NFL Picks Week 14: Carolina Panthers and Winners That Will Shock You

Surprises have proven to be the hallmark of the 2011 NFL season, and there's little reason to think that will change in Week 14. Most of Sunday's games should be walkovers, given the disparity in the quality of the pairings, though these three teams will still leave fans wondering what happened and how it all went down.

Carolina Panthers

I know what you're thinking—how could anyone pick a 4-8 team to beat a 7-5 squad with its eye on a spot in the playoffs, if not a division crown?

Well, that 7-5 squad happens to be the Atlanta Falcons, who will be playing on the road, on real grass, a week after losing to a Houston Texans team that was down to its third-string rookie quarterback.

That's how.

Cam Newton and the Panthers are also playing confident football after racking up wins in each of their last two games, albeit against the Colts and the Buccaneers. Look for Carolina to avenge a 31-17 loss to Atlanta from Week 6, with Cam contributing tremendously on the ground and through the air.

Jacksonville Jaguars

The only thing shocking about Sunday's game between the Jaguars and the Buccaneers will be just how poor the quality of football played is.

Okay, maybe not the only thing. Tampa Bay's defense is so bad (how bad is it?) that Blaine Gabbert might actually look like a competent quarterback.

And that's no joke, even if Gabbert is in for the long-term. Thing is, these two offenses are inept enough to make the banged-up defenses look half-decent. In any case, expect to see Maurice Jones-Drew carry the Jags to their first victory under interim head coach Mel Tucker.

Miami Dolphins

Could there be a greater contrast of storylines between two 4-8 teams than the one we'll see play out when the Dolphins welcome the Eagles to Sun Life Stadium? Miami has played like a bona fide juggernaut since a dismal 0-7 start, winning four of their last five by a combined score of 120-34, not including a 20-19 loss in Dallas on Thanksgiving.

Matt Moore and Reggie Bush have given the Fins a surprisingly explosive offense to complement a solid defensive unit and give hope to football fans in South Florida that better times are soon to come.

Meanwhile, Philadelphia's struggles have been well-documented. The dream season has devolved into a nightmare, between injuries to Michael Vick and the offensive and discontent among the likes of Asante Samuel and DeSean Jackson.

Still, the Eagles would seem to have the upper hand here, with Vick returning from a rib injury along with a host of other injured teammates.

Unfortunately, he and LeSean McCoy won't find much running room against Miami's fifth-ranked run defense, ultimately allowing the Fins to continue their climb back up through the league and sending Philly into even deeper turmoil.

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