Sunday, December 29, 2013

NFL Week 17 Picks

Carolina over ATLANTA

CINCINNATI over Baltimore

TENNESSEE over Houston

INDIANAPOLIS over Jacksonville

MIAMI over New York Jets

Detroit over MINNESOTA

NEW YORK GIANTS over Washington

PITTSBURGH over Cleveland

Green Bay over CHICAGO

Denver over OAKLAND

NEW ENGLAND over Buffalo

NEW ORLEANS over Tampa Bay

San Francisco over ARIZONA

Kansas City over SAN DIEGO

SEATTLE over St. Louis

Philadelphia over DALLAS

Last Week: 9-7

Overall: 148-92

Sunday, December 22, 2013

NFL Week 16 Picks

Miami over BUFFALO

New Orleans over CAROLINA

Dallas over WASHINGTON

ST. LOUIS over Tampa Bay

PHILADELPHIA over Chicago

NEW YORK JETS over Cleveland

KANSAS CITY over Indianapolis

CINCINNATI over Minnesota

Denver over Houston

JACKSONVILLE over Tennessee

SEATTLE over Arizona

DETROIT over New York Giants

SAN DIEGO over Oakland

GREEN BAY over Pittsburgh

New England over Baltimore

SAN FRANCISCO over Atlanta

Last Week: 8-8

Overall: 139-85

Home team in CAPS

Thursday, December 12, 2013

NFL Week 15 Picks: Detroit Lions To Best Baltimore Ravens on Monday Night

San Diego (6-7) at Denver (11-2)

The Broncos keep churning, as they put up 51 points last week.

The Chargers got a victory against the Giants, but the Broncos are better than the Giants and they're even harder to beat at home.

Denver wins.

Washington (3-10) at Atlanta (3-10)


Kirk Cousins may be the shot in the arm the Redskins need, but this is a team that lost by 35 points at home last week.

The Falcons couldn't edge out Green Bay last week but at home they have a good shot against the Redskins.

Atlanta wins.

Arizona (8-5) at Tennessee (5-8)

After losing to the Eagles, the Cardinals picked themselves up with a 30 point victory over the Rams. Is it possible the NFC West gets three playoff teams? The Cardinals are in the hunt.

The Titans had a tough task against the Broncos last week. The team hasn't showed much promise since Jake Locker was injured for the season, though. There's even rumors of cutting Chris Johnson after this season.

Arizona wins.

San Francisco (9-4) at Tampa Bay (4-9)

The 49ers squeaked out a big victory over the Seahawks last week. Frank Gore had a monster day rushing the ball and although the team only had 155 yards passing, Anquan Boldin still managed to reel in 93 yards receiving.

The Buccaneers won again last week, but the 49ers are a playoff team and if they want to prove they are a legitimate championship contender, this is a game they have to win.

San Francisco wins.

New Orleans (10-3) at St. Louis (5-8)

Since winning two consecutive games to close out November, the Rams have lost two in a row. They are also only 3-3 at home this season.

The Saints just had a strong showing against the Panthers, beating them by 18 and ending their eight game winning streak.

The Saints are the stronger team and will show it.

New Orleans wins.

Seattle (11-2) at New York Giants (5-8)

The Seahawks lost for the first time in two months, but they should be able to get back on track against the Giants.

The Giants were eliminated from playoff contention last week after losing to the Chargers.

While the Seahawks are second in the league in takewaways, the Giants lead the league in turnovers and Eli Manning is first in the NFC in interceptions thrown.

Seattle wins.

Chicago (7-6) at Cleveland (4-9)

The Bears put up an impressive 45 points last week against the Cowboys. The Dallas defense isn't that good, but Chicago did what it needed to to take advantage of it. Alshon Jeffrey has been very impressive lately.

The Browns fought hard against the Patriots, but in the end it was another loss.

Expect the Bears to continue to ride the momentum from last week.

Chicago wins.

Houston (2-11) at Indianapolis (8-5)

Last week, after the Texans' loss to the Jaguars I tweeted, "Why do I keep picking the #Texans to win games? #NFL".

If something is broken, it's time to change. The Texans front office fired the head coach and I'm picking against them, which is easy to do when they play the division leading Colts on the road.

Indianapolis wins.

