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

NFL Week 12 Picks

So close to perfection. Damn You Rams!

I went 3-0 on Thanksgiving. If you don't believe me check my Twitter!

Last Week's Record: 13-1
Year to Date: 107-52

Minnesota Vikings vs Chicago Bears
Chicago needs Jay Cutler in a bad way. I understand Jason Campbell went up against a very good defense last week, but he still looked beyond terrible against the 49ers. He looked uncomfortable in the pocket and did not deal well with the pressure that the 49ers brought. Cutler still has not been cleared to play yet, so that makes his status for this game a question mark. Cutler makes a world of difference for this team. You know the Bears defense will be out to make a statement after a poor performance against the 49ers. It was the most points the Bears have given up all year, and it was to a QB starting his first game. The Vikings wanted to use their bye week to get their star WR Percy Harvin healthy, but Harvin has yet to practice this week. Having Harvin play takes pressure off of Adrian Peterson. Without Harvin, teams can crowd the box to stop Peterson. Christian Ponder has struggled mightily in his last few games, even failing to go over 100 passing yards in two of his last four. Both teams may be missing stars, but I like the Bears defense to take advantage of Christian Ponder and grind out a win here.

Chicago 17  Minnesota 13

JC's Take: Stars, Goats and Notes from Week 11 of the NFL

Team of the Week: San Francisco 49ers
-In the battle of back-up QBs, Colin Kapernick won. And he may have just created a QB controversy in San Francisco. The 49ers dominated the entire football game Monday night. Not only that, but they had continued success driving down the field against a very good Bears defense. The 49ers defense got to Jason Campbell, causing six sacks and two interceptions. San Francisco imposed their will on both sides of the ball and finally looked like the team I picked to go to the Super Bowl at the start of the year. You have to wonder if Jim Harbaugh goes back to Alex Smith or rides the hot hand with Kapernick next week. Great performance by the 49ers.

Game of the Week: Houston 43  Jacksonville 37 (OT)
-Thank You Andre Johnson. Thank You Matt Schaub. In my picks blog this week, I said that if Jacksonville won, I would write a 10,000 word blog talking about the Jaguars victory. I wasn't kidding. I was getting ready to start working on that today. But the Texans offense saved my ass and came up with a big play in over time to secure the Texans a late victory. When Blaine Gabbert left the game in the first quarter, Chad Henne took command and the Jaguars looked like a completely different team with him under center. You have to wonder why Henne hasn't been starting earlier. I know they wanted to develop Gabbert, but it was evident after five games this year that he wasn't the answer. For the Texans, this game exposed some holes they have and need to be fixed. It also showed that they are beatable and are now sure fire bets to win the AFC in a run away.

The "Adrian Peterson Is On A Bye, So I Have To Pick Other Guys" 3 Stars Of The Week
3. Julian Edelman
The one thing I like about Bill Bellicheat is that he always finds ways to have one guy you didn't expect play a big part in beating you. This week that guy was Julian Edelman. Edelman returned a punt for a touchdown and also caught a pass for a touchdown. He was also one tackle away from returning a kickoff for one as well. Edelman isn't someone who wows you with his athletic ability, but he's a hard worker who can make a play if you take him lightly.

2. A.J. Green
If you still have doubts about A.J. Green being one of the Top 5 WRs in the league, then you don't know football. Green had another touchdown catch this week in Cincinnati's rout of the Chiefs. That gives Green 10 on the year. He's had one in every game this year except for Week 1. You have to wonder where Cincinnati's offense would be without Green. They really don't have too many other weapons. Sooner or later, teams will have to start doubling him like they do Calvin Johnson.

1. Matt Schaub/Andre Johnson
These two share the award because they both put up some tremendous stats this week against Jacksonville. Schaub threw for 527 yards and 5 touchdowns, while Johnson caught 14 passes for 273 yards and scored the game winning touchdown. This is just an example of what the Texans could have been like all these years if everyone on offense had stayed healthy. Things are finally starting to come together in Houston, and they have the Super Bowl in their sights.

The Almost As Bad As Most Cancelled Fall TV Shows 3 Goats of the Week
3. Philadelphia Eagles Defense
I don't know how much more evidence you need to see that the Eagles have quit on this season. That may have been some of the worst coverage I have seen in my football watching life this past week. Robert Griffin had all day to throw and the secondary just had complete lapses in coverage, allowing WRs to get open. I'm surprised Andy Reid is still coaching this team.

2. Ken Wisenhunt
OK. I understand that John Skelton has been struggling lately. But why in your right mind would you pull him, on the road, with your team surprisingly in the lead, against one of the best team's in the NFC. And it isn't even like it was a veteran. It was a rookie QB who has not seen the field this year. Needless to say, Ryan Lindley did not fair to well, and Arizona lost their lead. Is Wisenhunt trying to lose his job?

1. Bart Scott
Bart Scott used to be a very good team leader for the Jets.Now, you have to wonder if he has just lost his damn mind. Scott tried leading a locker room mutiny against the media after their win against the Rams. Of course, this is because of the story that came out last week that un-named Jets players ripped Tebow for being terrible. Well guess what Bart, the players on your defense are the ones that are bringing unwanted attention to this team. Your media mutiny only made you guys look like bigger fools than you already were. The Jets have become a side show act. No one takes them seriously anymore.

