SANTA CON – I’m probably hungover, smell like bourbon and ready to eat my fair share of lasagna at the Christmas dinner table later on today. Let’s not forget the true meaning of Christmas and why you visit Meet The Matts on football Sundays; it’s all about the presents and cash! Fortunately, I am here to deliver my-gift worthy Cheesy Bruin’s Free NFL Picks to off-set the cost of the holiday season. With only two games later on in the day, I’m picking the ‘side’ and ‘total’ for each game.
But first…
Baltimore (+5.5) 44.5 at Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh comes into this game playing their best football of the season riding a five-game winning streak. The game itself will have playoff implications too many to make sense of and my head just doesn’t have the clarity or do I have the patience to list the contingencies. Up next for the Terrible Towels are the defensively stout and hated rival Baltimore Ravens. Ironically the Steelers have gotten a boost from the defense during their latest success while the offense has not performed well in the Red Zone. As surprising are the amount of points the Ravens have scored the last three games and are the most of any three game stretch during the season. The Steelers are looking to avenge a seven-point loss to Baltimore in their first meeting, and while they may get it done it will be tough sledding. The picks: a lean to Baltimore + 5.5 and with conviction, the OVER 44.5.
Denver (+3) 37 at Kansas City
As goaltender Denis Lemieux of the Charlestown Chiefs said in Slapshot said, “Who own da Chiefs?” I don’t know if you can say the Broncos own the Chiefs but they did hang tough in a 30-27 shootout earlier in the year. As far as scoring goes in this game I see things going more according to Hoyle. The Broncos defense isn’t happy with the offense completely in the tank the last two games in which the defense played well enough to win both. Putting more pressure on a unit with a very young quarterback and running back corps might blow up in their collective faces. The Broncos are barely alive in the playoff race and are delivered the final blow by Kansas City. The picks: Kansas City -3 and the UNDER 37.
Detroit (+6.5) 44.5 at Dallas
Monday Night Football, along with the Thursday Night games have been abominable failures all year long. So what do we get tomorrow? A game that means absolutely zero to the Dallas Cowboys but means home field and a division championship for the Detroit Lions. And the Cowboys are favored by how many? Huh? Six and a half? Vegas expects the Cowboys to somehow cover the spread here despite the fact that the opportunity to rest players while having sewn up home field through the NFC playoffs. Maybe Matthew Stafford’s throwing hand injury has something to do with it but the Lions remain competitive anyhow. The picks: Dallas -6.5 as the Best Bet and equally confident with the OVER 44.5
MERRY CHRISTMAS Y’ALL!!!
