Saints-Falcons Prediction - Week 13

New Orleans Saints (5-6) at Atlanta Falcons (10-1):

The Saints have had Matt Ryan’s number throughout his career, and it doesn’t help Atlanta that Drew Brees is just consistently electrifying against the NFC South. Marques Colston, Lance Moore and Jimmy Graham all seem to be back to full health, and the Saints’ backfield performance has steadily improved since the return of Joe Vitt.

All that said, Matt Ryan has been just as good, if not better, than Drew Brees, through this point in the season. Roddy White, Julio Jones and Tony Gonzalez trump their Saints counterparts overall, and Jacquizz Rodgers has stepped up his running game as Michael Turner’s annual late-season slide begins. Add to that, the Falcons were already upset by New Orleans on the road, and they can wrap up the division with a win tonight, and Atlanta has all the motivation it needs to close this one down.

Atlanta Falcons: 31-27

Week 12 Predictions - 2012

Minnesota Vikings (6-4) at Chicago Bears (7-3):

Adrian Peterson is a freak of nature. He’s not human. He can’t be. Nobody comes back from an ACL tear in less than a year, and nobody has their best season coming off of one. That said, as Peterson’s production goes up, the Vikings continue to lose. The biggest issue here is obviously Christian Ponder’s struggles, especially with Percy Harvin dealing with injuries lately, but at the same time, it seems almost as though opposing teams will give up the run if only to shut down Minnesota’s passing attack.

Also, did anybody see the latest news on the Bears offensive line? Chilo Rachal, signed to a one-year deal this offseason, got demoted this week. His response? To talk out on the team in a huff. Turns out teams don’t like that, and he’s been relegated to the non-injured reserve list. This is just a situation that gets worse and worse for the Bears. That said, this defense got its one bad game of the season out of the way, Chicago is back home, and Adrian Peterson is due for a bad game. Bears take this one.

Chicago Bears: 27-20

 

Oakland Raiders (3-7) at Cincinnati Bengals (5-5):

What is all this talk about Carson Palmer being a bust? The man has thrown for 3,000 yards in 10 games. Three thousand freaking yards. He’s on pace for 4,900 yards and 27 touchdowns. Do you know who throws for 4,900 yards and 27 touchdowns? Drew Brees, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. And I can guarantee that the Saints, Broncos or Patriots wouldn’t dream of trading those guys off for a couple of first-round picks. The Raiders’ problems are not Palmer’s fault. That said, the Raiders still have a lot of problems.

And of course, Palmer will be going up against the team that traded him. BenJarvus Green-Ellis has become a legitimate starting running back in recent weeks, and AJ Green has simply electrified the league this season, and he’s set to go off against a porous Raiders defense again this week. Of course, even if the Raiders manage to shut down the two Greens, Mohammad Sanu and Andrew Hawkins give Dalton way too many options to shut him down completely

Cincinnati Bengals: 30-24

 

Pittsburgh Steelers (6-4) at Cleveland Browns(2-8):

I’m a little torn on the Steelers right now. On the defensive side, it seems like Pitt can just plug-and-play all day, regardless of the age or name of its defenders. On the offensive side, not only is Ben Roethlisberger out, his backup, Byron Leftwich is now out, too, leaving Charlie Batch under center with no legitimate backup and without a starting receiver in Antonio Brown. But of course, the Steelers’ three-headed rushing attack should help balance those things out just a bit.

Cleveland, meanwhile, isn’t a good team, but the Browns sure like to play a good game. In their last five games, Cleveland is 2-3, with two losses by less than 4 points. Trent Richardson looks like the next great thing, and Brandon Weeden is showing composure that I think few people expected out of him at this point. That said, nobody does well against the Steelers’ defense, least of all rookies in their first start against it.

Pittsburgh Steelers: 21-13

 

Buffalo Bills (4-6) at Indianapolis Colts (6-4):

You have to wonder when it’s going to come together for the Bills. A once-porous defense has played well in recent weeks, and Buffalo’s dynamic running backs have each had their time in the sun. It worked last week against a Miami team struggling to find its identity, but it will face a tougher test against the Colts and Andrew Luck this week, even with the return of Fred Jackson.

Indy, meanwhile, is tentatively holding onto its wildcard slot after getting pasted by the Patriots last week. Keep in mind, though, this is not a bad team. Andrew Luck threw his first two pick-sixes all year in that game, but still managed to put up 24 on New England. The Patriots simply ran up the score, a lot. This week will be an interesting test to see if Andrew Luck can keep his composure.

