Last Week: 12-4
Season: 137-87
Thursday Night
Chargers at Raiders
The Chargers got up for their last game (ever?) in San Diego, or as “up” as a team needs to be in order to beat the putrid Dolphins. The Raiders look like a good team with some promising young players and a (GASP!) bright future. Winner: Raiders
Saturday Night
Eagles (Home)
I hope that the visiting team wins this game and locks up the NFC East title. It’s just the embarrassment that the league deserves. Loser: Eagles
Sunday
49ers at Lions
A meaningless game, but one the Lions should be able to win. Winner: Lions
Steelers at Ravens
Pride will bring out the maximum effort from the home team, but the talent gap will make this the least dramatic game of one of the league’s best rivalries. Winner: Steelers
Cowboys at Bills
The Bills are better, but their lack of discipline might help the Cowboys hang around in this meaningless contest. Winner: Bills
Bears at Buccaneers
Just a hunch, but the Bears will squeak out a close one with nothing to play for. Winner: Bears
Panthers at Falcons
Carolina now finds itself in the interesting position of wanting to keep winning and playing their style of football, while worrying about how a key injury could potentially wreck the whole thing. A better team than the Falcons might take advantage of the situation. Winner: Panthers
Colts at Dolphins
As bad as the Colts are, I wouldn’t pick Miami against a high school team. Winner: Colts
Patriots at Jets
It’s almost comical how many key injuries the Pats have endured this season; to some of their more Neanderthalesque haters, it probably is comical. And yet, here they are, once again, at the top of the conference. (YAWN!) Winner: Patriots
Texans at Titans
Come on, Houston; let’s lock this thing down. They might be one-and-done come playoff time, but fans want to see JJ Watt in the postseason. Winner: Texans
Browns at Chiefs
Every day, and in every way, the Cleveland Browns suck. Winner: Chiefs
Jaguars at Saints
Sometimes it looks like the Jags’ offence can really get it done; other times, not so much. If they can’t score against New Orleans, then I don’t know what to say. Winner: Jaguars
Packers at Cardinals
I love this Cardinals team, so I was particularly bummed about Tyrann Mathieu’s injury as the team seems poised for a deep playoff run. If Green Bay’s offence was better, I’d look for them to take advantage of Mathieu’s absence, but it’s not and they won’t. Winner: Cardinals
Rams at Seahawks
Rams always seem to play the Seahawks extra hard, but they’ll come up well short of the mark this time. Winner: Seahawks
Giants at Vikings
Dear Giants’fans: Instead of looking for straw men to blame for OBD’s suspension, put the blame where it truly belongs, with the referee of the game, and with the Giants’ coaching staff, particularly Coughlin. If the ref had ejected Beckham when he should have, or the coaches had sat him down when they could have, the league wouldn’t have needed to suspend him. Earlier this season, I wrote about how I hoped that the Giants would win this division because they were the only team in it that wasn’t an embarrassment. I take it all back. This isn’t the NFC East the league needs, but it is the one the league deserves. Winner: (Go) Vikings (!)
Monday Night
Bengals at Broncos
This will be a defensive struggle, featuring two of the league’s top units. Unfortunately, McCarron’s noodle-arm does the Bengals in in this one. Winner: Broncos
Season: 137-87
Thursday Night
Chargers at Raiders
The Chargers got up for their last game (ever?) in San Diego, or as “up” as a team needs to be in order to beat the putrid Dolphins. The Raiders look like a good team with some promising young players and a (GASP!) bright future. Winner: Raiders
Saturday Night
Eagles (Home)
I hope that the visiting team wins this game and locks up the NFC East title. It’s just the embarrassment that the league deserves. Loser: Eagles
Sunday
49ers at Lions
A meaningless game, but one the Lions should be able to win. Winner: Lions
Steelers at Ravens
Pride will bring out the maximum effort from the home team, but the talent gap will make this the least dramatic game of one of the league’s best rivalries. Winner: Steelers
Cowboys at Bills
The Bills are better, but their lack of discipline might help the Cowboys hang around in this meaningless contest. Winner: Bills
Bears at Buccaneers
Just a hunch, but the Bears will squeak out a close one with nothing to play for. Winner: Bears
Panthers at Falcons
Carolina now finds itself in the interesting position of wanting to keep winning and playing their style of football, while worrying about how a key injury could potentially wreck the whole thing. A better team than the Falcons might take advantage of the situation. Winner: Panthers
Colts at Dolphins
As bad as the Colts are, I wouldn’t pick Miami against a high school team. Winner: Colts
Patriots at Jets
It’s almost comical how many key injuries the Pats have endured this season; to some of their more Neanderthalesque haters, it probably is comical. And yet, here they are, once again, at the top of the conference. (YAWN!) Winner: Patriots
Texans at Titans
Come on, Houston; let’s lock this thing down. They might be one-and-done come playoff time, but fans want to see JJ Watt in the postseason. Winner: Texans
Browns at Chiefs
Every day, and in every way, the Cleveland Browns suck. Winner: Chiefs
Jaguars at Saints
Sometimes it looks like the Jags’ offence can really get it done; other times, not so much. If they can’t score against New Orleans, then I don’t know what to say. Winner: Jaguars
Packers at Cardinals
I love this Cardinals team, so I was particularly bummed about Tyrann Mathieu’s injury as the team seems poised for a deep playoff run. If Green Bay’s offence was better, I’d look for them to take advantage of Mathieu’s absence, but it’s not and they won’t. Winner: Cardinals
Rams at Seahawks
Rams always seem to play the Seahawks extra hard, but they’ll come up well short of the mark this time. Winner: Seahawks
Giants at Vikings
Dear Giants’fans: Instead of looking for straw men to blame for OBD’s suspension, put the blame where it truly belongs, with the referee of the game, and with the Giants’ coaching staff, particularly Coughlin. If the ref had ejected Beckham when he should have, or the coaches had sat him down when they could have, the league wouldn’t have needed to suspend him. Earlier this season, I wrote about how I hoped that the Giants would win this division because they were the only team in it that wasn’t an embarrassment. I take it all back. This isn’t the NFC East the league needs, but it is the one the league deserves. Winner: (Go) Vikings (!)
Monday Night
Bengals at Broncos
This will be a defensive struggle, featuring two of the league’s top units. Unfortunately, McCarron’s noodle-arm does the Bengals in in this one. Winner: Broncos