Buffalo (4-9) at Jacksonville (4-9)

The Jaguars have won four of their past five games, an amazing feat considering how futile they looked at the beginning of the season.

They now have the same record as the Bills, who have lost five of their past six games, including three losses in a row on the road.

When I finally pick the Jaguars, conventional wisdom says that will be the week they lose, but the Bills are just playing that poorly lately.

Jacksonville wins.

New England (10-3) at Miami (7-6)


Bill Belichick recently said about the Dolphins that despite the bullying media firestorm earlier this season, the Dolphins are still taking care of business.

While the Dolphins have won games and are very much in the playoff race, they haven't been very convincing doing so. The team isn't consistent and still makes enough mistakes that good teams should be able to capitalize on. They also don't fare as well against teams with winning records.

New England wins.

Philadelphia (8-5) at Minnesota (3-9-1)

The Vikings gave a spirited effort against the Ravens last week, but fell short. There's also the question of how effective Adrian Peterson will be after suffering an ankle injury, if he even plays at all.

The Eagles are rolling and the Vikings don't seem to be good enough this year to stop them.

Philadelphia wins.

Kansas City (10-3) at Oakland (4-9)


The Raiders may be better at home than on the road, but they still lost to the Jets last week. They even allowed the Jets, a team that is 31st in the league in points scored, to put up 37 points last week.

The Chiefs scored 45 points of their own on the road last week and should have another successful outing this week.

Kansas City wins.

New York Jets (6-7) at Carolina (9-4)

The Panthers had their winning streak stopped last week and they went down with a whimper.

Conversely the Jets ended their losing streak, scored their largest point total to date and won by double digits.

Still, I expect things to go back to normal for these teams this week. The Panthers get homefield advantage and the Jets seem to give the ball away like candy on the road.

Carolina wins.

Green Bay (6-6-1) at Dallas (7-6)

It looks like Aaron Rodgers isn't likely to play for the Packers this weekend, which is good news for the porous Cowboys secondary.

The Cowboys were embarrassed in prime time last week. What works in their favor this week is that they are home. The Cowboys are 5-1 at home, with the only loss coming in the high scoring thriller against Denver, who was undefeated at the time.

The Packers are 2-4 on the road this year and are 1-4-1 since the beginning of November.

Dallas wins.

Cincinnati (9-4) at Pittsburgh (5-8)

The Bengals are only 3-4 on the road and 2-2 against the division. That could be worrisome, but the Steelers are also 2-2 against the division and only 3-3 at home. It's not a losing record, but it's not dominant either.

The Bengals are the division leaders, beat the Steelers earlier in the season, and are coming off a huge win against the Colts.

The Steelers on the other hand have lost two in a row, including last week when they blew a late lead at home against the Dolphins.

Cincinnati wins.

Baltimore (7-6) at Detroit (7-6)

The Ravens are fighting for a wild card spot but they are 1-5 on the road this season. That should bode well for the struggling Lions.

Detroit is 1-3 in its past four games, but the Lions are 4-2 at home this year. Stafford has thrown one more touchdown at home than on the road (in one fewer game) and has 345.2 yards passing per game at home compared to 236.4 passing yards per game on the road.

If he can keep his turnovers down, the Lions could be in a good position to win this game.

Detroit wins.

Last Week: 11-5

Overall: 131-77

Thursday, December 5, 2013

NFL Week 14 Picks: New Orleans Saints to Come Up Big Against Carolina Panthers



Houston (2-10) at Jacksonville (3-9)

The Jaguars have won three of their past four games. Who saw that coming?

The Texans have lost 10 in a row, including two weeks ago against the Jaguars at home.

Momentum seems to be in Jacksonville’s favor, but the Texans have shown that they refuse to give up. Their last sixes are all by only one score. People may say there are no sentimental victories in the NFL but if you keep plugging enough, one of those bounces is bound to go your way.

Houston running back Ben Tate had a huge week last week and the Jaguars are 29th in the league in rushing yards allowed per game.

Houston wins.

Indianapolis (8-4) at Cincinnati (8-4)

Both teams are division leaders but haven’t been the most consistent teams this season. The turnover battle will be key in this game.

Four games ago, Andrew Luck had three interceptions against the Rams. It was a bad performance but it was still more of an anomaly for this season. It was the only time this season he had more than one interception in a game, compared to six games where he hasn’t thrown an interception at all.