Buffalo Bills: 23-20

 

Denver Broncos (7-3) at Kansas City Chiefs (1-9):

Not much needs to be said here. Short of a home matchup against the Jaguars, it doesn’t get to be much easier of a win.

Denver Broncos: 27-13

 

Seattle Seahawks (6-4) at Miami Dolphins:

Marshawn Lynch has been in Beast Mode for a while, but it’s the idea that Russell Wilson could be hitting his stride as well right now that is really scary. Seattle has easily the best secondary in the league at this point, and it’s hard to imagine any team, especially the reeling Dolphins, matching up against Seattle in a ground game. Of course, keep in mind here that Seattle is really not good on the road, and this is an early game on the East Coast.

Like I said before, the Dolphins don’t seem to have an identity. Reggie Bush still makes the occasional electrifying play, but Miami struggles to find ways to get him the ball. Ryan Tannehill has been great as a rookie, but he simply has no one to throw it to. The Seahawks have had their struggles on the road, but this time, Miami simply doesn’t have enough to beat them.

Seattle Seahawks: 21-20

 

Atlanta Falcons (9-1) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-4):

This is the part that gets fun for Atlanta. The Falcons have run up the league’s best record, but they’ve done it by scrappy end-game plays against the easiest schedule in the country. Michael Turner is entering his late-season struggle stage yet again, leaving the job to win solely on Matt Ryan … who threw five interceptions last week.

The Buccaneers, meanwhile, look like the team everyone thought they’d see last year at this point. Josh Freeman has been electrifying, and Doug Martin has taken the NFL by storm, singlehandedly winning two games in the past four weeks. The Bucs have got to do something about their secondary, which seems to give up at least one huge play a game, a streak that will likely continue into this week, but Tampa Bay has more than enough weapons to expose a shaky Falcons team at home.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 31-24

 

Tennessee Titans (4-6) at Jacksonville Jaguars (1-9):

The only upside that Jacksonville has over KC is that their quarterback situation just got much better. Chad Henne is an experienced veteran who knows how to make plays and how to utilize a dynamic receiver like Justin Blackmon. That said, the defense is way too holey, and the offense will be largely one-dimensional again this week. It’s simply not enough to hold off the Titans.

Tennessee Titans: 27-23

 

Baltimore Ravens (8-2) at San Diego Chargers (4-6):

You’ve gotta hand it to the Ravens. They take blow after blow on defense, yet manage to recover and just keep making plays to win. Baltimore’s D has taken a bend-but-don’t-break mentality, and explosive plays, specifically from Jacoby Jones as return man, have managed to carry Baltimore, even when Joe Flacco is struggling. Of course, this still doesn’t justify the Ravens not using Ray Rice nearly as much as last year. Arguably the most versatile running back in the league has been hamstrung by his own coaching staff, and that’s something that may need to change for the Ravens to pull out a win here.

At this point, I look at Philip Rivers the way I looked at Jake Delhomme a few years back. He was very good in his prime, but the switch has suddenly gone off. He’s still capable of the big play, but his mental lapses (see his numerous fumbles inside the pocket) are just overwhelming at this point. However, the Chargers still have a solid defense, and the emergence of Denario Alexander gives the Chargers the type of balanced offense they need to knock off the Ravens this week.

San Diego Chargers: 24-17

 

San Francisco 49ers (7-2-1) at New Orleans Saints (5-5):

I’m only going to say a little bit about this brewing catastrophe, because if I get started on a rant, odds are, I won’t be stopping. Alex Smith is 25-of-27 pre-concussion in his last two games. And he got benched. I don’t care how well the backup performed, that would’ve been like benching Aaron Rodgers for Matt Flynn in the playoffs last year. It’s just silly. And it will hurt the Niners here.

The Saints don’t need to do much here; Brees needs to be Brees, and the defense should be able to take care of the rest, seeing San Fran’s offense will likely confuse its own self perfectly well.

New Orleans Saints: 31-17

 

St. Louis Rams (3-6-1) at Arizona Cardinals (4-6):

Talk about a mess here. The Rams and Cardinals were the darlings of the early NFL season, and St. Louis had to go and ruin it by winning at Arizona in Week 5. Since then, both teams are winless. St. Louis doesn’t really have an excuse, with a solid defense, Sam Bradford, and the return of Danny Amendola. Of course, Amendola is doubtful this week, again, leaving St. Louis with simply a deep threat (Chris Givens) and a single short-game threat (Brandon Gibson).

