Welcome back for my weekly picks. That sound you hear is me getting flushed down the toilet. I managed a 2-2-1 week, thanks in part to the 49ers and Seahawks pushing on the ten point spread. Given how things have gone with my picks the last month and a half, I’d say that is pretty fitting. I’m now 34-40-1, and at this point, I’ll need either a pair of 4-1 weeks, or weeks of 5-0 and 3-2 the rest of the way to get back to .500. I’m not holding my breath!

The San Francisco 49ers host the San Diego Chargers this Saturday, and the 49ers are listed as one-point favorites. There is a small number of teams I think the 49ers deserve to be favored against, and I really would not include the Chargers on that list. Sure the 49ers could come out loose and put together an impressive effort, but I just don’t know that I see it happening. The team is ravaged by injuries and rolling out all sorts of replacement options on both sides of the ball. I mean, we’re talking about a team that very well could roll out Phillip Tanner and Alfonso Smith at running back. Maybe that means they suddenly stun us all, but I really have no idea what to expect.

I have no intention of picking the 49ers for one of my five SuperContest picks. I’m tempted by the Lions against the Bears with Jimmy Clausen starting for Chicago. I’m also tempted by the Ravens against a Texans squad that recently brought back Case Keenum, and signed Ricky Stanzi to their practice squad. I might as well see what I can get from games like that, right?

For those that missed the previous explanation, I’m taking part in the LVH SuperContest, with OddsShark covering my entry fee. There are over 1,400 entries, and my goal from day one has been to finish closer to first place than last place. You can check out full standings here (my entry is titled “Fooch”). It’s not pretty.

Here are all my picks, with the home team listed first in CAPS.

JAGUARS vs. Titans (+3) – Titans
49ERS vs. Chargers (+1) – Chargers
WASHINGTON vs. Eagles (-7.5) – Washington
DOLPHINS vs. Vikings (+6.5) – Dolphins
BUCCANEERS vs. Packers (-10.5) – Packers
BEARS vs. Lions (-6.5) – Lions
SAINTS vs. Falcons (+6.5) – Falcons
JETS vs. Patriots (-10) – Patriots
STEELERS vs. Chiefs (+3) – Steelers
PANTHERS vs. Browns (-1.5) – Browns
TEXANS vs. Ravens (-5.5) – Ravens
RAMS vs. Giants (+4.5) – Rams
RAIDERS vs. Bills (-5.5) – Bills
COWBOYS vs. Colts (+3) – Cowboys
CARDINALS vs. Seahawks (-8) – Seahawks
BENGALS vs. Broncos (-3) – Broncos