NFL Picks Week 16: Can the Jets Jolt the Bears?
The final two weeks of the NFL season are upon us. Playoff spots will be filled, home field advantage will likely be decided, and the team with the first-round draft pick may become clearer.
Some of the matchups do not mean all that much. The Cowboys will face the Cardinals in a matchup where the only thing to watch is whether it will help Jason Garrett keep his job, and the Texans will face the Broncos in a battle of Tim Tebow facing a bad defense.
Some matchups, however, do mean a lot. The Saints/Falcons and the Jets/Bears matchups will have immense ramifications in the playoff hunt, to name a few. Who will win their games, and who will find themselves out of the playoffs?
Carolina Panthers at Pittsburgh Steelers
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The 2-12 Panthers face the 10-4 Steelers in a Thursday night matchup. The Steelers are looking to get a bye in the playoffs, as well as clinch the AFC North. The Panthers, meanwhile, are likely looking to get the number one draft pick at this point. Coach John Fox will go down fighting, but if Carolina wins, that's a Patriots/Browns quality upset.
Prediction: Steelers 31, Panthers 9
Dallas Cowboys at Arizona Cardinals
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The 5-9 Cowboys seem like a team on their way up, despite the loss of Tony Romo, while the 4-10 Cardinals are a team in disarray, and needless to say, will be drafting a quarterback early in the draft. Both are out of the playoff picture, but this matchup could end up being decent.
With Larry Fitzgerald finally finding some like with rookie quarterback John Skelton, the offense looks like it's, at least temporarily, starting to click. The Cowboys, meanwhile, will be without Roy Williams, and Miles Austin will have to go toe-to-toe with Larry Fitzgerald to keep the Cowboys going. Cowboys is the easy pick, but don't discount the Cards.
Cowboys 27, Cardinals 17
San Francisco 49ers at St. Louis Rams
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The 5-9 49ers and 6-8 Rams are in a position that you would not expect any team with that record to be in. They have an outside chance of making the playoffs. Somehow, a victory from either team would result in having the inside track to a playoff spot.
Troy Smith is slated to start for the 49ers, and they are 3-2 with him at quarterback, so there's the possibility of a win. The Rams, however, don't want to end up winning the division with a 7-9 record, and they've already lost once against the 49ers. As sad as this is, we could very well have three 6-9 teams in the NFC West.
Prediction: 49ers 24, Rams 23
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San Diego Chargers at Cincinnati Bengals
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This matchup has two teams going in opposite directions. The Chargers have been hot after a slow start, while the Bengals got a win after coming off a ten game losing streak. If you're a Bengals fan, this one is going to hurt.
Prediction: Chargers 38, Bengals 10
Indianapolis Colts at Oakland Raiders
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The 8-6 Colts have went from having one foot out the door in the playoff race to leading the AFC South, and the 7-7 Raiders still have a very slim chance at making the playoffs. The Colts have won two straight and seem to have a spring in their step again, but they'll be playing without Austin Collie. Luckily, they are quite deep at wide receiver.
The Raiders, meanwhile, have been back and forth in winning and losing games. Just as long as they're not already looking to next week's game against the Chiefs, they should perform well.
Prediction: Colts 31, Raiders 24
New York Giants at Green Bay Packers
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This is another game that means everything to both teams. If the 9-5 Giants win, they're all but assured a spot in the playoffs, and would knock the 8-6 Packers out of the playoffs. If the Packers win, they can take the win to their final matchup against the Bears and still have a shot at making the playoffs. Expect an exciting back and forth game here.
I have the Packers winning just because they're fighting to stay alive; the Giants could still make the playoffs with a win next week.
Prediction: Packers 27, Giants 20
New York Jets at Chicago Bears
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The game to watch on sunday, as two 10-win teams meet up in likely bad weather. Both teams are considered overrated by some, and both are coming off wins last week, as well as recent humiliating losses to the New England Patriots.
The Jets could be without Mark Sanchez, and Mark Brunell could very well make the start. This will probably end up being the difference maker. Yes, the Jets have a good running team, but if the passing game is out of sync that won't help.
Prediction: Bears 17, Jets 7
Detroit Lions at Miami Dolphins
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While these two teams are out of the playoff race, this could be a hard fought matchup. The 4-10 Lions have won two straight and are finally showing life, even if it's too little too late. The Dolphins, meanwhile, lost to the Bills after beating the Jets, so you never know which team will show up.
I had the Lions getting the upset last week, so I'll do that again.
Prediction: Lions 21, Dolphins 10
New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills
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Here's another easy one to predict as the Patriots come to town, the best team in the league right now. The Bills are tougher than they seem, and their spirits will be up after beating the Dolphins, but there's not really much to compare and contrast. I may like Ryan Fitzgerald, but can be outplay Tom Brady? That's very unlikely.
Prediction: Patriots 41, Bills 10
Baltimore Ravens at Cleveland Browns
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This looks like it would be another blowout, but the Ravens and Browns did go toe-to-toe for much of the first game, and with Colt McCoy at quarterback, the Browns are a clearly better team. Now, does that mean they'll beat the Ravens in an upset? Not with the AFC North hanging in the balance; the Ravens won't allow it.
Prediction: Ravens 27, Browns 21
Washington Redskins at Jacksonville Jaguars
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The 5-9 Redskins and 8-6 Jaguars will be shaping off in a matchup that has much more riding on it than we would have guessed at the start of the year. The Jaguars need a win to stay in the playoff picture, and the Redskins need a win to look respectable in the face of all the problems that have been popping up.
Who do you trust more, David Garrard or Rex Grossman?
Prediction: Jaguars 27, Redskins 14
Seattle Seahawks at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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Another game that is hard to believe it has playoff implications, the 6-8 Seahawks and 8-6 Buccaneers are fighting for their playoff lives, and guess which one is closer to getting in. Putting how bad the west is aside, the Bucs lost to the Lions last week and the Seahawks lost to the Falcons.
The Bucs are a team on their way up, and I can't see the Seahawks beating a clearly better team on paper.
Prediction: Buccaneers 23, Seahawks 12
Houston Texans at Denver Broncos
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Two underachieving teams face off as the 5-9 Texans face the 3-11 Broncos. Can Tim Tebow manhandle the Houston defense, and can Matt Schaub and company manhandle the Denver defense? The answer is yes on both counts, which leads to the question of which offense will do better.
Prediction: Texans 34, Broncos 31
Tennessee Titans at Kansas City Chiefs
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In this game, the 6-8 Titans are looking to finish at .500, while the Chiefs have continued to be under the radar, and could potentially clinch the AFC West with a win against the Titans. I can't see the Titans stopping the Chiefs' rushing attack, though you never know, Jason Babin has been great this year.
Prediction: Chiefs 21, Titans 14
Minnesota Vikings at Philadelphia Eagles
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This game comes down to one very simple question. Can Joe Webb outplay Michael Vick, who helped orchestrate one of the best comebacks in history last week against the Giants? Didn't think so.
Prediction: Eagles 28, Vikings 13
New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons
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In this week's Monday Night Football matchup, the Falcons can clinch home field advantage throughout the playoffs with a win, while a Saints win guarantees them a playoff spot and exacts revenge for the early overtime loss.
I have a feeling we could see these two teams face off a third time, but for now, Matt Ryan and Drew Brees will go toe to toe in the matchup of the week, and it'll be great to watch. I think the Falcons are the best team in the NFC, but I'm going to go with the upset here.
Prediction: Saints 28, Falcons 24
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