NFL Week 10 Picks: San Francisco 49ers To Top Carolina Panthers in Game of the Week

Washington (3-5) at Minnesota (1-7)

The Vikings are reeling this season and playing at home, where they are 1-3, hasn’t been much help.

The Vikings could be without seven of their opening day starters when they take on Washington in a shortened week. They could be without two starting offensive linemen, meaning a shakeup in the group. Starting tight end Kyle Rudolph has been ruled out, leaving quarterback Christian Ponder without his safety blanket.

With so many injuries to an already poor defense, the team will also have problems containing Robert Griffin III and a team that has won two of its past three games.

Washington wins.

Philadelphia (4-5) at Green Bay (5-3)

Nick Foles threw seven touchdown passes against the Raiders. He had more touchdowns than incomplete passes (six). He’s played well when given the opportunity and it looks like he will stick as the starter.

The Packers are decimated by injury. Aaron Rodgers is the team’s best player and leader and without him at quarterback this will be a tough task to overcome.

Philadelphia wins.

Jacksonville (0-8) at Tennessee (4-4)

Chris Johnson started the season with some promise, rushing for over 90 yards in the second and third games of the season. It’s been a long line of low-production games since, though. From weeks four through seven he never rushed for more than 39 yards and had a total of two touchdowns.

It looks like a week off was just what Johnson needed. Against the Rams last week Johnson ran for 150 yards and two touchdowns on the way to victory.

Jacksonville is winless. They have showed zero offensive firepower. They just lost Justin Blackmon again.

Look for Johnson to have another strong day running as the Titans take the lead and look to run out the clock.

Tennessee wins.

Buffalo (3-6) at Pittsburgh (2-6)

The Steelers are in the midst of a very rough season, and their defense as of late is not the same group that has been one of the best in the league in recent years. Dick Lebeau didn’t forget how to coach, however, and guys like Troy Polamalu, Brett Keisel, LeMarr Woodley, and Ryan Clarke didn’t just become terrible players. They still have something left in the tank and they’ve showed it this season, like when they beat the Jets 19-6 earlier this season.

In fact, Pittsburgh is 16-2 against rookie quarterbacks since 2004. The Bills are expected to start rookie E.J. Manuel after missing a few games due to injury. If he can’t go it will be undrafted rookie Jeff Tuel. The Steelers defense is experienced and should be able to get either quarterback to make some key mistakes.

Pittsburgh wins.

Oakland (3-5) at New York Giants (2-6)

The Raiders got embarrassed last weekend while the Giants, coming off a bye week, have won two games in a row.

Since Tom Coughlin took over the Giants tend to fare better in the second half of the year than they do the first half. The running game is starting to get healthier, while Peyton Hillis has done a solid job of holding down the fort.

Also, traditionally west coast teams do not fare well coming to the east coast for 1 p.m. ET games.

New York Giants win.

St. Louis (3-6) at Indianapolis (6-2)

The Rams have lost three in a row and despite the emergence of running back Zac Stacey, still have trouble moving the football and scoring.

The Colts are on a two-game winning streak, are 3-1 at home, and have beaten top teams in the Broncos, Seahawks and 49ers.

Indianapolis wins.

Seattle (8-1) at Atlanta (2-6)

It may seem crazy to go against a team with only one loss and on a four game winning streak, but there’s just a gut feeling about the Falcons in this game.

First of all, Seattle isn’t at home where they are indeed stronger than on the road. Their only loss on the season is on the road. But Seattle hasn’t been dominant lately. Yes, wins are most important and getting ugly wins where you didn’t play your best is the sign of a good team. I’m not arguing that Seattle isn’t a good team, because they are. I’m saying they are vulnerable.

In three of their past four games, the Seahawks beat the Titans (at home), Rams, and winless-Buccaneers (at home) by seven points or less. They were down 21-0 and needed overtime to beat the Buccaneers at home last weekend. Again, they showed great fight and resiliency and won, but they are vulnerable.

The Falcons just seem due. Despite Matt Ryan’s 10 interceptions this season, in Atlanta’s four home games (where the team is 2-2), he has thrown nine touchdowns and only one interception.

The team is slowly getting healthier. Steven Jackson played in his second consecutive game last week and went from 11 carries for six yards in Week 8 to 13 carries for 57 yards in Week 9.

