NFL Picks: The Conference Championships

By Scott Feschuk - Friday, January 18, 2013 at 12:44 PM - 0 Comments

San Francisco (minus 4) at Atlanta, Sunday, 3 p.m. ET

Scott Reid: As Earthlings everywhere cheered the Niners’ triumph over Green Bay last week, the rise of K-fever reached near epidemic levels. Squillions hopped aboard the Kaepernick bandwagon (wave to me – I’m in the Montana jersey near the window). What a day! In addition to breaking the single-game record for rushing by a quarterback, outdueling Aaron “The Consensus Greatest QB In The Game” Rodgers and winning the Golden Globe in the category of Best Snapback Not Worn By L’il Wayne….

"Even I can’t take me seriously in this thing."

…Kaepernick managed to dazzle America with his mythmaking instincts. The SF QB took the unusual step of releasing a letter he had written to himself in Grade Four. In it, the pre-tatted Kaepernick…. mused that he would one day ‘…go to the pro’s and play on the Niners.’ And lo and behold… here he is. Journalists and fans alike heralded the precognitive prowess of Continue…

NFL Playoff Picks: Brady, Manning and… a dachshund in a sweater vest?

By Scott Feschuk - Friday, January 11, 2013 at 11:52 AM - 0 Comments

Baltimore (plus 9.5) at Denver, Saturday, 4:30 p.m.

Scott Reid: Did you hear the big news? Ben Affleck was snubbed by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences (also known as Club Weinstein) yet again. His true-to-life political thriller Argo was nominated for Best Picture, yet his skills as a director were abjectly ignored by Seth MacFarlane (who, I like to believe, is personally picking all the winners this year – go American Dad!). How this could have happened is currently being debated hotly by fans around the world who don’t still resent Affleck’s performance in Daredevil (a list that does not include yours truly – seriously, Maggie Smith would have made a more convincing Matt Murdock). My view is that it’s payback from Hollywood’s Canadian mafia. While a fun watch, Argo effectively reduces the heroic Canadian role played during the Iranian hostage crisis to an inglorious sideshow. Do you really think Canadian-born Academy heavyweights like Norman Jewison, David Foster and Tricia Helfer (hot Cylons can be very patriotic) would just let this slide?

"I’m Canadian, very pissed at Ben Affleck and a little bit chilly."

Don’t be naïve, people. The maple leaf is an inviting example of vascular plant life but, when angered, it can be fierce and unforgiving. Too bad the same can’t be said for Continue…

NFL Playoff Picks: Three bikinis, two fat guys – we’re in post-season form

By Scott Feschuk - Friday, January 4, 2013 at 6:56 AM - 0 Comments

Cincinnati (plus 4.5) at Houston, Saturday, 4:30 p.m.

Scott Reid: It’s fashionable these days to be a Texans skeptic. And, as Feschuk knows well, I’m nothing if not fashionable.

Look, I got socks for Christmas!

Sure, Houston has won 12 times but who have they really topped? Take away early-season victories against Denver and Baltimore and their record relies on beating up on the likes of Jacksonville (twice), Miami, the Jets, Angela Lansbury, the 1962 New York Mets and Willow Smith (although she took them to overtime). By contrast, their losses were all to playoff teams: Green Bay, New England, Minnesota and Indy. Making matters worse, Houston is skidding badly into the playoffs. Since getting squared by Ndamukong Suh on Thanksgiving Day, Schaub has thrown as many interceptions as touchdowns, led the team to three losses in five games and only pees while seated (fun fact: JJ Watt is also a squatter). Handicappers everywhere are consequently predicting a swift exit from the playoffs. But in my red-thonged opinion, the boys in Vegas are a week too early. Houston is no powerhouse but, at home, they’ll easily dispatch the Bengals. But in the next round? They’re going to get Willow’d. Pick: Houston.

Scott Feschuk: It’s true: everyone is picking a Bengals upset. It’s as though we’ve all forgotten that in the most pivotal of football moments, Cincinnati coach Marv Lewis is best known for staring ahead with an expression on his face that says, “Hmm, where did I leave my car keys? Also, what are car keys? And hey, who’s this voice in my head wondering about car keys?? OUT WITH YOU, SATAN! [Punches self in brain.]”

"Hey, who just punched myself in the brain?"

What I’m saying is that with Norv Turner and Andy Reid having been fired, Marv Lewis is the NFL’s longest-tenured and most-distinguished Terrible Coach in Crucial Games. And that’s good news for football fans. Every big drama needs some comedy relief – and Marv will be here on Saturday to burn three timeouts before the eight-minute mark of the first quarter, or let time expire in the first half while mulling over a field-goal attempt, or throw his red flag to challenge whether Joanie ever truly loved Chachi. Pick: Houston.

•••

Minnesota (plus 8) at Green Bay, Saturday 8 p.m.

Reid: Looks like the Vikes’ huge win last week did little to sway the odds makers. If this line were any bigger, Adrian Peterson could run through it (see how much better the jokes are going to be in 2013). But it’s for a good reason: Green Bay will win this game just as surely as the next Nora Ephron picture will include a gay best friend and something soulful from Snow Patrol. (Note from Feschuk: Reid is either unaware that Ephron is dead or is convinced that this small hurdle will not diminish her output of cinematic treacle.) The real thing we’ve got to sort out is why Kathy Griffin thinks it makes sense or any kind of decency to go down on a gay dude with a national audience watching – including two of my sons who now think the funniest word in the English language is ‘pricknic’ (they’re probably right).

“If you see Travolta down there, could you send him up for an interview?”

Pick: Green Bay.

Feschuk: According to league sources, Vikings QB Christian Ponder has been “very limited” in practice this week, and also in every game in his NFL career.

"Thirty Left Jet Anything But a Pass Attempt."

This guy gets the Trent Dilfer Memorial Award for Playoff Team That is Unaware It Even Has a Starting Quarterback. Can’t they just jerry-rig a pitching machine or a Lego robot to repeatedly hand the ball to Adrian Peterson? Or how about a series of stunt-casted guest stars to boost ratings?

Ponder: My elbow still hurts from when it hit a helmet last week, coach.

Coach: No problem, kid. We’re going to go with Tom Selleck, Florence Henderson and TV’s Radar O’Reilly.

The key to this game will be the Packers learning from last week and this time around stacking the box with 11 players and a hastily dug moat. Pick: Green Bay.

•••

Indianapolis (plus 6) at Baltimore, Sunday, 1 p.m.