Andy Dalton has only two games this season where he hasn’t thrown a pick. He has four games where he’s thrown two or more interceptions, three of which have come in the past four games.

Indianapolis is a plus-six in turnover differential, while Cincinnati is a minus-one.

Indianapolis wins.

Cleveland (4-8) at New England (9-3)


The Browns don't have any of the first three quarterbacks are all hurt. Jason Campbell just began practicing but wasn’t cleared at the beginning of the week. Against a division leader like the Patriots, who keep finding a way to win close games, that just spells out trouble.

New England wins.

Oakland (4-8) at New York Jets (5-7)

The Jets can run the ball with Chris Ivory, but they just don't give him enough touches, especially early in the game.

Turnovers doom this offense, and while the Raiders aren't the strongest team in the league, they do have the ability to move the ball.

With Rex Ryan benching Geno Smith last week, with all the turnovers and missed opportunities, with the current losing streak, the Jets do not inspire confidence no matter who the opposition is.

Oakland wins.

Atlanta (3-9) at Green Bay (5-6-1)

It’s possible Aaron Rodgers returns soon and the Packers still have a chance to get in the playoffs. They absolutely need a win here. Without Rodgers they need to grind it out.

Eddie Lacey is having a very good rookie season, and the Packers are eighth in the league in rushing yards per game.

On the other hand, the Falcons are 30th in rushing yards allowed per game.

Last week was Atlanta’s first victory since Week 7. The Packers, at home, should also be aided by a dome team (Atlanta) playing in the cold December of Green Bay.

Green Bay wins.

Detroit (7-5) at Philadelphia (7-5)

The Eagles are on a roll, wining four in a row. Nick Foles is cementing himself as the Eagles starting quarterback and he hasn’t thrown an interception yet this season.

The Lions have been average this season: some good games, some bad games, and no real streaks, winning or losing. But Matthew Stafford has not looked sharp as of late. He has six interceptions in his past two games and 10 interceptions in his past five games.

The Eagles are finally taking care of business at home, and their overall play has been much better recently than that of the Lions.

Philadelphia wins.

Miami (6-6) at Pittsburgh (5-7)

The Dolphins play calling has been suspect this season but it seems like they are finally starting to get the passing game going.

The offensive line looked better against the Jets last week, even if they didn't have an ideal performance. More importantly, they finally have gotten Mike Wallace involved in the offense. After having only one touchdown through the first 12 weeks of the season, he has one in each of the team's past two games. Not only has Wallace performed well, but when Miami gets him involved it opens up the field further for Charles Clay and Brian Hartline, who have had some big weeks this season.

Pittsburgh's defense has showed its age this season and doesn't have the same momentum that the Dolphins currently have.

Miami wins.

Buffalo (4-8) at Tampa Bay (3-9)

The Bills have four wins, but they keep finding ways to lose games. They had the Falcons on the ropes last week but couldn't put them away. Holding on to the football is crucial and the Bills let the ball and the game slip through their hands last week.

The Buccaneers return home, which should help them bounce back from last weekend's loss. Mike Glennon seems to have developed a good relationship with Vincent Jackson and they should have a good game against the Bills.

Tampa Bay wins.

Kansas City (9-3) at Washington (3-9)

The Redskins defense cannot stop the pass. It's the same story week in and week out.

While the Chiefs have gone into a rut, Alex Smith put on a good performance last week against the Broncos. Against a team of the caliber of the Redskins, the Chiefs should finally be able to get back on track.

Kansas City wins.

Minnesota (3-8-1) at Baltimore (6-6)

The Vikings have played in two consecutive overtime games and are 1-0-1. It's been a pleasant surprise for Minnesota compared to the rest of the season.

The Ravens were very shaky in the beginning of the season, but they've been on the winning side more often than not in recent weeks, especially at home. They seem to be putting things together, despite still struggling in the running game.

Baltimore wins.

Tennessee (5-7) at Denver (10-2)

The Broncos beat the Chiefs last weekend for the second time in three weeks. All season, they have looked like one of the best teams in the league.

At home against an inconsistent team like the Titans, it is hard to think Tennessee will top the Broncos.

Denver wins.

