Let us begin with...
New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons
I originally thought the Falcons could be the team that knocked off the Saints from the ranks of the unbeaten. I have since changed my tune. The Falcons are absolutely depleted on the offensive side of the ball. And if they are going to beat the Saints, they would need to be 100% healthy with all of their weapons in tact and ready to go. Matt Ryan and Michael Turner are listed as questionable for the game this weekend. Both did not play last week and the Falcons only managed 7 points against the Eagles with Chris Redman and Jason Snelling facilitating the offense. What do you think will happen when they go up against the Saints defense? They will need to put points on the scoreboard if they are going to beat the Saints because you have to expect Drew Brees will come out and fire on all cylinders. The Falcons defense was absent last weekend as Donovan McNabb and Michael Vick controlled the game and made big plays in the red zone. The Falcons actually did very well in stopping the Eagles running game but could not limit the Eagles to field goals instead of touchdowns. Now they get a Saints team that has no problem scoring in the red zone and can move the ball with grace and consistency. The Falcons will need to put pressure on Brees if they are going to win this game. They will need to be aggressive against the Saints receivers, who are bigger and faster than anyone in the Falcons secondary. And they will need to put points on the board. With Chris Redman and Jason Snelling on offense, that's going to be a very difficult task. The Falcons have home-field advantage and are fighting for their playoff lives. However, the Saints are too strong and the Falcons too weak right now for this game to be even close. Saints win 34-13.
Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears
The Packers are one of the most productive and efficient football teams in the NFL right now. Ryan Grant is running the ball very well; finding his running lanes and zipping by defenders all over the field. Aaron Rodgers is the league's unsung MVP candidate this season with 25 touchdowns to just 7 interceptions. The Packers offensive line is doing a better job of protecting him and as a result, Rodgers has been able to make plays down the field to Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, and Jermichael Finley. They also boast one of the league's best defensive units, which is very good at stopping the run and limiting running backs to under 100 yards rushing consistently. They have been very good at keeping teams out of the end zone during their 4-game winning streak and are now in prime position to clinch a wild-card berth in the NFC. They also have an outside chance of winning the division should they win out and the Vikings slip up in the last four weeks. This weekend, they are facing a Bears team that is still trying to find their offensive identity. They only managed 17 points last week against the Rams. However, they were very efficient in running the football as Matt Forte ran for 91 yards and scored a touchdown. Crybaby Cutler only threw for 143 yards as the Bears got back to playing smash mouth football. With Devin Hester likely out this weekend against the Packers, the Bears are going to try and establish the run early with Forte. They are going to once again limit the passing game with Cutler and do not want any gunslinging heroics. The Bears defense also has to step up and do a better job at stopping the run. They gave up 112 yards rushing to Steven Jackson last weekend, which is unacceptable. Ryan Grant is heating up in the backfield and if he continues to be productive, the Bears will have no shot at winning this game. Expect Rodgers to dissect the Bears secondary with methodical connections to his receivers. Expect the Packers to find the end zone early and often. And expect another W for the Cheesehead Nation. Packers win 27-13.
New York Jets at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
I made a bet with someone at the beginning of the season saying that the Jets would not win more than 6 games this year. I think I am about to lose that bet. I am willing to give the Buccaneers a puncher's chance on Sunday against the Jets, only because Mark Sanchez will not be in uniform. What is also interesting is that head coach Rex Ryan has decided to leave Sanchez at home rather than travel with the team. I don't understand why Sanchez is staying home this weekend. If the GQ cover boy is going to be the leader of this football team, wouldn't you want him to stand on the sidelines and learn as much as possible if he's not going to play? Sanchez is a rookie and there are only two ways he can learn the position. One way is through experience and since he's injured, he's going to have a hard time doing that this weekend. The other way is through observation on the sidelines. And Rex Ryan is depriving his franchise quarterback of a learning opportunity this weekend, which I think is a big mistake. With that being said, Kellen Clemens will get the start on Sunday against the Bucs. This of course means that the Jets should be expected to run the ball with authority as part of their offensive strategy. Expect Thomas Jones to have a big game against the lowly Buccaneers defense, which is 31st in the league in stopping the run. Do not expect big games from Braylon Edwards and Jerricho Cotchery as the Jets will be looking to pound the ball at the line of scrimmage and assert their dominance and superiority over the Buccaneers. In order for the Bucs to hang with the Jets, Josh Freeman will have to hold on to the football. The reason the Bucs lost last week to the Panthers was due in large part to Freeman's 5 interception performance. Turnovers will kill you every time in this game and Freeman is going to have to learn ball security before he can start leading the Bucs to winning seasons. The Bucs were very effective in running the ball last week as Cadillac Williams had 92 yards rushing. They will need another solid game from him if the Bucs are going to have any success on Sunday. I don't expect Freeman to have a big day because I'm sure the Jets secondary will inflict their will on Antonio Bryant and Kellen Winslow. However, I do expect a very low-scoring game as both teams will struggle to get points on the board. Jets win 23-7