Roddy White is still a wait and see, but if they can get him on the field it will add to the Falcons offense, even if he isn’t 100 percent.

Atlanta wins.

Cincinnati (6-3) at Baltimore (3-5)

Neither team is very consistent this season, but at least one has more wins than it does losses.

The Bengals were sloppy last week, but their defense wasn’t terrible. Cincinnati is actually 11th in the league in passing yards allowed per game and 10th in rushing yards allowed per game. The Bengals also haven’t lost twice in a row this season.

Meanwhile, the defending champions have lost three games in a row. Joe Flacco only has 10 touchdowns compared to nine interceptions this season. Ray Rice has fewer than 100 attempts rushing in seven games this season, has only 259 yards, 2.7 yards per carry and only three touchdowns. This year has been about underachieving, to say the least.

Cincinnati wins.

Detroit (5-3) at Chicago (5-3)

The Bears are 3-1 at home this season and look like they are in good shape at the quarterback position. Jay Cutler has been cleared to play, but Josh McCown has been impressive in two games in relief, throwing for 476 yards, three touchdowns, and zero interceptions.

The Lions are 26th in the league in passing yards allowed per game. They have also been very inconsistent lately, not winning consecutive games since Weeks 3 and 4. This could be a tough one on the road.

Chicago wins.

Carolina (5-3) at San Francisco (6-2)

After a 1-3 start, the Panthers have turned their season around, winning their past four games. They run into a team who has been down a similar path in the 49ers. Starting 1-2, San Francisco has won five straight games.

Both teams have been scoring a lot of points lately and both run the ball very well. In an evenly matched game, one that could be game of the week, it feels right to favor the home team and defending NFC champions.

San Francisco wins.

Houston (2-6) at Arizona (4-4)

The Cardinals went into their bye week with some momentum, beating the Atlanta Falcons by two touchdowns two weeks ago.

They are 3-1 at home this season. Going back to 2010, the Cardinals have a .500 or better record at home including a 6-2 record in 2011.

The Texans couldn’t hold up against the Colts last week and are not at 100 percent. Arian Foster left last week’s game injured and head coach Gary Kubiak collapsed on the field.

Houston could galvanize around their coach’s health scare, but this is just a team that’s maybe been through too much lately.

Arizona wins.

Denver (7-1) at San Diego (4-4)

The Broncos may be without their head coach, but having Peyton Manning on the field is like having a second coach out there with you.

Coming off the bye week, the team gets some much needed rest as they were getting a bit banged up, Manning included. The Chargers lost in overtime to the Redskins last weekend in overtime and they really have been one of the most, if not the most, impressive teams in the league this season.

It’s tough to go against them in their current form.

Denver wins.

Dallas (5-4) at New Orleans (6-2)

Both of the Saints only losses came on the road this season. This team is very good playing at home.

The Cowboys are 31st in the NFL in passing yards allowed per game. While Tony Romo has played well, Drew Brees and Jimmy Graham are one of the best combos in the league.

New Orleans wins.

Miami (4-4) at Tampa Bay (0-8)

This game will have a huge spotlight on it, but for all the wrong reasons.

The Richie Incognito-Jonathan Martin bullying situation has spiraled into a media disaster.  Don’t forget that the Buccaneers locker room has been a disaster all season as well, going back to the situation with Josh Freeman. Both Florida teams have showed more than questionable judgment.

Referring to the leaked voicemail, Incognito is wrong for what he said. And if Martin felt unsafe and uncomfortable at work and it is Incognito’s fault, then you shouldn’t make someone feel that way.

The Dolphins locker room seems to be standing together and supporting Incognito, however. As backwards as it seems, the thing that I see is that maybe this won’t be as big a distraction carrying over to the field as people expect.

They have a good chance of victory against a winless Buccaneers team.

Miami wins.

Bye Week: Cleveland, Kansas City, New England, New York Jets

Last Week: 7-6

Overall: 85-48

Photo Credit.

Colin Kaepernick: AP Photo/Matt Dunham

NFL Week 10 Picks

With power restored after Hurricane Sandy it’s time to post some picks on the blog.

The marquee match-up this weekend is the 7-1 Texans against the 7-1 Bears Sunday night in Chicago. Both teams have had some pretty dominating performances (except against the Packers) and it should be a tight game.

