NFL Divisional Round Preview

One Playoff round down. Next up is the Divisional round. I went 4-0 with my picks last week.

To touch quickly on Robert Griffin's injury: I think it is a damn shame what happened. I do think Griffin will be ready for next year. AP did it and I can see Griffin doing it as well. As far as what Mike Shanahan's role was, I don't think we will ever know. Dr. James Andrews and Shanahan apparently had different views on how healthy Griffin was. Once the offense started slowing down in the first half, I probably would have pulled Griffin. Griffin was of no help to the Skins offense once the knee started bothering him. I hope RG3 recovers, because he is a joy to watch on the field.

Now, onto the Preview. Same format as last week.

JC's Take: Stars, Goats & Notes From Week 15 of the NFL

Game of the Week: San Francisco 41  New England 31
-This game was nowhere close to being the game of the week. At one point, the 49ers were up 31-3 on the Pats in the cold and rain in Foxboro. But, you can never let Tom Brady and Co. back into the game. New England came roaring back and tied the game in the 4th quarter. But the 49ers answered with a good kickoff return and a TD less than a minute later. Bill Bellicheck then decided to go for it on 4th and 3 inside their own 30 late, and they failed yet again on Sunday night. It was a gutsy move, but it shows you don't trust your defense to stop the 49ers. Colin Kapernick continues to play well and has brought new life into this 49ers team. They are more dangerous with him under center. The 49ers are still my pick in the NFC to reach the Super Bowl.

JC's Take: Stars, Goats & Notes From Week 14 of the NFL

Team of the Week: Dallas Cowboys
-For the second week in a row, a NFL team had to deal with a horrible tragedy less than 48 hours before their game on Sunday. And for the second week in a row, that team went on the field Sunday and pulled out an emotional victory. The Cowboys came back from down 9 midway through the 4th quarter to pull off a 20-19 win in Cincinnati. It was a game the Cowboys needed to stay alive in the Playoff race. You could see the emotion from the Cowboys players before, during, and after the game. Cameras caught players crying just going through sprints and runs in the early pre-game. But Dallas came up with a strong defensive effort, shutting down a good Bengals offense. And the Cowboys did just enough on offense to get them the win.

NFL Week 13 Picks

Not bad last week. Better than my fantasy football teams.

Last Week: 11-5
Year to Date: 118-57

New Orleans Saints vs Atlanta Falcons
This may be the second best rivalry in the NFL. I don't know if anything will top the Ravens/Steelers in the near future, but this one is starting to get close. It is becoming pretty apparent through various players words in the media that these teams do not like each other. The Saints ended the Falcons undefeated season the last time these two teams played. New Orleans came up with a big goal line stand and did not allow the Falcons to take the lead in the fourth quarter. The Saints are coming off a loss that saw their offense get stopped by the 49ers defense. They got to Drew Brees and returned two interceptions for touchdowns. Atlanta doesn't have the pass rushers to get to Brees like the 49ers do, so Brees will have more time here. Atlanta got out of Tampa Bay with a win and placed a strangle hold on the NFC South. Atlanta has the offensive fire power to stay with the Saints in this one. This won't be a defensive struggle. If Matt Ryan and the Falcons want to take the next step, they need to win this one. I like the Falcons to take this one. They got Michael Turner and Jacquizz Rogers going last week. If they can get rolling come Playoff time, the Falcons offense gets that much better.

Atlanta 34  New Orleans 28

JC's Take: Stars, Goats and Notes From Week 10 of the NFL

Team of the Week: New Orleans Saints
-The Saints struggled mightily for the first month of the season. The offense put up points, but the defense had problems shutting teams down. But in the last two weeks, the Saints defense stepped up and helped them win games. Last week, the Saints defense held the Philadelphia Eagles to 13 points. This week against the Saints they came up with a huge 4th down stop inside their own 10 yard line with under 2 minutes left. Then they stopped the Falcons at the end of the game and handed the Falcons their first loss of the season. The Saints are now 4-5 and are in no way out of the NFC Playoff picture yet. If the Saints defense can show up and have a consistently strong performance every week, then they will be right back in the thick of things. Drew Brees and the offense can put up 30+ points like its nothing. If the Saints can hold teams to under 30 points every week, then they can win just about any game.

NFL Week 9 Picks

I showed some signs of improvement last week. Hopefully things get fully better this week.

Last Week: 9-5
Year to Date: 73-44

Kansas City Chiefs vs San Diego Chargers
Things just aren't right in San Diego. They put together a woeful performance last week against Cleveland. Philip Rivers had a terrible game, Ryan Matthews fumbled again, and the Chargers offense failed to put together a meaningful drive. Now there are people in San Diego questioning what has gone wrong with this  Chargers team the last few years. Norv Turner has had so much talent and has yet to put together a Super Bowl team in San Diego. The Chargers run defense faces another challenge this week in Jamaal Charles. Charles may be the only real threat that the Chiefs have on their team. They are forced to start Matt Cassel after Brady Quinn was hurt last year. At this point, the Chiefs may wish they had the QB situation Maryland has, starting a linebacker at QB. Kansas City had high hopes this year but the season may be one of their worst in recent memory. Kansas City may not win another game this year. Even with San Diego's recent struggles, they should still win here.

San Diego 21  Kansas City 13

NFL Week 8 Picks

Told you I would get better.

Last Week: 11-2
Year to Date: 64-39

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Minnesota Vikings
You have to give Tampa Bay some credit. They stood toe to toe with the Saints and took every punch they delivered. But the Bucs kept fighting and almost won in the end. Despite it being a ticky tack call, the referee got it right. Mike Williams stepped out of bounds and he could not be the first player to touch the ball. Josh Freeman threw for over 400 yards, 216 of those yards going to Vincent Jackson. Despite Tampa not winning, they are no doubt fighting under Greg Schiano. The Vikings put together a complete team effort in their win over Arizona. Adrian Peterson continues to play extremely well after coming off of a torn ACL at the end of last year. Christian Ponder struggled last week, but Peterson and his defense were there to pick him up. Ponder should see more success this week against Tampa Bay. Tampa has given up over 300 yards passing to all but two passers this year, and one of those non-games was against the lowly Chiefs. The Vikings offense should take care of this game for them.

Minnesota 27  Tampa Bay 20

Justin's Take: Stars, Goats & Note From NFL Week 6

Team of the Week: Seattle Seahawks
I was tempted to go with the Green Bay Packers here, but I went with the team who I think took a big step forward yesterday. Seattle was down 23-13 with less than ten minutes left in the 4th quarter. But Seattle rallied behind the play of Russell Wilson and ended up winning the game 24-23. Wilson had his best game of the year: 293 yards, 3 touchdowns and no interceptions. Wilson's throw to Sidney Rice to give Seattle the league looked very nice. While the defense gave up a lot of yards to Tom Brady, they also did a good job of bending but not breaking. Seattle is now tied with San Francisco for the division lead heading into a big showdown on Thursday night against the 49ers. I questioned how long Seattle would stick with Wilson before this game, but he silenced many of his critics with his performance Sunday. Seattle is here to stay folks. And with the 49ers poor performance Sunday, they could very well be the favorites in the NFC West.

Game of the Week: Baltimore 31  Dallas 29
It is hard for me to rip on Dallas in this one. They stood toe to toe against the Ravens and took all of their best shots. But in the end, the Ravens won out thanks to a little bit of luck. Romo missed on the 2 point conversion attempt. Even after the miss, Dallas still recovered the onside kick. But Dan Bailey missed a 51 yard field goal that would have gave the Cowboys the win. The Dallas run game was very effective against the Ravens defense. I thought for sure the game was over after Jacoby Jones 108 yard kickoff return for a touchdown, but the Cowboys fought back. But they couldn't complete the comeback against an injury ravaged Ravens defense, which I will get into later. But this was a good back and forth game.

The Ray Lewis Memorial 3 Stars of the Week
3. New York Giants Defense
There was a good amount of trash talking going on in the week leading up to this game. But when the game finally arrived, the Giants were the ones that backed it all up. The Giants defense played great. They held the 49ers to one field goal the entire game. They had 6 sacks and intercepted Alex Smith three times. I always say never beat against Eli Manning with his back to the wall, but now I may say that about the entire Giants team. Eli didn't have his best game, but the defense certainly did. The Giants could make the argument that they are the best team in the NFL.

2. Robert Griffin
RG3 did not look good after the hit he took last week. But he came back this week and helped lead the Redskins to a come from behind victory over Minnesota. While Griffin only threw for 182 yards and one touchdown, it is what he did in the running game that impressed me the most. Griffin ran 13 times for 138 yards and a TD. His 76 yard run to clinch the game for Washington in the 4th quarter was impressive. How Minnesota lost containment on Griffin on that play is beyond me. But RG3 continues to impress and there are big things ahead for him.

1. Aaron Rodgers
Just when you think the Packers are done, they come back with a performance like they had on Sunday night. Up against a solid defense, Aaron Rodgers tore them apart as if they were a Division 3 college football team. Rodgers threw for 338 yards and 6 touchdowns and was only sacked twice. Similar to what Russell Wilson did in Seattle, Rodgers silenced all of his critics and showed why he is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. This is the type of game that can turn around the Packers season. And if this offense is going to get rolling again, opponents better watch out.

The "Romo's Gonna Romo" 3 Goats of the Week
3. Tom Brady
Most people look at Tom Brady and see a nice, clean cut guy who isn't one to get in somebody's face or make a scene. Well, during New England's game against Seattle, after Brady was intercepted by Seattle defensive back Richard Sherman, Brady had something to say. Brady told Sherman to find him after the game when they won. Well, Seattle did win. And Sherman found Brady after the game. Brady had nothing to say. Looks like Tom put his foot in his mouth with this one. New England isn't as invincible as they once were. They're a beatable team any given Sunday.