Feschuk: What a Sunday of football – unless you’re Joe Flacco. To put it in the parlance of Sesame Street: Joe Flacco is the one of these things that’s not like the other. All week long the hype has been about the three amazing rookie quarterbacks (Andrew Luck, RG III and Russell Wilson) who took their teams to unexpected heights during the 2012 season and will be taking the field on Wild Card Sunday. And then there’s Joe, who’s so average at his job that young, doe-eyed children come up to him and lament, “Say it ain’t so-so, Joe.” I’m not saying the guy doesn’t engender much confidence but right now John Harbaugh’s game plan calls for Ray Rice to carry the ball 3,400 times. The Ravens have a reputation for being defensively stout, but in fact their D ranks in the bottom half of the league this year. And the team lost four of its last five games. They’re ripe for the picking! To again put it in the parlance of Sesame Street, “Six! Six beautiful points against the spread! AH! AH! AH!” Or as Mr. Hooper used to say to Big Bird, “Get out of my store, you filthy animal.” That quote doesn’t have any practical application in terms of this game but it’s always worthwhile to remember that Mr. Hooper was a horrible, hate-filled man. Pick: Indianapolis.

Reid: There are two kinds of people on this Earth: Those who retire gracefully from life as a professional athlete. And those who decay into a spiral of despondency, drugs and murder. (The second kind are also known as Nickleback fans). To help Ray Lewis determine which of these two categories into which he might fall, we have prepared this helpful three question personality test.

1.  Does watching Super Bowl XXIV make you want to:

a) Cheer for the Cinderella season-ending win by Kurt Warner and the Rams?

b) Cry for Dyson’s oh-so-close final-play stretch?

c) Stab two people?

2. When gazing at the following image, do you see a pretty bunch of flowers or somebody who had it coming?

3. Do you believe Chavril is a real romance? (Answer: Who gives a shit, just burn the white suit). Pick: Baltimore.

•••

Seattle (minus 2.5) at Washington, Sunday, 4:30 p.m.

Feschuk: Maybe I’ve been listening to too much sports radio but based on what I’ve heard this week it is my understanding that Robert Griffin III is an amazing quarterback, a peerless athlete, a terrific teammate, a great humanitarian, a super genius, a hilarious prankster, a compelling singer-songwriter, a founding member of the Dogme 95 film movement, a good source of 11 essential vitamins and nutrients and a Rockette. He makes the Most Interesting Man in the World look mildly intriguing at best. But let’s face it: it’s hard to predict what’s going to happen in this game. The Redskins came off of their bye week and won their last seven games in a row. Meanwhile, Seattle has won five straight and seven of eight. As an added bonus, Pete Carroll is planning to coach despite the fact it conflicts with his rehearsal schedule as a backup singer in the coming sensation, Manilow on Broadway!

"Everybody sing! Her name was Lola..."

But enough stalling – tough games like this are why you turn to our NFL Picks, right? You come here for the astute analysis of gridiron trends and also the gratuitous photographs of Mrs. Tannehill in limited amounts of clothing.

"Annie Leibovitz used up all the good portrait ideas so here, maybe hold these oranges?"

So here it is: I’m going with Seattle because based on extensive research, they are the only NFL franchise that tells its fans how they can “get the look” of the team’s cheerleaders.

Step one: Carry 500 million watts of flattering lights with you at all times.

You may not think this is an important strategic edge, but you’re not the one who has to pick up the phone on Sundays and hear Scott Reid lament, “Why won’t those cheerleaders share the secrets of their fitness and beauty regimens?” I think back on how many accidents with a curling iron and home waxing kit could have been avoided in the Reid household! But those thigh burns are in the past, buddy. Want hair like a Seahawks cheerleader? Just make an appointment at the Gene Juarez Advanced Training Salon. Want to look slightly too orange? Seattle Sun Tan. It’s all there at your disposal, Scott Reid. YOU SHALL BE RADIANT. Pick: Seattle.

Reid: Yes, body wax can be dangerous. Remember that day you did my back?

"Stop at the ass."

Because I am a Niners fan, I now fear the Seahawks the way dogs fear electric fences. For that reason alone, I must believe Washington will win at home against Seattle. But I’m also convinced that the Skins rushing game will wear down Pete Carroll’s defence – which doesn’t travel super well and is soft up-the-gut. Hands up if you also think that RGIII has had enough of this ‘Russell Wilson is the real rookie of the year’ talk. Wouldn’t it be awesome if, instead of a football game, Griffin and Wilson could just settle things with some kind of head-to-head competition of skill and strength.

"Wax off, Russell-san."

Pick: Washington.

NFL Picks Week 17: Tonight thank God it’s Thad, instead of yooooou!

By Scott Feschuk - Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 1:10 PM - 0 Comments

An explanatory cutline would diminish the gratuitous nature of this photograph of Mrs. Tannehill.

Philadelphia (plus 7) at New York Giants

Scott Reid: If the Giants skid their way out of the playoffs by losing this home game to the four-win Eagles, does that make Rex Ryan the king of New York? Those who know him best believe that coach Tom Coughlin will react to a loss in one of three possible ways (ranked in reverse order of likelihood):

3. He yells so loudly that his liver spots fall off.

2. He rallies his players for next year by singing a note-perfect rendition of Cop Rock’s “You Can’t Keep a Good Man Down.”

1. He changes his name to Tracey and lives the remainder of his life as the third-least peculiar Wachowski sibling.

Meanwhile, I don’t want to suggest that Andy Reid is already thinking about next season but he has spent the past four days in his office Googling the best San Diego hotspots for sweetbreads (Fodor’s Tip: The Smoking Goat won’t disappoint). Pick: New York.

Scott Feschuk: That’s all very interesting but I’ve got BREAKING NEWS. The other day I was listening to that Wayne Lapierre guy from the NRA blame shooting rampages on video games, inferior mental health services, social dysfunction, under-armed kindergarten teachers, changes in barometric pressure, bad vibes, the chorus of Call Me Maybe, the rise of boxer-briefs and the fluoride in our water supply  – anyway, that’s when it occurred to me: Do you think it’s a coincidence that the National Rifle Association, a fraternity of men so insecure in their manhood that they Continue…

NFL Picks Week 16: Sanchez receives headset, clipboard for Christmas

By Scott Feschuk - Friday, December 21, 2012 at 5:49 AM - 0 Comments

"I've still got three more last chances, right coach?"

