Frank Hawkins of Bayfield – Hawk99 – was one of only four Gridiron Guru contestants to correctly pick 13 out of 16 in Week 13.

The tiebreaker was the Denver-Kansas City game. The Broncos won by 13 points, naturally, 29-16, with Hawk99’s 28-21 pick good enough to win all the green.

Fittingly, 12 contestants were next with 12 correct picks, but none had tasted the basted victory turkey this season. The 31 tied at 11 correct picks included Week 11 winner Jake McKie of Mancos and Gary Hudson of Cordova, Maryland.

With all those 13s floating around, the superstitious Guru was safely in with nine correct picks, comfortably ahead of the losers’ group that included 24 with eight correct picks – including Week 10 winner Sue Mickelson of Durango – and seven with seven correct picks.

Unlucky seven.

Thursday, Dec. 4

Dallas at Chicago (NFL Network): Both teams are coming off Thanksgiving Day games (both lost), so no short week for either. Will that mean a rare quality game on a Thursday night? No. The Cowboys are perfect on the road this season (5-0), and Chicago is 2-3 at home. Pick: Cowboys, 33-13. Line: Cowboys by 3½.

Sunday, Dec. 7

Kansas City at Arizona: The Cardinals are tough to beat at home. But it wasn’t that long ago that they were tough to beat, period. They need to stop the bleeding, but it won’t happen this week, as they lose a heartbreaker. Pick: Chiefs, 24-23. Line: Cardinals by 1½.

Seattle at Philadelphia: This could be a preview of the NFC Championship game. It won’t disappoint. Pick: Eagles, 20-19. Line: Eagles by 1.

New England at San Diego: Although in a hostile environment for the second consecutive week, and handled by the Packers last week, Bill Belichick and Tom Brady teams don’t struggle on consecutive weeks this time of the year. Pick: Patriots, 23-16. Line: Patriots by 3.

Baltimore at Miami: The Ravens also seem to start clicking this time of year. Pick: Ravens, 17-13. Line: Dolphins by 3.

Buffalo at Denver: Kyle Orton vs. Peyton Manning. Enough said. Pick: Broncos, 34-17. Line: Broncos by 10.

San Francisco at Oakland: The Battle of the Bay will be a battle to avoid a second consecutive embarrassing loss for the Raiders. Oakland will lose that battle and any other this week. Pick: 49ers, 31-6. Line: 49ers by 8.

Pittsburgh at Cincinnati: Another battle of neighbors, this one will go down to the bitter end between these bitter rivals. Pick: Steelers, 24-23. Line: Bengals by 3.

Indianapolis at Cleveland: Johnny Manziel will be on the sideline, likely until the Browns again are in a big hole. Expect that to be early, and the hole again too big. Pick: Colts, 30-20. Line: Colts by 3.

Houston at Jacksonville: Too much JJ Watt on defense. And likely on offense. Pick: Texans, 21-9. Line: Texans by 5.

New York Giants at Tennessee: Does anyone really care about this one? In case you do … Pick: Giants, 9-8. Line: pick ’em.

Carolina at New Orleans: With three wins (and a tie), Carolina is only a game-and-a-half behind New Orleans and in the thick of the division hunt. Until this week. Pick: Saints, 42-16. Line: Saints by 9½.

Tampa Bay at Detroit: This is about the time of year the Lions start unraveling. But not this season. In fact, expect a statement performance from these Motor City Kitties. Pick: Lions, 40-6. Line: Lions by 9½.

St. Louis at Washington: The Redskins aren’t the Raiders, but close enough. Pick: Rams, 34-16. Line: Rams by 2½.

New York Jets at Minnesota: Last week’s victory outdoors in Minnesota – the seventh-coldest game in Vikings history – brought back memories of the Vikings’ glory days at frigid Metropolitan Stadium. Expect a repeat against the brutally cold and hapless Jets. Pick: Vikings, 23-16. Line: Vikings by 6.

Monday, Dec. 8

Atlanta at Green Bay: Beating the NFC West-leading Arizona Cardinals at home last week is one thing, but defeating the Packers at Lambeau these days is quite another. Pick: Packers, 36-20. Line: Packers by 11.