Miami Dolphins at Jacksonville Jaguars
The Miami Dolphins have suddenly found themselves right back in the middle of the AFC playoff chase. With their upset victory over the Patriots last week and the Steelers loss to the Browns on Thursday night, the Dolphins have put themselves in a wonderful position to make some noise down the stretch. They travel upstate to Jacksonville this weekend, where the Jaguars have established themselves as....well, we don't really know. The Jaguars are one of the most confusing teams in the NFL. In games against division rivals and conference powerhouses, the Jaguars play hard and illustrate their desire to win football games. But in games where they are expected to win, they come out with lackadaisical efforts and are stifled in all phases of the game. So which Jaguars team can we expect this Sunday against the Dolphins? Like the Dolphins, the Jaguars are smack dab in the middle of the wildcard hunt. Every game for them now is big and they cannot afford any slip-ups. Look for the Jaguars to get Maurice-Jones Drew going early not just in terms of running the ball, but also in terms of developing screen passes. Their defense has played relatively well as of late, but I don't expect them to keep the Dolphins off the scoreboard on Sunday. They will need to limit Ricky Williams in the backfield and will have to rely on their secondary to shut down the Dolphins receiving game. But the key for the Jaguars will be if David Garrard can open up the passing game a little bit. Garrard played fairly well last week against the Texans, passing for 238 yards and 2 touchdowns. He will need to be even better especially against a young Dolphins secondary that tends to give up a lot of passing yards. Mike Sims-Walker and Torry Holt must catch some deep balls if the Jaguars are going to win this game. In the end, the game will come down to who can make the most defensive stops and who can have the greater success in the passing game. I think Henne takes a huge step forward this weekend as he leads the Dolphins to a 7-6 record. Dolphins win 30-24.
Detroit Lions at Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens received a huge boost on Thursday night with the Steelers losing to the Browns. They now have a firm grip on 2nd place in the division and are hanging in the balance in terms of playoff seeding. Their last four games are now against teams with sub-.500 records, which means that they have an opportunity to run the table and clinch a wildcard berth. Can they do what the Steelers were unable to do and win games they are supposed to win? It starts this weekend against the Detroit Lions and Daunte Culpepper. Culpepper will start for Matthew Stafford on Sunday as he recuperates from a sore left shoulder. It doesn't really matter for the Lions because they probably would have lost with Stafford anyway. The Lions are just looking to put this season behind them and hope for the future. They don't want any part of a Ravens team aching for a victory and hungry for a playoff berth. Look for an impressive day from the Ravens defense as they will constantly put pressure on Culpepper and force him to make mistakes. But also expect a decent day from the Lions defensively. The Ravens have not had a 100-yard rushing performance since Week 4 against the Patriots. And Joe Flacco is not having a great season at quarterback. He struggled again last week against the Packers, throwing for 137 yards, a touchdown and 3 interceptions. I expect the Ravens to have a better day on offense but it won't be anything earth-shattering. The Lions defense will play with some pride and establish opportunities for their offense. However, the Ravens defense will come up big in a game they simply have to win. Ravens win 19-10.
Seattle Seahawks at Houston Texans
The Seattle Seahawks have won two games in a row, both victories coming against division opponents. The Houston Texans have lost four games in a row, with Gary Kubiak on the edge of being fired. Both teams are sitting at 5-7 and wondering why this game does not have a little more meaning. There is no doubt that the Houston Texans have lost something over the past four weeks. It began with Kris Brown missing a game-tying field goal against Indianapolis, which was a crushing defeat for the Texans. It continued with their upset loss to Tennessee at home on yet another Kris Brown miss. It spiraled out of control when their defense allowed 28 unanswered points in the 2nd half to undefeated Indianapolis. Chalk up another L on the schedule. It has now boiled over with a shoddy performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars in a game that was pivotal to their playoff survival. They come how now feeling extremely disgruntled and shocked by their current predicament. They thought this game would carry more significance and that they would be well on their way to their first playoff appearance in franchise history. Will they take out their anger on the Seahawks this weekend? Hard to say, really. The Seahawks came out last week and upset the 49ers at home. How did they do it? By making big plays to their receivers in the red zone, which is something the Texans have been unable to do lately. In order for the Texans to win, they are going to have to shut down Matt Hasselbeck and force some turnovers. And they are going to have to establish their will offensively and not fall into any deep holes. Everyone knows the Texans are a better team than their record indicates. They just haven't been able to establish a consistency that lasts for long stretches throughout the regular season. This is a game they have to win just to keep their microscopic playoff hopes alive. Will they be up to the challenge? I think so. Texans win 27-23.
