the sputtering CAR? Pick: CAR

Last Week: 10-6
Season: 106-70
Manwich: 8-5 (Thanks for the turnovers Rex Grossman!)
Upset of the Week: 3-9 (Steelers got shut out of their game and of the playoffs)