NFL Predix Week 12

By Jacob Sanders

When you take a look at the playoffs for the NFC and AFC, most of it looks all but wrapped up save a one spot in the NFC and maybe two spots in the AFC. This is also under the assumption that none of the top teams tank from here. Considering the play of our top seeds so far, that’s not likely to happen. As we enter Week 12, it’s more clear that the teams who aren’t making playoffs are now just attempting to play spoiler while the top teams are fighting each other for playoff seeding. Matchups like the 49ers-Packers, Patriots-Cowboys, Ravens-Rams, and last Thursday’s Colts-Texans become all the more important as it gets closer to January football. So what I’m saying is, this week should be fantastic.

Sanders went 8-5 last week putting him to 104-57-1 on the week. He also had the Texans winning a dogfight against the Colts. Texans won 20-17 in what really was a dogfight so he’s 1-0 for Week 12 so far.

SEA Seahawks vs PHI Eagles

Last week was brutal for the Eagles. They put up only 10 points at home and punted for several straight drives. It’s Week 12, and at this point, you have to take the Eagles for what they have been at face value. A .500 team that’s trying to reach further heights but can’t get out of their own ways in terms of defensive penalties and dropping 3rd down conversion catches on offense. Their opponent (Seattle) has been much better at sustaining drives and scoring points driven by an MVP campaign that Wilson has been the conductor of. While Seattle’s defense isn’t a lot to talk about, they get the job done to allow Wilson and Co. to win the game when needed. Chalk this one up as a bad matchup for the Eagles.

Seahawks 24 Eagles 14

DET Lions vs WAS Redskins

It’s embarrassing to the Washington fan-base when they have to watch their team run the clock off to lose from the start of the first quarter. Sound funny? It’s what has happened as the Redskins have become a run-first team since Haskins came under center and they have the shortest average game time in the NFL in that same span. Essentially, it feels like they are just giving away the game each week without saying so. Here, they have a chance to grab a win against a Stafford-less Lions squad. Do the Redskins take advantage? Probably not. There’s nothing to get excited about with this Lions offense, but they did show signs of life against the Bears last week. They should do so again in Washington.

Lions 24 Redskins 13

OAK Raiders vs NY Jets

I get the feeling that this game will be way closer than Jon Gruden and Derek Carr will want it to be. While the matchup looks great on paper for the Raiders, this is actually a matchup where both teams feature lead-back to head their offense. That makes for long drives with little fireworks happening. This game really comes down to who you trust to convert on 3rd down more. Well, let me tell you, it’s not the team with Sam Darnold on it right now.

Raiders 17 Jets 14

CAR Panthers vs NO Saints

Well. The Panthers have cooled down into almost freezing territory after looking hot with Kyle Allen early on. And, as we thought, the Saints bounced back against the Buccaneers last week. So what we got here is a matchup of two teams trending in the opposite directions. While the Panthers have the ability to turn it around, that’s a tough task to do this week when you have to play the Saints at home. Nevermind the Falcons just obliterated the Saints here two weeks ago. The Saints are fighting for the No. 1 seed in the NFC. It’s a must-win for both teams, but the win goes to the better team who’s playing at home.

Panthers 16 Saints 31

MIA Dolphins vs CLE Browns

Well. If you were wondering which of the games on this week’s schedule was tough to look at, this one is one of them. It’s hard to judge how well the Browns will come back from such a debacle last week. From the fight, to the suspension, to the aftermath, nothing looks good for Cleveland. Other than the fact they earned a W in their win-loss standings, nothing else came positively from that game. The Dolphins on the other hand, have won 2 of their last 3. That’s pretty positive. In cases like this, I normally take the team with the better defense and coaching. Well, I don’t know who has the better defense or better coaching here. So, I guess you take the on paper talent here. Which is really poor analysis if you ask me and an easy cop out.