2. Houston Texans Defense
The Houston Texans were on the national, prime time stage on Sunday night. They had a struggling Aaron Rodgers and Green Bay Packers team coming to town. They were 5-0 and ready to show everyone that they were true contenders. But the Texans, specifically the defense, laid a gigantic egg on Sunday night. Now the questions will come about Houston. They had yet to beat a really good team this year. All of the Texans wins have come against mediocre teams at best. Houston should walk away with the AFC South crown, but the question of if they are good enough to be Super Bowl Contenders now is a legitimate point.

1. Philadelphia Eagles
Yes they are 3-3 and have been in all but one of their losses this year, but the entire organization just seems like a giant mess. Adam Schefter reported Sunday that the Eagles would be ready to cut ties with Mike Vick if the team doesn't have a solid year. Andy Reid gets questioned about his play calling every game. Mike Vick continues to turn the ball over and faces questions about whether he will still be the team's starting QB week after week. And the defense gave up a lead to the Lions Sunday and ended up losing the game. Philadelphia may be 3-3, but everything around that team just reeks of a disaster waiting to happen. There is so much negativity around the team that it will most likely linger throughout the year and affect their entire season.

Other Week 6 Notes
-The Ravens are 5-1 and currently have a two game lead in the AFC North, and that may still not be enough to get Baltimore into the Playoffs. The Ravens victory on Sunday came with a pretty big price. Baltimore lost two key pieces of their defense to injury. Star Cornerback Ladarius Webb is gone with a torn ACL. And the heart and soul of the team, Ray Lewis, is done for the year with a torn triceps muscle. They also lost NT Haloti Ngata for a couple of weeks with a sprained MCL. Its a good thing the AFC North appears to be a bit down this year, because Baltimore may struggle down the stretch. If Joe Flacco wants to show that he is an elite QB, this is his time. The Ravens will now have to win games with their offense. Losing your two best players for the year is never a good thing. Baltimore still has two games left with Pittsburgh as well as games at Houston, San Diego and vs the Giants. Nothing is for certain with the Ravens. I would still pick them to win the division as of today, but the confidence I have in them has gone down from the start of the season.

-So what do we make of the Atlanta Falcons? They are 6-0 and the last undefeated team remaining in the NFL. But they also have some flaws, and that was evident in their close win Sunday against Oakland. Matt Ryan was picked off three times. The running game continues to tread water and has yet to get going this season. Is it the play calling? Or is Michael Turner just not the back he once was? And the defense has had its good and bad times. They made a big play on an interception return for a touchdown in the 4th quarter. But on the next drive, they let Oakland march right down the field to tie the game. There's no denying that they are a Playoff team, but how far they can go is still a question to me. Matt Ryan has yet to win a game in the Playoffs. And the last time they were the #1 seed in the NFC, they were blown out by the Packers. I think this team is better than that one, but they are still a bit away from proving they can sustain a deep Playoff run.

-That was some comeback by the Denver Broncos Monday night. And it wasn't all Peyton Manning. The Broncos defense stepped up big time and allowed the Broncos to comeback with 35 unanswered points to take control of the AFC West. Peyton Manning was sloppy early, as was the defense. I don't know what changed at half time, but the Broncos looked like a different team. They saved their season with that performance. I don't know what Philip Rivers was thinking with some of those throws in the second half. He looked bad and panicked in the face of pressure. Rivers is the type of guy who could let this performance linger in the back of his head for some time. San Diego could not let Denver come into their place and win. They did, and it happened the worst way possible for the Chargers.

Random One Liners
-Are Chiefs fans begging for Matt Cassel yet?

-Maybe Jay Feely should save his over the top celebrations for when he makes a game winning field goal.

-I guess the Bengals collapse is happening earlier than I expected.

-Give it two weeks and I'm sure people will want Tim Tebow to start again.

-Okay Minnesota, you're now on the "Are They For Real?' clock.

-At this rate, the winner of the AFC East will have a 9-7 record.

The Booker T FAB FIVE
1. Atlanta Falcons
2. New York Giants
3. Baltimore Ravens
4. Houston Texans
5. Chicago Bears

The Race for the #1 Pick Bottom 5
28. Carolina Panthers
29. Oakland Raiders
30. Cleveland Browns
31. Jacksonville Jaguars
32. Kansas City Chiefs

Three Games I'd Like To See Next Week
Seattle vs San Francisco: Winner takes control of the NFC West.
Baltimore vs Houston: Winner takes control of the AFC.
NY Jets vs New England: Ryan vs Brady. Get your quote books ready.

Until Next Time,
Justin C
Follow Me On Twitter @JCWonka

Justin's Take: Stars, Goats and Notes from NFL Week 4

Game of the Week: Green Bay 28  New Orleans 27
-Four weeks into the season and the New Orleans Saints are 0-4. I don't think anyone, even me who was down on the Saints this year, saw this coming. New Orleans has been hanging around in every single one of these games. But their defense just hasn't been able to come up with the big stop. And the Saints had the opportunity to win on Sunday, but a holding penalty negated a game winning field goal, and then Garrett Hartley missed on his second try. The Packers picked up a nice win, but they do not look like the dominant team they were last year. The game was close throughout which is what I like. No blowout and a battle of wills throughout.

NFL Off-Season Preview: NFC South Edition

Same division, different conference. It is time for Preview 2 of 8 in my off-season NFL look.

Today we look at the NFC South. This division may be one of the more competitive divisions in football this year. The Saints and the Falcons have been the top dogs in the division for years, but the Panthers may be knocking on the door. Cam Newton showed why he was the #1 overall pick last year, making big plays with his arm and legs. If the Panthers defense can get healthy, they may have a shot at competing for a Playoff spot this year. There were times two years ago that the Buccaneers looked like a young team on the rise, but they took an unexpected nose dive last year and fired Coach Raheem Morris and appear poised for a fresh start with new coach Greg Schiano.

NFL Wild Card Round Preview

No Week 17 Review. Since I'm doing Playoff Previews as well as an off-season preview, I really don't find it necessary. Instead I'm going right into my Playoff Previews. Here are my records to end the year.

Head-to-Head Record: 165-91
Spread Record: 38-29-1

Almost every team in the Wild Card round of the Playoffs is heading into it with a big question mark attached to it. Two teams, Denver and Cincinnati, backed their way into the Playoffs and have pretty much no momentum going in. The Texans, a team I thought could get to the Super Bowl, sure haven't looked like that kind of team in the last month of the season. The NFC doesn't seem as wide open as the AFC, with the Saints and Packers looking like the heavy favorites. But lets not get ahead of ourselves, here we are only going to focus on the Wild Card round of the Playoffs. Lets go!

Cincinnati Bengals vs Houston Texans: Saturday 4:30 P.M. on NBC
As I just said above, neither of these teams are going into the Playoffs with a lot of momentum. The Bengals got into the Playoffs thanks to losses by Oakland and Denver. The Texans have lost three in a row and almost had to rely on Jake Delhomme in the Playoffs after T.J. Yates left last week's game. For the Texans, it is their first Playoff appearance in franchise history. They took advantage of a down year for the AFC South. The Jaguars were horrible, the Colts didn't have Peyton Manning, and it took the Titans half a season to finally get everything together. Had the Titans played better all year they probably would have won the division. The Bengals exceeded everyone's expectations this year by even getting to the Playoffs. I thought they were a Bottom 5 team this year. But Coach Marvin Lewis got rid of the distractions, mainly Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens, and righted the ship to get his team here. Even if the Bengals didn't get to the Playoffs, 9-7 was still an accomplishment for them. These two team met in Week 14, with the Texans winning on a late TD to win 20-19. That was their last win. Lets look at 3 storylines headed into this game.

Can the Texans Go Far With T.J. Yates?
The Texans had high hopes going into the year, and rightfully so. With Matt Schaub, Arian Foster, and Andre Johnson leading the offense, many thought the Texans were Playoff bound for the first time ever. They still got there, but they took a different path. After Schaub got hurt in Week 10, Matt Leinart took over. Then Leinart got hurt and T.J. Yates took over. Yates struggled in the last month of the season to get any kind of offense going. Of course, Yates didn't have his star WR Andre Johnson at his disposal. But that is not an excuse for Yates poor play. Now Yates faces the high pressure of the Playoffs, and he is coming off taking a big hit last week against Tennessee. In his 5 regular season starts, Yates has only thrown 3 TDs to go along with 3 interceptions. Yates will need to step up his play in the Playoffs if the Texans have any hopes of advancing.

How Will the Bengals Rookies Handle Playoff Pressure?
If it wasn't for Cam Newton's all world year, Andy Dalton would be under consideration for Rookie of the Year. Dalton isn't putting up flashy stats, but he has been a great game manager for the Bengals. He doesn't wow you with his flashy skills, but he doesn't make mistakes that cost his team games. He also has WR A.J. Green to help him. Green is a big play threat that can change the game with one long catch. But we all know the Playoffs are a different type of season. While the Bengals finished 9-7, they only beat one team with a winning record, the Titans. They also lost to every AFC Playoff team besides the Patriots, who they didn't play. While the Texans have struggled recently, they are still a good all around team. The Bengals rookies have done well during the regular season, but can they keep it up in the post-season?

Which Defense Comes Out On Top?
I expect this game to be a bit on the low scoring side because both of these teams have solid defensive units. The Texans finished the year second in total defense, the Bengals finished seventh. Both teams are solid against the run, and each team finished in the Top 10 in the league in sacks. The Texans lagged a bit when Wade Phillips left the team, but they should have everything together now. The Bengals pass defense, however, has struggled since losing CB Leon Hall to injury earlier in the year. The Bengals will probably have to double cover Andre Johnson if they really want to shut him down.

