Football Forecasters

The last week was a poor 8 – 8 straight up as parity continues to reign in the NFL which makes the season record straight up 140 – 84. Against the spread however it was also 8 – 8, not quite so bad there taking the season results to 112 – 105 – 7 on the season.

I participate in a pick’em league and these choices reflect the picks I make there; for that league I can make changes until the first game kicks off and will (rarely) based on last minute injury information. These picks are for amusement value only; please do not confuse these choices with the real picks made on this site by those who are focusing on the best choices available as they see them. The line used is a line in effect when I picked the game (usually the day prior to the article being posted).

Week 17

Carolina at Atlanta – Carolina has wrapped up the top pick in the next draft; players have little to play for, coaches even less. Atlanta is playing for home field advantage throughout the playoffs and a first round bye so they will be primed, Falcons win 24 – 14.

Cincinnati at Baltimore – The Bengals have been a team that has underperformed until last week, the defense has been injured and ineffective and they have been mistake prone. Baltimore has an outside chance at the second seed and a bye so they will be focused, Ravens win 21 – 14.

Pittsburgh at Cleveland – Cleveland has a good offensive line and the running game has been solid, the defense has been better than expected. Pittsburgh needs to win to guarantee the second seed and a bye in the playoffs; they need to emphasize the run, Steelers win 24 – 20.

Minnesota at Detroit – The Vikings are traveling after a short week, a physical game with a banged up offensive line, and an unpredictable rookie quarterback. Detroit has been playing well and would like to close out on a winning streak, Lions win 24 – 20.

Oakland at Kansas City – Oakland has been playing better as the season has progressed but still has too many penalties and mental mistakes. Kansas City has a solid running game and will need to use it to secure the third seed in the playoffs, Chiefs win 24 – 17.

Miami at New England – The Dolphins have been inconsistent offensively and compiled a baffling one win at home for the season. New England is not playing for anything in this game and may rest guys early (remember they lost Welker last year at this point), Patriots win, 28 – 21.

Tampa Bay at New Orleans – Tampa Bay is still technically alive for the playoffs but need a win and a lot of other help they could also use a healthier defense. New Orleans is in the playoffs with a chance still at the division title they are playing well at the right time, Saints win 31 – 21.

Buffalo at New York Jets – The Bills may be without Fitzpatrick for this game; they have been playing with effort but have limited options offensively. New York has been up and down and mat rest their quarterback as well but the defense is the key, Jets win 21 – 14.

San Diego at Denver – Denver has been playing for next season and looking at Tebow as their quarterback of the future, which limits options. San Diego has been statistically impressive but has had enough breakdowns to eliminate themselves from the playoffs, Chargers win 31 – 21.

Chicago at Green Bay – The Bears have secured the second seed and while they have an outside chance at the one seed, there is not much to play for here. Green Bay has a potent offense and an active defense, they need a win to assure a playoff berth, Packers win 28 – 20.

Jacksonville at Houston – Jacksonville has some key injuries as the starting quarterback and running back limit their chances here despite their playoff chances. Houston has played some really bad defense which has held back a quality offensive group, Texans win 28 – 24.

Tennessee at Indianapolis – The Titans can play spoiler here and match up well but they appear to have lost focus. Indianapolis is playing for the division and a playoff spot, they generally play well at home and the defense has played well the past few weeks, Colts win 24 – 21.

Dallas at Philadelphia – Philadelphia is on a short week and the result here will not affect their playoff position, they are looking at resting Vick, perhaps others as well. The Cowboys may also be without their quarterback but coaching positions are at risk here, Cowboys win 21 – 20.

Arizona at San Francisco – The Cardinals have been inconsistent and have little to play for at this point, the offense has been ineffective. San Francisco has been playing rotating quarterback but the defense has been surprisingly ineffective, Forty-niners win 24 – 21.

New York Giants at Washington – The Redskins have lost some close games and have been inconsistent defensively, particularly against the pass. The Giants have also been inconsistent, the issue for them being turnovers, Giants win 28 – 21.

St Louis at Seattle – Seattle is playing for a playoff spot as the winner of this game claims the division crown and a playoff game but they battered. St Louis has improved, but like most young teams is inconsistent, Jackson may be the stabilizing factor, Rams win 28 – 24.

