Against The Spread Pool: Week 13

Jeff Pasquino's Against The Spread Pool: Week 13 Jeff Pasquino Published 11/27/2019

Over the past few years, we have given the subscribers of Footballguys.com the Staff Confidence Pool Challenge, where numerous staffers try and pick the winners each week with a confidence ranking, and Dave Larkin’s “For The Win” column where Jeff attempts to pick each and every NFL game against the Las Vegas spread. Both of these have been very popular features, so once again this year Footballguys is proud to bring you the combination of the two - the Footballguys staff "Against the Spread Pool Challenge". Multiple staff members (19) will pick the winner of each NFL game against the Las Vegas line. As a tie-breaker, the person who is closest to the total points scored on the last Monday Night game will be the winner. Winners will be announced from week to week and the best overall record will be crowned Against the Spread Champion. Picks and ranks are due on Wednesday, so any late-breaking news may not be reflected in the choices.

Please note, that this contest should NOT be viewed as direct sports wagering advice, especially later in the season. Since the staff is trying to beat one another, picks may be made to go against the grain in an attempt to try and catch up in the standings. This example of game theory is more in tune towards playing a contest such as this - so again, do not use these picks as direct advice towards which games to pick each and every week. Rather, use these picks to see the top choices each week, especially by the staff members towards the top of the standings.

LAST WEEK'S RESULTS

Here are the results from last week:

Road Team:
IND
MIA
DET
DEN
TB
SEA
CAR
PIT
OAK
NYG
JAC
DAL
GB
BAL
Home Team:
HOU
CLE
WAS
BUF
ATL
PHI
NO
CIN
NYJ
CHI
TEN
NE
SF
LAR
Favorite:
HOU
CLE
DET
BUF
ATL
PHI
NO
PIT
OAK
CHI
TEN
NE
SF
BAL
Point Spread:
-3.5
-10.5
-3.5
-4.5
-4.5
-1.5
-9.5
-6.5
-3.5
-6.5
-3.5
-6.5
-3.5
-3.5
Staffer
The Picks
MNF
LW
Total
Danny Tuccitto
IND
MIA
WAS
BUF
TB
SEA
CAR
CIN
NYJ
CHI
TEN
NE
SF
LAR
49
10
88
Alessandro Miglio
HOU
MIA
DET
BUF
TB
PHI
CAR
CIN
NYJ
NYG
TEN
DAL
GB
BAL
50
9
98
Clayton Gray
HOU
CLE
DET
DEN
TB
SEA
CAR
CIN
NYJ
CHI
TEN
NE
SF
BAL
52
9
78
Phil Alexander
IND
MIA
WAS
BUF
ATL
PHI
NO
CIN
NYJ
NYG
TEN
DAL
GB
BAL
48
9
97
Matt Bitonti
IND
MIA
DET
BUF
ATL
SEA
NO
CIN
NYJ
NYG
TEN
DAL
GB
BAL
55
9
84
Justin Howe
HOU
MIA
DET
BUF
ATL
SEA
CAR
PIT
NYJ
NYG
TEN
DAL
SF
BAL
45
9
91
Andy Hicks
IND
MIA
DET
DEN
ATL
SEA
CAR
CIN
NYJ
NYG
JAC
DAL
GB
BAL
61
8
105
Jeff Pasquino
HOU
CLE
DET
BUF
ATL
SEA
NO
PIT
OAK
NYG
TEN
NE
SF
BAL
51
7
89
Mark Wimer
HOU
CLE
DET
BUF
ATL
SEA
NO
CIN
OAK
NYG
JAC
DAL
GB
BAL
48
7
94
Aaron Rudnicki
IND
CLE
DET
DEN
TB
SEA
NO
PIT
NYJ
NYG
JAC
DAL
GB
LAR
40
7
94
William Grant
HOU
MIA
DET
BUF
TB
SEA
NO
PIT
NYJ
NYG
JAC
NE
GB
BAL
48
6
76
Jason Wood
HOU
CLE
DET
BUF
ATL
SEA
CAR
PIT
OAK
CHI
JAC
DAL
GB
BAL
47
6
86
Jeff Haseley
HOU
MIA
DET
BUF
ATL
SEA
NO
PIT
OAK
NYG
TEN
NE
SF
BAL
46
6
86
Sean Settle
HOU
MIA
DET
DEN
ATL
SEA
CAR
PIT
OAK
CHI
TEN
NE
SF
BAL
52
5
86
Andrew Garda
HOU
CLE
DET
BUF
ATL
SEA
NO
PIT
OAK
CHI
JAC
NE
GB
BAL
50
4
83
James Brimacombe
IND
CLE
WAS
BUF
ATL
PHI
NO
PIT
OAK
CHI
JAC
NE
GB
LAR
50
4
87
Keith Roberts
HOU
MIA
DET
DEN
ATL
SEA
NO
PIT
OAK
NYG
TEN
NE
GB
BAL
46
4
89
Devin Knotts
IND
CLE
DET
BUF
ATL
PHI
NO
PIT
OAK
NYG
JAC
NE
GB
LAR
45
4
82
Dave Larkin
HOU
MIA
DET
DEN
ATL
SEA
NO
PIT
OAK
NYG
TEN
NE
GB
BAL
41
4
93

