NFL Picks Week 16: Eli Manning, New York Giants Look to Bounce Back
Compared to Week 15, which was loaded with exciting match-ups and playoff implications galore, Week 16 looks to be a bit tamer, though still with plenty of action worth tuning in to.
Then again, it's tough to compare to anything to Michael Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles shocking Eli Manning and the New York Giants, or Mark Sanchez and the New York Jets upending Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field, or Rex Grossman leading the Washington Redskins to a huge comeback over the Tony Romo-less Dallas Cowboys, or...
Catch my drift?
Still, six of this week's games pit playoff hopefuls against one another, with four of those games featuring do-or-die scenarios for certain teams.
Stud and dud games alike, who will emerge victorious once Week 16 is a wrap?
Read on to find out.
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Carolina Panthers, Thursday, 8:20 PM ET
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Week 16 kicks off on Thursday night as the woeful 2-12 Carolina Panthers pay a visit to Heinz Field to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are reeling after a tough 22-17 home loss to the New York Jets.
Jimmy Clausen and the Panthers will look to play spoiler after scrounging up their second win of the season against the Arizona Cardinals, who relied on the services of quarterback John Skelton, a rookie out of Fordham (shout out to Denzel Washington!).
The Steelers, on the other hand, currently hold the divisional tie-breaker over the Baltimore Ravens, but must hold serve at home now that both teams sport identical 10-4 records.
With so much on the line, expect Big Ben to lead Pittsburgh to an easy victory, perhaps even beating the Vegas spread that favors the Steelers by 14.5 points.
Prediction: Steelers 24, Panthers 7
Dallas Cowboys at Arizona Cardinals, Saturday, 7:30 PM ET
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As a reward for their defeat to the mighty Panthers, the Arizona Cardinals get to host the new and improved Dallas Cowboys on Christmas Day.
Despite a 5-9 record, interim head coach Jason Garrett has the Cowboys playing well without Tony Romo of late, winning four of their last six games after starting the season 1-7.
Meanwhile, what has been a tough season for the Cards only figures to get tougher, with a quagmire at quarterback yielding Fordham rookie Jamie Skelton under center.
Not exactly ideal for Ken Whisenhunt's crew, which is likely to take a few lumps of coal in this one.
Prediction: Cowboys 20, Cardinals 13
Washington Redskins at Jacksonville Jaguars, Sunday, 1:00 PM ET
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Sunday's early afternoon slate kicks off with the Redskins traveling to Florida to take on the Jaguars.
Despite a thrilling 33-30 comeback win over the Cowboys in Week 15, Washington is yet again in a state of turmoil, with Donovan McNabb complaining about being told about his own benching after the media already knew and Mike Shanahan drawing the ire of 'Skins fans everywhere for doing little to improve on the franchise's recent status quo.
Jacksonville, on the other hand, is fresh off 10-point loss at Indianapolis and will look to keep pace with the now-AFC South-leading Colts with a win in Week 16.
Look for Maurice Jones-Drew and the Jags to bounce back at home to keep themselves in the AFC playoff picture.
Prediction: Jaguars 27, Redskins 20
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Miami Dolphins vs. Detroit Lions, Sunday, 1:00 PM ET
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This weekend's match-up between the Miami Dolphins and the Detroit Lions will be one of only three games on the entire slate that does not feature at least one team with a shot at the playoffs.
If anything, this one could turn out to be a contest between lame duck coaches.
In Miami's case, Tony Sparano may get the boot from GM Jeff Ireland once the season ends after following up a mark of 11-5 in his first year with a 7-9 record in 2009 and splitting 14 games thus far in 2010. Sparano's exit looks more certain now that the Dolphins are firmly outside of the playoff picture in the AFC and with news that former Steelers coach Bill Cowher has an interest in the job.
Detroit's Jim Schwartz seems less likely to be let go than Sparano, as Schwartz has been charged with the tough task of turning around the culture of losing in the Lions organization while only infrequently having the services of 2009 #1 overall pick Matt Stafford at his disposal.
Regardless, the Dolphins hold the slight edge in this one, if only by virtue of Detroit's 1-6 road record.
Prediction: Dolphins 17, Lions 14
San Francisco 49eres vs. St. Louis Rams, Sunday, 1:00 PM ET
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When was the last time a 5-9 team and a 6-8 squared off with legitimate playoff aspirations on the line?
