Now for the rest of Week 13
Philadelphia Eagles at Atlanta Falcons
This would have been a more interesting game if Falcons QB Matt Ryan and RB Michael Turner were in excellent health. Instead, the Falcons will most likely be sending out Chris Redman and Jason Snelling for a game that is vital to their playoff chances. And I really don't like their chances against an Eagle team also fighting for their playoff lives. The Falcons squeaked by the Buccaneers last week to advance to 6-5, which means that home-field advantage can be thrown out the window against a better football team. While I love home-field advantage, I would love it more with this game if the Falcons weren't so banged up on the offensive side of the ball. Their defense will need to play spectacular all day long to give their offense a chance in this game. What benefits the Falcons is that the Eagles are also banged up offensively. RB Brian Westbrook and WR DeSean Jackson are out with concussions, which hampers what the Eagles can do offensively. The Eagles were fortunate to win that game at home last week against the Redskins and are always a very difficult team to predict. Look for the Eagles to try and establish the run a little more with RB LeSean McCoy, who has been playing well in relief of Westbrook. But don't expect the Eagles to abandon their passing game either. Donovan McNabb will most definitely be looking for Jason Avant and Brent Celek in this game, attempting to take advantage of the Falcons' 27th ranked pass defense. But also look for Michael Vick to run the ball a little more from the wildcat in this game. After all, this is his big return to Atlanta. Eagles win 27-17.
St. Louis Rams at Chicago Bears
The Bears should win this one easily on paper. But they have not been playing well at all recently. They are coming off a dreadful performance last week against the Vikings and are certainly looking for a big offensive game to reboot their confidence a little bit. This is the game where it could happen. However, the Rams have been playing hard for Steve Spagnuolo in spite of their 1-10 record. RB Steven Jackson is 2nd in the league in rushing and plays his heart out every time he steps on the field. However, he is questionable for Sunday's game and if he doesn't play, the Rams have no shot at upsetting the Bears. I expect a big game out of Crybaby Cutler on Sunday as he will uncharacteristically curb the interceptions this week. But I expect the Rams to hang with them on the scoreboard if and only if Steven Jackson plays on Sunday. This is a game that could be fun to watch, especially since both defenses have been mediocre this season. Bears win 37-23.
Detroit Lions at Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals did what they were supposed to do last week against the Browns, shutting down Brady Quinn and leaving no doubt that they were the better team. Expect the same kind of performance this week against the Lions. It won't be a pretty game to watch, but the Bengals will do what they have to do before their showdown with the Vikings next weekend. Don't expect big numbers from Matthew Stafford or any part of the Lions offense on Sunday. Sacks and turnovers will be the story of the day out of Paul Brown Stadium as the Bengals defense will have their way with the Lions. Look for the Bengals to reestablish RB Cedric Benson on the offensive side of the ball, making sure he gets his fair share of carries to prepare him for that vaunting defense in Minnesota next weekend. The Bengals won't have a flashy day offensively, but they will do what they have to do to win the game. Bengals win 23-10.
Oakland Raiders at Pittsburgh Steelers
Boy, I would not want to be playing for the Raiders this week because this looks like a game destined for a blowout. The Steelers are angry. They are angry and they are feeling disrespected by the rest of the league. Coming off back-to-back losses against the Chiefs and the Ravens, everyone seems to be counting out the Steelers this season. Everyone wants to disregard them as one of the elite teams in the NFL. Everyone wants to write off their chances of winning another Super Bowl. Well, I got news for you. The Steelers ain't done yet not by a longshot. Just look at their schedule. They got the Raiders and the Browns back-to-back. Their two toughest games against the Packers and the Ravens are both at home. And they finish off the regular season against Miami. It is not unreasonable to think that the Steelers could run the table with an 11-5 record and enter the playoffs on a massive hot streak. It seems like Roethlisberger will be back tomorrow from his concussion. And even if he isn't, Dennis Dixon did not play that bad against the Ravens last Sunday night. And I certainly like his chances against an overmatched Raiders team tomorrow afternoon. Look for the Steelers to pound the ball with Rashard Mendenhall and look for them to spread the field with Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes. A convincing win on Sunday against Oakland will steer this team back in the right direction. And I think they get it. Steelers win 34-14.