San Diego (plus 1.5) at New York Jets
Scott Feschuk: Okay, sure, Rex Ryan probably did the right thing on Tuesday when he benched Mark Sanchez. And he certainly did the right thing on Wednesday when he petitioned the court for a restraining order that forces Tim Tebow to keep 50 yards away from oblong objects. Still, I can’t help but wonder: Sanchez had been getting worse every week, culminating with a performance on Monday Night Football that left people across North America thinking to themselves, “If this man gets the ball for just one more series, he’s going to find a way to swallow it.” How bad was Sanchez’s performance? Let’s use the power of comparison. Let’s say Sanchez was a Subway employee (I know it’s asking you to gaze at least seven months into the future, but stick with me): if he were a Subway employee, and he performed as poorly as he did on Monday night, the result would be a loaf of Italian herbs and cheese filled with sawdust, mucus and three slices of human sadness. Would you like that toasted, sir? Anyway, my point is this: aren’t you a little bit curious about what would have happened this week? How would Mark Sanchez have one-upped (or, rather, one-downed) his five-turnover performance against one of the league’s worst teams? Would he have thrown the ball underhanded? Would he have found a way to fumble into his own butt? Would he have finally managed to pass the football so poorly that gravity itself refused to have anything to do with it and the ball floated off into space? Now we’ll never know. Pick: San Diego.

Scott Reid: They say a picture is worth a thousand words. In this case, a video is worth just two: “F**k” and  “You.”

Pick: San Diego.

•••

Washington (minus 4.5) at Philadelphia

Reid: Reports out of Philadelphia suggest that Eagles team owner Jeff Lurie has already decided to fire Andy Reid at season’s end. There are no reports yet that he plans to padlock the rest of the team in an old barn in much the same way Hershel locked away all those zombies in season two. But I’ve decided to seed the idea. And for the record, I sincerely think it will happen. All of this raises the question: What comes next for Andy Reid? Many NFL observers expect the veteran coach and Quarterback Whisperer to be picked up quickly – possibly by Dallas, San Diego or a lonely-for-love manatee.

“I saw your pic on Match.com and thought we might be compatible.”

But what if Andy feels he needs a bit of a break from coaching? Ever wonder what else might be out there for him? Well, worry not. The intrepid job-search staff here at Continue…

NFL Picks Week 15: Now 37% less about football than ever!

By Scott Feschuk - Friday, December 14, 2012 at 10:45 AM - 0 Comments

Washington (minus 1) at Cleveland

Scott Feschuk: Something just entered my mind, and for once it wasn’t Scarlett Johansson dressed as a librarian: Come Dec. 22, when all the Mayan hysteria fades, we’re going to need a date for the next end of the world. We can’t not have a date for the end of the world! I propose we designate March 6, 2013 as End of Days XXXLXII: This Time We Mean It. Why March 6? That’s the day on which the Norwegian Pearl is scheduled to depart the Port of Miami carrying participants in Kid Rock’s 4^th Annual Chillin’ the Most Cruise.

Sorry, Reid, it's sold out.

As Mr. Rock himself advises on the cruise’s web site: “It’s time to start that base tan, do some curls to prepare for drink lifting, and tighten up that beach bod, because we’re going to the new and improved Redneck Paradise.” Note that term: Redneck Paradise. From there it’s as simple as crafting a biblical-sounding prophesy, pretending to find it in some ancient Incan text and writing a best-selling e-book warning of the inevitable apocalypse that awaits us: For it is foretold in scripture that, lo, upon the arrival of the white of trash and red of neck unto its native paradise, all the mountains of the earth shall crumble, and all the seas shall boil, and all the Jim Beam shall be consumed with a hearty “Hells ya!” Pick: Washington.

Scott Reid: Honest question: Is there any evidence that the King James Bible reflects accurately the way people actually talked back then? I mean, it’s not like there are audio recordings of people from 1611 hanging around Ye Olde Seconde Cup. Is it not possible that the Continue…

NFL Picks Week 14: Back to Buttfumble

By Scott Feschuk - Friday, December 7, 2012 at 7:03 AM - 0 Comments

New York Jets (minus 2.5) at Jacksonville

Scott Feschuk: Over the years, we’ve all enjoyed listening to Rex Ryan – but now it’s time to give back. We owe the man for all the pithy quotes, hilarious obesity and delightful foot-fetish tweets he’s brought into our lives. So when I heard him say the words “I’m comfortable and confident with all three quarterbacks” – well, listen Rex: pull up a chair. Join our circle. This intervention is for you because we love you. [Deep breath.] Rex, there’s no easy way to say this: your starting quarterback is nicknamed Buttfumble and you benched him against one of the league’s worst teams because several of his passes actually made the “sad trombone” sound as they sputtered through the air and fell to the ground, untouched and unloved.

In other news, your third-stringer is a rookie who from all appearances is poised to graduate middle school later this year with extra credit for really nailing that triangle solo in the holiday concert:

"Thanks for the questions, but my Mom's here to drive me home now."

And your backup is Tim Tebow, who is on a first name basis with the deity that judges our immortal souls but is “in” the NFL in the same way that the tambourine player is “in” the band. It’s time to face up to facts, Rex. Your quarterbacks are terrible. Your team is terrible. Accept it, move on and let’s all go eat a goddamn snack. Pick: Jacksonville.

Scott Reid: And with that in mind, Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you the New York Jets’ backup quarterback, emissary of the one true Lord and the undying love of both John Phillips and Denny Doherty: Tim Tebow.

“But I won’t play wide receiver.”

By the way – and yes, I know this qualifies me for behind-the-counter medication – but I think Mark Sanchez is going to have a killer day through the air. Pick: New York.

•••

Atlanta (minus 3.5) at Carolina

Reid: The Falcons are tied for first in overall number of wins, rank fourth in yards gained through the air and stand alone when it comes to being nutbustingly boring. Matt Ryan is so ragingly uninteresting to watch I had to check to see if he was a Shonda Rhimes-created spin off. (Results: Inconclusive. After careful investigation I discovered that both he and Private Practice are in their sixth season and neither has ever been photographed in the company of the other. Could be coincidence. But they laughed when I raised the same questions about Bruce Wayne).

So bland we just might be Matt Ryan.

The Falcons have gotten away from the run in recent weeks and that’s hard to understand. Michael Turner is a game-breaker. He grinds the clock, churns yards and keeps opponents honest on D. I don’t care what Atlanta’s record is, I say they fail on the road against Cam Newton – who is waaaay overdue for a standout performance. And like the above-mentioned nighttime soap, I expect Atlanta to be cancelled quickly when the season’s over. Pick: Carolina.

Feschuk: You know, I was kind of hard on Mark Sanchez back there, so I just want to take a moment to congratulate him on a genuine achievement, something he did last week that truly warrants praise – as backup quarterback for the New York Jets, he actually carried a clipboard.

