June hit in December. And with it, a September champion was denied being the Gridiron Guru’s first double-winner in 2014.
And Betty Wiedow has the boys of December to thank.
Wiedow, aka June, of Phoenix, Arizona, along with Week 1 winner Hesperado (Marcia Kuzma of Hesperus) and KittyCent were alone at the top in Week 14, fittingly picking 14 of the 16 games correctly.
The New England Patriots, who have long owned December, provided the tie-breaker, and Wiedow picked the Patriots to win 24-17. She wasn’t far off as the Pats defeated San Diego 23-14, giving Wiedow the win.
Kuzma wasn’t the only Gridiron Guru type to come close to a second victory this season – Week 12 winner Noah Lopez (nlopez) of Durango was among 17 players one back with 13 correct picks. And Waylon Foreman (waylon) of Farmington, the Week 12 winner, was among a host of players with 12 correct picks.
The Gridiron Guru was even in the mix, finishing with 11, along with three other previous champs (Shauna Dooley-Wallace, Durango, Week 4; Doug Carman, Bayfield, Week 3; and Alison Foote, Aztec, Week 7).
But it wasn’t a balmy December week for two other former champs, including a December winner: Gary Hudson of Cordova, Maryland, the Week 11 winner, and Frank Hawkins of Bayfield, the Week 13 champ, were among the losers with eight and seven correct picks, respectively.
Hawkins won with 13 correct picks last week.
Ouch.
Thursday, Dec. 11
Arizona at St. Louis (NFL Network): The hottest first-half team against possibly the hottest second-half team this season. The latter is home and coming off back-to-back shutouts. Pick: Rams, 19-17. Line: Rams by 3½.
Sunday, Dec. 14
Miami at New England: The Patriots are tough to beat, particularly at home, this time of year. Throw in the fact that the Pats win the division title with a victory and you’ve got a no-brainer. Pick: Patriots, 34-17. Line: Patriots by 7½.
New York Jets at Tennessee: You’ve got to be a hard-core Jets or Titans fan to watch this one. In the ugly game of the week ... Pick: Jets, 20-19. Line: Jets by 1.
Denver at San Diego (KCNC, KREZ): Like the Patriots, the Broncos can clinch the division title with a victory. Unlike the Pats, they’re not at home. But it won’t matter. Pick: Broncos, 27-19. Line: Broncos by 4.
Houston at Indianapolis: The Colts are the third AFC team that can clinch a division title with a win. Make it three-for-three on that front. Pick: Colts, 30-20. Line: Colts by 6½.
Cincinnati at Cleveland: Johnny Football, Johnny Football, Johnny Football. Pick: Browns, 17-16. Line: ’Pick em.
Green Bay at Buffalo: Yes, the Packers’ defense looked bad after Atlanta was forced to play catchup last week. But the Buffalo offense isn’t nearly as capable. Pick: Packers, 34-16. Line: Packers by 5/
San Francisco at Seattle: The Seahawks appear to be back to their old selves, or getting closer. The Niners are still searching for an identity. Pick: Seahawks, 20-17. Line: Seahawks by 9½.
Dallas at Philadelphia: It won’t be a repeat of the Eagles’ Thanksgiving Day blowout, but close. Pick: Eagles, 31-17. Line: Cowboys by 3½.
Washington at New York Giants: Two disappointments. Expect the same from the game. Pick: Giants, 10-6. Line: Giants by 6½.
Minnesota at Detroit: Longtime inhabitants of the Metrodome, the Vikings have won two in a row outdoors in their temporary home at the University of Minnesota. A return to a dome won’t be kind to the Vikes. Pick: Lions, 27-13. Line: Lions by 7½.
Jacksonville at Baltimore: The Ravens have been here before – backs against the wall in mid-December. Pick: Ravens, 31-16. Line: Ravens by 13½.
Pittsburgh at Atlanta: The Steelers and Falcons put up a ton of points later in their games last week. But the Steelers are banged up and the Falcons will be on a short week. Pick: Falcons, 17-16. Line: Steelers by 2.
Oakland at Kansas City: Can the Raiders put together back-to-back solid weeks for the first time in more than a year? No. Pick: Chiefs, 30-19. Line: Chiefs by 10½.
Tampa Bay at Carolina: Cam Newton’s out. So is the betting line. But Newton’s Panthers are the smart bet here against the hapless Bucs. Pick: Panthers, 17-13. Line: None.
Monday, Dec. 15
New Orleans at Chicago (ESPN): Not what ESPN was hoping for in a late-season matchup. Pick: Saints, 36-33. Line: Saints by 3.
Gridiron Green
Overall Week 14
Note: The names in bolda are previous winnes, with the weks they won indicated in parentheses.