There are a couple of big divisional match-ups this weekend as well as the Eagles take on the Cowboys and the Saints take on the Falcons.

Who do you think will win this weekend?

Indianapolis at Jacksonville

On Twitter on Thursday I picked the Colts to win.

New York Giants at Cincinnati

After starting the season a surprising 3-1, the Bengals have dropped four straight games, three of which were at home.

The Giants have struggled with leads in the past three weeks, but did enough to either come back or hold on to win two of those games. It’s also a popular observation that the Eli Manning-led Giants play better on the road than at home. This year they are 3-1 on the road (including an impressive 23-point victory over the 49ers) and 3-2 at home.

Manning has reportedly talked to his brother Peyton, who just led the Broncos to victory over the Bengals last week. That is a nice edge to have.

New York Giants win.

Tennessee at Miami

Last week was the fifth time this season the Titans have lost a game by at least three touchdowns, losing to the Bears 51-20. It was also the seventh time this year the team has allowed at least 30 points, a pretty alarming number.

Week 1 starting quarterback Jake Locker makes his return from injury and he’s going up against a porous Miami pass defense that allowed a rookie single-game record 433 yards to Andrew Luck last week.

But the Dolphins biggest loss was 20 points in Week 1. They’re three other losses have been by an average of three points per game. Two of those losses happened in overtime. If nothing else, this team has been competitive all year.

The same can’t be said for the Titans.

Miami wins.

Detroit at Minnesota

After their bye week in Week 5, the Lions are 3-1. In that same time frame, the Vikings—who started the season a surprising 4-1—have lost three of their past four games.

The Vikings gave up 30 or more points in each of their past two games—both losses—and in all of their past three losses.

The Lions have the most passing yards per game in the NFL and Mikel Leshoure put together an impressive three touchdown performance last weekend, making the Lions less one-dimensional.

Christian Ponder has cooled off from his hot start. He’s completed less than 55 percent of his pass in the past three games, has thrown for fewer than 64 yards in two of his past three games and has thrown at least one interception in five consecutive games.

Detroit wins.

Buffalo at New England

The last time these two teams met was in Week 4 in Buffalo. The Bill blew a 21-7 lead, eventually losing the game 52-28. The Patriots—usually a passing offense—had not just one but two running backs rush for over 100 yards on the day.

The Bills have lost three of their next four games after that contest. The Patriots won three of their next four games.

New England wins.

Atlanta at New Orleans

Yes, the Falcons are undefeated. But after a very rough go to the beginning of the season the Saints have won three of their past games and have shown some of the offensive efficiency they’ve come to be known for, averaging 31.3 points per game in those wins. Two of those victories also came at home.

It’s extremely difficult to go undefeated for an entire NFL season and the Falcons have a hard time beating the Saints. They lost both games against New Orleans last year and are 2-10 against the Saints since 2006.

Good opportunity for an Atlanta letdown here.

New Orleans wins.

San Diego at Tampa Bay

Kudos to Greg Schiano. He’s got the Buccaneers looking like a competitive team; they are a .500 team that hasn’t lost a game by more than a touchdown.

And you can’t talk about the Bucs—winners of three of their past four games—without mentioning Doug Martin’s monster game last weekend. He had 251 yards on 25 carries and scored four touchdowns (he also caught four passes for 21 yards).

The Chargers have lost three of their past four games and four of their past six. Norv Turner’s job security is once again under question, maybe more so than ever before.

Tampa Bay wins.

Denver at Carolina

Peyton Manning may not be as good as before his injury, but he still is one of the best in the league. Manning is first in the league in quarterback rating and completion percentage, third in touchdowns and fifth in yards.

He’s clicking with Demaryius Thomas, who’s enjoying the best season of his career already with 201 more receiving yards than his previous career high and just as many touchdowns as his personal best. Also, just halfway into the season Eric Decker is only 29 yards away from his receiving yards total from last year and one touchdown away from matching his 2011 total.

Carolina does have a good pass defense. The Panthers are 12th in the league in passing yards allowed per game and tied for seventh in sacks.

The story all season however has been Cam Newton’s struggles. He’s only completing 57 percent of his passes (down from 60 percent last season), has eight interceptions to six touchdown passes for a worse touchdown-to-interception ratio than last year and already has one more fumble than last season. His quarterback rating is down 6.8 points as well.

