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Picks Six-Week 17

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THE PICKS SIX

Happy New Year! Welcome back to another edition of The Picks Six.  Please excuse our brief hiatus over week 16 (Christmas got in the way), but we’re back here for a special week 17 column. With a lot of uncertainty over exactly who is or isn’t playing I’m going to change things up and just touch on a few big games before highlighting our Parlay and all our game picks. It’s a bit of a different read than normal, but we’ll be back next week in full for the Wildcard slate of 6 (six!!) games over two days. I can’t wait. Let’s get stuck into the big storylines of this Week 17 Sunday.

The NFC East

The biggest conundrum of this weekend is exactly who is going to be the #4 seed (and receive a HOME playoff game!) in the NFC. The NFC East has been… an abomination at times this year, but in the latter stages of the year you could argue that all four squads have found some legs and improved significantly. Jalen Hurts has given life to the Eagles, despite them now being eliminated from contention. The Giants defense started to show up and Daniel Jones has proven himself to have been a much better choice on draft night than the projected pick for the Giants… Dwayne Haskins. 

Washington have heavily relied on their defense to keep them alive in the playoff race, with injuries to McLaurin and Gibson, combined with utter mediocrity everywhere else leaving them scrambling to stay ahead of the chasing pack. We also have no idea exactly how healthy Alex Smith is, or if it’s going to be at least partially the Taylor Heinicke show… And for the Cowboys, Andy Dalton has found rhythm in Dallas and despite Ezekiel Elliott’s struggles that wide receiver trio of Cooper, Gallup & Lamb is explosive enough to win this division without a consistent running game. Dallas looks perhaps the most complete team, and without ANY doubt if Dak Prescott had not got injured the Cowboys would have WALKED their way to this division title. And I think they still might…

I think the Cowboys will beat the Giants. Joe Judge has instilled a number of good things into this Giants’ team, but largely on special teams and defense. I’m yet to be convinced by their ability to move the ball downfield. The Cowboys are rolling and I think find a way to win in New York and mean all eyes turn to Sunday Night Football. Credit to Ron Rivera for turning this franchise around – I didn’t think they’d win 3 games, let alone find a way to beat the undefeated Steelers amongst others. But I think the dream dies Sunday night. Jalen Hurts is proving himself to be an NFL starting quarterback and will relish his first opportunity under the bright lights of a PrimeTime game. This game will really come down to can the Eagles O-Line stand up to the Washington pass rush. If they can, Hurts can – forgive me – “hurt” them down the field. I’m not convinced Smith will be 100% and I don’t believe this Washington team deserves to be a playoff team. I’m taking the Eagles and, therefore, the Cowboys to win the division.

Prediction:

NFC East Champion: Dallas Cowboys

The AFC Playoff Race

It’s fairly clear cut to me that the Titans will comfortably dispose of the Texans and lock up the AFC South crown, but everything else in the AFC is a bit more confusing. The Browns are struggling to contain COVID within their group as they face a must win against Pittsburgh, the Dolphins have lost their Week 16 Hero as FitzMagic has also tested positive for the virus, and the Colts know they need the Ravens (or others) to lose to have a shot of getting in. The Steelers and Bills themselves are still fighting over who is number 2 and who is number 3 in the seedlings too. It’s a wild Sunday slate. Basically – the short version is, I think all the teams that need to win will win. The Dolphins (my team) are perhaps the most at risk, but I’m hoping the Bills do the nice (and sensible) thing and rest Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs for at least part of this game. Brian Flores’ defense will stand tough regardless, as the Dolphins and Tua find a way to win a very close game and take themselves to Tennessee for wildcard weekend. I see no way the Ravens and Colts don’t beat the Bengals and Jaguars respectively, which leads us onto the big one: Cleveland vs Pittsburgh. The Browns have COVID issues, and the Steelers are resting their starters. This is a game Baker Mayfield HAS to win to end the longest active playoff drought for the Browns. They deserve to get in, and I think they have enough weapons – mainly Chubb and Hunt – to win this game and ensure they do. Sorry Phil Rivers, this ain’t your year. 

