Macca

Just a heads up ... 7mate are covering all 3 games on Friday (Thanksgiving) ... 5.00am Bears @ Lions, 8.30am Eagles @ Cowboys, 12.30pm Seahawks @ 49ers ... ESPN are only covering the early game by the looks of it (Bears @ Lions) Also, next Monday the early game on 7mate is San Diego & Baltimore and the late game on 7mate is New England @ Green Bay. SNF featuring Denver @ KC is on both 7mate & ESPN. A feast of a line-up Week 13 games

Yeah, that was a hell of a catch - wow! Agree with you cfh - Baltimore to win tomorrow to keep both the NFC South and the AFC North up for grabs for any team to win (with the 'possible' exception of TB!) A couple of hard earned points picked up in the comp by Dappa Dan & pantaloons ... the rest of us all bombed on KC. We now have a new outright leader ... Leaderboard 4 - Dappa Dan 3 - JV7, Go the Biff, Georgiou R. R. Martin 2 - pantaloons, Macca 1 - cowboy_from_hell, Gorgoroth Week 13 games

The conclusion I've come to is that either there are a number of players in the running or they need someone to put their hand up big time ... wouldn't hurt for any of the batsmen to make a big hundred in any of the 3 shield matches (starting tomorrow) At least they all know where they stand ... get the job done and you might just get picked for your country. I've warmed to the idea on this occasion.

Test squad Michael Clarke* © Brad Haddin (vc) Ryan Harris Josh Hazlewood Mitchell Johnson Nathan Lyon Mitchell Marsh Chris Rogers Peter Siddle Steve Smith David Warner Shane Watson *A replacement batsman hasn't been named as yet (if Clarke is unavailable) Apparently the selectors want to look at the next round of Shield games (starting tomorrow) Two days until Clarke fitness decision

Like this fella, I'm not so confident

Monday 5.00am - 11.30am RedZone (ESPN) 5.00am Cleveland (6/4) at Atlanta (4/6) (7mate) 8.30am Miami (6/4) at Denver (7/3) (7mate) 12.30pm Dallas (7/3) at NY Giants (3/7) (7mate & ESPN) Tuesday 12.30pm Baltimore (6/4) at New Orleans (4/6) (ESPN) All the week 12 games & The BS Report Week 12 Elo Ratings, Playoff Chances & Match-up Scenarios & Bill Simmons' latest column

I usually get 2 out of 3 in the comp so KC losing probably means that my other 2 tips will get up - Green Bay is one of those tips (I'm still not optimistic though - how can you be in this League?)

Like your thinking there TD If Clarke is out I'd find room for Watson as we'll need his experience ... anyway, Lehmann has indicated that Watson and Mitch Marsh could both play and the selectors might decide to persevere with Doolan or give Hughes another shot at it. I tend to think they'll bring in a new player ... Handscomb, Burns, Maddinson and Ferguson all have claims but it might even be someone else. Khawaja & S Marsh could be in the mix as you indicated. Smith could bat at no.4 and I believe he could even bat at no.3 in the future - he's improving as each year goes by. Watson would be better suited down the order so he could take Smith's spot at no.5. Which leads us back to the no.3 spot - it's Doolan or Hughes or a new player in my opinion. Burns made 183 at the Gabba last weekend so he'd be my 'smoky' As for the bowling, only Johnson & Harris (if fit) are assured of spots although I reckon Lyon will probably play ... the 3rd seamer could come from Siddle, Starc or Hazlewood. Apparently the team is going to be announced on Monday.

Kansas City Green Bay Cincinnati

Would have liked to have seen the Lions @ Pats and Arizona @ Seattle games on 7mate ... however, all the TV games have playoff implications. And there's always 'RedZone' if you can access it. I can't get enough of it - it's frantic but brilliant. Friday 12.30pm Kansas City (7/3) at Oakland (0/10) (ESPN) Monday 5.00am - 11.30am RedZone (ESPN) 5.00am Cleveland (6/4) at Atlanta (4/6) (7mate) 8.30am Miami (6/4) at Denver (7/3) (7mate) 12.30pm Dallas (7/3) at NY Giants (3/7) (7mate & ESPN) Tuesday 12.30pm Baltimore (6/4) at New Orleans (4/6) (ESPN) All the week 12 games & The BS Report Week 12 Elo Ratings, Playoff Chances & Match-up Scenarios

Yeah, it's just opinions though, pantaloons - if Detroit can somehow upset them this week then everything changes again. Who knows in this league ... By the way, Reid has done fantastically well at KC - is that 7 wins from your last 8? He uses Smith very intelligently.

