Football Forecasters

The playoffs begin and the Wildcard round is usually one of the most interesting, this season should be no exception as there are four very strong wild card teams and a couple of very suspect division champions. Indeed it is well within the possibilities that all of the wildcard teams will win into the divisional rounds. Each of these games has potential to be very closely contested, it should be a great weekend to watch football. (For those keeping track at home the regular season results were 169 – 86 – 1 straight up and 137 – 112 – 7 against the spread.)

Please note that these picks are not to be confused with the real business of Football Forecasters and are not the recommended picks. Personally I do not bet football and anyone who has followed this little feature for any length of time will understand why. I participate in a pick’em league and these choices reflect those picks though my league choices are subject to last minute changes based on the latest injury and practice reports. Generally, these picks will appear on Wednesday evenings and for their limited amusement value.

AFC

Baltimore at Miami – The Dolphins have one of the great turnaround stories of the game as they have won ten games more than last season. This has been the result of good fortune to some extent; they were the real winners of the Brett Favre sweepstakes. They have played well also as reflected by the fact that they have the fewest turnovers in the NFL. A lot has been made out of their use of the Wildcat formations and trick plays but really, they play fundamentally sound football on both sides of the ball.

The Ravens defense seems to have found the fountain of youth and is playing as good as they ever had which is a very high standard. They may not be the best statistical defense but they are certainly as difficult to play against as anyone is and capable of turning around a game on almost any play. The greater surprise is the offense, which has big play potential for the first time in recent memory.

These teams met in week seven with the Ravens winning. This looks like a close game but the nod here goes to Baltimore again. The Miami offense relies on speed and the Baltimore defense has the players to neutralize their speed. In the other direction, the Baltimore running game can wear down the Miami defense and open up big play opportunities in the passing game, Ravens win 24 – 20.

Indianapolis at San Diego – The Chargers essentially returned from the dead after starting the season 4 – 8 and making the playoffs. They recovered by refocusing the defense and getting the offense healthy down the stretch. They did not play as badly as their early record might indicate.

Indianapolis also started the season with an uncharacteristic losing stretch. They have the longest winning streak going into the playoffs, they perhaps have not played as well as their record might indicate but they have proven the ability to win from behind with strong efforts late in games.

This game is a rematch of week twelve when the Colts won on a field goal as time expired. Both defenses are suspect and both offenses have advantages against the defensive weaknesses of the other side. The season play suggests that the Colts have found ways to win late and the Chargers have found ways to lose late, hard to pick against that trend, Colts win 24 – 21.

NFC

Philadelphia at Minnesota – The Vikings have struggled their way to a division title. They have a good running offense and a quality rush defense with everyone expected to be available on the defensive line. Their pass offense has been hit or miss and this is not a good team to come from behind in a game.

The Eagles are a frightening team, both good and bad. They have the capability to play at the highest levels on both offense and defense but they can be horribly inconsistent as well. They lack a power running game, which has cost them in the red zone; the offense depends largely on how McNabb plays.

Based solely on talent the pick for this one has to be Philadelphia. They have more ways to win and more weapons but they also have the ability to implode. Whatever the result there is a likelihood that this game may not be all that close, Eagles win 24 – 14.

Atlanta at Arizona – Arizona has been a team on the brink for some time trying to win their division and make their way into the playoffs. They managed to win the West this season though it is not clear that anyone else was really trying to win it. Their offense can be prolific but has been inconsistent at times. The problem for the Cardinals is on defense where they give up too many big plays, they have by far the worst scoring defense of any team in the playoffs.

Atlanta has been one of the big surprises of the season as they finished seven games better than last season and made wholesale changes to their roster, most of which seemed to have worked very well. The offensive line has played well protecting rookie, Matt Ryan who has played better than any quarterback has since Marino. Michael Turner has excelled as an every down back and is a break away threat. The defense is not great but it is effective.