Prediction:

2 Seed – Buffalo

3 Seed – Pittsburgh

4 Seed – Tennessee

5 Seed – Miami

6 Seed – Baltimore

7 Seed – Cleveland

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Out – Indianapolis

Bears, Rams or Cardinals?!

Lastly, the final spot in the NFC is also in a pivotal spot. The Chicago Bears have suddenly discovered they’re allowed to pass the ball accurately, and actually score points on offense. You do wonder what would have happened if the Bears had stuck with Mitch rather than the ill-fated pivot to Nick Foles earlier this season – although admittedly, it was injury influenced. Anyway, just as the Bears have found their rhythm, the Rams have absolutely capitulated and almost thrown away their playoff spot. Defeat to the Jets (incredible) and the Seahawks (reasonable) have seen McVay’s men drop to 9-6, and now cannot feel safe. And NOW Jared Goff appears to be out, leaving John Wolford – who has never thrown an NFL pass before – as the Rams final hope. If the Bears win, and the Rams lose, LA would be on the outside looking in. This is even more realistic when you consider that the Rams opponents are the Cardinals who MUST win to get in. Arizona’s inconsistent season was highlighted by the loss to San Francisco last week, which took their destiny out of their own hands. That said, Kyler Murray and DeAndre Hopkins have already fostered a great connection this year, and even Jalen Ramsey will have to admit how much of a struggle it will be trying to keep Hopkins in check. However, I think the Rams fears will be calmed by the soon-to-be MVP in Green Bay. Aaron Rodgers loves beating the Bears, and with the Packers needing a win to secure a bye and the #1 seed, I see no other outcome in that game. Which means the Bears would NEED the Rams to win to keep them in the playoffs. I may be in the minority in this, but I’m a believer in Kliff Kingsbury and his offense. The Cardinals win this game, steal the 6 seed, and eliminate the Bears.

Prediction:

6 Seed – Arizona

7 Seed – LA

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Out – Chicago

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The Parlay 

Last time out, we won our parlay! One push, 4 correct legs, and a nice healthy profit for anyone who backed it. Let’s end the regular season with a bang. We’re going SIX-fold this week.

Cowboys -1.0

As previously stated, the Cowboys look electric on offense right now, with the Red Rifle firing in Texas. Dalton’s weapons will carry the Cowboys to victory here.

Vikings -6.5

The Lions are really bad and are still missing their main weapon in Kenny Golladay. Also, with Dalvin Cook missing for the Vikings after a family tragedy (my condolences to the whole family), Alexander Mattison has a chance to put himself firmly in the shop window. He’s a talented running back, and with Thielen and Jefferson still catching passes, I see the Vikings running away with this one.

Patriots -3.0

Bill Belichick is not losing to Adam Gase’s Jets. It’s just not happening.

Packers -4.0

See above. The final chapter in Rodgers’ Revenge Tour. Packers all day.

Raiders -3.0

I know Gruden’s guys have been suspect of late, but Drew Lock and the Broncos are flat out awful. Average defensively, abysmal offensively. Raiders a clear winner here. 

Cardinals -3.0

This is maybe the riskiest one, but John Wolford isn’t beating Kyler Murray. I’m sorry. Cardinals win this game.

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The Full English (Season Record: 85-39)

Falcons @ Buccaneers – Buccaneers

Ravens @ Bengals – Ravens

Cowboys @ Giants – Cowboys

Dolphins @ Bills – Dolphins

Vikings @ Lions – Vikings

Jets @ Patriots – Patriots

Steelers @ Browns – Browns

Cardinals @ Rams – Cardinals

Packers @ Bears – Packers

Jaguars @ Colts – Colts

Chargers @ Chiefs – Chiefs

Raiders @ Broncos – Raiders 

Saints @ Panthers – Saints

Seahawks @ 49ers – Seahawks

Titans @ Texans – Titans

Washington @ Eagles – Eagles

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Next Week: WildCard

I cannot wait for back to back days with NFL playoff triple headers… it’s hard for me to give you a preview with none of the matchups confirmed, but if we go by my predictions, we’d end up with Ravens vs Steelers, Browns vs Bills, Buccaneers vs Cowboys and Seahawks vs Cardinals amongst others. Sounds good to me. As always, I’m @CallumJDSquires on Twitter and Instagram. Hope you all have a great week.