The Panthers are fourth in the NFC and tied for 11th in the NFL in giveaways. The turnovers, much like last season, are proving to be very costly.

Denver wins.

Oakland at Baltimore

The Raiders are 2-2 at home this year and 1-3 on the road. At home they average 26.5 points per game and their margin of defeat is nine points per game. On the road they average 16.3 points per game and lose by an average of 18.7 points per game.

And they will be without both Darren McFadden and Mike Goodson this week, the team’s top two running backs.

The Ravens are coming off a bye week, giving them more time to focus on the Raiders and get their defense a little bit healthier.

Baltimore wins.

New York Jets at Seattle

It’s well-known that the Seahawks play well at home. This year is no different as they are currently 4-0 at home.

The Jets are 1-2 on the road.

Both teams fare well against the pass, with the Jets ranking sixth in the league in passing yards allowed per game and the Seahawks seventh.

The Jets however are 29th in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game while the Seahawks—with many thanks to Marshawn Lynch—are seventh in the league in rushing yards per game.

Expect the Seahawks to continue to pound the ball with Lynch and wear down the Jets defense.

Seattle wins.

Dallas at Philadelphia

Two teams with lofty expectations that have more than underwhelmed this season.

The Eagles have looked miserable lately, losing four in a row. But two of their three wins have come at home, and they did come against top teams in the Ravens and Giants.

The Cowboys have lost four of their past five games, but two of their wins have come on the road, one of which was opening night of the season against the Giants.

So what’s the edge in this one?

It could come down to turnovers and who takes advantage of the other team’s mistakes. The Eagles have been heavily criticized for the amount of turnover they have surrendered this season, but the Cowboys are actually tied for first in the NFC in takeaway with the Eagles. And the Cowboys are also dead last in the NFC (tied for second to last in the NFL) in takeaways. Will they be able to capitalize on any Philadelphia mistakes?

Philadelphia wins.

St. Louis at San Francisco

The Rams margin of defeat has increased in each of the team’s three consecutive losses, culminating in the Week 8 loss to the Patriots, 45-7.

The 49ers have owned the NFC West in recent history. This year they are 2-0 against the division. Since 2009 they are 16-4. Since 2006 they are 25-13 against the division. And they only won the division once in that time frame.

San Francisco wins.

Houston at Chicago

The biggest showdown of the week is on Sunday night when two 7-1 teams meet.

Houston and Chicago are No. 2 and 3 in points per game. The Bears are also second in the league in points per game allowed while the Texans are fourth.

The difference here will be the pass rush and the play of the offensive line.

Both teams have done a good job getting to the quarterback, tied for third in sacks with 25. But Chicago’s offensive line has done a terrible job protecting Jay Cutler.

The Bears have given up the third most sacks in the NFL with 28. The Texans are tied for the penultimate position in that category, allowing only 10 sacks all season.

J.J. Watt has been a monster all season, getting to the quarterback and disrupting passes. He should be able to get into Cutler’s psyche from the very beginning.

Houston wins.

Kansas City at Pittsburgh

It doesn’t seem to matter whether Matt Cassel or Brady Quinn is quarterbacking the Chiefs, they just can’t get it done. They run the ball well—third in the NFL in rushing yards per game—but that does you no good when you’re constantly playing catch-up.

The Steelers have won three consecutive games and Ben Roethlisberger is having one of his best seasons ever.

Pittsburgh wins.

Bye week: Cleveland, Green Bay, Arizona, Washington

Week 8 record: 8-6

Week 9 record: 10-4

Season: 81-50

NFL Week 10 Picks: Saints Will Triumph in Big Rivalry Week Game

It’s rivalry weekend in the NFL. Adding to the intensity of division battles is the fact that many of the matchups will determine who will lead the division going into next weekend. We already saw the Oakland Raiders pass the San Diego Chargers in the AFC West and we still have Saints-Falcons, Steelers-Bengals and Jets-Patriots. There’s also the Bears-Lions game, where although they both are behind the undefeated Packers they are both playing very well and are above .500.
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Who do you think will win this week? Home team is in all capitals.

SAN DIEGO over Oakland – I picked the Chargers on Twitter on Thursday.

