If you’ve been following (or fading) our bettors’ picks, you’re probably flush with cash for Christmas and/or Hanukkah. Jon Greenberg and Zac Jackson managed to scramble together some holiday cheer, i.e., picks for this week.
GREENBERG (5-5 last week, 65-48 overall): Our NFL hot streak continued as we combined to go 6-3 following our 9-0 week, but we were less successful picking college games. I’m only taking a bowl game this week if you assure me it’s a lock. (And then I’ll probably fade you.)
Because of a midweek Christmas, we’re pumping this out early, so no time for pleasantries.
I’ll start with the two Christmas Day games. I don’t, as a rule, bet against the Steelers. But if you don’t have that rule, you should take the Chiefs -2.5. Yes, this would be a perfect spot for them to lose in a short week on the road. But the Steelers are banged up and have hit a lull since disposing of the Browns. Mike Tomlin sounded optimistic that George Pickens (who practiced in full Monday) and other injured players could return this week, so keep an eye out for that. If that happens, I’ll probably take over 43.5.
I wanted to take Baltimore -5.5 but decided to play it safe. When they blow out the Texans, you can laugh at me in the comments.
I’m still debating on whether I want to drag myself to Soldier Field for the last home game of the year on Thursday night. They couldn’t air this game at noon? The Bears are mentally fried, and playing on a short week after facing the Lions surely isn’t going to help their physical well-being. Take the visiting Seahawks -3.5 and maybe put some bets in loved ones’ stockings or near the menorah.
Any thoughts on Christmas matchups, the bowl games or the rest of the NFL schedule? (If you don’t, this will be a brief column.)
JACKSON (4-4 last week, 56-58): Midday bowl games make me jolly. Picking winners remains difficult, but we do this for the love of the game, Jon.
Under 43.5 in Chiefs-Steelers feels like a winner. With a short week (after a short week) and two offenses fine operating in second gear, I’ll take my chances here. I hate to be against your heater, but I’ll do it. I’ll pass on the other Christmas game and save my bullets for the bowl games.
It’s an absolute bowl bonanza from Thursday-Saturday, and I have two circled. I’m on Navy +8 vs. Oklahoma in the Armed Forces Bowl, and I’m not alone because the line has dropped five points as of this writing. I think Navy wins against whatever operation Oklahoma runs out there, so take Navy +3. Friday night in the Liberty Bowl, I’ll take Arkansas -2 vs. what’s left of Texas Tech’s roster.
GREENBERG: I’ll take your word for it on the bowl games. I think I’m running on a short week too, because I’m too tired to make good decisions. To show you how sluggish my brain is, I bought NBA tickets for Monday night before teams announced which stars are sitting out. (It’s Giannis and Dame. Whoops.)
I can get it together enough to pick two more NFL games: the Chargers -5 at New England — that’ll be up to 6 or more, I’m guessing — and in a week, I like Detroit -3.5 at San Francisco. Maybe it’s recency bias, having watched the Lions gnaw at the Bears’ collective kneecaps and bet on the Niners at Miami, but I like this matchup.
Any holiday thoughts before we close this out?
JACKSON: With you on the Lions -3.5. They’re going to try to stay on the gas. I’d play it up to a touchdown.
I like Denver +3 at Cincinnati on Saturday. Joe Burrow is doing some Superman stuff, but that’s a flawed Bengals team. I like the Broncos to keep it close and potentially steal it outright.
On motivation, I like Boston College +145 moneyline to beat Nebraska in the Pinstripe Bowl. And I certainly like Louisiana +13 to stay within the number vs. TCU.
I assume we’ll be doing this again before the next round of College Football Playoff games. I’m just trying to string a few winners together and not drown in shrimp cocktail this holiday season. Or maybe I am trying to drown in cocktail sauce, actually.
Through family in Austin, we grew up Texas fans. My mom would buy us Longhorns bowl game gear most years, and I specifically remember opening a shirt one year and hearing my dad tell my mom that if she’d just waited a week, the shirt would have been on sale.
He must have been losing his football picks. It happens.
Jon Greenberg’s picks
Zac Jackson’s picks
(Photo of Joe Burrow: Jason Mowry / Getty Images)
