11 Picks For NFL 2010 Week 13, Falcons at Buccaneers
Published Saturday, December 4, 2010 at 02:02:35 AM
Each week of the NFL season, I use the same 11 methods to predict the outcome of one game. It's a completely unscientific way to draw sweeping and glorious conclusions.
This week's game is the Atlanta Falcons at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Some people think Atlanta's the best team in the league... but Tampa's having quite the year and is definitely a contender to win this one. The opening line was Atlanta -3, but we're all just picking the game straight up.
This list was published on Saturday, December 4, 2010 at 02:02:35 AM under the category NFL Picks.
It currently has View Comments.
Published Saturday, December 4, 2010 at 02:02:35 AM
Each week of the NFL season, I use the same 11 methods to predict the outcome of one game. It's a completely unscientific way to draw sweeping and glorious conclusions.
This week's game is the Atlanta Falcons at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Some people think Atlanta's the best team in the league... but Tampa's having quite the year and is definitely a contender to win this one. The opening line was Atlanta -3, but we're all just picking the game straight up.
Tecmo Super Bowl simulation. (7-5) It was good to see old Vinny Testaverde out there running the Tampa Bay offense. Especially since he was so damn mobile. Anyway, he ran a pretty solid game, the special teams returns for Tampa Bay gave them half a field all game long, and they held on to win in a game that didn't feel as close as the score. The Buccaneers are the pick.
Madden 11 simulation. (4-8) After 12 weeks, the up-to-the-minute rosters and most realistic gameplay simulations ever have been worth... sole possession of last place.
This game was extremely low scoring as neither offense could get any kind of play rolling... in fact, I'm fairly sure that no one got more than seven yards on a first down. Atlanta scored in the first half, but Tampa came back and tied it late in the fourth. Then, after an Atlanta turnover, Tampa drove down and had a field goal attempt to win it in regulation. It missed.
In overtime, Tampa won the toss but Atlanta picked off Josh Freeman and returned it for the touchdown and the win. The Falcons won one they shouldn't have won.- Laska, my parents' dog. (7-5) My mom warned me that this week's Laska pick wasn't as "pure" as the others because my dad wasn't there to help. Apparently Laska isn't a "no excuses" franchise. She ate the treat that represents the Buccaneers.
Accuscore. (10-2) After 12 weeks, Accuscore is in sole possession of first place here. How generic. Anyway, this week the computer simulations favor the Falcons, 59 percent to 40 percent. The missing one percent is lost somewhere on the Georgia Dome, near the 50-yard line, while the Dirty Birds kick the t'ree.
- ESPN's Sports Guy. (6-6) The Sports Guy is going with the Buccaneers -- he says he just can't see Atlanta going 14-2. I have to agree with him. Gulp.
- 11 Points Reader Battle. (7-5) After a very long run, the Jaguars finally sunk JNBernstein last week. We have two readers returning to pick this week, and one new picker...
@AtTheStars455: "Tampa's had a surprisingly nice season, but I think Matt Ryan & the Falcons are the real deal & likely SB bound. So I pick Atlanta"
@natelopez53: "TB is good and Freeman is the real deal, but ATL is great. Combine that w/ TB's inability 2 beat winning teams, I say TB 27 ATL 30"
@Bourtweet: "going for the falcons all day against the bucs! Michael turner to tear it up. Atlanta for the win."
So with all three votes, the Falcons are the reader pick for the week.
Internet psychic. (6-6) My online psychic is only batting .500 for the season, and he has no idea. I am convinced that he has no memory of me from week-to-week. I can't believe he's that busy, but apparently he is. Anyway, I phrase the pick as a seemingly-innocuous question. This week...
Our spiritual guide for the season.
"I was thinking about taking my pet falcon on my next sailing trip through the Indian Ocean. But will it bring me bad luck and get us beaten by some ne'er-do-well buccaneers on the high seas?"
He looked into the future for $1.99-a-minute and said that, yes, the Falcon would be bad luck and we'd end up getting beaten by pirates. So the Buccaneers are the pick.- Randier cheerleaders. (6-6) This was a really tough one -- Atlanta and Tampa are locked in a blood feud for the Trashy Stripper capital of the U.S. (Sorry Vegas.) Anyway, neither cheerleading squad disappointed...
I mean, these Glamour Shots of the Falcons cheerleaders are bad. Awkward, a hint of trashy, definitely randy. Can Tampa Bay fire back?
Absolutely. The Falcons cheerleaders may be ready to get down... but the Buccaneers cheerleaders are willing to drive to wherever you want to do it. So they get the pick. - Turnover margin. (6-6) If winning the turnover battle wins football games, then this method should really be more effective. Anyway, the Falcons have a very solid +11 turnover ratio on the season -- 10 giveaways, 21 takeaways. The Buccaneers are also solid with +8 (14 giveaways, 22 takeaways) -- just not AS solid. So the pick is the Falcons.
- Higher team salary. (7-5) The Falcons have a salary this year of $119,566,745, with the highest chunk going to Matt Ryan. Annnnnnd on the other end of the salary scale is Tampa Bay. They have a salary of $79,098,870 with the highest chunk, laughably, going to Kellen Winslow. So the easy pick is the Falcons.
- The opposite of my pick. (8-4) As legit as Tampa has been this year, Atlanta is gaining a lot of steam. I see this game being close but Atlanta finding a way to win in the end. Therefore the game will probably be a blowout, won by the opposite of my pick, the Buccaneers.
This list was published on Saturday, December 4, 2010 at 02:02:35 AM under the category NFL Picks.
It currently has View Comments.
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Read more about 11 Points and Sam here.
For information about reprinting 11 Points content, or for quotes/interviews for your newspaper, magazine, website, TV program, or radio show, contact Sam via e-mail at
