The Fantastic Four - Week 13
by Michael Cooper
Radio Director/Senior Writer
11/29/08

J... E…T...S… Jets Jets Jets!

Week 12 brought us another 3-1 record but, for the first time, I put statistics on the back burner and went with my gut and the Jets walloped the Titans. I’m sticking with my gut for the rest of the season, or at least as long as I keep winning.

By the way, we started this column way back in week 6 and so far our record stands at 19 wins and 9 losses heading into this weekend. Meanwhile, our perfect 4-0 Schlichter was marred in week 12 only by the failure of Peyton Manning to score touchdowns instead of 3 field goals against the worst pass defense in all of football. Oh well… it’s on to Lucky week 13. 

We all decided to leave the Thanksgiving blowouts for lesser forecasters. The Fantastic Four only takes on the tough matchups week in and week out. This weekend my gut tells me you can bet on our 4-team Art Schlichter parlay bringing home the Christmas cash.  Of course my gut may just be too full of Turkey and stuffing  So here you go and don’t ever say The Fantastic Four have never given you anything… Have a great Thankgiving weekend!

Indianapolis (-5) at Cleveland, Jeff Thitoff of The Columbus Dispatch
This line could have been 10 and I still would take the Colts. Cleveland has been forced to go back to Derek Anderson at quarterback... the guy who was beat out by Charlie Frye for the starting job in 2007. He had a good run last year, but the bottom line is he's just not that good. This team is lost and the Colts are finding their groove. Cleveland lost by 10 at home to Houston last week and the Browns' defense is allowing almost 370 yards per game. The Colts have won four straight, all against teams better than Cleveland. Look for Peyton and company to make it five straight with a double-digit win in the Dawg Pound.

Baltimore (-7) at Cincinnat, Michael Cooper, Radio Director/Senior Writer
Brandon Jacobs and the Giants tripped up Baltimore but, as you’ve probably noticed, while Jacobs won the battle his injuries since that game have retired him from the war. I think this Raven’s offense will put up 30 and Ray Lewis and company will turn out the lights on the Bengals by half time. Legendary coach and Bengal’s founder, Paul Brown, refused to allow his marketing people to put Tiger stripes on the original team helmets believing that if the team wasn’t very good it would really look silly and embarrassing. How right he was all those years ago. Baltimore 41 – Bungles 0

Pittsburgh (+1) at New England, Paul Eide, Fantasy Football Director/Senior Writer
Pittsburgh has become a road team juggernaut this year compiling a 4-1 record and it goes to 5-1 this week against their old nemesis the Patriots.

Ben Roethlisberger has had 10 days' rest; since the Steelers  beat Cincinnati 27-10 on Nov. 20 and says he's feeling better than he has all season.

First the bad news,.Pittsburgh has not won in New England since a 24-21 overtime victory in 1997.....New England has won six of the past seven games in the series, including victories in the 2001 and 2004 AFC Championship games, both in Pittsburgh.  Now the good news, New England enters this game at 7-4, a game behind the Jets in the AFC East. If the season ended now, the Patriots would be just behind Indianapolis and Baltimore for a wild-card spot.  I think the Steelers get some revenge this week for those two Championship defeats and assist the Patriots into a regular season exit from the playoffs.

New York Giants (-3.5) at Washington, Michael Abromowitz, NFL Draft Director/Senior Writer
Quite frankly, I don't know if a team can beat the Giants right now.  They have looked great on all cylinders of the game.  Clinton Portis still doesn't look to be 100 percent, which for the Redskins to have a chance in this game, Portis will need to make an impact.  Look for the Skins to stay tight until the 4th quarter until the Giants' bruising ground game takes over.  Giants win by 10.