Atlanta is the choice for the win based on their defensive advantage, which is not decisive but may be enough. If Arizona can jump out to an early lead and get Atlanta out of their running game they have good chances. If Atlanta gets rolling with the running game, they can pretty much dictate the tempo, Falcons win 28 – 24.

Final week of the regular season, time to be careful, as it’s difficult to assess whom might be resting.

ARIZONA - Our top pick on the board.  They have match-ups that can be exploited, and will want to go into the playoffs on a winning note.  Seattle may come in without much incentive, as they may have had their “playoff” game in last weeks home finale.  Arizona by ten.

HOUSTON - Texans playing at a high level at home this year, and our bet is they come into this one with a high amount of intensity.  Houston does have key matchups over the top they should be able to exploit.  Texans by seven.

MIAMI - is playing with a lot of enthusiasm, and if they win they’re in the post season.  The Jets look like they’ve lost their mojo.  This one should be a hell of a game, and there is solid value with NY on the moneyline.

All of the games this weekend will be played on Sunday. Again, some of the games are for playoff position while others have no meaning in the season beyond perhaps preparation for the off season or pride. Last week there were more outright upsets than any other week this season and it was certainly reflected in the results here where both straight up and against the spread came in at 7 – 9. For the season the straight up results are 157 – 82 – 1 straight up and against the spread 130 – 104 – 6.

Please note that these picks are not to be confused with the real business of Football Forecasters and are not the recommended picks. Personally I do not bet football and anyone who has followed this little feature for any length of time will understand why. I participate in a pick’em league and these choices reflect those picks though my league choices are subject to last minute changes based on the latest injury and practice reports. Generally, these picks will appear on Wednesday evenings and for their limited amusement value.

St Louis at Atlanta – The Rams have limited offensive options behind a patchwork offensive line and their defense is mediocre on a good day. Atlanta has a playoff spot but can actually get the second seed and a bye if they win and Carolina loses, Falcons win 27 – 10.

Jacksonville at Baltimore – The Jaguars have had a disappointing season and it is about over, their running game is unlikely to do well here. Baltimore wins with defense setting up the offense with field position and the occasional score, Ravens win 24 – 10.

New England at Buffalo – The Bills played the spoiler last week and would like to do the same this week, this will be a more daunting task. New England is playing well offensively when it matters; their defense is vulnerable but good enough, Patriots win 24 – 21.

Kansas City at Cincinnati – The Bengals have a terribly inept offense and a marginal defense despite last weeks shutout. Kansas City has continued to play hard despite being over matched in terms of talent about every week; but perhaps not this week, Chiefs win 20 – 14.

Detroit at Green Bay – Detroit continues their quest to the perfection of futility and it seems unlikely that they will be able to prevent it. Green Bay certainly does not want to be the team that grants a reprieve to the winless season, Packers win 24 – 10.

Chicago at Houston – Chicago has dodged elimination from the post season twice with overtime wins; third time is not likely to be the charm. Houston plays well at home and have a number of offensive weapons that match up well here, Texans win 27 – 21.

Tennessee at Indianapolis – The Colts historically rest their players in week seventeen games where the result will not affect their playoff position, expect to see key starters for a quarter or so. Tennessee is unlikely to play hurt players but will otherwise play starters, Titans win 24 – 10.

New York Giants at Minnesota – The Vikings have another chance to win their way into the playoffs at home but have some injury issues. The Giants have already locked up home field in the playoffs but they will not rest players Giants win 28 – 21.

Carolina at New Orleans – The Saints are an offensive powerhouse but defensively they have been victimized by poor pass defense. Carolina needs to win this game to win the division and assure them of a first round bye, Panthers win 28 – 24.

Miami at New York Jets – The Jets are tremendously inconsistent and Favre often tries to do to much and makes bad decisions in the process. Miami has been one of the major surprises of the season and can win the division here, Dolphins win 24 – 21.

