First in the Eastern Conference you have the Panther(1) taking on the Islanders(W). With Jagr being the big story in the news so many times this season and the youngster Barkov, the Panthers will be a tough team to slow down. Tavavres had a great season with New York, but I am going to take the Panthers in six games.
The Lightning(2) are missing Stamkos as he is out due to surgery, while the Redwings(3) will be looking to get another cup, especially after their star Pavel Datsyuk announced he will be throwing in the towel once this season ends. I see the Redwings with their experience taking this series in seven games.
Ovechkin and the Capitals(1) came off unbeatable this year. Their offense was crazy, as Ovechkin reached the 50 goal mark with his hat trick. This is the only sweep I see happening, but I don't think they will have a problem with the Flyers(W) and are ready to go deep in the playoffs. Capitals take in four games.
The Penguins(2) are meeting up with their tough rival the New York Rangers(3) in the first round, as Crosby may not have started to hot but since December has been a big scorer. The name that really matters in this series however is Henrik Lundqvist. The guy is a beast, but he will need to stay consistent and shut down his opponents, as he plays for a team based on defense. With some strong goaltending, the Rangers win in seven.
On to the West, Stars(1) will be hosting the Wild(W). The Dallas Stars are full of weapons that bring home points and gives them the leads they need with the great defense and goaltending they have. It was no mistake that they took home the Western Conference. Seguin impressed me this year, as the veteran Spezza will be a huge contribution as well. Each team in the West will need to figure out how to slow these guys down if they want to make it to the Cup. Stars win in five games.
The Blues(2) are taking on the Blackhawks(3), as these two know each other very well. Playoff experience is going to be the difference maker here. Not to mention Patrick Kane being number one in the NHL in scoring. The Blues are a strong team, but it will be tough to stop that 46 goal scorer and their experienced offense. Blackhawks move on after seven games.
The Ducks (1) are meeting up against the Predators(W), as Anaheim gave up the least amount of goals this season between their two goaltenders Gibson and Anderson. The Predators did put some good points this season, lead by Neal and his 31 goals. Defense will dominate this series, as the Ducks take it in six games.
Finally the Kings(2) and Sharks(3) are back at it, as it is the Bay Area vs. LA yet again. The Sharks make the playoffs will a lot of expectations but never come through. Since they are taking on the experienced and previous successful Los Angeles Kings, you can't put any money on them. Quick has shown the world he knows how to win in the playoffs, as his confidence and experience should only mean that he is just getting better. Kings take it in five.
STANLEY CUP Prediction: Capitals over Kings in seven games.
MLB Predictions: AL West
Day two of baseball, as many teams are getting their first game of the season in today. Unfortunately the weather isn't to friendly in some parts of the country, as a few games are postponed frustrating fantasy owners I am sure. Well its time to put in my picks for the last division, the AL West a division that has got some strong teams with good aces and MVP bats.
Carlos Correa, boy is that guy a beast. He is only 21 but already looking like he's been a professional for years. Watch him smack 30 plus this year while stealing at least 30 as well. To go with him offensively Houston has Altuve, Springer, and Gomez who will all put up great numbers and make them one of the leading scoring teams in the league. Now Houston is starting with a few people on the DL, as Gattis is out of the DH spot and McCullers out of the rotation. Shouldn't be to much to worry about however, as the addition of Fister should be beneficial for the team and Giles in the bullpen. I think Houston will dominate the AL West, with a guy like Dallas Keuchel (Photo) and such a powerful offense it will be tough to overcome this team this year. Astros take the AL West with ease as htey get ready with their battle in the ALCS with Toronto.
Like Houston, I think the Rangers have a great lineup this season as well. The addition of Desmond, they should have some good pop lead by Fielder (Photo) and Beltre. I think Deshields will be impressive this season batting in the leadoff spot, as he was just part of a three run inning against King Felix. Cole Hamels has looked good on his first start, allowing two runs so far. But he should put together a good year picking up 13 plus wins and having an ERA in the low threes. Darvish is out to start the season, but he hopefully wont be out long for the Rangers, as he and Hamels make a great 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation. The Rangers need to stay healthy if they want to try and catch Houston at some point in the season, but I see them as contenders of a wildcard seat. The Rangers will be keeping their fans entertained with power, hopefully their rotation can bring them wins along with it.