PREDICTION
I expect this game to be very similar to these two's Week 14 meeting. A close, low scoring game throughout that will be decided in the final minutes of the 4th quarter. You know that the Texans will be motivated by their home crowd who will be pumped for their first Playoff appearance. If the Texans can get to Andy Dalton, I think they have a great shot at winning. The Bengals, meanwhile, will need to focus on shutting down Arian Foster and Ben Tate and make T.J. Yates beat them. Both teams struggled to end the season, but I think the Texans have more overall talent, and they win their first playoff game in franchise history. I think Andre Johnson is a big factor in this one and shows why, when healthy, he is a top WR in the NFL.

Houston 24  Cincinnati 19

Detroit Lions vs New Orleans Saints: 8 P.M. on NBC
Well, the Lions have no one to blame for themselves for this match-up. All the Lions had to do was beat the Packers second stringers, but they couldn't even do that. In fact, they let back-up QB Matt Flynn thrown for 480 yards and 6 TDs, something that neither Brett Favre or Aaron Rodgers ever did as a Packer. If the Lions defense couldn't stop Matt Flynn, how do they expect to stop Drew Brees? They couldn't stop Brees in their Week 13 match-up, which saw the Saints win 31-17. The Saints are rolling into the Playoffs. They have won eight in a row, and some would consider them a better all around team than the Packers. Drew Brees has been making his case for the MVP award. The Saints offense looks unstoppable, and I don't know if anyone can stop them. Questions Time!

Can Anyone Stop Drew Brees?
I kind of answered this in my game preview. The Lions couldn't stop Matt Flynn, what makes them think they can stop Brees? In their Week 13 meeting, Brees threw for 342 yards and 3 TDs. The Lions are in the bottom half of the league in pass defense, which is not a good sign for them. The Lions will need to pressure Brees if they want to stop him, but Brees is so good at getting the ball out quickly that even that makes it hard to stop him. And you can't sit back in coverage and give him time to find his secondary targets. Its tough stopping Brees, and I don't know if the Lions can do it.

Don't Forget That Lions Offense Though. But Can They Hang with the Saints?
While the Lions didn't play the best defense last week, the offense definitely showed up to play. Matthew Stafford threw for over 500 yards and the offense looked good again for the third week in a row. Stafford has been able to utilize all the weapons at his arsenal, similar to what Brees does in New Orleans. While Calvin Johnson is the star, he also gets taken out of the game at times due to double and even triple coverages. But Stafford uses his other options like Nate Burleson, Titus Young, and Brandon Pettigrew. He will need to use all of those guys to keep up with the Saints offense. Stafford threw for over 400 yards in their Week 13 match-up, but the team only scored 17 points. The Lions will need more than that to beat the Saints. They're capable of that on offense.

Can the Lions Avoid Dumb Penalties?
The Lions had a problem with penalties towards the end of the year. In their match-up with the Saints they had two 15 yard personal foul penalties. They have a tendency to lose their focus at times. If the Saints offense is having their way with the Lions defense, can they keep their composure long enough to stay in the game? Or will the Lions take dumb penalties and cause the game to get out of reach? You never know when Ndamukong Suh could snap again. The Lions can't let a couple early Saints touchdowns get them down and do stupid things.

PREDICTION
Unlike the Bengals/Texans game, I think this will be a very high scoring affair. The Saints defense is good, but they don't get to the QB often and don't force a lot of turnovers. The Lions can match the Saints with scores for a short time, but eventually they will need their defense to step up and stop Drew Brees. If the Lions front seven has the game of their life and pressures Brees, then the Lions might have a shot. But the Lions best defense might be their offense. If the Lions offense can keep the Saints offense off the field through good clock management, then the Lions will have a shot. But I don't think that will happen. The Saints are just playing so well right now that the Lions can't stop them. The Lions made the Playoffs like their as many expected, but they are a few pieces away on defense from being a Title contender. Saints win.

New Orleans 45  Detroit 34

Atlanta Falcons vs New York Giants: 1 P.M. on FOX
This is probably the toughest game of the weekend to predict. Both teams are evenly matched. The Giants won their "win and your in" game against the Cowboys Sunday night that got them here. The Giants have been inconsistent all year, but they have played well the last two weeks. The Falcons clobbered the Bucs in their finale and are probably sending the Packers Thank You baskets for beating the Lions. You know the Falcons didn't want to see the Saints again, two weeks after being clobbered by them. Both of these teams are very similar on offense which should lead to a great match-up. Neither team out matches the other greatly, so expect a close match up throughout. Question time? You bet!

Which Giants Team Shows Up?
As I said, the Giants have been a very up and down team this year. The Giants have beaten the Patriots on the road, a decent Jets team, and almost upset the Packers. But the Giants also lost to the Seahawks at home early in the season, and were swept by the Redskins. The Giants offense is usually never the problem, but the defense has had flashes of inconsistency all year. Injuries have been a big part of that, but the Giants are finally almost fully healthy heading into the Playoffs and that will be a big help, especially with the pass rush. But the Giants have looked impressive in their last two games, both wins against good teams. If that Giants team shows up Sunday, they will be tough to beat.

Can the Falcons Offense Keep Clicking?
Outside of their loss to New Orleans, the Falcons offense has been rolling in recent weeks. They totaled 31, 41, and 45 points. Now yes, those games were against Carolina, Jacksonville, and Tampa Bay, but those are very impressive numbers on offense. With Julio Jones fully healthy, the Falcons have a very potent offense attack. Matt Ryan has lead the Falcons to their third straight Playoff appearance. He has one of the better receiving corps in the league with Roddy White and Julio Jones at WR, and Tony Gonzalez is possibly the best TE to ever play the game. He's also never won a Playoff game, and with his career running out of time, you know he is graving that first playoff win. Oh, and the Falcons also have Michael Turner at running back. You can't focus on one aspect of the Falcons offense because they are one of the most balanced offenses in the league.

Will No Dome Affect the Falcons?
I know lots of people don't like to say weather is a factor for teams that play in domes, but I think it could be here. Not only do the Falcons play in a dome, but they also played New Orleans twice, at Minnesota, and at Indianapolis. That's 12 games indoors. Two of their other games were against Carolina and Tampa Bay, very warm weather cities. The weather won't be bad in New York on Sunday, but it will be colder than normal. Being outdoors can change a team's gameplan and affect their play, but only if they let it happen.

PREDICTION
As I said, this is the toughest game of the weekend to predict. Both of these teams are evenly matched, especially on offense. I think I have to give the edge to the Falcons on offense. Their WRs are more explosive and Michael Turner is a better running back than Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs. Tony Gonzalez could be a huge factor in this game. The Giants don't have the greatest linebackers so they may have to bring a safety down to cover Gonzo. But that would leave one-on-one match-ups for Roddy White and Julio Jones. The key for the Giants will be their pass rush. If they can get to Matt Ryan then they will win this game. But with Osi Umienyora plagued by injury, it takes away a threat if he plays. This one is an honest coin flip for me. As much as I love the Falcons offense, they still haven't won a Playoff game with Matt Ryan. They lost last year as the #1 seed. The Giants have Playoff experience and know what to expect come Playoff time. I'm giving the Giants the edge here, but I'm not confident. But I would be saying the same thing if I was picking Atlanta. Giants win a nail biter.

NY Giants 28  Atlanta 27

Pittsburgh Steelers vs Denver Broncos: 4:30 P.M. on CBS
Remember that time when Tim Tebow was the darling of the NFL? Yeah, that seems like ancient history. The Broncos have lost three in a row and backed their way into the Playoffs thanks to a Raiders choke job at home against San Diego. Tebow has looked awful in his last two starts. You can't blame him for the loss to New England, it wasn't his fault the defense couldn't stop anything. The Broncos come into the Playoffs on a three game losing streak, but the Steelers come in banged up. Ben Roethlisberger is still nursing a high ankle sprain, and they just lost Rashard Mendenhall to a torn ACL. The Steelers have also struggled to score in recent weeks. What time is it? It's question time!!! (had to throw in a C.M. Punk reference)

Will TEBOWMANIA Meet Its Final Resting Place?
Broncos fans enjoyed the ride Tim Tebow gave him during his first seven starts, but you have to wonder if even they are starting to realize that he may not be the QB of the future in Denver. Tebow has looked horrible the last two weeks. Against a bad Buffalo defense in Week 16, Tebow threw 1 TD, ran for another, but also threw 3 interceptions and lost a fumble. Last week against Kansas City, he lead no TD drives and had 1 fumble and interception. Teams are finally catching on to Tebow. They're dropping everyone back in coverage, keeping their defensive lines in their running lanes, and making Tebow beat them with his arm. And trust me, I've seen Tebow throw in person, he's not going to beat you with his arm. The Steelers love to blitz the QB, but you have to wonder if they will just sit back in this game and let Tebow try to throw against them. I don't see how Tebow does that.

Can the Steelers Avoid Being One Dimensional?
In Week 17 the Steelers lost running back Rashard Mendenhall for the rest of the season to a torn ACL. Mendenhall wasn't a game changer, but he was clearly the best back on the Steelers roster. Now the Steelers will have to rely on Isaac Redman to carry the load for them, and he doesn't have a proven track record in the backfield. The Steelers have been a pass heavy team, and  you have to wonder if they might become a bit too pass heavy this week with Mendenhall out. Mike Wallace and Antonio Brown will stretch out the Broncos secondary, but if the Steelers can't run the ball then the Broncos will just drop their safeties back to prevent that. The Steelers will need to try and establish some sort of run game early on, because if they don't the Broncos can key on the pass and put pressure on Big Ben.

Will QB Pressure Be the Key to Victory?
I think this will be the key factor in determining the winner of this game. Each team has some of the best pass rushers in the NFL. The Broncos boast rookie Von Miller (11.5 sacks) and Elvis Dumervill (9.5). The Steelers bring James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley, who each have nine sacks. If Miller and Dumervill can get to an immobile Ben Roethlisberger, then the Steelers offense might face some problems. Big Ben suffered a set back with his ankle injury last game, so it might be difficult for him to move around in the pocket. If the Steelers bring pressure, Tebow can escape the pocket and make some plays with his legs. That won't stop the Steelers from blitzing, but Tebow could burn them if they do it too much.