St. Louis (5-7) at Arizona (7-5)

The Rams have put forth some spirited efforts this season, but last week they were brought back down to Earth.

While the Cardinals did lose last week, it was on the road to a very hot Philadelphia team.

At home, they should be able to bounce back. Michael Floyd has developed into a good wideout this year with Carson Palmer at quarterback, and he's benefited from being on the opposite side of Larry Fitzgerald.

Arizona wins.

New York Giants (5-7) at San Diego (5-7)

The Giants are working on a shortened week, were away last week and travel to the West Coast this week. It's not an ideal schedule.

Although the Giants won last week and the Chargers lost, both teams have been inconsistent this season. With home field advantage and an extra day of rest, the Chargers should have the edge in this one.

San Diego wins.

Seattle (11-1) at San Francisco (8-4)

The Seahawks are 11-1, but they have had some rough games this season where big comebacks late have been necessary.

Against winning teams like the Saints and 49ers, however, the Seahawks have blown them out of the water.

Both of those wins did come at home for the Seahawks, and the 49ers have improved as the season has gone on, especially the efficiency of their passing game.

Still, the Seahawks defense seems to be firing away without any issues. They've stymied teams, particularly in the passing game, and have already handled the 49ers once this season.

Seattle wins.

Carolina (9-3) at New Orleans (9-3)

The Panthers are on a roll, but Drew Brees and the Saints seem to always rise to the occasion during home games in prime time.

New Orleans wins.

Dallas (7-5) at Chicago (6-6)

Even with Alshon Jeffrey's huge game last week, the Bears found a way to let the game go to overtime and lose. That's been happening a lot in recent weeks.

The Cowboys have taken care of business in recent weeks and have a little bit of extra rest since they played on Thanksgiving.

Dallas wins.

Last Week: 12-4

Overall: 120-72

Thursday, November 28, 2013

NFL Week 13 Picks: Seattle Seahawks To Win Marquee Monday Night Game



Green Bay (5-5-1) at Detroit (6-5)

The Lions haven't won on Thanksgiving in nine years. That's a scary fact for a team that gets a home game on this day. They should own it.

The Packers also bested the Lions earlier this season.

It's time to turn those fortunes around though.

Detroit is 3-2 at home and the Lions defensive line has played very well this season. They should be able to get after Matt Flynn (Green Bay's fourth QB this season) and cause some havoc.

Detroit wins.

Oakland (4-7) at Dallas (6-5)

The Cowboys have been inconsistent this season, but they do have two wins in their past three games, including a big win for momentum at Met Life against the rival Giants last week.

The Raiders have lost three of their last four and are 1-4 on the road this season.

The Cowboys are 21-15-1 on Thanksgiving.

Dallas wins.

Pittsburgh (5-6) at Baltimore (5-6)

The Ravens have won two of their past three, both wins coming at home.

Neither team has been impressive nor consistent are this season and both are coming off wins.

At home, the Ravens should have the edge.

Baltimore wins.

Tennessee (5-6) at Indianapolis (7-4)

The Colts have alternated wins the past four weeks, losing two of their previous three.

They are 3-0 against the rest of the AFC South, however, and defeated the Titans on the road just two weeks ago.

The Colts running game has struggled mightily in recent weeks, which has affected the team's record. Tennessee has one of the worst rushing defenses in the league however and should be a good place for the Colts backfield to get on track.

Indianapolis wins.

Jacksonville (2-9) at Cleveland (4-7)

The Jaguars have enjoyed two wins on the road in the past three weeks. Can they string together consecutive victories?

The Browns are 3-3 at home this season. While the offense has been out of sync lately, the defense has played well this year and the secondary should fare well against Jacksonville's passing game.

Cleveland wins.

Tampa Bay (3-8) at Carolina (8-3)

The Buccaneers are surprising winners of three games in a row but they run into the hottest team in all of football, and on the road no less.

The Panthers are winners of seven games in a row, and they also have a four-game home winning streak. In their seven-game win streak, Carolina already bested Tampa Bay on the road by 18 points. It should be a similar result this time around.

Carolina wins.

Chicago (6-5) at Minnesota (2-8-1)

While Chicago has struggled in the past three weeks as well as on the road this season, the Vikings have struggled this season and still have a home record under .500.

