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

NFL Week 14 Picks

On Thursday on Twitter I picked the Broncos to beat the Raiders.

BUFFALO over St. Louis

CINCINNATI over Dallas

CLEVELAND over Kansas City

INDIANAPOLIS over Tennessee

Chicago over Minnesota

TAMPA BAY over Philadelphia

Baltimore over WASHINGTON

Atlanta over CAROLINA

New York Jets over JACKSONVILLE

PITTSBURGH over San Diego

SAN FRANCISCO over Miami

SEATTLE over Arizona

NEW YORK GIANTS over New Orleans

GREEN BAY over Detroit

NEW ENGLAND over Houston

Last Week: 11-5

Season: 124-67

NFL Week 14 Picks: Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants Meet in Huge Sunday Night Matchup

We’re headed down the stretch, with the start of the final quarter of the season beginning in Week 14. The games, for some, are as important as ever as teams are jockeying for playoff position.

The biggest game of the week takes place in Dallas in prime time as the first place Cowboys take on the second-place rival Giants (one game behind) for the first time this season. It could be a shootout, as both teams have done well throwing the ball this season.

Who do you think will win?

Pittsburgh over Cleveland – I picked the Steelers to win on Thursday.

NEW YORK JETS over Kansas City – The Jets have struggled on offense and have gotten away from running the ball, once a specialty. Last week though they did run for 101 yards and three touchdowns. They should be able to do some more damage on the ground against the Chiefs, who are 25 th in the league in rushing yards allowed per game (130.3).

JACKSONVILLE over Tampa Bay – The Buccaneers have lost six in a row. The Jaguars are no world beaters, but at home against a Bucs team that gets worse every week and this could finally be Jacksonville’s day. Maurice Jones-Drew has done his part this year, leading the league in rushing yards. Against the 29th ranked rush defense he should be rewarded for his efforts with a win for the fourth time this season.

New England over WASHINGTON – Andre Carter returns to Washington, where he spent five seasons with the Redskins. While the Patriots pass defense has been lackluster, Carter has been a bright spot in the pass rush. He leads the team with nine tackles (top-10 in the league) and people within the organization have raved about his professionalism. It looks like a prime opportunity for him to reach double digits in sacks this game as Washington is in the top-10 in sacks allowed (33).

Atlanta over CAROLINA – While Cam Newton has struggled with his decision making as a passer, he’s been a sensational runner. He has rushed for 13 touchdowns this season, a record for quarterbacks. The Falcons rush defense, however, is one of the best in the league (third in rushing yards allowed per game actually). And the last time these two teams played the Falcons forced Newton into some really bad throws, causing three interceptions. They should be able to dominate the Panthers again.

BALTIMORE over Indianapolis – The Colts put up some fight against the Patriots backups, scoring 21 points in the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t enough. The Ravens tend to play down to their competition, but they’d really have to let themselves go to drop this game.

MIAMI over Philadelphia – Two teams here are going in opposite directions and surprisingly it’s the Dolphins who are on the up-swing. The ‘Phins are fifth in the league in points allowed and fifth in the league in rushing yards allowed per game. They’ll face a stiff test from LeSean McCoy and the return of Michael Vick, but the Dolphins have won three in a row at home and are just playing much better football.

DETROIT over Minnesota – Time for the early season darlings to get back to playing football. Discipline has been a huge problem for this team but coach Jim Schwartz has reportedly told players that they will sit for post-whistle fouls. Ndamukong Suh is still suspended and he is the biggest culprit, so maybe the rest of the team will learn its lesson. It would be nice if the Lions, on offense, could get to Calvin Johnson more. The wide receiver hasn’t had a 100-yard game in four games (he had five in the first eight games of the season) and only has one touchdown in that span. Fortunately for the Lions the Vikings look like everybody’s whipping boy right now.

New Orleans over TENNESSEE – The Saints have won four straight and five of their last six. Drew Brees hasn’t thrown an interception in three consecutive games and has a streak of 39 straight games with a passing score. The Titans struggle against teams with winning records and their pass defense has taken a step back this year compared to previous seasons.