Dolphins 13 Browns 20

PIT Steelers vs CIN Bengals

Well. The Steelers play the Bengals. And this Bengals roster is so starved for defensive talent, it’s possible an incompetent offense like the Steelers can go off. A large reason for the 0-10 season by the Bengals is that the cupboard is bare. There are some stars on this team, but the ceiling of the star players don’t make up for the floor the rest of the roster plays at. So, with that, as long as the Steelers play the kind of game they need to, they’ll pick up a win and stay alive for the race to the No. 6 seed in the AFC playoffs.

Steelers 21 Bengals 10

NY Giants vs CHI Bears

Yeesh. What a terrible matchup even for the fan bases of both of these teams. The Giants haven’t exactly been fun to watch and the incompetence of the Bears offense has been nothing but a nightmare this season. If you ask me, this is a matchup to avoid if you like scoring bonanzas. Actually, this might be a game to avoid in general if you don’t like watching bad football on the field. Yikes. Bears defense wins the game because that’s the one unit with some real talent here.

Giants 10 Bears 19

DEN Broncos vs BUF Bills

Just like last week, I anticipate the Broncos to be a tough out for these Bills. In fact, there’s a real chance the Broncos pull of an upset against these Bills. This all depends on the kind of week Josh Allen and Co. want to have. If Allen decides to have the kind of week he had last week, then the Broncos are doomed and the Bills will pull to 8-3 on the season. However, if the inconsistent Josh Allen decided to rear his ugly head again, well, this game may not be so comfy for Bills fans. It’s not like the Broncos have arrived dead on arrival this season. They’ll make Buffalo earn their win.

Broncos 17 Bills 23

TB Buccaneers vs ATL Falcons

Bucs: “Hey, look at us”

Falcons: “Look at us”

Bucs: “Who would have thought?”

Falcons: “Not me”

This is the conversation that’s probably happening on the topic that this matchup is essentially to see who gets crowned basement king of the NFC South. The fact that Falcons have clawed their way into “spoiler team” territory feels miraculous from the 1-7 look they had a couple weeks ago. Now, they look like the power NFC team they were supposed to be at the beginning of the season. As for the Buccaneers, it’s been more of the same ol’ same ol’. If your quarterback is Jameis Winston, you’re playing with a -2 handicap in turnover differential. It feels like Winston is always good for an interception or two every game. Throwing 18 picks in 10 games just isn’t how you playing winning football at the QB position. I expect the Falcons defense to feast.

Bucs 24 Falcons 26

JAX Jaguars vs TEN Titans

Is it weird that I think the Titans are a decent team and will win this game? Yes. Yes it is weird. I never thought a quarterback named Ryan Tannehill would be the temporary answer to helping the Titans stay relevant and yet here we are. I think this also speaks to how bad Marcus Mariota has been for a while now. The fact this Titans team pulled off the upset against the Chiefs a couple weeks ago doesn’t happen with Mariota under center. The Jaguars have their own veteran QB who stepped onto the offense last week as well and looked, well, like he’d been out for 9 week.s It’s hard to judge Foles when he has had close to zero real-game experience to develop synergy with his offense. Hopefully for the Jaguars, last week was just a matter of circumstance, and not a trend.

Jaguars 17 Titans 24

DAL Cowboys vs NE Patriots

If this game were in Jerry World, I’d actually be picking the Cowboys to win here. The Cowboys offense has been efficient and on the move the last couple weeks and drawing an injury-riddled Patriots team is the perfect way to keep the ball rollin. However, this game is in Gilette Stadium where the Patriots defense seems to thrive at all times. The Cowboys aren’t an unstoppable force, but the Patriots defense feels like an impenetrable wall at times. So, you have to think the Patriots lean on the defense here like they have all season, no? Problem is, Tom Brady and Co. have to start scoring points if they want to help out their defense.

Cowboys 24 Patriots 27

GB Packers vs SF 49ers

The biggest matchup of the week is on Sunday Night Football. The 49ers, however, are still not coming in full force. The team might be 9-1, but this team is a bit weaker than the team that start 7-0. With injuries factoring in, every man on the 49ers has gotta come out playing their best football if they want to beat the incoming Packers. The Packers offense has found quite a groove playing behind a bend but don’t break defense and they don’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. Factor in that Green Bay is coming off a bye week with a healthier team, and things don’t look so great for the 49ers. As long as the Packers can keep their running game rolling and Aaron Rodgers plays like Aaron Rogers, it's hard to pick the 49ers here. However, this game should be fun and high flying to watch. The 49ers won’t go down without a fight.