Arizona, though … Yikes. Ryan Lindley is now taking snaps under center, and he is clearly struggling to establish a chemistry with Larry Fitzgerald. Beanie Wells does return to the starting lineup this week, but given the solid play of LaRod Stephens-Howling, the running game hasn’t been the issue. Thankfully for them, the Rams seem to be falling faster than Arizona, and the Cardinals should be able to at least stop the spiral.

Arizona Cardinals: 21-17

 

Green Bay Packers (7-3) at New York Giants (6-4):

Aaron Rodgers is thanking his lucky stars for Randall Cobb right now. Despite the lack of a running game and injuries to his two best receivers, Rodgers has still managed to win game after game, thanks primarily to Cobb’s playmaking ability in the last six weeks. Now that Jordy Nelson should be fully returned to health and James Starks seems to have returned to favor, Green Bay should be a tough out for the remainder of the season.

New York, meanwhile, seems to be crumbling quickly. Victor Cruz has simply faded from view in past weeks, and conflict between Ahmad Bradshaw and Tom Coughlin have resulted in a mess at a running back for the Giants. Add to that a porous secondary that can’t seem to make plays to save its life, New York can’t like its chances this week.

Green Bay Packers: 31-23

 

Carolina Panthers (2-8) at Philadelphia Eagles (3-7):

Could this be the worst Monday night game in NFL history? It has to be close. The Panthers, who have simply outplayed the Bears and Bucs in recent weeks, can’t seem to hold onto a lead, and the Eagles are completely listless without Vick and a defense that has simply fallen off the map. (Speaking of which, I just wanna say, I was right, I was right, I was right, about firing Juan Castillo. And now Andy Reid will be fired for it.) Philadelphia has home-field advantage, but given that home field is in the city notorious for bad fans, Carolina has to like its chances here.

Carolina Panthers: 23-20

 

Last Week: 8-5

Overall: 98-59-1

Thanksgiving Day Predictions

Houston Texans (9-1) at Detroit Lions (4-6):

Houston Texans: 27-20

 

Washington Redskins (4-6) at Dallas Cowboys (5-5):

Washington Redskins: 31-20

 

New England Patriots (7-3) at New York Jets (4-6):

New England Patriots: 24-20

Week 11 Predictions - 2012

Arizona Cardinals (4-5) at Atlanta Falcons (8-1):

I still maintain that the Cardinals are a decent team. Unfortunately, dropping a couple of games to the Bills and Rams that they shouldn’t have has landed them in a really tough out for the remainder of the season. Having to travel to Atlanta after the Falcons suffered their first loss of the season doesn’t make things much better for them, though.

Atlanta Falcons: 27-17

 

Cleveland Browns (2-7) at Dallas Cowboys (4-5):

I liked what little I saw out of the Cowboys last week against a listless Eagles team. However, Dallas has shown it struggles to run the ball without DeMarco Murray lining up in the backfield. Against a solid Browns squad that has managed to shut teams down on occasion this year, that one-dimensional offense could be a risky prospect. Add in Cleveland’s youth getting a full extra week to prepare, and we’re looking at another upset this week.

Cleveland Browns: 17-13

 

Green Bay Packers (6-3) at Detroit Lions (4-5):

I’ve probably talked about this to the point of annoyance this week, but Megatron’s fumble last week is literally the only late-game play from Johnson that I can ever remember costing the Lions a shot at a win. That said, given how solid Detroit has been able to play, especially on defense, in the last few weeks, nothing in the NFC North is sealed yet. Unfortunately for the Lions, they get Aaron Rodgers and the Pack coming off a bye, with a now-healthy Jordy Nelson leading the receiving corps again. If the Lions want to make another playoff run this year, they’ll have to shock Green Bay first.

Green Bay Packers: 31-27

 

Cincinnati Bengals (4-5) at Kansas City Chiefs (1-8):

As impressed as I was by Kansas City’s effort in Pittsburgh last week, I don’t think it comes close to matching the pounding the Bengals put on the Giants. Granted, New York is in characteristic second-half choke mode, Cincinnati still managed to dominate New York in every facet of the game last week, and Kansas City won’t be facing Byron Leftwich for an entire half this week.