2021 Predictions

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Thank God 2020 is done! Who invited that idiot to the party anyway? Geez.  Now that the worst year ever is done and dusted, it’s time to look ahead to the year that will be, as we make our 2021 Predictions.

If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that you should never know what to expect in the NFL.
Covid was the main factor in the 2020 season, taking fans out of the games, and featuring a series of checks and balances that kept every team on their toes.
We’ve seen dynasties rise (Chiefs), fall (Patriots), continue to fall further (Jets), and teams that just implode on themselves in pressure situations. (Browns/ Falcons/ Jags).

So, what can we expect in 2021? Here are out top predictions.

No London Games

Covid 19 is still on the field, which means that everything planned is once again on hold. The London NFL games involve travel, meeting new people, and engaging with fans…all things that we still aren’t allowed to do under this new normal. With the London games usually announced in the spring, it would seem highly unlikely that the league would risk pushing ahead with UK games given the uncertainty of next season. It’s no secret that players and coaches aren’t fans of traveling across the pond to play games, so the looming spectre of 2021 Covid will be enough for the NFLPA to pump the brakes on London games. Teams would also find it difficult to get insurance for such a trek, not to mention the potential of having zero fans at Wembley, which would make it feel like a ‘Little Mix’ concert.

Covid Rules

It seems highly unlikely that we will have a vaccine and protocols in place for live sports viewing completed within the next few months, which means we will be once again under stricter protocols. While 2021 might be less rigorous in Covid control, there are still several billion people on the planet who are potentially at risk. We’ve already seen how the virus adapts to stay alive, which makes it the New York Jets of infections. Like the Jets, hopefully Covid still won’t have a chance next season.

Sports Bars Die

Don’t mix with other households. Don’t scream or yell. Don’t stand at the bar.
We got a brief glimpse of this in 2020, as governments cracked down on public gatherings in an effort to control the spread. With the virus still with us for the foreseeable future, these restrictions will continue to flex in and out as our frontline workers battle the ever changing nature of the beast.
Sadly sports bars will continue to suffer under this weight. Fans have already started to get use to watching at home, as well as saving money drinking at home.
While nothing can replace the excitement of watching sports with mates, the NFL will be a casualty to football.
We’ve already seen the Premier League move later on Sunday nights, making it an easier choice for bars to go with the low-hanging fruit of a football fan, rather than cater to niche American football fans.
The sports bar is in for a rough ride in 2021, and the NFL right along with it.

Not the Chiefs

Kansas City Chiefs are primed to repeat as Super Bowl champions in 2021…or are they. If the year has taught us anything, it’s that anything can happen. Pittsburgh went undefeated to then lose to a bunch of losers and put their playoffs at risk. The Bears blew a huge run of games to expose their true talent. The Jets couldn’t even properly tank to get the best new player next year.
Everything you think is going to happen…doesn’t.
With that in mind, this year’s Super Bowl will not be made up of favourites.
Can the NFC East mount a challenger to go all the way? It’s happened before, and it can happen again.

Sam Darnold

‘To me, you are perfect’. Those are the kind of ‘Love Actually’ signs that Darnold could find popping up on his back porch. Adam Gase took a perfectly good, shiny new toy, and left it outside to rust. The Jets will move on from Gase and Darnold, which will allow a new suitor to pick him up and mould him into something other teams will fear.
That team? Why not the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Rivers Retires

Old Man Rivers has been fortunate to get another run at the game after leaving the Chargers. Sure, the Colts have looked goodish, but Rivers isn’t the passer he once was. Like any man in his late 30s’, the balls are starting to drop and wobble more. Rivers has already hinted that this might be his last season, so a big Colts loss in the post season could have him call it a day.
Like other former Colts QBs who retire, he will be taken out behind the shed and shot in the head.

