{"id":377,"date":"2009-09-08T11:54:55","date_gmt":"2009-09-08T15:54:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.broadstreetbelievers.com\/?p=377"},"modified":"2009-09-09T11:55:04","modified_gmt":"2009-09-09T15:55:04","slug":"brys-week-by-week-nfl-preview-week-thirteen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/broadstreetbelievers.com\/?p=377","title":{"rendered":"Bry’s Week-by-Week NFL Preview: Week Thirteen"},"content":{"rendered":"

Week Twelve <\/a>featured the end of November games, so Week Thirteen will take us into the final month of the regular season.\u00a0 The playoffs are starting to take a little shape, but there are still many places up for grabs.\u00a0 In fact, the only spots that are even close to “safe” are the Pats in the East and the Steelers in the North.\u00a0 The Birds have won two big games in\u00a0a row and are right in the thick of it.\u00a0 Everyone in the NFC East is at least 7-4.\u00a0 (As usual, winners in CAPS.)<\/p>\n

Thursday, December 3:<\/strong>
\n8:20 – New York Jets (2-9)\u00a0vs. BUFFALO (6-5), in Toronto
\nI want to pick against the Bills for selling out their home city, but I think they are a better team than the Jets.\u00a0 Plus, by this point, the Jets are pretty much done, whereas the Bills are right there with a shot at a playoff appearance for the first time in many years.<\/p>\n

Sunday, December 6:
\n<\/strong>1:00 – St. Louis (3-8) at CHICAGO (5-6)
\nThe Bears really need this game, while the Rams are done.\u00a0 Throw in the homefield advantage that comes from a December game in Chicago, and this one is a pretty easy call.\u00a0 Though, if the weather is nice, I do like the Rams offense matched up against the Bears defense, but the weather will probably not be nice.<\/p>\n

1:00 – Tampa Bay (2-9) at CAROLINA (8-3)
\nThe Panthers are in serious contention for home-field advantage in the NFC, while the Bucs are in serious contention for, well, nothing.\u00a0 At this point in the season, this should be an easy win for Carolina.<\/p>\n

1:00 – HOUSTON (6-5) at Jacksonville\u00a0(5-6) *
\nThis game could really go either way.\u00a0 I am going to go out on a limb and take the Texans, on the road.\u00a0 I think that the Texans will be in the thick of the playoff race at this point, and I think the Jags will have totally quit on Del Rio, especially after the loss in San Fran last week.\u00a0 A real toss-up, but I am going to give it to the team that I see with more heart.<\/p>\n

1:00 – DENVER (5-6) at Kansas City (3-8) *
\nAnother team that may be packing it up by now is the Chiefs.\u00a0 The Broncos are still, sort of, in the mix in the AFC, which is the only reason I think they can go into KC and win a game.\u00a0 Also, the Broncos have had 10 days to prepare for this game after beating the Giants on Thanksgiving.\u00a0 I’m not totally sold on Denver’s ability to win in a tough place, but I am going to pick them to save their season…temporarily.<\/p>\n

1:00 – Tennessee (6-5) at INDIANAPOLIS (7-4)
\nThe Colts have been through a brutal part of their schedule (Houston, New England, Baltimore, Houston again, and now Tennessee) and have proven their mettle.\u00a0 They pick up another big <\/em>win here this week, at home against a good Tennessee team.\u00a0 The Colts just know how to get it done, and\u00a0they are doing it again in 2009, as they start to take\u00a0a little control of the AFC South.<\/p>\n

1:00 – PHILADELPHIA (7-4) at Atlanta (3-8)
\nIn a homecoming, of sorts, for Michael Vick, the Eagles, as a team,\u00a0desperately need another win here on the road.\u00a0\u00a0Fortunately, the Falcons are just about ready to pack it in.\u00a0 The Birds should go down to Atlanta and win in front of crowd that is not that great during good seasons, so don’t expect much from them in 2009.<\/p>\n