That passage of time won't matter once the Rams and 49ers meet on the field for the 124th edition of this storied rivalry between longtime NFC West foes.
San Francisco stole the first meeting between these two teams this season in an overtime thriller at Candlestick Park back in November, thanks to the solid play of quarterback Troy Smith and a 29-yard field goal by Joe Nedney to win it.
Niners coach Mike Singletary has yet to name a starter for the game, despite starter Alex Smith's 4-1 career record against St. Louis, most likely in light of Troy Smith's success in the team's previous win over the Rams.
St. Louis will step onto the turf at the Edward Jones Dome with the NFC West title in their grasp, though the firmness of it will be determined once the game is over.
Sam Bradford and company will look to keep the Rams on the track for the playoffs just a year removed from finishing 1-15.
Expect a close one, with St. Louis eking it out to eliminate San Fran from the postseason chase.
Prediction: Rams 21, Niners 20
Kansas City Chiefs vs. Tennessee Titans, Sunday 1:00 PM ET
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The Tennessee Titans are arguably the biggest postseason spoilers of the week, with a chance to knock the Kansas City Chiefs down yet another peg while inching themselves toward a .500 finish.
The Titans took care of the Texans last week, 31-17, while the Chiefs likewise dispatched the Rams by two touchdowns in the Battle for Missouri.
Matt Cassel and company are looking to stay a step ahead of hard-charging San Diego to clinch KC's first playoff berth since the 2006-2007 season.
Unfortunately for the Chiefs, the combination of pressure from the Chargers and a big game from Titans running back Chris Johnson will likely push Todd Haley's team to the brink on Sunday.
Prediction: Titans 27, Chiefs 21
New York Jets at Chicago Bears, Sunday, 1:00 PM ET
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Another week has brought more unwanted off-field attention to the New York Jets.
This time, the news concerns head coach Rex Ryan, who refused to confirm or deny the authenticity of foot-fetish videos that allegedly feature his wife Michelle.
The bigger story, at least on the field, is the status of Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez, whose status as New York's starting quarterback is a game-time decision in light of a sore shoulder.
With or without Sanchez, the Jets have the tough task of taking on the Bears, coming off a 40-14 stomping of the Minnesota Vikings, at the frigid Soldier Field in Chicago.
The Jets have a serious bit of momentum on their side after taking out the Steelers in Pittsburgh last week. Look for New York's secondary, led by Darrell Revis and Antonio Cromartie, to play a huge role in this game against Chicago's pick-prone Jay Cutler.
Prediction: Jets 14, Bears 13
New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills, Sunday, 1:00 PM ET
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Quick breakdown here.
The Pats are 12-2 and atop the AFC East, with Tom Brady playing some of the best football of his career in leading New England on a six-game win streak.
The Bills, on the other hand, are 4-10 and in the division cellar, but have won two games in a row for Chan Gailey with Ryan Fitzpatrick at quarterback.
This one could be a trap game for the Patriots, who've already clinched a first-round bye in the AFC and, thus, have little to play for other than a better record.
That being said, don't expect Bill Belichick to let his team give up a game for free.
Prediction: Patriots 38, Bills 31
Baltimore Ravens at Cleveland Browns, Sunday, 1:00 PM ET
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Hmmm, let's see here.
The Cleveland Browns are 5-9, have little other than pride to play for and will trot out a banged-up Peyton Hillis against a team they already lost to when Hillis was healthy.
The Baltimore Ravens are 10-4 and have everything to play for with the AFC North title in the balance. Add to the mix a huge win over the defending champion New Orleans Saints last week, and this one doesn't even begin to look close.
Prediction: Ravens 28, Browns 20
Denver Broncos vs. Houston Texans, Sunday, 4:05 PM ET
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The afternoon slate will begin with the Houston Texans dropping by Invesco Field to match up with the Denver Broncos.
The Broncos have something of a quarterback controversy on their hands, with former starter Kyle Orton lashing out in public against the organization for benching him in favor of 2010 first-round pick and America's golden boy Tim Tebow. Orton contends that his performance this season hasn't warranted a demotion, though the team's 3-11 record suggests there's no time like the present to see if Tebow is, indeed, the team's quarterback of the future.