Bears Keep Trubisky

You can’t get rid of herpes, you can only contain its flares. Mitch has itched his way to the top of the shaft once again, pushing out points as the Bears make a late playoff squirt.
The best discharge scenario is to scrape Mitch from the tip, and start fresh and clean again…or is it?
No one is going to want to take a Trubisky Ride after seeing him spooge bad decisions every week, so the Bears might just want to wrap him up and keep him in the back pocket.
The Bears will need to rebuild a are program under a new QB, but until then, you gotta itch Mitch.

Bye Bye Julio

Julio Jones is as much Atlanta as a peach tree, but it’s time for this little peach to leave the farm. After all, what’s more vulnerable than a peach? Julio is getting on in years, and you wonder how much more he has left in the tank? With Hopkins and other older receivers still finding ways to make hay, it would seem logical that he test his skills on a new team in 2021.
Which teams would Julio make interesting in 2021? The Chargers, Broncos and Jaguars all could be interesting spots in 2021.

Among some of the other bold predictions we have for the 2021 season include:

-The Jaguars will make the playoffs in the 2021 season.
-Jimmy Garoppolo returns to the 49ers who mount a decent comeback.
-Matt Stafford moves from Detroit to either the Colts, Broncos, or Patriots. 
-Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson will turn the XFL into a viable spring league. 
-Dak resigns with the Cowboys, but they have another frustrating season. 
-Allen Robinson leaves the Bears for the Dolphins.
-Shaq Barret leaves the Bucs for the Patriots. 
-Kenny Golladay signs with the Colts.
-Tom Brady retires after the end of the 2021 season after losing once again in the NFC Championship final. 

Those are our predictions for the NFL in 2021, hopefully it’s not all that bleak and sad.
We all want the NFL to return to normal, to have games back in London once again, and for all of us to meet up together to share in the joy of the NFL games.
The sooner this happens, the better a place the world will be.

Good luck to everyone in 2021, happy new year.

Ekeler’s Millions

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Oh to be an NFL player! You’re a physically fit, young man, earning millions….and 2 years after you retire there is a high chance you will be BROKE! Not unless you make the right decisions.
LA Chargers running back Austin Ekeler details what he spent his first million dollars on in this Ekeler’s Millions segment.

One of the first things that comes across when you watch Austin Ekeler is how humble and grounded the guy is. This probably has something to do with growing up in rural Colorado, and not really focusing on the NFL as a career.  Often the biggest financial busts in the NFL are the players who focus on status and prestige, as opposed to building the structure for financial stability in the future.  There is nothing more frustrating as a fan watching a talented young athlete blow their wad on ‘bling’, when their career could essentially be over within 5 years.
Sure Drew Brees can spend millions on trinkets and baubles, but look where that got him.

Among some of the purchases that Ekeler bought with his first million includes:

Chrysler 300

The essential vehicle for soccer moms, single dads with weekend duties, and of course NFL rookies. Austin smartly mentions that he bought a used car, as he wanted something reliable and affordable to get him to work, while many of his other teammates were focused on the flashy, European models.
It’s better to be frugal than a fool in a league where a sudden injury can change the trajectory of your future immediately.
Cost $30,000

Gaming System

Boys love their toys, and a single man in his 20s is going to spend a lot of money on gaming. Gaming is surprisingly popular and competitive amongst NFL players themselves, so many of the rookies are going to want to update their speed and graphics in order to compete with some of their elders on the team and league. Gaming is a massively popular industry, and many NFL players are eyeing it up as not only an investment post career, but also as a potential job. Hey, it works in ‘Ballers.’
Cost $10,000

Mommy Car

Every good boy wants to thank their mom for driving their ass to and from practice and games for almost 2 decades. Ekeler thanked his mama by replacing here ugly old van, with something more fitting of a matriarch. Austin’s mom is also a Colorado real estate agent, so she has actually been working for him to upgrade his portfolio. Investing in mom is always a good investment.
Cost $40,000

