N.Y. Jets at Cincinnati – The good news for the Bengals is that earlier this season, the Jets went into Miami and handed the hapless Dolphins their first victory of the season, ending all speculation of a potentially winless season for Miami. That could mean that the same thing could happen for the Bengals. The bad news for Cincy is that the Jets are playing some phenomenal football lately, having won three straight games. They are coming off their most impressive win of the season, completely dominating the Oakland Raiders, who are a serious contender for the AFC West title. The Jets suddenly have found themselves, and are running on all cylinders at this point. Their defense is stepping up in a big way, and their offense has found their rhythm. Maybe the Bengals can win, and end any chance of a winless season. But the way that Gang Green is playing, it feels like madness to actually predict such a scenario. My pick: N.Y. Jets
San Francisco at Baltimore – This looms to be the game of the week. These are two of the elite teams in the league, and possibly the hottest team in the NFC versus the hottest team in the AFC. San Francisco is 10-1, and they go to Baltimore to take on the 9-2 Ravens, who have looked absolutely awesome and dominant in the last five or so games. Both teams have plenty of strengths and a pile of wins. It is rare when teams with records this good meet this late in a season, so this makes the game really exciting! They both have tough defenses, and potentially explosive offenses. But I like the Ravens, with MVP candidate Lamar Jackson orchestrating a dangerous offense, and providing some unpredictability with his mobility as well as his arm, as well as home field advantage in a game where the road team had to travel across the country. Not sure that it will be a comfortable blowout, like the Ravens have gotten used to in recent weeks. Really, either team could win, because they both have shown an ability to win when few believe that they can. It is hardly unthinkable that either team could win up winning. And by now, I am well aware of the dangers of picking against the 49ers, because they have made me pay a few times already this year. But Baltimore right now looks like they very well might be the best team in the league, and it is had to predict against that. My pick: Baltimore
Green Bay at N.Y. Giants – Okay, the Packers just lost a big game in San Francisco, and got blown out in the process. Perhaps that would be a promising sign for the G-Men, only they really are not good enough to seriously challenge the Packers in this coming game. The Packers still have Aaron Rodgers on offense, bringing explosiveness, and we know how vulnerable the Giants defense tends to be when it comes to giving up big plays. Then, the Packers defense might not be quite as strong as they appeared earlier in the season, but they still will be tough for New York to get past. Would love to think that New York could pull off an upset here, but that would imply that they really can do it, and that is, at best, open to debate. Again, yes, Green Bay got blown out and possibly exposed by the 49ers in a nationally televised game. But that still does not mean that any old team can beat them. Indeed, it was a bad loss, but the Giants have not won a game since September, which means that they went winless for the entirety of both October and November. The only other team that comes to mind where this is true of are the winless Bengals. I am a Giants fan, but can recognize when my team is playing poorly. This should go to the visiting team. My pick: Green Bay
Cleveland at Pittsburgh – Well, here we go. The rematch from that big nationally televised showdown a couple of weeks ago, one in which the Browns actually won. They have slowly climbed their way back to some relevancy in the AFC playoff picture, even though they remain still very much on the outside looking in. They could change that with another win against the Steelers, but here’s the thing: what will be the aftermath of that ugly brawl between these two teams when they meet so soon after the first major incident? The Browns should have been flying high after that one, yet they had to have a sober approach after that incident right after the game. As for the Steelers, how will they react? Will there be another altercation, or will better discipline win out? Also, did the Browns win signal a shift in the balance of power between these two teams, or will all of that fade as soon as the home field advantage kicks in at Pittsburgh? After all, Heinz Field is a notoriously tough and intimidating place for road teams. Interesting scenario. I would love to predict a Browns win here, because it would be nice to see something different. But right now, I am still not convinced that Cleveland has fully turned the corner and are ready to compete on a higher level, especially against a seemingly surging Steelers team. My pick: Pittsburgh
Tennessee at Indianapolis – These two teams are heading in opposite directions entering this game. Indy looked like a serious contender to win the division, and perhaps even get a higher seed. But they have lost three of their last four games, and would not even qualify for the playoffs if the season ended today. Meanwhile, the Titans are coming on as of late. They have won four of their last five games, to become very relevant again in the notoriously inconsistent AFC South. They are tied with the Colts for second place, and whoever wins this one might find themselves tied with the Texans atop the AFC South, because Houston will be hosting New England. Not a guarantee, but it is a very real possibility. That makes this an intriguing game, and one that is also hard to make a pick for. But since I have to make a pick, I like the team that enters this game with a ton of momentum, even if they seemingly always struggle against the Colts. Give the Titans on the road. My pick: Tennessee
