Week 13 Game Picks

Josh’s Record: (124-52) – Last Week (14-1)

Jack’s Record (111-65) – Last Week (12-3)

Chicago Bears (5-6) @ Detroit Lions (7-4) at 12:30 PM on Thanksgiving

Josh’s Pick: Lions

Despite the Lions recent losses against the Cardinals and the Patriots, this team is still loaded with talent and is eager to get back onto the field after bad showings in both matchups. The Lions should be able to shut down the Bears run game and make Matt Forte more of a wide receiver a majority of the game, however he is still equally dangerous as a receiving threat. I expect a bounce back game from the Lions offense against a Chicago defense that seems to crumble against quality offenses, as they were the only team in NFL history to give up back to back 50 point games (to the Patriots and the Packers). I am counting on a big day from either Megatron or Golden Tate to lift Detroit over the inconsistent Bears on Turkey Day.

Jack’s Pick: Lions

In the morning game on turkey day, the Detroit Lions will be taking on the Bears at home to try and keep afloat in the NFC playoff race. The lions got completely manhandled on the road against the Patriots last week but I'm not going to hold it against them as the Pats are the hottest team in football right now and are essentially unbeatable at home this season. Detroits defense should be looking to bounce back after giving up 34 points to the Pats last week. They will need to because the Detroit offense has not been good this season, scoring around 17 points per game on the year. I think the Lions win but I struggle to predict how the Lions will do in the late part of the year because this is generally when they collapse. 

Philadelphia Eagles (8-3) @ Dallas Cowboys (8-3) at 4:25 PM on Thanksgiving

Josh’s Pick: Cowboys

I would reconsider this pick if Nick Foles was playing, but the way the Eagles defense has played the last two weeks (getting shredded by Aaron Rodger, which is somewhat acceptable, but then giving up 345 yards and two TDs to Zach Mettenberger of the Titans) they aren’t going to be able to contain Dez Bryant, Terrance Williams and Jason Witten all game long. And if the Eagles play in nickel and dime formations, the Cowboys will either run it up their gut with Murray or Romo will have all day to drop back and pass like he did in that final drive against the Giants last week. The Cowboys are not perfect by any matter either and their defense has a lot of holes, that could be hurt by both Maclin receiving or Shady running the ball. Another reason why I leaned toward the Cowboys is because of the amount of turnovers Mark Sanchez is producing, almost one for every TD pass he has thrown, and any turnovers in game as tightly competitive as this one could be the difference maker. This game will tell us a lot about both teams and where they match up against each other.

Jack’s Pick: Eagles

The afternoon game this week between the Eagles and Boys is going to be a great one as they battle it out for first place in the division at Jerry's World. I'm picking the Eagles because of what I saw when the Cowboys played the Giants, they allowed the Giants offense to drive down the field against them and got almost 0 pressure on Eli Manning. They will be facing an infinitely better offensive line in the Eagles this week and if Mark Sanchez isn't getting pressured he will have success against the secondary of the Cowboys. On the other side of the ball, the Eagles line vs. the Cowboys line should be an incredible matchup as the Eagles D-Line is second in the league in sacks and the Cowboys line is one of the best in the league. In the Giants game, the Giants like played well up until the final few drives where they just got so tired they couldn't get pressure. The Eagles are always rotating linemen and have about 9 different offensive lineman so they can keep their guys fresh, and I think the Eagles will ultimately win the battle up front on both sides of the ball and pick up the victory.

Seattle Seahawks (7-4) @ San Francisco 49ers (7-4) at 8:30 PM on Thanksgiving

Josh’s Pick: Seahawks

Another great divisional matchup to end a great holiday. I am taking the Seahawks because I believe since their midseason slump ended and they have had players come back from injury (Chancellor, Wagner and Unger) this team has regained top tier strength. San Francisco really hasn’t impressed me at all this season, as Kaepernick continues to be arrant and lacking as a passer on a majority of his throws. Last week they struggled to put away the woeful Redskins at home, and in their previous home game they fumbled on the goal line to lose to the Rams. San Fran has also had some O-Line problems against good defensive pressure, as has Seattle, so look for both QBs to be running around like a chicken with their head cut-off. In the end I am picking Seattle because they perform way more consistently when healthy, despite having some lack luster wide receivers.  

Jack’s Pick: Seahawks

I'm taking the Seahawks on the road which is a pick I have almost zero confidence in. I don't trust the Seahawks to win on the road but I have 0 trust in the 49ers to win against good teams even at home. The Seahawks secondary has been coming on strong recently and I think they will be able to stop Kaepernick and force him to turn the ball over, something he does regularly. If the Seahawks can get Marshawn Lynch going then they won't have to attack down the field with Wilson and he can throw short passes and run the ball all day long. 

                                                                                                                                                

Sunday Game Picks

Washington Redskins (3-8) @ Indianapolis Colts (7-4) at 1PM on Sunday

Josh’s Pick: Colts

With Colt McCoy getting plugged in as the starter I don’t see the Redskins being able to put up the points to compete with Andrew Luck and the Colt’s top tier offense. Granted, I don’t think RG3 could do that either. The Redskins defense also won’t be able to hold the Colts to under 24, which I believe the Redskins would have to do if they wanted to win this game. Only way I see the Redskins coming out with a win is if they ride Alfred Morris like the Patriots road Jonas Gray two weeks ago when they played Indianapolis at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Jack’s pick: Colts 

Three years ago we would have been ecstatic about this battle of the future at Quarterback in RGIII and Andrew Luck.  However, this will now be a battle between Luck and Colt McCoy as the RGIII has fallen out of favor with Jay Gruden and the coaching staff of the Redskins.  Redskins will be tasked with shutting down the number one passing offense in the league with Luck and receivers Reggie Wayne and TY Hilton, I don’t think the defense of the Redskins will be able to stop luck and I don’t trust Colt McCoy to win a shootout on the road.  

Tennessee Titans (2-9) @ Houston Texans (5-6) at 1PM on Sunday

Josh’s Pick: Texans

Despite Ryan Mallet being out for the season and showing loads of promise in his first two games, I still believe Houston gets it done at home. Tennessee doesn’t have the ground game to expose Houston on the ground and when it comes down to it I trust Houston’s defense more than I trust Tennessee’s defense. Look for Houston to run the ball a lot and try to have a similar game-plan that the Steelers and Eagles employed when facing when of the more devout of star talent teams in the league.

Jack’s pick: Texans

This matchup features two teams in the AFC South whose seasons are essentially over, the Titans at 2-9 are in the midst of a 5 game losing streak and the Texans are coming off a loss to the Bengals and just lost QB Ryan Mallet to a torn pec for the rest of the season.  In my opinion the difference in play between Fitzpatrick and Mallet is not significant enough that there will be a big drop off in the performance of the offense.  The Titans are frisky but I don’t see them being good enough to beat the Texans.  

Cleveland Browns (7-4) @ Buffalo Bills (6-5) at 1PM on Sunday

Josh’s Pick: Bills

My main reason for taking this pick is a few reasons; the first being that even in Josh Gordon’s return, Hoyer managed to throw three interceptions and really banked on terrible clock management by the Falcons and solid play from the Browns defense to pull out the comeback win; and second is that this club lost Tayshaun Gipson for the season who had playing phenomenal at the safety position (leading the NFL in interceptions with 6). Although I don’t think Hoyer will throw three interceptions, I think the Cleveland running back committee will be shut down by the Bills fierce defensive line, and the injuries on the Browns offensive line are highlighted by Buffalo’s pass rush. I see some confusion coming from the Browns secondary and one or two blown coverages that could lead to big plays from Sammy Watkins or another one of the Bills many unsung weapons. I also think the Bills will be fired up to be playing in Ralph Wilson stadium again after the blizzard incident a week ago.

Jack’s pick: Bills 

This game is tough to pick but I think the Bills defensive line will be too much for the Browns injury depleted offensive line to handle.  The Bills line is going to be able to get pressure on Brian Hoyer who is coming off a horrible game where he threw 3 picks against Atlanta who has the worst passing defense in the league.  Although Josh Gordon played well in his debut against the Falcons I don’t think he will be enough of a difference maker to neutralize the advantage that the Bills have on the defensive line.  

San Diego Chargers (7-4) @ Baltimore Ravens (7-4) at 1PM on Sunday

Josh’s Pick: Ravens

The Chargers have really struggled on the road against quality level opponents this season and are (1-3) against opponents over .500 (the one win coming against the Bills). In their last two road games, the Chargers have been outscored 72-21 and have looked like a shadow of their true offensive and defensive potential. Barring a great play on the goal line and a terrible bailout call by the Refs on a punt return, they should have lost last week to the Rams as well. The Ravens have played well at home and are coming off a great offensive performance

Jacks pick: Ravens 

Chargers started out as one of the best teams in football but have come crashing down to earth, especially in their last 4 games, getting destroyed twice on the road and barely beating Oakland and St. Louis at home.  Baltimore is coming off a good win in the Superdome and hasn’t lost at home this year since week 1 against the Bengals.  I think Joe Flacco and the Ravens offense will be able to have success against the Chargers defense and lead them to a home win.