Dallas at Philadelphia – The Cowboys have been a hard team to get a handle on, they have a lot of talent but their performance is uneven. Philadelphia is another team that has been defined by their inconsistency at home they get the nod here, Eagles win 21 – 20.

Cleveland at Pittsburgh – Cleveland could not manage a score last week and now get to play the best defense in the NFL. Pittsburgh has played the toughest schedule in the league and they could rest a few players but it probably will not matter, Steelers win 28 – 14.

Oakland at Tampa Bay – Oakland is not a particularly good team nor do they travel particularly well not a good combination. Tampa Bay has had a string of poor games yet still has a chance to get into the playoffs with a win and some help, Buccaneers win 24 – 14.

Seattle at Arizona – Seattle came up with a surprising defensive effort last week, their offense seems to be a collection of backup players. This game has no playoff meaning for Arizona but they need to put together a good game after being blown out twice, Cardinals win 28 – 20.

Washington at San Francisco – The Redskins played a very nice defensive game last week but their offense is still largely ineffective. San Francisco has played with intensity over the past few weeks winning last week despite four turnovers, Forty-niners win 24 – 17.

Denver at San Diego – The Broncos have played their way into being knocked out of the division title and the playoffs. San Diego has fought back gamely and are playing better offense though the defense is still uneven, Chargers win 28 – 24.

NFL

The second half of the season has been a rough one for us, still we see two contests this week that stand out as solid value plays.

Miami - Things are coming undone in Kansas City.  All signs point to Herm Edwards being on his way out, and when non-performing players see that, they lose a bit of their commitment.  Miami has a playoff spot on the line - and they’ve come to play every game.  This should be a double digit Dolphin win.

Atlanta (+):   The best performing dog on the board.  This one should be undecided going into the final minutes, and we think the eventual score will be decided by a mere FG either way.

Also Likes:  The Jets have slid back to the middle of the pack since their win at Tennessee, they may not have what it takes to put away the Seahawks.  New England has a strong enough pass attack to take advantage of Arizona’s week secondary.  The Cardinals do not have a strong rush attack, which is what it takes to beat New England at home late in the year.

• Here are our bowl picks!  The teams in bold are our picks…
• Saturday Dec 20…… Arizona vs BYU….. Fresno St vs Colorado St….. South Florida vs Memphis….. Wake Forest vs Navy….. /
• Sunday Dec 21…… Troy vs Southern Miss…../
• Tuesday Dec 23….TCU vs Boise St…. /
  
• Wednesday Dec 24...Hawaii vs Notre Dame…./
• Friday Dec 26…. Central Michigan vs Florida Atlantic…../
• Saturday Dec 27….. California vs Miami…. Florida St vs Wisconsin…. North Carolina vs West Virginia…./
• Sunday Dec 28… Northern lIIinois vs Louisana Tech…./
• Monday Dec 29…. Missouri vs Northwestern…. Rutgers vs North Carolina St…/
  
• Tuesday Dec 30….. Nevada vs Maryland…. Oklahoma St vs Oregon….. Rice vs Western Michigan…../
• Wednesday Dec 31…. Boston College vs Vanderbilt…. Georgia Tech vs LSU….. Houston vs Airforce…..  Kansas vs Minnesota….. Oregon St vs Pittsburgh…. /
  
• Thursday Jan 1…. Cincinnati vs Virginia Tech….. Clemson vs Nebraska….  Georgia vs Michgian St…. Iowa vs South Carolina…. USC vs Penn St…../
  
• Friday Jan 2 …. Alabama vs Utah….. East Carolina vs Kentucky…… Texas Tech vs Mississippi…../
• Saturday Jan 3…. Connecticut vs Buffalo….. /
• Monday Jan 5 …. Texas vs Ohio St….. /
• Tuesday  Jan 6 …. Ball St vs Tulsa…../  Florida vs Oklahoma……
  
• Our top Play: Central Michigan…. The Chippewas are very familar with the Motor City Bowl. This game could be a shootout with both teams showcasing their offense, but in the end I think the Chippewas have too much for the Owls and win by 13-17 pts……  Have a Happy Holiday!

