Your Pencil Storm prognosticators are back for another season of Friday bets for real. These are actual bets placed by actual people. However, it is important to remember that we are not encouraging you to follow our lead and gamble your hard earned money away on our behalf. But it is also important to remember that “winners play and players win baby!” Ok, let’s do this.

Colin Gawel (Colin’s Coffee, Pencilstorm, Musician at Watershed)

I am not much of an NFL gambler but what the hell….5 leg parlay all money line: Chargers,Ravens,Bills,Eagles, Buccaneers. pays +437

The Buckeyes have been on a historic two game tear outscoring the #8 and #1 team in the country a combined 65-0 to start the last two games. 65-0!! That sort of thing just isn’t sustainable. So while I like the Bucks to win, they are now the ones getting their asses kissed (instead of being mocked for losing to Michigan) as heavy favorites and Texas is loaded with NFL talent and being overlooked. I am staying away.

Ben Galli (Pencilstorm NBA Beat Writer)

Friday Picks Steelers +9.5 vs. Ravens One thing the AFC North can agree on is that the Ravens are the worst. But objective facts aside, these Steelers-Ravens games are as gritty as the grit gets in pro football. A smash-bash rivalry that always delivers. These battles are usually hard-fought, close games and though the teams finished the regular season in opposite trajectories, this 9.5 line seems a tad high to me. I don't think the Steelers are the team that lost four straight to end the season. Pittsburgh is also 3-1 against the Ravens in the playoffs, not that this ever matters. Still, I think the Steelers keep it surprisingly close at least. Cavs vs Thunder NBA Finals +1000 After watching that very excellent Cavs-Thunder matchup Wednesday night, I suspect these odds will only get worse. The Cavs are 33-4 and on pace to surpass the 73-9 Warriors team. They are 20-1 at home and on a 12-game winning streak! If only Gordon Gund could see them now. The Cavs and Thunder will be facing off again on Thursday, January 16th at 7:30pm, and if you are even a casual fan of basketball, trust that you should watch. These teams both play an excellent and appealing style of ball. The Thunder are obviously no slouch, with a 33-8 record all without Chet Holmgren, who should be returning soon from a hip injury. It would be one of the best Finals matchups in years.

Big $ (Pencilstorm Browns Beat Writer)

NFL 3 leg- Jimmy has the stallions to stifle CJ- Chargers -3 throw away the record books and all other related cliches, Steelers keep it close - Pittsburgh +8.5 Sam aint afraid of no ghosts , Vikings rebound - Minnesota-2.5

Brian Phillips (Host Morning Show Rewind 103.5FM)

Chargers -2 1/2. Houston is beat up. Stroud misses Dell big time.

Pittsburgh +8 1/2. Ravens will win, but Steelers usually play them tough. Can Lamar shake his playoff demons?

Philadelphia -5 1/2. Hurts good to go. Eagles sort of living in Lions shadow. This is a great team. Definitely a better defense. All that said Eagles slow starters. Packers often the opposite. GB first quarter moneyline at +105 could be fun.

Jeremy Porter (Musician, fast-food Mexican connoisseur, terrible gambler, Pencil Storm Co-Editor in Chief)

While we patiently wait to see who AMERICA’S TEAM the DETROIT LIONS will play next weekend, we sit back and enjoy some good match-ups on wildcard weekend. Chargers-Texans seems a pretty good match to me. Gotta go Chargers -3 on that one at -105.

I don’t share Ben’s disdain for the Ravens – I love the way that team is build and LJ is arguably the most dangerous player in the league and a blast to watch. I do agree, however, that it’s gonna be a hell of a bang-up game. Pittsburgh has just been a bust lately and Lamar has been better than ever. Still…9.5 is a lot of points against any team. So I’ll stick with the Ravens, but at -5 instead, and parlay Lamar for 1.5+ TDs thrown.  That’s not a home run because they/he will be running a lot, but my hope is that Pitt pushes back on the ground D and he has to go to the air more.

I’ve loved the Broncos since I was a little guy, but they ain’t beating the Bills, especially not in Buffalo. I’m not touching that one. Bills are going to the Super Bowl I think.

Bucs will beat the Commanders -3 pretty easily I think. I just can’t wrap my head around the Commanders being as good as their record, and the Bucs, while not the best, just play consistent, good ball.

Vikings/Rams is the game we’ll be watching with the most interest in Detroit. Yea we killed Minnesota last Sunday to clinch the conference and home field and all that, but they’re as good a team as there is in the NFC, despite the fact that they’ve been exposed as vulnerable. Matt Stafford can never be counted out, and I think the 2.5 spread favoring Minnesota is pretty fair. My head says the Vikings handle them easily, but my heart is with the Rams, so I’ll go LA +2.5.