Cincinnati Bengals: 27-24

 

New York Jets (3-6) at St. Louis Rams (3-5-1):

Remember when the Jets put up 48 points on the Bills in Week 1 and everybody thought the preseason was just a gimmick? Yeah, those were the days. Not only is the offense anemic, the defense struggles to stop anyone on the ground, and with a solid ground game coming out of St. Louis right now, New York’s struggles should only worsen this week.

St. Louis Rams: 31-20

 

Philadelphia Eagles (3-6) at Washington Redskins (3-6):

Cue up the Tom Petty, because Philly’s in free fall. Of course, the Eagles’ answer is to respond with quarterback controversy, which always (read: never) works out. RGIII should have fun putting up laughable numbers against Philadelphia this week.

Washington Redskins: 34-28

 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-4) at Carolina Panthers (2-7):

As ridiculous as Tampa Bay’s offense has been in the last few weeks, it worries me. Doug Martin’s explosion against the Vikings was incredible; his follow-up explosion against the Raiders has to be chalked up to poor gameplanning, though. Vincent Jackson’s breakout game against the Saints benefitted from a pathetic secondary. Tampa Bay’s offense is one of the best in the league, no doubt, but its success in recent weeks has stemmed from a single player’s performance. What happens when there’s no breakout player? Questions to ponder. As much as Carolina is struggling on both sides right now, I don’t think the Bucs should be overly concerned just yet.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 31-23

 

Jacksonville Jaguars (1-8) at Houston Texans (8-1):

It’s a good thing the Chiefs hadn’t led for a single second in any of their first eight games, or we’d all be talking about how lousy the Jaguars have been this year. Of course, now that the Chiefs have finally led in a game, I still don’t wanna talk about how bad the Jaguars are. Have fun, Arian Foster.

Houston Texans: 34-17

 

New Orleans Saints (4-5) at Oakland Raiders (3-6):

Exhilarating home win against the previously unbeaten Falcons? Check. Finding out that the defense does, in fact, have NFL talent? Check. Looks like a perfect time for a letdown game. As well as Drew Brees has been playing, Carson Palmer has been having an equally spectacular season for the Raiders. Oakland doesn’t have as much depth in playmakers as the Saints, but given a (slightly) better defense, and a quarterback putting up nearly 400 yards a game over the past few games, and Oakland has a good chance at outdueling New Orleans at home this week.

Oakland Raiders: 38-31

 

San Diego Chargers (4-5) at Denver Broncos (6-3):

I’m sure the Chargers are desperate for some revenge against Denver. After all, that second-half collapse sent the Chargers reeling and catapulted Denver to one of the AFC’s top teams. That said, San Diego has since lost a track meet to Tampa Bay at home, and lost a grueling, defensive affair at Cleveland. This isn’t a team that’s losing for lack of talent; it’s losing because it can’t close games. Meanwhile, that Denver team that only showed up in the fourth quarter at the beginning of the year? Yeah, that’s gone, replaced by an offensive juggernaut that makes it impossible for opposing offenses to keep up.

Denver Broncos: 31-23

 

Indianapolis Colts (6-3) at New England Patriots (6-3):

I don’t think anyone will argue that Andrew Luck has been much better than even his pre-draft hype suggested. The Colts are not only winning games; they’re doing it in ways that suggest a solid team with years of chemistry behind it. The best for both teams this week, though, is that this rivalry isn’t only alive, it’s still meaningful. Tom Brady has way too many weapons at his disposal, and eventually, a fourth quarter will click for the Patriots, but Luck should be able to give New England a scare this week.

New England Patriots: 24-20

 

Baltimore Ravens (7-2) at Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3):

I’m a little curious about this one. It’s arguably as intense a rivalry as there is in the NFL, and these games almost always break down into brutal slugfests. But that’s not the Ravens team we’re seeing this year. Baltimore’s defense is so bad, the offense has to put up outlandish numbers just to stave off opponents. Given the history of this rivalry, though, it’s hard to imagine this turning into a track meet, which will favor the Steelers.

Pittsburgh Steelers: 20-17

 

Chicago Bears (7-2) at San Francisco 49ers (6-2-1):

Jay Cutler is out. Alex Smith is shaky at best. This will be a game that relies almost exclusively on running backs and defensive lines, and Chicago has too many playmakers in those areas for San Francisco to keep up.