"You win again, Word Jumble."

The clipboard had gone out of style for second- and third-stringers. We used to see them all the time, but of late it’s become more fashionable for backups to send in plays, consult with the offensive coordinator or quietly fantasize about being trapped on a desert island with three Victoria’s Secret models and playing just an awesome game of Scrabble with them (Tim Tebow only). Of course, knowing Sanchez, he was probably holding it upside down or using it to draw naked lady parts. Pick: Atlanta.

•••

Baltimore (plus 2.5) at Washington

Feschuk: I’m starting to worry about the Harbaugh brothers. Out in San Francisco, Jim Harbaugh benched a QB with a 70 per cent completion rating in favour of a backup who was instrumental in scoring 22 points last week – 13 of which were for his team. Nothing says unstoppable Super Bowl momentum like failing to beat the St. Louis Rams in two tries. Meanwhile, John Harbaugh masterminded the strategy of ensuring his best player, Ray Rice, didn’t get a single carry in the fourth quarter of last week’s game. The Ravens ended up losing in the final seconds to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Nothing says unstoppable Super Bowl momentum like coming up short against a team a team whose defence is banged up and who basically started the black Abe Vigoda at quarterback. Pick: Washington.

Reid: And nothing says unstoppable like Scott Feschuk. I think the more relevant issue is how bad Mr. and Mrs. Harbaugh’s two young boys are at shaking hands. Where did these guys grow up – a Sam Peckinpah film? First we had last year’s nuts and bolts between Jim and Detroit coach Jim “Let’s Take This Outside-er” Schwartz. As you may recall, Harbaugh-the-Younger decided to substitute the traditional post-game greeting with a hard slap and a ‘Screw-doo-doodle to You’ yelled loudly into Schwartz’s lower esophagus. Then last week, older brother John hungrily muckled onto Mike Tomlin at mid-field like he had a dose of leprosy he wanted to spread. Tomlin recoiled in horror and made some excuse about having to be home to see the Gilmore Girls reunion TV movie (which, btw, doesn’t exist – but should). Clearly these two siblings have hand/touching/interactingwithfellowhumans issues. My suggestion: They should join the Masonic Lodge. Masons, when they’re not busy controlling the Royal Houses of Europe, holding wild sex parties that Frenchies like DSK would die for and wearing (ceremonial) aprons, have their own handshake. What might appeal to the Harbaughs is that the Masonic handshake – known as the ‘Boaz’ – is engineered to minimize actual human contact requiring only a small tap of the thumb atop the fellow Mason’s first digit knuckle.

Secret Handshake (can only be found on the Internet)

Also, they are required to say this – which should be easy to blurt out when you’re running onto a football field cheering and with a clipboard down your pants: “I now present my right hand in token of friendship and brotherly love, and will invest you with the grip and word.  As you are uninstructed, he who has hitherto answered for you, will do so at this time.”  That should cut down on the hostilities. Pick: Baltimore.

 •••

Dallas (plus 3) at Cincinnati

Reid: Exactly two weeks from today, the Mayans tell us the world will come to an end (some buzzkill scientists dispute that this is what the Mayan calendar predicts but screw ’em – they’re the same bunch of know-it-alls who reassured the people of Krypton). While most people disbelieve or dread the possibility of our highly scheduled annihilation, I can’t help but assume that Tony Romo would welcome the cataclysmic arrival of mega-planet Nibiru. After all, football has been one long doomsday event for him since the minute he fumbled that snap in the 2006 NFC Wild Card.

“Ewww, it’s covered in loser. No, wait. That’s coming off of me.”

One thing’s for sure: If the Earth does tear itself asunder from the north to south pole and we all die in a flash of hyper-magnetic agony, Cowboys fans can take heart in knowing that at least Jerry Jones’ face will survive. With a chemical composition that defies any and all extremes of nature, his sickly stretched skin will surely emerge as the central religious artifact of whatever society eventually rises from the ashes of our own. Pick: Cincinnati .

Feschuk: It’s only Week 14 but already Houston has clinched a playoff berth, New England has clinched its division and Jerry Jones has released the hounds. There’s so little left to look forward to. Frankly, the lack of playoff uncertainty is depressing – and it makes it even more difficult to forecast the outcome of the games. Will the playoff-assured teams be trying hard or hardly trying? The one upside is that this gives Tony Romo an even larger stage in these final weeks of the season to make Dallas fans dismayed, then give them hope, then ultimately break their hearts with a moment of pure and savage dumbness. And that’s something we can all enjoy. Pick: Dallas.

 •••

Tennessee (plus 5.5) at Indianapolis

Feschuk: Listen, I’m not saying a howler monkey could do a better job of NFL colour commentary than Phil Simms. I’m not saying it – however, I am typing it on the Internet, placing it on a banner pulled by an airplane and sending it out to ships at sea via semaphore, the language of flags. There was a classic Simms moment in last weekend’s Ravens-Steelers game: A close game! A controversial penalty call! Multiple replays indicating the call was botched! And an anxious world awaited as Simms cleared his throat, breathed deeply and weighed in with these exact words: “I’m not going to say the call is right or the call is wrong.” WHY NOT, NUMBNUTS? They’ve given you a microphone and a wardrobe courtesy of Botany 500. Maybe use it for something other than saying exactly what Jim Nantz just said, which itself was merely a superfluous description of athletic events that we ourselves were witnessing at the very same time. Pick: Indianapolis.

Reid: Tennessee, you say? Hmmm. Nope. Sorry, but I’m afraid it doesn’t ring a bell. I dimly recall that Tennessee had a team a few years ago. Pretty sure Warren Moon was their quarterback. But if I’m not mistaken they’ve not played in the NFL for a decade or more.  Locker? No. See, now I know you’re bullshitting me. Because I follow football pretty closely and I’ve never – ever – heard of a guy with a name like that who was a starting quarterback in the most popular sport to exist on Earth. Next, you’re going to tell me their mascot is some weird brown pervo who eats cheerleaders in a single bite.

Next time pick on someone who isn’t an expert. Pick: Indianapolis.

 •••

Miami (plus 10) at San Francisco

Reid: Everyone’s all hot and Lohan-ed about last week’s performance by Colin Kaepernick. And I guess that goes for me, too. But ultimately I think the kid will bounce back. I expect a huge week out of him against a Miami secondary that is uglier than Rob Ford’s legal prospects. But can we forget the QB drama for a moment? Am I the only Niners fan in the world to be more alarmed about the left foot of David Akers? Two OT games have been lost to missed kicks in the past four weeks. And from 40 yards or more, buddy is only 7/16 for the season. For this kind of team to win late in January, they can’t afford to Continue…

NFL Picks Week 13: Bikinis, yes, but also beefcake

By Scott Feschuk - Friday, November 30, 2012 at 8:41 AM - 0 Comments

Sad Football Player is right: It sucks that the season is nearing its end.

