By Jacob Sanders
Sanders went 12-4 last week putting him to 100-62 on the season. Not bad!
Washington Redskins VS Dallas Cowboys
I’ll be honest here. I penned this
in as a Redskins win and didn’t get it correctly. Dallas won 38-14. That’s a
loss for me and crushing for the Redskins playoff hopes and Cousins future
long-term contract. Not his fault this team is so hurt though.
Redskins 14 Cowboys 38
Minnesota Vikings VS Atlanta Falcons
I went back and forth on this game
for quite a while and saved it for last. Now that I’m back to it, after looking
at schedules, considering each game I have watched of these teams, I am staying
with the Vikings. I really wanted to pick Atlanta here as I firmly believe they
have gotten hot but I just can’t get over how well this Vikings defense has
played this year. While I do believe the Falcons have the potential to win this
one and suddenly make the race for the No. 2 seed interesting between 4 teams
(3 being in the NFC South), I just can’t convince myself that the Vikings
secondary lets Julio Jones run them over like a weaker Tampa Bay secondary did.
Thus, the Vikings take pole position for the No. 2 seed with a win here.
Vikins 27 Falcons 20
Detroit Lions VS Baltimore Ravens
I have been bias to Baltimore in
this column but probably in the opposite way this year. Like most analysts, I
have been sleeping on this team because the offense is absolutely unbearable to
watch (I would know as a fan) but their defense has been THE defense to watch
this year (sorry Vikings, Jags fans) and I have picked them to lose when they
have won 4 of their last 5. They are, without a doubt, the most fun defense to
watch at the moment but haven’t really been tested by an offense tailored by a
great QB. They get that this week in Matt Stafford. However, I don’t think Stafford fairs well here. The Lions offense is
very one-dimensional and Baltimore’s DC Dean Pees will take advantage of that.
Despite the Lions offense being so good at times, they aren’t allowed to be
one-dimensional against a top flight defense. We saw that last week during
Thanksgiving. Same story should happen here.
Lions 17 Ravens 19
New England Patriots VS Buffalo Bills
You know. This feels like one of
the games that the Patriots “accidently” fall apart, the entire NFL community
questions them, then they go on to win the Super Bowl. But, each time I have
thought this, I pick the Patriots, and they win anyway. When your quarterback
is just so good at what he does and your defense is giving enough wiggle room
for your offense to win, hey, who am I (an amateur analyst at best) to say that
what you’re doing is wrong and tat you lose to an inferior team? On the other
hand, I expect Taylor to do everything to win this game and show Buffalo why he
is their quarterback for the present.
Patriots 27 Bills 23
San Francisco 49ers VS Chicago Bears
Well. Jimmy G is in. Not sure
that’s enough to save the 49ers but could be good enough to make it
competitive. Still going with the Bears though. Just a team with more overall
talent. Wow. This one is shorter than the ones above. Whoosh.
49ers 14 Bears 17
Tampa Bay Buccaneers VS Green Bay Packers
So. The Packers looked great in
primetime. The Bucs gave up over 250 passing yards….TO ONE RECEIVER ALONE. Holy
moly how bad can it get for these Bucs? How about losing to a Rodger-less Green
Bay Packers? Sounds about right. Especially in Lambeau field.
Bucs 10 Packers 20
Jacksonville Jaguars VS Indianapolis Colts
Despite the Jaguars losing last
week, I’m certain they are the better team and will win the AFC South. They’ll
start here with a divisional game. As has been said before, this Colts team is
competitive but always chokes away their lead in the 4th quarter. My
guess is they won’t have a lead in the 4th quarter this time around.
Not with this Jags defense.
Jaguars 27 Colts 10
Denver Broncos VS Miami Dolphins
Would you believe that I am still
going to pick the Broncos after being burned the last two weeks? Well, believe
it. I refuse to think that this Broncos team can continue playing this bad with
how much talent they have. The Dolphins on the other hand have had the same
kind of issues. But…yeah. I don’t trust Cutler at all. Siemian…well not really
him either….crap…
Broncos 16 Dolphins 13
Kansas City Chiefs VS New York Jets
Don’t think it’s an upset if the
Jets win here. But…I’m picking the Chiefs. I’m not sure why. It’s a gut feeling
this time. My initial thoughts are that the pesky Jets win this game because
the Jets have looked alive in most of their games and the Chiefs haven’t. But,
the Chiefs are in panic mode. They can get a little more control of the AFC
West back with a win.
Chiefs 21 Jets 20
Houston Texans VS Tennessee Titans
The Texans have impressed me in the
fact that the refuse to go down despite losing a lot of their star players for
the season. Props to a would-be playoff team for showing grit. However, I’m not
sure if that’s enough to hold off the Titans. Howver, the Titans are the least
inspiring 7-4 team I have ever seen. If they don’t get better, I am picking
them to get bounced in their wildcard game.
Texans 17 Titans 20
Cleveland Browns VS Los Angeles Chargers
This ain’t gonna be like last year.
This Chargers team is good. Good enough to comeback after an 0-4 start and win
their lackluster division. It starts here. Beating a winless Browns team. By
the way, you don’t blow this Browns operation up just yet. It’s not Jackson’s
fault Cleveland front office keeps whiffing on quarterback picks…
Browns 6 Chargers 23
Carolina Panthers VS New Orleans Saints
The Saints showed they are
vulnerable. But, they still have a winning formula to follow. A top-5 running
game with a stingy defense. That should be enough to beat Carolina. However,
they have the same winning formula too. The tie-breaker here? The Saints are at
home and have the better running game.
Panthers 27 Saints 31
Los Angeles Rams VS Arizona Cardinals
Suddenly, the Cardinals became a
way more interesting team, if they win this game here, the NFC West could be
wide open. At home, I’ll take them. They beat the Jaguars. So why can’t they
beat the Rams? Yes, the difference is Jared Goff is a real quarterback who can
ball and Bortles is not. However, the Jaguars have the better secondary and
Gabbert did just enough to win. He can do it again. I believe.
Rams 17 Cardinals 20
New York Giants VS Oakland Raiders
A lot of unnecessary drama with the
Manning benching. However, McAdoo is going to see how much of a mistake it was.
A lot of the Giants problems were not Manning’s fault but the head man always
takes the blame. So. Geno Smith is starting. LOL. Get ready for a the Geno-coaster
New York. I don’t think even he can take advantage of a suspect Raiders
defense. Raiders win it here keeping their slim playoff hopes alive.
Giants 17 Raiders 21
Philadelphia Eagles VS Seattle Seahawks
Wilson is usually enough to carry
his team to a win. Well Wilson, meet Carson Wentz. A guy who has the potential
to outduel Wilson is how you’ll beat Seattle. Especially a Seattle team that no
longer has the core members of the Legion of Boom. I don’t want to be short
between these two teams but…Seattle just isn’t Seattle right now. A damn shame
for sure.
Eagles 30 Seahawks 26
UPSET OF THE WEEK!!!!
Pittsburgh Steelers VS Cincinnati Bengals
That’s right. Upset on Monday Night
football. Get excited! While the Bengals winning streak really isn’t all that
impressive once you look at their schedule, this is the kind of game that the
Mike Tomlin Steelers lose. You can seal the division right here. Yet…for some
reason, the Steelers always have a throw-away game each season against a losing
team. The Bengals are 5-6 and not that good. But, in a divisional game,
anything can happen. This remains especially true for the Steelers every year.
P.S. Mike Tomlin is still one of
the best coaches in the NFL. No knock on him. His team just have one dumb game
every year. This feels like the one.
Steelers 16 Bengals 20
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