The last week was a poor 9 – 7 straight up as the dogs had their day which takes the season record straight up 132 – 76. Against the spread however it was a very disappointing 6 – 10 taking the season results to 104 – 97 – 7 on the season.

I participate in a pick’em league and these choices reflect the picks I make there; for that league I can make changes until the first game kicks off and will (rarely) based on last minute injury information. These picks are for amusement value only; please do not confuse these choices with the real picks made on this site by those who are focusing on the best choices available as they see them. The line used is a line in effect when I picked the game (usually the day prior to the article being posted).

Week 16

Carolina at Pittsburgh – Carolina even off a win is still on the clock for the first pick in the next years draft; they do not have the talent to keep up. Pittsburgh will not be happy about their loss and will be anxious to reassert themselves, Steelers win 28 – 13.

Dallas at Arizona – The Cardinals have quality offensive weapons but have had poor quarterback play and inconsistent defense. Dallas has started to play up to their talent level, even with a backup quarterback but much to late to make a difference this year, Cowboys win 31 – 21

New England at Buffalo – Buffalo continues to put forth good effort with the talent they have but it is a case of too little way too late for them. New England struggled a bit last week and will be trying to regain focus; there will be no let up here, Patriots win 28 – 14.

New York Jets at Chicago – The Bears are in the playoffs and have a solid defense; the offense can be inconsistent particularly when Cutler is under pressure. New York is fighting for playoff position and can get defensive pressure, Jets win 24 – 21

Baltimore at Cleveland – Cleveland lives on the running game, when that does not work they are generally ineffective which makes this a bad matchup. Baltimore I very good at stopping the run and has a solid if generally unspectacular offense, Ravens win 21 – 17.

Washington at Jacksonville – The Redskins are simply not a particularly good team and Grossman an inconsistent quarterback who makes too many mistakes. Jacksonville has to win to keep their playoff hopes alive; they have played well at home this season, Jaguars win 27 – 21

Tennessee at Kansas City – Tennessee seems to be coming back together as a team and they are a dangerous opponent under these circumstances. Kansas City is trying to hold on the division lead, the key will be using the running game to control the tempo, Chiefs win 21 – 17.

Detroit at Miami – The Lions are off a rare road win and they are a team that is definitely getting better but it is still wait until next year. Miami is out of the playoffs after yet another home loss, they are a difficult team to figure out particularly at this point, Dolphins win 21 – 20

San Francisco at St Louis – San Francisco has been inconsistent but has the advantage of having some extra preparation time, the question is can it help. St Louis has improved greatly over the season and control there playoff fate, Rams win 24 – 21.

San Diego at Cincinnati – The Bengals have had a generally terrible season featuring poor play and a number of injuries to the defensive secondary. San Diego has the best statistical defense in the league along with an explosive offense, Chargers win 28 – 17

Houston at Denver – Denver has a bad defense and an inconsistent offense that will be starting a rookie quarterback who has accuracy issues. Houston combines one of the most productive offenses in the league with one of the worst defenses, Texans win 28 – 24.

Indianapolis at Oakland – The Raiders are still alive in the playoff race and are a dangerous opponent based on a strong running game. Indianapolis controls their fate in the playoffs and need to win out, ball security will be important, Colts win 28 – 21

New York Giants at Green Bay – New York has a good defense that is based on their pass rush but they are vulnerable when they cannot get pressure. Green Bay has a diverse passing attack and an opportunistic defense, assuming Rodgers is back, Packers win 28 – 27.

Seattle at Tampa Bay – The Seahawks, a team that does not travel well, are traveling across the country this week with a limited offense and a poor defense. Tampa Bay has had some injury issues that have hurt line play and defense, Buccaneers win 24 – 14.

Minnesota at Philadelphia – Minnesota is on a short week and the quarterback position is a real question mark, and the line play on both sides has been poor. Philadelphia has some injury issues on defense but the offense has been explosive, Eagles win 31 – 14.

New Orleans at Atlanta – The Saints are a very good team on both sides of the ball and they can score from about anywhere on the field. Atlanta plays well at home and has great balance, which allows them to control the tempo of games, Falcons win 24 – 21

The last week came in with a solid 12 – 4 that brings the season record straight up 123 – 69. Against the spread however it was a disappointing 6 – 10 taking the season results there to 98 – 87 – 7 on the season.