Philadelphia at Miami – There are some really good games, some intriguing match-ups this weekend, but this is not one of them. The Dolphins have improved after a historically dismal start, but they still lack any strong offense. True, they have home field advantage, but the Eagles are just a far better, more talented team. They also enter this game with a sense of urgency, needing this win to draw even with the Cowboys in the NFC East, after Dallas lost at home to Buffalo. So, look for the Eagles to take over early, and to earn a very important win that allows them a share in the NFC East lead. My pick: Philadelphia
Tampa Bay at Jacksonville – A battle between two of the three irrelevant Florida teams who are mostly playing for pride. The Bucs and Jaguars both have struggled mightily and suffered devastating losses, although overall, it seems that Jax has the better team. They have a solid defense, and a former Super Bowl MVP at quarterback. Plus, they have home field. All of that does not guarantee a win here, but it is enough to convince me that they should come out on top here. My pick: Jacksonville
Washington at Carolina – The Panthers are on the verge of playoff irrelevance after another devastating loss last week. With the Saints now officially NFC South champions already, the best Carolina can hope for would be a wildcard, but with the Vikings and Packers currently tied for that final spot with 8-3 records, it looks almost impossible for Carolina’s hopes to catch up. They just have not shown enough consistency. Yet, they should at least have enough to hold off a very weak Washington team, which will likely enter rebuilding mode to try and field a contender in the future, as this season never panned out for them. Look for the Panthers to earn a home win for their fans, and stave off playoff elimination for at least a little while long. My pick: Carolina
L.A. Rams at Arizona – The Rams bear little resemblance to the team that nearly won the Super Bowl last season. They barely even look like a playoff contender after that deceptively hot 3-0 start, having gone 3-5 since. A loss here would likely end whatever playoff hopes they still have, and people are already talking about how the Rams are stuck with the guys they have, and that their championship window might be closing. Meanwhile, the Cardinals appear to be a team on the rise, with a hot young quarterback with a promising future, showing glimpses of brilliance at times this season. Maybe, but right now, the Rams still should be the better team overall, and that is why I believe they will win this one, albeit barely. My pick: L.A. Rams
Oakland at Kansas City – Now, this is a huge game that should go a long way towards determining who comes out on top in the AFC West. The Raiders just got absolutely embarrassed last weekend by the Jets, and cannot be feeling too good about themselves. They now go to Arrowhead, to face the division leading Chiefs, who entered this season as the heavy favorites. They have struggled and shown inconsistency, but a win here at home would give them a comfortable two-game margin, with only four games left, and that might be nearly insurmountable. Both teams obviously have plenty of motivation to win this one, but I like the Chiefs to find the way and win it, and emerge finally as the clear frontrunner to win this division. My pick: Kansas City
L.A. Chargers at Denver – The two mostly irrelevant teams in the AFC West do battle here. It will be at Mile High stadium, where the air is thin, which should be to the advantage of the Broncos. But the Chargers have been notoriously inconsistent all season long. It is difficult to know which Chargers team will show up. If they play the way that they did against the Packers earlier this season, they definitely have a chance to pull off a win. But they seem to be on a low currently, finding strange, almost inexplicable ways to lose, and that has to wear on a team. That is why I expect the home team to win. My pick: Denver
Sunday Night Football - New England at Houston – A big game between two of the top teams in the AFC, with a lot of playoff ramifications. Both teams are division leaders at the moment, although the lead for the Texans is much narrower. They need this, probably more than the Patriots do. However, New England is probably the better team overall, and the Texans always seem to struggle against them. Of course, they are not alone in that regard. But the Pats, even though they have been winning much more narrowly lately than earlier in the season, still seem to know how to win. They also need a win here to stay ahead of the Ravens, who gave them their sole defeat this season. So, both teams have the incentive to win, and the Texans enjoy home field. But I do not expect that to be enough, as the more complete team, the road team, should find a way to win in this one. My pick: New England
Monday Night Football - Minnesota at Seattle – Another big game between two serious playoff contenders in the NFC. Both of these teams have long been in second place in their respective divisions this season, and are trying hard to catch up to the division leaders. For Minnesota, they enter this weekend tied with the Packers, who got blown out by another NFC West team, the 49ers, last week. But the Packers will likely defeat the Giants this weekend, which puts pressure on Minnesota to win here. Meanwhile, the 49ers have a tough game this week, and might not win, so it would behoove the Seahawks to find a way to win this game, and perhaps find themselves tied for first after this weekend, with one final meeting with San Fran to be held in Seattle at the end of the season, possibly for the NFC West, and perhaps even home field. So, there is a lot at stake. The Seahawks have a lot of advantages. While the Vikings do have a very tough defense, and a solid running game, Seattle also has a tough, physical defense, and an explosive offense led by veteran quarterback Russell Wilson. They also have home field advantage, as Seattle is notoriously a tough place to try and win as a road team. That should be enough to decide it in their favor. My pick: Seattle