New York Giants (3-8) @ Jacksonville Jaguars (1-10) at 1PM on Sunday

Josh’s Pick: Giants

If it wasn’t for Bortles, I would be taking the Jags. Both Eli and Blake have struggled with their interceptions this season, Bortles having the most interceptions in the league and a NFL low QBR to accompany it (despite not even playing the whole the season). Blake’s inconsistency will counteract the Giants struggles against what is actually a very formidable Jaguars defense. However, I don’t see anyone on the Jags defense that will be able to eliminate Odell Beckham Jr. from going off and making his presence felt like he did last week and has done a majority of the season. My biggest worry with taking the G-men is that they will not be able to stop Denard Robinson as their rush defense has been suspect a majority of the season.

Jack’s pick: Giants 

Giants are going on the road to face the Jaguars who have lost 4 straight and are only 1-10 on the season.  Odell Beckham Jr. had his massive coming out party on Sunday night last week with 146 yards and two touchdowns.  Jaguars have an abysmal secondary who won’t be able to stay with Beckham Jr. and Rueben Randle in the passing game and the Jags won’t be able to get enough pressure on Manning to force Eli turnovers.  Also, the Jaguars offense is not very good as rookie Blake Bortles has struggled to protect the ball and attack defenses.  I don’t trust Bortles to beat Eli and the Giants even at home.  

Cincinnati Bengals (7-3-1) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-9) at 1PM on Sunday

Josh’s Pick: Bengals

In the AFC North, all the teams are so closely bundled together, that every game involving one of their four teams has major playoff implications. Because of this I look for the Bengals to take care of business against a less talented Bucs team. Despite signing Alteraun Verner in the offseason, he hasn’t played like the number one cornerback they’d hoped he turn into and I could see AJ Green extending his hot streak to three great games in a row against an inconsistent but talented Bucs defense. The Bucs also don’t have the firepower to fall behind in this one, or the running game to control the tempo and keep the ball on offense.

Jack’s pick: Bengals

Tampa bay at an abysmal 2-9 is still somehow in playoff contention and the Bengals are leading the division at 7-3-1.  They are coming off a win against the Texans and beat the Saints in the superdome two weeks ago by 17 points.  Tampa Bay is 1-7 over their last 8 games, Mike Evans has been awesome and is distancing himself in the offensive ROY award race.  I think the Bengals should get a relatively easy win over the Bucs in Tampa Bay.  

Oakland Raiders (1-10) @ St. Louis Rams (4-7) at 1PM on Sunday

Josh’s Pick: Rams

Great win by the Raiders a week and a half ago against the Chiefs, but I don’t think the magic will carry over against the Rams, who have been playing very solid football the last two three weeks. I look for their defensive line to be able to get pressure on Derek Carr and disrupt the passing game. I also think Shaun Hill will have a big day to respond to his goal-line pick that lost the Rams the game against the Chargers. I don’t see anyone on that Oakland defense who can matchup with Tavon Austin or Kenny Britt, so if Hill plays the distributor role, the Rams should be in a good position to get the W.

Jack’s pick: Rams

St. Louis has made a habit of playing down and up to their competition with wins over the Seahawks, 49ers, and Broncos.  The Rams defense has really come on as of late as they only gave up 7 points to the Broncos two weeks ago and should have beat the Chargers on the road last week.  I don’t trust the Raiders offense to do well against the great pass rush of the Rams and I think Derek Carr will turn the ball a few times on the way to a Rams win.

New Orleans Saints (4-7) @ Pittsburg Steelers (7-4) at 1PM on Sunday

Josh’s Pick: Steelers

Given the noted road struggles of Drew Brees and company, am I taking the obvious pick of taking the Steelers at home. Road struggles aside, the Saints have dropped all three games to the AFC North, including two in the two weeks at home. Jimmy Graham isn’t playing like the tightend he has been a majority of his career and this offense took a blow when they lost Brandon Cooks for the season. Their cornerbacks still are struggling and they have no one to matchup with Antonio Brown. And if they focus on Antonio Brown, Le’Veon Bell can run it up their gut for big yards as he has done all season long (or vice versa). The Steelers haven’t been constituent by any means this season, but they are definitely a more reliable bet at home than the Saints are on the road.

Jack’s pick: Steelers

New Orleans is coming off three straight losses in the superdome which is pretty incredible with how great they have been there in recent years.  Pittsburgh is coming off a close win against the Titans and had a bye week last week so they had extra time to game plan for this game.  Steelers have only one loss at home this year in a fluky game against Tampa Bay earlier in the year.  Drew Brees doesn’t play well outdoors and it is going to be cold in Pittsburgh.  I think the Steelers will get an easy win and New Orleans will lose another step in the NFC playoff race. 

Carolina Panthers (3-7-1) @ Minnesota Vikings (4-7) at 1PM on Sunday

Josh’s Pick: Vikings

Carolina has been playing bad football this season. Their offensive line is a mess which makes Cam run for his life every play or their run game to be stone-walled. I love the matchup for the Vikings on defense who can use their front seven to blitz and pressure Cam all day long, forcing some sailing throws that could lead to some turnovers. Anthony Barr has quietly played amazing at the OLB position, ranking second to only Von Miller according to PFF, however I believe him and Everson Griffin will be in for big games this upcoming Sunday. On Offense the Vikings wide receivers will face a subpar secondary that they should be able to take advantage of if Teddy can get them the ball.

Jack’s pick: Vikings 

Carolina hasn’t won a game in 6 weeks and they are 1-7-1 since week 3, they have no receivers, running game, and their defense has been awful.  Although they are coming off a bye week and Minnesota isn’t exactly great I think Minnesota will get the win at home.  Minnesota’s pass rush with Everson Griffen and rookie Anthony Barr will be able to get to Newton because of how bad the line is.  Panthers will fall to 3-8-1 on the season and Minnesota will get a good win.  

Arizona Cardinals (9-2) @ Atlanta Falcons (4-7) at 4:05 on Sunday

Josh’s Pick: Cardinals

As surprising as this may sound, I believe this game possibly hinders on Larry Fitzgerald’s questionable status. Without him, the Cardinals lose their best offensive weapon, something they cannot afford to have happen since they already lost Carson Palmer for the season and are averaging a league worst 3.6 yards per carry. If Fitzgerald plays, I give the edge to the Cardinals because it shifts Desmond Trufant over to Fitzgerald and gives Michael Floyd some opportunities against Robert Alford and John Brown an edge over Robert McClain. The Cardinals defense will give Matt Ryan a tough outing as Patrick Peterson and Antonio Cromartie are arguably the best cornerback tandem in the league (along with Revis and Browner or Sherman and Maxwell). The problem for the Cardinals obviously lies on offense, and although Atlanta’s defense is in the bottom third of the league in terms of talent, there are a lot of question marks around Drew Stanton as a starting caliber quarterback and whether he can expose those weaknesses. If Fitzgerald plays, I think they pull it out, but if he doesn’t I could see Atlanta pulling the upset and remaining on top of the woeful NFC South. My reason for sticking with the Cardinals though is that I believe Stanton will have enough time in the pocket from the lack of a pass rush to be effective in this one. 

Jack’s pick: Cardinals 

Arizona is currently the number one seed in the NFC even after getting dominated by the Seahawks a week ago, I think with Drew Stanton at QB they are vulnerable but they will still get the win in Atlanta.  Cromartie and Patrick Peterson can neutralize Roddy White and Julio Jones which takes away the Falcons biggest strength.  Falcons have the worst pass defense in football and the Cardinals should be able to take advantage of it with their strong wide receiver core.  I think the Cardinals will get the win and continue to be the number one seed in the NFC.

New England Patriots (9-2) @ Green Bay Packers (8-3) at 4:25 on Sunday

Josh’s Pick: Patriots

No surprise to see me picking the Patriots, even on the road at Green Bay. I actually think the Patriots match up favorably against the Pack, as Darrelle Revis can man up either Nelson or Cobb while McCourty and Browner bump and cover over the top against the other. However I am certain Green Bay will have its successes against the Patriots defense come Sunday, I just believe the Patriots offense will be more successful. The Packers have one of the worst rush defenses in the NFL, and the Patriots exploit weaknesses like this as well as anybody else in the league. They went rush heavy against the Colts for the same reason, and I believe the Patriots and Legarrette Blunt/Jonas Gray have a big day on the ground while working the play action and getting Gronk and LaFell involved (as Green Bay doesn’t really have one guy who can match up well with either player). I think this game will probably come down to who gets the ball last so it should be a good one. Another bonus for the Patriots; they may get their best pass rusher in Chandler Jones back this week.

Jack’s pick: Packers

This game is between the two best teams in the NFL and both have been on an absolute tear since week 11.  This game is super hard to predict and I think this will eventually be the super bowl matchup but I give the slight advantage to the Packers because they are playing at home.  Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb vs the Patriots corners is a matchup that will determine this game and I think that Jordy and Cobb will come out on top.  If Eddy Lacy doesn’t fumble and can establish some sort of presence on the ground they will be able to keep the Pats guessing and the Packers will win this one at home. 

Denver Broncos (8-3) @ Kansas City Chiefs (7-4) at 8:15 PM on Sunday Night

Josh’s Pick: Chiefs

Is this finally the game that Kansas City beats Peyton as a member of the Broncos; I believe so. The last two weeks the Broncos have faced two teams with excellent pass rushes (Dolphins and Rams) and have struggled against both (dropping one to the Rams and pulling out 25 consecutive points to beat the ‘Fins). I believe Kansas City is better than both of these teams and will be able to use Jamaal Charles effectively in the screen game as well as the run game to shorten Denver’s possessions. My biggest concern for this game is the Denver defense, as Von Miller and Demarcus Ware have combined for 19 sacks this season and can really be a problem for a Chiefs offensive line that lost the line of scrimmage to the Raiders. I think that the Chiefs utilize the screen game with Junior Hemingway and De’Anthony Thomas to diffuse the pass rush and take advantage of their own speed. Julius Thomas should be sidelined again due to an ankle injury, so that is one less weapon for the league leading pass defense that the Chiefs boast to account for this Sunday.