We now have NFL football on four days next weekend and while some of the games are for playoff position some are simply for potential and others have no meaning at all in this season. Last week there were a number of unexpected results and straight up it was a struggle to get to 10 -6. After last weeks nice results against the spread last week was the worst of the year going 4 – 10 – 2. For the season, the results are 150 – 73 – 1 straight up and 123 – 95 – 6 versus the spread.

Please note that these picks are not to be confused with the real business of Football Forecasters and are not the recommended picks. Personally I do not bet football and anyone who has followed this little feature for any length of time will understand why. I participate in a pick’em league and these choices reflect those picks though my league choices are subject to last minute changes based on the latest injury and practice reports. Generally, these picks will appear on Wednesday evenings and for their limited amusement value.

Indianapolis at Jacksonville – The Jaguars have had a variety of injuries and unrealized potential in what looked to be a promising season. Indianapolis has still not quite secured a playoff spot though a win this week would remove the last shred of ambiguity, Colts win 28 – 21.

Baltimore at Dallas – The Ravens have played generally outstanding defense throughout the season, their offense has been decent but inconsistent. Dallas has stepped up their defensive play and has enough offensive weapons if they can avoid turnovers, Cowboys win 21 – 20.

Cincinnati at Cleveland – The Bengals have been ineffective offensively and while they have shown recent signs of life they are too inconsistent defensively. Cleveland is completing their season and they have major distractions, as changes seem likely in the coaching staff Browns win 28 – 27.

New Orleans at Detroit – The Lions are playing with effort though without much discipline especially on defense where they are allowing the most points in the NFL. New Orleans is playing bad defense but scores the most points in the NFL, Saints win 35 – 27.

Miami at Kansas City – The Chiefs historically play well at home but they have limited talent and depth and changes in the front office can be unsettling. Miami has to be one of the big surprises of the season tied for the division lead, Dolphins win 27 – 20.

Arizona at New England – The Cardinals have locked up their division but can not do much to improve their playoff position and they are not a particularly good road team. New England is playing for their chance to make the playoffs and must win to stay alive, Patriots win 31 – 24.

San Francisco at St Louis – The Rams have lost eight games in a row and their season has been a study in futility on both sides of the ball. San Francisco has played with greater intensity and much better ball security in recent weeks, forty-niners win 24 – 17.

San Diego at Tampa Bay – The Chargers kept their dim playoff hopes alive with a win last week, but their lack of defensive pressure has been limiting. Tampa Bay is in a position where they need to keep winning and they are in the playoffs, Buccaneers win 24 – 20.

Pittsburgh at Tennessee – The Titans defense is probably going to be without Haynesworth and Vanden Bosch, which is a serious problem in an important game. Pittsburgh has played a difficult series of games and this is for home field in the playoffs, Steelers win 20 – 17.

Buffalo at Denver – The Bills have lost a good portion of their defensive roster to injured reserve but their problems with inconsistency on offense have been a more limiting factor. Denver can win their division and secure a playoff spot with a win here, Broncos win 28 – 20.

Houston at Oakland – The Raiders are, simply, not a very good team, the offense is limited and the defense is inconsistent. Houston is playing very well though too late to count for anything but effort, still they are a fairly young team and building, Texans win 28 – 17.

New York Jets at Seattle – The Seahawks are injured and defensively ineffective, not surprisingly, as they are on the field longer than any other defense in the NFL. The Jets are inconsistent but in control of their playoff destiny, Jets win 28 – 20.

Atlanta at Minnesota – The Vikings have control of their destiny in the playoffs but the loss of Williams and Frerotte present certain challenges. The Falcons have been a surprisingly solid team this season and need to win to stay in the playoff hunt, Falcons win 24 – 21.

Philadelphia at Washington – The Redskins have worn down as the season progressed as injuries have taken their toll and the team lacks depth. Philadelphia seldom seems to play to their full potential but have seemed better focused of late, Eagles win 27 – 21.