I participate in a pick’em league and these choices reflect the picks I make there; for that league I can make changes until the first game kicks off and will (rarely) based on last minute injury information. These picks are for amusement value only; please do not confuse these choices with the real picks made on this site by those who are focusing on the best choices available as they see them. The line used is a line in effect when I picked the game (usually the day prior to the article being posted).

Week 15

San Francisco at San Diego – San Francisco is an up and down team that has not played well on the road and will be traveling on a short week. San Diego has some of its weapons back and has a big play offense that can score from about anywhere on the field, Chargers win 28 – 14

New Orleans at Baltimore – The Ravens are on a short week and do not have an offense that rates to be able to keep up unless their defense can dominate. New Orleans is getting back some key pieces of their offense and playing well at the right time, Saints win 24 – 20.

Arizona at Carolina – Carolina has the worst offense in the league by a wide margin averaging almost four points fewer than the next worse. Arizona is the next worst offensive team but they have much more to work with in terms of talent, Cardinals win 20 – 14

Cleveland at Cincinnati – The Bengals have been ineffective in every aspect of the game, breakdowns in line play have contributed greatly. Cleveland has a good offensive line and a power running game, enough if they can control the tempo, Browns win 21 – 20.

Washington at Dallas – Washington has had various injuries, and they simply lack the roster depth to survive those types of losses. Dallas has been playing with better focus; the secondary is still a weakness but good enough this week, Cowboys win 28 – 21

Jacksonville at Indianapolis – The Jaguars live off their running game which matches up well this week but the secondary weaknesses will be the problem this week. The Colts defense plays better at home and they should be getting healthier with the extra rest, Colts win 24 – 21.

Buffalo at Miami – Buffalo is playing hard but injuries keep mounting, last week they won because of their opponent’s turnovers probably not in the cards this week. Miami has been keeping their thin playoff hopes alive and need to keep winning, Dolphins win 24 – 10

Philadelphia at New York Giants – The Giants have an unexpected short week, the defense is good but lacks the team speed needed to keep up this week. Philadelphia should be getting Samuels back, which will be a needed improvement for their secondary, Eagles win 24 – 23.

Kansas City at St Louis – St Louis is probably the best team in the NFC West, which still does not mean they are a good team. Kansas City may have Cassel back this week, which would certainly help, but they will depend on their running game in any case, Chiefs win 28 – 27

Detroit at Tampa Bay – The Lions are not a good road team and may be a bit flat coming off their win last week, the defense is improving. Tampa Bay continues to win games despite having a limited offense and an average defense, this week that should be enough, 21 – 14.

Houston at Tennessee – Tennessee has had extra time to prepare and they will need it as they are certainly disorganized though recovery is always possible. Houston is traveling after a short week and difficult game but they have the weapons, Texans win 28 – 24

Atlanta at Seattle – The Seahawks are playing poorly, injuries and a lack of depth has resulted in the collapse of the defense after starting the season playing surprisingly well. Atlanta is playing well and needs to continue winning to assure the division, Falcons win 28 – 14.

Denver at Oakland – Denver has been very inconsistent, the offense is built on the pass and when that has been fickle. Oakland has been up and down also but has played well in the division with a dominating running attack, Raiders win 28 – 20

New York Jets at Pittsburgh – The Jets have gone from being a marginal offensive team to being ugly, as they cannot generate any consistency. The Pittsburgh offense has not been effective of late either but the defense has been generating field position, Steelers win 17 – 14.

Green Bay at New England – Green Bay has yet to determine who their quarterback will be, but that may not matter given their opponent. New England is playing better than anyone else at this point in the season and are not likely to let up, Patriots win 31 – 17.

Chicago at Minnesota – The Vikings are officially out of the playoffs, are not sure who will be at quarterback, and will be playing outdoors this week. Chicago is probably not as good as their record but the defense is good, Bears win 17 – 14.

The past week was an average sort of 11 – 5 making the season record straight up 122 – 70. Against the spread, we got a bit healthier at 9 – 7 taking the season record to 101 – 84 – 7.  The revision to the NFL schedule delaying division games is keeping the playoff picture a bit cloudy and this is good.

