The last of the byes, as after this week, we will all have played 10 games with 6 to go.\u00a0 The official “stretch run” – and it’s always fun.<\/p>\n
Miami (5-4) at BUFFALO (4-5)<\/span> – Vegas: Bills -2.5 Arizona (3-6) at ATLANTA (5-4)<\/span> – Vegas: Falcons -6 Cleveland (1-8) at DALLAS (4-5)<\/span> – Vegas: Cowboys -7.5 Green Bay (9-0) at DETROIT (5-4)<\/span> – Vegas: Packers -3 Cincinnati (7-2) at KANSAS CITY (3-6)<\/span> – Vegas: Chiefs -2.5 Philadelphia (7-2) at WASHINGTON (2-7)<\/span> – Vegas: Eagles -3.5 Tampa Bay (4-5) at CAROLINA (3-6)<\/span> – Vegas: Panthers -6.5 Jacksonville (4-5) at HOUSTON (6-3)<\/span> – Vegas: Texans -10.5 N. Y. Jets (3-6) at ST. LOUIS (3-6)<\/span> – Vegas: Jets -3 Indianapolis (2-7) at NEW ENGLAND (8-1)<\/span> – Vegas: Patriots -14 New Orleans (6-3) at OAKLAND (1-8)<\/span> – Vegas: Saints -3 San Diego (5-4) at DENVER (4-5)<\/span> – Vegas: Broncos -3.5 Baltimore (5-4) at PITTSBURGH (7-2)<\/span> – Vegas: Steelers -3 Chicago (6-3) at SAN FRANCISCO (7-2)<\/span> – Vegas: 49ers -4.5 NFC EAST:<\/span> NFC NORTH:<\/span> NFC SOUTH:<\/span> NFC WEST: AFC EAST:<\/span> AFC NORTH:<\/span> AFC SOUTH:<\/span> AFC WEST: 1 – Packers (10-0) 1 -Patriots (9-1) The last of the byes, as after this week, we will all have played 10 games with 6 to go.\u00a0 The official “stretch run” – and it’s always fun. Thursday Night Miami (5-4) at BUFFALO (4-5) – Vegas: Bills -2.5 … Continue reading
\nA cold Thursday night in Buffalo is not exactly what the guys from South Beach are looking for on a short week.\u00a0 Bills (moderate)<\/strong><\/p>\nSunday, Early Afternoon<\/h1>\n
\nThe Cardinals do have two weeks to prepare for this game, and the Falcons are coming off a huge game against New Orleans, but it’s an early game against a much better team.\u00a0 Falcons (moderate)<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nPretty much the exact same story as the game above:\u00a0 Road team is coming off a bye.\u00a0 Home team is coming off a really tough divisional game.\u00a0 But, the home team is simply better and should win.\u00a0 Cowboys (moderate)<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nI swear I’m not this<\/em> high on the Packers, but the schedule is just set up beautifully for them.\u00a0\u00a0This is yet another game that I think they could lose, but for schedule reasons (coming off the bye with two weeks to prep for a vulnerable defense), I have to pick them.\u00a0 Packers (close)<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nThis one is really tough.\u00a0 The Chiefs are on a short week, but the Bengals are coming off a tough game with the Giants.\u00a0 In the end, I think the Chiefs homefield advantage is good enough for them to eke out this W.\u00a0 Chiefs (close)<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nReal bad spot for an Eagles team that always seems to have trouble with the Redskins, no matter how bad they are.\u00a0 The ‘Skins have two weeks to prepare for this game, while the Birds are coming off a three-week run of Atlanta, New Orleans, and Dallas.\u00a0 This stinks of a week of overreactionary radio personalities going crazy when the Birds lay an egg in Landover.\u00a0 Redskins (close)<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nI want to pick the Bucs because I really think they might be the better team, but I just can’t justify them going on the road and beating Carolina without a good reason – and I can’t find one.\u00a0 Panthers (close)<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nThe Texans are coming off a tough Sunday Night game in Chicago, but shouldn’t have trouble with the Jags here at home.\u00a0 Texans (easy)<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nHere’s a tip:\u00a0 don’t watch this game – it’s gonna be UGLY.\u00a0 But, give me the Jets in a first-to-9-wins kind of a game.\u00a0 Jets (close)<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nThe annual Peyton-Brady Bowl?\u00a0 Wait, what?\u00a0 Really?\u00a0 We already had that in Week 5?\u00a0 Okay, well, I’ll take the team that still has a Hall of Fame QB.\u00a0 Patriots (easy)<\/strong><\/p>\nSunday, Late Afternoon<\/h1>\n
