NFL Pick'em Pool Week 13 Confidence Rankings and Picks (2021)
After going 10-6 in both Week 1 and Week 2, we delivered a 15-1 Week 3 performance. We regressed slightly in Week 4 due to some late-week injuries and a few very surprising upsets, but rebounded for a strong 13-3 outing, including hitting each of our top 10 confidence plays in Week 5. We stayed hot with a 9-5 record in Week 6 and a 10-3 showing in Week 7. We had a disappointing 8-7 showing in Week 8. Despite three major upsets in Week 9, we still managed to post a 9-5 record. In Week 10, we finally had our first losing week, owing to the fact that there were a number of late-week injury reports that went against our Thursday expectations. In Week 11, we returned to having a winning week, even though late-week injuries continue to be a problem late in the season. In Week 12, we once again were burned by some late-week injury news in Dallas and Los Angeles, but still managed to hit successfully on five of our top six confidence plays. Hoping for better health, we have our Week 13 analysis below, confidence rankings, and NFL Pick’em selections!
There are multiple formats for pick’em tournaments, including the picking against the spread and ranking selections in confidence intervals. In this column, we will touch on both the classic style and picking against the spread each week.
I will start by ranking each of my selections in order of confidence and provide reasoning on all of my top picks. Also, don’t miss my Week 13 Survivor Guide if you’re still alive in your eliminator pools!
NFL Week 13 Pick’Em Pool Confidence Rankings
Weekly Results
- Week 1: 10-6
- Week 2: 10-6
- Week 3: 15-1
- Week 4: 9-7
- Week 5: 13-3
- Week 6: 9-5
- Week 7: 10-3
- Week 8: 8-7
- Week 9: 9-5
- Week 10: 5-8-1
- Week 11: 8-7
- Week 12: 7-8
Week 13 Selections
1. Los Angeles Rams
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
3. Indianapolis Colts
4. San Francisco 49ers
5. Dallas Cowboys
6. Kansas City Chiefs
7. Minnesota Vikings
8. Baltimore Ravens
9. Philadelphia Eagles
10. New England Patriots
11. Arizona Cardinals
12. Los Angeles Chargers
13. Miami Dolphins
14. Washington Football Team
Rams (vs. Jaguars)
Not much has gone right for the Los Angeles Rams over the last month of action. Following a dominant 7-1 start to the campaign, the Rams have lost three consecutive contests by an average of 13.7 points per game. Still, Los Angeles is an extremely talented football team. Road losses to the San Francisco 49ers and the Green Bay Packers hardly indicate that a team has gone from one of the best in the NFL to one of the worst. From a historical standpoint, teams that are 13 point favorites or more since 2003 are 216-24-1 straight up. There is no need to overthink this one. Bet on the Rams to get back in the win column this Sunday.
Buccaneers (vs. Falcons)
When these two teams met in Week 2, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers emerged victorious by a final score of 48-25. Matt Ryan was intercepted three times and the Atlanta Falcons were held to a dreadful 2.8 yards-per-carry on the ground. To make matters worse, Atlanta will be without Calvin Ridley on Sunday, who was their second-leading receiver in Week 2. Tom Brady and company are going to have little trouble with the Falcons in this one, a team that is trending towards the bottom of the NFC standings. Since 2003, teams that are favored by 11 points or more are 331-44-1 straight up. Back the Buccaneers in this spot.
Colts (vs. Texans)
After a surprising upset victory over the Tennessee Titans in Week 11, the Houston Texans suffered a 21-14 loss at home to the New York Jets in Week 12. It is evident by that result that their win over the Titans was more about Tennessee being overrated than it was about Houston all of a sudden being a good football team. The Indianapolis Colts have been one of the better teams in the NFL over the last two months of action. As a fervent Carson Wentz critic, it has been hard to ignore his production since the beginning of October. In his last nine games, Wentz has totaled 18 touchdowns against only 4 interceptions. The familiarity that comes with playing a division opponent makes seemingly lopsided affairs sometimes vulnerable to a surprise upset. Yet, Indianapolis should find a way to win this game. Teams favored by double-digits are 544-94-1 straight up since 2003.
49ers (vs. Seahawks)
These are two teams trending in opposite directions at this point in the season. The San Francisco 49ers have won three consecutive games, two of which came against probable playoff teams—the Los Angeles Rams and Minnesota Vikings. The other game during that span was a 20-point slaughter of the Jacksonville Jaguars on the road. The Seattle Seahawks have not won since Halloween, and have only one win in their last seven trips to the field. Russell Wilson has struggled behind a porous offensive line since returning from injury. Seattle has struggled mightily to run the football since Week 3, when Chris Carson went down with an injury. Even in a hostile environment on the road, San Francisco should win this contest.
Cowboys (vs. Saints)
The Dallas Cowboys are without their Head Coach, Mike McCarthy, as well as at least four other members of their coaching staff this evening. However, the news that Alvin Kamara, Ryan Ramczyk, and Terron Armstead are going to miss tonight’s game is equally devastating, if not more devastating to the New Orleans Saints. New Orleans has struggled to do much of anything well since Jameis Winston suffered a season-ending injury. Dallas might struggle offensively in this one, and in-game adjustments might be a challenge without some of their coaches, but there is simply too much of a talent disparity to go against Dallas in this one.
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