1:00 – New\u00a0Orleans\u00a0(6-5) at WASHINGTON\u00a0(7-4) *
\nBoth of these teams are in desperate need of a win this week.\u00a0 It is one of the tougher games to predict during the entire season, but I am going to go with the slightly less talented team at home, whom is just better equipped to play a December game in DC.\u00a0 If the weather holds out, New Orleans becomes the favorite, but the colder or windier the conditions become, the more of a chance the Skins can win and, for now, hold off another late-season swoon.\u00a0 If the Skins don’t get this game, they are in a LOT of trouble because the end of their schedule is brutal.<\/p>\n

1:00 – Oakland (5-6) at PITTSBURGH (10-1)
\nThe Steelers are not going to lose two in a row, especially when this second game is at home against the Raiders at 1:00.\u00a0 I don’t care how beat up they might be from the Sunday Night War against Baltimore.<\/p>\n

1:00 – DETROIT (1-10) at Cincinnati (2-9)
\nThe Lions are much, much less likely to have completely quit by this point.\u00a0 Plus, the Lions have 10 days to prepare, and the Bengals will be done.\u00a0\u00a0Marvin Lewis might not survive to Week Fourteen after this home loss to Detroit.<\/p>\n

4:05 – SAN DIEGO (6-5) at Cleveland (4-7)
\nThe Browns are playing hard here late in the season, but the Chargers know exactly when to turn it on.\u00a0 I do not trust the weather in Cleveland in December, but I do trust that Chargers can beat the Browns in a host of different ways.<\/p>\n

4:15 – Dallas (8-3) at NEW YORK GIANTS (7-4)
\nIt is December, and you know what that means.\u00a0 The Cowboys become another team–and not a good one.\u00a0 And, this year, even if they don’t “swoon” in December, the schedule may give the preception of yet another choke job–one that, this time, might cost Coach Phillips his job.\u00a0 I don’t really trust the Giants in big games without a go-to weapon in the receiving corps, but I think I trust the Cowboys even loss on the road in December.\u00a0 Give this big win to the Giants, as the entire NFC East now sits at 8-4.\u00a0 This might be the Sunday night game, as NBC has the option to flex out the currently scheduled night game.<\/p>\n

4:15 – San Francisco (6-5) at SEATTLE (5-6)
\nThe season is on the line, and the Seahawks circle the wagons.\u00a0 A huge game for supremacy in the NFC West, and you can expect the home crowd to play a big role in this one.\u00a0 The Seahawks have more experience in big games and a quarterback that can win a game late.\u00a0 This should be a good one, but expect the Seahawks to win and tie the Niners for the division lead with four games to play.<\/p>\n

4:15 – Minnesota (8-3) at ARIZONA (4-7)
\nThat quarterback might be getting tired.\u00a0 And, they are going to need him in the desert, as the potent Cardinal offense should be able to overcome a great Minnesota defense.\u00a0 The Cardinals are now, despite playing mediocre to poor football, are now only one game out in their division.<\/p>\n

8:20 – New England (10-1) at MIAMI (4-7)
\nThe Dolphins still do play with pride, and they do know how to beat the Patriots.\u00a0 On life support, the Dolphins, in primetime, pull off the upset of the Patriots, who are operating on a short week.<\/p>\n

Monday, December 7:<\/strong>
\n8:30 – Baltimore (7-4) at GREEN BAY (8-3)
\nThe Ravens are coming off of an emotional, physical win over the hated Pittsburgh Steelers.\u00a0 This might be time for a letdown.\u00a0 The Packers, on the other hand, have had 11 days since their Thanksgiving Day game in Detroit.\u00a0 The Pack watched the Vikings lose on Sunday and should be fired up for this game.\u00a0 It should be a good one, but I like the Pack to join Carolina as the only two 9-win teams in the NFC.<\/p>\n

To go to Week Fourteen, click here<\/a><\/p>\n

STANDINGS AFTER WEEK 13:<\/strong>
\nNFC EAST:
\n<\/strong>8-4\u00a0\u00a0 Dallas (6)
\n8-4\u00a0\u00a0 New York Giants (3)
\n8-4\u00a0\u00a0 Philadelphia (5)
\n8-4\u00a0\u00a0 Washington<\/p>\n

