I ran my record to 11-5 last week and picked the Thursday game correctly (see college football preview for this week: http://fbscouts.blogspot.com/2010/12/college-football-week-13-preview.html ), bringing my overall to 106-71. As we come down the home stretch, the games increase in importance and become a lot more difficult to predict. Let's see how this week goes.
NO vs. CIN
Cincinnati just can’t get themselves together. For every good play they make, a stupid mistake accompanies it and a number of bad plays are likely to follow. You can’t play that way and expect to beat the New Orleans Saints.
CHI vs. DET
While Detroit has been playing well, they just haven’t sealed the deal in a lot of games. That’s likely to be their downfall in this game as well. It doesn’t help that Drew Stanton is starting against one of the better defenses in the NFL. Chicago should win.
SF vs. GB
I would say that San Francisco was building momentum for a playoff run, however their most consistent offensive player, Frank Gore, is out for the season. Without Gore, I don’t think they’ll be able to build enough momentum to overcome the rams or the Seahawks. The same theory applies here. Green Bay wins.
DEN vs. KC
As odd and oxymoronic as this sounds, Denver has been very consistent in their inconsistency. While they have had varying performances offensively and defensively, that have almost always found ways to blow their games and just prove that they are in need of serious rebuilding following the blunders that Josh McDaniels and Brian Xanders try to pass off as good trades. The one thing you know about the Broncos is that they are going to throw the ball well, and do very little else as the Chiefs shove Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones down their throats. Chiefs win.
CLE vs. MIA
Cleveland has found their grove and has a nice set of young players to build around. However, one of those key young players, Colt McCoy is not likely to start in this game, giving way to Jake Delhomme to make his third start of the season. For whatever Delhomme was in his prime in Carolina, he is far from a great option to have a quarterback right now. While the Browns will focus their offense around Peyton Hillis, Miami’s defense will be able to take advantage of Delhomme and pull out the win.
BUF vs. MIN
This is possibly the hardest game to pick this week. Both teams are incredibly unpredictable. While I want to say that Buffalo will outplay Minnesota, the Vikings played well last week and Buffalo has blown a lot of game they should have won. Ultimately I have to give this to the Vikings, just because I can’t trust the Bills not to blow it, at least not with Ryan Fitzpatrick at quarterback at this point.
WAS vs. NYG
The Giants seemed to find their way back on track in the second half of last weeks’ game against the Jags and will look to continue that momentum against the Redskins. It’s better to throw everything you know about these teams out the door in a game like this; that’s how intense the rivalry is between these teams. However you can only make a prediction based on what you know, and based on that, I give the win to the Giants.
JAC vs. TEN
Even if Kerry Collins starts this game, he’s not dynamic enough of a player to pull the pressure off of Chris Johnson. Jacksonville wins.
OAK vs. SD
Over the past couple of weeks, these two teams have been headed in very different directions. Whatever Oakland was doing that helped them win three in a row before their bye week certainly seems to have disappeared in their last two games. San Diego has gotten hot in recent weeks and should be able to contain Darren McFadden and the Raiders rushing game. The Chargers win.
STL vs. ARI
The utter meltdown that Arizona experienced during Monday Night Football was indicative of their entire season. Their offense just can’t get out of their own way, and even when it does, it’s usually too late for them to dig out of the hole they put themselves in. St. Louis should win this game handily.
DAL vs. IND
Dallas seems to have found their grove under Jason Garrett while Indianapolis has struggled the past few weeks, suffering from a plague of injuries that has ravaged their team. While I think the Colts have a good chance of winning, since the Dallas defense isn’t as good as some of the other defenses Indianapolis has faced, I’m giving this one to Dallas because they’re the hotter team.
CAR vs. SEA
The Carolina Panthers are desperate for a win, or for this season to end. I think the latter is more likely to happen first. Seattle wins.
ATL vs. TB
In spite of how well Tampa Bay has been playing this season, they just don’t have the ability to compete with the Falcons the way the Falcons are playing right now. I gotta give it to the Falcons.
PIT vs. BAL *Game of the Week*
This game should be very interesting to watch, as it almost always is. These two teams are so similar, you could also flip-flop any player on either roster and get the same results. Admittedly, Big Ben’s a bit more dynamic a play maker than Joe Flacco, but the Ravens have more established wide receivers than the Steelers. The key though, is going to be the play of runnningbacks Reshard Mendenhall and Ray Rice. Whichever player is able to fight through the staunch defense of their opponent and provide support in the passing game; that will be the team that wins this game. Basing my pick on that, I have to give this win to the Ravens. Ray Rice is threat both in the running and passing game and benefits from having good receivers to draw pressure away from him.
NYJ vs. NE
Most people would probably have given this game of the week status. I am not most people however. The truth is that the Patriots have a horrible pass defense (last in the NFL in fact) and I doubt that the Jets aren’t prepared to exploit that. Even though the Patriots have the best scoring offense in the NFL, you can’t expect to get into a shootout with that Jets defense which is still great in spite of the many close games they’ve played in recently. I‘m giving this to the Jets based on that difference in defensive talent.
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