Other Week 11 Notes
-If I am the Pittsburgh Steelers, I am very concerned about making the Playoffs. At 6-4 they stand in the final Wild Card position. But as they showed last night, it is going to be a struggle for them with all of these injuries catching up to them. Ben Roethlisberger just makes that team so much better. And now it looks like Byron Leftwich is down, meaning that Pittsburgh will have to turn to Charlie Batch at QB. Now they are bringing in WR Plaxico Burress because they are down at that position too. I wouldn't even worry about catching the Ravens, I would just be worried about holding on to the spot they have now. They go to Cleveland next week, a team that the Steelers struggle with at times. The game is always low scoring, and that is with Big Ben at QB. They then go to Baltimore and face another dog fight there. The Steelers need to find different ways to win these games coming up. If the Steelers lose the next two games, Big Ben will have a lot riding on his shoulders if he returns with four games left.

-Jason Garrett still needs to be worried about his job, even after yesterday's come from behind win against the Browns. Why should Garrett be worried? Because his team had to come from behind to beat the Browns. I've always thought Cleveland would be a team that will fight tooth and nail until the end of every game this year. That's their mentality. But the Cowboys have more talent and should have won that game without any problems at home. Then again, they are the Cowboys. A team that for some reason only likes to show up in the second half of each game. Add to the fact that Browns President Mike Holmgren was seen talking to Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones on the sidelines, and Garrett has even more to be worried about. A report came out that this weekend that Holmgren would only return to coach the Cowboys. Holmgren is stepping down as Browns President, Garrett is on the hot seat, this report comes out, and Holmgren is seen talking to Jones. Pieces keep falling into places.

-We are only heading into Week 12, but it looks like every division in the AFC is wrapped up. New England has a two game lead in the AFC East, but no other team has the talent in that division to catch them. The Texans have a three game lead in the AFC South and still play the Colts twice. They also hold wins over Denver and Baltimore, and still play New England. The Texans essentially control their own destiny for the #1 seed in the AFC. Denver holds a three game lead over the Chargers and have beaten them twice. No one is catching Denver there. And the Ravens hold a two game lead over Pittsburgh and just beat the Steelers in Pittsburgh. What does this all mean? It means the question of resting players will come into effect pretty early for all of these teams. Now these four teams are looking to establish themselves and work out the final kinks they have before the Playoffs role around. All four of these teams have their own strengths and weakness, and they will look to fix those weaknesses with the Playoffs looming.

The HOT HOT HOT SEAT
-These Guys Should Just Start Packing Their Desks Already
1. Andy Reid, Philadelphia
2. Norv Turner, San Diego
3. Ron Rivera, Carolina
4. Romeo Crennel, Kansas City

-The I Wouldn't Buy A House Quite Yet In That Town Group
1. Jason Garrett, Dallas
2. Pat Shurmur, Cleveland
3. Ken Wisenhunt, Arizona

Random One Liners
-Why was everyone all hyped up about the Dolphins again?

-Why do the Steelers have so may awful uniforms?

-I bet Larry Fitzgerald regrets signing that contract extension now.

-If only Sam Bradford had some actual weapons to help him out on offense.

-Someone should give Mason Crosby the leg of the turkey for dinner.

-Maybe Jon Gruden will just leave the announce booth and start coaching the Eagles next week.

The FAB FIVE
1. Houston Texans
2. Atlanta Falcons
3. Baltimore Ravens
4. New England Patriots
5. San Francisco 49ers

The TURRIBLE FIVE
28. Cleveland Browns
29. Oakland Raiders
30. Carolina Panthers
31. Jacksonville Jaguars
32. Kansas City Chiefs

Three Games I'd Like To See Next Week
Green Bay at New York Giants: Did the bye week help the reeling Giants?
San Francisco vs New Orleans: Classic defense vs offense battle.
Atlanta vs Tampa Bay: Can Bucs keep up impressive run?

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

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 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

NFL Week 5 Picks

I did much better last week. Could a rebound be on the way? Lets hope so! Picks!

Last Week's Record: 11-4
Year To Date Record: 37-25

Arizona Cardinals vs St. Louis Rams
This has all the makings of a trap game for the Arizona Cardinals. On the road against a divisional opponent on a short week. For the Cardinals sake I hope it isn't. They escaped a bad loss last week and won in overtime against Miami. The Cardinals let a less than stellar offense stay in the game, and their secondary looked a bit shaky. Kevin Kolb remains the starter for the Cardinals, and I see no reason to change that even when John Skelton is fully healthy. Arizona may have found a permanent second WR with Andre Roberts playing well the last couple weeks. St. Louis defeated Seattle last week thanks to some good trickeration on special teams. Steven Jackson looks to be going on the downside of his career. He hasn't helped the offense like a star RB should, and it again is causing Sam Bradford problems with the lack of weapons he has. No run game allows teams to focus on stopping Bradford. I see the Rams keeping it close, but the Cardinals are on a hot streak now and I think they escape with a win here.

Arizona 28  St. Louis 24

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 Week 4 Picks

Picks for Week 4. Hopefully, none of you took my advice last week.

Week 4 Record: 8-8
Year to Date Record: 26-21

Carolina Panthers vs Atlanta Falcons
So, is it time to panic in Carolina? Everyone was hyped up for them against the Giants and expected them to take care of the short handed Giants last Thursday. Instead, the Panthers were whipped like a government mule. The offense couldn't move the ball at all, and the defense could not stop the Giants on the ground or through the air. Steve Smith called out Cam Newton after the game and told him to quit pouting. People seem to be making a bigger story out of it than it seems. Now the Panthers risk the possibility of going 1-3 with this trip to Atlanta. The Falcons have looked almost unstoppable on offense. And last Sunday the defense went into San Diego and shut down a pretty good Chargers offense. If the Panthers couldn't stop Ramses Barden, what makes me think they will stop Julio Jones and Roddy White? Nothing. Falcons win this one.

Atlanta 31  Carolina 20

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 Divisional Round Preview

Here I am, back again. It is Playoff Weekend again in the NFL, but now the big boys in both conferences are here. I went 3-1 last week, with my only loss being Pittsburgh against Denver. But you have to hand it to big play Tebow in that one. First let me share my thoughts on the losing teams from Wild Card Weekend.

