Week 13 Picks
With the Lions, Eagles and Seahawks victorious on Thanksgiving, 13 more games remain this week.
Here are the rest of my picks for Week 13.
Week 13 Picks (Home team in CAPS)
INDIANAPOLIS over Washington: I know that the Colts struggled with the Jaguars last week at home, but that should be no cause for alarm. Indianapolis is still one of the best teams in the AFC and I think they'll rebound against a dreadful Washington team, who has benched quarterback RGIII. Colt McCoy will start against the Colts and one has to wonder if Robert Griffin's time in Washington is coming to an end.
HOUSTON over Tennessee: Texans QB Ryan Mallet will miss the rest of the season with a torn pectoral muscle, so one would assume that Ryan Fitzpatrick will be back under center for Houston. Fitzpatrick helped lead the Texans to a victory against the Titans, 30-16, in Week 8 and I expect a similar result this Sunday as long as running back Arian Foster is back for Houston. Foster has missed the last two games with a groin injury and the Texans could really use him against the Titans. Foster ran for 151-yards and two touchdowns last time out against Tennessee and if he's healthy, he should have another big game this week.
BUFFALO over Cleveland: I know that Cleveland is 7-4 and tied with Pittsburgh and Baltimore for second place in the AFC North, but I still not sold on them as a potential playoff team. Let's look at the Browns season thus far, they have beaten the Saints by two, Titans by one, Steelers by 21, Raiders by 10, Buccaneers by five, Bengals by 21 and Falcons by two. The Browns have also lost to the Steelers by three, the Ravens by three, the Jaguars by 18 and the Texans by 16. The wins against the Steelers and Bengals are impressive, but the rest of their wins aren't that great and they are the only team to have lost to the Jaguars. The Bills played inspired football Monday night after their game was moved from snowed in Buffalo to Detroit and I think they'll play inspired football again in front of their fans on Sunday. Bills by a touchdown.
BALTIMORE over San Diego: Both teams are 7-4, but Baltimore and San Diego may be headed in different directions. Since starting the season 5-1, the Chargers have gone 2-3 and struggled to beat the Rams and Raiders the last two weeks. The Ravens on the other hand have been playing much better football as of late and have lost only one game outside of the division. The playoff race is jammed packed in the AFC and this game on Sunday may decide the fate of both teams for the playoffs. The Ravens are at home and are coming off a good win in New Orleans and I'll take them to win a close game against the Chargers.
NY Giants over JACKSONVILLE: Three words for you, Odell Beckham Jr. WOW! Just in case you were hiding under a rock last week and didn't see one of the most spectacular catches ever, check out this video of Odell Beckham Jr. The greatest catch I've ever seen. The only catch that is better, in my opinion, is David Tyree's helmet catch against the Patriots in the Super Bowl. Greatest catch on the biggest stage. Beckham is a freak of an athlete and good luck covering him this weekend, Jacksonville.
ST. LOUIS over Oakland: It took over a year, but the Raiders have finally won a game. Oakland played rather well in the rain last Thursday night against Kansas City and although they are out of the playoff picture, the Raiders won't be an easy win for opponents the rest of the season. I think Oakland will play tough in St. Louis, but the Rams have beaten some very good teams this season in Denver, Seattle and San Francisco. The Raiders will keep it close, but I like the Rams in this one.
PITTSBURGH over New Orleans: I keep on thinking that the Saints are going to turn things around and win the NFC South, but it just hasn't happened this season. New Orleans is coming off three straight home losses, something that never happens to the Saints, and they have not been playing good football in 2014. The defense is terrible, the offense misses Darren Sproles and Drew Brees and thrown some very costly interceptions. The good news is that at 4-7, they are tied for the division lead, bad news is they play an AFC North opponent for the third straight week on Sunday in Pittsburgh. The Steelers are well rested coming off of a bye and I predict that the Saints will lose once again.
MINNESOTA over Carolina: Do you know when the last time was that the Carolina Panthers won a football game? You have to go all the way back to Week 5, October 5th, against Chicago. Since then, Carolina has lost five straight and tied the Cincinnati Bengals, which should have been another loss for the Panthers if Bengals kicker Mike Nugent could have made a 36-yd field goal as time expired. The Panthers are just brutal, but as I continue to say, they are somehow not out of it in the division. As for Minnesota, they are playing the role of spoiler and head coach Mike Zimmer and the Vikings are not pushovers. The Vikings have been in every game the past six weeks and Zimmer will have the Vikings playing much better football in 2015. They are a team to look out for next year and as for the game on Sunday, I like the Vikings at home.
Arizona over ATLANTA: As hard as it is to believe, this is a game between division leaders. Why is that so hard to believe, you ask? Well, the Cardinals are a surprising 9-2 and the Falcons are 4-7 and currently lead the abysmal NFC South! Atlanta is 4-0 in the division and 0-7 against everyone else this season, which is good enough for first place in what might go down as the worst division in NFL history. With the NFC South being as bad as it is, you can almost guarantee that a sub .500 team will be hosting a playoff game come January and will most likely be a double-digit home underdog. If that's the case, I look for the NFL to think about implementing a new playoff seeding format. As for the game on Sunday, I think the Cardinals to win the Battle of the Birds.