Jack’s pick: Denver 

Denver is coming off a close win against the Miami Dolphins and it looks like they have got their offense back together as they put up 39 on the Dolphins defense.  Kansas City has the best pass defense in all of football and it is mainly because of their pass rush but I think the Broncos will look to get the ball out quickly to neutralize the pass rush.  Also, they will be without starting safety Eric Berry who sadly is out because he is being tested for lymphoma.  They should be able to take advantage of the lack of a star in the back of the secondary and win this game in Arrowhead. 

Miami Dolphins (6-5) @ New York Jets (2-9) at 8:30 PM on Monday Night

Josh’s Pick: Jets

Despite appearing like a complete mess last Monday night against the Bills, I think Geno Smith and everyone else on this Jets roster comes out with something to prove. Geno Smith is competing for his future and I actually think the Jets pull out the win and are able to stuff Miami’s consistent run game and get to Tannehill to force pressure. I don’t have a ton of confidence in this pick, however it always seems like these two teams split their games, and with Miami coming off a loss at Denver and having both the Ravens and Patriots in the following weeks, this is almost a trap game for them. The Dolphins could easily win this matchup if they scheme for a big night for Mike Wallace, who absolutely has the talent to torch this Jets defense, but if they try to run the ball and play sloppy the Jets can steal the home victory.

Jack's pick: Miami 
Jets are coming off being completely embarrassed against the Bills on Monday night in Detroit.  Miami almost beat the Broncos last week and their offense has looked really good recently.  I think Tannehill and Mike Wallace will have big games against a Jets secondary that has been lacking recently.  Geno Smith is going to be starting for the first time in a while and he is going against the 4th best pass defense in the league and I think he will struggle to hold onto the ball.  Miami should force some turnovers from Geno and win easily in NY on Monday night.  

Week 12 Game Picks

Jack's Week 12 Game Picks

Cleveland Browns (6-4) at Atlanta Falcons (4-6) 1:00 pm Sunday

Jacks pick: Browns

Atlanta is coming off a last second win against Carolina where they won off a missed Graham Gano field goal.  Atlanta beating only teams in the division, winning on a missed field goal, and falling ass backwards into first place and the #4 seed is pretty representative of how the NFC South has been this year.  I think the Falcons will lose this week at home because although the Browns laid an egg last week Cleveland will control the game at the line of scrimmage which is the Falcons biggest weakness on both sides of the ball.  Also with dynamic weapon and last year’s receiving leader Josh Gordon coming back from a 10 week suspension Cleveland’s offense will have a deep passing dimension that it hasn’t had this entire year.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-8) at Chicago Bears (4-6) 1:00 pm Sunday

Jacks pick: Bears

Neither of these teams have much to play for as they are basically eliminated from playoff contention.  Tampa Bay has some bright spots with Mike Evans starting to run away with the OROY award race and Tampa still has some nice pieces on defense.  I think Chicago wins this because they will be able to use their big receivers and vertical passing attack to put up points on the Tampa defense.

Cincinnati Bengals (6-3-1) at Houston Texans (5-5) 1:00 pm Sunday

Jacks pick: Bengals

Last week it seemed everyone had written off the Bengals after a terrible stretch and a game in New Orleans coming up.  Now after soundly beating the Saints in the Superdome they are in sole possession of first place in the insanely competitive AFC North.  I think they will beat the Texans in Houston this week because the Houston offense and Ryan Mallet in his second career start will struggle to move the ball against the Bengals D.

Jacksonville Jaguars (1-9) at Indianapolis Colts (6-4) 1:00 pm Sunday

Jacks pick: Colts

This game shouldn’t be much of a contest as one team is fighting for a playoff spot and the other is fighting for the number one pick.  This game could be a little bit trappy for the Colts after facing New England last week but I doubt they are really overlooking the Jaguars with the equally bad Redskins coming up the week after this.  I expect TY Hilton and Luck to burn the Jaguars sometimes inept secondary as long as they can keep him upright against one of the best defensive lines in the league.

Green Bay Packers (7-3) at Minnesota Vikings (4-6) 1:00 pm Sunday

Jacks pick: Packers

Vikings haven’t exactly been terrible this season but they were absolutely blown out by the Packers on Thursday night the last time these two teams met, and the Packers have gotten even better since that meeting.  As an Eagles fan, I witnessed the full power of this Packers team last week and I don’t think anyone is going to beat this team with Rodgers playing this well, especially not the Vikings.

Detroit Lions (7-3) at New England Patriots (8-2) 1:00 pm Sunday

Jacks pick: Patriots

I think there should just be a general rule right now that you should never pick against the Patriots at home as Brady’s career home record is like 1231343-10 or something in that ballpark.  Also the Lions lost last week and we are getting close to thanksgiving which means the Lions are bound to collapse and miss the playoffs soon, I think it continues this week with a loss in New England.

Tennessee Titans (2-8) at Philadelphia Eagles (7-3) 1:00 pm Sunday

Jacks pick: Eagles

Last week was a murphy’s law game for the Eagles: everything that could go wrong did go wrong.  On top of everything going wrong the Eagles just don’t match up well in the secondary as Fletcher and Williams are horrible at playing the sideline where Randall Cobb and Jordy Nelson basically make their living.  Tennessee played well against the Steelers on Monday night but the Eagles defense will not allow Zach Mettenberger to have as much time in the pocket as he did last week.  This should be an easy bounce back win at home for the Eagles who are trying to make a push for a playoff spot.

St. Louis Rams (4-6) at San Diego Chargers (6-4) 4:00 pm Sunday

Jacks pick: Chargers

St. Louis has made a habit of beating great teams with wins against Seattle, San Francisco, and now Denver this year.  I don’t think that trend will continue this week against the Chargers as they should be able to actually block for their QB.  Last week Manning had the line in his face all game and since he has almost zero mobility it completely disrupted the flow of the offense.  I don’t expect Rivers to have as bad of a problem with the pressure and that should allow the Chargers offense to actually put up points and outpace Shaun Hill and the Rams O.

Arizona Cardinals (9-1) at Seattle Seahawks (6-4) 4:25 pm Sunday

Jacks pick: Seahawks

Somehow this Cardinal team keeps winning and is now standing at 9-1 with a 2 game lead in the NFC.  I think there is something to be said for a team that just finds a way to win like the Cardinals do but I also think it means they are a prime candidate for a little bit of regression.  I think that starts this week when they go to Seattle to take on the Seahawks who need this win to keep their playoff hopes alive.  I think the Seahawks secondary is going to force Drew Stanton to make mistakes and he will get rattled early leading to a Seahawks win.

Miami Dolphins (6-4) at Denver Broncos (7-3) 1:00 pm Sunday

Jacks pick: Dolphins

This is definitely a risky pick as the Broncos are generally a pretty sound team at home but I think they are very vulnerable this week.  Last week they lost to the Rams and the Dolphins are basically a rich man’s version of the Rams.  They are really good at getting pressure on the QB and will be able to bother Peyton.  Manning will be without slot receiver Emmanuel Sanders who may or may not be dead after getting hit by TJ McDonald last week, and without NFL TD reception leader Julius Thomas.  Those two players are sort of like Peyton’s security blanket which he will need and not have against the great front 7 of the Dolphins.

Washington Redskins (3-7) at San Francisco 49ers (6-4) 4:25 pm Sunday

Jacks pick:  49ers

I would first like to file a petition to move this from primetime and replace it with the Detroit New England game.  Secondly I think this game is tough to predict because the Niners are so inconsistent, they beat the Saints on the road one week and the next week barely beat the Giants when Eli threw 5 picks.  I don’t think the Redskins offense will do well as RGIII has generally been garbage since returning, he’s been so bad that he has been called out by his coach and there are people that actually want Colt McCoy to start.  I could see this being a low scoring game but I definitely see the Niners coming out on top.

New York Jets (3-7) “at” Buffalo Bills (6-4) Time: 6:00 pm Monday Night

Jacks pick: Bills

Although this home game has now turned into a weird situation where the teams will travel to Detroit because of 7 feet of snow, I still think the Bills will beat the Jets.  The Bills are too stout on defense to let a team with that few of weapons do well against them.  They should be able to force a bunch of turnovers as the Jets are extremely turnover prone and the Jets won’t be able to get the run game going either.  Side note: the Bills players had to be picked up from their homes in snowmobiles where they were driven to the main roads so they could get on a bus to get to Detroit.  If they don’t win after going through that type of adversity I don’t know what to tell you.

Dallas Cowboys (7-3) at New York Giants (3-7) 8:25 pm Sunday

Jacks pick: Giants

If you didn’t know about rookie WR Odell Beckham Jr. by now I think he will be a household name after this Sunday night game.  He has been spectacular in the few games he has played so far and I think on the big stage he will have a coming out party.  Divisional games always get weird, especially in the NFC East, and I think this game is no exception and the Giants will get an improbable victory.

