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Washington at NY Giants – Both of these teams will play their final game of this season on Sunday afternoon, before a very long offseason to try and work on all that went wrong for them this past season. Yes, neither team will be going to the playoffs. Washington was eliminated a couple of weeks or so ago, while the Giants were out before that. Obviously, both teams were eliminated from playoff contention for a reason. They both have their share of problems. But Washington has likely the better overall team, on both offense and defense. In fact, their defense was one of the better units in the league there for a while. Their offense was not always great, obviously, yet nevertheless they had multiple games where they scored 30 points or more. Unless the Giants offense explodes a bit in this game – which seems unlikely given the strength of Washington’s defense – than this will be one of those seasons when the G-Men’s offense will fail to have scored 30 points in a single game. With Washington having lost a few in a row, but having come closer and wanting to at least go out this season on a win, I expect them to clamp down on Big Blue and earn a road win to end the season on a positive note. The Giants will likely not look good in this game, as they have really not looked good in any game that they have played in well over a month now. My pick: Washington
NY Jets at Buffalo - Gang Green surely would like one last win before the long offseason begins for them. But they are up in Orchard Park today to take on the Bills, who need this win themselves to finally clinch the AFC East division title. So the Jets certainly will have their work cut out for them. Buffalo has won three straight games and are averaging over 30 points during that stretch, so their offense looks like they are getting hot at the right time. Their defense has done a standup job as well, and this team has worked hard to overcome a two game deficit in the division to now being this one step away from winning a second straight AFC East division title. Hard to imagine that they will falter now. The Bills just do not look or feel like a team that is about to be denied. This game secures a home game next week, and possibly even the following week, so this is huge for the Bills. Look for them to be extremely fired up before a loud and supportive home crowd, and for the Bills to set the tempo early and end the suspense fairly early, as they should be able to romp. My pick: Buffalo
Tennessee at Houston – Yes, the Texans produced a major upset in Tennessee just a few weeks ago, and yes, they have home field advantage in this one. They also have nothing to lose, since they were among the first franchises eliminated from playoff contention this year. Also, let’s face it: Houston has been playing much better football as of late, particularly since they managed to pull that huge upset off in Nashville against the Titans. This team also on two consecutive weekends, and they beat the Chargers in what was a meaningful game for them. So they know that they can play the role of spoilers pretty well. However, the Titans are the better team. In fact, they are the better team by far. Right now, Tennessee has a chance of securing home field advantage throughout the playoffs, and also getting that playoff bye, which would allow them a chance to rest up and get as healthy as possible, while also sitting back and watching the Wild Card games to see who they will be playing. Unlike some teams who have clinched everything possible, the Titans enter this last week not having clinched home field advantage, and will want to make sure to get the job done against the Texans, barring a very unlikely loss by the Chiefs that seems very unlikely. So with all of that said, The Titans should be much better, and much more prepared to avoid an upset this time around. And that should prove to be enough to earn them this important win. My pick: Tennessee
Green Bay at Detroit - I will take a wild guess and predict that Green Bay will not be at full strength, and that they will rest many of their starters, including Aaron Rodgers. That is because they already clinched everything that they could heading into this weekend, rendering this game basically meaningless to them. Win or lose, they are the number one seed in the NFC, and will have a playoff bye. So why risk an injury to a starter, or starters, especially the most impactful of them? The Packers will still have a chance to win this game nevertheless. After all, this is the Detroit Lions we are talking about. Sorry Lions fans up in Michigan, but the Lions really are just terrible this season. And so a win against a weakened Packers lineup is not a sure thing. Still, Detroit has been playing better in recent weeks, and they seem to want to win, if for nothing more than pride. Look for them to possibly squeeze out a victory here to go out and begin the long offseason on a positive note, with a win. They likely are almost locked in the number two overall pick in the draft anyway, so why not go all out to try and win against their hated division rivals and longtime tormentors? My pick: Detroit
Cincinnati at Cleveland - The Bengals have already clinched a division title, and may look to rest their starters. The Browns, meanwhile, want to likely get another win to end this once very promising season on a positive note. Things just never really clicked in Cleveland this season, right from their collapse on opening day, handing the Chiefs a game that the Browns should have won. That seemed to have epitomized their season, frankly. A lot of promise and hype, and not much in the way of results. That is why I am leery to pick them, although my guess is that they will play with intensity and against a Bengals team more interested in resting their starters during this game than actually, actively trying to win this one. My pick: Cleveland
Pittsburgh at Baltimore - Both of these teams still are clinging to slim and flickering playoff hopes, although both need help to get in regardless of the results in this particular game. That said, of course, whoever loses this game is most assuredly out. So whatever happens here might wind up not really mattering in the grand scheme of the playoff picture this year. However, it will be played, and both teams had better play as if a win gets them in, because the other team surely will. The Ravens once were the number one seed in the AFC, and seemed a sure thing to qualify for the playoffs. Five straight losses later, they are on the verge of being eliminated, even if they win. What a hard, long and embarrassing fall from grace, frankly. As for the Steelers, they have been more consistently inconsistent. That means that this is a difficult game to pick. The Ravens looked good last week, and very nearly won, but did not. Pittsburgh looked good last week and did win, but they seem to be a back and forth kind of a team. It could go either way, so this is just a guess. My pick: Baltimore
