#NFL 2013: Week 12 Picks - Head to Head and with Spread | #nflpicks #nflpickem

2013 NFL PICKS - WEEK 12

- AFC and NFC Picks - Head to Head and with the Spread -
By The Postman, November 21, 2013

WEEKLY RECAP: Week 11 was an improvement in Head to Head with a decent 9-6 record - we missed on 3 of 4 upsets so that hurt the overall percentage compared to everyone else and we dropped to the 89th percentile after being in the 90s from Week 7 on. With the Spread however... well less said the better, our Week 11 record of 3-9 (with 3 pushes) was well... awful. We only got Miami getting 1.0 and Philly and Seattle giving a combined 15.5... and missed everything else!

H2H UPSETS PICKED: NY Jets and Baltimore stunk it up on the road against Buffalo and Chicago, yet somehow stay in playoff contention. While we got Miami at home over the inconsistent Chargers but New England didn't get a call late and dropped their game on the road to Carolina. So 1 from 4 Correct for Week 11 (per Pick'Em favourite/underdog listing).

H2H LESSONS LEARNED: Gotta respect EJ Manuel for the Bills... it was easy to forget he's been injured after a bright start and the Jets have Geno Smith so - we're idiots for picking them on the road. Baltimore got lucky last week against Cincy, not so much against the Bears in OT. Pittsburgh may not be woeful after all and Detroit are still inconsistent in big games, while Houston and Atlanta STIIIIIINK. Carolina get a favourable call late to beat New England, while Denver put Kansas City somewhat in their place. Credit to the Buccaneers and Oakland though - good wins. And hey - are Arizona decent? Really? I remember the buffet I had in Arizona once... I recall it being about as decent as they appear to be in 2013.

Our Week 12 Picks are up next...

Not gonna happen... thanks Atlanta

My 2013 NFL Season Preview and SuperBowl picks are here - and every week throughout the NFL in 2013 I will be posting my picks here on www.wdnicolson.com and via @wdnicolson.

Last year in the Yahoo! Sports Pro Football Pick'em competition I managed to finish in the 98th percentile (so Top 2%) of tipsters across the world... completely surprising myself by using the rule of thumb I (for some reason) refuse to back entirely in my NRL Tipping (that is pick favourites and then pick favourites and then, and only then... pick favourites and maybe one or two gut picks - which doesn't hurt you as much with up to 16 NFL games a week v 8 NRL games).

Week 12 begins with Atlanta hosting New Orleans on Friday (Australian time) - a game that looked sensational as the Thursday Nighter for the NFL Network entering the season but now... well not so much.

=====WEEK 12 PICKS===== 

#Ashes 3 Keys to Ashes Victory for England... and yes, even Australia | #uniteAus

3 Keys to Ashes Series Victory... for both teams.

2013-2014 Ashes Cricket Series in Australia

By W D Nicolson - November 21, 2013
Follow @AustCricket

The Poms have won 3 straight Ashes Series and 4 of the last 5 dating back to 2005 in England.

For any Australia this should hurt... and you'd hope - for any Australian player this should serve as fantastic motivation when the 1st Test at the Gabba starts today.

Here are www.wdnicolson.com's Keys to the Ashes - short, sharp and hopefully to the point. We're being blunt here because the task ahead of Australia is as big as 3 straight series defeats at the hands of England actually makes it.

For England...

1. Turn up. This team is extremely handy even with a new opener operating in one third of a space suit, a super attack and although Matt Prior may be carrying a calf injury early on - this is a great team. Five of the Top 6 are world class... even Junior Root.

2. Keep Swann and Anderson fit for most if not all of the Tests. This is England's biggest advantage in the Series - the ability to continually take wickets with these two outstanding bowlers.

3. Turn up. We said that right? This team is sensational with Carberry the only potential weak spot if Prior plays - yes, we think Tremlett is an upgrade on Finn.

Likely 1st Test Team: A Cook (c), M Carberry, J Trott, K Pietersen, I Bell, J Root, M Prior, S Broad, G Swann, J Anderson, C Tremlett.
For Australia...

1. Clarke and Watson must score heavily... This was the case before the 2013 Ashes in England and only Clarke really scored any runs in 'live' Tests. Watson might have gone big in the final test but it only means something if he carries that conversion rate into the Gabba Test and then throughout the Series. Clarke is awesome, England know this and Jimmy Anderson will be asked to produce one or two more of these this summer.

2. Harris, Johnson, Siddle and Lyon must take 20 wickets... in at least 3 of the 5 Tests and really, if Australia have genuine hopes of taking back the Ashes - in 4 of the 5 Tests. The biggest concern however for any Australian supporter (and maybe themselves) is A. Can they take 20 wickets in one Test? and B. Will they be kept together as a quartet for more than two Tests if they can't take the 20 wickets in Brisbane or Adelaide?

3. Australia rally around them at the grounds. We're known as a sports-loving country right? So why has it seemed that we've been watching this current Test team play cricket rather than barracking for them... the likes of Warner and Siddle seem to play their best with an audience behind them, so if the Gabba faithful could start the ball rolling by getting into the Test straight away - you better believe it'll help!