Denver Broncos at Indianapolis Colts
Every time the Colts have played the Broncos this decade, the Broncos have been on the short end of excruciatingly lopsided defeats. History tells us that their defense has been incapable of shutting down any portion of the Colts powerhouse offense. History tells us that this game will not even be close on Sunday. History tells us that perfection will continue...will it? The Denver Broncos have gotten back to playing taut and physical football. They are manhandling offensive units on the defensive side of the ball and getting pressure on the quarterbacks. Head Coach Josh McDaniels has his team believing in their vast capability and overwhelming potential. Will the team live up to McDaniels's expectations? They travel to Indianapolis to face a Colts team that is seemingly unable to make mistakes in any phase of the game. Peyton Manning is having one of the best seasons of his career. Joseph Addai is getting his share of touches and has been able to pound his way into the endzone frequently this season. The bright spot of this Colts team is how well their defense has played in crucial situations. They simply do not allow opposing offenses to beat them in the final minutes of games and have forced enough turnovers to seal a great number of Colts victories this season. Everyone knows the Colts will come out with a stellar effort week in and week out. This means that the Broncos will have to play nearly perfect in order to ensure a victory on Sunday. They have the defensive personnel to limit the Colts to field goals rather than touchdowns. They have a pass rush than can cause havoc at the line of scrimmage and get to Peyton Manning in the pocket. The only question mark for the Broncos on Sunday involves their offense. Kyle Orton must act calm and composed if he is going to lead his offense down the field and score touchdowns against this Colts defense. He is going to have to make quick decisions in the pocket and must throw the ball with enough precision to have a chance in this game. Knowshon Moreno must be able to find seams up the middle and break out for long runs of 10 to 12 yards with some consistency. If the Broncos can find a way to put touchdowns on the board, while also limiting the Colts to field goals, then the Colts' run to perfection will be over. But I'm not betting against Peyton in this situation, especially when you look at his record against the Broncos. Colts win 28-24.
Buffalo Bills at Kansas City Chiefs
This is a meaningless game that, quite frankly, could go either way. The Chiefs have played quite horribly since their overtime win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. They were absolutely destroyed by both the Chargers and the Broncos, giving up 87 points over the last two weeks. They now face a Bills team that has trouble moving the ball offensively and making noise in the red zone. The Chiefs benched Matt Cassel last week in favor of Brodie Croyle. Head Coach Todd Haley is looking for something to motivate his team right now because they look like a collectively uncontrollable mess. A decisive win over the Bills at home could give the Chiefs something to build around for the rest of this season. History shows that the Chiefs have been very impressive at home during December. They weren't really impressive last week as the Broncos gave them an old-fashioned whooping as an early Christmas present. If the Chiefs are going to win this game, Matt Cassel is going to have to make plays to his receivers and he must hang on to the football. He's had a lot of problems maintaining ball security over the last two weeks, which factored into why he was benched last week against the Broncos. The offensive line has to contain the pass rush of the Bills and they simply have to expose the glaring weaknesses in the secondary. If the Bills are going to win this game, they have to get Terrell Owens involved in the passing game. Over the course of this season, they have shown how if Terrell Owens does not have a big day catching the football, then the rest of the offense is vulnerable and susceptible to collapse. The Bills simply do not have the right personnel at the quarterback position to make any kind of difference right now. And their running game simply doesn't scare anyone in the NFL. If the Bills do not have a great day passing the ball, then they don't win games. That has been their M.O. this entire season and it's certainly not going to change anytime soon. I think Terrell Owens does have a big day catching the football, and I think the Bills sneak away with a close victory at Arrowhead. Bills win 23-19.