Detroit over CHICAGO – The Bears have been playing well as off late but their offensive line still leaves a lot to desire. Even Jay Cutler said the team’s outlook is a lot better when the guys in front of him allow him time to throw and he doesn’t have to pick himself up off the turf. Detroit has a very good pass defense and is fourth in the NFL in sacks.

INDIANAPOLIS over Jacksonville – Believe it or not, it is very difficult to lose every game in a single season. This is the Colts best chance at a victory.

Denver over KANSAS CITY – Coming into the week the Chiefs were the AFC West leaders despite dropping a game against the winless Dolphins by 28 points at home last week. That’s uninspiring. You know who is inspiring? Tim Tebow.

Pittsburgh over CINCINNATI – The Bengals have won five straight, but will this young team have what it takes to stand up against the veteran Pittsburgh Steelers, who will be looking for revenge after a disappointing loss to the Ravens last weekend? To stay in the playoff hunt the Steelers will have to knock off the Bengals.

DALLAS over Buffalo – After a hot start Buffalo has cooled down a bit lately with three losses in the past five games and is only 1-2 on the road.

New Orleans over ATLANTA – When you think of the Saints you think of Drew Brees and the passing game. But did you realize they are ninth in the NFL in rushing yards per game (126)? Meanwhile Atlanta, behind Michael Turner, is 13th (119). Darren Sproles may have been the best offseason pickup by any team.

CLEVELAND over St. Louis – Neither team looks good this season and this game could be very ugly, but the Browns do have home-field advantage.

MIAMI over Washington – Rex Grossman or John Beck? Flip-flopped by the hour. Even the Dolphins don’t have this kind of instability at quarterback.

Houston over TAMPA BAY – The Buccaneers are 2-4 against teams with winning records and their defense ranks 28th and 26th in passing and rushing yards allowed per game respectively. Even without Andre Johnson the Texans have taken advantage of lesser defenses lately, averaging just a shade under 32 points per game in the past three games, all victories.

Tennessee over CAROLINA – The Panthers defense isn’t very strong and Cam Newton seems to make quite a few mistakes when the game is on the line. The struggling Chris Johnson faces a good opportunity to have a good game against the 28th ranked Panthers run defense.

PHILADELPHIA over Arizona – Arizona is starting John Skelton against a very tough pass defense. Should be an easy one for the Eagles.

Baltimore over SEATTLE – Seattle has so much trouble moving the ball on offense. Against the Cleveland Browns three weeks ago Seattle managed only 137 yards and three points. What makes you think they will do any better against the much-more heralded Ravens defense?

SAN FRANCISCO over New York Giants – The 49ers are sixth in the NFL in rushing yards per game (137.6) while the Giants are 24th in the league in rushing yards allowed per game (127.1). A good San Francisco offensive line and running attack should neutralize the New York pass rush, which has been the team’s strong point on defense.

New England over NEW YORK JETS – The Patriots defense is pretty bad, but that’s ok because the Jets offense isn’t very good either. The Pats are struggling but do you really see them losing three in a row? Can anyone remember the last time that happened? Tom Brady’s been a bit erratic lately and this just feels like a game where he’ll put the team on his shoulders, even against the Jets tough pass defense.

GREEN BAY over Minnesota – The Packers are rolling and when the teams met three weeks ago in Minnesota, Green Bay was able to pull away with the victory. Things should be even better at home.

This week: 0-1

Last Week: 8-6

Season: 80-50

Photo Credits.

Drew Brees: AP Photo/Tom Gannam

NFL Week 10 Picks

AP Photo/LM Otero

Week 10 features some very exciting matchups. There is a battle between the Steelers and Bengals for first place in the AFC North. Green Bay and Philadelphia will try to bounce back from tough losses against two teams, Dallas and San Diego respectively, who came away with big wins the previous week. The biggest matchup is the ever-classic Patriots-Colts game, Peyton vs. Brady in primetime.

Week 10 also features a Thursday night game between Chicago and San Francisco, so the picks are in a little early this week. After a 7-6 week last week, my worst yet, I’ll also look to bounce back.

Tell me who you like in the comments section.