Well I'm reasonably pleased but our run defense has been an issue for a lot of our games (we're currently ranked 29th) We're getting better but a good running team does present it's problems. I honestly believe the whole NFC is up for grabs and it might come down to on the day - nearly all the contenders have a decent home field advantage so we'd have to at least win the division and get a 1 or 2 seed before I'd be thinking we can win the whole thing. Even the Saints could win at least 1 playoff game if they win the NFC South and Atlanta might be tough at home as well if they win the division. At the moment I don't see a firm favourite in the NFC - Detroit should win at least 4 of their 6 remaining games and they also visit Lambeau in week 17. At the moment the Lions hold the tie-break over Green Bay in 3 areas. It's a bit more clear cut in the AFC in my opinion - if New England get the 1 seed they'll be hard to stop - maybe Pittsburgh or Baltimore could go to New England and win but I have doubts about any other AFC team being able to win there.

When a team loses a franchise player from their offense (and it's best player) it's got to effect a team's season ... contrarily, even a good to average QB can be covered for quite easily sometimes and often a team may be better off if their QB gets injured. When a team is weak on defense it's often as a collective I read somewhere yesterday that Stafford is 0/15 when facing teams on the road with a better than 500 record. A way to differentiate teams sometimes is to look for the teams that win games on the road against the good teams (or at least play well against the good teams on the road) Both the Eagles and the 49ers have the best road records against good teams this year (so far) Both teams have only had 1 bad loss and both teams have had 4 tough road games (GB have had 3 bad losses on the road against quality opposition) By contrast, New England have only had 2 tough road games and got smashed in one of them (KC) and in the other one they smashed the Colts - in their case it may not matter because they could end up as the no.1 seed in the AFC.

RG3 needs to let his talents do the talking ... he's got ability but he tends to explain things too much in the media. Just do the business and win games is the best solution. Over thinking it maybe? The Vikes need to just get these games into Bridgewater ... no player is guaranteed 30+ games but a rookie QB probably needs that amount of games before he's comfortable in the role.

6 road winners with another one coming up tomorrow with the Steelers you'd reckon ... of course, none of us could put 3 of 'em together. Every time I think of tipping against the more obvious road teams I baulk - ah well, we keep coming back for more much like the addiction we have for the Demons Points tally in the comp ... 3 - JV7, Go the Biff, Georgiou R. R. Martin, Dappa Dan 2 - Macca 1 - cowboy_from_hell, pantaloons, Gorgoroth 0 - others Week 12 games Re the games ... KC are now level with Denver on wins when they could have fallen 2 games behind The Pats now look Super Bowl bound and I'm not sure any team in the AFC can stop them. Packers winning and the Lions losing changes things dramatically in the NFC North. Arizona still have a few tough games coming up but they currently hold the 1 seed in the NFC by 2 wins. Cinci, San Francisco & the Chargers all had very important wins. Seattle are looking shaky and it might be out of them or the 49ers for a wild-card berth. Atlanta now head the NFC South - whooda thunk-it. What's goin' on with the Saints? The AFC North is impossible to pick but I'm thinking the Ravens might get hot - Ravens schedule

Wally Edwards or Alan Turner? Seriously, Joe Burns made 183 yesterday at the Gabba

I'm concerned about our defense against your fast paced offense ... hell, we have enough issues against teams who methodically move the ball down the field. This game could easily end up being a shoot-out ... both teams know how to rack up the points. I'll take any sort of win but I'm not at all confident. So much riding on this one game ... in 2 weeks time your blokes are at Dallas and the Packers are at home against the Pats. From Bill Simmons' latest column ... keeping in mind that he rarely gives the Packers a lot of credit.