Vegas Winners - Over 52.4% Hit Rate
Over 50% Hit Rate

Week 12 was a tough week for the staff, as there were several upsets and closer than expected wins by favorites. Only Danny Tuccitto was able to pick 10 games correctly this week, while five staffers were one pick behind. Detroit's loss in Washington cost the staff quite a bit, as 16 of 19 staffers were on the side of a Lions' road victory that did not come in Washington last Sunday. An upset win by Tampa Bay in Atlanta also gave the group 14 losses, while Green Bay's big loss to San Francisco added 13 more. Only Seattle's road win and Baltimore's pummeling of the Rams counteracted those big losses for the staff as the Seahawks and Ravens added 15 games each to the win column. Favorite wins and covers by Buffalo (13) and Tennessee (11) along with a road cover by the Giants (13) helped ease the pain of the group landing on the wrong side of 9 out of 14 Week 12 contests. The rough week gave the staff a total record of 127-139 for Week 12 (47.4%), reducing the season-long record to 1,686-1,658. The group is 32 games above 50% (50.4% for the year), and now all the bye weeks are done. With five weeks left and 80 total games to go, the race is on for the top spot. Andy Hicks continues to lead the group with 105 correct picks on the season, well ahead of both Alex Miglio (98) and Phil Alexander (97). Can the staff get back on track in Week 13? Let's take a look at this week's picks.

THIS WEEK'S PICKS

Here are the picks for this week:

Road Team:
CHI
BUF
NO
TB
SF
NYJ
CLE
WAS
GB
PHI
TEN
LAR
OAK
LAC
NE
MIN
Home Team:
DET
DAL
ATL
JAC
BAL
CIN
PIT
CAR
NYG
MIA
IND
ARI
KC
DEN
HOU
SEA
Favorite:
CHI
DAL
NO
JAC
BAL
NYJ
CLE
CAR
GB
PHI
IND
LAR
KC
LAC
NE
SEA
Point Spread:
-2.5
-6.5
-6.5
-1.5
-4.5
-3.5
-1.5
-9.5
-6.5
-9.5
-2.5
-4.5
-9.5
-2.5
-3.5
-3.5
Staffer
The Picks
MNF
Total
Jeff Pasquino
CHI
BUF
NO
TB
BAL
NYJ
CLE
CAR
GB
PHI
IND
LAR
KC
LAC
HOU
MIN
43
89
Aaron Rudnicki
CHI
BUF
ATL
JAC
SF
NYJ
CLE
CAR
GB
PHI
TEN
ARI
KC
LAC
NE
MIN
42
94
Alessandro Miglio
CHI
BUF
ATL
JAC
SF
NYJ
PIT
CAR
GB
MIA
IND
ARI
OAK
DEN
NE
SEA
47
98
Andrew Garda
CHI
BUF
NO
JAC
BAL
NYJ
CLE
CAR
GB
PHI
IND
LAR
KC
LAC
NE
SEA
50
83
Andy Hicks
CHI
DAL
NO
JAC
BAL
NYJ
CLE
CAR
GB
MIA
TEN
ARI
KC
DEN
HOU
SEA
47
105
Clayton Gray
CHI
DAL
ATL
TB
BAL
CIN
PIT
CAR
NYG
PHI
TEN
ARI
KC
DEN
NE
MIN
56
78
Danny Tuccitto
DET
BUF
ATL
JAC
BAL
CIN
PIT
WAS
NYG
MIA
TEN
ARI
KC
DEN
HOU
MIN
49
88
Dave Larkin
DET
BUF
NO
JAC
SF
NYJ
PIT
CAR
GB
PHI
TEN
ARI
OAK
LAC
NE
SEA
58
93
Devin Knotts
DET
BUF
ATL
TB
SF
CIN
CLE
WAS
NYG
MIA
TEN
ARI
OAK
DEN
NE
SEA
45
82
James Brimacombe
CHI
BUF
ATL
JAC
SF
NYJ
PIT
CAR
GB
PHI
IND
LAR
KC
LAC
HOU
MIN
47
87
Jason Wood
CHI
DAL
NO
JAC
BAL
CIN
CLE
WAS
GB
PHI
TEN
ARI
KC
LAC
HOU
MIN
55
86
Justin Howe
CHI
BUF
NO
TB
SF
NYJ
PIT
CAR
GB
MIA
IND
ARI
OAK
LAC
NE
SEA
41
91
Keith Roberts
DET
BUF
ATL
TB
BAL
NYJ
CLE
CAR
GB
MIA
TEN
ARI
KC
LAC
NE
MIN
47
89
Mark Wimer
CHI
BUF
NO
JAC
BAL
NYJ
PIT
CAR
GB
PHI
IND
LAR
KC
LAC
NE
MIN
45
94
Matt Bitonti
CHI
BUF
NO
TB
BAL
NYJ
CLE
WAS
GB
MIA
TEN
ARI
KC
LAC
NE
MIN
54
84
Phil Alexander
CHI
DAL
NO
JAC
SF
CIN
CLE
WAS
GB
MIA
TEN
ARI
KC
DEN
NE
MIN
54
97
Sean Settle
CHI
BUF
NO
JAC
SF
NYJ
CLE
CAR
GB
PHI
IND
LAR
OAK
LAC
NE
MIN
44
86
William Grant
CHI
BUF
NO
TB
BAL
NYJ
PIT
CAR
GB
MIA
IND
ARI
KC
LAC
NE
SEA
43
76
Jeff Haseley
CHI
BUF
ATL
TB
SF
CIN
CLE
WAS
GB
MIA
IND
ARI
KC
DEN
NE
SEA
49
86