Chicago Bears: 23-17

 

Last Week: 9-4-1

Overall: 90-54-1

 

Week 10 Predictions - 2012

Indianapolis Colts (5-3) at Jacksonville Jaguars (1-7):

Indianapolis Colts

 

New York Giants (6-3) at Cincinnati Bengals (3-5)

New York Giants: 31-27

 

Tennessee Titans (3-6) at Miami Dolphins (4-4)

Miami Dolphins: 23-17

 

Detroit Lions (4-4) at Minnesota Vikings (5-4)

Detroit Lions: 17-13

 

Buffalo Bills (3-5) at New England Patriots (5-3)

New England Patriots: 35-24

 

Atlanta Falcons (8-0) at New Orleans Saints (3-5)

New Orleans Saints: 34-28

 

San Diego Chargers (4-4) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-4)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 24-20

 

Denver Broncos (5-3) at Carolina Panthers (2-6)

Denver Broncos: 28-14

 

Oakland Raiders (3-5) at Baltimore Ravens (6-2)

Oakland Raiders: 21-17

 

New York Jets (3-5) at Seattle Seahawks (5-4)

Seattle Seahawks: 17-13

 

Dallas Cowboys (3-5) at Philadelphia Eagles (3-5)

Dallas Cowboys: 21-20

 

St. Louis Rams (3-5) at San Francisco 49ers (6-2)

San Francisco 49ers: 24-16

 

Houston Texans (7-1) at Chicago Bears (7-1)

Houston Texans: 23-20

 

Kansas City Chiefs (1-7) at Pittsburgh Steelers (5-3)

Pittsburgh Steelers: 28-17

 

Last Week: 8-6

Overall: 81-50-0

Week 9 Predictions - 2012

Denver Broncos (4-3) at Cincinnati Bengals (3-4):

We always knew the offense was there. Shutting down the Saints last week proved the Broncos defense is now there as well. Cincinnati will put up more points than the Saints did, but look for Willis McGahee to provide some more entertainment this week.

Denver Broncos: 27-17

 

Baltimore Ravens (5-2) at Cleveland Browns (2-6):

Even with the porous defense and critical injuries right now, the Ravens still have too much talent, coming off a bye, to lose this game. Cleveland gave Baltimore a scare last time and managed to pick up a marquee win over San Diego last week, so it’s unlikely the Ravens overlook them this week.

Baltimore Ravens: 24-17

 

Arizona Cardinals (4-4) at Green Bay Packers (5-3):

My dark-horse pick for the NFC Wild Card spot isn’t looking so dark … or horse-ish right now. As much trouble as Green Bay’s defense may be in, the Cardinals simply don’t have enough weapons to walk into Lambeau and outscore Aaron Rodgers, lockdown defense or no.

Green Bay Packers: 23-10

 

Chicago Bears (6-1) at Tennessee Titans (3-5):

The Bears looked positively sloppy against Carolina. If not for another unlikely pick-six, Chicago’s walking into this game at 5-2. On the flip side, if not for a sloppy fourth quarter, Tennessee walks in at 4-4. The Bears have way too many offensive problems right now, and the Titans are finding their offensive groove at just the right time to pull off this upset.

Tennessee Titans: 21-17

 

Miami Dolphins (4-3) at Indianapolis Colts (4-3):

It didn’t take long for either of these teams to prove themselves legitimate playoff contenders. Miami has struggled to run the ball as of late, and until Ryan Tannehill is fully healthy again, it’s something they’ll need to focus on. Thankfully, they come up against one of the worst run defenses in the league this week, which should be a good remedy.

Miami Dolphins: 21-20

 

Carolina Panthers (1-6) at Washington Redskins (3-5):

Carolina looked good against Chicago last week, but attribute that more to Chicago’s sloppy play than stellar Panther play. The Panthers will get some serious yardage this week, but in the end, RGIII’s composure should give him an edge of Cam Newton.

Washington Redskins: 31-28

 

Detroit Lions (3-4) at Jacksonville Jaguars (1-6):

If the Lions want to come back to Detroit at 4-4, they have to get Megatron going for the whole game, rather than utilizing him solely in the fourth quarter, and a decent Jaguars defense will demand this. Blaine Gabbert should be able to find some easy targets through the air, but the lack of anything resembling a run game is going to hurt Jacksonville in this one.