The Bears need a win to stay in the NFC North lead and they should take advantage of a weak Vikings squad.

Chicago wins.

New England (8-3) at Houston (2-9)

The Patriots definitely were the benefactors of some luck when they beat the Broncos last week, yes. But they did have to do some work to put themselves in a position to be able to benefit from it. Down 24-0, they clawed their way back when most counted them out.

The Texans, meanwhile, failed to score a single touchdown at home against the Jaguars of all teams. Houston isn't showing the ability to win games like New England is.

New England wins.

Arizona (7-4) at Philadelphia (6-5)

Both teams are on a role in recent weeks and have been fun to watch. Both are throwing the football well during their streaks as well.

Nick Foles has been particularly good, however. He has 16 TD passes in eight games and has no interceptions this season.

Philadelphia wins.

Miami (5-6) at New York Jets (5-6)

Both teams are still in the playoff hunt despite inconsistent performances and subpar offenses.

The difference in this game is that the while the Dolphins are inefficient and get sacked a lot (no one in the league has been sacked more than Ryan Tannehill) the Jets turn the ball over at an alarming rate. Geno Smith has a number of multiple interception games.

Sometimes taking a sack is better than risking the pick-six.

Miami wins.

Atlanta (2-9) at Buffalo (4-7)

The Bills may have a record below .500 but they are 3-3 at home.

The Falcons have lost five in a row and have zero wins on the road. There’s just no reason to think this will be the time they win against a decent Bills team.

Buffalo wins.

St. Louis (5-6) at San Francisco (7-4)

The Rams have won two in a row but are 1-2 in the division, including an early season loss to the 49ers at home.

The 49ers took care of Washington last week with one of their better passing games all season. Adding to 49ers good fortune is the return of Michael Crabtree. He may not be ready to be an every down player, but his presence will open up the passing game. It should be another good day in the air for the 49ers as they go up against the Rams’ 22nd ranked passing defense in yards allowed per game.

San Francisco wins.

Cincinnati (5-6) at San Diego (7-4)


The Chargers are 27th in the NFL in passing yards allowed per game. That should mean good things for Andy Dalton and A.J. Green. The Bengals entered their bye week with a big 21-point victory after two tough overtime losses. It’s a good sign that they won before an extended break to keep morale in good shape.

The Chargers picked up a huge win against the Chiefs on the road last week. That being said it was their first win in four weeks. The Bengals pass defense should nullify the Chargers passing offense.

Cincinnati wins.

Denver (9-2) at Kansas City (9-2)


Both teams gave up leads last week and lost heartbreakers. But the Broncos were up 24-0 at the half. They got 224 yards from Knowshon Moreno. How did they let that one slip?

It was because of mental mistakes, turnovers, penalties and a defense that ranks 30th in the league in passing yards allowed per game and is 26th in points allowed per game.

The Chiefs may have lost to the Broncos two weeks ago and lost at home last week, but they are still 5-1 at home this season with a long history of being strong at home.

The Chiefs do have lots of talent all over the field and despite some injuries, I expect them to come out more prepared for Denver this time around.

Kansas City wins.

New York Giants (4-7) at Washington (3-8)

The Giants had their four game winning streak snapped at the hands of the Cowboys last play of the game. They fought back in the second half, but they put themselves really in too deep of a hole to start.

That being said, the Redskins have really been poor this year. They have lost three in a row, and four of their previous five games. Five of their eight losses this season have been by at least 10 points. Mike Shanahan and Robert Griffin III are both coming under heavy criticism.

This is a good place for the Giants to grab a victory before they hit another tough stretch of games to end the season.

New York Giants win.

New Orleans (9-2) at Seattle (10-1)

This is a match-up of two teams that have legitimate chances of reaching the Super Bowl. While both teams have strong passing defenses, Seattle’s best asset on offense is its running game. The Seahawks secondary should make a bigger impact in this game.

The Seahawks are 5-0 at home this season and also have a strong track record playing in Seattle. They also have the benefit of coming off their bye week, getting to rest up Marshawn Lynch and prepare longer for New Orleans.

Seattle wins.

