NFL Picks for November 30th

I was 12-2 last week and would have been perfect if the Texans had an offense and the Jets were...well...not the Jets. Here are my picks for this week

Washington  @ Indianapolis     Colts 28-17     Colts "D" too much for the Redskins
Tennessee @ Houston     Texans 21-17     I'll take the Texans in this toss up game
Cleveland @ Buffalo    Bills 27-21     It was just the Jets but the Bills look good
San Diego @ Baltimore     Ravens 31-28     Flacco over Rivers should be a game to watch
NY Giants @ Jacksonville     Giants 32-17     Manning gained confidence against the Cowboys
Cincinnati @ Tampa Bay     Bengals 23-16     Tampa's defense has improved but not enough
Oakland @ St. Louis     Raiders 23-13     Another toss up...I'll take the Raiders
New Orleans @ Pittsburgh     Steelers 35-31     Pittsburgh is too strong for the Saints
Carolina @ Minnesota     Panthers 24-14     Toss up #3 Panthers by 10
Arizona @ Atlanta     Cardinals 27-21     Not impressed with NFC South
New England @ Green Bay     Packers 28-27     Turnovers make or break this game
Denver @ Kansas City     Broncos 31-24     KC has had 10 days off but the Broncos have Manning
Miami @ NY Jets     Dolphins 28-10     Rex Ryan could be fired after this game

Giants "Luck" Runs Out Against Colts With 40-24 Loss

Andrew Luck completed 25 of 46 passes for 354 yards and 4 TDs against the Giants as the Colts beat the Giants 40-24. Eli Manning was 27 of 52 for 359 yards and 2 TDs in the losing cause.

This was the 1st game in Monday Night Football history when both quarterbacks threw for over 350 yards with no interceptions. The difference in this game may have been that Eli Manning overthrew his receivers, who appeared to have beaten the coverage in several instances, 11 times. The receivers can't help you when you are unable to get the ball close to them.

The Colt's Luck threw for 354 yards, his 5th consecutive road game with at least 350 yards, an NFL record. The NFL record book is at least as thick as the IRS instruction manual. The things they keep track of are amazing. Luck has also thrown for 300+ yards in seven straight games tying him for third place in NFL history with Peyton Manning. It was also Luck's 17th NFL game with over 300 yards in just 2 1/2 years of play.

The run game for both teams was average at best, just enough runs to keep the defense honest. Ahmad Bradshaw, ex Giants running back, led the Colt's with 50 yards on just 7 carries while the Giants could muster only 89 yards on the ground on 20 carries by 5 different backs, including Manning's 18 yards on 1 carry.

Tight End Coby Fleener caught a 32 yard TD from Luck. WR T.Y. Hilton (31 yards), WR Reggie Wayne (40 yards) and TE Dwayne Allen also caught TD passes from Luck. Corey Washington and Larry Donnell were on the receiving end of Manning's 2 TD passes.

Manning and Luck both fumbled twice but Eli lost one. Jonathan Newsome sacked Manning, causing a fumble that Sergio Brown returned to the Giants 4 yard line. Luck then threw his 4th TD pass, a 2 yard toss to TE Dwayne Allen.

The Colts sit atop the AFC South Division at 6-3, two games ahead of the much improved Houston Texans while the Giants fall to 3-5 in the NFC East, three games behind the Eagles and just 1/2 game in front of the hapless Redskins.