Tennessee Titans at Indianapolis Colts
I can tell you right now, and this may be the understatement of the century so bear with me...this is going to be a very good football game. And I wouldn't be surprised if it turns out to be the game of the year in the NFL. I know I said that last week about the Patriots and the Saints and look how that turned out. However, I just have a funny feeling that this game will live up to its expectations and then some. The Tennessee Titans are the hottest team in the NFL right now. Yes, they are hotter than the Colts and the Saints. They have won 5 straight games since starting out 0-6 and have put themselves back in the playoff race. Jeff Fisher is a dark horse candidate for Coach of the Year right now. And Vince Young has resurrected his career from the dead. He is playing excellent football right now and is brimming with confidence after leading his team 99 yards down the field to beat the Cardinals 20-17 last weekend. This is a team that is not afraid to challenge anyone right now. They are feeling unstoppable and invincible, which they should feel with Chris Johnson in the backfield. Johnson is having an MVP season, which is a gross understatement. He has literally carried the Titans on his back during this 5-game winning streak. And the Titans defense is playing their best football right now going into December, paving the way for their offense to make plays when it counts. Yet as good as the Titans have been during their 5-game winning streak, they are going to face a tough test against the Colts on Sunday. The Colts defense has played a vital role in keeping their team perfect this season, causing turnovers in the final minutes and sealing pivotal victories. Peyton Manning has had one of the best seasons of his career and should have a field day on Sunday against the Titans' weak secondary. But the Colts have been flirting with disaster for a while now. And I think it's time for them to crumble under pressure. I don't think they will be able to stop Chris Johnson because quite frankly, no one has been able to stop Chris Johnson this season. And I think Vince Young takes another huge step in his maturation as an NFL quarterback. I envision the Colts winning by 3 in the final minutes on Sunday and Vince Young (yes, Vince Young) leading his team to another comeback win that ends perfection and puts the Titans back on the map for real. Titans win 31-28.
Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs
The Denver Broncos completely destroyed the New York Giants on Thanksgiving night. The Kansas City Chiefs were completely annihilated by the San Diego Chargers last weekend. So then why are experts contemplating whether or not the Chiefs could upset the Broncos on Sunday? Because the Broncos have never played their best football at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs always give the Broncos a game when they come to Kansas City and some experts are predicting that it will be no different on Sunday. But this is the Josh McDaniels era in the Mile High City. The Broncos seemed to regain their confidence after their thorough beatdown of the Giants last week. They looked like the team that started 6-0 to begin the season and have put themselves in prime position to clinch one of the wild card spots in the AFC. But in order for that to happen, the Broncos have to win the games they are supposed to win. This game against the Chiefs is a game the Broncos are supposed to win. They cannot take the Chiefs for granted and have to play with a sense of urgency because one mistake could alter the course of their season. Kyle Orton played sound and mistake-free football last week against the Giants. Brandon Marshall had some amazing catches. And the defense was absolutely relentless as they shut down the running game and got pressure on Eli Manning. The Broncos are going to need more of that and I expect them to get it. DE Elvis Dumervil will have a monster game and put tons of pressure on QB Matt Cassel. The Broncos secondary will shut down the Chiefs receiving game by being very physical at the line of scrimmage. And Kyle Orton will manage the football game well enough to guide his team to a win. Broncos win 24-13.