\nI am the opposite on the Raiders as I am on the Packers – I, honestly, don’t think they are this<\/em> bad, but the schedule is telling me something.\u00a0 Saints (moderate)<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nA huge AFC West showdown in Mile High.\u00a0 A game like this is exactly why the Broncos went out and got Mr. Manning.\u00a0 And, a game like this is exactly why the Chargers should not still have Mr. Turner.\u00a0 Broncos (moderate)<\/strong><\/p>\nSunday Night<\/h1>\n
\nMy two favorite non-Eagles games all year are the two times that these two teams try and kill one another.\u00a0 The Ravens get a break here, as the Steelers are coming off of a Monday Night game against Kansas City, while Baltimore had an early Sunday game at home against Oakland.\u00a0 On Sunday Night, in a more desperate position – this is where having a personality like Ray Lewis on your team (even if he is a quarter of the player he used to be) flat-out wins you games.\u00a0 Ravens (close)<\/strong><\/p>\nMonday Night<\/h1>\n
\nBoth prime time games this week should feature teams led by hard-hitting defenses – that’s a recipe for great football.\u00a0 These teams are pretty close, and I can’t really find a reason not to pick the home team here, though I think I’d lean towards Chicago, as the\u00a0better team,\u00a0on a neutral field.\u00a0 49ers (close)<\/strong><\/p>\nStandings After Week Eleven<\/h1>\n
\nThe Giants take the week off and see Philly give one away to the Dedskins; the Cowboys also stay relevant with a W<\/em>
\n7-3 Eagles
\n6-4 Giants
\n5-5 Cowboys
\n3-7 Redskins<\/p>\n
\nThe 19-0 talk has started…again…in Green Bay, though it’s more of a schedule issue so far; a tough prime time loss for the Bears sets them back a bit
\n<\/em>10-0 Packers
\n6-4 Bears
\n5-5 Lions
\n4-6 Vikings<\/p>\n
\nThe top two teams win and Carolina beats Tampa to come out of the cellar
\n<\/em>7-3 Saints
\n6-4 Falcons
\n4-6 Panthers
\n4-6 Bucs<\/p>\n
\n<\/span>All joking aside, I actually stopped to think about whether or not the Niners had clinched yet – they haven’t…technically
\n<\/em>8-2 49ers
\n3-7 Rams
\n3-7 Cardinals
\n3-7 Seahawks<\/p>\n
\nA big W for Buffalo over Miami; also, the Jets get closer to playoff consideration
\n<\/em>9-1 Patriots
\n5-5 Bills
\n5-5 Dolphins
\n4-6 Jets<\/p>\n
\nThe Ravens pick up a game on both division leaders with a huge win over the Stillers
\n<\/em>7-3 Steelers
\n7-3 Bengals
\n6-4 Ravens
\n1-9 Browns<\/p>\n
\nIt’s looking more and more like there will be no wild card from the South this year
\n<\/em>7-3 Texans
\n4-6 Jaguars
\n4-6 Titans
\n2-8 Colts<\/p>\n
\n<\/span>The huge Broncos win over San Diego makes this a hearty three-team race
\n<\/em>5-5 Broncos
\n5-5 Chargers
\n4-6 Chiefs
\n1-9 Raiders<\/p>\nNFC Playoff Picture<\/h1>\n
\n2 – 49ers (8-2)
\n3 – Eagles (7-3)
\n4 – Saints (7-3)
\n5\/6\/OUT – Giants\/\/Bears\/Falcons (6-4)
\nIN THE MIX – Cowboys\/Lions (5-5)<\/p>\nAFC Playoff Picture<\/h1>\n
\n2\/3 – Steelers\/Texans (7-3)
\n4 – Broncos (5-5)
\n5 – Bengals (7-3)
\n6 – Ravens (6-4)
\nIN THE MIX – Bills\/Chargers (5-5)
\nFALLING OUT – Jaguars (4-6)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"