-Cincinnati played tough, but that pick 6 killed all of their momentum heading into the second half. That is the one thing Andy Dalton had to avoid heading into half time. The Bengals are still a young team and will be back in the hunt for a Playoff spot next year. Having Jay Gruden stay on as offensive coordinator and not leave for Jacksonville or Miami is huge for them. Andy Dalton and A.J. Green will continue to grow into one of the best QB-WR tandems in the league, and that defense isn't going anywhere. Hopefully next year people actually come to watch this team play.

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 Review

It is almost Playoff time. Lets take a look at Week 16 action first!

Team of the Week: Detroit Lions
-The Lions get this spot for clinching their first playoff berth since 1999. There were high hopes for the Lions at the start of the season, and they lived up to that hype with a 5-0 start. The Lions encountered some road bumps in the middle of the season but have won three in a row, and they dominated the red hot San Diego Chargers on Saturday to secure their Wild Card berth. Matthew Stafford has turned into a promising franchise QB, and the Lions have found ways to make their offense work when teams shut down Calvin Johnson. The defense is still a bit shaky, but if the Lions passing game keeps playing as well as they are, they can give teams fits in the playoffs. The Lions would be a tough out for the Giants or Cowboys.

Game of the Week: Indianapolis Colts 19  Houston Texans 16
-Not a lot of good choices this week. Nothing really stood out. So I'm giving the nod to this game. The Colts drove down the field on the Texans and Reggie Wayne caught the game winning TD pass with under one minute left to win their second straight game and put their chances at Andrew Luck in jeopardy. The Colts face a bad Jaguars team next week, and with the Rams facing a good 49ers team, the Rams could steal the #1 pick. And the Rams could get a boatload in return for that pick. The Texans have lost two in a row and the offense has sputtered a bit in recent weeks. The Texans defense also shouldn't let Dan Orlovsky drive down the field like he did on Thursday. The Texans have some kinks to work out before the Playoffs start, otherwise they could be one and done.

Dog of the Week: Rex Ryan, NY Jets Coach
-I'm sorry Rex, but it is time to shut that yap of yours and only open it when you are able to back what comes out of it up. Ryan talked a big game heading into the big Giants/Jets showdown in the Big Apple, and his Jets didn't show up. Apparently, Giants RB Brandon Jacobs told him to shut his mouth after the game, and it is about time someone else did. Even if the Jets find a way to sneak into the Playoffs, they won't have the success they have had the last few years. The team regressed badly this year, especially QB Mark Sanchez. Why is he throwing the ball 40+ times in a game. He isn't that good of a QB to do that. Ryan's mouth hasn't backed up anything yet, and until he gets a ring of his own, he will always be second fiddle in New York.

Other Week 16 Notes
-I think it is safe to say that the luster is finally off of Tim Tebow. Tebow's Denver Broncos were blown out again, this time by a Buffalo Bills team that had lost seven in a row headed into this week. The Bills defense used a four man front and forced Tebow to stay in the pocket and throw. And watching Tebow in person, he does not have a very good arm. If Tebow can't run and make plays, he isn't a very good QB. Now the Broncos face a must win situation this week against Kansas City. Win and the Broncos are in the Playoffs. But you know Kyle Orton, the man Tebow replaced, is dying to help keep his former team out of the Playoffs. The Chiefs defense has been playing very well as of late. Even in defeat, the Chiefs have only allowed one team since Week 12, the Jets in Week 14, to score more than 16 points. Tebow might need all of the magic he has left to help his Broncos win the AFC West.

-If I look back at my AFC Preview, I'm pretty sure I said the Bengals would be the worst team in the AFC this year. Well, it looks like I was completely wrong. The Bengals are one win away from getting the last Wild Card Spot in the AFC. Beat Baltimore at home this week and the Bengals are in. The Bengals got lucky against the Cardinals. Had Cardinals WR Early Doucet not tripped over the goal line, that game would have been going to overtime. But the Bengals control their own destiny, and that is all you can ask for heading into Week 17. The question is: Can a young Bengals team rise up to the challenge and beat a very good Ravens team that will be fighting for the AFC North Title? With the Steelers playing the Browns, the Ravens know they are going to have to win this game to clinch the AFC North and get a first round bye. The AFC North may be the best division in all of football.

-Watching Drew Brees and the Saints offense on Monday night, you have to wonder if they are the actual favorites to win the NFC. The Saints offense with Brees under center is almost unstoppable. They put up 41 points against a good Falcons defense. With the Packers heading into the Playoffs, you have to worry about their defense and if it can stop Brees for even one possession. Brees broke Dan Marino's NFL single season passing yards record last night and deserves some consideration for MVP this year. I know Aaron Rodgers had his team undefeated all year, but the Saints would be absolutely nowhere without Brees. I don't see anything preventing a Saints/Packers rematch for the NFC Championship, and I think these two are the heavy favorites to win the Super Bowl again.

Hey I'm Just Sayin...
-Good thing it isn't up to Raheem Morris if he has to fire himself or not.

-Do the Rams take Andrew Luck and trade Sam Bradford? Or vice versa?

-Can T.J. Yates get the Texans out of the 1st round?

-The only way the 49ers are winning in the Playoffs is if the defense shuts down everyone.

-How did the AFC South become the worst division in football?

-Watch out for the Panthers next year.