New England Patriots at Miami Dolphins
This is a very tough game to predict. Both teams are coming off embarrassing losses and both teams are desperate for a victory. The Patriots could pretty much wrap up the division with a victory over the Dolphins on Sunday. Yet they are 1-4 on the road this season and always have a difficult time beating the Dolphins on their home turf. In spite of their loss to the Bills last week, the Dolphins pose a tough challenge to the Patriots defense. Ricky Williams has carried the ball well in the absence of Ronnie Brown. And even though Chad Henne threw 3 interceptions last week against the Bills, he has still played very well since Chad Pennington went down for the season. So this is a Dolphins team that will be able to hang with the Patriots on the scoreboard. But look for Tom Brady to be the difference in this football game. Brady did not have a great game against the Saints on Monday night, throwing for 237 yards and 2 interceptions. The Saints were successfully able to contain Randy Moss and Wes Welker for most of the night with a banged up secondary. Will the Dolphins be able to do that as well? Brady torched the Fins for 332 passing yards up in Foxboro. He will be motivated to have a great game on Sunday and the Patriots will be relentless, looking to put the game away early and often. This is going to be a competitive football game, but I expect the better team to emerge victorious. Patriots win 24-17.
New Orleans Saints at Washington Redskins
This might be a possible trap game for the New Orleans Saints. They are coming off a great win against the Patriots and are now going to feel the pressure of staying undefeated. Every team that they play from here on out will try and challenge them as possible. This is especially true from the teams that have nothing to lose. The Washington Redskins have been playing decent football the last two weeks, almost beating Dallas and Philadelphia on the road. But as I said last week, the Redskins do not know how to finish football games because they do not have a winner's edge going for them. They lack a certain mentality that goes with winning football games and knowing how to finish off opponents. They are facing an offensive juggernaut led by MVP candidate Drew Brees, who is also coming off a spectacular performance against the Patriots. The Redskins are ranked 2nd in the NFL in passing defense and have done a great job all year of limiting passing attacks. So do not expect Drew Brees to have another sensational game against this Redskins secondary. If the Saints are going to win this game, they will do it by establishing the run and pounding the ball inside with Pierre Thomas and Mike Bell. Brees will be used moderately in this game especially if the Redskins are able to develop a pass rush, which is easier said than done. But in order for the Redskins to win this game, they are going to need a big performance from Jason Campbell and the offense. They will need to put points on the scoreboard to match New Orleans, which is something they haven't done consistently all year long. The Redskins will come in looking to bring their A-game and their best effort. They will want to ruin perfection in the worst way and they will treat this game like their Super Bowl. They will come close, but the Saints will pull away in the end. Saints win 30-20.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers
The Panthers have not played well at all recently. Head Coach John Fox has ridden the curtails of QB Jake Delhomme and will pay the consequence at the end of the season. As for right now, Matt Moore will get the start at quarterback on Sunday since Delhomme is out with a finger injury. For the Panthers, there is nowhere to go but up right now because it simply cannot get any worse. Moore could either manage the game very well on Sunday, relying on Deangelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart to carry the Panthers to victory. Or he could do what Jake Delhomme has been doing all season long: try to force balls to his receivers and throwing lots of interceptions. Don't expect Moore to be anything special on Sunday afternoon. The Panthers will win this game if they are able to run the ball succesfully and Moore throws a couple good passes here and there simply because the Buccaneers aren't any good. However, the Buccaneers have been playing very well offensively as of late. Rookie QB Josh Freeman is showing promise at his position and has been able to make plays to his receivers down the field. But in spite of his improvement, the Buccaneers have absolutely no running game. As a result, the Panthers will look to put as much pressure on Freeman as possible because they stand an excellent chance of shutting down Cadillac Williams and Derrick Ward. However, turnovers on the offensive side of the ball will continue to kill the Panthers as the Bucs will pull off the upset. Buccaneers win 27-20.
Houston Texans at Jacksonville Jaguars
These are two of the most disappointing teams in the NFL right now. Texans coach Gary Kubiak went into this season knowing he had to make the playoffs. And I think it is fair to say that such expectations were not outrageous. The Texans certainly have enough talent on both sides of the ball to contend with the very best in the NFL. Yet they have underperformed immensely and now find themselves with a record of 5-6 desperate for a win. The Jaguars are not much better. They have been hanging on the razor's edge all season long and I think they are about ready to fall over. They were absolutely manhandled by the 49ers last weekend as the offense simply could not get anything done with the football. QB David Garrard could not hold on to the football and Maurice Jones-Drew only had 75 yards rushing. They are very fortunate that this game is at home because they are 4-1 at home this season. However, the Texans have had their number at home and I wouldn't be surprised if we see the Good Texans this week against the Jaguars. I expect Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson to have big games for the Texans this week. I expect the defense to play much better in the 2nd half than they did against the Colts last week. And I expect David Garrard to continue having problems holding on to the football. Texans win 31-20.