PREDICTION
This game has low scoring affair written all over it. And I mean really low scoring. The Broncos offense is having trouble doing anything of note. Their option style offense has been figured out. Tebow can't throw. Even with Ryan Clark out for Pittsburgh, it still doesn't mean Tebow can win this game in the air. The Steelers might not have much of a running game but they still have some threats at WR that can make a big play when needed. Big Ben is one tough son of a gun, and you know he will make a play or two that no other regular QB will make. He has the Playoff experience and doesn't have a problem winning on the road in January. The Steelers get a big TD pass from Mike Wallace, and that is the only TD of the game.

Pittsburgh 16  Denver 6

There's my Wild Card Preview. For those wondering, I'm still sticking with my pre-season Super Bowl prediction of the Ravens over the Packers in the Super Bowl. Divisional Round Preview same time next week.

Until Next Time,
Justin C
Follow Me On Twitter @JCWonka

NFL Week 16 Picks

Not a good week for me last week, maybe I can rebound.

Last Week's Record: 7-9
Year to Date Record: 143-81

Houston Texans vs Indianapolis Colts
Could this be another trap game for the Texans? The Panthers went up early on the Texans last week and didn't look back. T.J. Yates didn't play terrible, but he didn't do enough to help his team win, and that could be a problem come playoff time. The Texans pass defense, which had been strong all year, was beaten by Cam Newton. Maybe it was Wade Phillips not being there, but the Texans defense just seemed a bit off last week. The Colts finally won last week, and it was their defense that made some plays. Surprisingly, the Colts shut down Chris Johnson last week. The Colts have been playing hard the last few weeks, and it finally paid off for them last week. You bet the Colts remember the beating the Texans gave them in Week One, but I don't know if the Colts have enough to pull off an upset for the second week in a row. I think the Texans right the ship this week and win a close one.

Houston 21  Indianapolis 17

Oakland Raiders vs Kansas City Chiefs
The slow collapse of the Raiders continues. Losers of three in a row, the Raiders once bright Playoff chances now appear to be dim. The Raiders had a win in their sights last week, but they let the Lions drive 96 yards downfield to take the lead. A lot of the poor play can contributed to the defense, which has given up 34, 46, and 28 points during this three game losing streak. But a lot of the blame can be given to Carson Palmer as well, who hasn't been playing as well as he did during his start with the Raiders. He sure doesn't look worth a 1st round pick right now. The Chiefs, meanwhile, pulled off the upset of the year last week when they handed the Packers their first loss. The team played hard under interim coach Romeo Crennel, who made a strong case to get the permanent head coaching gig. The defense stepped up big time for the Chiefs, holding the Packers to their lowest point total of the year. If the Chiefs can hold the Packers to 14 points, I think they can keep the Raiders in check. Give me the Chiefs here.

Kansas City 23  Oakland 13

Jacksonville Jaguars vs Tennessee Titans
What else is their to say about the Jaguars at this point? Blaine Gabbert continues to look terrible, the defense got shredded by the Falcons last week.This is an organization in need of a complete overhaul in the off-season. The Titans lost a crucial game last week against the then winless Colts, pretty much crushing their playoff chances in the process. The Titans have looked better the last few weeks with Jake Locker in at QB and not Matt Hasselbeck. I think Locker is the QB next year for sure, but who gets the nod this week? It's Hasselbeck if he is healthy, but does he give the Titans the best chance to win? I don't think so. I would start Locker, but I'm sure Coach Munchak thinks the veteran gives him the best chance. Either way, the Titans should take care of the lowly Jags here. The Titans playoff hopes stay alive.

Tennessee 20  Jacksonville 10

Miami Dolphins vs New England Patriots
The Dolphins are doing just enough to make sure they aren't in position to get a top QB in the draft next year. Matt Moore is playing well enough to warrant a chance at the starting next year, but he did the same thing when he was with Carolina, and it didn't work out as well as they hoped. The good news for the Dolphins is that Reggie Bush is surprising everyone with his performance as the featured back in Miami. I never thought Reggie Bush would be a featured back, but he's proving me wrong. The Patriots showed last week again why they are the constant class of the NFL. Going into Denver against a red hot Broncos team, the Pats put up 41 points against a good Broncos defense. Tom Brady relied on some of his secondary options in the game, specifically Aaron Hernandez and Chad Ochocinco. The defense did enough to help its team win. They still aren't all the way there, but if the offense can put up 30+ points on a constant basis, then the defense's flaws can be hidden. The Pats win here. They are the better football team.

New England 38  Miami 24

Arizona Cardinals vs Cincinnati Bengals
All John Skelton does is win. The Cardinals are now 7-7 and are clinging to their playoff lives. I don't think they make it, but they definitely showed signs of improvement towards the end of the year. I don't think Skelton is the QB of the future either, but it definitely shows that the Cardinals may have made a mistake in trading for Kevin Kolb this off-season. Beanie Wells is finally living up to his potential at RB, and the defense has played better in recent weeks. And Patrick Peterson is turning into the next Devin Hester of punt returns. The Bengals are in a tie for the last playoff spot in the AFC with the Jets. The Bengals play their last two games at home, but that may not even help considering no one shows up for those games. The defense will face a big test with Larry Fitzgerald coming to town. Skelton looks his way often, and the Bengals pass defense has been shaky the last few games. I expect a heavy dose of Cedric Benson from the Bengals in this one, especially with A.J. Green a bit banged up. The Cardinals are playing good football right now, but I'm not a fan of teams going from west to east coast to play early games. Give me the Bengals here.

Cincinnati 24  Arizona 21

Denver Broncos vs Buffalo Bills
TebowMania was brought back down to Earth last week. Tebow himself didn't play bad, but the defense did not hold up its end of the bargain. If the Broncos expect to make the Playoffs and compete, then they need to put up a better showing then they did against New England. The good news for the Broncos is that they face an easy rebound game here against a down and out Bills team, losers of seven straight. Their run defense is still awful, so expect a lot of Tebow and Willis McGahee here. With Von Miller and Elvis Dumervill rushing Ryan Fitzpatrick, expect a lot of bad throws leading to turnovers. The Bills may already be regretting Ryan Fitzpatrick's contract. The Broncos know a win here could clinch the AFC West for them, so they give their all and take down the Bills.

Denver 28  Buffalo 17

St. Louis Rams vs Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers don't know if Ben Roethlisberger can play this week, but does it really matter? A Charlie Batch lead team should be able to beat this lowly Rams squad. All they have to do is take advantage of cornerbacks number 11 and 12 who are starting for the Rams this off-season. And they can do that when they pound the ball with Rashard Mendenhall, setting up the play action. I don't know if Kellen Clemons can lead the Rams into the end zone in this one. Steelers win easily.

Pittsburgh 27  St. Louis 6

New York Giants vs New York Jets
It's the Battle of New York, and both of these teams are coming off horrible losses. The Giants, after going to Dallas and winning, lost to the Redskins at home last week. That's a bad thing to do. The Giants looked like they had all of the momentum headed down the stretch, but they just hit a serious road block. It was the Giants second bad home loss of the season, with this loss going with their Seattle loss. The Giants offense was shut down by a defense that gave up 30+ points to the Patriots and Jets the last two weeks. The secondary, which was burned by Tony Romo two weeks ago, was burned again by Rex Grossman. The Giants can still make the playoffs if they win out, but they are facing a just as hungry Jets team in this one. The Jets were embarrassed in Philadelphia. They were never even really in the game. Mark Sanchez looked awful. The defense was burned by Mike Vick constantly. The Jets just looked like they didn't show up to play. The Jets have played well against bad teams this year, but have only beaten one team with a record over .500, and that is the Cowboys in Week 1. This one really is toss up, but I think the Giants are the slightly better team, and they win this one.

NY Giants 27  NY Jets 23

Minnesota Vikings vs Washington Redskins
The Redskins have shown signs of life in the last few weeks, and it makes you wonder why Mike Shanahan ever switched to John Beck during the season. The Redskins improved play can also be contributed to the emergence of Roy Helu in the backfield. Helu has become the centerpiece of the Skins offense, and it is allowing the passing game to open up with Santana Moss, and Brandon Banks throwing trick passes.The Vikings are also showing fight on offense, but the defense is so banged up that it is tough for them to stop anybody, especially in the secondary. The Vikings offense is better because everyone is finally healthy. Percy Harvin is now a duel threat and just as dangerous as Adrian Peterson. I'm still going with the Vikings here. They are playing the better overall football right now.

Washington 31  Minnesota 24

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Carolina Panthers
Tampa continues falling, falling falling. They didn't look like they cared last week against Dallas. Just like Jacksonville, there is nothing new to write about this team. It looks like the Bucs have packed it in and are ready to hit the off-season. The Panthers are coming off of a big road upset last week against Houston. I said during my Week 15 Review that the Panthers are a team to watch next year, especially when they get healthy on defense. Cam Newton is the next Mike Vick at QB, and the running game has finally emerged after a slow start. They also have a duel threat at TE with Greg Olson and Jeremy Shockey. The Panthers are the better team, and they win here.

Carolina 34  Tampa Bay 23

Cleveland Browns vs Baltimore Ravens
The bad Joe Flacco showed up last week for Baltimore, and that is a bad thing if he is going to play like that on the road in the Playoffs. The good news for the Ravens is that they may only need to go on the road once during the Playoffs. But they also steered away from Ray Rice too early in last Sunday's loss to San Diego. Rice should be getting 30 touches a game through the air and ground. It takes the pressure off of Flacco. But you also have to be worried about the defensive effort of the Ravens last week, giving up 34 points to the Chargers. They shouldn't do that against the lowly Browns this week. Seneca Wallace, Colt McCoy, Bernie Kosar couldn't help the Browns now. They could be the least relevant team in football. The Ravens win here.