Baltimore Ravens (6-4) at New Orleans Saints (4-6) 8:25 pm Monday

Jacks pick: Baltimore

I picked the Saints to win both of their last two games at home because of how good they usually are at home.  Whether or not they win this game I think we can throw that out the window for this year because this team is not good at all.  But since I’m taking the Ravens and took the Saints the last two weeks that means they are probably going to win this game.  You’re welcome Saints fans.

Week 12 Game Picks

Week 12

Jack’s record: (99-62) (6-8 last week)
Josh’s Record: (110-51) - (8-6 Last week)

Kansas City Chiefs (7-3) at Oakland Raiders (0-10) 8:25 pm Thursday

Jacks pick: Chiefs

Chiefs are coming off an impressive home win over the Seahawks and after starting 2-3 they have won 5 straight games.  Now they will travel to Oakland to face maybe the worst team in the league in the Oakland Raiders who currently are winless.  I think this game will actually be close because the Raiders have actually played some teams quite close, 5 of their 10 losses have been within 1 possession and they played the Chargers really well last week.  However, their 27th ranked run defense is going to be a problem against Jamaal Charles who has been awesome this year.  After this the Raiders are probably going to be 0-11 and they still have to play San Francisco, Kansas city again, Denver, St. Louis, and Buffalo.  I would give them a chance against St. Louis and Buffalo but it looks like this team may be going 0-16.

Josh’s Pick: Chiefs:

This is a relatively easy pick, although it could be a trap game for Kansas City. Khalil Mack could be a problem for Jamaal Charles, but the Chiefs have the defensive assets to null arguably the most lack luster offense in the league, headlined by rookie quarterback Derek Carr. I believe the Chiefs steal the road game and win with defense.

Cleveland Browns @ Atlanta Falcons

Josh’s Pick: Browns – I don’t like picking against the Falcons at home unless they are playing an established team. The Browns have played well for a majority of the season, but their offense sputtered for their entire outing against the Texans. Brian Hoyer should be due for a bounce back week against a weak Falcons defense, although they do hold two decent young corners in Desmond Trufant and Robert Alford. Another reason to be confident in the Browns; Josh Gordon makes his 2014 season debut this week and looks to add another element to an already statistically efficient offense.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Chicago Bears

Josh’s Pick: Bears - The Bears held their own last week against a middle of the road Vikings team, bringing them their first home win of the season. I look for that streak to continue against the Bucs, who are one of the league’s bottom feeders.

Cincinnati Bengals @ Houston Texans 

Josh’s Pick: Bengals – Last week we saw the Bengals go into New Orleans, one of the tougher road environments, and come out with a rather decisive win, with the final score posted at 27-10. Although Cincy is 28^th in rush defense, Arian Foster will be sitting out injured once again so that weakness will not be as much as in issue in this matchup. Look for the Bengals to keep throwing the ball AJ Green’s way this week as he finally got into season form last week against the Saints.

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Indianapolis Colts

Josh’s Pick: Colts – After the rough home loss to the Patriots last week, I am expecting the Colts to hold their own and bounce back against a much weaker opponent. Colts should win this one without a doubt.

Green Bay Packers @ Minnesota Vikings

Josh’s Pick: Packers – The Vikings defense has played very all season with one exception, that exception came when the Packers played them on a Thursday night. I expect Vikes’ Head Coach Mike Zimmer to use his defensive mind to make this one more competitive, but Aaron Rodgers will end up being too consistent to stop or for Teddy Bridgewater and the offense to keep up with.

Detroit Lions @ New England Patriots

Josh’s Pick: Patriots – I really hope the Patriots win this week, as I will be in attendance at Gillete Stadium. On a serious note, my reason for taking the Patriots is because they have shown to win games in multiple ways. The Lions are one of the most defensively stout teams in the league, ranking inside the top five in both pass and rush defense. I see the Patriots getting by this by forcing Matthew Stafford into turnovers, something he does a lot of throughout his career. With short fields to work with, the Patriots can make any defense pay. The Pats also match up favorably on defense against the Lions, as our clear weakness is our rush defense, which is also the weakness of the Detroit offense.

Tennessee Titans @ Philadelphia Eagles

Josh’s Pick: Eagles – The Eagles will definitely bounce back at home after a terrible road loss to the Packers. The Titans looked good Monday night against the Steelers, but aside from Bradley Fletcher (who was torched by Aaron Rodgers), the Eagles are a much better defensive unit than the Steelers. The reason for the Eagles bad defensive performance last week is that they didn’t match up well against the Packer’s speedy wide receivers.

St. Louis Rams @ San Diego Chargers

Josh’s Picks: Chargers – The Rams have come on recently, and looked incredibly good against the Broncos last week. Their pass rush which was often criticized through the first half of the season has been a force the last three weeks. This game should be very close as the Rams are better than their record implies, but Philip Rivers and the Chargers offense is too consistent to bet against at home, especially against slightly inferior competition.

Arizona Cardinals @ Seattle Seahawks

Josh’s Picks: Seahawks – The Cardinals impressed me last week and beat the Lions, disproving one of my more confident predictions. I am picking against them again because I believe Seattle is only getting better and healthier as the season goes forward, and while Drew Stanton has been able to win games for this club, I believe his stock as a winning quarterback goes down dramatically in a big divisional game on the road in Seattle.

Miami Dolphins @ Denver Broncos

Josh’s Pick: Broncos – If this game was in Miami I would be taking the Dolphins, but even after last week’s road loss I am still hesitant to pick against the Broncos at home. They will be without Julius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, but I am taking the Broncos because of their run defense. The Dolphins pass rush will be able to bother Manning in a similar way that the Rams did, however I believe Peyton will be more comfortable at home and be able to put enough points to beat an inconsistent ‘Fins passing attack. For the Dolphins to come out with a victory, Mike Wallace needs to have as big of a day as Kenny Britt last week.

Washington Redskins @ San Francisco 49ers

Josh’s Pick: 49ers – Despite almost losing a game where they had five interceptions in, they did have five interceptions and their defense played well on the road. Both of these offenses have struggled and have held inconsistencies throughout the season, however the Redskins haven’t had much had a decent defense to rely on. Kaep should have a big day on the ground, since when the Redskins played the Seahawks earlier this season, they failed to contain Russell Wilson. I still look for RG3 to post a decent game, Kaep to run efficiently, and the 49ers are able to edge pass the Redskins.

Dallas Cowboys @ New York Giants

Josh’s Pick: Cowboys – The Giants have surrendered a lot of rushing yards to their opponents over the last two games, and I expect Demarco Murray to be in for a big night to lift the ‘Boys over their divisional foes.

New York Jets @ Buffalo Bills 

Josh’s Pick: Bills – The Bills will show their defensive versatility as they bottle up Chris Ivory and the Jets running back committee. Buffalo’s weakness on defense is by their pass defense and I don’t trust Michael Vick enough to exploit that weakness. The Jets pass defense also happens subpar per the leagues standards, and although Kyle Orton isn’t Tom Brady or Peyton Manning, he faces a nice match up with his young wide receivers. I look for the Bills to make the most out of their lost home game at Ford Field and come away with the win.

Baltimore Ravens @ New Orleans Saints

Josh’s Pick: Ravens – Usually I always take New Orleans at home, but after getting man-handled by the Bengals in the Mercedes-Benz Dome last week, I am going to go with the Ravens on the road. Flacco should be in for a big day against a not-so-great Saints pass defense and the Ravens have the defensive assets to contain the Saints explosive offensive. Another random reason to be confident in Flacco; he won the Super Bowl back in 2012 in the Mercedes-Benz Dome.

Week 11 Game Picks

Week 11 Game Predictions

Josh's record: 102-45
Jacks record: 93-54

Minnesota Vikings (4-5) at Chicago Bears (3-6) 1:00 pm

Jacks Pick: Vikings

After getting blasted by the Packers last week the Chicago Bears season looks to be in shambles and at 3-6 they are pretty much eliminated from playoff contention.  The Vikings are sitting at 4-5 after back to back wins and are coming off their bye week.  I think the Vikings will win this one because their defense is quietly one of the best in the league, they get great pass rush from end Everson Griffen and rookie LB Anthony Barr has been awesome this year and is a front runner for DROY.  They also have the 4th best pass defense in all of football and should limit Jeffrey and Marshall from making big plays.  I trust Bridgewater to make some big plays against a secondary that got shredded last week and lead the Vikings to a win.

Josh's pick: Vikings

Bears have played like the worst team in football the last two weeks, allowing 50+ points in back to back games. Both of those losses came on the road, but I don’t look for them to turn things around as they are winless at home this season, standing at 0-3. The Vikes and rookie Teddy Brigdewater should have a nice day through the air, and if their defense plays up to their recent level of play they could easily pressure Cutler and force some turnovers.

Houston Texans (4-5) at Cleveland Browns (6-4) 1:00 pm

Jacks pick: Browns

It’s week 11 and the Browns are in first place in a hellish NFC North division.  It has taken me a while to fully recognize it but the Browns are legitimately good and I am taking them against the Texans at home this week.  Texans are coming off a bye week but the Browns played Thursday last week so the Browns have had ample time to prepare.  After seeing what this defense did to Andy Dalton last week, holding him to 86 yards on 33 throws, I don’t expect Ryan Mallet to do much better in his first start.  Also, he will be without top RB Arian Foster who is out with an injury.  Without Foster, Mallet won’t put up points against this Browns and Cleveland will get their 3rd straight victory.

