December 03, 2004 - No matter how good video games get, how accurate their producers think their games are to reality, there are still some things that they just can't get right, and for good reason (us humans are having the same problem). Forget the fact that Jake Plummer is trying his best to look like Johnny Damon for a second and think about the Snake. At the end of the first half, he made a throw to Rod Smith on the run in the wind and snow that was about as perfect of a pass as you can make. Give him 99 accuracy and call it a day.

But then something happened (doesn't something always seem to happen with Jake?). Later in the game he makes a remarkable move to avoid the blitz and lofts the ball into the end zone where it's picked off in very Plummer-like fashion. With everything good Jake does, there's always a bad that goes with it. Throw a touchdown right handed, throw an interception left handed. Avoid the pass rush, throw an interception. He's Jekyll and Hyde without the convulsions or the cane, all we need now is Utterson and Enfield sitting in the stands and cornering the quarterback after the game to bribe him about his play.

One day Utterson will find a note about Plummer and the truth will be revealed as to what transformed him into the quarterback most likely to give his fans a coronary.

This week Plummer and the Broncos play the Chargers, a team rising faster on the Super Bowl watch list faster than anybody else just because they came from a place nobody expected…the bottom. Cool Brees has been exactly that, cool under pressure, and he's going to be able to cash in on that coolness after the season. I just hope Marty doesn't pull a Marv and turn things over to the young Rivers simply for the sake of a big contract. Brees knows the system, the team has rallied around him, and if the Chargers come back next year without him, they'll fall right back to mediocrity.

Too bad for the loser of this match-up, because they might not make the playoffs. Either of these teams would be toward the top of the NFC where some sucker like the Rams or Giants might sneak in with seven wins. In the AFC, you might win 10 and be sitting at home come the postseason.

Speaking of sitting at home, I couldn't believe my eyes as I was watching all the scores come in last Sunday. I picked 14 out of 16, only losing on the blocked field goal in the snow and because for some reason, I put a little trust in a man named Brian Griese. Former Pro Bowler Lomas Brown also had a solid week of picks, predicting 10 games correctly, equaling the mark of Madden. ESPN NFL 2K5 once again took a seat in the back, going 9-7 overall.

Here is a look at the records throughout the season so far…

1. Jon Robinson: 117-59

2. Lomas Brown: 55-33 (only picked six weeks)

3. Madden NFL 2005: 92-84

4. ESPN NFL 2K5: 90-86

And now, here are the picks for Week 13…

Game: Cincinnati at Baltimore
Madden	ESPN	Jon Robinson	Lomas Brown
Baltimore 17-14	Cincinnati 21-10	Baltimore	Baltimore

Game: Minnesota at Chicago
Madden	ESPN	Jon Robinson	Lomas Brown
Minnesota 35-12	Minnesota 27-17	Minnesota	Minnesota

Game: New England at Cleveland
Madden	ESPN	Jon Robinson	Lomas Brown
New England 20-14	New England 24-21	New England	New England

Game: Arizona at Detroit
Madden	ESPN	Jon Robinson	Lomas Brown
Detroit 13-3	Detroit 23-6	Detroit	Detroit

Game: Tennessee at Indianapolis
Madden	ESPN	Jon Robinson	Lomas Brown
Tennessee 22-21	Tennessee 28-24	Indianapolis	Indianapolis

Game: Buffalo at Miami
Madden	ESPN	Jon Robinson	Lomas Brown
Miami 9-6	Buffalo 32-13	Buffalo	Buffalo

Game: Carolina at New Orleans
Madden	ESPN	Jon Robinson	Lomas Brown
New Orleans 21-17	Carolina 35-14	Carolina	Carolina

Game: Houston at NY Jets
Madden	ESPN	Jon Robinson	Lomas Brown
NY Jets 18-10	Houston 29-14	Houston	NY Jets

Game: San Francisco at St. Louis
Madden	ESPN	Jon Robinson	Lomas Brown
St. Louis 37-7	St. Louis 27-3	St. Louis	St. Louis

Game: Atlanta at Tampa Bay
Madden	ESPN	Jon Robinson	Lomas Brown
Atlanta 24-21	Tampa 34-27	Atlanta	Tampa

Game: Kansas City at Oakland
Madden	ESPN	Jon Robinson	Lomas Brown
Kansas City 20-17	Kansas City 21-20	Oakland	Oakland

Game: Denver at San Diego
Madden	ESPN	Jon Robinson	Lomas Brown
Denver 32-18	Denver 35-21	San Diego	Denver

Game: Green Bay at Philadelphia
Madden	ESPN	Jon Robinson	Lomas Brown
Philadelphia 19-16	Philadelphia 26-20	Green Bay	Philadelphia

Game: NY Giants at Washington
Madden	ESPN	Jon Robinson	Lomas Brown
NY Giants 12-9	Washington 14-10	Washington	NY Giants

Game: Pittsburgh at Jacksonville
Madden	ESPN	Jon Robinson	Lomas Brown
Jacksonville 21-13	Pittsburgh 16-9	Pittsburgh	Pittsburgh

Game: Dallas at Seattle
Madden	ESPN	Jon Robinson	Lomas Brown
Seattle 27-21	Seattle 36-20	Seattle	Dallas