Last Week: 6-8

Overall: 108-68

Thursday, November 21, 2013

NFL Week 12 Picks: Arizona Cardinals To Continue Winning Ways Against Indianapolis Colts




New Orleans (8-2) at Atlanta (2-8)

With two wins this season and four consecutive losses by at least 13 points, there's no reason to continue picking the Falcons to win football games. Unless they play Jacksonville, which they don't.

New Orleans wins.

Tampa Bay (2-8) at Detroit (6-4)

The Bucs have won two in a row after losing their first eight games of the season. Those two wins were at home though, and now they'll have to go on the road to face a Lions team that is better than either Miami or Atlanta.

The Lions blew a late lead against the Steelers last week but they have yet to lost two games in a row this season and are 3-1 at home.

This could be a fun game to watch as both offenses should be able to pass the ball fairly well, but at home and with more weapons the Lions should take care of business.

Detroit wins.

Minnesota (2-8) at Green Bay (5-5)

The Packers have lost three straight and in two games in relief this year, quarterback Scott Tolzien has thrown five interceptions, compared to just one touchdown.

Tolzein's accurate though (when hitting his own receivers) , completing 65.8 percent of his passes. That would be good enough for sixth in the league.

The Vikings defense is 29th in the league in passing yards allowed per game. They are tied for 20th in the league in interceptions, tied for 24th in sacks, and have given up the most touchdown passes.

Expect a healthy dose of Eddie Lacey for the Packers, but Tolzein should also fare better against the Vikings.

Green Bay wins.

Jacksonville (1-9) at Houston (2-8)

The Texans haven't won since Week 2, but they continue to fight. In the last four games they have only lost by a single score and an average of 3.0 points per game.

The Jaguars went back to losing last week and should continue to do so on the road in Week 12.

Houston wins.

San Diego (4-6) at Kansas City (9-1)

The Chiefs may have been knocked out of the unbeaten ranks, but this should be a good bounce back week for them.

At home, they are 5-0 this season. Against teams under .500, they are 7-0.

The Chargers are under .500 after losing to the struggling Dolphins last week. They are also 2-4 on the road.

Kansas City wins.

Carolina (7-3) at Miami (5-5)

Even though the Dolphins are 3-2 at home, the Panthers may be too much to handle.

Carolina has won six games in a row, three of which were on the road. Miami's play calling on offense has been rather conservative and the Panthers defense, which is fifth in passing yards allowed per game and third in rushing yards per game, should smother them.

Carolina wins.

Pittsburgh (4-6) at Cleveland (4-6)

The Steelers started off slow but are picking up steam as the season goes on. They have won two consecutive games and four out of their past six.

Meanwhile, the Browns have lost four out of their past five games.

Cleveland is 3-2 at home this season, but momentum seems to be in Pittsburgh's favor. The turnover battle should come into play in this game. Last week the Steelers caused three turnovers against the Lions, while Cleveland turned the ball over four times, including three interceptions.

Pittsburgh wins.

Chicago (6-4) at St. Louis (4-6)

Josh McCown has fared well for the Bears this year. He's got 754 yards passing in four games, to go with five touchdowns and zero interceptions. The team is also 2-0 when he starts, and he'll be starting this weekend.

The Rams got a big win two weeks ago against the Colts and are coming off a bye week, but they are actually under .500 (2-3) at home.

Chicago wins.

New York Jets (5-5) at Baltimore (4-6)

The Jets have alternated wins and losses, but they have been dismal on the road this year (1-4).

The Jets are a game ahead of the Ravens in the standings, but Baltimore is 3-1 at home this year.

Geno Smith is second in the league in interceptions (16), while Joe Flacco is fifth (13). In away games, Smith has thrown 10 picks, while Flacco has only thrown two picks at home.

Baltimore wins.

Tennessee (4-6) at Oakland (4-6)

The Titans are awfully weak at defending the run. They are 20th in the league in rushing yards allowed per game and are tied for allowing the most rushing touchdowns (15) in the league.

The Raiders are fourth in the league in rushing yards per game and last week Rashad Jennings had 150 yards rushing and a touchdown. He's rushed for at least 100 yards and a touchdown in two of his past three games.

Oakland wins.

Indianapolis (7-3) at Arizona (6-4)

Since beating Denver and coming out of the bye, the Colts have not looked very sharp. They are 2-1 since beating the Broncos, but they needed comebacks to beat Houston and Tennessee by three points each and were demoralized by the Rams at home.

