Week 14 Picks
Another week and another look at the playoff picture.
After last week's action, happy trails Washington, Arizona, and Cincinnati.
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| A few more teams saw their Super Bowl aspirations end last weekend. (Image courtesy of NFLRush.com) |
With their losses last weekend, the Redskins and Cardinals both
find themselves at 5-7. With Carolina and Seattle sitting at 8-4 and currently
holding the two Wild Card spots in the NFC, Washington and Arizona are all but
out of it. See you next year.
In the AFC you can
argue that the Bengals blew any chance they had of making the playoffs in the fourth quarter on Monday
night by letting the Steelers comeback and get the win.
I’m going to eliminate the Bengals because to make the playoffs
they basically have to win out, which won’t be easy with the Bears, Vikings, Lions and
Ravens the final four weeks of the season, and then they need help on top of
that.
Dallas, Green Bay, Detroit, and Buffalo could join the Bengals
this week if they lose, but there are some other games this weekend
that have significant playoff implications starting on Thursday night with New
Orleans at Atlanta. We also have on Sunday, Minnesota at Carolina, Oakland at
Kansas City, Philadelphia at L.A. Rams, Seattle at Jacksonville, ultimately
ending with Baltimore at Pittsburgh Sunday night.
That's six terrific football games for one week and we could see a
lot of shifting around in the playoff picture come Monday. Let’s get to
the predictions for those aforementioned games and the rest of the action in
Week 14.
Week 14 Picks (Home
team in CAPS)
New Orleans (9-3) over ATLANTA (7-5)
Thursday, 8:25 p.m. ET (NBC, Amazon Prime)
I'm not sure how you beat this New Orleans Saints team. We all
know how great QB Drew Brees is, but he also has two outstanding running backs,
Mark Ingram and rookie Alvin Kamara, who have combined for 2,397-yards from
scrimmage and 24 TD. Kamara is averaging 7.0-yards/carry and has put up at
least 100-yards from scrimmage each of the last five games. Might as well give
him the Offensive Rookie of the Year award right now. Kamara left Thursday night's loss with a concussion and if he's out for a long period of time the Saints might be in trouble.
BUFFALO (6-6) over
Indianapolis (3-9)
Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET (CBS)
QB Tyrod Taylor is questionable after leaving last week’s
loss against the Patriots with a knee injury and if he doesn’t play I could see
the Colts pulling off the upset here. Rookie QB Nathan Peterman has been
terrible when he’s taken over for Taylor in three games this season, so I don’t
have much confidence in picking the Bill. Buffalo needs this win to stay alive
in the playoff race and with or without Taylor, they’ll win a close game at
home against Indy.
CINCINNATI (5-7) over Chicago (3-9)
Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET (Fox)
Another ugly loss on national television for the Bengals Monday
night against the Steelers in what was borderline unwatchable football. The
Bengals played great for the first three quarters of the game, but 13 penalties
for 173-yards will make it tough to win any ballgame. I could go on a rant
about how disgusting the Bengals-Steelers rivalry has gotten, but I’ll save you
the time and pick the Bengals to beat the Bears, who lost at home to previously
1-10 San Francisco last week.
Green BAY (6-6) over CLEVELAND (0-12)
Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET (Fox)
The Packers just have to get through one more game without QB
Aaron Rodgers and the schedule works out perfectly for them. After fending off
the Bucs last week, the Packers travel to Cleveland to face the winless Browns and then Rodgers is scheduled to come off injured reserve to face the
Panthers next week. Green Bay has Carolina, Minnesota and Detroit the rest of
the way and they'll need Rodgers if they're to have any chance of making the
playoffs. They'll get by Cleveland and then we get to see Rodgers next week in
Carolina. The Browns meanwhile are staring at a 0-16 season.
KANSAS CITY (6-6) over
Oakland (6-6)
Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET (CBS)
It’s no secret that the Kansas City Chiefs are struggling. After
looking like the best team in football, starting the season 5-0, the Chiefs
have only won one game since. The Raiders on the other hand have begun looking
like the team everyone thought they would be after winning four of their last
six games. Now, the Raiders defeated the Chiefs on a Thursday night in Oakland
earlier this season, but it took two straight penalties by the Chiefs at the end of the game to give
the Raiders multiple opportunities to get the win. The Chiefs have to turn
things around and I think being at home will help them win this game and end the losing streak.
Dallas (6-6) over N.Y. GIANTS (2-10)
Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET (Fox)
Forcing four turnovers and rushing for 182-yards helped the
Cowboys finally turn things around and keep their slim playoff hopes
alive last Thursday night. Dallas will face Eli Manning this week as head coach
Ben McAdoo was fired on Monday and the Giants have said they'll go back to Eli.
That whole situation was a disaster and it's no surprise McAdoo was let go. I
think he'll struggle to find another job in the NFL after that debacle, but as
for the game I think the Cowboys will find a way to win their second-straight
game and stay alive in the playoff race. Things will get tougher as Dallas
still has to face Oakland, Seattle and Philadelphia.