Corvette

The Corvette is a classic staple of Americana muscle car, this fibre glass beast is one of the biggest killers of drivers in accidents. But…Austin Ekeler loves the ‘Vette, so he bought a shiny one. It’s got to be hard to compete with teammates (and celebrities) in LA, so players do need a car that displays the fact that they ‘made it.’ When you’re a kid you dream of owning your ‘dream car’, and luckily Ekeler was able to do just that.
Cost $80,000

Wardrobe

Some NFL players go full peacock in their post game wardrobe (talking to you Cam Newton), so it’s always refreshing to hear from a normal guy that doesn’t spend his weekly budget on hats. Again, the competitive nature of other NFL players must set the bar high, but given what Ekeler spent updating his wardrobe, many women spend that easily making way less.
Cost $5000

Home

Home is where the honey’s are, and if you want lots of honies, you need a sweet home. Read that on a washroom stall once. Everyone in their 20s’ wants to get out of the rent-trap, and Austin wisely invested a large chunk of his cash into his first house. Listening to him speak about it, you get the impression this will be the first of many home he will turn over for a profit.
Cost $240,000

Australia

Austin Ekeler bought Australia for only $15k! Kidding, but the young man invested the sum into visiting his buddy there that was setting up a gym. Sure that this good looking, rich young American man had a great time down under for that amount.
Cost $15,000

Investment Property

OK, this is when you know that Ekeler is one of the smarty ones. Ekeler’s aforementioned mom helped him pick out 17 properties in Colorado to add to his investment portfolio. 17 properties? Wowza, even local boy John Elway must be impressed enough to give him a Papa John’s franchise.
Newby athletes need to learn from Austin Ekeler so that they don’t make silly mistakes with their money. After all, who wants to go from the NFL in your 20s’, to working at Sonic in your 30s’?
Cost $800,000

What would you do if someone handed you that kind of contract? Would you invest that same way as Ekeler’s Millions, or blow it all in a blaze of glory?

Things to think about. Happy New Year!

 

 

 

Week 16 Preview

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The NFL regular season is winding down while Santas’s sleigh approaches, as Wade & Ryan open their final advent window before Christmas in this Week 16 Preview podcast.

Week 15 brought with it some crazy upsets (looking at you Steelers & Jets), and it with changed the landscape of the NFL playoffs. Imagine if Pittsburgh loses all their remaining games and fails to make the finals? How 2020!

Week 16 has some great games over Christmas and Boxing Day, so make sure that you get your fantasy lineup set if you are fortunate to be in your playoffs. This is the finals for many leagues so good luck!

The guys make their score predictions for ALL of the games this week, so make sure that you listen to the whole thing to gleam all of the useless knowledge the boys have compiled over the season. Among some of the games the guys preview this week includes:

Vikings (6-8) vs Saints (10-4)
Saints -7  +52

Minnesota is almost out of the playoffs, and after a bad beat by the Bears last week, it’s hard to see how they can manage it. Their D is a shambles, and there is only so much weight you can shift to Dalvin Cook to carry the whole team.  Jefferson and Thielan are always a threat, if Cousins can find enough time in the pocket, which is rare under the heft of a strong D like New Orleans.
The Saints took a tough hit from the Chiefs last week, so they should be motivated to want to oust a division rival particularly the nasty Vikings.
It’s no secret that the Saints fans will be hating on the refs on Christmas Day, hoping that Santa will save them from previous naughty moves by the zebras in past years to rob them of playoff glory.
Wade & Ryan both think that the Saints will win, but that it might be closer than the Saints like.
Ryan- Saints 30 Vikings 24
Wade- Saints 27 Vikings 23