Detroit Lions: 24-17

 

Buffalo Bills (3-4) at Houston Texans (6-1):

Bills D, meet a real running back. Arian Foster, meet … nothing. It’s like there’s nothing there.

Houston Texans: 38-20

 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-4) at Oakland Raiders (3-4):

Tampa Bay’s offense gets better every week, with a new player exploding onto the scene each time. Oakland will have to focus on stopping Doug Martin, and I say that gives Mike Williams a chance to shine this week. Of course, Carson Palmer continues to be the quarterback nobody notices, and with a healthy receiving corps and a porous secondary, the Raiders should be able to ignore their red-zone woes by simply scoring from 40 yards out. A lot.

Oakland Raiders: 31-24

 

Minnesota Vikings (5-3) at Seattle Seahawks (4-4):

The Vikings needed that win last Thursday, not only for record’s sake, but for Christian Ponder’s composure. Now he goes into the toughest stadium in the league with two straight bad games. Seattle’s defense won’t be able to contain Adrian Peterson, but it will do enough to take over this defensive struggle.

Seattle Seahawks: 17-13

 

Pittsburgh Steelers (4-3) at New York Giants (6-2):

I don’t like this game one bit. Pittsburgh has to fly in on the day of the game. It’s a short travel and a small thing, but it disrupts routines and that has a way of amplifying, especially when that time should be going towards figuring out how to stop both Eli Manning and Ahmad Bradshaw. Giants are gonna steal this one.

New York Giants: 23-20

 

Dallas Cowboys (3-4) at Atlanta Falcons (7-0):

A lot of people like the Cowboys in this one. Arguably the best secondary in the league, and a potentially high-scoring offense could give Atlanta trouble. That said, this is in the Georgia Dome, Matt Ryan is healthy, and DeMarco Murray is not. The Falcons should survive one more week.

Atlanta Falcons: 27-20

 

Philadelphia Eagles (3-4) at New Orleans Saints (2-5):

Ew. An Eagles team that just won’t win versus a Saints team that simply can’t. This should be interesting. Michael Vick and Lesean McCoy should both have field days against a horrendous Saints defense, and Drew Brees should continue his record-setting pace, but all it will take is a couple of held possessions for the Eagles defense to turn the tide in this one.

Philadelphia Eagles: 35-28

 

 

Chiefs-Chargers Prediction - Week 9

Kansas City Chiefs (1-6) at San Diego Chargers (3-4):

Kansas City can’t catch a break can it? Romeo Crennel names Brady Quinn the starter … and he gets a head injury. Of course, Matt Cassel promptly comes in and can’t win a game. It’s a shame, because Jamaal Charles’ return to prominence relies solely on one of these guys being able to pass for 200 yards a game. Of course, San Diego has to be loving this. As bad as Philip Rivers is, he’s no Brady Quinn, and the Chargers are a better all-around team than the Chiefs. I still don’t buy the Chargers as a legit team, or Norv Turner as a legit coach, but it’s games like this one that make it completely feasible for San Diego to stay in playoff contention.

San Diego Chargers: 24-13

 

Week 8 Predictions - 2012

Carolina Panthers (1-5) at Chicago Bears (5-1):

I figured the Panthers weren’t going to be a Super Bowl team, but I didn’t see this mess coming. The GM is gone, the backfield is a mess, the defense is leaking water, and of course, Cam Newton is sulking. Meanwhile, the Bears are rolling. Despite getting outgained against Detroit on Monday, Chicago’s defense was still the storyline, forcing three turnovers in the red zone, as well as another on a muffed punt. This one shouldn’t be close.

Chicago Bears: 27-14

 

San Diego Chargers (3-3) at Cleveland Browns (1-6):

It’s hard to come up with a description for the Chargers’ collapse against Denver before their bye week. Philip Rivers had no business trying to make most of the plays he was attempting on his interceptions, yet he kept doing it. Granted, he doesn’t have the receiving lineup he’s used to, but Antonio Gates appears healthy, and Ryan Mathews has proven himself a feature back. Of course, Rivers isn’t at fault for the defense, which has been subpar at best throughout the season.

Meanwhile, Cleveland seems to be headed in the opposite direction. Brandon Weeden has become a consistent performer, making plays to keep the Browns in the game. Trent Richardson will likely miss this week’s game because of ribs, but even so, Cleveland’s offense should be plenty productive. If Cleveland can shore up its run defense, it should be in line to pull off the upset.

