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Welcome back for the final week of my awful regular season picks. It has been an ugly past few weeks, settling into a sort of blah mediocrity. Exciting times all around! Last week I was 2-3, dropping me even further down the standings. I'll continue with playoff picks just for fun, but here's hoping I can finish out the SuperContest with a flurry (don't hold your breath).
The 49ers host the Arizona Cardinals and are a six-point favorite in the SuperContest lines. I can only assume this is due to the significant questions about the Cardinals quarterback position, where they are starting Ryan Lindley. Bruce Arians initially said Logan Thomas was the likely starter, but quickly changed his mind. The Cardinals have a strong defense, but like the 49ers, they have dealt with a ton of injuries. I decided to pick the 49ers just for the heck of it, but would it shock anybody if they failed to cover again? They looked great to start the game last week, and then proceeded to fall apart. Of course, Ryan Lindley is not Philip Rivers, so there's that. But I really just don't know what to make of the 49ers at this point in their season finale. I picked them to cover, but I'm not holding my breath.
As for my SuperContest picks, I went with the Packers, Steelers, Texans, Falcons and Chiefs. I made the Chiefs pick before the news that Alex Smith would miss the game with a lacerated spleen. I had a chance to change my pick, but I decided to get a little crazy and stick with Chase Danel at the helm. This offense is built around Jamaal Charles, and Alex Smith has struggled the latter half of this season. I just think it could work out for them. We'll see.
Just a reminder, the folks at our partner site, OddsShark have staked me in a pick 'em contest in Las Vegas. I pick five games each week against the spread, taking on over 1,400 people. The top 30 win money. I will not be in the top 30. If you are looking to figure out some wagers for Sunday (something I would NEVER encourage), check out the OddsShark betting trends page.
Here are all my picks, with the home team listed first in CAPS.
PACKERS vs. Lions (+7.5) - Packers
TEXANS vs. Jaguars (+9.5) - Texans
STEELERS vs. Bengals (+3.5) - Steelers
TITANS vs. Colts (-7) - Colts
RAVENS vs. Browns (+13.5) - Browns
PATRIOTS vs. Bills (+4.5) - Bills
DOLPHINS vs. Jets (+6) - Jets
FALCONS vs. Panthers (+4) - Falcons
VIKINGS vs. Bears (+6.5) - Vikings
CHIEFS vs. Chargers (+3) - Chiefs
GIANTS vs. Eagles (+3) - Giants
WASHINGTON vs. Cowboys (-6) - Cowboys
BUCCANEERS vs. Saints (-4) - Saints
SEAHAWKS vs. Rams (+11.5) - Seahawks
49ERS vs. Cardinals (+6) - 49ers
BRONCOS vs. Raiders (+14) - Raiders