New England over GREEN BAY: Game of the Week and potential Super Bowl XLIX preview. I'm really looking forward to this game and I think it will be a high scoring game. It doesn't get much better than Tom Brady and the Patriots going up against Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. Both teams have Hall of Fame quarterbacks and offenses that can score at will. The difference in this game will be which defense can stop Brady or Rodgers. The Packers ranked 30th in the league in stopping the run and I expect Bill Belichick to try and run the ball, like the Patriots did against the Colts. Running back Jonas Gray didn't play last week because he was late to practice, but I expect the Packers to get a full dose of Gray and newly acquired LeGarrette Blount. It should be a great game and I'm taking the Patriots in a close one.
Denver over KANSAS CITY: Crucial game for both teams in Kansas City on Sunday, with the Chiefs currently holding on to a Wild Card spot, but only one game behind Denver for the division lead. The Chiefs suffered a terrible loss to the previously winless Oakland Raiders last week and they need a win to avoid falling two games back of Denver and losing a game in the Wild Card standings. Denver beat the Chiefs, in Denver, 24-17, back in Week 2 and I expect a similar result on Sunday.
Miami over NY JETS: Rex Ryan's days as head coach of the New York Jets are coming to end. I cannot imagine the Jets keeping Ryan around another season. The Jets are an absolute mess and besides Washington, I can't think of a worse job in the NFL right now. Dolphins keep their playoff hopes alive with a commanding win on Monday night.
Bengals over BUCCANEERS: This is a classic trap game for the Bengals. Sunday will be the third straight week the Bengals have played a team at .500 or worse on the road. Tampa Bay is one of the worst teams in football at 2-9 -- yet they aren't out of the race for the division title in the NFC South -- and this is a game the Bengals should win by at least two scores. However, next week the Pittsburgh Steelers visit Paul Brown Stadium. With everyone in the AFC North having seven wins, next week's matchup is a critical game that could decide the division and will significantly affect both team's chances of making the playoffs altogether. The Buccaneers did beat the Steelers back in Week 4 and seven of their nine losses have been by 10 points or less.
The Bengals should have no problem winning this game if they play like they have the last two weeks. The defense has shown up and played well, the Bengals and Jeremy Hill have run the ball effectively, the good Andy Dalton has made two straight appearances due in large part to the offensive line keeping Dalton upright. Dalton has only been sacked 12 times this season, tied with Peyton Manning for the fewest sacks for a quarterback that has started every game this season. The Bengals are the more talented team and they should win on Sunday and I think they will. Bengals 30, Buccaneers 17.
This Week: 2-1
Last Week: 11-4
Overall: 125-53-1
Week 13 Picks (Home team in CAPS)
INDIANAPOLIS over Washington: I know that the Colts struggled with the Jaguars last week at home, but that should be no cause for alarm. Indianapolis is still one of the best teams in the AFC and I think they'll rebound against a dreadful Washington team, who has benched quarterback RGIII. Colt McCoy will start against the Colts and one has to wonder if Robert Griffin's time in Washington is coming to an end.
HOUSTON over Tennessee: Texans QB Ryan Mallet will miss the rest of the season with a torn pectoral muscle, so one would assume that Ryan Fitzpatrick will be back under center for Houston. Fitzpatrick helped lead the Texans to a victory against the Titans, 30-16, in Week 8 and I expect a similar result this Sunday as long as running back Arian Foster is back for Houston. Foster has missed the last two games with a groin injury and the Texans could really use him against the Titans. Foster ran for 151-yards and two touchdowns last time out against Tennessee and if he's healthy, he should have another big game this week.
BUFFALO over Cleveland: I know that Cleveland is 7-4 and tied with Pittsburgh and Baltimore for second place in the AFC North, but I still not sold on them as a potential playoff team. Let's look at the Browns season thus far, they have beaten the Saints by two, Titans by one, Steelers by 21, Raiders by 10, Buccaneers by five, Bengals by 21 and Falcons by two. The Browns have also lost to the Steelers by three, the Ravens by three, the Jaguars by 18 and the Texans by 16. The wins against the Steelers and Bengals are impressive, but the rest of their wins aren't that great and they are the only team to have lost to the Jaguars. The Bills played inspired football Monday night after their game was moved from snowed in Buffalo to Detroit and I think they'll play inspired football again in front of their fans on Sunday. Bills by a touchdown.
BALTIMORE over San Diego: Both teams are 7-4, but Baltimore and San Diego may be headed in different directions. Since starting the season 5-1, the Chargers have gone 2-3 and struggled to beat the Rams and Raiders the last two weeks. The Ravens on the other hand have been playing much better football as of late and have lost only one game outside of the division. The playoff race is jammed packed in the AFC and this game on Sunday may decide the fate of both teams for the playoffs. The Ravens are at home and are coming off a good win in New Orleans and I'll take them to win a close game against the Chargers.