Packers 34 49ers 28

BAL Ravens vs LA Rams

The Ravens obliterated the Texans last week erasing any doubt of who the best team in the AFC is. However, some pundits across the nation have taken that notion a step further, and have called them the best team in the NFL. While, I’m not completely there yet, it’s hard to ignore the fact that the Ravens have played like the most complete team with the NFL. They have an identity with ground-pounding offense leading the NFL in scoring while letting a smashmouth defense leave opposing offenses with nothing but punt after punt. So what are the Rams to do in a primetime game at home to beat an opponent who’s been rolling for 6 weeks now? Well, it starts with Todd Gurley. Sean Mcvay’s offense has always been best when Todd Gurley is rolling. This Ravens team isn’t unstoppable. You gotta beat them at their own game. Control the clock with Gurley, and you keep Lamar Jackson off the field. However, the Rams haven’t been all that great at getting Gurley rolling this season.

Ravens 27 Rams 17

Week 11 NFL Predix

By Jacob Sanders

It happens every year. There is that one week out of the year, where I make my predictions confidently (just kidding, I’m never confident in my predictions) and I am so wrong I wish I would have never written that week’s predictions in the first place. Welp, that was last week where I went a strong 5-8 in my predictions. Great stuff when the Falcons are beating the Saints, the Titans are beating the Chiefs, and the Browns winning a game to give their fan base hope. Speaking of the Browns winning a game, they’re on a 2-game winstreak now with a win against the Steelers over Thursday. That’s pretty nice if they can get rolling but they’re gonna have to do it without the best player on their team. Ouch. Anyway, that’s all I have to say on that. I’m an amateur analyst, not a judge.

Sanders went 5-8 last week putting him to 96-52-1 on the season. He also picked the Steelers to SMASH the Browns last Thursday. Turns out, the Browns smashed the Steelers in more ways than one. 0-1 for the start of Week 11.

NY Jets vs WAS Redskins

For a split second, my initial reaction was to pick the Redskins because the Jets have just been downright horrendous this season. Then I remembered that the Redskins have been worse not scoring a single touchdown in the last three games. Is that a streak I expect to continue? No, but the Jets showed life last week against the Giants. If the Jets have the ability to step up and beat a team as bad as them, then they can beat a team worse than them. At least that’s the logic I’m going with. Also, it’s been pretty clear that Dwayne Haskins is not ready to start in the NFL yet. But here he is, starting games for the Redskins.

Jets 24 Redskins 14

NO Saints vs TB Buccaneers

I’ll be honest. Picking the Bucs here may be the smart move. Why? The Saints just came off of a dreadful performance AT HOME. That never happens. What’s more, is the Buccaneers have always been competitive against Drew Brees and Co. at home. Fun fact: Jameis Winston is 3-4 in his career against Drew Brees. That’s not too bad for a guy who is mistake-prone. In other words, Winston’s A-game seems to come out when he plays the Saints. Now that I’ve given you all these reasons to pick the Buccaneers, I’m gonna backhand you and pick the Saints. There’s no way they follow up the worst offensive performance in the Payton-Brees era with another loss, right?

Saints 27 Bucs 24

Denver Broncos vs Minnesota Vikings

This game will be ugly. The Broncos are 3-6. But this Denver Broncos team has been a tough team to beat. Their record says otherwise, but if you’ve watched their games like I have, their record should be 5-4, and that’s the type of way they have played so far. They’ve played like a 5-4 team that’s tough to beat but probably misses the playoffs. Now, with their record at 3-6, they won’t be making the playoffs, but they’ll be playoff spoiler over the next 6 weeks. What does this have to do with the Vikings? Well, the Vikings haven’t necessarily been a dominant team. However, they’ve been a good team with the ability to run an efficient offense and a bend-don’t-break defense. I love this Vikings team. I have all year. I’ve got them penned to win this game. However, this game may make Vikings fans more uncomfortable than they want to be against a team with a 3-6 record.