The Cardinals have won three straight and are 4-1 at home. Carson Palmer threw for 419 yards and two touchdowns in last week's win and it was the first game this season he hasn't thrown a pick.

The Colts are 21st in total yards allowed, while the Cardinals are eighth.

Arizona wins.

Dallas (5-5) at New York Giants (4-6)

The Cowboys looked like the strongest team in the NFC East a few weeks ago, but they've lost two of their past three games. Both losses came on the road and they are 1-4 on the road this season.

The Giants are hot, winning four in a row, three of which were at home. The Giants will have their work cut out for them later in the season with three road games in their final five, but right now they have all the momentum and home field advantage.

New York Giants win.

Denver (9-1) at New England (7-3)

The Broncos just knocked off the only undefeated team remaining in the league. They're first in passing yards for and first in points per game. I can see wide receiver Wes Welker having a big game against his former team.

The Patriots are and have been banged up defensively. They are 20th in the league in yards allowed per game.

The Pats are undefeated at home, but do they have the horses to keep up with the Broncos?

Denver wins.

San Francisco (6-4) at Washington (3-7)

For all the talk about the final (non)call in the New England-Carolina game last week, 49ers fans had plenty to gripe about as well with roughing the passer calls.

What's done is done, however, and the 49ers have now lost two consecutive games coming out of the bye week. Those were against teams with winning records. They won't have that same problem against the Redskins.

Washington has lost two in a row and there seems to be a slight rift in the team, mainly between quarterback RG3 and head coach Mike Shanahan.

The 49ers passing offense has struggled mightily this season, but facing the Redskins defense, ranked 26th in passing yards allowed per game, should help.

San Francisco wins.

Bye week: Buffalo, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, Seattle

Last week: 11-4

Overall: 102-60


Photo Credit.
Larry Fitzgerald and Carson Palmer: AP Photo/Matt York

Thursday, November 14, 2013

NFL Week 11 Picks: Denver Broncos Will Be First To Beat Kansas City Chiefs






Indianapolis (6-3) at Tennessee (4-5)

The Colts were embarrassed by the Rams last week but the Titans didn't fare much better. They allowed the Jaguars to win their first game of the season.

The Titans also lost their starting quarterback, Jake Locker, for the season. The Colts lead the division and they should be able to bounce back against an average Titans team.

Indianapolis wins.

New York Jets (5-4) at Buffalo (3-7)

The Bills only have three wins this season but they are .500 at home (2-2) and .500 against the AFC East (1-1). It's a small sample size but they've been more competitive in these games.

The Jets are consistent this year in the fact that after they win a game, they lose the next one. Winning every other week, the Jets are now in line for a loss. It may seem like only a coincidence but the Jets are also 1-3 on the road this season.

Buffalo wins.

Atlanta (2-7) at Tampa Bay (1-8)

It's hard to like either team this season. Both have struggled to score.

While the Buccaneers finally won a game last week, they also lost their running back, Mike James, to injury. James was in backing up original starter Doug Martin.

The Falcons aren't entirely healthy, but they do have a more experienced squad than the Buccaneers, especially at quarterback. Matt Ryan and the rest of the veterans should be able to pull out a much needed victory.

Atlanta wins.

Detroit (6-3) at Pittsburgh (3-6)

The Lions have won two games in a row and three out of their last four. They are in sole possession of first place in the NFC North. They are third in the league in total passing yards and Calvin Johnson is second in the league in both receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.

The Steelers defense has been much criticized this season. They are in the bottom half of the league in points allowed (18th) and points scored (25th).

Detroit wins.

Washington (3-6) at Philadelphia (5-5)

The Redskins gave up a late lead to the Vikings last week and lost. Their defense is still rather porous.

That's good news for the Eagles, who have been firing on all cylinders with Nick Foles at quarterback. He has 10 touchdown passes in the past two games and 14 in the last four games he has played in.

Philadelphia hasn't fared too well at home this season, but the team looks much improved compared to the beginning of the season and should do well against a bad defensive team.

Philadelphia wins.

San Diego (4-5) at Miami (4-5)

The Dolphins have struggled the past few weeks and last Monday against the Buccaneers they looked quite feeble.