Gridiron Green

Note: The names in bold are previous winners, with the weeks they won indicated in parentheses.
Overall Week 13
hawk99 (13) 124 13
tlittle 114 13
paddy 117 13
skolmn 124 13
ElleBee 115 12
twheeler 117 12
bemrich 112 12
janiceb 113 12
delbs 123 12
Josie_L 109 12
tiffmc 125 12
john_s 102 12
broncfan51 128 12
lordhunter 119 12
Pat Flores 119 12
tarzano 82 12
kristalp 124 11
deanob 122 11
dragracer 120 11
jaydoc 104 11
katwalk 102 11
khinkle 118 11
rbarkley 111 11
groberts 131 11
marionl 122 11
Antonio 115 11
w00dy 129 11
esteban 125 11
Boogie man 88 11
CC23 104 11
Shaqattack 125 11
hsteinle 130 11
ABC123 121 11
c130 113 11
boatie 117 11
reddurango 116 11
jakem (6) 125 11
baylsc 128 11
blwells 122 11
hesperado (1) 127 11
joyceella 108 11
kslyter 128 11
quiklikeab 116 11
rams91 126 11
rionate 119 11
StephieO 117 11
wildryty 112 11
JoeSmith 92 10
Skater22 131 10
petershirk 126 10
cookie45 130 10
mike 106 10
christinab 110 10
roylb 116 10
blackrose 121 10
meyers 126 10
slroberts 129 10
albertf 124 10
lbewley 122 10
elvis65 128 10
dbroncos 131 10
heatmiser 113 10
wally49 107 10
broncbust 119 10
jwilson 115 10
packerfan 127 10
robrog 125 10
scott27 129 10
deanna 122 10
june 129 10
shauna (4) 132 10
redhawks 127 10
susanne 123 10
dominique 127 10
rmiller 125 10
sherry 125 10
jorjor 116 10
rrichardso 126 10
jlane 109 10
Tanaya 121 10
yomama 119 10
skibum 129 10
Hound 117 10
klyons 122 10
azfan 132 10
tomd 112 10
rickb 125 10
beaver74 100 10
sparky 120 10
swami 123 10
justjamee 101 10
Aaron A. (2) 129 10
ryanp 123 10
aelliott 118 10
Gremlins 126 10
oscar 130 10
redskin58 121 10
debbiez 112 10
stkitts10 128 10
mbalzen 120 10
ryans 134 10
jennifertr 105 10
Mr. Wales 128 10
crisg 110 10
pckrgrl 129 10
choker 114 10
bojangles 121 10
“XXX” 98 10
bree 121 10
vickyt 123 10
alisha 132 10
Cyphers 127 10
opie 121 10
forsberg39 129 10
hillster 127 10
huckster (8) 131 10
harry55 127 10
marioG 132 10
lester 121 10
mamat 114 10
taylor 106 10
brandon198 116 10
erin1205 59 10
shed 116 10
Jake doyle 92 10
chanel 121 10
truchas 131 10
broncos 130 10
mikecortez 129 10
tanner1 128 10
mamajama 128 10
hmorris 120 10
terry n 127 10
bobster 125 10
johnnygood 104 10
crazylouie 126 10
zoeygirl 129 10
tbone 120 10
cajun 130 10
bigdog99 129 10
thomas24 127 10
eblack 122 10
peggy 130 10
trav 127 10
lamar18 126 10
ollie 122 10
tucson 91 10
mommamary 110 10
nlopez (12) 112 10
texasdeck 109 10
moni 103 10
oldman 94 10
laurakunia 92 10
elwood 75 10
stevieb 77 10
Missali23 (7) 125 10
ajheirtz 131 10
benruybal 116 10
bjforkner 102 10
boydh 130 10
broncobart 126 10
broncosbm 123 10
broncosfvr 111 10
brownpow 69 10
carriekate 111 10
cas19 126 10
cidx2 123 10
cooter89 122 10
dciluffo 131 10
denvoo 107 10
dpgrizzly 120 10
eaglesrgr8 110 10
EL GECKO 123 10
erinjlopez 110 10
gdhudson53 (11) 114 10
Maverick 131 10
hmckie 131 10
jadosse 120 10
jcbia 128 10
jimsquires 120 10
jank 68 10
lamadden 129 10
lsovocool 121 10
mgrome 126 10
notbobo 87 10
picklepus 130 10
pkabill 124 10
plgone 122 10
ag120695 129 10
quasarwes 131 10
rtm79 118 10
suealsum 130 10
sdebelina1 126 10
shupie 114 10
smouret 120 10
superextem 114 10
tspoon32 120 10
SnapFace 131 10
ingelise 78 10
xskunk 113 10
xt1ngu1sh 120 10
Zabkatista 124 10
zman033 122 10
GRIDIRON GURU 116 9
ncblue311 127 9
KittyCent 123 9
tramirez 120 9
pistolpete 127 9
kane 127 9
connief 122 9
glnorton 118 9
Tripp 125 9
dpollock 123 9
marmstrong 128 9
rmorris 130 9
ladonna 126 9
GinaA 116 9
MillerTime 128 9
gjohnson 124 9
edonelan 123 9
netter 125 9
ZumaB 120 9
billy 125 9
SWITT 129 9
vince 131 9
chrissim33 119 9
Geri 563 119 9
yogibear 108 9
jsalchicha 113 9
byron 112 9
weese338 112 9
cardfan 128 9
kmvdad0927 122 9
goober 117 9
sobrino 124 9
paulj 128 9
fdeano45 127 9
jesvigil 118 9
bigal60 126 9
stoneage 125 9
ramjet (9) 129 9
waylon (5) 116 9
tarheel 128 9
steeler75 (3) 109 9
trooper 118 9
atrain 111 9
aeverett81 121 9
Atbatcat 115 9
broncoh8r 124 9
butterguy 116 9
crnorton 117 9
DO86 110 9
jrarch55 117 9
michmat 102 9
mikerak 94 9
moreh2o 122 9
mwanger 120 9
odhainey 121 9
spannistan 129 9
ta26 127 9
youngkathy 129 9
Peyday 125 8
joosten 122 8
cindylou 118 8
james 114 8
jason 124 8
master 119 8
jsquires 117 8
amos 121 8
simpson 112 8
jrichardso 126 8
Evans 104 8
Motob 124 8
jetsfan 113 8
56golf 116 8
lisadonela 122 8
mcheather 125 8
cbef (10) 129 8
durango57 123 8
kelleyj4 121 8
lando03 10 8
pewtergirl 128 8
rick81326 109 8
crowley 118 8
threef504 100 8
dave 122 7
clarkbar 118 7
chupacabra 56 7
grandma1 113 7
fishscale 91 7
dizzydean 65 7
colotex 23 7
– Durango Herald