Sports

Week 16 Patch Pick'Em

Fair Lawn residents Stuart Pace, Steve Brown,Rich Seibel and Zak Koeske make their fantasy football selections for the weekend

Welcome to the weekly Patch NFL Pick 'Em, where Fair Lawn residents and wannabe NFL prognosticators Stuart Pace, Steve Brown, Rich Seibel and Zak Koeske offer up their picks for three games each week and dish out a little fantasy football advice to boot.

If you'd like our opinion on fantasy roster moves, have a fantasy football question you'd like answered or would like to compete against us as a Guest Picker, email Patch NFL Pick 'Em at zak.koeske@patch.com

This week's Pick 'Em games:

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  • Cincinnati Bengals (8-6) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (7-7) -- Sunday, 1 p.m.
  • New Orleans Saints (6-8) @ Dallas Cowboys (8-6) -- Sunday, 1 p.m.
  • New York Giants (8-6) @ Baltimore Ravens (9-5) -- Sunday, 4:25 p.m.

Click here and scroll to the bottom to see this week's Patch Survivor picks.

Stuart Pace’s Game Picks:

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Pittsburgh, New Orleans, New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers over Cincinnati Bengals --No way Pitt loses at home against the Dalton Gang. Ben will atone for his horrendous pick last week and officially end the Dolphins playoff hopes. Confidence Level: 3 (most confident)

New Orleans Saints over Dallas Cowboys --I said it the last few weeks. The Saints troubles are now behind them and they will play spoiler in the last 2 games. Confidence Level: 2

New York Giants over Baltimore Ravens -- Ravens are looking lost, and I'm not saying they can't recover, but I trust Eli more than Joe Flacco. Confidence Level: 1 (least confident)

Upset of the Week

Seattle Seahawks over San Francisco 49ers -- Seattle is a dog at home. I'm taking the Seahawks to battle the 49ers for the division title.

Sleeper of the Week

Lamar Miller, RB (MIA) -- Miami needs someone to step up and Miller has been averaging over 4 yards per carry. Look for Miami to feed him more.

Bust of the Week

Colin Kaepernick, QB (SF) -- Kids gotta sputter sometime, and this Seahawks D has the ability to do that in the dark rainy confines of the Pacific Northwest.

Steve Brown’s Picks:

Pittsburgh, Dallas, New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers over Cincinnati Bengals --Man I can’t do nothing right with either of these teams this year. Injuries and, if Ben is to be believed, unimaginative play calling have hampered the Steelers all year. On the other side you have the Bengals who are hampered by inconsistent QB play from Dalton and an overall lack of talent when stacked up against a healthy Steelers team. What to do, what to do?  Give me the Steelers at home and angry after blowing a very winnable game against the CowgirlsConfidence Level: 1 (least confident)

Dallas Cowboys over New Orleans Saints -- Speaking of the Cow Girls I fully expect them to beat the Saints into a state of religious ecstasy this week. Romo looks sharper than a samurai sword and they have everything in the world to play for at home against a team with little to no D. When the game was on the line last week in the Steelers' last two posessions the Cowboys produced sacks on the first two downs of the first series and a game winning pick on the second.  They will bring that kind of defensive intensity early in this game and the Saints will go marching out. Confidence Level: 3 (most confident)

New York Giants over Baltimore Ravens -- Remember a few weeks ago when the Giants owned the NFC East and all was right in the world? Well those halcyon days are long gone. They needed to beat three birds in three weeks -- Falcons, Ravens and Eagles -- to win the division and they failed miserably against the first. Lucky for them, the scavenger Ravens have started eating their own with the firing of Cam Cameron and quotes like Joe Flacco’s:  “We’re a 9-5 football team and it feels like we’re 0-14 right now.”  Here’s hoping they go to 0-15 and that the Giants D-Line can bring Joe even further down. Confidence Level: 2

Upset of the Week

San Diego Chargers over New York Jets -- With Monday night’s implosion and the death of their playoff hopes, I fully expect the Jets to lay down and lose to an equally listless, but better quartebacked, San Diego Chargers team. I honestly feel bad for Mark Sanchez, who seems like a nice guy and wish him well wherever he lands, but it will most likely be as a backup or on a really bad team. Rex, on the other hand, deserves whatever he gets. It will be a shoving contest to see if he or Tannebaum can push the other guy under the bus, or if Woody pushes them both.