Baltimore 28  Cleveland 10

San Diego Chargers vs Detroit Lions
To me, this is a more intriguing game then the Battle of New York. The Chargers are riding a 3 game winning streak and are one game out of the AFC West and the last AFC Wild Card spot. Phillip Rivers has lost only two games as a starter in December. There's something about this month that he likes. The Chargers running game has also come alive, with Mike Tolbert and Ryan Matthews complementing the other very well. The Chargers defense, which had been shaky all year, has given up 14, 10, and 14 points the last three weeks. And in the week they gave up 10 points against the Bills, the one touchdown was scored by the Bills defense. The Lions are one win away from clinching the team's first playoff berth in a decade. The Lions had a great come from behind win last week against Oakland. The Lions offense has done a good job of adjusting to the double and triple teams on WR Calvin Johnson. Matthew Stafford is spreading out the ball more to WRs Titus Young and Nate Burleson, as well as TE Brandon Pettigrew. The Lions defense is still a liability in the secondary, and that could be a problem with the Chargers coming to town. Even if the Lions shut down Antonio Gates, they still have to worry about all of the other Chargers weapons at WR. I've been switching my pick for this game all week. The Lions know they go to Green Bay next week, so they need the win. But the Chargers are red hot right now, and I don't think I can bet against them.

San Diego 35  Detroit 31

Philadelphia Eagles vs Dallas Cowboys
Jerry Jones said that he is scared of the Eagles. And he should be. Mike Vick and the Eagles offense has come alive in the last few weeks. It is the way they should have been playing all year. The Cowboys have had problems in the secondary this year, and you know Mike Vick and Co. will take advantage of it. If the Eagles played like they did all year the last two weeks, maybe they would actually be leading the NFC East right now. The Eagles three headed trio will look to shut down the Cowboys three headed trio of WRs. But they also have to worry about Jason Witten. The Cowboys passing attack, and offense hasn't been the problem this year. The defense, specifically the secondary, hasn't improved much under Rob Ryan. Tony Romo doesn't play the best all the time, but the secondary has been constantly bad all year. The loss of DeMarco Murray hasn't slowed down the Cowboys offense with Felix Jones playing his part well. This game has high scoring affair written all over it. The Eagles whipped the Cowboys in Philly, but it will be closer here. But I still like the Eagles to pull off a mild upset.

Philadelphia 35  Dallas 30

San Francisco 49ers vs Seattle Seahawks
The 49ers fought through two separate power outages on Monday night to beat a very good Pittsburgh Steelers team. It keeps the 49ers hopes of a first round bye alive. It also showed just how dominant the 49ers defense is. They shut down the Steelers offense. Now sure Ben Roethlisberger was hurt, but it still takes a lot to shut down the Steelers. Alex Smith did just enough to help his team win. He still missed a couple of throws, but as long as he doesn't make mistakes then he will be fine. Seattle's hot streak continued with their third straight win last week in Chicago. They essentially ended the Bears playoff hopes while strengthening theirs. It will still take a lot for Seattle to get in. The only way Seattle gets in is with two straight wins and two straight Lions losses. It isn't out of the realm of possibility, especially with the Lions difficult schedule. The 49ers haven't given up a rushing touchdown all year, and Marshawn Lynch has scored a TD in 10 straight games. Something gives here, and I think Lynch finds his way into the end zone. I'm giving the edge to Seattle in a close, low scoring affair.

Seattle 16  San Francisco 13

Chicago Bears vs Green Bay Packers
This Christmas night game looked way more appealing about a month ago. Now the Bears are starting Luke McCown at QB after Caleb Hanie has looked terrible the last three weeks. It isn't all his fault, if Matt Forte was still in the backfield I think the Bears offense would be better. But Hanie also threw a couple of bad interceptions last week which were inexcusable. The Bears playoff hopes are on life support at this point, and they are getting an angry Packers team in Lambeau. The Packers suffered their first loss of the season last week at Kansas City. The offense finally met its match with a very good Chiefs defense. The Bears defense is just as good, but the Packers also put up 27 points on the Bears in Week 3. Aaron Rodgers should be able to pass the ball on the Bears. The Bears have a good run defense but the Packers don't rely on the run, so that doesn't matter too much. The Packers defense also should rebound nicely after last week. They didn't play terrible, but they also couldn't get the Packers offense the ball back when they needed to stop the Chiefs. The Packers clinch the #1 seed in the NFC with a win, and they get that here against a bad Bears offense.

Green Bay 34  Chicago 14

Atlanta Falcons vs New Orleans Saints
We all remember what happened the last time these two teams played. In over time, the Falcons went for a 4th and 1 at their own 28 yard line and they were stopped. Many people questioned Mike Smith's tactics. Did he not trust his defense to stop Drew Brees? Hell, I wouldn't trust the 85 Bears defense to stop Drew Brees at this point. Atlanta has won four of five since that game, and they still have a shot at winning the NFC South if they win in New Orleans. The Saints defense hasn't been that intimidating in recent weeks, and Matt Ryan has been playing very well. His WRs, Roddy White and Julio Jones, have played very well in recent weeks. While the Falcons offense has been playing well, the Saints offense is on another level. Drew Brees is trying to force his way into the MVP discussion. Brees has so many targets that it is almost too easy for him. He also has Darren Sproles and Pierre Thomas at his disposal in the back field. The Saints offense is just too difficult to focus on one person to stop. You have to get pressure on Drew Brees, but even then, he can still get rid of the ball in a quick and timely manner. I think this game is high scoring, but the Saints pull out the win. Just too many weapons all around.

New Orleans 31  Atlanta 27

My Vegas $$$ Picks
Last Week's Record: 0-4 (Not So Money Huh?)
Year to Date Record: 34-25-1

Denver -3 at Buffalo: Bills can't score, and the Broncos defense is better than they showed last week.

NY Giants +3 at NY Jets: I think the Giants have more talent and have a better offense.

Pittsburgh -14 vs St. Louis: Rams might not score 14 points.

Green Bay -13 vs Chicago: The Bears offense is BAD.

Until Next Time,
Justin C
Follow Me On Twitter @JCWonka

NFL Week 15 Picks

Only 3 weeks to go!

Last Week's Record: 11-5
Year to Date Record: 136-72

Jacksonville Jaguars vs Atlanta Falcons
I guess Jacksonville just needed to face a team in worse shape then they were to get going. The Jaguars scored 41 points last week against Tampa Bay. Now two of those TDs were from the defense, but the offense still put up respectable numbers. Maurice Jones-Drew had one of his best games of the year. That helped take the pressure off of Blaine Gabbert. Jones-Drew won't find the goings as easy though against the Falcons. The Falcons came back from 16 down in the 3rd quarter to beat Carolina and stay ahead in the NFC Wild Card Race. Matt Ryan has had a solid last two outings, and he's needed them due to the groin injury that RB Michael Turner is dealing with. Turner has struggled the last 3 weeks. I thought he would break out against Carolina, but that didn't happen. The Jags defense has struggled against the run in the last month of the season, so if Turner can't get going here, something might really be wrong. This is a game the Falcons should easily win. They have more talent everywhere and are actually playing for something.

Atlanta 31  Jacksonville 13

NFL Week 11 Picks

NFL Picks Time! Woo Woo Woo, You Know It!

Last Week's Record: 7-9 YUCK!
Year to Date Record: 91-55

New York Jets vs Denver Broncos
Just when it looks like the Jets are about to become the team to beat in the AFC East they go and lay an egg against the Patriots. It looked like the same Jets team I thought had problems earlier in the year. Mark Sanchez struggling, the run game not going, and the defense looking confused a bit at times. Now the Jets have to go to Denver to face a Broncos team that has won three of their last four games. They beat the Chiefs by only completing two passes, and only attempting eight! No matter how much we try to deny it, Tim Tebow has brought new life to this Broncos team. Now, I don't think the Broncos can beat the Jets throwing only eight passes and running 54 times. But the Jets may have problems stopping the Broncos new option offense on such a short week. But if there is one guy that can do it, it may be Rex Ryan. I think this game is close, and the Broncos may very well pull off the upset. But the Jets have more talent and win in a very close affair.

NY Jets 20  Denver 16

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Green Bay Packers
And the Packers just keep rolling rolling rolling. They just swept the Vikings under the rug on Monday night. That passing offense may be one of the better passing attacks in the league history. Aaron Rodgers is winning the MVP award, end of story. There are some other nice stories but it is Rodgers award to lose. The Packers still have some flaws in their pass defense, but their front seven makes up for it with a great attack. Can they go undefeated? Absolutely. In order for a team to beat them, they need a great front seven that can pressure Rodgers. Unfortunately for Tampa Bay, they do not have that. Tampa looked terrible in their loss to Houston last week. It's frightening to see how much the offense has regressed this year. And the defense was exposed big time by Houston. I would expect Green Bay to do much of the same to Tampa. They will shut down LaGarrette Blount and force Josh Freeman to beat them, which is not happening. Packers win.

Green Bay 34  Tampa Bay 21

Carolina Panthers vs Detroit Lions
Both of these teams are coming off losses they would like to forget. I thought the Panthers would be a good second half spoiler, but the Titans may have demoralized them last week. They came up with a great defensive strategy that shut down Cam Newton. The Panthers special teams was also burned big time for a couple of plays. The Lions, meanwhile, were absolutely trounced by the Bears in Chicago. Matthew Stafford can't throw the ball 60+ times and be expected to win. The lack of a running game for the Lions is disturbing. They really miss Jahvid Best, and he may not be back for the rest of the year. That could hurt the Lions when it comes to their playoff chances. Their secondary is also weak and that could be a problem this week. Steve Smith could be in line for a big game. The Panthers could easily walk into Detroit and steal one, but I think the Lions are a better team and they will win a close one.