AFC PLAYOFF PICTURE
1. New England Patriots  12-3  vs Buffalo
2. Baltimore Ravens  11-4  at Cincinnati
3. Houston Texans  10-5  vs Tennessee
4. Denver Broncos  8-7  vs Kansas City
5. Pittsburgh Steelers  11-4  at Cleveland
6. Cincinnati Bengals  9-6  vs Baltimore
--------------------------------------------------------
7. Oakland Raiders  8-7  at San Diego
8. Tennessee Titans  8-7  at Houston
9. New York Jets  8-7  at Miami

The Wild Card Scenarios for all of the 8-7 teams are a bit complicated, so let me just tell you what I think happens. I think every team in the Wild Card race loses except the Titans. In that scenario, the Bengals and Titans both finish 9-7, and the Bengals would get in because they beat the Titans earlier in the year. I also think the Broncos beat the Chiefs and win the AFC West. The Pats clinch home field, and the Ravens win the AFC North, leaving the playoffs like this in the AFC.

1. New England
2. Baltimore
6. Cincinnati Bengals vs 3. Houston Texans
5. Pittsburgh Steelers vs 4. Denver Broncos

NFC PLAYOFF PICTURE
1. Green Bay Packers  14-1  vs Detroit
2. San Francisco 49ers  12-3  at St. Louis
3. New Orleans Saints  12-3  vs Carolina
4. New York Giants  8-7  vs Dallas
5. Detroit Lions  10-5  at Green Bay
6. Atlanta Falcons  9-6  vs Tampa Bay
--------------------------------------------------------
7. Dallas Cowboys  8-7  at NY Giants

Everything spot wise is set in the NFC besides the NFC East crown. Seeding is still up for grabs. I think the Giants beat the Cowboys in the finale. I also think the Lions beat the Packers in Lambeau. The Lions will play for the 5 seed because it means not going to New Orleans or San Francisco in Round 1. I think the seeds stay exactly as they are now in the NFC.

Three Games I'd Like to See Next Week
Dallas Cowboys vs New York Giants: The team that makes the least amount of dumb mistakes wins.
Baltimore Ravens vs Cincinnati Bengals: Can the Bengals cap a surprise season in front of 45,000 "fans."
Kansas City Chiefs vs Denver Broncos: Can TEBOWMANIA rebound after two bad performances.

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 14 Picks

NFL Picks? Woo Woo Woo! You Know It!

Last Week's Record: 13-3
Year to Date Record: 125-67

Cleveland Browns vs Pittsburgh Steelers
This isn't too much of a rivalry in recent years. The Steelers have dominated the Browns. The Steelers continue to win while the Browns continue to float in mediocrity. Cleveland has definitely taken a step back this year. The distraction that Peyton Hillis has caused isn't helping matters. Colt McCoy has also regressed a bit, but it doesn' help when you have no real threats at WR. And the run defense is just getting gashed on a weekly basis. The most recent is Ray Rice's 200+ yard rushing performance last week. The Browns can't seem to find a winning way and stick to it. Pittsburgh continues their winning ways as they look destined for another playoff appearance. The Steelers have looked streaky at times this year. The offense has struggled in various games, but they had a good showing against Cincinnati last week. Their smash mouth football style helps them win in the winter months though, and that shouldn't be any different this week. Expect Pittsburgh to pound the ball with Rashard Mendenhall, which will open up the play action pass with Big Ben, Mike Wallace, and Antonio Brown. Steelers win rather easily.

Pittsburgh 24  Cleveland 9

Kansas City Chiefs vs New York Jets
Congrats to Tyler Palko on winning his first game last week. Sure, it was against a depleted Bears team. And sure, Palko was pulled at one point in the game, but he still got the win. But the Chiefs still looked terrible on offense. There only TD came on a hail mary pass at the end of the first half. Otherwise, it is the same Chiefs teams that hadn't scored a TD in their last two games. The defense shut down the Bears, but it was a Bears team that didn't have their star QB or RB. The Jets pulled away late against Washington, but the offense struggled early on. Mark Sanchez again looked off on multiple throws. The defense was also burned by the run early on. This, however, should be a cake walk for the Jets as long as they are focused. The Chiefs have no weapons on offense and should struggle against a tough Jets pass rush.

NY Jets 27  Kansas City 6

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Jacksonville Jaguars
This is the battle to not be considered the worst team in Florida. The Bucs are 4-8 and it looks like Raheem Morris is losing control of his players. The offense has looked stagnant and terrible continually. They were blown out by Carolina last week, which cements their status as the worst team in the NFC South. I would be surprised if Morris isn't fired at the end of the year. The Tampa job is semi-attractive, there is a lo of young talent on the team to build around. But they are in a tough division and need quick improvements if they want to compete in the coming years. The Jagaurs already fired their coach. And they still look terrible on offense. I know it is only his first year, but Blaine Gabbert is struggling mightily. With the success of Cam Newton and Andy Dalton, the pressure on him increases. But Gabbert can't handle pressure and often times makes bad decisions even without pressure. You have to feel bad for Maurice Jones-Drew. He's being a team player but you know the losing and struggles have to be eating at him on the inside. A new coach needs to decide if Gabbert has a future in the NFL, and also get some playmakers for him at the WR position. I've told you these teams suck already. So who wins? If you are one of these teams 25 fans and care, I'm picking Tampa. More talent.

Tampa Bay 23  Jacksonville 19

New England Patriots vs Washington Redskins
The Patriots are quietly putting together another typical Patriots season. Remember when we were questioning if this team was a legit playoff team? They still struggle a bit on defense and don't have too much of a running game, but they keep winning and that is all that matters in the end. But if Tom Brady keeps throwing to Rob Gronkowski at will, then this team will be tough to beat. Gronkowski is such a huge target and runs his routes so well that it makes him difficult to cover, especially in the red zone. You need a quick, physical safety to even just keep up with him. Even if Gronkowski gets shut down, you still have that pesky Wes Welker to deal with. The Redskins have given the Cowboys and Jets fights in recent weeks, but they can't find a way to close out games. The defense keeps the Redskins in it, but the offense fails to convert come late in the game. That is partly do to Rex Grossman's inability to perform in the clutch. The one bright spot for Washington has been Roy Helu, who had a good game against the Jets. Helu should have another good game against the soft Patriots defense, and Grossman should do ok as well. But the Patriots offense wins out here. Grossman and Co. can't keep up.

