NFL Picks Week 16: The Chosen

Week 15 8-8; Season prediction tally 146-78

Friday, Dec. 25

San Diego at Tennessee —The Chargers are due for a loss, having won nine straight, and they may be letting the foot off the gas pedal just a bit with the division already in hand.

The Titans and Chris Johnson still have a chance to run into the postseason.

Pick: Titans

Sunday, Dec. 27

Oakland at Cleveland —There wasn't much rhyme or reason to the last Browns' game—two Joshua Cribbs kickoffs to the house and the third-best rushing game in NFL history by Jerome "who?" Harrison—so I won't act like I have any idea what will happen this week.

As for the Raiders, I'm still trying to figure out how they have five wins.

Pick: Browns

Seattle at Green Bay —Seattle has sunk to the bottom, they stink and they lost out on Mike Holmgren's services.

Pick: Packers

Kansas City at Cincinnati —The Bengals need this win to get a little momentum going for the playoffs.

Pick: Bengals

Jacksonville at New England —Tricky. The Jaguars are as inconsistent as they come, but that is not why they lost against the Colts.

They played perhaps their best game of the year, as did David Garrard until his errant throws late. What boggles me is what made them to decide not to give the ball to Maurice Jones-Drew in crunch time? He proved all game long that he could, and would, lead them to victory all by himself. If they only would have given him the chance.

They didn't, and they lost. That may have been their best shot, but if they have another in them they could pull off the upset here.

Pick: Jaguars

Tampa Bay at New Orleans —Coming off a loss, the Saints at home look pretty scary.

Pick: Saints

Carolina at N.Y. Giants —Uh oh, the Giants are back.

I like this young QB for Carolina though, Matt Moore is playing some solid ball with very little experience. If it were up to me I'd give him the starting nod next season.

Pick: Giants

Buffalo at Atlanta —I bleed red and black, therefore I followed QB Brian Brohm's career at Louisville. He went from potential No.1 overall draft pick to a third round pick that bombed badly in Green Bay.

For his sake I hope he was just in the wrong system, and that Buffalo, his new home, is the place where he will start to turn things around. He may get his first real shot this weekend against Atlanta who is still technically in the playoff hunt.

Even if Brohm does start, you can't expect the Bills to put up a lot of points no matter how he plays.

Pick: Falcons

Baltimore at Pittsburgh —You have to like the home team Steelers in this one, ready to avenge an earlier defeat at the talons of the Ravens, with the playoffs still in view.

Pick: Steelers

Houston at Miami —By barely beating St. Louis last game, I officially gave up on the Texans.

Pick: Dolphins

Detroit at San Francisco —Detroit may have impressed on the scoreboard against the Cardinals, but if you watched the game that was a bit deceiving.

I think the 49ers will be angry and put up a lot of points and limit the Lions to a few.

Pick: 49ers

St. Louis at Arizona —Ken Whisenhunt agrees with me . The Cardinals need to keep working to iron out the kinks before the postseason, so it appears the starters will not be resting for the last two games, which doesn't bode well for the Rams.

Pick: Cardinals

Denver at Philadelphia —Philly is looking pretty darn good and the Broncos are shaky.

It will be interesting to see how long-time Eagle Brian Dawkins will fare in this one though, should be fun to watch.

Pick: Eagles

N.Y. Jets at Indianapolis —I'm done picking the Colts to lose.

Pick: Colts

Dallas at Washington —Dallas may actually be on a roll. Or is this the dreaded let-down game?

Pick: Cowboys

Monday, Dec. 28

Minnesota at Chicago —Trouble in Minny? Chicago is a good opponent to have on your schedule when the road gets bumpy.

Pick: Vikings

This article also appears on Undrafteds.com