San Francisco at NY Giants - The Giants are probably better than that 2-6 record would suggest, even if their offense lost an important weapon last week. Of course, the 49ers know a little something about injuries and having to play without their best players. Both teams are hurting a bit. The 49ers are 5-3, but there still remains a lot of uncertainty regarding injuries and who will actually be able to play. It feels like they are not going to be at full strength. That gives Big Blue a chance, perhaps. That said, I still feel that the 49ers will find a way to win this one to keep pace with the Seahawks and the Rams in the tight NFC West race. My pick: San Francisco
Chicago at Cincinnati - A tough game to pick. The Bengals have improved with Joe Flacco at QB. However, Chicago is a team seemingly on the rise. True, they just lost a tough game at Baltimore. But the Ravens without Joe Burrow are not the Ravens. Either team could play well enough to win this one. This feels, in fact, like a bit of a toss up. However, I feel like the Bears are playing a little better and more impressively to this point in the season. So my expectations are for the Bears to just get past the Bengals, and for this to be a tight game. Really difficult to make a pick, and it would not surprise me to see the Bengals win, either. But since I have to make one pick, it will be for Da Bears. My pick: Chicago
Minnesota at Detroit - This game feels like it is not as difficult to make a prediction for as some others. These two teams feel like they are on opposite ends of the spectrum. Two teams heading in the opposite direction. The Vikings have lost three of their last four. There are more questions than answers for Minnesota at this point in the season. They are dangerously close to falling into complete irrelevance, and for salvaging this season to be a hopeless cause. The Lions, meanwhile, have won five of their last six games. Their defense is tough when it has to be, while their offense is explosive and dangerous. Plus, home field advantage should help them considerably, as well. I like the home team to win, quite possibly in blowout fashion. My pick: Detroit
LA Chargers at Tennessee - Well, the Chargers may have been inconsistent so far this season, but at least they rank among the serious playoff contenders. The Titans, while consistent, have been consistently bad. They clearly have entered November as prohibitive long shots for any playoff spot. Not impossible, and it's not like they - or any team - has officially been eliminated yet. theoretically, if they won out their remaining games, they might have a chance. However, they are as close to eliminated from playoff contention as any team can realistically get at this point in the season. Having won one single game and looked bad in the rest, it seems very unlikely that they will make any kind of a run. Official elimination from playoff contention feels more like a matter of time than anything else. The Chargers should be able to win this one. My pick: LA Chargers
Indianapolis at Pittsburgh - The Colts have been the best team so far this season, particularly in the AFC. However, this is a tough game for them. The Steel city is a tough place for any road team to play in. Still, the Steelers are themselves in a bit of a slide, so they are vulnerable. It feels like this also is a toss up. But I will predict a narrow win for the home team here. My pick: Pittsburgh
Atlanta at New England - The Falcons have been inconsistent. I thought that they were tough at home, but then they got absolutely blasted by the Dolphins while playing at home last weekend. This Atlanta team is an up and down sort of team. They win against unexpected opponents like the Commanders and the Bills. Yet they lose convincingly against a banged up 49ers team, and then get blown out at home against the 1-6 Dolphins. Just too inconsistent. I think that the Falcons might come out swinging and remain competitive. But the Pats, with home field advantage, should prove to be simply too much for them. Look for the home team to find a way to pull this one out any way that they have to. My pick: New England
Denver at Houston - Another tough game to make a pick for. Both teams are looking for the playoffs. It's just that the Texans are still trying to dig themselves out of the hole they dug for themselves by dropping all three of their first games this season. They have won three out of four, and are almost back to even. But the Broncos are one of the teams seemingly clearly on the rise, alone (at least for now) atop the AFC West. They have won five straight games and beaten the Eagles on the road and had that incredible comeback against the Giants in the process. So they are brimming with confidence. Still, the Texans are better than their 3-4 record suggests, and Houston is not an easy place to play. This will be a tough one to choose, but I give the slight advantage to the home team. My pick: Houston
Carolina at Green Bay - The Panthers are improving this year, and have earned some fairly bit wins. However, they can be suspect at times, like last weekend. Remember, they got absolutely taken apart by the Bills. Granted, Buffalo is an elite team, but still, Carolina should have been able to put up more of a fight. Also, the Panthers have really struggled on the road. And Lambeau Field in November against a Packers team that seems to have caught fire feels like a really tall order for any team. Especially one who has been as inconsistent as the Panthers have been this season. Look for the Packers to take control early, and possibly win in a romp. My pick: Green Bay
New Orleans at LA Rams - It is strange that the Saints keep playing tough teams, given the fact that they have consistently ranked among the very worst teams all season long. The Rams are tough, and while they have had some setbacks, you get the feeling that they keep finding ways to win for a good reason. With a frankly suspect, lowly team coming to town, the Rams should be able to dominate and win this one comfortably. Hard to see how the Saints even keep this competitive going into the second half, frankly. My pick: LA Rams
Jacksonville at Las Vegas - The Jaguars looked like they might compete to rank among the elite teams earlier this season. But two sobering losses in a row against NFC West opponents - first at home to the Seahawks, then a blowout loss to the Rams in Los Angeles - has them struggling. They need to win and stop the bleeding in order not to lose any more ground to the Colts and to stay ahead of the Texans, who are nipping at their heels. The Raiders, meanwhile, have been struggling as usual. Granted, they will have home field advantage. Still, the Jaguars are well-rested and likely quite determined. Look for them to take control early and possibly win this one big in a statement performance. My pick: Jax
Kansas City at Buffalo - This has become a decent rivalry. That said, while the Bills have shown the ability to beat the Chiefs during the regular season, but keep losing to them in the playoffs. For Buffalo to really get something more solid in this rivalry, they will need to eliminate the Chiefs from the playoffs at some point. However, this is a regular season game, so the Bills should have a decent chance in this one. While the Chiefs got off to a barely disastrous start, they have recovered and found some measure of stability at 5-3. The Bills also went through a little bit of a struggle some weeks ago. Yet, the way that they went on the road and crushed a previously hot Carolina Panthers team should indicate how seriously they made an effort to recover. So I expect both teams to come out swinging. In the end, I think that the Bills have looked a little better, and with home field advantage on their side, they should be able to pull off this win. My pick: Buffalo
Sunday Night Football: Seattle at Washington - The Seahawks might not be the most consistent team. Yet they find themselves 5-2, and those two losses were by a combined total of 7 points. In other words, they have been tough. Meanwhile, the Commanders seemed to be on the verge of joining the ranks of the NFL elite after last season, when they not only qualified for the postseason but went all the way to the NFC Championship. This season, however, has been a different story. They still appeared to be potentially legitimate contenders earlier this season, but a devastating loss at home to the Bears began a slide that has now reached three straight. At least the loss to Chicago was close. Washington got blown out by Dallas and Kansas City. True, they are at home in this one. But I expect the Seahawks to play them tough and to be able to kick the Commanders while they are down and still reeling. My pick: Seattle
Monday Night Football: Arizona at Dallas - Remember when Arizona started off this season 2-0? They looked like they had made some improvements and might just be competitive. Well, that feels like a loooong time ago for fans of the Cardinals. Since those two wins, the Cards have dropped five straight games. Even while the Cowboys have shown inconsistencies and lapses - particularly on defense - that are clearly a source of concern, they should have plenty enough to get past the lowly Cardinals and remain on course to keep their second place spot in the NFC East with a win in this one. My pick: Dallas
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