Offensively the play calling is extremely conservative and predictable. The offensive line is awful and can't protect the run or the pass. They also have the most expensive decoy in Mike Wallace, who had four catches for 15 yards last week.

The Chargers aren't overly impressive; the Dolphins just look that bad.

San Diego wins.

Baltimore (4-5) at Chicago (5-4)

The Ravens survived a comeback scare against the Bengals last week, while the Bears lost at home, but despite that the Bears have a good chance of winning this game.

The Ravens are 0-4 on the road this season. The Bears aren't overpowering at home, but they do have a winning record (3-2).

Josh McCown will start this week for the Bears and he has done well this season. It helps when you have the one of the best receiving duos in the NFL in Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffrey.

Chicago wins.

Cleveland (4-5) at Cincinnati (6-4)

The Bengals have been wildly inconsistent this season and are on a two-game losing streak. That being said they are 4-0 at home. They will be looking for revenge from a Week 4 loss against the Browns in Cleveland.

The Browns snapped a three-game losing streak two weeks ago, before their bye week, but are 1-3 on the road this season.

Cincinnati wins.

Oakland (3-6) at Houston (2-7)

Texans running back Arian Foster is out for the season and that is a huge blow to the team.

The Raiders, however, have lost two straight games and are 0-4 on the road this season.

It won't be easy, but at home it is time for Houston to snap their seven game losing streak. As an extra emotional boost, head coach Gary Kubiak is expected to return to the sidelines this weekend.

Houston wins.

Arizona (5-4) at Jacksonville (1-8)

The Jaguars finally got their first win of the season last weekend. The Cardinals, however, are above .500 and on a two-game winning streak.

For the Jaguars, the win against Tennessee was only the second time this year they scored at least 20 points.

For the Cardinals, they will want to see Carson Palmer, who has played decently for the team this season, finally have a game without throwing an interception. Jacksonville is tied for 29th in the league with only four picks.

Arizona wins.

Kansas City (9-0) at Denver (8-1)

The Chiefs are undefeated and lead the AFC West. They've played efficient football all season. They haven't, however, had any convincing victories or gone against the stiffest competition, either.

The Broncos have one of the best offenses in the league, led by Peyton Manning. The 12-time Pro Bowler may be having the best season of his 16-year career.

It will be a competitive game, but the Broncos should have the edge playing at home.

Denver wins.

Minnesota (2-7) at Seattle (9-1)

The Vikings did pick up a win last week, but overall they've found winning difficult this season.

Going to Seattle is a difficult place to try and win back to back games, especially with the Seahawks coming off a big road win last week.

Seattle wins.

San Francisco (6-3) at New Orleans (7-2)

The 49ers had four yards of offense in the fourth quarter against the Panthers last week. They scored a total of only nine games. Against teams currently with winning records, the 49ers are only 2-3.

The Saints continue to win at home week in and week out. They are 5-0 at home this season, winning by an average of just over 20 points per game.

The 49ers rank last in the league in passing yards per game, while the Saints are second in passing yards per game and third in passing yards allowed per game. I don’t know if the 49ers have the firepower to match up with New Orleans on the road.

New Orleans wins.

Green Bay (5-4) at New York Giants (3-6)

The Giants are on a three-game winning streak. It always seems like the Giants turn things around in the second half of the season.

The Packers are now down to their third string quarterback with other injuries to their starting pass catchers. It's just a very depleted team.

New York Giants win.

New England (7-2) at Carolina (6-3)

The Panthers are one of the hottest teams in the league right now with five consecutive victories. They are 3-1 at home this season, winning three straight.

The Patriots have won two straight and for the most part the offense looks like it’s coming together more every game, especially after putting up 55 points against the Steelers two weeks ago. With the bye week to continue to work on chemistry, they could be primed for a good game.

The Panthers defense, however, is quite strong. They are fifth in the league in passing yards allowed per game and second in rushing yards allowed per game. They allowed only nine points last week and in their current winning streak they have not allowed more than 15 points, holding opponents to 11.4 points per game.

At home and riding some serious momentum, the Panthers could have their most important victory of the season yet.

Carolina wins.

Bye Week: Dallas, St. Louis

Last Week: 6-8

Overall: 91-56

Photo Credit.
Peyton Manning: AP Photo/Gregory Bull