New England 31  Washington 20

Atlanta Falcons vs Carolina Panthers
This has all the makings of a trap game for Atlanta. The Falcons offense struggled last week against the Texans. They only managed 10 points and couldn't get anything going, especially the run game. That should be different this week. Michael Turner should take advantage of a weak Panthers run game. Matt Ryan should also be able to burn the Panthers secondary with some deep plays. The Falcons have the talent to burn the Panthers that the Bucs don't have. The Falcons defense played well, but they will be without Corner Brett Grimes this week, which could hurt. The Panthers could struggle with their running attack here as the Falcons are pretty good at stopping it. Cam Newton might need to rely on his arm more here, and that should wake up the sleeping giant known as Steve Smith. You have to like all of the progress the Panthers are showing this year. They are a fun team to watch, and when they get healthy next year on defense, could be the Lions of this year's NFL. A young team that has the potential to make the playoffs. And that is why I'm picking the Panthers to get the upset win here.

Carolina 24  Atlanta 21

Indianapolis Colts vs Baltimore Ravens
It's a revenge game for Baltimore. Indy stole their franchise years ago and they want revenge! The Colts tried to make a comeback against New England last week but couldn't. But their offense woke up last week under Dan Orlovsky, which is a weird thing to say. Problem for Indy is that their defense is still terrible, and Ray Rice should expose that. He's coming off a 200 yard performance against Cleveland, and could easily top 200 yards again this week. Joe Flacco might have a good game too. Again, I don't see anyway the Colts compete here. The countdown to 0-16 continues. Baltimore wins.

Baltimore 35  Indianapolis 17

Philadelphia Eagles vs Miami Dolphins
Both of these teams are 4-8, but they are heading in completely opposite directions. The Eagles appear to have already packed their bags in for the season. DeSean Jackson looks to have quite on the team. The players seem to have given up on Andy Reid. And the much hyped defense has been torn apart for most of the season. The Eagles will probably get Mike Vick back this week, but that won't so much for them. If the team isn't going to give their effort, then Vick's comeback means nothing. The Dolphins are 4-8 but have been playing some of the best football in the NFL the last 5 weeks. The Dolphins are making it mighty hard for ownership to fire coach Tony Sparano at the end of the year. For some reason, the Dolphins have decided to get going right now rather than the whole season. Nothing changed in Miami, other than the fact that they started trying after 0-7. Reggie Bush should take advantage of the weak Eagles linebackers. The Dolphins improved defense will pressure Mike Vick, and the Dolphins will continue to roll and make the Eagles Dream Season one to forget.

Miami 26  Philadelphia 20

Minnesota Vikings vs Detroit Lions
Can the Lions stop shooting themselves in the foot? They continue to take dumb penalties and cost themselves games. They've gone 2-5 after starting 5-0. The offense hasn't been the problem for the most part. The defense for some reason cannot stop anything in recent weeks. The Lions have been plagued with injuries in the secondary. And they will be without Ndamukong Suh again for this game as he sits out his two game suspension. The good news for the Lions is that it looks like Adrian Peterson will also be out for the Vikings, so the Vikings offense looks a little less threatening. Christian Ponder made a terrible throw last week that lead to an interception and set-up the Broncos game winning field goal. The Vikings defense is also depleted with injuries in the secondary. Expect a big game from Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson. The Lions should rebound here with a nice win against a down Vikings team.

Detroit 34  Minnesota 21

New Orleans Saints vs Tennessee Titans
The Titans are the least talked about team in the AFC Playoff Picture, but they may be the team no one wants to play in the Playoffs when it is all set and done. Chris Johnson has regained his 2011 form, and that is bad news for his opponents down the stretch. Johnson is hiding the ineffectiveness of Matt Hasselbeck. Hasselbeck isn't playing bad, but he isn't doing enough to help get his team into the playoffs. The defense has been in shut down mode in recent weeks which also helps. But that defense faces a daunting task of trying to shut down the high powered Saints offense this week. But the Saints have struggled on the road this season. They are only 3-3 on the road, and there only double digit win came against lowly Jacksonville. But Drew Brees and the Saints offense should take the momentum they've had after winning two big games and carry it to the road. You know the Saints defense main task will be to shut down Chris Johnson and force Matt Hasselbeck to win the game for Tennessee. I expect a close one here, but in the end I have to go with the Saints and there array of weapons on offense.

New Orleans 28  Tennessee 23

Houston Texans vs Cincinnati Bengals
How can this game not sell out in Cincinnati? Bengals fans should be ashamed. Sure the Bengals have struggled recently, but they are still right in the thick of the AFC Wild Card Race. Plus, they are getting a wounded Houston team coming to town. With no Andre Johnson for Houston again, expect a heavy dose of Arian Foster and Ben Tate. But you know the Bengals will be expecting that, so expect a lot of eight man fronts from the defense. That means this game is on T.J. Yates shoulders. Yates performed all right last week against Atlanta, but he will need to do better in his first road start. The Bengals will also have a tough time against a very good Texans defense that shut down the Falcons last week. Andy Dalton will rely heavily on A.J. Green, but he will more than likely face constant double teams all day. This will definitely be a defensive battle, so expect a low scoring affair. If the Bengals are successful in shutting down the Texans run game, then I find it hard to believe T.J. Yates scan win the game for them. I'm giving a slight edge to the Bengals here, and think they pull out a mild upset at home.