CINCINNATI over Houston – T.J. Yates had a respectable game against Falcons last week, but now loses his No.1 target, Andre Johnson. Johnson will miss his seventh game of the season with a strained left hamstring. The Texans have a good running game too, but the Bengals have a top ten defense against the pass and the rush. There’re only so many injuries one team can endure.

DENVER over Chicago – Should I praise Tim Tebow and his 6-1 record as a starter this season (five wins in a row)? Or should I show concern for the Bears’ offense without Jay Cutler and Matt Forte? And then add the fact that Caleb Hanie has thrown two touchdowns compared to six interceptions in the past two games?

San Francisco over ARIZONA – The 49ers have allowed the fewest rushing yards per game in the entire league and they have not given up a rushing touchdown all season. They are looking to wrap up the No. 2 seed and a first round bye in the playoffs so a win against a conference (and divisional) opponent is big. The 49ers are 3-0 against the NFC West this season and beat the Cardinals 23-7 just three weeks ago.

SAN DIEGO over Buffalo – The Bills have lost five straight games and six of their previous seven. On the road this season the Bills are an abysmal 1-5. The Chargers had a similar losing streak recently (six straight) but broke that last week with a big Monday night victory against the Jaguars. The Bills are more talented than Jacksonville, but their defense is in the bottom half of the league in both passing and rushing yards allowed per game. Philip Rivers came back to life last weekend, throwing for just under 300 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions. It was the second week in a row Rivers hadn’t thrown a pick and more games like that will help the Chargers win more games down the stretch.

GREEN BAY over Oakland – It was a close one last weekend, but the Packers prevailed and many think they have cleared the biggest obstacle remaining in finishing the regular season undefeated. It could be difficult for the Raiders to keep pace with the high octane Green Bay passing game because two of their top four leading receivers (and two of the top three wide receivers) are out with injuries.

DALLAS over New York Giants – The Giants secondary has struggled terribly the past couple games and things could get worse: safety Kenny Phillips will miss the game with a knee injury. Also out is Osi Umenyiora, which hurts the pass rush as well. The Cowboys have the seventh best passing game in the league and Miles Austin is expected to return after missing the past four games.

SEATTLE over St. Louis –Marshawn Lynch has really come on strong towards the end of the season. In his first eight games Lynch had 398 yards on 97 carries (4.1 yards per carry) with four touchdowns. In the last four games he has increased his production, rushing for 456 yards on 105 carries also with four touchdowns. In those games the Seahawks are 3-1. They are letting Lynch win games for them and he is in full-on “Beast Mode”.

This Week: 1-0

Last Week: 9-7

Season: 120-74

Photo Credits.
Tony Romo: AP Photo/Paul Connors

NFL Week 14 Picks: Steelers Should Dominate the Browns on Thursday Night

Cleveland Browns (4-8) at Pittsburgh Steelers (9-3)

Although they are division rivals, this game has all the makings of a blowout.
The Steelers have won three in a row while the Browns have lost two in a row and five of their last six.

Cleveland, surprisingly, is first in the league in passing yards allowed, yielding only 173.3 yards per game. The Steelers don’t necessarily rely on the pass though. There are plenty of times Ben Roethlisberger’s numbers aren’t pretty but the team guts out a win. In fact, in the past two games Roethlisberger has failed to reach 200 passing yards and last week he recorded his lowest total of the season (176 yards) but the team had its biggest winning margin of the season.

It’s what Cleveland can’t do that will determine the outcome in this game.

The Browns are 30th in the NFL in yards gained (24th in passing yards per game and 30th in rushing yards per game) and 28th in points scored per game. They can’t move the ball or put it in the endzone and against the Steelers defense—first in total yards allowed and fourth in points per game allowed—things only get more difficult.

Viewers should expect to see a lot of Rashard Mendenhall as the Browns are 31st in the NFL in rushing yards allowed. They'll take advantage of a poor run defense and then just keep hitting them when they're up big to drain the clock.

Pittsburgh wins.

Last Week: 9-7

Season: 119-74

Photo Credits.