Josh's pick: Browns

I really want to take Ryan Mallet in his first start for the Texans, but I will go with the other former Brady back-up. Mallet did have the bye week to acclimate himself more efficiently to the Texans playbook but it would be unreasonable to expect a well-oiled machine. If Mallet was playing a majority of other teams I would pick the Texans, but the Cleveland secondary has been dominant in the last few weeks and has playmakers who can steal possessions. The Browns running back committee should also have a nice day if the Browns pull out the home win.

Seattle Seahawks (6-3) at Kansas City Chiefs (6-3) 1:00 pm

Jacks pick: Chiefs

This game has huge playoff implications in the NFC and AFC as both teams are currently chasing wildcard spots.  Besides a random week 1 loss to the Titans, the Chiefs have been awesome at home with a blowout win over the Patriots and wins over St. Louis and the Jets.  I expect this to be a very defensive game but I think the Chiefs will force Russell Wilson to turn the ball over at least twice this game with their pass rush.  Also, the Seahawks just lost great run stopper Brandon Mebane which should open up the game for Charles.  If Alex Smith can stay mistake free the Chiefs should pick up a big W over the Seahawks

Josh's pick: Chiefs

This is both a pick in my confidence in the Chiefs as a legitimate contender, and my lack of confidence in Russell Wilson and Seattle’s ability to win road games against quality opponents. With Kam Chancellor still out, Travis Kelce becomes a mismatch in favor the Chiefs and could be do for a good game. I also like the Chiefs defense going up against Wilson and his spotty receiving core. For the ‘Hawks to win they have to run the ball effectively and keep the Arrowhead faithful quiet.

Atlanta Falcons (3-6) at Carolina Panthers (3-6-1) 1:00 pm

Jacks pick: Falcons

Monday nights destruction of the Panthers leaves them at 3-6-1 and they haven’t won a game in 5 weeks.  Atlanta has been equally bad with one win in the last 7 weeks and two of their three wins have come against the horrendous Tampa Bay Bucs this season.  I’m picking the Falcons because Carolina is just so banged up.  Cam Newton is not at 100% and he has no offensive line, no running game, and very little weapons in the passing game.  The defense hasn’t been very good this season either, especially in the secondary and the Falcons still have a great passing attack.  Matt Ryan and Julio Jones should make some big plays against the weak secondary and lead the Falcons to a win.

Josh's pick: Falcons

Both of these teams lie in the abysmal NFC South, so it’s tough to gage which team is better. After watching Carolina implode on themselves during primetime, I am going to take the Falcons on the road. The weapons are there for this Falcons team to be dangerous and they really aren’t there for the Panthers.

Cincinnati Bengals (6-4) at New Orleans Saints (4-5) 1:00 pm

Jacks pick: Saints

Saints maybe should be 5-4 after last week against the 49ers after their last second hail mary was called off by a flop by 49ers CB Perrish Cox.  After a hot 3-0 start, the Bengals have pretty much fallen off, and their once great defense is currently 31st against the run and 20th against the pass.  New Orleans is a much better team at home and they are currently the 3rd best passing and 6th best rushing attack in football.  I think Brees can exploit the Bengals defense and the Saints pass rush will get to Andy Dalton and force some turnovers on the way to a Saints win.

Josh's pick: Saints

Andy Dalton and the Bengals looked horrendous last Thursday night, and although I anticipate a better performance, their defense ultimately will drop this game to the Saints on the road. The Saints know that if they win they keep their division lead and that will be enough to motivate a victory of a recently lack-luster Bengals squad.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-8) at Washington Redskins (3-6) 1:00 pm

Jacks pick:  Redskins

This is a matchup between two teams whose seasons are basically over with Washington 4 games out of the division and the Bucs somehow only 3 games out at 1-8.  Right now, the Bucs have the 31st ranked pass defense in football and the Redskins, as bad as they have been, still have a great passing attack.  With weapons Desean Jackson and Pierre Garcon and a healthy RGIII they should attack the Bucs secondary and get a win.

Josh's pick: Redskins

Coming off the bye, I’m sure RG3 wants to silence the criticism he has taken over the course of the season. In his start two weeks ago he showed his deep ball was still as potent as ever, and his receiving corps Pierre Garcon, Andre Roberts and Desean Jackson will service him nicely this Sunday against a Bucs defense that has allowed a lot of big plays. The Bucs have the weapons to make this one interesting, but their lack of a run game to pair with an inconsistent quarterback makes me have more faith in the Redskins.

Denver Broncos (7-2) at St. Louis Rams (3-6) 1:00 pm

Jacks pick: Denver

Denver has made a habit out of blowing out bad teams but the Rams this season have also been playing up to their competition with wins against San Francisco and Seattle.  I still don’t see a scenario where the Rams could pull out a win this week, Denver’s offense is going to put up points like it does every week and their defense should keep the pressure on Shaun Hill.  Barring big special teams plays like the ones they got against the Seahawks the Broncos should get a win.

Josh's pick: Denver

The Rams showed last week that they have the defense to compete with elite teams, but as long as Austin Davis or Shaun Hill as their starting at quarterback, the Rams offense will be burdened and unable to keep with the teams with elite quarterbacks in this league. The Broncos will end up scoring to many points for the game to competitive and St. Louis’ only hope is if they sustain long drives, running Tre Mason, Zac Stacy or Benny Cunningham productively and often.

San Francisco 49ers (5-4) at NY Giants (3-6) 1:00 pm

Jacks pick: 49ers

San Francisco kept their playoff hopes alive with a win over the Saints in overtime last week and the Giants are essentially eliminated at 3-6.  What this game will come down to is the 49ers running game vs the Giants run defense.  The Niners currently average 122 yards per game on the ground and the Giants are dead last in the league in rushing yards allowed.  Getting the running game going will give Kaepernick a smaller load to carry and that will lead to less turnovers and with a better play action game it will be easier for him to make plays.  If the Niners can contain Giants rookie Odell Beckham Jr. who has been on fire as of late, then they will get their 6th win of the season and keep themselves in the playoff hunt.

Josh's pick: 49ers

Last week we saw the Giants give up a franchise record for rushing yards to the Seattle Seahawks, not a trend you want to carry into a game that has Colin Kaepernick, Frank Gore and Carlos Hyde (who is really starting to come into his own). I see the 49ers doing what their rival Seahawks did last week and running the ball effectively to dominate the game.

Oakland Raiders (0-9) at San Diego Chargers (5-4) 4:00 pm

Jacks pick: Chargers

After starting out hot the Chargers have dropped to 5-4 on the season after three straight losses including a 37 point blowout to the Dolphins.  Things should get better this week as they face off against the winless raiders after their bye week.  Although they have issues on their offensive line, the Raiders don’t get enough pressure and Phillip Rivers should remain comfortable in the pocket and get the Chargers back on track with a win.

Josh's pick: Chargers

Still looking for that first potential win for the Raiders, and I don’t see it coming on the road in San Diego. The Chargers have been irrelevant recently and need this game to assert themselves back into the AFC West and Wildcard chase.



Philadelphia Eagles (7-2) at Green Bay Packers (6-3) 4:25 pm

Jacks pick: Eagles

America’s game of the week this week has huge playoff implications as the Eagles travel to Lambeau to face Rodgers and the Packers.  I’m picking the Eagles to win but I’m not very confident, mainly because Rodgers hasn’t lost at home since week 1 of 2012.  People look at the Eagles 22nd ranked pass defense and assume that Rodgers will tear them apart, but with the Eagles they haven’t been hurt by good QB’s.  Philly has allowed Kirk Cousins, Austin Davis, and Chad Henne to tear their defense apart but they have shut down Andrew Luck, Colin Kaepernick, Cam Newton, and Eli Manning this year.  I don’t expect the Eagles to shut down Rodgers but he won’t do as well as people expect, especially since the Eagles also have pressured QB’s more than anyone in the league with 77 combined QB hits and sacks.  Also, the Packers are 30th in rush defense and with a healthy offensive line and all three of the Eagles running backs healthy expect the Eagles to try and pound it out on the ground and keep Rodgers off the field.  I expect this one to be close, but I’m going to predict the Eagles win on a Cody Parkey last second field goal.

Josh's pick: Packers

Hard to pick against the Eagles in this one even with Mark Sanchez because they match up so favorably on offense (Shady McCoy and a healthy o-line versus the league worst rushing defense). However the Eagles defense hasn’t played a quality quarterback all season aside from Andrew

Detroit Lions (7-2) at Arizona Cardinals (8-1) 4:25 pm

Jacks pick: Lions

This game is especially tough to predict with two top seeds in the NFC facing off.  Arizona has the advantage of being at home but they are without QB Carson Palmer who is lost for the year with a torn ACL.  I think the Lions win this game and expose the Cardinals a bit this week, the Cardinals are 30th in the league against the pass and the Lions have Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate healthy right now who will be a handful for Antonio Cromartie and Patrick Peterson.  Also, the Lions have the best defense in football right now and are facing Drew Stanton who has been shaky to say the least.  I think Detroit gets a big win over the Cardinals and moves to first place in the NFC.

Josh's pick: Lions

There is no denying the talent on Arizona’s defense and their ability to take out the weapons that this Lions team holds. However, it is the Lions defense that will end up winning this game for them because they will get pressure on Drew Stanton and create a rough day for the back-up. The Lions also the top rush defense and will be able to eliminate any effective ground game that the Cardinals attempt, forcing more of the offensive to lie on Stanton’s shoulders. I expect both defenses to play at a high level, causing the difference in the game to come down to the quarterback, where I will take Matthew Stafford over Drew Stanton any day of the week.