Carolina at New York Giants – The Giants have had offensive that impact their short running game and defensive injuries to overcome as well. Carolina has the running game to control the clock and pull defenders up to open the vertical pass, Panthers win 21 – 20.

Green Bay at Chicago – The Packers have faded as the season ends, injuries and a lack of defensive consistency playing a part. Chicago has slim playoff hopes though by the time this game kicks off those may have ended, Bears win 24 - 21.

NY Jets - The Buffalo running game struggles against good defenses, and the Jets have one of the stouter run defenses in the league.  The Jets can blanket WR Lee Evans with CB Darelle Revis, minimizing the impact of the Bills lone playmaker.  NY controls their playoff destiny, they should come to play in this spot.  Jets by 10 to 14.

St. Louis (ML) - Both teams have been inconsistent, and are experiencing significant injuries.  However, Seahawks coming in banged up on the O-line, and without starting LT Walter Jones.  We’ll take the Rams on the ML to pull off the out right upset.

Also Likes:  Dallas

Last week straight up was a reasonable 13 - 3; but the against the spread results were a spectacular 14 – 2 and again exceeded the straight up predictions. For the season, the results are 140 – 67 – 1 straight up and 119 – 85 – 4 versus the spread. The straight up numbers are respectable clipping along at about a two out of three rate to date. The amazing thing is the against the spread rate which normally hovers just above average is running at 58%. Please don’t assume I know anything, the disclaimer below still applies.

Please note that these picks are not to be confused with the real business of Football Forecasters and are not the recommended picks. Personally I do not bet football and anyone who has followed this little feature for any length of time will understand why. I participate in a pick’em league and these choices reflect those picks though my league choices are subject to last minute changes based on the latest injury and practice reports. Generally, these picks will appear on Wednesday evenings and for their limited amusement value.

New Orleans at Chicago – New Orleans has been playing very well offensively though their defense has bee victimized regularly but they are historically not a good cold/bad weather team. Chicago plays well at home and they also are fighting for their playoff lives, Bears win 24 – 20.

Tampa Bay at Atlanta – Tampa Bay has another difficult road game against a division opponent off a short week and a tough loss. Atlanta has played very well at home, they have big line and their opponent is a bit undersized defensively, Falcons win 24 – 21.

Washington at Cincinnati – The Bengals offense has been terrible and that may be an overly kind description of their ineptitude. Washington has had their problems of late after a good start, they lack depth and injuries have taken their toll, Redskins win 28 – 17.

Tennessee at Houston – The Texans are playing better and they have plenty of talent but they are error prone at critical times. Tennessee has won the division and are in control for home team advantage throughout the playoffs but they are not likely to let up, Titans win 24 – 17.

Green Bay at Jacksonville – The Jaguars have played poorly and without much urgency as injuries have derailed what looked to be a promising season. Green Bay has also been somewhat disappointing with inconsistent play costing them, Packers win 28 – 24.

San Francisco at Miami – San Francisco has stepped up the effort and focus of their play over the past couple of weeks; the coaching change seems to have helped here. Miami has proven to be more than the wildcat offense and are looking at a playoff run, Dolphins 24 – 20.

Seattle at St Louis – The Seahawks have a variety of injuries they are fighting through, it is not clear who will be on the field any given week. St Louis has also seen a variety of injuries and a general inconsistency of play, Rams win 21 – 20.

Buffalo at New York Jets – The Bills have been a team where earlier defensive injuries seem to have led to a general fall off in play. The Jets seem to have taken a detour into inconsistency; they still have control of their destiny, Jets win 24 – 17.

San Diego at Kansas City – The Chiefs have had a difficult season but that was not unexpected and they do have some bright spots but too few. San Diego comes into this game with a few extra days off and they are the more talented team, Chargers win 28 – 20.

