So after a two week hiatus due to loads of school work and some great Thanksgiving food, my picks have made their glorious return to tell you, my faithful one or two readers, who to pick this weekend. But before we get into the picks, I ask you all, that in honor of the Redskins' Sean Taylor, please follow this link and vote to put Sean Taylor, the NFL's best safety, into the Pro Bowl, where he most assuredly would have been for years to come had his life not been snatched from us so early in his career. Here's to you #21.
Game of the Week:
Green Bay (10-1) at Dallas (10-1)- Three weeks ago we got a match-up of unbeatens in the AFC that would determine home field throughout the AFC playoffs. Now we have a match-up in the NFC that will determine home field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. I like the Packers in this game even though they're likely going to be playing with out Charles Woodson. Look for T.O. to drop a few key passes. The Cowboys have yet to prove they can stop anyone through the air and Brett Favre is still a better quarterback than Tony Romo. Plus Romo may very well be day dreaming about Jessica Simpson the entire game. I mean, I would be.
Packers – 38 Cowboys – 24
Dud of the Week:
New York Jets (2-9) at Miami (0-11)- The Dolphins best shot at winning a game this year comes against the Jets. Even though the Jets did manage to beat the Steelers two weeks ago that can be considered a fluke win. However, Miami will exhibit new ineptitude in finding yet another way to lose a game. Can anyone say 2-0 Jets in overtime?
Jets – 2 Dolphins – 0 (OT)
Best Game that No One Cares About:
Buffalo (5-6) at Washington (5-6)- The Redskins should be fired up for this game after the tragic shooting death of star safety Sean Taylor. If they don't come out in this game impassioned and ready to roll then something is wrong. The Bills will provide a stiff test for the Redskins, but in the end, the Skins will triumph and the Bills will prove yet again that they are still one piece short of being a contender.
Redskins – 24 Bills – 10
Worst Game that No One Cares About:
Atlanta (3-8) at St. Louis (2-9)- The Rams still haven't won at home this year which is surprising as they usually post one of the best home records in the league. The worst thing either of these teams could do right now is go on a winning streak to rise from the dredges of the league into mere mediocrity. Both teams need to fall into high draft picks for next year. That being said, the Rams are still a dangerous team that has been devastated by injuries.
Rams – 27 Falcons – 17
Game with the Most Interesting Story Lines:
Seattle (7-4) at Philadelphia (5-6)- The Seahawks have benefited from playing in a weak division yet again. However, a loss to the Eagles makes things interesting in the division as the Cardinals are lurking just 2 games back. The Eagles on the other hand could be right back in the mix of the wild card with a win. They showed last week that they can scare teams and play pretty good football. The Eagles also have the luxury of playing at home instead of against the Seahawks 12th man.
Eagles – 24 Seahawks – 21
Sunday Night Sleeper:
Cincinnatti (4-7) at Pittsburgh (8-3)- Are the Steelers part of the elite or just posers? Well it doesn't much matter in this game as the Bengals defense is still atrocious. Hopefully the Steelers will have their field problems worked out in time for this game. That being said, the Steelers defense should have no problems handling the Bengals offense even with a rejuvenated Chad Johnson. Just don't look ahead to New England, or you might find yourself tied with Cleveland in the division race.
Steelers – 20 Bengals – 7
Monday Night Massacre:
New England (11-0) at Baltimore (4-7)- You think the Patriots want a big win? Two of their last three games they've actually been trailing late but managed to pull out the victory. Next week they're facing the league's best defense. The Pats will look to make a statement against the Ravens, who's offense is about as good as it was last year (terrible) but who's defense has proven it can no longer carry the team. For the third straight week, I'm predicting the Pats to hang 50+ points on a team. You can bet the house that Tom Brady will be throwing for touchdowns on fourth and short with three minutes left and a 30 point lead.
Patriots – 56 Ravens - 14
All the Rest:
San Diego (6-5) at Kansas City (4-7)- Herm Edwards decided to be ballsy at the wrong moment last week. Going for it took guts, but backfired on him. The Chiefs really needed a win last week as their division hopes are fading fast. The best thing they have going for them this week is that the Chargers are 1-4 on the road.
Chargers – 30 Chiefs – 17
Houston (5-6) at Tennessee (6-5)- The Titans need a win to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Texans are looking more like the two win teams of years past than the team that started this season.
Titans – 17 Texans – 10
Jacksonville (8-3) at Indianapolis (9-2)- These two teams met late last season in what was a disastrous game for the Colts. They recovered nicely to go on and win the Super Bowl. This year however, a loss may cost them the division and a home game in the playoffs. The Jaguars have been looking pretty good lately.
Jaguars – 34 Colts – 28
San Fransisco (3-8) at Carolina (4-7)- The 49ers surprised everyone last week and showed they still know how to win a game, although they kinda lucked into it. The Panthers on the other hand are still starting different quarterbacks every week, but hey, I guess anyone can qb when you have Steve Smith to throw to.
Panthers – 24 49ers – 17
Detroit (6-5) at Minnesota (5-6)- The Lions were flying high this season and Jon Kitna's prediction of 10 wins looked like a real possibility... that is until the Lions hit the meat of their schedule. Three straight losses to Arizona, the New York Giants and Green Bay with Dallas, San Diego and a rematch with Green Bay left to go makes this look like an 8-8 season at best. The Vikings can win if they have a healthy Adrian Peterson and if the secondary suddenly learns how to cover the wide recievers.
Lions – 38 Vikings – 20
Cleveland (7-4) at Arizona (5-6)- You'll find no bigger Cincinnati fans than Browns fans this week. A win coupled with a Pittsburgh loss to Cincinnati will put the Browns in an unfamiliar position: 1st place in the division. And with a total of zero games remaining against winning teams, the Browns, yes that's right, the Cleveland “We Don't Know How To Handle a Winning Football Team” Browns could finish the year 12-4. Someone go check the temperature in hell please, I think it's frozen over.
Browns – 35 Cardinals – 28
Denver (5-6) at Oakland (3-8)- Is there a worse team in the NFL that is still in contention for the division title? I think not. That being said, the Raiders finally snapped their losing streak against the AFC West last week with a win at Kansas City. Look for them to start a new record of futility this week.
Broncos – 28 Raiders – 17
New York Giants (7-4) at Chicago Bears (5-6)- Is it November? It must be because the Giants are losing again. After two straight years of 6-2 starts, the Giants have started sliding back down to earth. Eli Manning must have thought Halloween was at the end of November, not October, as he came to the Minnesota game dressed as Rex “Sex Cannon” Grossman. Seriously, three pick sixes? How do you do that? More disturbing is the fact that I still got 12 fantasy points from him... This week will be a race to see who can throw the most interceptions, Grossman or Manning. I've got my money on Grossman, but at least the Bears have Devin Hester who could very well break the NFL record for most returns for touchdowns by the end of the season. He'd be out of a job if opposing teams would just kick out of bounds.
Hester – 14 Giants – 10
Tampa Bay (7-4) at New Orleans (5-6)- The Buccaneers had a solid win at Washington last week and they should make the playoffs easily now. The Saints playoff hopes hinge on this game, a win and they're a game out of first in the division, a loss all but eliminates them from contention.
Buccos – 20 Saints - 14