Rashard Mendenhall: AP Photo/Don Wright

NFL Week 14 Picks

AP Photo/Nick Wass

Two undefeated teams left. Will they both come out unscathed again after this weekend?

Some huge matchups with playoff implications this week, including Dolphins-Jaguars, Giants-Eagles, and Chargers-Cowboys. Bengals-Vikings is also bound to be a great game.

Who do you think will win this week? Which on the bubble teams do you think has a good chance at making the playoffs?

Pittsburgh (6-6) at Cleveland (1-11)

Pittsburgh is banged up, both literally and metaphorically. Four straight losses. Hines Ward, Ben Roethlisberger, Rashard Mendenhall, and William Gay are all not 100%. Troy Polamalu is out and unsure whether he’ll be back at all this season.

They’ve lost to bad teams such as Kansas City and Oakland.

Cleveland, however, has no weapons at running back or receiver, Brady Quinn is still not settled in as the starting quarterback, and the defense is banged up. There’s really nothing to look at with this Browns team that is encouraging.

Pittsburgh wins.

New Orleans (12-0) at Atlanta (6-6)

Michael Turner didn’t play again last week and is listed as questionable this week. Even worse is that Matt Ryan is unlikely to play again. Chris Redman is not a viable replacement. Atlanta’s defense is not good enough to keep them in the game against Drew Brees and company.

Saints stay undefeated.

Green Bay (8-4) at Chicago (5-7)

Green Bay has come alive, winning four straight games, scoring an average of 27 points and allowing an average of only 14.25 points.

Chicago meanwhile, before beating a horrendous St. Louis team last week (against whom they still only managed to score 17 points) had lost their previous four games, scoring an average of 14.25 points per game and allowing an average of 27.75 points per game.

The key here is quarterback play. Aaron Rodgers ranks in the top ten of all the major passing statistics and has only thrown seven interceptions.

Jay Cutler ranks first in the NFL in interceptions. The Packers do a great job of rushing the passer and stopping the run. They will make Cutler pay.

Packers win.

NY Jets (6-6) at Tampa Bay (1-11)

No Mark Sanchez for the Jets. However, they still have Thomas Jones at running back, who is fifth in the chase for the league rushing title, has rushed for nine touchdowns, and has only fumbled the ball twice. Against the second to worst run defense in the league, the Jets should make it out without too much of an issue.

Jets win.

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

This game is going to have huge playoff implications. The Dolphins are chasing the Jaguars in the hunt for a wild card spot.

Last week Miami upset the Patriots and have some momentum swinging their win. Had it not been for their misstep against the Bills in week 12, Miami would be sitting pretty.

In Chad Henne’s six wins this season he has thrown only two interceptions. In his four losses, he’s thrown six interceptions.

The Jaguars have a great record at home (5-1) and against conference opponents (6-2). However, the do not put much pressure on the quarterback and cause opposing offenses to make mistakes. They are last in the league in sacks (12), tied for 12th in interceptions caused (12), tied for 21st in fumbles forced (10), and tied for 21st in fumbles recovered (7). Their pass defense is also ranked 23rd in the league.

Also going to factor into the game is not selling the game out. Approximately 9,000 tickets remain, and they are playing an in-state team, whose own fans could make the trip up.

Without a strong fan support behind them and a lack of ability to force the quarterback to make mistakes, Chad Henne could be in for another big game, following up his career-best last week against a stronger Patriots team.

Miami wins.

Detroit (2-10) at Baltimore (6-6)

Detroit is last in the league against the pass and their offense will be without number one overall draft pick Matthew Stafford.

Baltimore needs this game to stay in the playoff hunt. It should not be a difficult victory to achieve.

Ravens win.

Seattle (5-7) at Houston (5-7)

Seattle is in the bottom ten against the pass while Houston’s air attack is the fourth best in the league.

Seattle only has one win on the road and there is no reason to believe they will get their second on Sunday.

Houston wins.

Denver (8-4) at Indianapolis (12-0)

Denver has the second ranked pass defense in the NFL based on yards allowed. They also have good records on the road (4-2) and against conference opponents (6-3). They have only allowed one more point against than the Colts.