Carolina (minus 3) at K.C.

Scott Reid: An enormous controversy this week as the Chiefs’ Jamaal Charles – fresh from getting licked by Peyton Manning – waited after the game at the stadium doors to ask the very same Peyton Manning for his autograph.

Jamaal Charles reacts to news that Peyton Manning has nearly finished showering.

Two sides to this debate. Charles and his supporters argue that he’s simply paying respects to a ‘fellow warrior.’ Plus, he was getting it for his Mom (cuz, warriors have Moms too you ankle-biting batch of assholes!).  Those less enamoured of the move argue that it’s sissy. Now I’m saying this only because I’m separated from Charles by the entire circumference of the Internet but…I come down on the side of sissy. Look, if you want to reach out to the dude as a peer – maybe via email or stripper-o-gram – that’s cool. But to linger at the gates of your own stadium after he mulched your team in the fourth quarter? Show some pride, man. That said, since you’re going to be there anyway could you score me a signed Cam Newton bobblehead. Just tell him it’s for your sister, Scott. Pick: Carolina.

Scott Feschuk: I’m not comfortable agreeing with you because you have terrible judgment in everything except business partners and ascots (wisely, you eschew paisley). But dangnabbit – you’re right! I want to root for a team where the players feel each and every defeat. I want losing to bother them. I want them to wander back to the hotel in a blur of tears, crank up The Cure, stretch out on their beds and pour it all out to their Hello Kitty diaries. I want them to take it out on their wives, children and pets – even if the pet is a fish and therefore tricky to berate. I even want the post-game on-field prayer session to be competitive – WE ARE TOTALLY SCHOOLING YOU LOSERS ON HOW TO PRAISE ALMIGHTY GOD. Pick: Carolina.

•••

Arizona (plus 4.5) at New York Jets

Feschuk: Rex Ryan has a new goal – and this one doesn’t involve a fireplace, a bottle of wine and a barefoot Susan Sarandon. Rex’s goal is for his team to go unbeaten in its final five games of the season. And that’s totally plausible assuming that overnight we’ve all Continue…

NFL Picks Week 12: Occasionally funny, but never ‘Sanchez funny’

By Scott Feschuk - Friday, November 23, 2012 at 12:08 PM - 0 Comments

Oakland (plus 7.5) at Cincinnati

Scott Feschuk: The Oakland Raiders are dead last in the NFL in points allowed – more than 32 a game. They’ve struggled against the pass, they’ve struggled against the run, they’ve struggled to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks – heck, this team is so clueless they could even struggle to remember the chorus to We Will Rock You, and that thing’s a piece of cake. It’s not hard to imagine them on the sideline trying to puzzle it out. Is it, “We will… we will… kiss you? Eat you? Validate your parking? LET’S BUCKLE DOWN AND FIGURE THIS THING OUT, GUYS.” Meanwhile, this game marks Carson Palmer’s return to Cincinnati, where he played for the bulk of his career – so many three great memories! Pick: Cincinnati.

Scott Reid: It’s important when picking a rock anthem to select something you’re going to easily recall. For example, Meatloaf’s Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad seems like a good idea until the moron beside you starts screaming “I want youuuu. I need youuuu. But there flaaint staayy bbonnd I’m ever going to bbbblllll trueeeu. Now don’t schleeep flaabbd. Cuz two out of three ain’t…baddd” (hint: after drifting through the middle, he’ll likely lean in to that last line with extra expectorating gusto). But don’t be too harsh on Oakland. It’s become a bit hopeless there. Today’s Raiders can’t play defence. Protect the quarterback. Or stay in 4/4 time. The Raiders should instead pick a song that more neatly fits their skills. Like I Drink Alone. Pick: Cincinnati.

•••

Pittsburgh (even) at Cleveland

Reid: A pick ’em game for the Steelers? At Cleveland? The two-win Cleveland Browns? The Cleveland Browns who couldn’t beat Dallas last week even after the Cowboys made every imaginable mistake short of going for a drive with Hector Camacho (too soon?). Obviously, Pittsburgh is fielding a Frankenstein-like team sewn together from left-over body parts such as Charlie Batch and the just-signed Plaxico Burress. But I still think they’ve got enough fire power and D to take this game handily. And hey, how hard can it be for Burress to Continue…

NFL Picks Week 11: More people clicked on us last week because we mentioned bikinis so: bikinis

By Scott Feschuk - Friday, November 16, 2012 at 10:43 AM - 0 Comments

New York Jets (plus 3) at St. Louis

Scott Feschuk: The New York Jets have done the impossible: they’ve made me feel sorry for Tim Tebow. Here we have a team that’s 3-6 – a team that over the past two weeks has been blown out by Seattle and Miami… a team that stops the run about as well as Kevin James stops at eating just a couple of your fries… a team that insists on starting a quarterback who plays like a kid dressed up for Halloween as an NFL quarterback – and all week this team devoted its energy to debating whether its backup QB, who hardly ever plays, is or is not “terrible?” Here’s the hard truth: the Jets have tuned out Rex Ryan. They need to make a change. You know who should coach this team? That Jill Kelley lady from the David Petraeus sex scandal.

At least people would tune in for the naked bootleg.

She seems to be able to make grown men do anything. Within minutes of meeting her, FBI agents are ripping off their shirts and army generals are sending off lewd email messages about their four-star boners. Surely, if anyone could get Mark Sanchez to throw the ball in the general direction of someone – anyone – in green, it’d be her. Pick: St. Louis.