Detroit 28  Carolina 23

Jacksonville Jaguars vs Cleveland Browns
This may be a game between the two worst offenses in the NFL. Neither team seems able to eclipse the 24 point mark this year. Blaine Gabbert has shown some signs of improvement the last few games, but he still is just an average QB at best for Jacksonville. The Browns can't get anything going at all on offense. They were only able to score 12 points last week against St. Louis. It's almost like they are afraid to go into the end zone. Both teams have some strengths on defense. Jacksonville can stop the run, whereas Cleveland can stop the pass. But Cleveland has problems stopping the run, so Maurice Jones-Drew should have a nice game. Jacksonville wins a game no one watches.

Jacksonville 19  Cleveland 9

Oakland Raiders vs Minnesota Vikings
In the weekly "Favorite to Win the AFC West" contest, Oakland has taken a one game lead over everyone else in the division. Carson Palmer finally looks comfortable under center. He should look more comfortable here as the Vikings have one of the worst pass defenses in the league, and they just lost CB Antoine Winfield for the year with a broken collarbone. Darren McFadden is likely to miss this game, but the Raiders shouldn't miss a beat with Michael Bush, who had a breakout game last week. The Vikings struggled Monday night against the Packers. Hopefully it wasn't too deflating for them. Christian Ponder was pressured a lot by the Packers defense. Expect another game with a heavy dose of Adrian Peterson from the Vikings. The Vikings will improve eventually, but the Raiders are the better team right now and are playing the better football. Carson Palmer has a big game and the Raiders roll.

Oakland 27  Minnesota 17

Buffalo Bills vs Miami Dolphins
Where have everyone's Lovable Bills gone. After scoring 30 points with ease their first few games, the Bills have scored a combined 18 points in their last two outings. They have steered away from handing off the ball to Fred Jackson, which is what they should be doing more often. The loss of Center Eric Wood for the year will hurt, as he was arguably their best offensive linemen. The defense, especially the secondary, has also been pushed around the last few weeks. Tony Romo was nearly perfect against them. While the Bills have lost two in a row, the Dolphins have won two in a row. Reggie Bush has looked like a feature back these last two games. Matt Moore looks comfortable in the pocket. The defense is also playing much better. A few weeks ago this looked like a very winnable game for the Bills. Now? It could be much worse. If Brandon Marshall keeps up his hot play, it could mean trouble for the Bills. But the Bills are the more talented team, and they should pull out a close victory here.

Buffalo 28  Miami 24

Dallas Cowboys vs Washington Redskins
The Cowboys looked like the team everyone thinks they are last week. Tony Romo looked like Aaron Rodgers, and DeMarco Murray continues to run all over any defense he faces. And the defense looks like they have finally come around after getting smoked by the Eagles a few weeks ago. The Cowboys have a very soft schedule left. Their only tough games are against the Giants. The Redskins, well, who knows. They probably hope that the Dolphins and Seahawks continue to win so they can get a higher pick the Draft next year. It is pretty clear Mike Shanahan doesn't care for either Rex Grossman or John Beck. Grossman started last week and looked almost as bad as Beck did. The offense is right up there with the Jaguars and Browns as far as bad offenses go. How did they win 3 games? They don't win this one. The Cowboys walk all over the Redskins.

Dallas 34  Washington 17

Cincinnati Bengals vs Baltimore Ravens
Another huge AFC North showdown. The Bengals were brought back down to earth a bit last week with their home loss to Pittsburgh. They competed the whole game which was a good sign. Andy Dalton made a couple rookie mistakes, including that interception had the end of the game. The Bengals may be without WR AJ. Green for this game. That would be a huge loss for the Bengals, as it takes away their main offensive threat. The Bengals also lost CB Leon Hall for the rest of the year with a torn ACL. That's a big loss for a good Bengals defense. Hall was their best corner, and now teams may be able to throw on them more often. The bad Ravens showed up again last week, getting beat by the Seahawks in Seattle. How do you only give Ray Rice five carries? He is your best offensive weapon, he should be touching the ball 20+ times a game. Joe Flacco shouldn't carry your offense, Ray Rice should. The Ravens defense should stack the box and force Dalton to beat them. I think the Ravens will re-focus on Ray Rice here. If they don't, the Ravens may start to question the thinking of offensive coordinator Cam Cameron. Ravens in another close one.

Baltimore 21  Cincinnati 20

Arizona Cardinals vs San Francisco 49ers
Don't look now, but the Cardinals have won two in a row with John Skelton at QB. He even threw for 3 touchdowns last week against a pretty good Eagles secondary. Do they even go back to Kolb when he gets healthy? The Cardinals suspect defense also shut down Mike Vick last week. If they can shut down Vick, can they do the same to Alex Smith? The 49ers have won eight in a row and seem poised to lock up the NFC West by the beginning of December. Frank Gore may sit out this game, but they wouldn't drop too far off with Kendall Hunter in the backfield. Hunter already proved he can handle the workload in the backfield. Expect Smith to look for Vernon Davis a lot in this game. The 49ers defense shouldn't have a problem shutting down an injured Beanie Wells, but Larry Fitzgerald may have a good game with the 49ers secondary playing just average. I like the 49ers here to get to 9-1.

San Francisco 23  Arizona 17

Seattle Seahawks vs St. Louis Rams
The Seahawks shocked everyone last week with an upset of the Ravens. Marshawn Lynch is finally running like the feature running back everyone thought he could be when he was traded to Seattle. Lynch's moves to get the first down to seal the game for Baltimore were great. Expect another heavy dose of Lynch from the Seahawks in this game. Seattle may be without WRs Sidney Rice and Doug Baldwin, as both men suffered concussions last week. The Rams picked up an ugly road win last week at Seattle. The Sam Bradford-Brandon Lloyd connection looks like it could be a good one in the future. The Rams should do everything they can to sign Lloyd in the off-season. Those two combined with Steven Jackson could form a nice trio for the Rams. The Rams defense has stepped up its game recently, so expect them to do everything they can to shut down Lynch and make Tavaris Jackson beat them. I like the Rams to win here. They're finally getting healthy on offense.

St. Louis 30  Seattle 20

Tennessee Titans vs Atlanta Falcons
This may actually be the biggest game of the week as far as playoff implications go. Both of these teams are 5-4 and hanging on to their wild card lives. The Falcons are coming off an OT loss to New Orleans which saw them go for a 4th and 1 at their own 29 and not convert. I defended Mike Smith and still do, but a lot of people are questioning that decision. The Falcons are still a good team. They have the talent to make the playoffs, but they need to figure out who the primary threat is on offense and focus on that. This game, the Falcons should focus on their passing attack and take advantage of a weak Tennessee secondary. The Titans keep winning and sticking around in the playoff race despite no one talking about them. Chris Johnson has played surprisingly well the last couple games, but he faces a stiff test here in the Falcons front seven. And if that front seven can pressure Matt Hasselbeck it could be a long day for the Titans offense. I think the Falcons are the better team and they pull out the win here.

Atlanta 27  Tennessee 21

San Diego Chargers vs Chicago Bears
Talk about two teams heading in opposite directions. Lets start with the Chargers, losers of four straight after a hot 4-1 start. The Kansas City debacle may comeback to be the turning point of the season. Or you could go back to the week before where the Chargers lost a double digit second half lead against the Jets. Philip Rivers isn't the same Philip Rivers of recent years. Sure he's putting up big stats, but he's also making some bad throws and questionable decisions. The defense is also having problems stopping anything through the air, and the run defense was torched by Michael Bush last week. The Bears, meanwhile, have won four in a row and have looked like the same team that won the NFC North last year. Jay Cutler is getting time to throw and Matt Forte is arguably the best running back in the league this year. And Devin Hester is a serious threat on special teams. And with the problems the Chargers have on special teams, they may find it best to just punt away from Hester in this one. The Bears front seven will pressure Rivers and force him into the same mistakes he's been making. Bears win in a high scoring affair.

Chicago 35  San Diego 30

Philadelphia Eagles vs New York Giants
The Eagles are the drama darlings of the NFL. Last week DeSean Jackson was benched for missing a team meeting, and the offense struggled without the threat of his big play ability. Then Mike Vick suffered broken ribs during the game. When it happened remains a question we probably won't ever find out. And then there is the defense. The Big $$$ secondary was burned by a QB named John Skelton. This team may have packed it in already for all we know. The players may cost Andy Reid his job. The Giants lost on the road last week, starting their tough stretch 1-1. They hung around and were driving late but they couldn't find a way to get into the end zone. Eli Manning looks good when he has all of his weapons at his disposal. They held San Francisco in check early, but couldn't keep them contained the whole game. This is a big game for the Giants and a needed win. They have New Orleans and Green Bay back to back coming up, a loss here would hurt their division chances. But the Giants are the more complete team, are in better shape mentally, and have already beat Philadelphia in Philly. And with Mike Vick not likely to play, the Giants should roll rather easily here.

NY Giants 30  Philadelphia 17

Kansas City Chiefs vs New England Patriots
A few weeks ago this game looked promising after Kansas City won three straight and looked like a good team on offense again. But the last two games? They scored a combined 13 points and look like the same bad team that started the season. And now they lost Matt Cassel for likely the rest of the year with a hand injury. The defense got shredded by the Tim Tebow option. They won't have to worry about that this week, as Tom Brady will just throw the ball at will on them. The Patriots once again looked like the favorite in the AFC East last week against the Jets. They still don't have much of a running game to speak of, which could hurt later on. The defense looked improved last week and will gain more confidence this week playing a bad Chiefs offense. No reason to think the Patriots won't role here.

New England 41  Kansas City 17

My Vegas $$$ Picks
Last Week's Record: 1-3
Year to Date Record: 23-16-1

Buffalo +2 at Miami: Bills are the more talented team.