Cincinnati 16  Houston 13

Chicago Bears vs Denver Broncos
This is a bad time for the Chicago Bears to come up against TEBOWMANIA. The Bears are down Jay Cutler for the rest of the season and Matt Forte for at least two weeks. And the offense looked terrible without both of them last week against Kansas City. The Bears only managed 3 points verses the lowly Kansas City Chiefs. Marion Barber becomes the feature back in Chicago, but he isn't an every down back. Caleb Hanie hasn't played well, and he doesn't have any weapons at WR that would scare the Broncos defense. If the Bears want to win this game, they will have to rely on their run defense to shut down the running game of the Broncos. The Vikings shut down Tim Tebow last week, but they failed to stop Willis McGahee, who ran for 111 yards and a touchdown. Tebow showed last week that he isn't afraid to throw the ball. It still isn't pretty, but he can avoid pressure and allow his WRs to scramble and get open. The Broncos defense isn't bad either, as they have defensive scores in their last two games. This one has low scoring, defensive struggle all over it. But it is too hard to bet against Tebow and the Broncos here, and they continue their winning ways.

Denver 17  Chicago 13

San Francisco 49ers vs Arizona Cardinals
The 49ers may have already wrapped up their division, but don't expect them to take their foot off the pedal quite yet. The 49ers still want that 1st round bye and still only have a one game lead over the Saints for that in the NFC. The defense looked dominant in their win over the Rams last week. Sure it was the Rams, but it still takes an all around team effort to shut out a team. If there is one person the 49ers may rest, it might be Frank Gore who has been a bit banged up all year. But Kendall Hunter is a good enough back to handle the work load for the 49ers the rest of the way. The Cardinals won again last week, this time in over time over the Dallas Cowboys. The Cardinals have been playing in recent weeks like I thought they would all year. Similar to the Dolphins, if the Cardinals played like this all year maybe they would be in the hunt for a playoff spot right now. The offense has looked better in recent weeks and the team's overall play is probably saving Ken Wisenhunt's job. This is a dangerous spot for the 49ers. Coming off a big game last week they may suffer a bit of a let down. The Cardinals are a dangerous team right now and I think they pull off the upset here at home.

Arizona 20  San Francisco 19

Buffalo Bills vs San Diego Chargers
These are two of the more disappointing teams this year for different reasons. First the Bills. They started the season 5-2 and appeared on the verge of making the playoffs for the first time in over a decade. But the Bills have lost five in a row. They have been decimated by injuries. Teams have also found out how to shut down the Bills spread offense. And the defense is still getting shredded. Expect defensive coordinator George Edwards gone at the end of the year. The Bills have a tendency to abandon the run like they did last week. They were only down seven at the half, but only ran the ball FOUR times in the second half. C.J. Spiller has shown promise in recent weeks, but Ryan Fitzpatrick has regressed. The Chargers, meanwhile, are the constant favorites in the AFC West. But after starting 4-1, the Chargers lost six in a row before winning last week in Jacksonville. Philip Rivers looked like the old Philip Rivers last week. The defense has struggled to stop anyone as well, which hasn't helped the Chargers offense. The Chargers don't consider them out of the AFC West race, especially with the tough schedule the Broncos and Raiders have ahead. Being two games out with four games left, the Chargers pretty much have to win out if they have a chance. They start here with a win over the Bills in a shootout.

San Diego 38  Buffalo 31

Oakland Raiders vs Green Bay Packers
Last week's performance is something the Raiders absolutely had to avoid. They were blown out on the road in Miami and gave up the lead in the AFC West via tiebreaker to the Broncos. Now the Raiders have to go into Lambeau and try to hand the Green Bay Packers their first loss. The Raiders running attack was finally stopped last week by the Dolphins. Don't expect it to get going again against the Packers. That means Carson Palmer will have to win this game with his arm. But Palmer isn't Aaron Rodgers. Despite the Packers shaky pass defense, Palmer isn't a good enough QB to win the game for the Raiders. Aaron Rodgers should have a field day taking advantage of a weak Raiders secondary. He makes playing QB so simple in the NFL. His 1 minute drive to get into field goal range last week at the end of regulation against the Giants was a thing of beauty. There is no reason to think that won't continue here. The Packers are the better overall team, and with the 49ers losing (in my opinion), they get one step closer to winning home field throughout the NFC Playoffs with another win here.

Green Bay 35  Oakland 23

New York Giants vs Dallas Cowboys
Huge showdown in the NFC East. These two teams play each other twice in the final four weeks, so the loser isn't necessarily out of the NFC Playoff Race. Both teams are coming off of bad losses last week. The Giants stood toe-to-toe with the Packers last week, but the defense couldn't stop the Packers in the end to force overtime. The Giants are a better team with Ahmad Bradshaw in the backfield. That helps them mightily. Eli Manning is having a good season, but the problem is the defense has struggled to stop teams at times. That has been evident the last two weeks against the Saints and Packers. If the Giants front four on defense is silenced, it exposes holes in the secondary. The Cowboys lost to the Cardinals in Arizona after horrible clock management at the end of the 4th quarter. With two timeouts left, Tony Romo wasted about 20 seconds getting his team set up for a spike that brought the clock down to seven seconds left. Then, Coach Jason Garrett called a timeout before a made field goal by Dan Bailey. Bailey missed the next kick, and the Cowboys lost in overtime. Both of these teams will have their moments on offense and defense. I expect it to be close throughout. They key will be which ever team gets their run game going. That opens up the play action pass for both teams. I think in the end, I like the Cowboys here. I expect Jason Witten to have a big game here, just like the Jermichael Finley did last week for the Packers. A close one throughout that goes to the Cowboys, with a late field goal.