Detroit at Indianapolis – Detroit played a reasonably decent game last week but it still was not enough to get their first win, not a lot of reason to optimistic this week either. Indianapolis has a six game winning streak and is playing well, Colts win 28 – 14.

Minnesota at Arizona – Minnesota has great run defense and a very good running offense but they are not very good playing from behind. Arizona has won their division but still has a shot at a bye; they have the offensive tools to score in a hurry, Cardinals win 28 – 21.

Pittsburgh at Baltimore – Baltimore has been playing very well; their defense and offense both thrive on big plays this game may not have a winner as much as a survivor. Pittsburgh has played well, their defense has been exceptional and their offense sufficient, Steelers win 20 – 17.

Denver at Carolina – Denver has offensive potential but their defense has been unreliable, especially against the run, this is not a good matchup. Carolina is coming off of a short week but they generally play well at home, Panthers win 28 – 21.

New England at Oakland – Oakland has not been effective offensively at any point during the season and there is no reason to expect them to start now. New England offense is not a problem but the defense is showing its age, not an issue here, Patriots win 24 – 14.

New York Giants at Dallas – Dallas is playing for their chance at the post season and will certainly be motivated. New York would just as likely want to beat them now as later. They are playing for a first round bye and home field, the pass rush is the difference, Giants win 28 – 24.

Cleveland at Philadelphia – The Browns are playing with a third string quarterback and an offense that has been generally ineffective. Philadelphia is a difficult team to predict as they seem to play to the level of their competition, Eagles win 24 – 14.

To update the issues with updating the home page:  I have received a list of troubleshooting tips from the site host, and will tackle that tomorrow.  Last week we back slid, going 1-4 for 25% on the weekend.  Which officially puts us in recession mode for the season, having lost 4 of the past 5 weekends.  This week we’ve sharpened our pencils, and are going with our traditional 4% of bankroll on B rated picks, and 5% of bankroll on A rated opinions.

COLLEGE:

Tulsa - Big Al’s top rated opinion of the week. And the scorecasting numbers support his enthusiasm.  Golden Hurricane should be able to pass all day on the ECU defense.  Tulsa by 24.  When ECU falls behind, and has to throw the ball, they’ll be at risk of letting this one get out of hand.

Oklahoma - Too much Sooner defense.  Mizzou has struggled against solid defenses, and they have no hope of catching Bob Stoops in a let down situation.  Sooners by 24.

Alabama (+)(ML) - This should be a great game to watch. We think it’s decided by a touchdown either way.  Tide has awesome front four, and that will keep them in the game.

NFL

NY Giants A+ rated pick: Since Philly went into a backslide, culminating with a tie at Cincinnati, we circled our calendars for this contest.  NcNabb simply not an accurate enough passer to exploit this secondary - there will be turnovers if he’s sloppy here.  Nobody runs on the Giants, not even Westbrook.  NY will put up 28-35, while Philly will do well to get into the 17 or 24 range.   This may be our last A+ rated pick of the year, after struggling in this category all season, we’d really like to throw you a winner.

Miami (ML): Not totally buying into the Bills resurgance, this shapes up to be a close tightly fought contest, and the fish have a chance to win - giving us solid value as a Money Line pick, at 4% of bankroll.

New England (Sunday morning gameday update) - Seahawks have serious injury issues on the offensive line, and they’re already talking about whether Mora will stay to be the coach next year - Seattle’s already packed it in.  Take N.E. by 10, and this coud get ugly.

The Crystal Ball

I need to confess an error last week as I left Indianapolis at Cleveland off of the post, I ask you to trust me that I had Indianapolis winning by a touchdown a win for straight up and a loss for against the spread for that one. Including that result last week was a reasonable 11 - 5; but the against the spread results were a rather good 12 –4. For the season, the results are 127 – 64 – 1 straight up and 105 – 83 – 4 versus the spread. We are entering the time when weather has an impact in many venues, we saw it last week and it is likely to become more pronounced.