NFC NORTH:<\/strong>
\n9-3\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 Green Bay (1)
\n8-4\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Minnesota
\n6-6\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 Chicago
\n2-10\u00a0 \u00a0Detroit<\/p>\n

NFC\u00a0SOUTH<\/strong>:
\n9-3\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Carolina (2)
\n6-6\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0New Orleans
\n3-9\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Atlanta
\n2-10\u00a0\u00a0 Tampa Bay<\/p>\n

NFC WEST:
\n<\/strong>6-6\u00a0\u00a0 San Francisco (4)
\n6-6\u00a0\u00a0 Seattle
\n5-7\u00a0\u00a0 Arizona
\n3-9\u00a0\u00a0 St. Louis<\/p>\n

AFC EAST:<\/strong>
\n10-2\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0New England (2)
\n7-5\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Buffalo (5)
\n5-7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Miami
\n2-10\u00a0\u00a0 N.Y. Jets<\/p>\n

AFC NORTH:<\/strong>
\n11-1 \u00a0\u00a0Pittsburgh (1)
\n7-5\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Baltimore (6)
\n4-8\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Cleveland
\n2-10\u00a0\u00a0 Cincinnati<\/p>\n

AFC SOUTH:<\/strong>
\n8-4\u00a0\u00a0 Indianapolis (3)
\n7-5\u00a0\u00a0 Houston
\n6-6\u00a0\u00a0 Tennessee
\n5-7\u00a0\u00a0 Jacksonville<\/p>\n

AFC WEST:<\/strong>
\n7-5\u00a0\u00a0 San Diego (4)
\n6-6\u00a0\u00a0 Denver
\n5-7\u00a0\u00a0 Oakland
\n3-9\u00a0\u00a0 Kansas City<\/p>\n

PLAYOFF PICTURE AFTER WEEK 13:
\n<\/strong>*-I am going to pick winners (why not?)\u00a0up until the championship games.\u00a0 You can draw your own conclusions from there.\u00a0 And, since the playoffs can be a bit of a crapshoot, the picks for the playoffs will just based on how I’m feeling that day.<\/p>\n

NFC:
\n<\/strong>Just out:\u00a0 Minnesota (8-4), Washington (8-4), Seattle (6-6), Arizona (5-7)<\/p>\n

Wild Card Round<\/u>
\n#6\u00a0Dallas at #3 NEW YORK GIANTS\u00a0(8-4)
\n#5\u00a0PHILADELPHIA (8-4)\u00a0at #4 San Francisco (6-6)<\/p>\n

Divisional Round<\/u>
\nPHILADELPHIA at\u00a0#1\u00a0Green Bay (9-3)
\nNew York Giants at\u00a0#2 CAROLINA (9-3)<\/p>\n

NFC Championship<\/u>
\nPhiladelphia at Carolina<\/p>\n

AFC:
\n<\/strong>Just out:\u00a0 Houston (7-5), Tennessee (6-6)<\/p>\n

Wild Card Round<\/u>
\n#6\u00a0Baltimore (7-5)\u00a0at #3\u00a0INDIANAPOLIS (8-4)
\n#5\u00a0Buffalo (7-5) at #4 SAN DIEGO\u00a0(7-5)<\/p>\n

Divisional Round<\/u>
\nSan Diego at\u00a0#1 PITTSBURGH (11-1)
\nINDIANAPOLIS at\u00a0#2\u00a0New England\u00a0(10-2)<\/p>\n

AFC Championship<\/u>
\nIndianapolis at Pittsburgh<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Week Twelve featured the end of November games, so Week Thirteen will take us into the final month of the regular season.\u00a0 The playoffs are starting to take a little shape, but there are still many places up for grabs.\u00a0 … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[748],"class_list":["post-377","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-nfl","tag-nfl-week-by-week-preview"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/broadstreetbelievers.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/377","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/broadstreetbelievers.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/broadstreetbelievers.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/broadstreetbelievers.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/broadstreetbelievers.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=377"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/broadstreetbelievers.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/377\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/broadstreetbelievers.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=377"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/broadstreetbelievers.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=377"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/broadstreetbelievers.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=377"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}