Dallas 27  NY Giants 24

St. Louis Rams vs Seattle Seahawks
I bet ESPN wishes they could flex games to Monday night. The second straight game between bad teams on Monday night. Even if ESPN was going off last year's successes of teams, they still should have thought that both of these teams could be awful this year. The Seahawks have played better in recent weeks. They throttled the Eagles last week. Marshawn Lynch has been in full beast mode the last month of the season. Expect another big game from him here against the Rams. The Rams are down to Tom Brandster at QB, which is all you need to know about their offensive struggles. Steven Jackson should have a decent game, but the Seahawks win here thanks to Lynch.

Seattle 28  St. Louis 10

My Vegas $$$ Picks
Last Week's Record: 3-1
Year to Date Record: 31-20-1

I hope no one tries a four team parlay with my bets, because I always get one wrong.

Seattle -5.5 vs St. Louis: Tom Brandster at QB for St. Louis, enough said.

Cleveland +14 at Pittsburgh: I'm still expecting a low scoring affair here.

Carolina +2.5 vs Atlanta: Panthers are a dangerous team.

NY Jets -9 vs Kansas City: Tyler Palko hasn't shown much in recent weeks.

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

NFL Week 12 Review

It's NFL Review Time!

Team of the Week: New Orleans Saints
-Sure they had a bye week to prepare for the Giants, but they absolutely dismantled them Monday night. They took a good Giants defense to the woodshed. Drew Brees was on his game last night. No sacks, no turnovers, no interceptions. Brees has a ton of weapons at his disposal and he knows exactly how to use each one. The Saints spread the ball out so much that you can't gameplan for just one weapon. The Saints defense under Greg Williams brings the pressure almost every down. Williams loves to blitz and isn't afraid to leave their secondary in single coverage. The Saints have a shot at the #2 seed with San Francisco losing this week. They won't get home field, but a bye week helps.

Game of the Week: New York Jets 28  Buffalo Bills 24
-Good back and forth game throughout. This game went a long way to helping out the Jets playoff chances, and probably put the nail in the coffin for the Bills. Mark Sanchez didn't play his best game, but he did throw 4 TD passes, including a great scramble and throw to Santonio Holmes with under 2 minutes to play. Sanchez also made a big throw to Plaxico Burress on 3rd and 11 to keep that drive going. The Bills had multiple opportunities to win late. Stevie Johnson dropped a wide open pass at the 20 that probably would have gotten the Bills inside the 10. On the next play, Ryan Fitzpatrick threw slightly behind an open Johnson in the end zone. It was a nice win for the Jets after losing two in a row. For the Bills, they have no one to blame but themselves after another crushing defeat.

Dog of the Week: Ndamukong Suh, DT, Detroit Lions
-Lots of choices for this week's award, but this clearly goes to Suh. Suh stomped the arm of a Packers offensive lineman during their Thanksgiving day game. Suh has a reputation for being a dirty player, and clearly this incident didn't help. Suh originally claimed that he was trying to get his footing under him, which might be one of the worst lies I have ever heard. Suh later apologized, but he is still facing a suspension. According to Jay Glazer of FOX Sports, Suh will be suspended for two games. The suspension seems just about right, I might have given him an extra game. This will definitely hurt the Lions defensively, especially going to New Orleans next week.

Other Week 12 Notes
-Lots of WRs have come under the gun this week, and deservedly so. I already talked about Stevie Johnson. His TD celebration was a bit excessive, and it cost the Bills field position. Then there is Eagles WR DeSean Jackson, who shied away from hits multiple times and it caused him to drop a few passes, including one in the end zone. Jackson was benched in the 4th quarter because of it. Chiefs WR Dwayne Bowe jumped for a pass late in the 4th, but he never put his arms up and the ball sailed over his head into the arms of the Steelers secondary. You could label all 3 of these guys pre-madonna WRs, and they showed that label this week. Jackson probably won't be back in Philadelphia next year. Johnson is a UFA and may not be back in Buffalo. Bowe may not survive a potential coach change in Kansas City. Someone will sign these guys, but they have to deal with the excess baggage they potentially bring along.

-At this point, you have to feel sorry for the Houston Texans. Sure they are still 8-3, but now they lost Matt Leinart for the rest of the year with a broken collarbone. Now the Texans will rely on rookie T.J. Yates to lead this team into the playoffs. Yates wasn't bad in relief this week, but he was also playing the Jacksonville Jaguars. The good thing for Yates is that he is taking control of one of the better offenses in the league. He has a great two headed running attack with Arian Foster and Ben Tate. Andre Johnson is a playmaker at WR. The Texans defense is also one of the better defenses in the league. The Texans next two games are tough, home to Atlanta and at Cincinnati. A split there would be great. The last 3 are winnable: home to Carolina, at Indianapolis, home to Tennessee. 11-5 is doable, 10-6 should still win the AFC South. But can T.J. Yates really lead this team to the Super Bowl? Sorry, but I don't think so. The Texans had a chance with Matt Schaub, but not with Yates.

-Well, it looks like the New York Giants are destined for another late season collapse. They started off their brutal second half well after beating New England. But they've lost 3 straight and their loss to New Orleans is by far the worst loss yet. The Giants defense was just torn apart by Drew Brees. The Saints bottled up the Giants pass rush, and that exposed the Giants secondary. The loss of Ahmad Bradshaw has hurt the Giants offense as well. Eli Manning played well, but he can't do everything as well. Now the Giants get the undefeated Packers in New York this week. Even if the Giants lose this week, they still get the Cowboys twice and can win the NFC East. But the Cowboys are playing much better football than the Giants are. If the Giants don't get things right quickly, Tom Coughlin's head may be on the chopping block.