Please note that these picks are not to be confused with the real business of Football Forecasters and are not the recommended picks. Personally I do not bet football and anyone who has followed this little feature for any length of time will understand why. I participate in a pick’em league and these choices reflect those picks though my league choices are subject to last minute changes based on the latest injury and practice reports. Generally, these picks will appear on Wednesday evenings and for their limited amusement value.

Oakland at San Diego – Oakland, after a brief flash of offense reverted to their natural level of offensive incompetence. San Diego seems to be able to find new ways to lose games almost every week; they are still the much more talented team, Chargers win 24 – 14.

Jacksonville at Chicago – Jacksonville is on a short week and traveling which is not a good combination in the best of circumstances. Chicago is an up and down group that usually plays well at home and should do well here, Bears win 24 – 17.

Minnesota at Detroit – Detroit has the benefit of having plenty of rest going into this game; it is not likely to help if they cannot stop opponents from scoring. For Minnesota, this could be a possible trap game where a letdown is possible but it might not matter, Vikings win 28 – 21.

Houston at Green Bay – Houston is playing better though it is a bit late in the season, there is plenty of talent in this group but not much consistency of effort. Green Bay has had problems with injuries on defense and balance on offense, Packers win 24 – 17.

Cincinnati at Indianapolis – The Bengals have a number of injuries but have been ineffective pretty much throughout the year on both sides of the ball. Indianapolis seems to be able to come up with whatever is necessary to win in any given week, Colts win 24 – 14.

Atlanta at New Orleans – Atlanta has been a very hot team and exceeded expectations in all phases of the game and they have been healthy. New Orleans has been up and down but they play well at home and it is tough to match their offensive output, Saints win 31 – 27.

Philadelphia at New York Giants – Philadelphia played a strong offensive game last week but is still schizophrenic in their approach to any given game. The Giants are still playing the best football in the NFL despite the perils of Plaxico, Giants win 27 – 21.

Cleveland at Tennessee – The Browns will be working on their third quarterback in three weeks, Dorsey gets no break starting against this defense. Tennessee reestablished their running play and defensive dominance last week, Titans win 28 – 14.

Miami at Buffalo – Buffalo cannot seem to sustain any offensive continuity and swapping out quarterbacks seems unlikely to be of much help. Miami is certainly a warm weather team, which does not bode well, but their style of play should work, Dolphins wins 24 – 21.

Kansas City at Denver – The Chiefs are obviously in a rebuilding mode and while they would like to sweep Denver it just is not going to happen. Denver has plenty of offense but the defense is not consistent but they have a virtual lock on the division, Broncos win 28 – 21.

New York Jets at San Francisco – The Forty-niners have been playing more inspired ball of late but have some fundamental talent issues that are going to be issues here. The Jets played an ugly game last week and looked a bit flat, Jets win 27 – 24.

New England at Seattle – The Seattle defense has been disappointing, particularly in terms of pass rush and secondary coverage. New England finds itself fighting for their playoff life and they are going to need some help, they will help themselves this week, Patriots win 31 – 24.

St Louis at Arizona – St Louis has had a number of problems along their offensive line and that limits their overall offensive production, a real flaw this week. Arizona gets some additional time to rest up their offensive juggernaut, Cardinals win 31 – 14.

Dallas at Pittsburgh – Dallas is in need of an easier schedule if they are to make the playoffs, this week they face the best overall defense in the league. Pittsburgh has played difficult games every week and has been impressive thus far, Steelers win 27 – 21.

Washington at Baltimore – Offensively the Redskins have performed very well within the parameters of their new offensive scheme, but defensive injuries have been costly. Baltimore is playing good defense and reasonable offense for a change, Ravens win 27 – 20.

Tampa Bay at Carolina – This is the marquee game of the week, Tampa Bay is a team playing very opportunistic defense and enough offense to win consistently. Carolina has been inconsistent offensively but can wear down a smaller defense, Panthers win 28 – 21.