Cleveland Browns: 21-17

 

Seattle Seahawks (4-3) at Detroit Lions (2-4):

It’s a bad time to be an offensive player in the NFC West. The Seahawks have simply shut down opponents left and right, as has everyone else in the division. In addition, all but one of Seattle’s games have been within one score, save for their 20-point shellacking of Dallas. That said, Russell Wilson is still a rookie and is prone to long stretches of ineptitude. Marshawn Lynch’s “Beast Mode” doesn’t seem nearly so beast this season, either. And finally, this team struggles mightily on the road, winning only against Carolina so far, in four tries.

Detroit, meanwhile, remains an enigma. The Lions outpaced the Bears, but thanks to numerous mental errors, managed to barely avoid being shut out. The defense, statistically, seems to be there, but at the same time, seems like it can’t stop anybody. That said, Calvin Johnson is too good to be silence for too long, Mikel Leshoure is proving himself a legitimate back, and Detroit’s back is inches from the wall. Lions should recover somewhat by taking one from Seattle here.

Detroit Lions: 23-20

 

Jacksonville Jaguars (1-5) at Green Bay Packers (4-3):

After Jacksonville’s epic collapse last week and the loss of Maurice Jones-Drew, I’ll be surprised if this is within 20.

Green Bay Packers: 35-13

 

Indianapolis Colts (3-3) at Tennessee Titans (3-4):

The Colts are fickle. Beat Green Bay, get blown out by the Jets, then beat Cleveland. Sometimes they win with great defense; sometimes they win by outscoring the opponent. I honestly have no idea what to make of this team, other than the fact that Andrew Luck is legit, and their run game is awful.

Tennessee, meanwhile seems to have finally found its offensive rhythm, which is great, since every other offense finds its rhythm against the Titans. The Colts aren’t going to be able to stop Chris Johnson this week, and Matt Hasselbeck doesn’t look nearly so old as he did a month ago.

Tennessee Titans: 31-21

 

New England Patriots (4-3) at St. Louis Rams (3-4):

Something’s up with Tom Brady. My theory is that he’s subtly trying to sabotage Bill Belichick as his career comes to a close, so he can simply transition to head coach when he’s done. Because he’s still putting up numbers, and New England’s offense still seems nearly unstoppable, but we’re seeing decidedly un-Brady mistakes coming at really bad times of the game. That could be a problem this week, going up against a Jeff Fisher-led defense that excels at turnovers.

Speaking of, since getting belted by Chicago in Week 3, St. Louis has managed to find ways to stay competitive in every game, win or lose. Unfortunately, the Rams’ very good home-field advantage disappears this week, since the two will be in London. Watch St. Louis pick apart the New England secondary to keep it close, but for New England to pull out a win in London like it always does.

New England Patriots: 24-21

 

Miami Dolphins (3-3) at New York Jets (3-4):

Don’t look now, but Ryan Tannehill is averaging 250 yards a game, and the Dolphins have a legitimate offense, despite the lack of a true No. 1 receiver. Reggie Bush has been stymied of late, but Miami has to love the idea of facing the porous New York run D coming off the bye.

There’s no room for moral victories in the NFL, but the Jets’ loss to New England last week showed that the talent gap in the AFC East is very, very slim. Unfortunately, that holds true for the space between the Dolphins and the Jets as well. Look for Miami to pull off the upset here.

Miami Dolphins: 20-17

 

Atlanta Falcons (6-0) at Philadelphia Eagles (3-3):

Oh so many story lines here. Obviously, the Falcons, at 6-0, are the team’s lone unbeaten, and those wins have not been pretty. Atlanta’s had plenty of time to tweak those flaws during the bye week.

However, Philly’s had the same bye week as well, and nobody’s better coming off the bye than Andy Reid. Michael Vick has had more than his fair share of issues, but the Eagles’ defense, homefield advantage and Reid’s tactics should be enough to bring the Falcons back to earth.

Philadelphia Eagles: 17-14

 

Washington Redskins (3-4) at Pittsburgh Steelers (3-3):

It’s almost unreal how good Washington’s offense is, considering how young most of the skill-position starters are. Of course, when RGIII leads a game-winning touchdown drive with less than 2 minutes to play, and the defense promptly gives up one of its own one play later, it’s hard to win games, even with a high-flying offense. If Washington wants to win this week, the secondary will have to stop the big play.