Chicago -3.5 vs San Diego: Bears are playing much better than the Chargers right now.

NY Giants -4 vs Philadelphia: No Vick pretty much means no chance for Philadelphia.

New England -15 vs Kansas City: Chiefs may not score 15 points.

Survivor Series Preview up probably early Saturday.

Until Next Time,
Justin C
Follow Me On Twitter @JCWonka

NFL Week 10 Review

A promising week of NFL action lead to a few good games as well as a couple of unexpected blowouts. I will preview the rest of the year and the playoff race at the end. No power rankings this week.

Team of the Week: Chicago Bears
-Talk about making a statement. The Bears beat Philadelphia last Monday night in Philly. This week? They man-handled the upstart Detroit Lions in Chicago. Chicago now controls their own destiny in the NFC Wild Card Race. They split with the Lions, which could help them in the long run. They also have the tiebreaker over Atlanta thanks to their Week 1 victory over them. Jay Cutler, when given time, can find his open WRs. And what else can you say about Devin Hester. If you punt that man the ball and your coverage team does not get downfield in time, he can make a big play. The defense also stepped up huge in shutting down the Lions offense. I think right now they make the playoffs as a Wild Card. They've won four straight and are playing some of the best football in the NFL right now.

Game of the Week: New Orleans 26  Atlanta 23
-Of course, the big story of this game is Mike Smith's decision to go for a 4th and an inch on his own 29 yard line in over time. Pretty much everyone is bashing Smith today, but I'm not. How much did they need for a 1st down? A chain length? If your team can't pick that up, then they don't deserve to win the football game. If anything, I had a problem with the offensive package they brought out, with all 11 players bunched up together. Spread it out a bit. Give the idea that hey, maybe we will throw a play action pass in here. But the Falcons pretty much sold run, and they ran, and the Saints got the better push up front and stopped Michael Turner. It was a good game throughout. The Falcons had a chance to win the game late in the 4th but Matt Ryan couldn't find any open WRs in the end zone, so they settled for a field goal. The Saints now control their own destiny in the NFC South.

Dog of the Week: Buffalo Bills
-Sorry boys, but you've disappointed your home town these last two weeks. Fans were ready to get over the Jets loss, but then you follow it up with an even worse loss to the Cowboys? That loss was worse than the two Super Bowl losses. The secondary was getting thrown on at will. I'm pretty sure I could have completed a couple passes against them. The secondary was suppose to be the strength of the defense. They can't get any pressure on the QB. And the offense has come to a complete stand still. The passing attack is getting shut down. Of course, when the defense puts you in a whole and can't get off the field, you have to throw to get back into the game. I thought this team was different from the 2008 team that started 5-1 and finished 7-9, but I don't know now. I don't even know if they can beat the Dolphins next week.

Other Week 10 Notes
-I almost gave the Dog of the Week award to Eagles WR DeSean Jackson. Jackson missed a team meeting on Saturday and was told to stay home Sunday as he was not going to be active for the game against Arizona. Jackson has been somewhat absent the last couple weeks from the Eagles offensive attack, so it wasn't too big of a loss. But it just adds to the joke that is the Eagles season. The team is now 3-6 and has pretty much no shot of making the playoffs. Some people are saying this may have to do with Jackson's on-going contract dispute with the Eagles, but I doubt the teams would go that far to have it affect their chance to win a football game. While Jackson has struggled in recent weeks, he is still a game changer with big play ability. The Eagles are a comedy of errors this year, and it may cost Andy Reid his job.

-Who is the best team in the AFC? It may just be the Houston Texans. Four straight wins headed into their bye next week. They've dominated every opponent they faced in that stretch too. They are clearly the class of the AFC South this year. They already beat their biggest competition, the Tennessee Titans, 41-7 in Week 7. And they are doing all of this without their best playmaker on offense, Andre Johnson. They have the number one rated defense in the NFL, without their best defensive playmaker Mario Williams. The Texans are 7-3 and currently the top seed in the AFC. But can they keep it up now with Matt Leinart at the helm? It's a good thing they have a two game lead on the Titans. Leinart is very unproven and never looked good anyways under center in Arizona. I still think the Texans win the division. But it gets tricky near the end. This is Matt Leinart's shot at redemption.

-Are the Denver Broncos about to revolutionize offense as we know it in the NFL? Tim Tebow threw eight passes against Kansas City, completing only two of them. But the Broncos still won 17-10 and are only a game out in the AFC West. The Broncos have brought the option offense into the NFL. Lots of teams think they are above that type of offense, but if it works with the personnel package you have, why not use it? Tebow is not going to win you games with his arm, so play to his strengths. Although I will admit, that TD pass to Eric Decker was a pretty good pass. I'm sure teams will begin to stack the box against Tebow, but it is tough to defend against the option if you don't have time to prepare for it. That's the problem the Jets might run into this week. They are down after a bad loss to the Patriots at home, and only have 3 days to prepare for the Broncos Thursday night. Denver has a legitimate shot at winning the AFC West.

-And just when you think the Patriots are down for the count, they get right back up and KO you with a surprise roundhouse. The Patriots knew it was a must win against the Jets, and they brought their A game on BOTH sides of the ball. I'm still not sold on their defense. Mark Sanchez didn't show up to play Sunday night. The defense was confused by the offensive looks of the Patriots. Tom Brady took advantage of the Jets safeties. The Jets now fall back down to earth, and as I said above, only have three days to prepare for Tim Tebow and the Broncos option offense. The Patriots have a pretty easy schedule the rest of the way. They play at Philadelphia, which doesn't look tough anymore, as well as at Denver and the Option and home to Buffalo. It's quite conceivable they could run the table and go 13-3, even with their terrible defense.

-So if Houston and New England are the favorites in their division, who is the favorite in the AFC North. Right now, I guess you have to say Pittsburgh again. But it almost changes by the hour. The Bengals were knocked down a peg after their home loss to Pittsburgh. The Ravens, who many people considered the favorite after beating the Steelers last week, lost on the road to Seattle. Next week's game between Cincinnati and Baltimore is big for both teams. The loser of that came falls to 6-4 and into a potential tie with the likes of the NY Jets, Buffalo Bills, and Tennessee Titans. The winner goes to 7-3 and has the inside track on the first Wild Card Spot, and if it is Baltimore that wins, they move back into first place in the AFC North. The Bengals lost Cornerback Leon Hall for the year with a torn ACL, which is a big blow to the defense. The Bengals have a tougher schedule with two games against Baltimore, at Pittsburgh, and Houston coming to town. The AFC Playoff race is a jumbled mess at this point.

Hey I'm Just Sayin...
-The 49ers Defense is good, but can their offense hang with the Packers?

-Do the Cardinals stick with John Skelton or go back to Kevin Kolb?

-Hey Mike Shanahan, any chance I could get a shot at playing QB?

-Will the Colts even come back to play after their bye week?

-Cam Newton, I just traded for you in my fantasy league. Don't falter now.

-Tony Sparano isn't coaching for his job. He's coaching to screw the next coach out of Andrew Luck.

The Head Coaching Hot Seat: The Top 5!
1. Tony Sparano, Miami: These last couple wins are nice, but I still don't think Sparano is around after this season. The fans want a big name in Miami. They can't sell out the stadium. Look for either Bill Cowher, Jon Gruden, or maybe even Jeff Fisher.

2. Jim Caldwell, Indianapolis: I know, Peyton Manning isn't playing. But if the Colts finish 0-16, you almost have to fire Caldwell. There is still talent on that team despite the injuries and loss of Manning. But Caldwell just can't seem to motivate that team and that may force a change in Indy.

3. Todd Haley, Kansas City: Haley is coming off a division title, but the honeymoon ended quickly after a bad start. Sure he lost Jamaal Charles and Eric Berry, but there's no excuses for Matt Cassel's poor play the last two weeks, or all season for that matter. Look for a potential new coach/QB combo next year.

4. Andy Reid, Philadelphia: I still don't think Reid gets fired at the end of the year, but if he continues to lose to terrible teams, he may just get the ax. The Philly front office may feel the overwhelming pressure from fans and the team thinking that Reid has lost control of the team and can't manage all of the ego that he has.

5a. Ken Wisenhunt, Arizona: Wisenhunt got his QB this year in Kevin Kolb. He still has Beanie Wells at running back and Larry Fitzgerald at WR. But the Cardinals are struggling in a bad division and can't seem to fin any rhythm on offense. They pulled off a couple wins in a row, but that was without Kolb at QB. They blew a big lead against Baltimore and the NY Giants. Wisenhunt may need a big second half and signs of progress to save his job.

5b. Norv Turner, San Diego: It almost seems like Turner is on the hot seat every year. There is a lot of talent in San Diego, but they can never seem to put it together come playoff time. The Chargers are struggling more than ever this year. They are 4-5 in a down year for the AFC West. Philip Rivers is having an off year, and the defense is having problems stopping people, specifically through the air. This may be Turner's last chance to right the ship in San Diego.

Looking Into the Playoff Picture
With 7 weeks left in the NFL season, lets take a look at the playoff picture and where I think every team will finish. I will list the current standings, then underneath each team their remaining schedules. Black bold means a win, red means a loss.

AFC

1. Houston Texans: 7-3

Bye, at Jacksonville, vs Atlanta, at Cincinnati, vs Carolina, at Indianapolis, vs Tennessee

Final Record, 11-5: There are some tough match-ups for the Texans left, especially the back to back games against Atlanta and Cincinnati. And now with Matt Schaub out, those match-ups look even tougher. I thought the Texans had a chance to win out, but not with Matt Leinart at QB. The Texans will still win the division because they have more talent than anyone else in the AFC South, but they will now lose a few games.

