Line: Bucs -13
O/U: 39
Tampa will win this game, but by 13 points? Oakland only plays decent every other week, and they won in week 16, so...you know...it could be a blowout. Plus, the Bucs MUST WIN. Betting on desperation is great, but this spread is awfully big.
Tampa -13. Gotta go with the desperate Bucs 30-10.
Detroit Lions @ Green Bay Packers
Line: Packers -10
O/U: 43
The Packers have nothing to play for. The Lions do. But can Detroit put up a fight at Lambeau?
Packers -10. 0-16 becomes a reality. Packers 27-13.
Dallas Cowboys @ Philadelphia Eagles
Line: Eagles -1.5
O/U: 42.5
Unlike many other teams in the league, the Eagles don't show up one week and disappear the next. They go on 2- or 3-game streaks of playing like crap. Not to mention the Cowboys have been given new life far too many times this season, and are bound to take advantage...especially coming in as underdogs.
Cowboys +1.5. Dallas heads to the postseason with a win, 31-20.
New York Giants @ Minnesota Vikings
Line: Vikings -6.5
O/U: 42
Linebuster!
Oh, hell no. I was curious to see if the Vikes would be favored, but that is an insane line. Even if the Giants don't care about the game, I doubt Tarvaris Jackson can put up enough points to blow them out. New York lost 2 in a row, then won last week. They don't want to stumble into the postseason having lost 3 of their last 4, so I don't think they'll phone this one in. Not to mention, even if they rest Brandon Jacobs, his backup is Derrick Ward, and he can gash the Vikings like crazy without big Pat Williams in there stopping the run.
Giants +6.5. New York wins outright, 21-20.
Chicago Bears @ Houston Texans
Line: Texans -2.5
O/U: 46.5
Linebuster!
The Bears have something to play for, and it is desperation time. If they can summon desperation to block a field goal against Green Bay that they absolutely had to block, I can't go against them when a win could mean a playoff spot.
Bears +2.5. They've gotta win. 24-21.
Carolina Panthers @ New Orleans Saints
Line: Panthers -3
O/U: 52.5
Linebuster!
No Reggie, a new offensive coordinator, and the false confidence a 42-7 win over the Lions can provide will make this game a blowout in the wrong direction for Saints fans. Carolina is still playing for the division and a first round bye. Of course, if they don't get it, they'd be the #5 seed, and would travel to Arizona, which is a very winnable game. But why bother playing next week?
Panthers -3. Carolina wins 33-21.
St. Louis Rams @ Atlanta Falcons
Line: Falcons -14
O/U: 44
The Rams put up a good fight against San Fran last week, but are pretty much ready for their season to be over. Atlanta needs a win, and is on a huge high right now as they go into the playoffs. A win guarantees them, at worst, the #5 seed and a probable trip to Arizona. If Carolina loses, a win would give them the division and a first round bye! Yes, I'm said Atlanta Falcons and first round bye in the same sentence, and I wasn't kidding.
Falcons -14. Atlanta has been a pleasant surprise all season, and wins again 27-10.
Kansas City Chiefs @ Cincinnati Bengals
Line: Bengals -3
O/U: 38
Linebuster!
Cincy is by no means a good football team, and KC has been playing tough for a while. Their offense is young, but meshes together well, and should be enough to outgun the 13 obligatory points the Bungles will score.
Chiefs +3. KC wins it 24-13.
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Baltimore Ravens
Line: Ravens -12.5
O/U: 36
It's a big spread, and the Jags have been playing much better lately...but I just can't go against it. The Ravens have been beating teams by wide margins, and they'll be extra amped up for this one. They control their own destiny...
Ravens -12.5. Baltimore rolls 27-10.
Tennessee Titans @ Indianapolis Colts
Line: Titans -3
O/U: 38
Both teams are locked into their playoff spots, so this a tough game to figure out. On one hand, the Titans played poorly in Houston when the game didn't mean a whole lot (although in retrospect it could have been a killer, had Pittsburgh won last week). On the other hand, the Titans have much more depth. Then again, it is tough to sweep a season series, and the Colts would love to roll into the playoff with their current win streak in tact...
Colts +3. Indy doesn't want to back into the playoffs...21-17.
Cleveland Browns @ Pittsburgh Steelers
Line: Steelers -10.5
O/U: 32.5
The last game between these two was insanely low scoring. I don't expect Cleveland to score much (if any...), but Pittsburgh may not see the endzone much either.
Steelers -10.5. Steelers don't score much, but they score enough. 20-3.
Miami Dolphins @ New York Jets
Line: Jets -2.5
O/U: 42
I want the Jets to win and the Pats and Ravens to get in because, frankly, it would be hilarious. The problem for the Dolphins in this game is that they have the pressure of the whole country on them, to a degree, as they have become a worst-to-first story. How good are they, really? We will find out in week 17. Favre loves to dispell injury and retirement rumors by going out and playing like he is 24 again. Not to mention, he has had a few bad weeks in a row, so this should be a very good one.
Jets -2.5. New York wins, but doesn't make the playoffs! 24-20.
New England Patriots @ Buffalo Bills
Line: Not Enough (Pats -6.5)
O/U: 41
Linebuster!
The Patriots always crush the Bills. If you add in playoff implications, this one will be over after one quarter.
Pats -6.5. New England runs over the Bills 38-14.
Seattle Seahawks @ Arizona Cardinals
Line: Arizona -6
O/U: 45.5
Arizona is likely the 4-seed no matter what, so they don't have a lot to play for. Their problem is that if they lose, they'll be 8-8...and nobody wants to be that .500 team that snuck into the playoffs. Seattle did well last week, but can they keep it up?
Cards -6. Gotta go with that offense as it tunes up for the postseason. 27-19.
Washington Redskins @ San Francisco 49ers
Line: 49ers -3
O/U: 37.5
Nobody has anything to play for in this one. Frankly, I don't care too much what happens. Very few teams have been able to travel cross-country this year and win, so we'll go with that...
49ers -3. San Fran wins 20-16.
Denver Broncos @ San Diego Chargers
Line: Chargers -8
O/U: 50.5
I have known for a while what I would need to do with this game...San Diego got screwed in week 2 against the Broncs, they've clawed all the way back after being 4-8, and Denver has been playing like crap. Denver is also dealing with issues in the locker room. So everything points toward San Diego big. Which is why the "Denver Rule" states that I must go against common sense.
Broncos +8. San Diego still wins 34-31.
PLAYOFF PICTURE (based on predicted results)
AFC:
1. Tennessee
2. Pittsburgh
3. New England
4. San Diego
5. Indianapolis
6. Baltimore
NFC:
1. New York Giants
2. Carolina
3. Chicago
4. Arizona
5. Atlanta
6. Dallas
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