Cincinnati Bengals at Minnesota Vikings
This one could be considered the biggest game of the weekend in some circles. The Vikings are coming off a surprising defeat at the hands of the Cardinals and are looking to maintain how they are still one of the most dominating teams in the NFC. They are going up against a Bengals team that has surprised many during the entire season. I really don't expect this game to be an offensive shootout. Look for the Vikings to get the game going with Adrian Peterson, who has not been perfect the last couple of weeks. The Vikings are going need an explosive performance from Peterson if they are going to win this game. Last week's loss proved that they cannot allow Brett Favre to win the game on his own. They need Peterson to provide balance and stability to that offense. Without Peterson, Favre resorts back to his gunslinging mentality and tries to make as many plays down the field as possible. The gunslinging mentality often leads to interceptions by Favre and as a result, the Vikings are forced to play lights out on the defensive side of the ball. I expect the Vikings to play sound and mistake-free football against the Bengals on Sunday. But I also expect the Bengals to come out and play hard in this game. The Bengals are not a flashy team on offense; they like to grind out victories with their running game while also spreading the field out a little bit with Chad Ochocinco and Laveranues Coles. The Bengals are going to rely on Cedric Benson to power his way up the field against a very talented and very aggressive Vikings front line. They are also going to have to contain the lighting speed of Jared Allen and allow for Carson Palmer to operate from the pocket. Their defense will come up big in key situations on Sunday; oftentimes limiting the Vikings to field goals rather than touchdowns. The Bengals are going to have to open up the field against the Vikings defense and make sure that the receivers get their fair share of catches on Sunday. I think the Vikings will do a great job at containing Cedric Benson and will cause discomfort in the pocket for Carson Palmer. I think the Bengals will be able to limit Peterson's production on the ground. But I also think Favre will make a big play in the final minutes that will ultimately spell doom for the Cincinnati Bengals. Vikings win 24-20.
Carolina Panthers at New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are undefeated at home and should be able to take care of business against the Carolina Panthers. So then why is there a feeling of discontent sweeping across the snowy plains of Foxboro? The Patriots are a disgruntled team right now. They are dissatisfied with their current lack of success and they should be. They have not looked like a coherent football team the last two weeks. They look undisciplined and seemingly unmotivated to win football games when they have to. This is very uncharacteristic of a Bill Belichick football team. The Patriots are well-known for their discipline and their ability to persevere under tough circumstances. So then why do you have Adalius Thomas complaining about being sent home last Wednesday? Why is there a subtle hint of chaos in the locker room? Why are the Patriots acting like their season is lost when it clearly isn't? The answers to these questions are simple: they haven't been able to win on the road and their defense hasn't been able to make a play in clutch situations all year long. They simply do not have the same kind of defensive personnel that was instrumental in winning 3 Super Bowls throughout the course of the decade. The passion and the fire on the defensive side of the ball is missing with this football team right now. However, the Patriots are sitting at 7-5 atop the AFC East and are still in prime position to make the playoffs. There is no reason to panic yet in Foxboro. All they have to do is take care of business this week at home against the Panthers and then move on to Buffalo, Jacksonville, and Houston. The Patriots should be able to defeat all of those teams and win the AFC East with no questions asked. As for this Sunday, look for the Patriots to play hard on the defensive side of the ball and to come out with a chip on their shoulder. They will be very effective in shutting down every part of the Carolina offense and will leave no doubt that they are the better team. Look for Tom Brady to have a magnificent performance against the Carolina secondary; he will spread the ball out to Randy Moss and Wes Welker and find the end zone frequently. The Patriots will show no mercy against a Panthers team in transition right now. They will prove that they are the better team and will begin turning the ship back in the right direction. Patriots win 34-10.
Washington Redskins at Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are the real enigma of the National Football League. You never know what kind of effort they'll bring to the table on gameday. They could be the team that falls flat on their face against opponents and acts as the laughing stock of the entire NFL. Or they could be the team that defeats the Eagles, Bengals, and Steelers this season; a team that plays good defense and makes enough plays on offense to shock the world. So what will we see from the Raiders on Sunday against the Redskins? There are some who are expecting Bruce Gradkowski to continue with his good play and provide stability to the Raiders offense. There are some who think the Raiders could finish strong and not actually have to fire Tom Cable as their head coach. If that were to happen, that would be all well and good. But it still wouldn't solve the major problem the Raiders have right now, which is their owner and general manager Al Davis. There is no denying that Al Davis has sunk his team into the ground ever since their Super Bowl loss to the Buccaneers. Fans out in Oakland has petitioned the Raiders front office for Al Davis's resignation. They are doing all they can to see this franchise brought back to glory. And I think Al Davis stepping down would be the wisest choice to make at this point. Even though the Raiders are playing well right now, they still lack the personnel that will ensure consecutive appearances in the playoffs. There are bits and pieces of talent in Oakland that need to be congealed and united through the emergence of franchise players. And as long as Al Davis is principal owner and GM of the team, the Raiders will be stuck in neutral for years to come. As for the game at hand, I expect strong defensive efforts from both teams on Sunday. The Raiders will pressure Jason Campbell early and often, rendering him ineffective for the better part of the day. I think Bruce Gradkowski has another decent outing but I also think he will start making some costly mistakes, which will ultimately hurt the Raiders in this game. I think the Redskins penetrate the line of scrimmage and prevent the Raider offense from getting anything started on the ground. And I think Jason Campbell leads his team down the field towards the end to set up a last-second field goal, thereby bringing me to the prediction that the Redskins will actually finish a game and notch a victory. Redskins win 16-13.