3A. A slice of luck... Australia are not the team England is, but it's amazing how significant a turn of good luck can be in cricket. 

Likely 1st Test Team: D Warner, C Rogers, S Watson, M Clarke (c), S Smith, G Bailey, B Haddin, M Johnson, P Siddle, R Harris, N Lyon.

SERIES PREDICTION?
So clearly - try as we might to get enthusiastic about Australia's chances - we favour England because their team is deadset quality and they'll win the Series by at least a Test (seeing all 5 Tests decided would be fantastic as a spectacle, so our prediction is England 3-2) - remember a drawn series is as good as a loss for Australia, as England will retain the Ashes with a 0-0, 1-1 or 2-2 result.
Still Australia could win... but taking those 20 wickets in nearly every Test is the biggest requirement (assuming we actually score some runs)... and really, that's #notgonnahappen right?

You can follow our thoughts on the Series via Follow @AustCricket

So yeah, that Anderson ball was so good... here it is embedded on the Blog.

#NRL 2014: Want the Skinny on next year's signings by the Brisbane Broncos? #NRLRecruitment

2014 BRISBANE BRONCOS SIGNINGS - 
GOOD, BAD OR INDIFFERENT?

2014 National Rugby League Premiership
By W D Nicolson - November 19, 2013
Follow @NRLTweet

The Broncos are on their way to a sensational recruitment class for 2014 if they can tear Anthony Milford out of Canberra's hands before Round 1. Edit 27/11: Turns out, they'll get Milford but not til 2015.

INCOMING TALENT:
Featuring www.wdnicolson.com's Recruitment Rating

 - Superstar First Grader, Will Win Games

Ben Barba - Fullback from Bulldogs

 - Star First Grader, Representative Quality Player

None Recruited As Yet

 - Good First Grader, Solid Starter/Role Player

Martin Kennedy - Prop from Roosters

Todd Lowrie - Backrower from Warriors

 - Capable First Grader, Spot Starter/Bench Player, Potential Talent

Daniel Vidot - Outside Back from Dragons

 - Fringe Roster Depth, Unheralded Player

Stewart Mills - Outside Back from Sharks

Marmin Barba - Fullback/Five-Eighth from Titans
Jon Green - Prop from Sharks
OUTGOING TALENT: 
Corey Norman to Eels
Scott Prince to Retirement
Peter Wallace to Panthers
Lama Tasi to UK
Dunamis Lui to Sea Eagles
Delroy Berryman to Sea Eagles
Kurt Baptiste to Raiders
Scott Anderson to UK
Other 2013 Broncos squad members are believed to be off-contract for 2014 but have yet to sign elsewhere.
Current Brisbane Off-Season Roster is available per the Official Club Website Player Profiles Page

Ben Barba is a massive get, given he's only one season removed from winning the Dally M and while the Broncos would be smart to play him at fullback and let him roam like Canterbury did, he may end up at five-eighth if Anthony Milford doesn't make his way north in time for 2014 (Edit: Milford will be a Bronco in 2015 it was confirmed on November 27). That said, Josh Hoffman is a quality custodian but Barba’s best position is by far and away fullback and Hoffman is a very good option in the three-quarter line if not worth giving a trial at five-eighth. 

Todd Lowrie will likely be in the final 17 but on the bench as a hybrid lock/prop (where he will vie with David Stagg for the role), while Daniel Vidot has a good chance of beating out Dale Copely, Jordan Kahu and Lachlan Maranta and (we all hope a fit-again) Jharal Yow Yeh) for a wing spot with late season sensation Corey Oates.

Stewart Mills and Marmin Barba are QLD Cup standard depth and likely little more, while Martin Kennedy should join the prop rotation with Sam Thaiday, Josh McGuire and Ben Hannant to make a quality foursome. The club also picked up a solid prop in journeyman Jon Green who replaces the departed Scott Anderson as the fringe front rower in the squad.

Obviously the biggest question is what do Brisbane do in the halves alongside Ben Hunt – who if we are honest has yet to emphatically claim the #7 jersey and looks set to win it by default with Cameron Cullen, Zach Strasser and Ashley Taylor the only names from the club's off-season roster who appear to be a chance of pushing him.

 (New players on NRL roster per broncos.com.au)

Ajuma Adams, Kodi Nikorima, Francis Molo, Cameron Cullen, Jo Ofahengaue, Zach Strasser, Duncan Paia'Aua and Ashley Taylor.

2014 Broncos
RECRUITMENT
RATING

Even if the Broncos don't get Milford yet - this is clearly a GOOD recruitment class, giving Coach Anthony Griffin the tools to lift the Broncos back into playoff contention in 2014.
Let us know what you think of their 2014 Recruitment Class by commenting below or replying on Twitter.

PS. This may be the first of 16 such Recruitment Guides on www.wdnicolson.com... or if not on here, hopefully you'll read it somewhere else sooner rather than later. 
If you Like what we do here - a Tweet/FB Post plug tagging @NRLTweet (Or NOT The Footy Show on Facebook) wouldn't go astray kids using the hashtag #NRLRecruitment and a link to this article. 
Given what you get here on this site for free during the season, it's not a huge ask for a plug if you actually get something of value of what we produce. Cheers and thank you.