NFL week 13 open thread

Last week, I had one of my best weeks of the season.  Five of my six predictions came true, and I even picked the correct score for the Tennessee-Arizona game.  I’m now at 45-21 for the season.  The only fly in the ointment was the Pittsburgh Steelers loss to the Baltimore Ravens in overtime, 20-17, a game which they nearly won with a first-time QB.  Oakland comes to Pittsburgh this week, but Ben Roethlisberger should be ready to play.  The Steelers should win this game rather easily, 28-13.  Too bad my request for a press pass for this game didn’t come quite so easily, but with the First Mate in the hospital this week, I wouldn’t have been able to use it anyway.  With any luck, she’ll be home for the afternoon game.

Let’s see if I can’t get to 50 this week.  Here are my picks for Week 13:

• Minnesota at Arizona – Minnesota is the best not-unbeaten team in the NFL this year, and traveling to Arizona won’t change that.  Expect Arizona to give them a few more headaches than Chicago, but Larry Fitzgerald won’t be enough to beat the Vikings.  Minnesota wins this one 27-20.
• New Orleans at Washington – The Saints will come marching in, marching up and down the field, and marching into the Redskins’ backfield.  They dismantled the Patriots, and anyone who watched that game can’t seriously pick them to lose.  41-17, Saints.
• Tennessee at Indianapolis – The Colts keep coming back from behind to stay unbeaten.  The Titans have played like unbeatens for the last five weeks, finding a way to win at the end of last week’s game.  This game will come down to which team has the ball at the end.  I have to pick Indy to win at home, 24-20, but this may be the best game this weekend.
• Dallas at NY Giants – This normally would have been the game of the week, but the Giants have become the Pygmies since their hot start, almost the mirror image of the Titans.  This is a huge rivalry, but as much as I hate to say it, the Cowboys have the better team even on the road.  It will still be reasonably close, but Dallas will win, 24-17.
• Baltimore at Green Bay – Baltimore barely got past a Steelers team with a first-time QB.  Aaron Rodgers will eat them alive at home.  Neither team has been particularly impressive this season, but the Packers should handle the Ravens, 28-21.