Hey I'm Just Sayin...
-Has Andrew Luck been fitted for his Colts jersey yet?

-Are the Bengals the only 7-4 team that can't sell out their home games?

-When will John Elway just learn to love Tim Tebow?

-I bet Kyle Orton wishes he was still in Denver.

-Who's starting the "When Will Tony Romo Choke" calendar?

AFC Playoff Picture
1. Houston Texans  8-3  vs Atlanta
2. New England Patriots  8-3  vs Indianapolis
3. Baltimore Ravens  8-3  at Cleveland
4. Oakland Raiders  7-4  at Miami
5. Pittsburgh Steelers  8-3  vs Cincinnati
6. Cincinnati Bengals  7-4  at Pittsburgh
-------------------------------------------------------------
7. Denver Broncos  6-5  at Minnesota
8. New York Jets  6-5  at Washington
9. Tennessee Titans  6-5  at Buffalo

A big game in the AFC Wild Card race with the Bengals visiting Pittsburgh. A loss their by the Bengals opens up the last Wild Card spot for every team below them. The Broncos are playing the best football of all four of these teams in my opinion, but they have a rough schedule after Minnesota. The Jets are very hot and cold, and they could just as easily lose to Washington as beat them.

NFC Playoff Picture
1. Green Bay Packers  11-0  at NY Giants
2. San Francisco 49ers  9-2  vs St. Louis
3. New Orleans Saints  8-3  vs Detroit
4. Dallas Cowboys  7-4  at Arizona
5. Chicago Bears  7-4  vs Kansas City
6. Atlanta Falcons  7-4  at Houston
---------------------------------------------------------
7. Detroit Lions  7-4  at New Orleans
8. New York Giants  6-5  at Green Bay

Big games for all parties involved in the NFC Playoff race. The Packers/Giants and Lions/Saints match-ups could bring some separation to the picture. The Falcons face a big road game at Houston with them down their QB. Chicago looks to rebound against a down Kansas City team. And if I were the Cowboys, I wouldn't overlook the Cardinals. They are playing good football as of late and could play spoiler for the Cowboys.

THE COACHING HOT SEAT
1. Jack Del Rio, Jacksonville: FIRED!
-Early this morning Del Rio was fired as coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Del Rio's record was 69-73 as Jacksonville's coach and was 1-2 in the playoffs. Del Rio has publicly blamed the team's offensive coordinator in recent losses, which is never a good thing to do. And now there are reports that Jacksonville has been sold. I find it difficult to believe the Jaguars will land a big time coach. Maybe Brian Billick if they get lucky. But they are more than likely looking at a coordinator promoted to first time coach.

2. Steve Spagnuolo, St. Louis Rams
-Yes, the Rams have been decimated by injuries this year. Yes, they have had a difficult schedule. But there were high expectations in St. Louis this year after the team finished 7-9 last year and looked like a young, up-and-coming team in the process. But the Rams have taken a drastic step back this year. They have no one to protect Sam Bradford, and the defense gets continually burned by opposing running backs. Spags can't go 3 season with only winning 10 games. Expect a change. They may just promote Josh McDaniels, but the Rams may attract a good coach because of the young talent on the team. Jeff Fisher would be an ideal fit.

3. Norv Turner, San Diego Chargers
-Norv Turner has always found ways to bring his team back after a slow first half of the season, but that isn't happening this year. The Chargers aren't the same Chargers they have been in years past. Philip Rivers looks off, and the defense can't get offenses off the field. Turner has had numerous opportunities to win the Super Bowl with this team, but that time is up. Turner and GM A.J. Smith are probably both gone this odd-season. That means a new front office will evaluate this roster of veterans and see who fits, and who doesn't.

4. Andy Reid, Philadelphia Eagles
-Philly fans are ready with their pitchforks. There was a very audible "Fire Andy" chant at the Eagles game this past Sunday. Reid seems to have lost control of his team. There is a clear disconnect with WR DeSean Jackson, and who knows the real story behind the injury to Mike Vick. The star-studded secondary hasn't lived up to the billing either. Reid is a good coach, and he might have faced to high expectations coming into the season. If Reid stays Jackson is probably gone. If it were me, I would keep Reid around. If he does get fired, he will probably get hired almost immediately.

5. Raheem Morris, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
-The Bucs were expected to be competitive this year after finishing 10-6 last season. With a 4-7 record this season, they will definitely finish with a worse record. Morris takes some of the blame for not continuing to build on a young offense that looked good last year. Josh Freeman has regressed a bit, and the defense can't stop anyone in the running game. With Ron Rivera turning the Panthers around into a fun team, the Bucs are staring at the division cellar if they can't get going and turn things around.

OTHERS
-Todd Haley, Kansas City: Haley's team has regressed tremendously since winning the AFC West last year. Losing Matt Cassel, Eric Berry, and Jamaal Charles hurts, but they aren't excuses.

-Tony Sparano, Miami Dolphins: The team is playing better, but expect a change. Owner Stephen Ross wants to make a big splash and finally get people into the seats.

-Jim Caldwell, Indianapolis Colts: No Peyton Manning and injuries have hurt, but if the team finishes 0-16, you almost have to make a change. Can't let that stain be on the team forever.

-Ken Wisenhunt, Arizona Cardinals: He finally got his veteran QB, but he has played worse than expected. The defense as a whole is a mess. Wisenhunt may not get another year.

Three Games I'd Like to See Next Week
Cincinnati Bengals vs Pittsburgh Steelers: Can the Bengals finally pass a big test?
Detroit Lions vs New Orleans Saints: Saints look to stay hot, Lions look to make a statement.
Green Bay Packers vs New York Giants: Can the Giants save their season with a huge upset?

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