NFL Predictions Week 14: Can't-Miss Picks and Matchup Guide

At this point in the season, all previous evaluations of teams are ancient history.

It doesn't matter what happened two years ago, last year or even in the first few weeks of the season. The only thing that matters now is how a team is playing and perhaps the status of the coaching staff.

That's why we believe the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are no longer a joke of a team and they are capable of competing against most teams for 60 minutes. 

The Bucs have improved throughout the year, and a win last week over the Atlanta Falcons improved their record to 6-6. Now they face another division rival in the New Orleans Saints, who are struggling badly at 4-8. 

The Saints played one of their best games in Week 13 as they competed on even terms for nearly 60 minutes with the undefeated Carolina Panthers. They gave Carolina a major test, but the Saints dropped a 41-38 decision at the Superdome.

The Saints spilled their bucket and left it all on the field in an effort to pick up the win. It seems doubtful that Sean Payton will be able to get his team to muster up the same kind of effort this week at Tampa Bay.

Jameis Winston and the Bucs are the first team on the outside of the playoff picture in the NFC right now. With four games left in the season, they have a shot to get in.

But the only way they will do it is to take care of business against New Orleans and the other winnable games on the schedule. The Bucs close the season against Carolina, but they also have games against St. Louis and Chicago that could result in victories.

A 9-7 record may be good enough to earn a postseason spot for Lovie Smith's team. Running back Doug Martin and wide receiver Mike Evans are both dangerous playmakers and should be able to take advantage of the Saints' yielding defense. 

New Orleans ranks 30th in yards allowed, and the Bucs should be able to move the ball with ease at home.

The Bucs are 3.5-point favorites at home, according to Odds Shark. The belief here is that they will come with a full effort while the Saints will not. Look for the Bucs to win by at least seven points.

Game	Line	Over-Under	Selection
Minnesota at Arizona	Arizona -8.5	46.5	Minnesota; Under
Atlanta at Carolina	Carolina -8.5	46.5	Atlanta; Over
Washington at Chicago	Chicago -3.5	44	Chicago; Over
Pittsburgh at Cincinnati	Cincinnati -2.5	50	Pittsburgh; Over
San Francisco at Cleveland	Cleveland -1	41	Cleveland; Over
Indianapolis at Jacksonville	No line	--	Indianapolis
San Diego at Kansas City	Kansas City -11.5	45	San Diego; Under
Tennessee at N.Y. Jets	N.Y. Jets -7.5	43	N.Y. Jets
Buffalo at Philadelphia	Even	47	Buffalo; Under
Detroit at St. Louis	Even	40.5	Detroit; Over
New Orleans at Tampa Bay	Tampa Bay -3.5	50.5	Tampa Bay; Under
Seattle at Baltimore	No line	--	Seattle
Oakland at Denver	Denver -8.5	43.5	Oakland; Under
Dallas at Green Bay	Green Bay -7.5	43.5	Green Bay
New England at Houston	New England -3	44.5	New England; Under
N.Y. Giants at Miami	Even	47	N.Y. Giants; Over

Bears will find their offense, but so will Redskins in high-scoring game

The Chicago Bears let an opportunity for a much-needed win slip through their grasp in Week 13 at home against the San Francisco 49ers.

The Niners were the lowest-scoring team in the league and had not come close to a win on the road before going to Soldier Field and pulling off a 26-20 overtime victory. The Redskins also played a disappointing game, as they dropped a 19-16 decision at home to the Dallas Cowboys on Monday night.

The Redskins and Bears were considered two of the worst teams in the league at the start of the season, but both have exceeded expectations.

Much of their success has been due to the play of quarterbacks Jay Cutler and Kirk Cousins. Cutler has avoided many of the costly turnovers he has made in years past, while Cousins has proved to be an accurate passer who can come through at key moments.

The total in this game is 44 points, and we expect big games from the two quarterbacks, wide receivers Alshon Jeffery and Pierre Garcon and productivity in the running game.

Look for these two teams to put on a high-scoring show as the over comes through with very little trouble.

Patrick Semansky/Associated Press

Desperate Giants have edge over disinterested Dolphins

The New York Giants are 5-7 and sinking fast in the NFC East. They have dropped three games in a row and have been hurt by poor game management and coaching decisions since the first week of the season.

Head coach Tom Coughlin and Eli Manning have to share this blame, with the coach getting the lion's share. His latest gaffe was not attempting a field goal when the Giants held a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter of their Week 13 game with the New York Jets. 

Instead, when his team failed to come up with a first down deep in their opponents' territory, the Jets took advantage by rallying to send the game into overtime and winning it in the extra session.

That kind of mismanagement has been typical for the Giants this year. While they struggle when the game is on the line, they have played quite well prior to the fourth quarter. If the Giants had been a bit more adept at finishing, they could be 8-4 because Eli Manning has played very well this season.

The Giants quarterback has thrown for 3,318 yards and he has a 24-10 touchdown-to-interception ratio.

While the Giants are angry with themselves, the Dolphins have given off a "who cares" type of vibe throughout a good portion of the season. That perception got Joe Philbin fired early on, and while interim head coach Dan Campbell has a more demanding attitude, his players do not bring their best effort each week.

The Giants and Dolphins are rated at even in this game, and we believe the more desperate Giants will find a way to handle their business in this Monday night game.