Detroit (6-6) over TAMPA BAY
(4-8)
Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET (Fox)
Lions QB Matthew Stafford has a sore hand after getting hit in
last week’s loss to the Ravens and if he’s unable to go or is limited then the
Lions probably lose this game. Detroit can’t afford a loss as they’re already
on the outside of the playoff picture at 6-6. This is basically a playoff game
for the Lions and I think Stafford will play and will play well as Detroit
keeps their slim playoff hopes alive.
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| QB Case Keenum hasn't looked like a backup this season, leading the Vikings to eight-straight wins. (AP Photo/Mark Tenally) |
Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET (Fox)
QB Case Keenum and that Vikings defense, need I say more. You have
to wonder where the Vikings would be without Keenum this season as he has been
nothing short of terrific. Teddy Bridgewater may have to wait a bit longer to
return to the field as Keenum is having a Pro Bowl caliber season. The Vikings
also have the number two ranked defense in the league and they held a hot Falcons
team to just nine points and 275-yards of offense last week. WR Julio Jones was
limited to just two catches for 24-yards. Carolina was unimpressive against New
Orleans last week and with Minnesota coming in having won eight-straight, I'll
take the Vikings to extend the streak to nine.
HOUSTON (4-8) over San
Francisco (2-10)
Sunday, 1:00 p.m. ET (Fox)
It had to be nice for 49ers fans to see QB Jimmy Garoppolo lead
their team to a win in his first start in a San Francisco uniform. Garoppolo
played alright, despite not throwing a touchdown pass and throwing one INT. He led the 49ers on a 14 play, 86-yard drive that took 5:23 off the clock and
ended with Robbie Gould hitting a game-winning 24-yard field goal. Now, the
49ers have a long way to go, but last Sunday was a step in the right direction.
With Houston being at home in this one I’ll take the Texans, but it wouldn’t
surprise me at all if Garoppolo leads the 49ers to a second-straight win.
N.Y. Jets (5-7) over DENVER (3-9)
Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET (CBS)
The Denver Broncos officially don't have a quarterback. Trevor
Siemian was given another chance last Sunday and he put up pathetic numbers, 19
of 41 for 200-yards, and 3 INT, including a pick-six. The Broncos are a mess
and unlike Denver, the Jets have a quarterback who has been playing well for
being 38-years old. Josh McCown has thrown for 638-yards and 4 TD in his last
two games and he'll be the difference as the Jets win their sixth game of the
season. Who saw that coming?
Tennessee (8-4) over ARIZONA
(5-7)
Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET (CBS)
The Titans have the better team, but
they better watch out for the Cardinals. Arizona may be 5-7, but they have some
players and Tennessee has struggled against lesser competition. The Titans are
5-1 in their last six games and in those five wins they’ve only won one game by
more than four points. They beat the Browns by 3, Ravens by 3, Bengals by 4,
Colts by 4 and until a touchdown by RB Derrick Henry with 46 seconds left, they
were only beating the Texans by 4. With this game being in Arizona the
Cardinals will keep it close they could pull the upset, but I like the Titans to win
another close one.
L.A. CHARGERS (6-6) over Washington (5-7)
Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET (CBS)
The Chargers have won six of their last eight ballgames and now
find themselves tied for first in the AFC West with Oakland and Kansas City.
Los Angeles has been playing really good football as of late and I think it'll
continue. They'll beat the Redskins, who looked awful last Thursday night in
Dallas, and setup a big game next week as they travel to Kansas City.
L.A. RAMS (9-3) over
Philadelphia (10-2)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET (Fox)
Great football game Sunday afternoon out in Los Angeles. Two of
the most surprising teams of the season take the field in what could be a NFC
Championship Game preview. These are both terrific football teams. The Eagles
and Rams have two of the best offenses in the game, tied for first in
points/game at 30.1, and they both have top 10 defenses. Philadelphia struggled
against Seattle Sunday night and they stayed out West this week and practiced
at Angel Stadium to reduce the jet lag. That’s a long road trip though and I really like what the Rams have done this season. Eagles lose again.
Seattle (8-4) over JACKSONVILLE
(8-4)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET (Fox)
This is one of the biggest games in recent memory for the
Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jaguars are currently tied with the Titans atop the
AFC South and need to keep winning to put the pressure on Tennessee. The
Seahawks may be without Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor, but that didn’t
stop them from knocking off arguably the best team in football, the Philadelphia
Eagles, last week in Seattle. Now, the Seahawks seem like a different team away
from CenturyLink Field, but they’re 4-2 on the road this season and will
improve to 5-2 with a close win in Jacksonville. TE Jimmy Graham also scores a
touchdown for the fifth-straight game.
PITTSBURGH (10-2) over
Baltimore (7-5)
Sunday, 8:30 p.m. ET (NBC)
Another physical game for the Steelers as the face another heated
rival, the Baltimore Ravens. Steelers will win. Still not a believer in the
Ravens offense.
New England (10-2) over MIAMI (5-7)
Monday, 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
The Patriots have won eight in a row and they'll make it nine in a
row Monday night down in Miami. New England could look past Miami as they
travel to Pittsburgh to take on the Steelers next week, but a Bill Belichick team
would never do that. Patriots play well and win easily, even without suspended TE Rob Gronkowski, setting up a huge game
next weekend.
This Week: 0-1
Last Week: 10-6
Overall: 123-70 (.641)
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