The biggest worry is that the Colts offense is more powerful than Denver’s. However their run defense is very modestly ranked 18th in the league based on yards against.

Denver’s rush attack is ranked ninth in the league and rookie Knowshon Moreno is ranked 13th in the league in rushing yards.

It will not be easy, but if Denver can punch the ball into the end zone, and limit Peyton Manning’s touches by controlling the clock with their run game, the Broncos could very well be the first team to beat Indy in 22 tries.

I’ll pick the Broncos to upset the Colts.

Buffalo (4-8) at Kansas City (3-9)

Not a very entertaining game here. Both teams are bad against the run and do not score very often. Both teams are unsettled at every position except for running back.

Jamaal Charles has played well since becoming the number one back for Kansas City, however he did leave last week’s game with a shoulder injury. He returned, but he is still banged up.

Buffalo’s overall defense is better and they are a better road team than the Chiefs are a home team.

Bills win.

Cincinnati (9-3) at Minnesota (10-2)

This looks like the game of the week.

The Vikings have one of the league’s best offenses, but the Bengals have one of the league’s stingiest defenses.

Minnesota is undefeated (6-0) at home, but the Bengals are a very good 4-1 on the road.

Cincinatti’s rush defense is one of the best in the league. They have only allowed on running back to reach 100 yards, and only four have gotten as many as 50 in a game. Their passing defense is also very respectable, ranked 12th in the league based on yards allowed.

And isn’t it time for Brett Favre’s late season decline? What better opponent than a tough Bengals D?

Bengals win.

Carolina (5-7) at New England (7-5)

All of New England is in disarray after such disappointing play the past four weeks.

They are undefeated at home however, and the Panthers are nowhere near the level of the Dolphins, Saints, and Colts—the Patriot’s last three losses.

Patriots win.

Washington (3-9) at Oakland (4-8)

Somehow, Oakland has a better record than Washington, despite being outscored (200-142, second fewest in the NFL) and giving up more points (282-238).

However, Washington is winless on the road, and the Raiders had a huge win over the Pittsburgh Steelers last week.

I’ll take Oakland for the victory.

St. Louis (1-11) at Tennessee (5-7)

Vince Young suffered his first loss of the season as a starter last week, but there is no shame in losing to the Colts. The Titans did keep it close and exciting for the most part.

Tennessee should bounce back nicely against a very bad Rams team.

Tennessee wins.

San Diego (9-3) at Dallas (8-4)

San Diego is 15-0 in their last 15 games in December. The Cowboys? Well it is well documented that they are abysmal in December. In their last eight games in December they have scored only 14.8 points per game.

San Diego is third in the NFL in points scored and are on a seven game win-streak.

Chargers win.

Philadelphia (8-4) at NY Giants (7-5)

The Eagles are a good road team (4-2) and have allowed fewer points than the Giants (235-285). Brian Westbrook returned to practice, but LeSean McCoy has been a very good replacement. Receiver DeSean Jackson has been upgraded to probable. Jackson’s return will boost an already strong offense.

The Eagles have outscored the Giants (327-303). In ten of their 12 games this season, the Eagles have scored at least 20 points, and have scored at least 30 five times.

The Giants have given up at least 20 points eight times, and in their five losses they have given up an average of 31.8 points per game.

The last time these two teams met, the Eagles trounced the Giants 40-17.

The Eagles will complete the season series sweep on Sunday.

Arizona (8-4) at San Francisco (5-7)

Arizona was very impressive in their road victory over a very tough Vikings team last Sunday night. They are rolling, having won four of their last five games. They have outscored the 49’ers 297-245 and have only given up one more point (234-233). They are 5-1 on the road, 3-1 against the division (that one loss coming in week 1 against San Francisco, so you can be sure they will be looking to avenge that loss), and are 6-2 in the conference.

After starting out so hot, San Francisco has stalled tremendously, losing six of their last eight games, culminating in a very disappointing division loss to Seattle, their first division loss of the season.

The 49’ers have struggled to put up points this year, and that ability to do so is crucial against a loaded offense like Arizona’s.

Cardinals win.

Last week: 9-7

Season: 108-52