Celebrity/media NFL picks Week 15

By Sal DeFilippo

Saturday, Dec. 18, 2010 | 8:55 p.m.

The battle for supremacy in the NFC is filled with explosive teams trying to stake their claim as Super Bowl contenders.

The Falcons lead the way at 11-2, with the defending champion Saints hitting full stride with six straight wins to move to 10-3. The Giants and Eagles, who square off this weekend, are both 9-4 and certainly in the discussion. And the surprising Bears lead the NFC North at 9-4. The upstart Tampa Bay Buccaneers and preseason Super Bowl darlings Green Bay Packers each are legitimate teams with 8-5 records, too.

Yep, it’s a logjam at the top of the NFC, all right.

But did you notice there was something missing from that list of talented teams above? Not one of them plays in the NFC West, the ugly stepchild among NFL four-team divisions.

Should the Rams lose this weekend to the Chiefs and the Seahawks fall to the Falcons, that would guarantee no team in the division would finish with a record above .500. There’s also a pretty good chance – considering the Seahawks face Tampa Bay and the Rams face the equally mediocre 49ers next weekend, that the NFC West champ, whichever team it is, reaches the playoffs with a 7-9 record.

The sad truth is that the 49ers – who are 5-9 and were walloped Thursday night by San Diego -- are still in contention for a playoff berth.

Generally, in a close division whichever team plays the best down the stretch earns the playoff berth. But in the NFC West, there’s certainly no favorite to do that -- no team is better than 2-3 in its last five games.

Then again, by their standards, perhaps that should be considered playing well.

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Master magician Lance Burton continues to extend his lead in the race for the Golden Nerf -- and with three weeks to go, he’s up three games on the field in my celebrity picks contest. Recycled Percussion’s Justin Spencer, Carrot Top, KVBC’s Kevin Janison and Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman are among those within striking distance as we head toward the finish line.

Sal’s picks:A blasé 1-2 week puts me at 23-18-1 for the year. This week, I’ll take the Cowboys -6 vs. the Redskins, the Dolphins-Bills under 41 and the Texans +1½ at the Titans.

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The media/celebrity picks:

Lance Burton, master magician (25-17)

Texans +1½ at Titans

Falcons -6 at Seahawks

Raiders -6½ vs. Broncos

Anthony Crivello, star of "Phantom -- Las Vegas Spectacular" (19-21-2)

Giants-Eagles under 46

Buccaneers-Lions under 42

Steelers -6 vs. Jets

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Carrot Top, Luxor headliner (21-20-1)

Dolphins -5½ vs. Bills

Eagles +2½ at Giants

Falcons -6 at Seahawks

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Terry Fator, Mirage headliner (16-26)

Cowboys -6 vs. Redskins

Steelers -6 vs. Jets

Eagles +2½ at Giants

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Brad Garrett, Tropicana headliner (19-21-2)

Eagles +2½ at Giants

Falcons -6 at Seahawks

Texans +1½ at Titans

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Oscar Goodman, mayor of Las Vegas (21-21)

Eagles +2½ at Giants

Falcons -6 at Seahawks

Texans +1½ at Titans

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Alicia Jacobs, KVBC entertainment reporter (19-21-2)

Falcons -6 at Seahawks

Cowboys -6 vs. Redskins

Dolphins -5½ vs. Bills

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Kevin Janison, KVBC meteorologist (21-20-1)

Steelers -6 vs. Jets

Texans-Titans over 47

Colts-Jaguars over 48 1/2

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Wayne Newton, "Mr. Las Vegas" (15-25-2)

Redskins +6 at Cowboys

Cardinals +2½ at Panthers

Colts-Jaguars under 48½

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Donny Osmond, Flamingo Las Vegas headliner (18-23)

Raiders -6½ vs. Broncos

Cowboys -6 vs. Redskins

Falcons -6 at Seahawks

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Lorena Peril, Vocalist, Fantasy at Luxor (17-25)

Giants -2½ vs. Eagles

Cowboys -6 vs. Redskins

Steelers -6 vs. Jets

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Justin Spencer, star of Recycled Percussion at Tropicana (22-20)

Titans -1½ at Texans

Cardinals +2½ at Panthers

Dolphins-Bills under 41

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Frank Caliendo’s Fantasy Stud of the Week

Jonathan Stewart, Panthers

This Jon Stewart has put on a daily show of his own each of the last three Sundays, averaging more than 100 yards a game on the ground despite splitting carries. Couple that with the fact that the Cardinals are comedy central on defense -- allowing more points to running backs than any other team in football – and Stewart should run wild this week.

Last week’s result: TOUCHDOWN

Denver’s Knowshon Moreno only ran for 81 yards, but found the end zone and caught 32 yards in passes, for an overall productive fantasy day.