Scott Reid: Pro-tip for you buddy – it’s not all that difficult to get army generals talking about their boners. In fact, military men can be included in a rather exclusive list of male-dominated professions that can be easily coaxed into talking online about their wood. This group includes, but is not necessarily limited to: doctors, lawyers, door-to-door salesmen, pastry chefs, magazine editors, cabinet ministers, air conditioner repairmen, director Kevin Smith, certified management accountants, video game designers (especially video game designers!), piano instructors, hot air balloonists, dairy farmers, astronauts, union leaders, clergymen, tutorial assistants, pipe fitters (no surprise there), air traffic controllers, official team Continue…

NFL Picks Week 10: Bikini photos now 37% more gratutious

By Scott Feschuk - Friday, November 9, 2012 at 7:46 AM - 0 Comments

Buffalo (plus 11) at New England

Scott Feschuk: As a Bills fan, I’ve so far refrained from criticizing QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, largely because he represents a genuine upgrade over guys like Trent Edwards and J.P. Losman. Remember Losman? You couldn’t find a more incompetent quarterback if you took Ryan Leaf’s brain, stuffed it inside Matt Leinart’s skull and handed the skull to JaMarcus Russell to throw 12 feet over the head of a wide-open receiver. But enough is enough. Fitzpatrick just isn’t getting it done and the fact that he graduated from Harvard and probably knows how to use a protractor does not make up for the fact HE NO CAN THROWY MR. OBLONG. Right now, the only thing that will save 2012 for Buffalo fans is if it turns out that the Bills’ season syncs up perfectly with Dark Side of the Moon. Fingers crossed. Pick: Buffalo.

Scott Reid: Breaking News – the Buffalo Bills, whose defence has allowed an NFL all-time high forty squinjillion points, has fired its entire defensive team and replaced them with the Muppets and Wall-E.

Q: Does Reid actually think ’80s Robot is Wall-E? A: Probably.

Head coach Chan Gailey explained that, while unconventional, the technically lifeless Muppets would still represent a substantial upgrade to most positions. “Gonzo played a little Division II ball before he got into show biz and Kermit has great Continue…

NFL Picks Week 8: Dolphins-Jets slapfight!

By Scott Feschuk - Friday, October 26, 2012 at 11:33 AM - 0 Comments

New York Giants (plus 2) at Dallas

Scott Reid: I have no way of knowing but I like to imagine that deep down, Tony Romo and Eli Manning loathe one another.

“Hey douche, if you can take that helmet off without getting intercepted I’ll let you count my rings.”

Romo’s hatred would be all bound up in his feelings of insecurity and gross inadequacy (not unlike your own feelings toward me, Mr. Feschuk). Manning probably just hates the dimples. My fondest hope is that deep in the fourth quarter of this week’s matchup – after the Giants gain a 10-point lead – Romo breaks down on television and begins to sob uncontrollably, confronted with the awful truth that he’ll never best his rival. Manning, meanwhile, will make Jessica Simpson jokes and snicker about the hands-off approach of John Mara. Eventually Romo cracks completely and beats Manning savagely with a Gatorade bottle – leaving Eli dead and himself condemned to a life behind bars. In no way would this scenario make Mike Vick the best starting quarterback in the NFC East. Pick: New York.

Scott Feschuk: That’s all very interesting but I have a more important question: What man would ever agree to date Taylor Swift? You’d have to know right from the get-go that everything that happens is basically Continue…

NFL Picks Week 7: Tony Romo, champion brain thinker!

By Scott Feschuk - Thursday, October 18, 2012 at 7:31 AM - 0 Comments

Seattle (plus 7) at San Francisco, Thursday night

Scott Reid: The Niners performance against the Giants last Sunday was the worst thing I’ve seen since Kathy Bates’ bare breasts (warning: if you click on this link, you will actually find an actual video that will actually display her actual bare breasts – so prepare for nudity and nausea). Theories about what went wrong with San Francisco range from poor play-calling to witchcraft to more poor play-calling. Personally, I think all three were involved but I’m mostly blaming the poor play-calling. Riddle me this Batman: Why take the game out of Frank Gore’s hands and put it into Alex Smith’s? Huh? Why? Because you want to make me cry in the hot Texas sun surrounded by weed-puffing fans of The Roots? Well I goddamned well hope so because that’s EXACTLY what happened! (Perhaps I should qualify that I watched this game in a beer tent at the Austin City Limits Music Festival. And if you’re confused why someone would pay hundreds of dollars to see live music but then watch a football game in a sweaty crowd while trying to Continue…

NFL Picks Week 6: The Lack of Power Rankings

By Scott Feschuk - Friday, October 12, 2012 at 10:48 AM - 0 Comments

Resuming a hallowed and time-honoured tradition that dates back all the way to the beginning of this sentence, we take a break from sucking at football picks to present our Mid-Mid-Season Lack of Power Rankings. Teams are rated from worst to first.

1. Cleveland (0-5) You know who’s having a terrible season so far? God. Defend Him all you like: the Guy is just going through the motions. Come on, God: we’ve seen you torment the Browns for the last eon. TRY SOMETHING NEW.

2. Buffalo (2-3) The Bills are giving up so much yardage so quickly that they’re on pace to break the all-time record set by France in 1940.

3. Jacksonville (1-4) So the NFL has announced that in 2013 it will again be sending Jacksonville over to play a football game in London. Twice more and we’ll be even for Continue…

NFL Picks Week 4: Roger Goodell doesn’t care about Pack people

By Scott Feschuk - Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 7:34 AM - 0 Comments

Scott Feschuk Last week (8-7-1) Season (23-24-1)

Scott Reid Last week (5-10-1) Season (20-27-1)

• • •

San Francisco (minus 4) at New York Jets

Feschuk: What a great weekend for the NFL! Sure, the league took a hit over how replacement officials jeopardized player safety, undermined the integrity of the game and looked as confused and terrified as someone who just woke up married to Liza Minelli – but hey, at least it distracted from the fact that every single member of the Dallas Cowboys cheerleading squad has joined the Hitler Youth.

Now the lockout is over, which is great for football but also a little disappointing. Week 4 brings a whole new slate of games that the replacement officials could have turned into shitshows and I for one was looking forward to seeing what they would do horribly, horribly wrong next. Botch a penalty call? Fail to place the ball on the correct line of scrimmage? Get Chinese food delivered to the red zone? Or maybe this would finally have been the week they Continue…

NFL Picks Week 3: “I’m Mitt Romney and I approve this– *falls down stairs*”

By Scott Feschuk - Thursday, September 20, 2012 at 6:32 AM - 0 Comments

Scott Feschuk: Last week (8-8) Season (15-17)

Scott Reid: Last week (8-8) Season (15-17)

•••

New York Giants (-1) at Carolina, Thursday, 8:20 p.m.

Scott Reid: Tom Coughlin went totally Gran Torino on Bucs coach Greg Schiano after Sunday’s game – declaring, “You don’t do that in this league.” “You don’t do that at this level” and “YOUR chocolate is in MY peanut butter.” The source of his outrage: The Bucs kept playing football after Coughlin though they should have stopped. Gee, don’t tear your nylons, Mr. OldSchoolSmashMouthFootball. Betting against Eli feels dangerous these days but with Cam Newton at home plus a point, I’m feeling the Panthers in prime time. Pick: Carolina.