The Texans don't exactly have much to play for either after getting taken down by the Titans last week, dropping Houston's record to 5-9 on the season and raising the temperature of head coach Gary Kubiak's hot seat.
This game will likely be a battle of attrition, with the Texans being just...errr...not bad enough to overcome the porous Denver defense thanks to the talents of Matt Schaub and Arian Foster.
Prediction: Texans 41, Broncos 35
San Diego Chargers at Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, 4:05 PM ET
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The Bolts are back, as are the Bungles, I mean Bengals.
San Diego is red-hot at 8-6, having won six out of seven games after starting the season 2-5 as Philip Rivers has continued his march toward yet another MVP-worthy season under center. As well as the Chargers have played of late, they still stand a game behind Kansas City in the AFC West with two games to go, making this week's game at Paul Brown Stadium that much more important.
Meanwhile, the only thing Cincinnati is chasing these days, at 3-11, is the top pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. The Bengals could be in store for a roster implosion after the season, and head coach Marvin Lewis and quarterback Carson Palmer could be the first big names to go.
In the immediate term, expect the Chargers to come out swinging for their playoff lives on Sunday.
Prediction: Chargers 35, Bengals 20
Indianapolis Colts at Oakland Raiders, Sunday, 4:05 PM ET
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Like clockwork, the Indianapolis Colts are back on top in the AFC South by virtue of a 34-24 victory over the division rival Jaguars in Week 15.
Peyton Manning looks to be back in MVP form after a rough stretch in which he threw 11 picks in three games and, with Joseph Addai set to return this weekend, the Colts are gathering steam heading into yet another playoff run.
The Oakland Raiders still have a shot of their own at the postseason, albeit a fleeting one, with a 7-7 record and a two-game deficit to make up in the AFC West.
Both teams have plenty riding on this game, though the Colts should be ready for the Black Hole in Oakland on Sunday.
Prediction: Colts 27, Raiders 24
New York Giants at Green Bay Packers, Sunday, 4:15 PM ET
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Simple breakdown here.
If the Giants win, they're into the playoffs. If the Packers lose, they're out of the playoffs.
Without another monumental collapse, New York will win this game. Without Aaron Rodgers, who has already suffered two concussions this season, Green Bay will be lucky to hold serve at Lambeau Field.
As such, the Giants dominant D-line, led by Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck, will come after Rodgers with everything they've got.
Prediction: Giants 24, Packers 17
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Vs. Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, 4:15 PM ET
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At 6-8, the Seahawks may be inferior to the 8-6 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but Seattle has a far superior shot at the playoffs.
But that's just life in the NFC West these days.
The Bucs have already been eliminated from divisional contention in the NFC South, but are still technically in the picture for a Wild Card berth.
Tampa Bay looks like a solid pick to win at home this week, though the 'Hawks will still be in the hunt for the playoffs with a loss.
Prediction: Buccaneers 27, Seahawks 21
Philadelphia Eagles Vs. Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, 8:20 PM ET
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Leslie Frazier will lead the Vikings into Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday night, and everyone watching will hope and pray that he doesn't let Brett Favre limp onto the field.
Despite concussions, fractured ankles, and bum shoulders, Favre has yet to be forcibly placed on injured reserve by Minnesota management, meaning that he just might play this weekend, much to the chagrin of the American public.
Whether Favre plays or not, the Eagles will be the heavy favorites in this one, with Michael Vick's stellar play and the momentum from the team's 21-point fourth-quarter comeback against the Giants in Week 15 being enough to put Philadelphia over the top.
Prediction: Eagles 38, VIkings 21
New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons, Monday, 8:30 PM ET
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The folks at ESPN landed themselves a doozy on Monday night this week with the Saints heading to the Georgia Dome to take on the Atlanta Falcons in an NFC South battle.
A win by Mike Smith's squad would clinch the division title and the top seed in the NFC for the Dirty Birds, while a victory by Drew Brees' bunch would leave the door open for a charge back to the top by Nawlins.
Atlanta is the odds-on favorite is this one, with an eight-game win streak and home field advantage in its favor, but New Orleans is the superior team on paper.
Look for the Saints, led by the "Who Dat" defense, to bounce back from a Week 15 loss at Baltimore and upend Hotlanta to keep their NFC South dreams alive.
Prediction: Saints 20, Falcons 17
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