Broncos 17 Vikings 26

BUF Bills vs MIA Dolphins

It’s kinda weird how I have the Bills making the playoffs as the No. 6 seed. They have the coaching and defensive talent to do so. But at this point, I expected much more growth from Josh Allen. Instead, it’s been more of the same. He’s shown massive inconsistency and throws just enough pretty balls to win a game for his team. That’s not a good winning formula whatsoever. On the other side of this AFC East battle, is a roster that has been gutted of talent, but has players that have been playing tough, hard, and act like they want their coach to stick around and believe in the team’s future plan. This Dolphins roster is also a reminder of why tanking is a bad strategy. The front office may want multiple picks at the beginning of every round, but in the end, coaches and players want to win games regardless if the odds are stacked against them. The Dolphins have been a tough team to beat the last three weeks. And here? Well, they hand a struggling Bills team another loss. Things are looking up for HC Brian Flores.

Bills 13 Dolphins 19

JAX Jaguars vs IND Colts

With Nick Foles back in the starting lineup for the Jags, one has to wonder if they can make a 5-2 run to sneak into the playoffs. It’s not probable, but it’s also plausible. We’ve seen Nick Foles work some magic before. At this point, the Jags have been just good enough to be near .500 and they can certainly help their chances with a win here against the Colts. Speaking of the Colts, let’s talk about them for a second. I understand that Jacoby Brissett has been injured, but it’s hard to swallow the fact this team is now 5-4 when they were shining like a start in the first quarter of the season. This is contradictory of my take with the Broncos, but sometimes, you are what your record is. And at 5-4, the Colts feel like an 8-8 or 9-7 team as the season finishes. Too often have the Colts blown leads and too often is their future HoF kicker missing easy points. If you’re blowing leads and missing free points from kicks, you’re not gonna win too many games. To me, the Colts have too many deficits to overcome the Jaguars who get their starting QB back this week.

Jags 24 Colts 17

DAL Cowboys vs DET Lions

For the sake of my sanity, I need to see the Cowboys just stomp a middle of the pack team. Winning this game and being 6-4 is not good enough. The Cowboys have the talent on their team to head to a Super Bowl and they have looked nothing like that team. Part of that is on coaching, but part of it is also on player execution. Outside of Dak Prescott and Amari Cooper, this Cowboys team has looked nothing like the team that won a thriller against Seattle in the playoffs last year. Elliot doesn’t look like himself, and the best LB trio in the NFL doesn’t look like the best LB trio in the NFL. It’s driving me insane. They have the perfect game to start realizing their potential as they draw a Lions team that is without their starting QB. About the Lions for a second. Let’s appreciate Matt Stafford. He’s always been underappreciated but this year has painted his status as a franchise QB in big black letters. They look downright awful without him. Patricia hasn’t figured out his defense and the running game is nowhere to be found. Stafford gives the Lions a fighting chance every game to win. Tip of the cap to you Mr. Stafford. Anyway, back to the Boys, if this isn’t a stomp, you can pen the Boys to lose in the Wildcard round. Same Boys, same story every year I guess.

Cowboys 27 Lions 13

ATL Falcons vs CAR Panthers

Well well well. The Falcons team that I expected in the preseason just decided to show up for one game of the season. Now they’re a wonderful 2-7. Great. Just what I wanted to see from a talented team. I have many problems with the Falcons, but I’m not going to deep dive into that. The main focus here is if they can upset the Panthers here. Well, it all starts with the question, can you stop Run CMC? Oh. You’re telling me not a single team has stopped Run CMC this year? Oh. Well. The upset against the Saints was nice Atlanta. Panthers pick up another win here because last week was probably a mirage and the Falcons inconsistencies show up again this week. Ugh. This Falcons team is too good for that.

