Bolt Notes: Wrap Up; Preview, and Week 13 NFL Picks!

Welcome back to another edition of Bolt Notes. As always, I greatly appreciate that you take a few minutes out of your day to read what I have to share and I would greatly appreciate any and all comments that you leave. I will respond to all comments left, even if you disagree.

Week 12 was another great week for my Bolts and another solid week for my picks as well. With a 12-4 record in week 12, my overall record moved up to 114-62. Definitely getting back to a respectable level, but still not blowing away the "experts" by any means. That's okay, no money is being lost, or made on my picks, just a lot of fun is being had making them.

Wrap Up: Chiefs @ Chargers

As I said, week 12 was a great week for the San Diego Chargers. The Chiefs flew into San Diego feeling really good about themselves after taking down last year's Super Bowl champions, the Pittsburgh Steelers. Most people still believed that the Chargers would win this game, but many worried that it would be a trap game and the Chargers would look past the Chiefs and get beat.

I didn't see it that way. I saw that the Broncos had already won on Thursday and that the Chiefs win over Pittsburgh would be enough to remind the Chargers that they had to show up for this one. Show up they did!

Throughout the game, the Chargers had their way with K.C.. Although they didn't rush for a bunch of yards, they did run effectively when they tried. Rivers controlled the game with his arm, moving the offense up and down the field. Both Antonio Gates and LaDainian Tomlinson had two touchdowns a piece as the Chargers offense racked up 34 points, with the defense adding 9 points of their own!

Yes, the Chargers defense showed up as well. They did have some typical problems stopping the run, but not so much that the Chiefs could strictly rely on it. The Chiefs did have to throw the ball and when they did, quarterback Matt Cassell was running for his life most of the game. Cassell was only sacked once, but he was hit and forced to scramble consistently throughout the game forcing a Cassell fumble (returned for a TD) and throw a pick to Quinten Jammer. The Chiefs threw in a couple more fumbles as well to help the Bolts cause. Final score: Chiefs 14 - Chargers 43

Preview: Chargers @ Browns

This is one of those games where I wish I had some money to bet. Although the Chargers go into it with three defensive starters sitting out due to injury (Merriman, Weddle, and Castillo), I still can't think of a way that the Browns win this game. Even in Cleveland the Browns simply do not match up with the Bolts. Some Browns fans on Internet chat boards have admitted that the Chargers will win, but that San Diego will be held down my the Browns defense. Sorry, I don't see that either. Right now, the Chargers are 13.5 point favorites with the over/under at 42..5. Do yourself a favor, if you have some discretionary funds, and throw down some cash on the Chargers and the over. The Chargers alone have a decent chance of getting 43 points, much less the two teams combined.

Here are some of the stats that bring me to believe this will be a complete blow out:

• The Browns have only 10 offensive touchdowns this entire season.
  
• LaDainian Tomlinson alone has 8 touchdowns and he has been considered washed up by many.
  
• The Browns have only scored 20 or more points twice this season and they lost both games.


• The Chargers have not scored less than 21 points in any game this season. They are also averaging 31 points per game during their six game winning streak.


• Brady Quinn
  
• Philip Rivers


• Philip Rivers 14-0 in December for his career as a starter

Now, what will the score of this fiasco be? That is a tough question. I want so badly to predict my first 50 point game of the year. I just can't do it. You see, the problem is that the Browns give up almost 160 yards per game rushing. That tells me that the Chargers will use Tomlinson, Sproles, Tolbert and Hester all day and chew up the yardage, and the clock. With all that running, the game will be very fast since the clock will not stop often when the Chargers are on offense. With that in mind, I have two scores to use this week for my prediction. 1. Chargers 38 - Browns 6 and 2. Chargers 45 - Browns 6. The difference being if the defense scores a touchdown or not. It the defense (or special teams) scored a touchdown, the Chargers will go over the 40 mark. If not, they should end up in the 30's like they usually do. Enjoy the game!

Week 13 NFL Picks: Winners in all caps

jets @ BILLS (I hate Thursday night games)

EAGLES @ falcons (Many injured players on both sides...flip a coin)

rams @ BEARS (Bears win despite Chokeler)

lions @ BENGALS (Cincy too much for Detroit but could be close)

titans @ COLTS (Ride the Colts until they lose or play San Diego in the playoffs)

BRONCOS @ chiefs (I sure hope I'm wrong)

PATRIOTS @ dolphins (Pats have to take out frustration of someone)

raiders @ STEELERS (Big Ben back and has something to prove)

SAINTS @ redskins (SAINTS COULD GO 16-0)

bucs @ PANTHERS (Don't like either team, but Bucs are worse)

TEXANS @ jaguars (Another coin flip)

COWBOYS @ giants (Giants look bad and Sheli is hurt)

NINERS @ seahawks (Could be a good game but who knows about Seattle?)

VIKINGS @ cards (Vikings seem to be in a hurry to get to Arizona)

RAVENS @ packers (Low scoring, close game)

CHARGERS 38 @ browns 6

Enjoy the games!!!