june (14) 143 14
KittyCent 137 14
hesperado (1) 141 14
ElleBee 128 13
jason 137 13
jorjor 129 13
clarkbar 131 13
sparky 133 13
byron 125 13
Mr. Wales 141 13
terry n 140 13
nlopez (12) 125 13
aeverett81 134 13
kslyter 141 13
mgrome 139 13
mwanger 133 13
notbobo 100 13
plgone 135 13
rams91 139 13
rionate 132 13
christinab 122 12
kane 139 12
dave 134 12
albertf 136 12
master 131 12
dbroncos 143 12
rmorris 142 12
ladonna 138 12
twheeler 129 12
rmiller 137 12
rrichardso 138 12
edonelan 135 12
yomama 131 12
skibum 141 12
billy 137 12
SWITT 141 12
marionl 134 12
chrissim33 131 12
esteban 137 12
weese338 124 12
cardfan 140 12
mbalzen 132 12
pckrgrl 141 12
Josie_L 121 12
opie 133 12
lester 133 12
mamat 126 12
fdeano45 139 12
jesvigil 130 12
paddy 129 12
waylon (5) 128 12
zoeygirl 141 12
tarheel 140 12
peggy 142 12
trooper 130 12
mommamary 122 12
oldman 106 12
stevieb 89 12
Atbatcat 127 12
blwells 134 12
broncfan51 140 12
butterguy 128 12
crnorton 129 12
kelleyj4 133 12
lordhunter 131 12
moreh2o 134 12
odhainey 133 12
picklepus 142 12
shupie 126 12
spannistan 141 12
ta26 139 12
Gridiron Guru 127 11
JoeSmith 103 11
Skater22 142 11
ncblue311 138 11
petershirk 137 11
cookie45 141 11
james 125 11
tramirez 131 11
blackrose 132 11
meyers 137 11
pistolpete 138 11
deanob 133 11
slroberts 140 11
connief 133 11
lbewley 133 11
elvis65 139 11
Tripp 136 11
heatmiser 124 11
broncbust 130 11
jwilson 126 11
packerfan 138 11
robrog 136 11
scott27 140 11
jaydoc 115 11
deanna 133 11
dpollock 134 11
marmstrong 139 11
shauna (4) 143 11
simpson 123 11
susanne 134 11
dominique 138 11
MillerTime 139 11
sherry 136 11
gjohnson 135 11
Tanaya 132 11
rbarkley 122 11
groberts 142 11
netter 136 11
chupacabra 67 11
klyons 133 11
azfan 143 11
tomd 123 11
janiceb 124 11
rickb 136 11
grandma1 124 11
beaver74 111 11
vince 142 11
swami 134 11
justjamee 112 11
ryanp 134 11
aelliott 129 11
Gremlins 137 11
jsalchicha 124 11
Boogie man 99 11
oscar 141 11
redskin58 132 11
jetsfan 124 11
CC23 115 11
kmvdad0927 133 11
stkitts10 139 11
ryans 145 11
jennifertr 116 11
crisg 121 11
choker 125 11
bojangles 132 11
“XXX” 109 11
bree 132 11
vickyt 134 11
goober 128 11
alisha 143 11
Cyphers 138 11
fishscale 102 11
forsberg39 140 11
dizzydean 76 11
harry55 138 11
marioG 143 11
hsteinle 141 11
taylor 117 11
brandon198 127 11
erin1205 70 11
shed 127 11
Jake doyle 103 11
chanel 132 11
bigal60 137 11
stoneage 136 11
truchas 142 11
broncos 141 11
mikecortez 140 11
tiffmc 136 11
tanner1 139 11
mamajama 139 11
hmorris 131 11
bobster 136 11
crazylouie 137 11
ABC123 132 11
c130 124 11
cajun 141 11
steeler75 (3) 120 11
lisadonela 133 11
bigdog99 140 11
thomas24 138 11
trav 138 11
lamar18 137 11
mcheather 136 11
ollie 133 11
tucson 102 11
atrain 122 11
texasdeck 120 11
moni 114 11
laurakunia 103 11
elwood 86 11
Missali23 (7) 136 11
ajheirtz 142 11
bjforkner 113 11
broncobart 137 11
brownpow 80 11
colotex 34 11
cooter89 133 11
dciluffo 142 11
denvoo 118 11
dpgrizzly 131 11
eaglesrgr8 121 11
EL GECKO 134 11
Maverick 142 11
hmckie 142 11
jcbia 139 11
jimsquires 131 11
jank 79 11
lamadden 140 11
lando03 21 11
lsovocool 132 11
pewtergirl 139 11
pkabill 135 11
ag120695 140 11
quasarwes 142 11
suealsum 141 11
sdebelina1 137 11
superextem 125 11
tarzano 93 11
SnapFace 142 11
ingelise 89 11
xskunk 124 11
xt1ngu1sh 131 11
youngkathy 140 11
zman033 133 11
Peyday 135 10
joosten 132 10
cindylou 128 10
amos 131 10
GinaA 126 10
jrichardso 136 10
jlane 119 10
Antonio 125 10
w00dy 139 10
Aaron A. (2) 139 10
Geri 563 129 10
yogibear 118 10
Evans 114 10
Motob 134 10
huckster (8) 141 10
paulj 138 10
tbone 130 10
reddurango 126 10
eblack 132 10
baylsc 138 10
benruybal 126 10
boydh 140 10
broncosfvr 121 10
carriekate 121 10
cbef (10) 139 10
DO86 120 10
erinjlopez 120 10
jrarch55 127 10
michmat 112 10
Pat Flores 129 10
quiklikeab 126 10
rtm79 128 10
StephieO 127 10
skolmn 134 10
threef504 110 10
tspoon32 130 10
roylb 125 9
glnorton 127 9
wally49 116 9
tlittle 123 9
dragracer 129 9
redhawks 136 9
khinkle 127 9
bemrich 121 9
ZumaB 129 9
delbs 132 9
Shaqattack 134 9
sobrino 133 9
hillster 136 9
56golf 125 9
ramjet (9) 138 9
jakem (6) 134 9
john_s 111 9
broncoh8r 133 9
broncosbm 132 9
cas19 135 9
cidx2 132 9
durango57 132 9
joyceella 117 9
mikerak 103 9
rick81326 118 9
smouret 129 9
kristalp 132 8
katwalk 110 8
jsquires 125 8
Hound 125 8
debbiez 120 8
gdhudson53 (11) 122 8
jadosse 128 8
crowley 126 8
wildryty 120 8
Zabkatista 132 8
johnnygood 111 7
boatie 124 7
hawk99 (13) 130 6
mike 111 5