Chicago (4-4) at San Francisco (3-5)

Two teams heading in the wrong direction fast. San Francisco has lost five of their last six games, and haven’t won since they finally signed first round draft pick Michael Crabtree (see: the Crabtree Curse). Chicago got pummeled last week by Arizona, and two weeks before that were annihilated by the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bears have not fared well against teams with explosive offenses this season, and although they haven’t been stellar this season, San Francisco’s offense has enough weapons to erupt at any moment. Vernon Davis has been having a monster past few weeks and Frank Gore has rushed very well in his return. Chicago also has only one victory on the road, and that was against a bad Seattle Seahawks team. I’ll take San Francisco to win.

Tampa Bay (1-7) at Miami (3-5)

Rookie quarterback Josh Freeman led Tampa Bay to their first victory in the ’09 campaign. Miami has played decent the past three weeks, holding their own against division leaders New England and New Orleans, but the only win they managed to get was against the Jets. The offense, both the passing game and running game, has sputtered as of late, and the Wildcat has not been effective enough to sustain Miami for the entire length of a game. Tampa Bay’s third worst rushing defense in the NFL could be exactly what the stagnant Dolphin offense needs. Miami wins at home.

Atlanta (5-3) at Carolina (3-5)

Two of the league’s best running backs will be on display in this matchup. Last week, Carolina’s DeAngelo Williams ran for 149 yards and two touchdowns while Atlanta’s Michael Turner rushed for 166 yards and two touchdowns (on three less carries as well). Neither team is particularly good against the run, Atlanta allowing 988 total yards on the ground and Carolina giving up 977. However the Falcons will have the advantage because their defense will know that the only chance Carolina has at winning is running the ball. All they have to do is stack the box with eight or nine guys and force Jake Delhomme to throw the ball and create turnovers. Matt Ryan is a much more effective quarterback and will keep the Panthers defense honest. Atlanta wins.

Denver (6-2) at Washington (2-6)

A game against Washington is exactly what Denver needed. After starting the season 6-0, Denver has lost two in a row to good competition (Baltimore and Pittsburgh). The Broncos own the second ranked overall defense and the eighth ranked rush defense. Washington, already 24th in the league in rushing, will be without Clinton Portis (concussion), and his backup, Ladell Betts is dealing with an ankle injury. The outlook seems bleak for the Redskins. Denver gets back on track with a win.

Buffalo (3-5) at Tennessee (2-6)

Chris Johnson is the leading rusher in the NFL. The Bills have the worst rushing defense. Add in the mobility and energy of new Titans starting quarterback Vince Young (who is 2-0 on the season) and this game should be a disaster for Buffalo. At home Tennessee will literally run wild and come away with the victory.

New Orleans (8-0) at St. Louis (1-7)

New Orleans didn’t play particularly well last week. The Saints were 1-5 in the red zone last week against Carolina and turned the ball over twice. Still, they managed to fight back, again, and come out on top. Drew Brees, the highest rated passer in the NFL, will take on a Rams defense that is 27th in the league in yards per passing attempt and 22nd in passing yards allowed per game. What makes New Orleans really scary is their ability to finish off games. Interesting fact about the undefeated Saints: they have outscored their opponents in the fourth quarter 91-18. Saints win big.

Cincinnati (6-2) at Pittsburgh (6-2)

This game will go a long way into determining the champion of the AFC North. Cincinnati has played extremely well and they compete every time they are on the field—their two losses have come at a combined 16 point differential. Again, they’ve already beaten Pittsburgh once this season, but that was at Cincinnati. Heinz Field has become one of the toughest places to play. The Steelers have not lost at home (although the Bengals are undefeated on the road). In the Bengal’s win in the first meeting between these two teams (a game decided by a single field goal) the Steelers were also without safety Troy Polamalu. In the three games since Polamalu has returned, the defense has not given up more than 17 points (they’ve allowed only 41 points total) and caused nine turnovers (in their previous four games without the long-haired safety Pittsburgh had only caused two turnovers). I predict Polamalu will help Pittsburgh avenge its earlier loss to the Bengals.

Jacksonville (4-4) at NY Jets (4-4)

Jacksonville is a paltry 1-3 on the road. Their record is also a little padded because of victories against weaker teams like St. Louis (who they needed overtime to win) and Kansas City; and in both of those wins, the Jaguars won by only a field goal. Maurice Jones-Drew has had a very good year, but the Jets defense is the best he will have faced to date. The Jets also believe they are a playoff team and need every win to keep those hopes alive. Coming off a loss to the Dolphins followed by a bye week, expect the Jets to be hungry (and no, that doesn’t mean I expect to see Mark Sanchez on the sidelines with more hot dogs). I’ll take the Jets at home to win.