2. Pittsburgh Steelers: 7-3

Bye, at Kansas City, vs Cincinnati, vs Cleveland, at San Francisco, vs St. Louis, at Cleveland

Final Record, 12-4: The Steelers benefit from playing the lowly Cleveland Browns twice in there last 6 games, as well as having the Rams come into town late in the year. Right now the Steelers are playing at Kansas City Sunday night, but I think that might be flexed out of prime time. Monday night against San Fran will be tough, especially if the 49ers are still fighting for home field.

3. New England Patriots: 6-3

vs Kansas City, at Philadelphia, vs Indianapolis, at Washington, at Denver, vs Miami, vs Buffalo

Final Record, 12-4: As I said, I think the Patriots have a really easy schedule from here on out. I gave them a loss in Philadelphia because I don't think they match up well against Philly. Now I'm sure Philly will find a way to lose that game, but I like the match-up in their favor. I was also tempted with the Denver game to give the Pats a loss, but I think Bellicheck will find a way to keep Tebow in check.

4. Oakland Raiders: 5-4

at Minnesota, vs Chicago, at Miami, at Green Bay, vs Detroit, at Kansas City, vs San Diego

Final Record, 9-7: I was thinking of looking at the whole AFC West, but I'm pretty sure this record will be good enough to win the AFC West. The Chiefs might not win another game, Denver has a brutal schedule ahead, and I think teams will figure out how to stop the option sooner rather than later, and San Diego will lose at least three more games. So I'm giving this to Oakland almost by default. I don't know if they can't beat Baltimore, or even the Jets for a second time, but being in the Black Hole will help.

5. Baltimore Ravens: 6-3

vs Cincinnati, vs San Francisco, at Cleveland, vs Indianapolis, at San Diego, vs Cleveland, at Cincinnati

Final Record, 11-5: Baltimore is really tough to predict. You think they would beat Cleveland both times, but they might lose one of them. Could they actually struggle against Indianapolis? I think the Ravens are a veteran enough team to win late down the stretch. They need to get Joe Flacco right or else they won't have any kind of chance to win a playoff game. The Ravens are my Super Bowl pick from the AFC, and I'm still sticking by them.

6. Cincinnati Bengals: 6-3

at Baltimore, vs Cleveland, at Pittsburgh, vs Houston, at St. Louis, vs Arizona, vs Baltimore

Final Record, 9-7: The loss of CB Leon Hall is going to hurt this team, no questions asked. He is their top corner and a cornerstone of the defense. The Bengals showed they can hang with the big boys against Pittsburgh, but I don't know if they can do it for the long haul. Pittsburgh and Houston back-to-back is tough, and going to St. Louis late has all the signs of a trap game. The Bengals were a nice early story, but I think they falter down the stretch.

7. NY Jets: 5-4

at Denver, vs Buffalo, at Washington, vs Kansas City, at Philadelphia, vs NY Giants, at Miami

Final Record, 10-6: This coming week against Denver is a big game. Can the Jets solve the option offense in time? After that, they already proved they are better than the Bills. Washington and Kansas City have no offense to speak of. I think going to Philly makes it tougher for the Jets, as they struggle on the road. The Giants have enough weapons to expose the defense. But I think in the end, the Jets get in because they will have the tiebreaker over the Bills.

8. Buffalo Bills: 5-4

at Miami, at NY Jets, vs Tennessee, at San Diego, vs Miami, vs Denver, at New England

Final Record, 10-6: If the Bills don't beat Miami this week, then they may lose out. This team has taken a few knockout blows in the last couple weeks, so they need this one bad. The Bills should win their last 3 home games. They can beat San Diego on the road. It may come down to the last week against San Diego, and even if the Pats have a seed wrapped, you don't think they still have revenge on their mind against Buffalo. The Bills just miss out.

9. Tennessee Titans: 5-4

at Atlanta, vs Tampa Bay, at Buffalo, vs New Orleans, at Indianapolis, vs Jacksonville, at Houston

Final Record, 8-8: The Titans have a brutal schedule late. They did a good job of shutting down Cam Newton, but the Falcons and Saints offenses are a different story. Houston already wiped the floor with Tennessee in Tennessee, no reason they couldn't do it again in Houston. The Titans will probably win the games they are suppose to win, but lose the ones they are suppose to lose.

FINAL AFC STANDINGS

1. Pittsburgh Steelers  12-4

2. New England Patriots  12-4

3. Houston Texans  11-5

4. Oakland Raiders  9-7

5. Baltimore Ravens  11-5

6. New York Jets  10-6

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7. Buffalo Bills  10-6

8. Cincinnati Bengals  9-7

9. Tennessee Titans  8-8

NFC Playoff Picture

1. Green Bay Packers: 9-0

vs Tampa Bay, at Detroit, at NY Giants, vs Oakland, at Kansas City, vs Chicago, vs Detroit

Final Record, 15-1: I really thought about giving the Packers a perfect record. Three weeks ago I would have thought they lose at Detroit on Thansgiving, but I don't think that happens anymore. I think the Giants pass rush will do just enough to disrupt Aaron Rodgers and not allow him to throw at will on the Giants secondary. The Packers are a great offensive teams with defensive flaws in their secondary which might be a problem come January.

2. San Francisco 49ers: 8-1

vs Arizona, at Baltimore, vs St. Louis, at Arizona, vs Pittsburgh, at Seattle, at St. Louis

Final Record, 15-1: The 49ers must love the fact that 5 of their last 7 games are against divisional opponents. They face the AFC North's two best teams, but they can beat both of them. Baltimore is very up and down, and they get Pittsburgh at home which will be a plus. I think the 49ers win out. Their defense is that good. This is why I wanted Jim Harbaugh in Buffalo. He took pretty much the same group of guys from last year's team, adopted to their strengths, and got them playing winning football. And in this scenario, the 49ers would get home field in the NFC due to a better record in common games compared to Green Bay. San Fran beat the Giants, Green Bay wouldn't in my scenario.

3. New Orleans Saints: 7-3

Bye, vs NY Giants, vs Detroit, at Tennessee, at Minnesota, vs Atlanta, vs Carolina

Final Record, 13-3: Another win out scenario. These aren't the same Saints of old. They can be beat, but I don't see it. It helps to have two weeks to prepare for the Giants. Detroit looks like they could be on a downfall, and having Atlanta again in the Superdome helps. There is a blue print to stop the Saints offense, but I don't know if any of these teams have the personnel to stop it. I think the Giants do, but the Saints have two weeks to prepare for the Giants which is a big help for them.

4. New York Giants: 6-3

vs Philadelphia, at New Orleans, vs Green Bay, at Dallas, vs Washington, at NY Jets, vs Dallas

Final Record, 11-5: The Giants have a brutal end schedule, but they should still win the division. They get a wounded Philadelphia team next week at home. New Orleans and Green Bay back to back is tough, and if they can get a split there that would be great. I think they split with Dallas because the Cowboys are good enough to win at least one game. But the Giants still win the division in the end.

5. Detroit Lions: 6-3

vs Carolina, vs Green Bay, at New Orleans, vs Minnesota, at Oakland, vs San Diego, at Green Bay

Final Record, 10-6: The Lions started off hot and were the darlings of the NFC. But they slowed down recently and have a rough end schedule to take care of. They have a back-to-back slate against New Orleans and Green Bay as well. The final game at Green Bay could be the deciding game, and I expect the Packers to still be fighting for home field in Week 17. The Lions were a good story at first, but they've been exposed as of late, especially for their lack of a running game with Jahvid Best out.

6. Chicago Bears: 6-3

vs San Diego, at Oakland, vs Kansas City, at Denver, vs Seattle, at Green Bay, at Minnesota

Final Record, 11-5: I think the Bears have finally turned the corner, but I think they lose one of those weird games like they have a tendency to do at times. I picked the Denver game because it seems like the best spot to do so. The Bears are playing some good football and I don't see how they miss the playoffs with this schedule, especially with the AFC West four weeks in a row. But Mike Martz has finally found a way to mold an offense around Jay Cutler, and with Matt Forte in the back field and the always dangerous Devin Hester, this team could be a threat in January.

7. Dallas Cowboys: 5-4

at Washington, vs Miami, at Arizona, vs NY Giants, at Tampa Bay, vs Philadelphia, at NY Giants

Final Record, 11-5: Another team that benefits from a lackluster end of the season schedule. There would really be no excuses for the Cowboys to lose the next few games. All of them are games they should win. The Giants game at home will be a big one. If they don't win that one, then they might as well kiss a chance at the division good bye. That Tampa Bay game may be a tricky one if the Bucs could ever get their stuff together and show the promise they had last year. I think the Cowboys finish strong though and find a way to get into the playoffs.

8. Atlanta Falcons: 5-4

vs Tennessee, vs Minnesota, at Houston, at Carolina, vs Jacksonville, at New Orleans, vs Tampa Bay

Final Record, 10-6: Despite getting shut down Sunday by Tennessee, I've maintained all along that the Panthers could play spoiler the rest of the year. I think they have a good shot of doing it here. They hung with the Falcons for the most part in Atlanta, and I think they win in Carolina. The home loss to New Orleans may hurt, but like I said above I defend Mike Smith's decision. If your offense can't get a quarter of a yard, you don't deserve to win that football game. But unfortunately, that decision keeps the Falcons out of the playoffs.

FINAL NFC STANDINGS

1. San Francisco 49ers  15-1

2. Green Bay Packers  15-1

3. New Orleans Saints  13-3

4. New York Giants  11-5

5. Dallas Cowboys  11-5

6. Chicago Bears  11-5

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7. Atlanta Falcons  10-6

8. Detroit Lions  10-6

Three Games I'd Like To See Next Week

NY Jets vs Denver Broncos: Can the Jets shut down the Broncos Option Offense?

Cincinnati Bengals vs Baltimore Ravens: Which Ravens team will show up, and can the Bengals rebound?

Tennessee Titans vs Atlanta Falcons: Two teams fighting for their playoff lives.

Until Next Time,

Justin C

Follow Me on Twitter @JCWonka