Falcons 16 Panthers 24

HOU Texans vs BAL Ravens

Make no mistake. This is the biggest and best game of the morning. Deshaun Watson vs Lamar Jackson is must watch tv. But I’m not going to talk about that matchup. What I’m really intrigued by is the No. 1 rushing attack of Baltimore vs the No. 3 running defense of the Texans. Essentially, if the Texans defense holds true to their identity of stopping the run, the Ravens will need to throw quite a bit to win this game. Big test for Lamar Jackson and Co. They’re up for the task and they’ll probably score 30+ points. However, Deshaun Watson and Co. may be scoring 30+ points here as well. So how are you supposed to pick a game that’s most likely a thriller? Well, I’m picking the team with the QB who I think makes more plays. And that’s the Texans. If you ask me, the Ravens pass-rush won’t provide enough pressure Texans leaving Watson to make plays that shouldn’t be happening. That’s probably what happens in the 4th quarter here. Then again, who am I to predict the future?

Texans 35 Ravens 33

ARI Cardinals vs SF 49ers

This Cardinals team has costed me so many prediction Ws. I’ve picked this team too often to win. In fact, they won as often as I thought they would, they would be 5-4-1. That’s not bad. That’s also just how good this Cardinals offense has been playing. Kyler Murray makes some rookie mistakes in the game, but for about 90% of the game, he looks like a 10-year veteran of his offense. That’s no hyperbole either and it’s a true fact. He’s been playing in this game offense for nearly 10 years. It’s no wonder he looks so comfortable and owns the rookie record for most pass attempts without a pick. Meanwhile, Jimmy G has been struggling just a tiny bit throwing 4 INT in his last 5 games. That’s not bad, but I also think it shows his limitations as a starter right now with not even two full seasons of starts under his belt. Jimmy G will grow, but so far, he hasn’t shown the ability to ball without his playmakers. And Kittle is out again. Shocker pick from me here. I don’t think the 49ers offense will operate well enough to beat Kliff Kingsbury and Kyler Murary. Upset W for a Cardinals team that is 8-1 against the 49ers in their last 9 games.

Cardinals 28 49ers 24

NE Patriots vs PHI Eagles

The fact this matchup is being billed as a rematch of the Super Bowl from two years ago is downright laughable. These two teams are in two completely different spots. And by that, I mean the Patriots are a dominant winning team with an elite level defense. The Eagles do not have the same defense they had then, and their offense sputters at least 2-3 times a game. Now, I’m not saying the Eagles can’t win this game. They can. But MVP candidate Carson Wentz has to show up. Not the Carson Wentz we have seen this year. It may be disastrous in Philly if Wentz and Co. can’t figure this operation out.

Patriots 27 Eagles 17

CIN Bengals vs OAK Raiders

I’m keeping this one short. At this point, I think the Bengals just need to see what they have in their rookie QB, and if not, start scouting out who they want as their QB of the future (Joe Burrow anyone?). What does this mean exactly? That a surging Oakland Raiders team may jump onto the No. 6 seed with a win here. What a nice turnaround for Jon Gruden and Co. so far. His vision is becoming reality only just one year from starting his rebuild. Can’t wait to see how it plays out over the next couple years.

Bengals 10 Raiders 27

CHI Bears vs LA Rams

I might sound bias here, but why in the world did the NFL decide to keep this the Sunday night game and not flex Texans vs Ravens here. That’s a primetime matchup worth having. The Bears and the Rams? Not so much at the moment. Anyway, as for the analysis of this matchup, you have to dig real hard to find who you’d want to pick. Again, for the Bears, it’s another matchup of two incompetent offenses playing each other. And when two incompetent offenses play against each other, I always go with the better defense. In this case, believe it or not, it’s been the Rams. The Rams have done a good job in keeping their opponent down in points but their offense just can never catch up. Luckily for the Rams, they face Trubisky, a guy who may or may not be playing QB for the Bears next year.