Denver San Francisco Pittsburgh

Excellent line-up of games with only MNF not being a big match-up (a vital game for the Steelers though) Friday 12.30pm Buffalo (5/4) at Miami (5/4) (ESPN) Monday 5.00am - 11.30am RedZone (ESPN) 5.00am Seattle (6/3) at Kansas City (6/3) (7mate) 8.30am Philadelphia (7/2) at Green Bay (6/3) (7mate) 12.30pm New England (7/2) at Indianapolis (6/3) (7mate & ESPN) Tuesday 12.30pm Pittsburgh (6/4) at Tennessee (2/7) (ESPN) All the week 11 games The BS Report 'Elo' Playoff Rankings & Week 11 Favoured teams

Reckon we're going to see more coaches like Kelly in the future ... Sanchez looks to be fitting right in as well. Classic match-up of styles next week at Lambeau ... it's the 8.30am game on 7mate as well. Neither team can afford to lose this one - dare I say it ... 'A season definer'

Carson Palmer looks like he's done his knee again ... dreadfully unlucky. Looked an innocuous play but he just planted his leg awkwardly - they may be able to cover for him adequately with Stanton but the rest of their team will not only have to keep up their standards but they'll probably need to get even better if they're going to really challenge. I've also just realised that my likely NFC Championship match-up of Arizona vs Philadelphia may mean a Stanton vs Sanchez duel. Right place at the right time for both these blokes - both teams play more of an all round game so they could both fit in somehow. Romo didn't seem to be hampered at all today and in fact played quite a good game ... Dallas won a game they just had to win and with it, their season might be back on track. All up, the playoff spots in the NFC just got decidedly harder today in 3 of the NFC divisions - 7 teams in a race for 5 spots by the looks of it and 10/6 may or may not get it done for a playoff spot. The AFC is much the same although 9/7 might secure a playoff spot in that conference. Danger game for the Eagles tomorrow - the Panthers would go to 3/6/1 if they lose tomorrow but still be right in amongst it in their division - Philadelphia should be too good but it might be close.

The Steelers and Saints losing & the 49ers, Ravens & Falcons winning does change things somewhat in those teams divisions ... The niners run home isn't that tough apart from a visit to Seattle. The AFC North is so wide open that any of the 4 teams could win that division Same deal for the NFC South except Tampa are almost certainly out of it. Interesting that the Falcons are 3-0 within that division. Big wins for the Lions & KC too. As was expected, no one picked up a point in the toughest tipping comp devised by man. Points tally ... 3 - JV7, Go the Biff, Georgiou R. R. Martin, Dappa Dan 2 - Macca 1 - cowboy_from_hell, pantaloons, Gorgoroth 0 - others Week 11 games (2 points on offer in the 4th of our bonus weeks)

Here goes ... Wild-card weekend Green Bay d Seattle New Orleans d Detroit Indianapolis d Kansas City Pittsburgh d Cincinnati Divisional weekend Arizona d New Orleans Philadelphia d Green Bay (Sanchez d Rodgers? - makes no sense but I'm already committed to the Eagles!) New England d Pittsburgh Denver d Indianapolis Conference Championships Arizona d Philpelphia New England d Denver Super Bowl New England d Arizona I'm not confident about any of the above and I reckon if the Ravens get in they could win the whole thing. Home field decides the Pats/Broncos match-up and the same goes in the NFC. It's certainly a wide open race to the title.

Monday 5.00am - 11.30am RedZone (ESPN) 5.00am San Francisco at New Orleans (7mate) 8.30am NY Giants at Seattle (7mate) 12.30pm Chicago at Green Bay (7mate & ESPN) Tuesday 12.30pm Carolina at Philadelphia (ESPN) All the week 10 games BS Report NFL Week 10 Elo Ratings & Playoff Odds

Dallas Denver Pittsburgh That loss today has got to dent the Bengals overall chances. The Browns may well be more than nuisance value too ... Cleveland Rocks? ps ... I've added the Elo ratings to the TV games post (above)