San Diego Chargers at Cleveland Browns
The San Diego Chargers are on a definite hot streak right now and it's not going to end in Cleveland this weekend. LaDainian Tomlinson is getting back to his roots, pounding the football against opponents and proving why he is one of the best running backs in NFL history. Philip Rivers is proving to be an ample leader of that Chargers offense and is certainly putting up statistics worthy of an MVP candidate. The Chargers are playing with a passion and an energy right now that could very well put them along the elite teams in the NFL right now. It's a mismatch this weekend against the Browns. Expect another dominant performance from San Diego on both sides of the ball and not much else. Chargers win 38-6.
Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants
It's do-or-die time for the New York Giants. They HAVE to win this football game if they are going to make a run at the playoffs. To say that they are not playing great football right now is an understatement. The Giants are being outplayed and outcoached in all phases of the game and it shows every time they step out on the field. Their season is on the line against the Cowboys on Sunday. Are they going to step up and give a great effort? I believe they can and I believe they will. But in the end, I don't think it will be enough to beat this Cowboys team. The Cowboys are a football team with a lot to prove. They want to show the world that they are for real and that they will not fall apart in December. They want to make a run in the playoffs and be mentioned in the same breath with the Saints and the Vikings. In order for that to happen, the Cowboys have to start their December off with a big road win at Giants Stadium on Sunday. The Giants defense is not as it once was. Whether it be the athletes on the field or the coaching personnel, there is absolutely no fire and no intensity to this defensive unit. The Giants just benched DE Osi Umenyiora and DT Fred Robbins in favor of Mathias Kiwanuka and Chris Canty. That shows you how they are desperately searching for a solution on defense. Expect Tony Romo to have a big game on Sunday if the Giants cannot get any pressure on him. Look for Marion Barber and Felix Jones to break through at the line of scrimmage and carry the ball for massive yardage up the field. The Cowboys are going to have a big day offensively. Will the Giants be able to make enough plays to get them the win? Eli Manning is clearly not comfortable playing with the plantar fascitis. He is missing receivers down the field and is not making crisp, accurate throws. But he is not the weakest link for the Giants right now. The offensive line has been pitiful all season long and that is the primary reason why the running game has suffered this season. I don't expect a big day out of Brandon Jacobs. But I do expect Eli to keep the Giants in the game until the 4th quarter. Look for Steve Smith and Mario Manningham to have big games catching the ball, but don't expect them to show up in the 4th quarter. The Giants will give their best effort on Sunday. But it won't be enough against a better Cowboys team looking to prove itself this December. Cowboys win 30-21.
San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks
This is a big game for the 49ers on Sunday. They are looking to get back to .500 and keep themselves alive in the playoff race. Yet it is interesting how the Niners are winning games lately. Frank Gore is not having his best season at running back. Granted, he was hurt for a few weeks but he has only had 100 yards rushing in two games this season. So how are the 49ers winning? By developing their passing game. Alex Smith has surprisingly given the Niners offense enough of a spark to the point where they don't have to rely on Frank Gore consistently. TE Vernon Davis and WR Michael Crabtree have given the Niners some offensive weapons in the receiving core and have allowed Alex Smith to move the ball down the field with ease. The Niners defense has also played very well recently. LB Patrick Willis is an absolute beast and that defensive front, ranked 5th in the league in stopping the run, has been outstanding all season long. They travel to Seattle this weekend to play an injury-depleted Seahawks team that is playing for pride. This could be a trap game for the 49ers because the Seahawks have always been a tough out at home. Their use of the home crowd as the "12th man" might save them this weekend and force the 49ers to make mistakes on the line of scrimmage and with the football. The only way the Niners lose this game is if they beat themselves. Their defense will effectively shut down the running game and force QB Matt Hasselbeck to scramble for his life. And in the end, Alex Smith will make enough plays in the red zone to ensure another 49ers victory. 49ers win 24-13.