Scott Feschuk: I for one really enjoyed Coughlin’s outburst. Why, he took that young whippersnapper of a wiseacre across his knee and was a-fixin’ to give him what-for on accounta his acting up and such! The Giants coach has concealed his true nature for a couple years but every now and then the neck veins start pulsing, the eyes start bulging and Ang Lee and Edward Norton start making two equally terrible movies about him.

Tom Coughlin has a word with Tampa's Greg Schiano after last week's game

Don’t make Tom Coughlin angry. You wouldn’t like him when he’s angry. (Frankly, most people don’t even like him when he’s pretending to be nice, but you get my point.) Pick: New York.

•••

Tampa Bay (plus 7) at Dallas

Feschuk: Against the Seahawks last week, the Cowboys put forth such a piss-poor effort that by comparison they made Mitt Romney look as though he’s trying to win. Pick: Tampa.

Reid’s pick: Tampa.

•••

Buffalo (minus 3) at Cleveland

Feschuk: Sure, in Week One they looked as dysfunctional as the Sheen family at Christmas (“Daddy, when can we trim the porn star?”), but my Bills rebounded with a win last week and frankly I haven’t been this excited since Continue…

NFL Sunday: Futility reigns (again) as Feschuk and Reid pick games

By Scott Feschuk - Wednesday, September 12, 2012 at 9:05 PM - 0 Comments

"I'm just spitballing here, but I'm pretty sure that thing is the so-called 'ball.'"

Scott Feschuk: Last week (7-9)

Scott Reid: Last week (7-9)

•••

Chicago (plus 6) at Green Bay, Thursday, 8:20 p.m. ET

Scott Reid: If you felt the solar system wobble slightly on Sunday night, don’t worry – that wasn’t your imagination. It was the entire United States of America picking the exact same moment to jump off the Green Bay bandwagon. Take away Randall Cobb’s TD that was generously awarded by Daddy Frank the replacement referee and the much-feared Packer offence squeaked out only two scores all day. Not to be outdone, the Green Bay defence let Frank Gore, Kendall Hunter and Abe Vigoda run around the field at will. All in all, there was much sadness in the land of cheese. But keep this in mind: They were playing the 49ers who really are all that (I say, 10 years to the day that that colloquialism went officially out of cool). Chicago, on the other hand, played Indy. And yes, Cutler and Marshall clicked like Richard and Karen Carpenter. But something tells me that against the Pack they won’t be quite so on top of the world looking down on creation. Nevertheless, if the Bears feed Forte the ball, those six points will be more than Chi-town needs. Pick: Chicago.

Jay Cutler (artist's depiction)

Feschuk: Jay Cutler is the best: He was quoted this week as dismissively wishing the Packers “good luck” in stopping the Bears’ passing attack. The guy puts together one good game against a secondary made up of castoffs and housewives and suddenly he’s cockier than Jon Hamm’s trousers. (Link possibly not safe for work and definitely not safe for insecure males.) Pick: Green Bay.

•••

K.C. (plus 3) at Buffalo

Feschuk: Man, I couldn’t be more excited about the 2013 Buffalo Bills season. Just 359 days ’til Opening Day! As for this year, well, where to begin? Buffalo’s top receiver and top running back are out with serious injuries. They gave up 48 points to a Jets’ teams that’s unlikely to score 48 more points the rest of the season. And big-ticket free agent Mario Williams looked about as fierce as a Shetland pony.

Mario Williams at his most aggressive and intimidating this past Sunday.

Oh, and Ryan Fitzpatrick went to Harvard and obviously totally aced Introduction to Dejectedly Unsnapping One’s Helmet Chin Strap After an Interception 101. I’m not saying Fitzpatrick looked stiff and inanimate but he spent most of the third quarter being yelled at by Clint Eastwood. On the other hand, it’s only one game, right? * smothers self to death with pillow * Pick: Buffalo.

Reid: Buffalo’s season opener was the football equivalent of the first 15 minutes of Bar Rescue – ugly waitresses, dirty kitchen, and Ryan Fitzpatrick standing motionless, looking inebriated. I mean, he was drunk, right? That can’t be the way he plays sober. I think the good news for Buffalo fans is that Continue…

NFL Picks Week 1: Are you ready for ‘Are You Ready for Some Football?’

By Scott Feschuk - Friday, September 7, 2012 at 9:09 AM - 0 Comments

Each week, Scott Feschuk and Scott Reid forecast the outcome of National Football League games, even though a randomly selected monkey could probably do better – and, for the record, make less of a mess. Look for their picks here each Thursday.

Scroll to the bottom for their Can’t Miss (Until They Do) Super Bowl selections.

•••

Sure Things

Jacksonville (plus 3.5) at Minnesota

Reid: You ever notice that Christian Ponder’s Christian name is Christian? Imagine if his surname was Sur. That would totally rock! But here’s my point: Christian Ponder always conjures to my mind the image of a pilgrim. You know, the kind with belt buckles on their hats who casually persecute Indians and run around drowning hysterical teenage girls. They’re better known these days as Republicans. You know what doesn’t come to mind when you’re thinking about Minnesota’s Cotton Mather? Touchdown completions.

Pictured: Cotton "Obscure Reference" Mather

Fact is that Ponder is just no damn good. In fact, I don’t think there’s ever been a truly successful Puritan quarterback in the NFL. (Kurt Warner doesn’t count because everyone knows he made a deal with Satan to destroy Trent Green’s career.) But I’ll guarantee you this much: That belt-buckling Christian Ponder is a Continue…

NFL Picks Opening Night: Girlish squeal of delight!

By Scott Feschuk - Wednesday, September 5, 2012 at 1:13 PM - 0 Comments

Dallas (plus 3.5) at New York Giants, Wednesday, 8:30 p.m. ET

This photo of a dejected Tony Romo is from several months in the past and also three weeks into the future.

Scott Feschuk: Like Jerry Jones’ turkey neck, Scott Reid and I are inexplicably back – back for another season of prognostication-based futility, Six Million Dollar Man references and fat-lineman jokes. There are so many questions as the new season begins: Who will make the playoffs? How will the Buffalo Bills miss the playoffs? And will any U.S. corporation have the audacity to film a football-themed TV commercial that does not feature somewhere between one and three Mannings?

This is a great game to start with because the 2012 season is shaping up to be one of the most entertainingly disastrous ever for the Dallas Cowboys. The hints are everywhere: their marquee receiver is basically under house arrest, Tony Romo is already saying that Continue…

NFL Picks Week 6: Brett Favre has something he'd like to show you

By Scott Feschuk - Friday, October 15, 2010 at 5:32 AM - 0 Comments

It’s his moxie. His moxie!