Detroit (1-7) at Minnesota (7-1)

Minnesota has had two weeks to sit on their loss to Pittsburgh, their first of the season. It cannot be sitting well with them. Detroit lost a winnable game last week to Seattle and now take on the division leader on the road. This one has lopsided victory all over it. Minnesota wins big.

Kansas City (1-7) at Oakland (2-6)

Oakland won the first meeting between these two teams, they are at home, and they had an extra week with the bye in week nine to prepare for this game. It’s enough reason to beat a bad Chiefs team. Oakland wins.

Seattle (3-5) at Arizona (5-3)

The Cardinals have won four out of their last five games. Kurt Warner has put together some brilliant performances this season, like in week two when he completed 92.3% of his passes and just last week when he threw for five touchdowns and zero interceptions. This week he also gets Anquan Boldin back from injury, which gives him another weapon to exploit the Seattle secondary with. Arizona has the third best rushing defense and Seattle has the third worst rushing offense. I’ll take Arizona to continue its hot streak.

Dallas (6-2) at Green Bay (4-4)

Green Bay has lost two in a row, including last week’s stinker against the then-winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Cowboys have won four in a row and five out of their last six. In the past four games, Monmouth University product Miles Austin has caught 22 passes for 531 yards and six touchdowns. While it hasn’t been pretty, Dallas has been on a roll lately, while Green Bay is looking less and less like the legitimate contender they seemed to be in the beginning of the season. Dallas on the road: 3-1. Green Bay at home: 2-2. Dallas in conference: 5-1. Green Bay in conference: 3-3. I’ll take the streaking Cowboys in this one.

Philadelphia (5-3) at San Diego (5-3)

Philadelphia lost a big home game last week. San Diego won a big road game. These two teams have been inconsistent throughout the season. It’s still hard to get a good read on either of these teams. San Diego is only 2-2 at home this year. The Eagles are 3-1 on the road. In all of the Chargers losses, they have allowed over 30 points each time (31, 38,3 4). The Eagles have scored 30 points in four out of their five wins (38, 34, 33, 40)—the other win they scored 27 points. Who will show up: the Chargers defense or the Eagles offense? This game looks to have all the components to be an offensive shootout and in that type of game I like the Eagles to win.

New England (6-2) at Indianapolis (8-0)

Always a classic matchup. The Patriots have won three in a row (of course the Colts have won eight in a row). Both Peyton Manning and Tom Brady have thrown 16 touchdown passes and only five interceptions. The Patriots have the third best passing defense, Indianapolis the ninth. However, the Patriots have more key players banged up. Missing from practice Thursday were DE Jarvis Green, LT Matt Light, C Dan Koppen, DL Ty Warren, RB Sammy Morris and S Brandon Merriweather. LB Tully Banta-Cain, New England’s leading pass rusher, was also added to the injury report and was limited in practice. Indianapolis was only missing WR Anthony Gonzalez and K Adam Vinatieri.

The big loss for the Patriots here is Light. Sebastian Vollmer has done a very good job in his place, but he is only a rookie, and this week he goes up against one of the elite pass rushers in the NFL Dwight Freeney, who returned to the practice field Thursday. If Vollmer cannot contain Freeney, then he will terrorize Brady’s blindside. This is a huge problem, as it looks like Brady has finally started to get comfortable in the pocket after missing all of last year with a leg injury. Expect the Colts to rush often. At home, I predict the Colts will stay undefeated.

Baltimore (4-4) at Cleveland (1-7)

Baltimore continues to have its ups and downs throughout the season. A week after knocking off the then-unbeaten Denver Broncos, they lose and get swept in the season series against Cincinnati (not that the Bengals are bad, but you think after a big win and wanting to avenge their loss earlier in the season that they would have been ready to play and manage to muster up more than a measly seven points). Ray Rice has had a huge season, and by scoring a touchdown from the two-yard line has rendered Willis McGahee completely irrelevant. Cleveland has the second worst rushing defense in the league and will be victimized by the former Rutgers star. Baltimore wins.

Byes: Houston, NY Giants

Last week: 7-6

Season: 66-31