THE INTRO
It's 5 am, I've only slept about three hours over the last few days, and I've been working all day/night on a shipment with over 325 products in it.
I have no energy to put any effort into this. Which leaves me with three options.
1) Send out a lackluster, uninspired, "rapid fire" version of the Dime.
2) Don't bother sending anything out this week, it's already just five hours to game time anyway.
3) Cancel the Dime once and for all.
Given these choices, which all suck, I opted for Option One. Yayyyyyyy.
It's funny that my picks are actually good this year. Maybe there is some reverse correlation between the quality of writing and the quality of picks? In my most exhausted, least energetic year ever, I'm killing it... but back when I cared and had hopes and dreams I never had a winning week to save my life.
What's that? The Dime always sucks, I shouldn't flatter myself?
Fair enough.
THE RECORD
Last Week
Spread "Picks": 0 - 0 - 0 (N/A)
Spread "Leans": 3 - 3 - 1 (.500)
Spread "Coin Flips": 5 - 1 - 1 (.833)
With the spread: 8 - 4 - 2 (.667)
Without the spread: 8 - 6 - 0 (.571)
Season
Spread "Picks": 5 - 5 - 0 (.500)
Spread "Leans": 22 - 11 - 2 (.667)
Spread "Coin Flips": 19 - 11 - 2 (.633)
With the spread: 46 - 27 - 4 (.630)
Without the spread: 50 - 27 - 0 (.649)
THE PICKS
($) - Indicates a "Pick", which is a side that I feel strongly about
(/) - Indicates a "Lean", which is the side that I'm leaning towards
(?) - Indicates a "Coin Flip", where I don't have much of an opinion
* - Indicates Outright Upset Pick
THURSDAY
(/) Atlanta (-3.0) @ New Orleans (+3.0)
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: Atlanta (LOSS)
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: Atlanta (LOSS)
SUNDAY
(?) Washington (+7.0) @ NY Jets (-7.0)
True, New York has had a bye week to prepare for this game, which is bad news for a weak Redskins offense that was already going to have a brutal day against one of the league's top defenses. But then, the Redskins have been great on defense all year and have kept games close for the most part. What to do? Take the points, I guess.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: Washington
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: NY Jets
(/) Arizona (-3.5) @ Pittsburgh (+3.5)
I sort of love Arizona in this spot, but there's something scary about the Steelers as a home underdog. And while I still don't respect the Steelers on defense, through five games, the D has actually been quite good. So I'll wuss out and keep this at a lean.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: Arizona
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: Arizona
(/) Kansas City (+3.5) @ Minnesota (-3.5)
It would seem that the wheels have totally fallen off for the Chiefs with the injury to Jamaal Charles and then a loss to the lowly Bears at home last week. Seems like a good spot for the Vikings, but I still like the Chiefs enough on defense to be wary.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: Minnesota
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: Minnesota
(/) Cincinnati (-3.0) @ Buffalo (+3.0)
Pure and simple, the Bengals are due for a letdown spot. After some high intensity wins over the last few weeks including the come-from-behind win in Baltimore and an overtime win over Seattle last week, this looks like a prime game to let get away. If Tyrod Taylor were starting I'd LOVE it... with EJ Manual, I only like it.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: Buffalo
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: *Buffalo
($) Chicago (+3.0) @ Detroit (-3.0)
Detroit is too talented to be winless, and Chicago is just what the doctor ordered to get that first game in the W column. Look for a big day from the Lions offense.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: Detroit
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: Detroit
(?) Denver (-3.5) @ Cleveland (+3.5)
Could easily make a case for Cleveland at home here, but the Broncos are just playing too well on defense. I'm expecting a low-scoring game and could easily see the Browns covering with a 3-point loss, but I'm going slightly Denver's way.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: Denver
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: Denver
(?) Houston (+2.0) @ Jacksonville (-2.0)
Jacksonville, I guess? I don't have the slightest idea. This is one of the winnable ones for them though, right?
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: Jacksonville
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: Jacksonville
($) Miami (+2.0) @ Tennessee (-2.0)
Okay Miami, I'm counting on you one last time here. New coach, new voice, coming off of the bye week you can treat this as a "new season". You are a talented enough team to be in playoff contention, and you are playing the Titans off of a bye week. Let's regroup and win here fellas. I believe in you.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: Miami
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: *Miami
(?) Carolina (+7.0) @ Seattle (-7.0)
This spread looks about right to me. With Lynch back and the home crowd behind them, I'm leaning towards the Seahawks though.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: Seattle
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: Seattle
(?) San Diego (+10.5) @ Green Bay (-10.5)
You know what? I'm going to go against my better judgment and take the points here. The Chargers have a good enough offense to hang around or squeeze in a backdoor cover. Packers will be content to just sleepwalk to another win. Maybe?
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: San Diego
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: Green Bay
(?) Baltimore @ San Francisco
San Francisco sucks, but I don't even know if the Ravens could find a win if it bit them in the ass at this point. This just seems like "one of those years" for Baltimore, and nothing would sum it up better than a loss to the sad sack 49ers.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: San Francisco
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: *San Francisco
(/) New England (-9.5) @ Indianapolis (+9.5)
Come on Indy. You've lost your last four games to the Pats by 20+ points, including last year's humiliating AFC Championship Game. You are in prime time at home as a massive underdog with a chance to get some revenge. You aren't just going to roll over and die, are you? Have to put up a fight.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: Indianapolis
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: New England
MONDAY
(?) NY Giants (+5.5) @ Philadelphia (-5.5)
I'm not even going to pretend to have the slightest clue when it comes to these two teams. I guess I'll take the points, and while I'm at it, go with the outright upset as well, because........ reasons.
PICK WITH THE SPREAD: NY Giants
PICK WITHOUT THE SPREAD: *NY Giants
THE COLLEGE NICKEL
RECORD: 19 – 15 – 1 (.559)
Alabama -4.0 (WIN)
Boston College +15.5 (LOSS)
Baylor -21.0 (WIN)
ASU +6.5 (LOSS)
Western Kentucky -34.0 (LOSS)
Good luck! Thanks for reading!
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For past issues of the Dime and all of my current and archived work, visit www.davesdime.com
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