St. Louis Rams at Tennessee Titans
The Titans were embarrassed last week in their showdown with the Indianapolis Colts. And they will be looking to inflict their vengeance on the St. Louis Rams this Sunday. Chris Johnson will have another spectacular day running the football. I wouldn't be surprised if he rushed for over 200 yards in this contest given that the Rams are ranked 28th in the NFL in stopping the run. I expect Vince Young to be more careful with the football this time around and to make the occasional big play down the field to Kenny Britt. I also expect him to hit TE Bo Scaife over the middle with some short passes as the Titans will move the ball methodically and consistently against the Rams defense. The one bright spot on the Rams this Sunday will be Steven Jackson. I could see him pounding out 29 carries for 110 yards as the Rams will try to establish their running game. But I don't expect a lot of scoring from the Rams in this game as the Titans defense will come out looking for a fight. They will be ready to knock some people out on Sunday as they were ashamed of their effort against the Colts last week. The Titans will finish strong down the stretch. But it won't be enough to make the playoffs. Titans win 34-10.
San Diego Chargers at Dallas Cowboys
You wouldn't think that the Cowboys' season would be on the line with an 8-4 record and a division lead. But it just might be this Sunday against the San Diego Chargers. Owner Jerry Jones is demanding the Cowboys play well down the stretch or else heads will roll. Is it wrong for him to think this way? Is it wrong for him to threaten his coach and his players to win or else? The answer is absolutely not, and here's why. The Cowboys have always had a poor December record with Tony Romo as their quarterback. They thought the problem was Terrell Owens, so they shipped him off to Buffalo. But now the Cowboys have started out December with a loss to the New York Giants. They now return home to face a Chargers team that has won 6 in a row and are slowly cruising into the playoffs. The Cowboys are not in a state of panic yet; but everyone around Dallas is teetering on the edge and wondering what will happen down the stretch. A win against the Chargers on Sunday would go a long way towards ensuring peace of mind in Big D. And it is not going to be easy. Philip Rivers is proving himself to be one of the best quarterbacks in the league statistically. He is a surefire MVP candidate with 22 total touchdowns to just 6 interceptions. He is the unsung leader of that offense and has always been a very passionate and intense football player. LaDainian Tomlinson has not a 100-yard rushing performance all season long. Yet there is no denying that he is the heart and soul of that Chargers offense. He has 9 rushing touchdowns this season and as he goes, so goes the rest of the team. Antonio Gates and Vincent Jackson have provided a perfect balance to the Chargers receiving core and have made Philip Rivers's life a whole lot easier in the pocket. The Chargers defense, especially their secondary, has been impressive all season long. Tony Romo is going to need another spectacular performance on Sunday if Dallas is going to have a chance in this game. And they need to get the running game going again. Marion Barber has not had a 100-yard rushing performance since Week 2 against the Giants. He was held to just 36 yards rushing last week as the Giants completely stifled the Cowboy running attack. Barber, Felix Jones, and Tashard Choice need to be effective at the point of attack; sliding away from defenders and scampering along the sidelines. If they do so, the Cowboys are going to be in it until the very end. Also, the Cowboys defense will need to get a heavy pass rush on Rivers. They will be more worried about stopping the passing attack than containing the running game. If they shut down Rivers, the Cowboys will have a stellar day defensively. If not, then the Cowboys will be 0-2 in December. Will the Cowboys deliver? Home game, big crowd, national audience...it will be close, but I think the Chargers eek out a win. Chargers win 31-27.
Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants
The Giants did what they had to do last week against the Dallas Cowboys. They may not have played very well on defense, but they shut down the Cowboys running attack and that ultimately proved to be the difference in the game. They set themselves up for a showdown this Sunday night against the Philadelphia Eagles, who are a much tougher opponent right now than the Cowboys. The Eagles are finding ways to win without their marquee running back Brian Westbrook. Donovan McNabb is having a terrific season as he has developed good connections with his receiving core and has established the Eagles as a dangerous team through the air. WR DeSean Jackson returns this week from his concussion. And along with receivers Jeremy Maclin, Jason Avant, and Brent Celek, the Eagles are going to wreak havoc against the Giants secondary on Sunday night. The Giants defense just hasn't been the same this season. They are not getting enough pressure on the quarterback and are always giving up big plays on 3rd down, which allow for drives to continue and escalate. In order for the Giants to win on Sunday, they are going to have to put pressure on McNabb and contain the deep threat. They are also going to have a do a better job against LeSean McCoy, who absolutely destroyed them the first time these two teams played. They do not want to fall behind because if the Eagles score early and often, the Giants are not built offensively to turn this game into a shootout. They have very good wide receivers in Steve Smith and Mario Manningham. And Eli Manning had a better game last week against the Cowboys. But the Giants offensive line is still highly suspect and Brandon Jacobs is still not getting enough push at the line of scrimmage when he runs the ball. Will the Giants be able to protect Eli enough for him to make good throws to his receivers? Will Brandon Jacobs finally be able to penetrate through the line of scrimmage and power his way to some long runs? These are questions the Giants haven't been able to answer because they haven't been operating with enough consistency throughout the regular season. All I know is that they will need another stellar effort on the offensive side of the ball to maintain pace with the Eagles on Sunday night. And they will need their defense to play a lot better than it did last week because the Eagles are a much more balanced team right now than the Cowboys are. They will expose the Giants' weaknesses in the secondary and take advantage of their mistakes should they make them. The Giants' playoff lives are hanging in the balance once again. Will they answer the call one more time? It's going to be very hard to beat the Eagles, who haven't had a hard time beating the Giants on the road. I just don't see the Giants making enough plays on defense to keep the Eagles out of the endzone. And in the end, the Eagles will convert more opportunities than the Giants, which will be the difference in the ballgame. Eagles win 27-24.
Arizona Cardinals at San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers suffered a major setback last Sunday with their loss to the Seahawks. Of course they did. That's twice now I've predicted a team to start making noise in the playoff race only to have them trip over themselves and stub their toes. Yet this is still a very compelling game because if everyone remembers correctly, the 49ers defeated the Cardinals at the start of the regular season. So much has changed since then, with the Cardinals establishing themselves as a sleeper team in the NFC and the 49ers once again falling by the wayside in the NFC West. The Cardinals had their most impressive victory of the season against the Vikings last Sunday and will be looking to build on that against the 49ers this week. Look for Kurt Warner to make up for his lackluster performance against the 49ers at the start of the season. He will come out with guns blazing on Monday night as he will find Larry Fitzgerald very early and very often. Look for Anquan Boldin to continue his recent hot streak as well catching the football. The Cardinals are primed to make a run at the Vikings and the Saints. And as I said the other day, they are still the defending NFC Champions until someone dethrones them. As for the 49ers, they really did shoot themselves in the foot last week against the Seahawks. If they had won that game, it would have been very difficult to predict this game on Monday night. The Niners defense played really well against the Cardinals the first time these teams met. They got pressure on Warner consistently and forced him to throw 2 interceptions. But this is a different 49ers team than the one we saw at the beginning of the season. For one thing, Alex Smith is now the quarterback of the offense as opposed to Shaun Hill. And Michael Crabtree is now starting opposite Isaac Bruce and Vernon Davis in the receiving core. The Cardinals' passing game will have a difficult time containing Crabtree and Davis, which is why I think the Niners have an outside shot at winning this game. Frank Gore has not had a terrific season running the football. And the last time these two teams played, Gore was held to just 30 yards rushing. He will need to be more of an asset to the Niners offense if they are going to hang with the Cardinals on Monday night. I think Alex Smith will connect deep with Crabtree a few times but it won't be enough to upset the Cardinals without the help of Gore running the football. This is all assuming that the Niners defense has another great outing against the Cardinals. And I don't think Warner and company will let that happen. The Cardinals are looking to clinch the NFC West and prepare themselves for the playoffs. A decisive victory over the Niners on Monday night will leave them feeling good about where they're headed and what they can accomplish come playoff time. Cardinals win 27-16.
That's it for now. Enjoy Week 14 of the NFL
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