New England Patriots (7-2) at Indianapolis Colts (6-3) 8:30 pm

Jacks pick: Colts

This pick was very tough because I see these two teams as pretty much equal and the Patriots may be slightly better but I still have faith in Andrew Luck at home this Sunday night.  New England has been playing great and putting up points like no other but they have also had 3 straight weeks at home and a bye week and will now have to go on the road.  Luck and the Colts have also had their bye week so both teams have had time to prepare.  I see this one being very close but Luck will have a big game and lead his team to a slim victory.

Josh's pick: Patriots

Josh’s Pick: Patriots – With both of these teams coming off byes, neither one truly has the advantage of a bye week as a team regularly would (having an extra week of rest than their opponent). In the Patriots last game, we watched Belichick put together an amazing defensive gameplan to hold Manning and the Broncos to only 21 points. Having a week to prepare for Luck, I would imagine a similar gameplan and execution against a very similarly built offense. Also the Patriots are 2-0 against Luck so far, with the young gun throwing multiple interceptions in each game. TY Hilton is the biggest concern for Patriots fans, but I am looking for Belichick to account for him and double cover him throughout the game. This one should be a shootout, and I am picking Andrew Luck to make at least one more mistake than Tom Brady.

Pittsburgh Steelers (6-4) at Tennessee Titans (2-7) 8:30 pm Monday

Jacks pick: Steelers

Pittsburgh will be looking to bounce back after an embarrassing loss to the Jets last weekend where they turned the ball over a ton and never got their offense going.  Since a week 1 victory over the chiefs the Titans have been 1-7 with their only win coming against the Jaguars.  I expect Roethelisberger and Antonio Brown to have big days against their secondary and get the Steelers back on track with a win.

Josh's pick: Steelers

The Titans don’t have the weapons (a quarterback or a true number one receiver) to take advantage of the weaknesses on this Steelers team. I did think about picking the Titans, but the Steelers dropping back to back games to the Titans and Jets sounds very improbable. The Steelers have more talented playmakers and can beat the Titans with a good game from either Antonio Brown or Le’Veon Bell.

NFC Playoff Picture

NFC Playoff Picture 

With 10 weeks in the books, the NFC’s playoff picture is starting to become a little clearer.  Not that much clearer though as 11 of the 16 teams are still in legitimate playoff contention and the race is really starting to heat up.  So let’s go through all the teams and break down their chances of playing football in January.

Group One: The Non-Contenders 

Teams: Chicago Bears, New York Giants, Washington Redskins, St. Louis Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

All of these teams listed above are essentially out of playoff contention and their seasons are essentially over.  Obviously it’s not all doom and gloom as some of these teams are playing well or have bright futures.  The Giants may be out of the race but their rookie WR Odell Beckham Jr. looks like he will be a star one day.  St. Louis is 3-6 but have played opponents very tough and have wins over the Seahawks and 49ers this year, Austin Davis has also exceeded expectations and has been legitimately good at times this year.  Tampa Bay is actually not really done at 1-8 as they are only 3 games out of first place in the terrible NFC South, but they aren’t very good right now and should be focusing on a high draft pick, adding a star QB like Mariota or Winston could do wonders into changing the fortunes down in Tampa.  Chicago has all of the offensive weapons in the world but they’re complete lack of a defense and an offensive line has made those weapons irrelevant.  With some smart drafting and FA signings they could regain relevance soon.

Group two:  The NFC South 

Wow what a mess this division is, currently the team in first place is 4-5, the whole division is 5-19-1 against teams outside of the NFC south this season.  Tampa Bay is 1-8 and not completely out of the playoff picture, and the Atlanta Falcons have won once in the last 53 days, haven’t won a game against a team outside of the division and are still one game out of first.  Sadly, since one team must come out of this division it kind of messes it up for the rest of the league and we could see a scenario where an 11-5 wildcard team having to go on the road against a 7-9 NFC South team like the Seahawks did in the 2010-11 season to none other than the New Orleans Saints.  Could we see the roles reverse this year?

Atlanta Falcons 

Record: (3-6) 3rd in NFC South
Remaining Schedule:  @ Carolina, Cleveland, Arizona, @ Green Bay, Pittsburgh, @ New Orleans, Carolina

I would say that the Atlanta Falcons are the least likely to take this division even though they are still just one game out of first place just by virtue of how tough their remaining schedule is.  Although Matt Ryan and the Falcons are good in the dome they still have games remaining against playoff teams Pittsburgh and Cleveland at home and have to go on the road against Green Bay and the Saints.  The thing the Falcons have in their favor is a 3-0 divisional record which gives them the tiebreaker over both the Saints and Panthers.  However, I think unless they really turn it around, their schedule is too hard to make the playoffs.

Carolina Panthers 

Record: (3-6-1) 2nd in NFC South

Remaining Schedule:  Atlanta, @ Minnesota, @ New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Cleveland, @ Atlanta

Of all teams still in competition for playoff spots I think the Panthers are the least talented and it showed after a 45-21 thrashing at the hands of the Eagles last week.  They were 12-4 with the best defense in the league last year but they lost Greg Hardy and their entire secondary and the play of defensive MVP Luke Keuchly has regressed ever so slightly.  The only chance they have is that they have played a hellish schedule so far and it gets much easier from here on out.  They get Atlanta at home and on the road, Minnesota after a bye week and a game against Tampa at home.  Cam Newton is not 100% right now and with the lack of weapons and offensive line they need him to be at 150%, if he can somehow turn it around the Panthers may be able to sneak a division title, but I wouldn’t count on it.

New Orleans Saints

Record: (4-5) 1st in NFC South

Remaining Schedule: Cincinnati, Baltimore, @ Pittsburgh, Carolina, @ Chicago, Atlanta, @ Tampa Bay

New Orleans is currently the large favorite to be the team that comes out of this cesspool, with the best record in the division and one of the easiest schedules left.  Cincinnati and Baltimore are tough games but they get both of them at home which makes things much easier, also they still play Carolina, Atlanta, Tampa and Chicago.  None of which are good teams.  I would put my money on the Saints to win the division and get to host a playoff game this January.

Group 3: In the Hunt 

This group is for teams that are on the outside looking in as of right now and it includes the 7th, 8th, and 9th seeds in the current NFC playoff picture.

Minnesota Vikings 

Record: (4-5) 3rd in NFC North

Remaining schedule: @ Bears, Packers, Panthers, Jets, @ Lions, @ Dolphins, Bears

Going into week 11 the Vikings are still in playoff contention and at 4-5 they are only 2 games out of the wildcard race and 3 out of the division but I would put their chances of getting a wildcard or a division win at almost zero because of the strength of their remaining schedule.  With games coming against the Packers and on the road against the Lions and Dolphins they probably will lose at least those three games and I could see them splitting with the Bears.  Unless AP gets reinstated soon and shakes off the rust immediately, I don’t see them being able to keep pace with the Packers and Lions, let alone outpace them for a division title.

San Francisco 49ers 

Record: (5-4) 3rd in NFC West

Remaining Schedule: @ Giants, Redskins, Seahawks, @ Raiders, @ Seahawks, San Diego, Arizona

Thanks to some great acting by Perrish Cox on the Hail Mary to Jimmy Graham at the end of regulation last week, the 49ers are 5-4 instead of 4-5 and have kept themselves alive in the playoff race.  They still have a tough road ahead as they are currently 3 games behind the division leading Cardinals and two games behind a wildcard slot.  Also, they have 3 easy games (@ Giants, @ Raiders and Redskins) left and 4 difficult games left against Seahawks x2, San Diego and Arizona. Thankfully 3 of the 4 tough games left are going to be played in San Francisco but they already have a loss to Arizona and Seattle has historically been able to own Colin Kaepernick.  The biggest advantage the 49ers have going for them is the tiebreakers they hold over both the Eagles and Cowboys from beating them earlier in the year.  As of right now it looks like one of the wildcard spots is going to come from the NFC East and if the 49ers tie either the Eagles or Cowboys in record, they will advance to the playoffs.  The problem is that it may take 11-5 to get a wildcard in the NFC this year.  I would say with their strength of schedule the odds that the 49ers are playoff bound this year are less than 50%.

Group 4: The Contenders 

Green Bay Packers

Record: (6-3) 2nd in NFC North

Remaining Schedule: Eagles, @ Vikings, Patriots, Falcons, @ Bills, @ Buccaneers, Lions

If the season ended right now the Packers would not be playing in January this season, thankfully for them there are still 7 games left for them to play and their schedule is not too bad.  They have games against 3 of the 7 best teams in football: Pats, Eagles, and Lions.  However, all of those games are at home where Rodgers hasn’t lost in a game where he didn’t get injured since week 1 of 2012.  I don’t think that streak will continue as they are bound to lose to either one of those three teams but if Rodgers continues his level of play and the defense can sort of hold it together I could easily see the Packers winning out and grabbing a first round bye.  Not bad for a team that isn’t even in the playoffs as of right now.