Vegas Winners - Over 52.4% Hit Rate
Over 50% Hit Rate

CONSENSUS WINNERS

Once again there are an interesting mix of picks from the staff here in Week 13. There is no clear team that is a consensus pick for Thanksgiving Week, but Green Bay (16 of 19 picks) comes closest as the staff is expecting the Packers to rebound from a tough loss in San Francisco. Green Bay is a road favorite as they visit the New York Giants, a team that the Packers should beat easily in what should be a "get right game" for a likely playoff team that has hopes for a bye in a very competitive NFC this year. Two more road teams received 15 votes, and both are in action on Thanksgiving Thursday. The Chicago Bears travel to Detroit to face a decimated Lions team, who could be forced to go even deeper at quarterback if Jeff Driskel (hamstring) cannot play.and start third-string David Blough. Yes, that Chicago pick looks pretty safe. As for the other Thursday pick, most of the staff went with the underdog Bills (15) as they visit Dallas. The Cowboys have struggled this year against winning teams and have a poor recent history (1-7) of covering the spread on Thanksgiving. Three teams received 14 votes - Kansas City at home in a revenge matchup with the divsion rival Raiders, Arizona as a home underdog to the Los Angeles Rams and New England as a slight road favorite in Houston. Two more favorites received 13 votes - Carolina as a home favorite against Washington, and the road Jets in Cincinnati. The Los Angeles Chargers come off their bye as a road favorite in Denver with 12 of the staff picking the road team for a decisive win against the Broncos. Seven games were rather close calls in a tough week, with four teams (New Orleans, Jacksonville, Cleveland and Minnesota) receiving 11 votes while three more (Baltimore, Miami and Tennessee) received just over half with 10 picks. Overall the staff went with only five underdogs (Buffalo, Arizona, Minnesota, Miami and Tennessee) and just six home teams (Arizona, Kansas City, Carolina, Jacksonville, Baltimore and Miami). Plenty of variety this week, so the results will be fun to review after Monday.

ODDS AND ENDS

The NFL season is now well past the midway point of the schedule, and this set of picks is due early this week due to Thanksgiving, so picks have been completed by first thing Wednesday morning. Most of the staff would agree that picking this weekend's games on Wednesday is very difficult because you don't have much information about injuries and practice. If your league allows you to pick the later games separate from the rest, take advantage of it and make your Sunday and Monday picks as close to the weekend as possible.

A reminder that these picks are against the Las Vegas lines – so getting above 50% is respectable, above 53% gets you into the profitable zone (accounting for the Las Vegas house odds of taking 10% of every losing wager) – and anything above 60% is outstanding. That may sound easy enough, but it is much, much harder than it might seem.

Good luck this weekend!

Questions, suggestions, and comments are always welcome to pasquino@footballguys.com

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