Pittsburgh has struggled to stay at .500, and even now, and it doesn’t really make sense. True, the defense has had more than its fair share of injuries, and the run game is nonexistent, thanks to injuries, but Pittsburgh has coughed up close losses to two bad teams in Oakland and Tennessee, and the Steelers need to be on full alert for the same thing again this week. That said, Antonio Brown looked amazing last week, and Roethlisberger is picking secondaries apart right now, despite not being able to rely on a solid play-action. The Steelers should pull this one out in exciting fashion.

Pittsburgh Steelers: 31-28

 

Oakland Raiders (2-4) at Kansas City Chiefs (1-5):

Don’t look now, but Carson Palmer is becoming a legitimate NFL threat again. He’s averaging almost 300 yards per game, and he has yet to have a fully healthy receiving corps. If Darren McFadden can get started again, this is an Oakland team that will keep AFC West coaches up late at night. Of course, it won’t matter how McFadden plays Sunday, since the Chargers are going up against the hapless Chiefs. Kansas City has some incredible playmakers on both sides of the ball, but with Brady Quinn at quarterback and Romeo Crennel at coach, there’s nothing to glue this team together.

Oakland Raiders: 24-17

 

New York Giants (5-2) at Dallas Cowboys (3-3):

As ridiculous as Eli Manning has been so far this season, the highlight of the Giants’ offense has to be Ahmad Bradshaw’s resurgence. After returning from his neck injury, Bradshaw has proceeded to gash opponents, though he did struggle against Washington last week. The Cowboys’ running game has its own woes right now, with DeMarco Murray out and Felix Jones hurt. Add that to Tony Romo’s inconsistencies, and New York is looking at a revenge game in Dallas this week.

New York Giants: 21-20

 

New Orleans Saints (2-4) at Denver Broncos (3-3):

Boy do the Saints look good. Drew Brees had almost 300 yards at halftime last week, and Marques Colston seems to be fully recovered. But hidden in Brees’ stat line was how bad the Saints were in the second half against Tampa Bay. He threw for less than 100 yards, and the run game fared no better. In fact, the Saints were a silly play by Mike Williams (he willingly ran out of bounds before catching the game tying touchdown pass) away from heading to overtime.

Denver, meanwhile, has the opposite problem, starting out way too slow in the first half, with a defense that seems to enjoy letting opponents run up the score before trying to bounce back. But Denver has had a bye week to fix this, Peyton Manning looks unbelievable right now, and the Saints’ porous run D will help Willis McGahee balance the offense this week. The Saints get Joe Vitt back this week, but it won’t be enough to knock off the Broncos on the road.

Denver Broncos: 34-28

 

San Francisco 49ers (5-2) at Arizona Cardinals (4-3):

This one’s going to be a problem for San Francisco. Arizona isn’t going to give Frank Gore another 100-yard game, and will most likely force Alex Smith to beat the Cardinals through the air. The problem if he doesn’t? Well, Arizona’s offense is, at best, horrible, but a game focused on defenses and killing clock certainly rings a little more favorably with the Cardinals. Look for Arizona to recover from its three straight losses in the best way possible.

Arizona Cardinals: 13-10

Buccaneers-Vikings Prediction - Week 8

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-4) at Minnesota Vikings (5-2):

I have to admit: I’m impressed by Josh Freeman and the Bucs’ offense. I understand they went up against one of the worst secondaries in the NFL last week, but players don’t explode for 200 receiving yards if they don’t have some measure of talent. (Given the fact that Vincent Jackson got caught on the 1 after literally having a 30-yard lead, this is even more impressive.)  And Doug Martin hasn’t been amazing, but he has been very serviceable, good even, for the Bucs this year. The defense is such a wild card, though. Granted its schedule is looking worse as time goes on, Tampa shut down the Cowboys, the Panthers and the Chiefs with ease, only to get eviscerated by the Giants and the Saints.

 

As for Minnesota, I’m still not sold. Adrian Peterson went off last week, but that corresponded with a complete crash-and-burn by Christian Ponder (58 passing yards? FIFTY-EIGHT?!). I’m slowly warming to this Vikings defense, which has secondary capabilities the likes of which I haven’t seen in purple in years, but if Minnesota wants to stay in the playoff chase, it has to put together a complete game on offense. I don’t think they’re there yet, but the Vikings will pull this one out.

 

Minnesota Vikings: 28-24