Seattle Seahawks 

Record: (6-3) 2nd in NFC West

Remaining Schedule: @ Chiefs, Cardinals, @ 49ers, @ Eagles, 49ers, @ Cardinals, Rams

Wow Seattle has a tough road ahead, and it starts with a trip to the loudest stadium in the NFL at Arrowhead to face the chiefs and there are still two games against the Cardinals and 49ers.  Honestly, with a schedule this difficult it looks like the Seahawks might not be making the playoffs.  I could see them losing to the Chiefs, and splitting with the Niners and Cardinals.  This would leave them 2-3 and at 8-6, and even if they win on the road against the Eagles who are 5-0 there this season and beat the rams it would leave them at 10-6 which might not be good enough to get a wildcard this season.  Good news is that they are getting LB Bobby Wagner and S Kam Chancellor back soon and that could help them on the stretch run.  Even with these key players back, this schedule looks too tough and I think that the defending champs may not be in the playoffs this year.

Dallas Cowboys 

Record: (7-3) 2nd in NFC East

Remaining Schedule: @ Giants, Eagles, @ Bears, @ Eagles, Colts, at Redskins

Cowboys will be on bye this week but they have a tough schedule coming up with a pair of games against division leading Eagles and one against Luck and the Colts.  The main thing they have to focus on is keeping their players healthy, Tony Romo has a back injury and league leading running back Demarco Murray has had a ridiculous workload so far.  Their defense is overachieving and can’t afford to have key players go down due to injury.  I think if Dallas can stay healthy as a team and avoid a Cowboys-esque December collapse they could get a wildcard birth and depending on how they do against the Eagles, a division title isn’t out of the question either.

Philadelphia Eagles 

Record: (7-2) 1st in NFC East

Remaining Schedule: @ Packers, Titans, @ Cowboys, Seahawks, Cowboys, @ Redskins, Giants

After destroying a lowly Panthers team the Eagles moved to 7-2 and a tie with the Detroit Lions for a first round bye.  Now their schedule is about to get tough as they go on the road against the Packers, play the Cowboys twice, and host the defending champions all in the span of 5 weeks.  After being the second least injured team last year, the pendulum has swung the other way as the Eagles have been wrecked by injuries, especially at offensive line.  Fortunately, they have their 4 best players back on the offensive line and the only injured lineman, Todd Herremans, is barely better than his replacement Matt Tobin.  Last year the Eagles had the second best offensive in the league that carried a below average defense and an abysmal special teams, things have changed this year as the offense is only 17th in DVOA while their defense is 6th and the special teams is 1st.  With their superstars Jason Kelce and Evan Mathis back and playing together finally, their offense and more specifically their run game should start to improve.  They have put themselves at a disadvantage because their two last minute losses have been against teams in the hunt in the NFC; this means they will lose the tiebreaker to these two teams if they end up with the same records.  I think this Sunday’s game against the Packers is going to reveal a lot about this team and it might be a preview of the NFC Championship Game.

Detroit Lions 

Record: (7-2) 1st in the NFC North

Remaining Schedule: @ Cardinals, @ Patriots, Bears, Buccaneers, Vikings, @ Bears, @ Packers

Surprise surprise! The Detroit Lions currently have the best defense in the entire NFL, I don’t think I can remember a time where the Lions defense has been good, much less the best in the league.  All of the first round picks they have used on the D-Line are starting to pay off as Ziggy Ansah and Ndomokung Suh have been tearing it up on the field, especially Suh.  The Lions have a tough schedule ahead as they still have to play the Cardinals, Patriots and Packers on the road.  Detroit is famous for its late season collapses where they fail to make the playoffs like they did last season, but that was under coach Jim Schwartz.  I think this team will be able to secure a playoff spot, but when it comes to the division, I think that will be decided the last game of the season, and I would pick Rodgers at Lambeau.

Arizona Cardinals 

Record: (8-1) 1st in the NFC West

Remaining Schedule:  Lions, @ Seahawks, @ Falcons, Chiefs, @ Rams, Seahawks, @ 49ers

Arizona has certainly been a surprise this season as no one expected them to go 8-1 over the first 9 games and now the fun might be over as their QB Carson Palmer has gone down with a torn ACL and Drew Stanton will be starting the rest of the year.  Good news for the Cardinals is that their success is not completely dependent on their starting QB as they have won games with Stanton as their starter this year, and he actually has a better QBR than Palmer.  That’s not saying that he’s better just that he isn’t that much worse.  Arizona has a few advantages, first of all, they have a 1 game lead over the entire NFC which is huge, and they also hold tiebreakers over Dallas and Philly with head to head wins.  The biggest disadvantage the Cardinals have is that their schedule gets tough and their winning ways may not be sustainable.  They play 5 games against playoff contenders including road games against the Seahawks and 49ers.  Also, Zona has been winning but haven’t really dominated as they are only 15th in DVOA in the league and are 25th in offensive DVOA, now that the competition is about to get tough and their QB is gone, so will they be able to put up enough points to keep up with top defenses?  We don’t know the answer, but Arizona has gotten themselves out to such a good start that they can afford to lose some games, even if they lose 4 of their 5 tough games they should still end up at 11-5.  11-5 should be good enough for a playoff spot.

As of right now the playoff matchups look like this:

1 Seed: Cardinals (bye)
2 Seed: Lions (bye)

Wildcard Round

3 Seed Eagles vs. 6 Seed Seahawks
4 Seed Saints vs. 5 Seed Cowboys

I think that it will end up as follows

1 Seed: Eagles
2 Seed: Packers

Wildcard Round

3 Seed Arizona vs. 6 Seed Lions
4 Seed Saints vs. 5 Seed Seahawks

No matter what happens we are about to witness an incredible race for playoff spots in the NFC over these next 7 weeks and the playoffs this year in the NFC are going to be incredibly exciting.

Week 11 Thursday Night Game

Week 11 Thursday Night Pick

Josh's Record: Josh’s Record: 102-44 (11-2 Last Week)
Jacks Record: Jack’s Record: 92-54 (10-3 Last Week)


Buffalo Bills (5-4) at Miami Dolphins (5-4) 8:25pm Thursday

Jacks Pick: Dolphins

Both of these teams come into this Thursday night matchup with 5-4 records and are tied for second place in the AFC East.  Earlier in the year the Bills trounced the Dolphins, beating them by 19 in Buffalo, but this time I’m going to take the Dolphins.  Both teams have insane front 7’s and are ranked 3rd (MIA) and 4th (BUF) in defensive DVOA, the Dolphins also sport the second best passing defense in the league this season.  Barring a huge game by Sammy Watkins, I trust the Dolphins offense more than I trust the Bills offense to move the ball and put up points.  The one reason I think the Bills could win is that the Dolphins just lost LT Brandon Albert for the season last week and the Bills pass rush could devour his replacement and make Tannehill run for his life.  However, I don’t think that will be a big enough advantage for the Bills to beat Miami at home where they have been great this season.

Josh’s Pick: Bills 

Earlier this season we watched the Bills hand Miami their first loss of the season with a 19 point victory in Buffalo. I don’t like picking against the ‘Fins at home, but the loss of Brandon Albert is going to set this offense back. Miami has more offensive fire power to put up points, however I bet Kyle Williams and Marcel Darius stifle their run game, while Mario Williams and Jerry Hughes (who has 7.5 sacks this season) get after Ryan Tannehill. Miami’s pass defense will be the key to this game, and if they play up to their potential, they can certainly force turnovers and provide their offense with opportunities like they did earlier in the season against the Chargers. However, I believe the change on the Dolphins’ offensive line will allow Buffalo to take advantage of a talented Dolphins squad and frustrate Tannehill all night. Scott Chandler should be a big factor if the Bills end up pulling out the road win.

Week 10 Game Picks

Josh’s Record: 91-42 – (12-1 last week)

Jack’s Record: 82-51 – (8-5 last week)

Cleveland Browns (5-3) @ Cincinnati Bengals (5-2-1) 8:30PM Thursday Night

Josh’s Pick: Cincinnati: The Bengals play as well as anyone at home, having not dropped a regular season game since before last season. AJ Green is playing and healthy, Mohammad Sanu is a break out player in the making and Jeremy Hill ran for over 150 yards and two TDs last week in his debut. Cleveland is playing solid football but have really not had many challenging opponents recently (Bucs, Raiders, and the Jags). Also since Alex Mack was put on IR, the Browns have only averaged 1.9 yards per carry and one rushing TD compared to 8 when he played (He played 5 games and has missed the last three). I could easily see the Browns winning this one, but without some major help from their receiving corps, I think they lose this one.

Jack’s Pick: Browns are coming off a rough game against the Bucs where they allowed the Bucs and WR Mike Evans to hang close with them. Bengals have been trending downwards after their terrible loss to the Patriots 5 weeks ago but have won two straight against the Ravens and Jaguars. I think the Bengals win this one because it's at home and they have won 14 straight games at home and the Browns haven't won a division road game since 2008. This gives the Bengals a major edge and I think they will get their third straight W. 

Tennessee Titans (2-6) @ Baltimore Ravens (5-4) at 1PM

Josh’s Pick: Ravens – The Ravens are a significantly better team than the Titans are this season. The Ravens just lost their starting cornerback Jimmy Smith for the season, however their defense should still look solid against a low profile passing attack as well as skimpy run game.

Jacks pick: Ravens – Ravens are coming off two consecutive losses against AFC north opponents including a 20 point beat down at the hands of the Pittsburgh Steelers.  They should be able to bounce back this week as the Titans come to town.  I don’t trust rookie QB Zach Mettenberger to come in and take a win from the Ravens at home.