Sleeper of the Week

Vick Ballard, RB (IND) -- Give me Vick Ballard to run wild against the Chiefs. They, along with Philly and Dallas, have had tragedy strike them off the field. Couple the depression caused by that with major injuries and serious talent voids and then put them in a late-season meaningless game and there is little reason to believe the Colts won't be able to run at will against the Chiefs.

Bust of the Week

Russell Wilson and Colin Kaepernick, QB (SEA and SF) -- Yes, they both need the game. Yes, they are both having spectacular years compared to what was projected for them to achieve. Yeah yeah yeah, I get all that BUT, stealing directly from NFL.com's great 10 Mind Blowing Stats for week 16 article: The game is between the NFL's two defenses giving up the least points -- the 49ers surrendering 218 points to the Seahawks' 219.  So would you really expect either of these guys to light it up? Nippety nope. Sit em both!

Rich Seibel's Picks:

Pittsburgh, New Orleans, New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers over Cincinnati Bengals --Two words: Frozen tundra, Playoff implications. OK, that was four words. This division is almost as knotted up as the NFC East. Will it be the upstart Bengals on the road within unfriendly confines...No. The established Steelers, a four-point favorite, will prevail on a late field goal. The Steelers want this more. Confidence Level: 2

New Orleans Saints over Dallas Cowboys --Dallas is a three-point favorite at home. Call me the Breeze. The Saints will shock everyone with a huge win over the Cowboys on the road. Confidence Level: 3 (most confident)

New York Giants over Baltimore Ravens -- The Giants are the team that exemplifies what is going on in the NFL. It is possible the Giants will not make the playoffs. It is also possible the Giants could repeat as Super Bowl Champions. The Giants lost big last week. How will they react this week?The Giants are now a two-point favorite on the road against the AFC North leader. Does Vegas know something? Yes! Giants with a late field goal win it. Confidence Level: 1 (least confident)

Upset of the Week

New Orleans Saints over Dallas Cowboys -- Who Dat? Go Saints.

Sleeper of the Week

LaMichael James, RB (SF) -- LaMichael James will establish himself as a superstar this week. (Ed. Note: Hmmm?)

Bust of the Week

Tony Romo, QB (DAL) -- Tony Romo throws four picks a la Mark Sanchez.

Zak Koeske's picks:

Pittsburgh, Dallas, New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers over Cincinnati Bengals -- The Steelers went into Cincinnati and picked up a come-from-behind win against the Bengals earlier in the year. That win is looming large now because it allows the Steelers to control their own destiny. Win this one and next week's game against Cleveland and they're in the playoffs. I don't like the way Pittsburgh has been playing of late --- they've lost four of five -- but this is crunch time and they're at home. Confidence Level: 3 (most confident)

Dallas Cowboys over New Orleans Saints -- Earlier in the year the Cowboys were finding ways to lose. Now it seems they're finding ways to win -- just barely. I'm up in the air about this one, but I'll take the Cowboys to eke one out at home this week against New Orleans.  Confidence Level: 1 (least confident)

New York Giants over Baltimore Ravens -- Both of these teams have been uninspiring recently, but I have to believe the Giants pull this out at home. If they're clicking, the Giants should put the Birds away easily, but that's a big if with Eli under center. I think Bradshaw's return will give Big Blue a big boost, even if it is just a mental one. Confidence Level: 2

Upset of the Week

Seattle Seahawks over San Francisco 49ers -- If someone had asked me before the season what NFL team would put up back-to-back 50 point wins, the Seahawks would be near the bottom of my list. I'm still amazed at their recent output. With Russell Wilson improving every week and Marshawn Lynch having easily the best season of his career, I see no reason why Seattle can't top the Niners at home this week.

Sleeper of the Week

Sam Bradford, QB (STL) -- Bradford is quietly having a decent season and faces a Tampa Bay team with enough offensive firepower to force an aerial shootout.

Bust of the Week

Marques Colston, QB (DAL) -- It's been ages since Colston has registered a 100-yard game. He gets the occasional touchdown, but if he doesn't find paydirt he's not going to make up for it with good yardage numbers. 

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