Dolphins (9-5) vs Raiders (7-7)
Dolphins -2.5  +47.5

Miami looks like they are on the way to the playoffs if they can win these next two games. It will be easier to beat the Raiders than it will the Bills. Tua and the guys had a nice win over the Patriots last week, albeit low scoring and not that exciting.
Where the Dolphins shine is on defence, so look for them to try to thwart the legs of Marcus Mariota at every angle.
Las Vegas is about to call it a season. It is highly unlikely that they will finish with a winning record, and effectively have to retire to the strip to find some action. They also won’t be that motivated to win, as they haven’t been playing with any vigour this season when needed.
Wade sees the Dolphins rolling through while Ryan has hopes for Las Vegas to roll the dice for a win.
Ryan- Raiders 24 Dolphins 20
Wade- Dolphins 28 Raiders 18

Colts (10-4) vs Steelers (11-3)
Steelers -2  +45.5

The Colts and Phillip Rivers continue to roll on thanks to the play of their O line and solid D. Rookie running back Taylor has been very useful, and should see plenty of field against the Steelers.
Indianapolis has been very weak in their 4 losses, and they have the look of a team that could be out in one game should they make it to the playoffs. This game will see how adaptable they are, and how much they prepared for this big game.
Three losses for Pittsburgh, logo dancing, Tik Toks, and the new car smell is gone. Pittsburgh not only lost 3 games in a row, but they lost them epically to bad teams. They could be the first 11-0 team that fails to make the playoffs if they lose all of their next games, so the pressure is on.
Wade & Ryan both like the Colts here, as the Steelers are still in a haze of focus.
Ryan- Colts 21 Steelers17
Wade- Colts 28 Steelers 26

That’s it for this Week 16 Preview podcast, thanks for listening and pushing it up the charts. Listen to the whole thing to get all of the score predictions & game insight. Continue to share, laugh and love, as we have a hoot of a time making it for you.

Draftkings League

Our NFL in London Draftkings League is also a fun way to get involved.
We have FREE & PAID contests every week, so click away and play with us. Hopefully once this is all over we can all get together again.
https://dkn.gs/r/kwxDR0JIokKPkA6cPjCtNA

Have a Merry Christmas, and stay safe this holiday season.

TNF Packers vs 49ers

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America is on life support this week, as it flatlines from its most recent election. Biden, Trump, Kanye? It’s anyone’s guess, but the real eyes should be on the Bay area this week, as the 49ers host Aaron Rodgers and the Packers on Thursday night.
Sure, American polling stations might be burning, but the real burn will be the anger in Rodgers eyes as he attempts to avenge a week 8 loss.

49ers

The 49ers are a total mess after week 8. Not only have they lost Jimmy G, George Kittle, Wilson Jr, and Mostert, they also lost lost Nick Bosa and Dee Ford on the D.
If you’re on San Fran’s practice squad, there’s a pretty good chance you’re playing on Thursday night.
This really could be the end for the 49ers this season in their competitive division. Losing the next few games will definitely push them beyond repair, as some of their top guys will be gone for the season.
As much as we all would love to see Nick Mullens pull a season saver out of his ass, he’ll need to be able to throw accurately over 8 yards, which has eluded him thus far in the season.
San Francisco is on its way to being the NY Jets of the NFC, they just don’t know it yet.

Packers

The Packers got stuffed last Sunday at Lambeau thanks to Dalvin Cook. They had no answer for him as he romped for 4 touchdowns and 200+ yards. Cook was a fantasy hero, and thankfully I had him on my squad, as well as choosing the Packers not to cover.
Aaron Rodgers is a beast after a loss, going 31-15 against the spread in the week following one.
Green Bay is also hit by the injury/ Covid bug, as it looks like all of their running backs could be out. Rodgers is going to have to toss the ball on Thursday, which shouldn’t be a problem against the 49ers secondary which is down & dusted as well.
No one will be able to smother Davante Adams, which should lead to a stellar game for him.

Prediction

The 49ers are far too hobbled to cause problems for anyone this season going forward. They went from a ‘chasing the playoffs year’, to ‘shut up and rebuild year’ in one single week.
Aaron Rodgers will be looking to avenge his Sunday loss, and the poor 49ers will pay the price.
Rodgers is a California boy, and he should feel right at home in this game.

Packers 31 49ers 18