Kansas City Chiefs (5-3) @ Buffalo Bills (5-3) at 1PM

Josh’s Pick: Chiefs – Despite Buffalo coming off a bye and looking more impressive than usual at this point in the season, I see the Chiefs stealing a road game. This game has major implications for an AFC wildcard spot and I trust Kansas City in a close game more than Buffalo. The Chiefs have beaten the Chargers, Patriots, Dolphins, and barely lost to the Broncos back in week 1. Also having played all of those teams, they still rank as the top pass defense in the NFL. The Bills front line can shut Jamaal Charles as a running back but he is also a receiving mismatch for Buffalo. With Kansas City’s top pass defense, I look for them to hold Kyle Orton to minimal yards while squeezing out a very tight win.

Jacks pick: Chiefs – These teams have identical records and are coming in and both teams have been solid.  Chiefs have the best passing defense in the league and will keep Kyle Orton and Sammy Watkins at bay.  Although the Bills are at home and coming off a bye week I think the Chiefs will be able to outgun the Bills.

Miami Dolphins (5-3) @ Detroit Lions (6-2) at 1PM

Josh’s Pick: Lions – Miami has looked like one of the hottest teams in the league recently, and one of the surprise teams of the season. At home they have beaten the Patriots and the Chargers, and lost on a last second touchdown to the Packers. They play well against pass heavy teams because they can run the ball behind a solid O-line, kill the clock, and then rush the passer very effectively with their front seven. However, this team doesn’t play as effective on the road, granted they have beaten both the Bears and the Jags while being the away team. I like Detroit because they can take away Miami’s strength of running the football with their solid front seven, which ranks second in football allowing 74 yards per game (only second to Denver, who teams primarily pass against to keep up with Manning anyways). They also lead the league in total defense and can force point effectively when both Megatron and Golden Tate are playing (which they are this week). Miami is a very solid team this year, however I see the focal point of this game resting on Tannehill’s ability to go up against a good defense and I think he faults.

Jack’s pick:  Lions – Both of these teams have been great this season and are probably two top 10 teams.  The Lions have arguably the single best defense in the league this year with a 5^th ranked pass defense and 2^nd ranked run offense.  Dolphins have a great defense too with a nasty front 7 which makes this pick hard but I am going to take the home team coming off a bye.  Especially since they are getting Calvin Johnson back from injury this week they will be able to beat the Dolphins.

Dallas Cowboys (6-3) @ Jacksonville Jaguars (1-8) in London at 1PM

Josh’s Pick: Cowboys – Even with Romo banged up the Cowboys should take this one from one of the worst teams in the NFL. The Jags will have to blitz a lot to stop Murray and hopefully force Romo into some bad throws. I just don’t have any confidence in Blake Bortles at this point in his career to lead a consistent offense and force points to keep up or out gain Dallas.

Jacks pick: Cowboys – Tony Romo will be back this week after suffering fractured bones in his back against Washington two weeks ago thus ending the short but beautiful Brandon Weeden era.  With Romo back, the Jags defense will have to give some attention to the pass and not just on stopping Demarco Murray.  So far the Jags have had the best pass rush and lead in sacks and QB hits, but that should be neutralized by Dallas’s amazing offensive line.  I think the Cowboys will easily beat the Jags this week and end their little losing streak.

San Francisco 49ers (4-4) @ New Orleans Saints (4-4) at 1PM

Josh’s Pick: Saints: The Saints play like a completely different team at home; very explosive and very dangerous to play against. The 49ers have been struggling recently against any opponent and I believe a lot of people are starting to lose faith in Kaep. However, it is not all his fault as his offensive line did give up eight sacks to the Rams a week ago. The Saints are going to force too many point under the Mercedes-Benz Dome and the sporadic Niners offense won’t be able to keep up.

Jacks pick: Saints – These teams are pretty evenly matched with 4-4 records.  San Francisco is a great defensive team whose offense can be great depending on what Colin Kaepernick shows up.  Basically at this point I refuse to pick against Drew Brees at home because he always goes off when he is at the superdome.  I expect it to be a close game that may be decided by a Colin Kaepernick late interception.

Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3) @ New York Jets (1-8) at 1PM

Josh’s Pick: Jets – The Steelers have fluctuated their performance a majority of the season, but have been a roll the last three weeks, with Roethlisberger tossing 6 touchdowns in each of his last two games. However, the Steelers had a fortunate three game home stand and I could see them being a little out of rhythm playing on the road for the first time in a month. I think the Steelers come out of sync and the Jets shock the NFL with the upset win.

Jacks pick: Steelers – Pittsburgh is probably the hottest team in the NFL with QB Ben Roethlisberger throwing for 12 TD passes in the last 12 games.  The Jets have basically been a dumpster fire this whole season with 7 straight losses and an absolute mess of a QB situation.  Although the Jets defense is great and the Steelers have been hard to predict I think the Steelers will get a road win and keep the hot streak going.

Atlanta Falcons (2-6) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-7) at 1PM

Josh’s Pick: Falcons – When these two teams played earlier this season, the Falcons posted 56 points on the Bucs and it was Josh McCown’s last start since his return this Sunday. The Falcons actually match up favorably against the Bucs, as their cornerbacks are the strength of their defense. The Bucs will be without Doug Martin once again and their struggle to run the ball will allow for plenty of opportunities for Matt Ryan to work with Roddy White and Julio Jones.

Jacks pick: Falcons – Last time these two teams met it was a brutal Thursday night clash where the Falcons raced out to a 35-0 lead and never looked back.  While I don’t expect it to be that bad, I still expect the Falcons to get a win against Tampa Bay’s abysmal pass defense.  Matt Ryan and Julio Jones should have a big day and get a win for the Falcons.

Denver Broncos (6-2) @ Oakland Raiders (0-8) at 4:05PM

Josh’s Pick: Broncos – The Broncos don’t lose two in a row, and they aren’t going to lose to the worst team in the NFL.

Jacks pick: Broncos – This game shouldn’t really be close as one of the best teams in the NFL goes against arguably the worst.  I don’t expect the Raiders defense to be able to stop Manning or rookie QB Derek Carr to be able to move the ball against the defense. 

St. Louis Rams (3-5) @ Arizona Cardinals (8-1) at 4:25PM

Josh’s Pick: Cardinals – I am liking what I see out this Rams team a lot, but they will struggle against a stout cardinals run defense that will make Tre Mason and Co. inept, and not allow Austin Davis to get into a groove early on. Carson Palmer got paid this last week and I am looking to see him show his $50 million value.

Jacks pick: Cardinals – St. Louis is coming off a lucky win against the 49ers where Kaepernick fumbled the ball on the goal line as time expired.  I expect Arizona to get the win this week because although Austin Davis and the Rams have been winning games I don’t think they have enough consistency on offense to beat the 7-1 Cardinals.

New York Giants (4-5) @ Seattle Seahawks (5-3) at 4:25PM

Josh’s Pick: Seahawks – This game is one of the easier ones to call, as Seattle rarely loses at home and have owned Eli Manning since Pete Carol became head coach. In their last matchup Eli threw 6 picks and it was a road game for Seattle. This Giants team hasn’t been nearly as dangerous since Victor Cruz went out, and although Seattle has been inconsistent the latter half of this season, I expect them to take care of business at home.

Jacks pick: Seahawks – Although the Seahawks have not been very good this year they are still a great team at home and the Giants haven’t been great recently.  The Giants defense has not been great as of late and if the Seahawks stick to Marshawn Lynch they will be able to move the ball and get a home win.

Chicago Bears (3-5) @ Green Bay Packers (5-3) at 8:30PM

Josh’s Pick: Packers – Even with the Bears coming off a bye, I don’t expect their defense to pull a complete 360 and shut down Aaron Rodgers. In their last game they gave up 5 TD’s to Brady and watched him post an 88 completion percentage against them. Rodgers is one of the best in the league and I expect no different. I do expect the Bears to be completive and for their offense to have a good showing. The Bears should try and run the ball with Forte and control the clock to keep Rodgers off the field against the Packer’s league worst rush defense if they want to steal this game.

Jacks pick: Packers – These teams meet for the second time this year, in the first matchup Aaron Rodgers went off and threw 4 TD’s and got the Packers back on track.  This week they will meet again and I expect Rodgers to have similar success.  The only way I see the Bears winning is if Matt Forte has a big day against the worst run defense in the NFL but I don’t see him doing well enough to spur a Bears win.

Carolina Panthers (3-5-1) @ Philadelphia Eagles (6-2) at 8:30PM Monday Night

Josh’s Pick: Eagles – It may sound crazy, but I have faith in Mark Sanchez as the Eagles’ starter. He took the Jets to two AFC Championship Games and the biggest knock on him is that he turns the ball over, which Foles has done a lot of this season. I honestly think Sanchez could end up performing better in this offense, as he even said himself that he thrives in a fast past offensive scheme, which is similar to the tempo he played with at USC. The Panthers rank 18^th in pass defense, so they are completely middle of the road, so not too challenging of an opponent for his first start in two seasons. The focal point of the offensive game plan for the Eagles will be getting Shady the ball and opening up passing lanes for Mark Sanchez in the process.

Jacks pick: Eagles – The Eagles will be playing their first game without QB Nick Foles and the Sanchez era begins.  Good news is the Eagles get all pro LG Evan Mathis back from injury this week which should help spur the running game.  The Panthers defense isn’t great and Shady McCoy should have a big game on the ground.