Chicago at Minnesota - Da Bears will see their season mercifully end today, win or lose. So will the the Vikings, their opponents, for that matter. Obviously, this season has been a disappointment for both teams here. However, Chicago has looked much better in the past few weeks, and looked to be finding and getting into a rhythm. That should bode well for next season, as they are about to go into the long offseason to begin preparations for that. As for the Vikings, they needed to step it up a while ago. They didn't, and lost too many key games along the way. That loss at Green Bay last week was just the latest one. It looked like it could have been a playoff season for Minnesota, but they can only dream of what could have been now. I like the Bears staying hot in this one. My pick: Chicago
Indianapolis at Jacksonville - This game actually has playoff ramifications for the Colts. If Indy does not screw up with a major letdown, this should be a win that finally secures that elusive playoff spot. Look for them to play tough, physical football, the kind that they play when they are at their best. Also, look for them to get the job done here, and to leave no doubt. The Jaguars likely would enjoy a win, but the Colts are the better team and need the win. And they will get it, too. My pick: Indianapolis
New Orleans at Atlanta - The Saints need this one. They cannot afford another untimely, surprise loss. And they cannot afford to worry about whether or not the Rams take care of business against the Niners. What the Saints have to focus on is beating the Falcons, a team that has a history of beating the Saints. A letdown would be unacceptable, and would eliminate New Orleans from the playoffs. In fact, it would likely prove that they never even really belonged there in the first place. So look for the Falcons to play tough, but for the Saints, with a sense of urgency, to play a bit tougher, and to earn an all-important victory, if my scenarios prove accurate. My pick: New Orleans
Seattle at Arizona - You know, I think the Seahawks will actually show up for this one. They know that Arizona has been inconsistent this season, and they would love to get one more victory that hurts a division rival. A loss by the Cardinals here eliminates their division title hopes, and assures that they will have to take a road trip next weekend. However, the Cardinals are surely going to be fired up, and also want to play sharp for the playoff game next weekend, whether or not they get to host it. So expect them to earn a win that helps them feel confident entering the postseason, in the first trip back there for this franchise since 2015. My pick: Arizona
New England at Miami - These teams met on opening weekend to start the new season together. Now here they are, about the close the season out against one another. The Pats are already in, they have qualified for the postseason. Yet, they have to hope that the Jets manage somehow to upset Buffalo, and then they themselves have to take care of business against the Dolphins. The Fins, of course, lost a brutal game last week that snapped a seven game winning streak and also officially eliminated them from playoff contention. So they likely are a bit down, and against a fired up and determined, Belichick-led Patriots team, they are going to have a hard time. My pick: New England
Carolina at Tampa Bay - This is not a meaningless game for Tampa Bay by any stretch of the imagination. As of right now, they are the third seed in the NFC. But they could rise to second seed if the Rams lose, while they could also drop to fourth seed with a loss themselves. As they ready themselves for a title defense, they sure would love to be as high a seed as possible, because that would assure another home game if they take care of business next weekend. So they should be sharp, and play with both focus and determination. They are the champions for a reason, so look for them to make clear why they won it all a year ago in this game against the lowly Panthers. My pick: Tampa Bay
San Francisco at LA Rams - This is a tough one. The Rams have a lot to play for. If they win, that's it, they are division champions, and the number two seed throughout the playoffs. A loss, on the other hand, throws their division title hopes into doubt, as a Cardinals win would drop the Rams from division champs, and getting to host a playoff game next weekend, to having to go on the road next weekend for the playoff game. As for the 49ers, win, and they are in. They get to the playoffs. Lose, and they very well may be out, especially if the Saints win their game later today. So those are some huge stakes revolving around the results of this game for both teams. Home field advantage should help the Rams. But the 49ers have taken the last five straight against the Rams, and at least appear to own them. Of course, this would be a great time for Los Angeles to end that streak, and they are hot, having won their last five straight games. Yes, the Rams have worked hard to put themselves in this position to win, and they cannot afford to waste it with another stupid loss to the 49ers. Look for them to do something different, to take a different approach, and find a way to finally get over the hump and defeat the 49ers here in this one. My pick; LA Rams
LA Chargers at Las Vegas - A de facto playoff game here in this one. The Chargers have been kind of an up and down team this season. Then again, so have the Raiders, but it feels like the Raiders are more streaky, while the Chargers are more inconsistent. What's the difference? Well, when the Raiders are bad, they are really bad, and those streaks last. But when they are good, they are really good, and look very much like a playoff team. Right now at this moment, they have won three straight, and are looking very much like a playoff team. They squeaked out a win in Cleveland, against the Broncos, and at Indianapolis, and all of those teams were serious playoff contenders when the Silver and Black met them. So this is a team that feels hot, like they are peaking at the right time. Meanwhile, the Chargers have been more inconsistent on a week by week basis, and just looked terrible a couple of weeks ago in an inexplicable loss to lowly Houston. They went from looking like serious division title contenders, to a team that looked like it had no business contending for the playoffs, from one week to the next. Then, they beat the Broncos in what amounted to a de facto playoff game. So that is what I mean about the Chargers. You never know which team you are going to get. So that is why I favor the Raiders. That, plus home field advantage, which should help matters. My pick: Las Vegas
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