Scott Feschuk Last week: 7-7 Season: 38-34-4

Scott Reid Last week: 5-9 Season: 34-38-4

•••

San Diego (minus 8.5) at St. Louis

Feschuk: San Diego had two punts blocked last week against Oakland and I know I’m not alone in blaming Michael Ignatieff. Get off your goddamn bus and block a man, eyebrows! The New York Times is calling San Diego “the best 2-3 team you’ll ever see,” and you can understand why: the Chargers are first in the league in offence, second in defence and third behind only Dallas and Minnesota in coaches who during critical late-game moments look as though they’re Continue…

NFL Picks Week Two: Rise of the 53 Packages!

By Scott Feschuk - Friday, September 17, 2010 at 11:46 AM - 0 Comments

Scott Feschuk Last week: 10-3-3

Scott Reid Last week: 8-5-3

Twelve more of these, and we'll have made up for last week's pic of Reid.

Pittsburgh (plus 5) at Tennessee

Feschuk: It’s overreaction Sunday! Let’s all overreact based on what we witnessed last weekend. The 49ers are terrible! Michael Vick should be a starting quarterback! Brett Favre prefers his Metamucil served with a straw! And the Titans are an unstoppable force of nature, like tornados or my hatred for that Papa John guy! I like Tennessee, and I like Chris Johnson, and I like the scent of lavender (not relevant in this context, probably) but I think this spread is too big given how well the Steelers’ D played last week. Let’s see how Vince Young handles coverage and pressure. (Prediction: three interceptions, two girlish screams.) Pick: Pittsburgh.

Reid: Overreaction Sunday! It’s right up there with Hungover Monday or Keep Your Hands To Yourself, Creep Wednesday. I share your analysis: The Steelers D looked pretty solid and I remain far from sold on Vince Young. He has all the emotional durability of Joaquin Phoenix. I say this is a gimme. Take these points, splash some lavender behind your lobes and prepare to be a winner. Pick: Pittsburgh.

•••

K.C. (plus 2) at Cleveland

Reid: When I saw this line I assumed it had to be the work of those guys who designed the antenna for the iPhone 4. It’s that incompetent. Of course, my theory could never be correct. Steve Jobs had those guys skinned alive and Continue…

NFL Picks: The Super Bowl of football games

By Scott Feschuk - Thursday, February 4, 2010 at 9:08 AM - 9 Comments

* Be sure to enter our Super Bowl Challenge, located here.

Scott Feschuk Last games 0-2 Playoffs 5-5 Season 131-129-6

Scott Reid Last games 1-1 Playoffs 5-5 Season 133-127-6

Reid: Let’s begin by looking back at Media Day at the Super Bowl, the sort of cringe-worthy spectacle of excess that makes one wonder if maybe Thomas Malthus was on to something. It’s a guilty pleasure,  stripped of all pleasure.

This year’s particular highlights were Continue…

NFL Picks: The Conference Championships

By Scott Feschuk - Friday, January 22, 2010 at 10:21 AM - 8 Comments

Scott Feschuk Last week 1-3 Playoffs 5-3 Season 131-127-6

Scott Reid Last week 3-1 Playoffs 4-4 Season 132-126-6

Permit us to take a moment to quietly celebrate the new contracts given to Wade Phillips and Norv Turner. Now if a few stubborn owners would just sign Andy Reid’s girth, Brad Childress’s beard and Tom Cable’s blank stare to five-year extensions, all our jokes for next season will have already written themselves.

OK, on to the games…

New York Jets (plus 7.5) at Indianapolis, Sunday, 3 p.m. ET

Reid: Are you like me? Have you had enough of the Rex Ryan love-in? Judging by this week’s media love-clench, you’d think he’d just been pushed out of his job by Jay Leno. He’s the George C. Chickenhawk of the NFL. Calling on all comers. Shooting his mouth off. Sticking out his belly. (Ok, that one’s not a put-on). Here’s the thing about this game: Indy cannot lose. Can. Not. Lose. And they will not lose. Rex Ryan’s team could barely beat some guy named Painter when the whole season was on the line. Against Manning, they’ll be fish food. Revis can only cover one receiver at a time and Manning is too fast off the blitz. By the end of the first half, Sanchez is going to look Bill Daily from I Dream of Jeannie: stumbling, stammering comic relief. (Although Daily did his best work on the Bob Newhart Show – much like Sanchez did his best work at USC). Pick: Indianapolis (by a mile).

Feschuk: This is no time for your precious “logic.” After Sunday, we’ve got two whole weeks until the Super Bowl – two long weeks of press conferences and media days, interrupted only by the three-hour patch of comedy relief known as the Pro Bowl (starring Vince Young and – by the time all the Super Bowl contenders and “injured” players drop out – JaMarcus Russell, Jim Plunkett and the chick who played Blossom). And who would you rather be stuck with for those two interminable weeks before the big game? The quick-witted, fast-talking, over-confident Rex Ryan or Jim “Someone Swears They Saw Him Blink Last Tuesday” Caldwell? I love Continue…

NFL Picks: Divisional Playoff Weekend

By Scott Feschuk - Friday, January 15, 2010 at 5:06 AM - 8 Comments

Scott Feschuk Last week 4-0 Season 130-124-6

Scott Reid Last week 1-3 Season 129-125-6

•••

Arizona (plus 7) at New Orleans, Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET

Feschuk: Hard to say who had a better weekend – Kurt Warner or me. On Old Man Warner’s side of the ledger, he went 29-for-33 against the Packers, tossed more touchdowns than incompletions and still got home in time to watch Murder, She Wrote. I, on the other hand, went a perfect 4-0 in my picks – winning widespread admiration from men* and gazes of intense sexual longing from women**. If New Orleans plays like it did for much of the year, I think they handle the Cardinals. But here’s the thing: Arizona actually ran the ball a ton last weekend (and very successfully) while over the past few weeks the Saints’ run defence has revealed itself to be more fractured than NBC late night. Assuming Kurt Warner is willing to stay up past his bedtime to see this thing out, Arizona has a shot at the upset. Pick: Arizona.

* Not true. ** The lady at Subway kinda winked (possibly a tic).

Reid: Last week – on my way to a blistering 1-3 record – I boldly stated, “If Green Bay loses this game, I’ll put anything you say on my face for at least 10 seconds.” So when Michael Adams stripped Rodgers and Karlos (what’s with the ‘K’?) Dansby walked the ball in to win the game in OT, I knew something truly awful was in my future. But even I couldn’t imagine Continue…