I participate in a pick’em league and these choices reflect the picks I make there; for that league I can make changes until the first game kicks off and will (rarely) based on last minute injury information. These picks are for amusement value only; please do not confuse these choices with the real picks made on this site by those who are focusing on the best choices available as they see them. The line used is a line in effect when I picked the game (usually the day prior to the article being posted).

Indianapolis at Tennessee – Tennessee is not playing particularly well on offense, which has been leaving the defense on the field a lot. Indianapolis has also been having unusual problems as injuries have made Manning press for results and make errors doing so, Colts win 24 – 20.

Cleveland at Buffalo – The Bills have been playing with a lot of effort but they have been fighting injuries with a roster that just does not have enough depth. Cleveland has been solid with their running game playing against the worst rush defense in the league, Browns win 21 – 14.

Atlanta at Carolina –Carolina has been terrible offensively they have no real consistent play from the quarterback position and injuries to their running backs. Atlanta has a well-balanced offense and a solid defense; they cannot afford to overlook anyone, Falcons win 28 – 14.

Green Bay at Detroit – The Lions play better at home but are working with their third string quarterback and a weak defensive secondary. Green Bay has a solid pass rush and a very good passing attack, which is favorable for this matchup, Packers win 31 – 17.

Oakland at Jacksonville – Oakland has been up and down, they are traveling cross-country after an emotional win, and their running game is unlikely to be enough. Jacksonville has been playing well enough to win, usually based on their running attack, Jaguars win 24 – 21.

New York Giants at Minnesota – The Vikings defense has been playing better but the offensive line still has questions and the quarterback situation is uncertain. The Giants have reasserted their running game and may be getting some players back, Giants win 21 – 17.

Cincinnati at Pittsburgh – Cincinnati continues to have defensive issues, unable to make critical stops in the passing game or get quarterback pressure. Pittsburgh, on a short week, needs to maintain focus after an emotional and physically taxing game, Steelers win 24 – 17.

Tampa Bay at Washington – The Redskins are playing with backups at too many key positions and have simply been worn down by the grind at this point in the season. Tampa Bay has injury problems on the offensive line that are problematic, Buccaneers win 20 – 17.

St Louis at New Orleans – St Louis are playing well and in contention for their division and playing better every week but are not very dynamic. New Orleans is vulnerable defensively but can score seemingly at will, Saints win 31 – 17.

Seattle at San Francisco – The Seahawks has been inconsistent, particularly on the road, they have some injury issues to their receivers. San Francisco lost much of their offense when Gore went down, but play better at home, Forty-niners win 21 – 20.

New England at Chicago – Chicago has a very good defense but the offense line play is still an issue and they lack offensive consistency. The Patriots might have a bit of a let down after the Monday night game but should be solid here, Patriots win 31 – 21.

Denver at Arizona – The Cardinals are in a position to start a third-string quarterback and have been generally ineffective on both sides of the ball. Denver has changed coaches and should be able to get their offense going here, Broncos win 28 – 17.

Miami at New York Jets – Miami has been playing well defensively but the offense has had some injury problems and inconsistency issues. The Jets will be on a short week and need to work on replacing Leonhard and reestablish some defensive continuity, Jets win 24 – 17.

Kansas City at San Diego – The Chiefs have a solid offensive line and a good running game, the secondary lacks depth a problem this week. San Diego may have been caught looking ahead last week; they have injury issues to receivers as well, Chargers win 24 – 21.

Philadelphia at Dallas – Dallas lost their primary returner and an effective receiver when Bryant went down, the secondary is still an issue. Philadelphia has problems on the offensive line and Vick is taking a lot of hits but the team speed is the advantage here, Eagles win 28 – 21.

Baltimore at Houston – The Texans have been playing poor defense but have a number of offensive weapons available that should have led to more wins. Baltimore has a solid defense and a versatile offense though no real vertical offensive weapons, Ravens win 27 – 21.

NEW ORLEANS - Fundamental matchup advantage combined with situational circumstances make for a solid B-rated play.  Bengals turning the ball over at a high rate and facing underrated defense. Lay the Six.

BUFFALO (+) - Bills seem to be coming together and playing at an intense level.  Vikings are virtually eliminated from the playoffs, and have not steamrolled an opponent this season. I won’t be surprised if the Bills outright win.