Minnesota Vikings at Arizona Cardinals
Vikings RB Adrian Peterson and WR Bernard Berrian were clocked for speeding at 109 and 104 mph respectively. The bad news for the Cardinals: both are just as fast on the football field. Look for Peterson and Berrian to dash and breeze by the Cardinals defense on Sunday night as the Vikings bring their show on the road to Glendale, Arizona. I think the only way the Vikings lose this game is if the team becomes distracted by the antics of Peterson and Berrian. But don't count on it. The Vikings are playing sound football in all phases of the game. They are arguably the best team in the NFL and they don't even have the best record. Brett Favre is having the best season of his career at the quarterback position. Adrian Peterson is not having as great a season this year with only three 100-yard rushing performances so far. However, Peterson is still 3rd in the league in rushing and the Vikings do not have to rely on him as much because Favre has been absolutely amazing. Peterson is still one of the most dynamic running backs in the NFL and the Cardinals will certainly not take him for granted. The question for the Cardinals is who will start at QB: Kurt Warner or Matt Leinart? Frankly, it doesn't make any difference to me. If Warner were starting, the Cardinals might be able to make this a closer game. If Leinart were starting, the Vikings would win very convincingly. And the reason I say it doesn't make any difference is because the Vikings defense is an explosive tour-de-force. DT Kevin Williams and Pat Williams are monsters at the line of scrimmage and DE Jared Allen goes with 100% intensity on every play. But the key will be the Vikings secondary and if they can aggressively shut down Larry Fitzgerald and the Cardinals receiving game. Lots of that will depend on who starts at quarterback but I think the Vikings are simply too talented enough to falter now. Vikings win 34-20 if Warner starts, Vikings win 34-17 if Leinart starts.
Baltimore Ravens at Green Bay Packers
A very enticing game to watch on Monday Night Football. The Ravens are coming off a huge division win against the Steelers last week. But their record on the road this season is a paltry 2-3. They will be facing a Packers team that is just now starting to play their best football. Ryan Grant is running the ball with conviction. Aaron Rodgers is making good decisions with the football. And their offensive line is doing a better job at protecting their quarterback. But the key to the Packers' 3-game winning streak is how well their defense has played. They have held opposing running backs to an average of just under 68 yards rushing during their winning streak. They have also been forcing turnovers and getting to the quarterback. And they have given their offense plenty of chances to do what they do best. The Packers are now entering the tougher part of their schedule. After this game against the Ravens, they still have to travel to Chicago and Pittsburgh, which are not going to be easy victories. The Packers need to win this game. But then again, so do the Ravens. The Packers are going to do a great job at containing Ray Rice and Willis McGahee. As a result, Joe Flacco is going to have to make plays to his receivers and is going to have to start finding the end zone again. He did a great job last week by throwing for 289 yards and a touchdown. But he is going to have to do that consistently if the Ravens are going to make noise in the playoff race. Look for the Ravens to open up their screen package a little more. Also, look for Flacco to fire the deep ball to receivers Mark Clayton and Derrick Mason as they try to stretch the field against this Packers defense. On the defensive side of the ball, the Ravens must get pressure on Aaron Rodgers and they certainly have the personnel to do so. They must force Rodgers to make bad decisions in the pocket and be sporadic with the football. If they do that, then safeties Dawan Landry and Ed Reed will be taking interceptions to the end zone. I think the Ravens are going to confuse Rodgers with their defensive packages, and I think Flacco is going to make enough plays to his receivers to steal one in Lambeau. Ravens win 20-17.
That's it for now. Enjoy Week 13 of the NFL.
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