Bears 13 Rams 17

KC Chiefs vs LA Chargers

I am excited for this matchup. I think y’all have no idea how ready I am to watch this Chiefs-Chargers matchup. That’s not sarcasm either. I’m ready to watch this game because I firmly believe the Chargers come storming out the gates and upset the Chiefs. The Chiefs have the same problem they did last year. They can rack up the scoreboard, but their defense is allowing the opponent to rack up the scoreboard as well. While the Chargers certainly haven’t been world beaters, they’ve shown the potential to come out and beat a quality opponent this season. Also, does anyone remember their last matchup? I do. The Chargers got a touchdown to put the game into OT, but instead made a gutsy call to go for 2, and beat the Chiefs IN KANSAS CITY. Now, this game is in Mexico City which has a high elevation. The Chargers went to Colorado to practice for the high elevation. KC did not. The better prepared team wins.

Chiefs 28 Chargers 31

Week 10 NFL Predix

By Jacob Sanders

Going to take this little segment here to apologize for not posting picks last week. This column that I write (nearly) every week is a hobby and sometimes hobbies have to be pushed back for real life and that’s what happened last week. However, I kept track of my picks the last two weeks so those will be posted right up here. Thanks to any and all who read my picks! I’m glad you enjoy seeing them as much as I enjoy writing them.

Over the last two weeks Sanders went 23-6 in the last two weeks putting him to 91-44-1 on the season. He also picked the Raiders to beat the Chargers on Thursday putting him to 1-0 this week.

KC Chiefs vs TEN Titans

The Titans are a frustrating group to keep track but they have been since 2016. Always the up and down team, you’re never sure if you’re gonna see a team that comes out flat or a team that comes out in full force. No need to debate that in your head this week as this Chiefs are coming to town with a Patrick Mahomes that’s ready to go and light up defenses again. It should also be noted that the Chiefs defense has shown up to play in the last couple weeks as well. Recipe for disaster in Tennesee.

Chiefs 31 Titans 19

AZ Cardinals vs TB Bucs

The records of these teams may be close, but when you examine the strengths and weaknesses of these teams, it’s co clear that the Cardinals are a better football team than the Buccaneers. Also, every loss the Cardinals have taken have been to .500 or better teams. They have been tough outs for those teams while the Bucs have occasionally not show up at all. Sure, their efforts against Seattle were impressive, but an L is still an L in the NFL. Cardinals grab another W on the road with Murrary throwing for 350+ yards against a porous seconday.

Cards 28 Bucs 20

NY Giants vs NY Jets

Raise your hand if your excited for this matchup. I don’t even think NY fans are excited for this either. What an awful game to watch and what an awful game I’m forced to pick here. If I’m being honest, I’m picking the team with the better head coach which is the Giants. In no way do I trust Adam Gase to be able to exploit the Giants’ weaknesses on defense and I don’t expect the Jets defense to be able to stop Barkley either. That’s just my take though.

Giants 17 Jets 10

ATL Falcons vs NO Saints

It’s a wonder to me how the Falcons can have so much talent on a roster and be 1-7. Coaching is a most of it, but the fact this roster can’t get much done based upon superstar talent should bug everyone. Meanwhile, the Saints are thriving with superstar talent. The big difference between these teams? The Saints have a great head coach in Sean Payton who knows what he’s doing and adapts to changes. Dan Quinn has shown a failure to adapt to a changing NFL. It’ll be a brutal day for these Falcons.

Falcons 13 Saints 35

BUF Bills vs CLE Browns

Okay, yes. I didn’t expect the Browns to win more than 7-8 games. But man has this team been dreadful and the cracks are showing in their mental ability to come back from it. Odell is whining on the sidelines again. Baker can’t take criticism during interviews. Kitchens isn’t handling his team well. The list goes on about how and why the Browns are faltering as much as they are. Their opponent though is in the exact opposite scenario. They took their talent, coached it up, and have come out with a 6-2 record so far. Josh Allen remains inconsistent, but Sean McDermott has put his team in spots to win nearly every game. That’s what you call good coaching right there.

