Week Seventeen Picks

Really Like:
Lions -3 over PACKERS

Like:
TEXANS +1.5 over Titans
Steelers -6.5 over BROWNS
Seahawks +2.5 over CARDINALS

If forced to choose:

Jets +3 over DOLPHINS
VIKINGS -1.5 over Bears
Chiefs +3.5 over BRONCOS
BENGALS +1.5 over Ravens
Colts +3.5 over JAGUARS
Chargers +3 over RAIDERS
Redskins +7.5 over EAGLES
SAINTS -7.5 over Panthers
PATRIOTS -10 over Bills
GIANTS -3 over Cowboys
RAMS +10.5 over Niners
Bucs +11 over FALCONS

Lock season record: 0-0
Really like season record: 5-3
Like season record: 27-28-2
If forced to choose season record: 89-84-2
All games season record: 121-115-4

Week Seventeen Power Rankings

The Contenders
1. Green Bay (1)
2. New Orleans (2)
3. New England (3)
4. Baltimore (4)
5. Pittsburgh (5)
6. San Francisco (6)

The Sub-Contenders
7. New York Giants (9)
8. Dallas (8)
9. Atlanta (10)
10. Detroit (13)

Too Little Too Late
11. Philadelphia (10)
12. San Diego (7)
13. New York Jets (12)

Meh
14. Cincinnati (15)
15. Houston (14)
16. Miami (16)
17. Carolina (21)
18. Tennessee (17)
19. Seattle (20)
20. Oakland (19)
21. Denver (18)

The Best of the Bad
22. Kansas City (22)
23. Washington (23)
24. Buffalo (24)
25. Arizona (24)
26. Chicago (25)
27. Minnesota (28)

The Really Bad
28. Jacksonville (29)
29. Tampa Bay (28)
30. Indianapolis (31)
31. Cleveland (30)
32. St. Louis (32)

Two Weeks of Goodness: Day Fourteen

Santa was always extremely generous while my brother, sister and I were growing up. Year after year, he went all-out. I really never understood how lucky we were until I got a little older.

It's harder to get a ton of stuff for us now that we're adults. Santa now feels sheepish if he doesn't live up to the extravagant standards he set when we were kids. So he wound up giving each of us some cold, hard cash this Christmas, which I then donated to Nothing But Nets.

Four years ago I ran my first experiment in faux altruism and an anonymous commenter recommended I donate to Nothing But Nets. After that NBN became my favorite charity, in large part because they are often able to find donors who will match every contribution made. They currently have a matching donor through the end of the year, so now is a great time to make a donation.

Two Weeks of Goodness: Day Thirteen

I left the NFL early in the second half of the afternoon games to help with some family stuff surrounding our Christmas Eve gathering. I could have avoided it if I tried, and anyone who reads this blog knows how much an NFL Sunday - or Saturday - means to me.

Week Sixteen Power Rankings & Picks

Power Rankings

The Contenders
1. Green Bay (1)
2. New Orleans (3)
3. New England (5)
4. Baltimore (2)
5. Pittsburgh (4)
6. San Francisco (6)

The Team Nobody Wants To Play
7. San Diego (13)

The Sub-Contenders
8. Dallas (10)
9. New York Giants (7)
10. Atlanta (11) 1
11. Philadelphia (16)
12. New York Jets (9)
13. Detroit (12)

Meh
14. Houston (8)
15. Cincinnati (14)
16. Miami (17)
17. Tennessee (15)
18. Denver (18)
19. Oakland (19)
20. Seattle (21)

The Best of the Bad
21. Carolina (23)
22. Kansas City (29)
23. Washington (25)
24. Buffalo (22)
25. Chicago (20)
26. Arizona (24)
27. Minnesota (26)

The Really Bad
28. Tampa Bay (27)
29. Jacksonville (28)
30. Cleveland (30)

The Andrew Luck Tankapalooza
31. Indianapolis (32)
32. St. Louis (31)

Week Sixteen Picks

Really Like:

COWBOYS -1 over Eagles
Vikings +7 over REDSKINS
BILLS +3 over Broncos

Like:

BENGALS -4.5 over Cardinals
Raiders +2.5 over CHIEFS
Giants +3 over JETS
TITANS -7 over Jaguars
Chargers +2.5 over LIONS

If forced to choose:

Bucs +7.5 over PANTHERS
SAINTS -7 over Falcons
Niners -1 over SEAHAWKS
Rams +12 over STEELERS
Bears +12 over PACKERS
Texans -7 over COLTS X
PATRIOTS -9 over Dolphins
Browns +12 over RAVENS

Lock season record: 0-0
Really like season record: 3-2
Like season record: 24-26-2
If forced to choose season record: 86-79-2
All games season record: 113-107-4

Two Weeks of Goodness: Day Twelve

I surprised my parents by coming over and cleaning the house for a couple hours in preparation for the annual extended family Christmas Eve congregation. I bring little to the table when it comes to carpentry and cooking, but I do have some secret cleaning skills.

Two Weeks of Goodness: Day Eleven

Today I shoveled a ton of snow off covered sidewalks, stairs, and cars in my neighborhood. It was a thoroughly enjoyable experience, getting some well-rounded exercise while listening to a podcast and watching a gorgeous sunset. I could absolutely work a purely physical job - and wholeheartedly enjoy it - if it did good for the world...and I could listen to podcasts.