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| Odell Beckham Jr., made one of the greatest catches in NFL history Sunday night against the Cowboys. (Carlos M. Saavedra/SI/MMQB) |
ST. LOUIS over Oakland: It took over a year, but the Raiders have finally won a game. Oakland played rather well in the rain last Thursday night against Kansas City and although they are out of the playoff picture, the Raiders won't be an easy win for opponents the rest of the season. I think Oakland will play tough in St. Louis, but the Rams have beaten some very good teams this season in Denver, Seattle and San Francisco. The Raiders will keep it close, but I like the Rams in this one.
PITTSBURGH over New Orleans: I keep on thinking that the Saints are going to turn things around and win the NFC South, but it just hasn't happened this season. New Orleans is coming off three straight home losses, something that never happens to the Saints, and they have not been playing good football in 2014. The defense is terrible, the offense misses Darren Sproles and Drew Brees and thrown some very costly interceptions. The good news is that at 4-7, they are tied for the division lead, bad news is they play an AFC North opponent for the third straight week on Sunday in Pittsburgh. The Steelers are well rested coming off of a bye and I predict that the Saints will lose once again.
MINNESOTA over Carolina: Do you know when the last time was that the Carolina Panthers won a football game? You have to go all the way back to Week 5, October 5th, against Chicago. Since then, Carolina has lost five straight and tied the Cincinnati Bengals, which should have been another loss for the Panthers if Bengals kicker Mike Nugent could have made a 36-yd field goal as time expired. The Panthers are just brutal, but as I continue to say, they are somehow not out of it in the division. As for Minnesota, they are playing the role of spoiler and head coach Mike Zimmer and the Vikings are not pushovers. The Vikings have been in every game the past six weeks and Zimmer will have the Vikings playing much better football in 2015. They are a team to look out for next year and as for the game on Sunday, I like the Vikings at home.
Arizona over ATLANTA: As hard as it is to believe, this is a game between division leaders. Why is that so hard to believe, you ask? Well, the Cardinals are a surprising 9-2 and the Falcons are 4-7 and currently lead the abysmal NFC South! Atlanta is 4-0 in the division and 0-7 against everyone else this season, which is good enough for first place in what might go down as the worst division in NFL history. With the NFC South being as bad as it is, you can almost guarantee that a sub .500 team will be hosting a playoff game come January and will most likely be a double-digit home underdog. If that's the case, I look for the NFL to think about implementing a new playoff seeding format. As for the game on Sunday, I think the Cardinals to win the Battle of the Birds.
New England over GREEN BAY: Game of the Week and potential Super Bowl XLIX preview. I'm really looking forward to this game and I think it will be a high scoring game. It doesn't get much better than Tom Brady and the Patriots going up against Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. Both teams have Hall of Fame quarterbacks and offenses that can score at will. The difference in this game will be which defense can stop Brady or Rodgers. The Packers ranked 30th in the league in stopping the run and I expect Bill Belichick to try and run the ball, like the Patriots did against the Colts. Running back Jonas Gray didn't play last week because he was late to practice, but I expect the Packers to get a full dose of Gray and newly acquired LeGarrette Blount. It should be a great game and I'm taking the Patriots in a close one.
Denver over KANSAS CITY: Crucial game for both teams in Kansas City on Sunday, with the Chiefs currently holding on to a Wild Card spot, but only one game behind Denver for the division lead. The Chiefs suffered a terrible loss to the previously winless Oakland Raiders last week and they need a win to avoid falling two games back of Denver and losing a game in the Wild Card standings. Denver beat the Chiefs, in Denver, 24-17, back in Week 2 and I expect a similar result on Sunday.
Miami over NY JETS: Rex Ryan's days as head coach of the New York Jets are coming to end. I cannot imagine the Jets keeping Ryan around another season. The Jets are an absolute mess and besides Washington, I can't think of a worse job in the NFL right now. Dolphins keep their playoff hopes alive with a commanding win on Monday night.
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| Andy Dalton threw a touchdown pass to Mohamed Sanu as the Bengals improved to 7-3-1 on the season with a 22-13 win over the Houston Texans. (The Cincinnati Enquirer/Jeff Swinger) |
The Bengals should have no problem winning this game if they play like they have the last two weeks. The defense has shown up and played well, the Bengals and Jeremy Hill have run the ball effectively, the good Andy Dalton has made two straight appearances due in large part to the offensive line keeping Dalton upright. Dalton has only been sacked 12 times this season, tied with Peyton Manning for the fewest sacks for a quarterback that has started every game this season. The Bengals are the more talented team and they should win on Sunday and I think they will. Bengals 30, Buccaneers 17.
This Week: 2-1
Last Week: 11-4
Overall: 125-53-1
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