Bills 21 Browns 14

BAL Ravens vs CIN Bengals

The last two times these teams met up, the score was pretty close at 23-17. This time around, that may not be the case with a Ravens defense that’s finally hitting its stride and they get to face a Bengals QB who is making his very first start in the NFL. Historically, the Ravens feast on rookie QBs and this game should be no different here. If there’s any comments to make on Lamar Jackson here, it’s that this is one of those games you should expect him to throw more than run this time around. The Bengals is good for worst in the League.

Ravens 33 Bengals 17

DET Lions vs CHI Bears

Listen, I never thought Trubisky was great. But if they don’t bench him for Chase Daniels, the Bears are gonna find themselves in the cellar of the NFC North. One thing going for them is that Matt Stafford is not playing this week due to a hip injury keeping him on the sideline. Good news for the Bears since Jeff Driskel is the backup and this Bears defense has a chance to take over the game and win the game for the Bears. I’d skip this game honestly. Offensively, it appears this game will go nowhere.

Lions 14 Bears 17

MIA Dolphins vs IND Colts

A fun win by the Dolphins last week who are clearly playing for their head coach despite being at a disadvantage. I don’t think that will matter though when you are playing against a team that has more talent and has better coaching. Despite the Dolphins looking seemingly better every week, I still gotta be a Debbie-downer and take the Dolphins for what they are. A tanking team looking for multiple top picks to rebuild for years down the road.

Dolphins 13 Colts 16

LA Rams vs PIT Steelers

The Steelers have done a nice job bouncing back from what looked like a doomed start at the beginning of the year. However, this game probably tells whether or not they have a chance in making the playoffs. If the Steelers can beat a quality team like the Rams, they’ve certainly got a shot to grab a Wildcard spot. If not, they fall to 4-5 and things look a little more grim from there. As for the Rams, you have to win this game if you want the NFC to take you seriously, right? 5-4 just won’t get it in the NFC, let alone the NFC West. So who wins here? Well, I got the Rams here. I like what the Steelers got going on, but barring a total shut down of the Rams offense, I don’t expect Mason Rudolph to score more than Jared Goff.

Rams 28 Steelers 20

CAR Panthers vs GB Packers

That was a humbling wake-up call for the entire Packers team that they can’t just cruise through the season. They need to play good, opportunistic football if they wanna win more often than not like they have been. Drawing the Panthers after a bad loss is certainly a good test for their mettle. At the same time, the Panthers are probably thankful to have had time to bounceback from a dreadful loss to the 49ers. While news was announced that Cam Newton has been shutdown for the season, having Kyle Allen pilot the offense hasn’t been so bad. But, barring a surprising coming out party by Kyle Allen, the Panthers may not have enough to keep up with the Packers on this go around.

Panthers 17 Packers 26

MIN Vikings vs DAL Cowboys

This one is TOUGH. Like, really tough. I like this Vikings unit more than I do the Cowboys at the moment. However, the Cowboys are at home and fresh off a dominating win against the Giants. Now, that’s not saying much, but it’s certainly a way to get momentum shifting in your favor. AND you’re playing the Sunday night game at home. I really want to pick the Vikings here. I love this Vikings team and I love everything about the Vikings chances to get into the playoffs. But there’s a gut feeling that the Cowboys win here. So, I guess I gotta pick the Cowboys. If you want the reason why, it’s because I think Ezekiel Elliot has his best game of the year, at home, in primetime, to get everybody hyped for the Cowboys more than they should be.

Vikings 20 Cowboys 24

SEA Seahawks vs SF 49ers

It’s probably about time the 49ers lose too, right? False. This 49ers team is legit, and while I do like this Seahawks team, getting smashed by the Ravens and barely beating the Bucs in OT isn’t a great sign that you can beat the 2nd best team in the NFC right now (I got the Saints as the best team in the NFC) nor does it mean you will put up much of a fight. While I’m sure Russell Wilson will display some MVP magic on Monday night, I think the 49ers team will show why they are just a better and more complete team than the 49ers are. 9-0, the 9ers go.

Seahawks 20 49ers 27