The Mariners have a lot to look forward to this season, as they got a lineup that can do some damage. You can expect Cano to have a better season, especially with Nelson Cruz hitting behind him. I really like Kyle Seager (Photo), he is one of my favorite players in the league with his pop and clutch, he is a guy that comes through when you need him to. His $100 million contract seemed a little crazy when I first heard about it, but now I would say it is a deal for Seattle. Felix Hernandez and Hisashi Iwakuma are the kind of guys you want at the top of your rotation, as Felix can over power you then fool you with the off speed stuff. While Iwakuma always gets his victims to chase with his sinker ball. The addition of Aoki should help run production, as he will get on for Seager, Cano, and Cruz. I am not so sure about Iannetta and Adam Lind due to their poor numbers last year, but Leonys Martin is a good all around guy who will help in the outfield and at the plate. Seattle also picked up Wade Miley who hasn't looked to sharp in his career, but going from ballparks like Chase Field and Fenway to Safeco should help him out a good amount. Seattle will have a good year, as they will hunt for a seat in the wildcard matchup.
The Los Angeles Angels have some of the best bats in baseball. Mike Trout (Photo) is a guy who will go 40-40 will his amazing power and speed. I mean we've all seen him jump up at that wall and rob homers, the guy is unstoppable. Pujols looks to be healthy and ready to hit 25-30 homers this year, as the additions of Simmons and Escobar should help the Angels both offensively and defensively. The Angels real problem is out there in the mound. Weaver was known as their ace, but has his degenerative spine problem now and hasn't looked to good. Garret Richards is making the start on opening day for them tonight, but don't expect ace type numbers from him either. The Angels have a good bullpen lead by Street and Joe Smith, but they will need to get help in the rotation if they want to make the playoffs. I also don't expect the team to have a very good batting average, so unless Trout will be the only regular guy on base, they need to sacrifice some of their power, such as C.J. Cron or Calhoun for a little more connection. The Angels always have a chance with a guy like Trout in the lineup, but it will be a challenge to make the playoffs.
I like the Oakland A's this year. They got a good group of guys who I think fit well within their roster. What they got to fix is the ballpark they play in, I mean don't get me wrong, I love the Coliseum. I mean I worked in it for two seasons, but it just seems to bring down their players. It is like a graveyard for power hitters, as look at Donaldson's numbers in his year away from Oakland, I mean MVP. The A's added guys like Khris Davis and Yonder Alonso who have the potential for 25 plus homers. These guys will look great on the road, but back in Oakland I think their numbers will take a dive. I like Billy Burns (Photo) and Danny Valencia, these guys will put up good averages and keep their offense going as they may go through some power struggles. Many don't expect much from Oakland this year, but if there was to be a team to surprise everyone, it would be these guys. Sonny Gray is missing his start today due to food poisoning, but he should have a great season. I just hope they don't end up dishing away their players this year and get a new ballpark soon.
AL West Records:
1. Astros 96-66
2. Rangers 87-75
3. Mariners 80-82
4. Angels 78-84
5. Athletics 70-92
MLB Predictions: NL West
Well today is opening day, as the Pirates came out on top against Wainwright and the Cardinals and I am watching Stroman give me great fantasy numbers with Toronto beating the Rays late in the game. It time to get my final division picks in before I make the big picks for the postseason. The NL West will be interesting this season, as it will be a battle between three teams. Thats right you guessed it, Dodgers, Diamondbacks, and Giants. Health will be the thing that decides this division, as some big names have already joined the DL.
The Dodgers have taken the division a couple years in a row, but have a tough challenge ahead of them if they want to do it again. Injuries are already bugging them, with Anderson and Ethier out and their pitching staff not looking so sharp. Kershaw is a beast, you can't replace him with anyone. But following Kershaw a lot of questions rise. How will Ryu do coming back? Why is Kazmir looking so slow on the mound? And what will Maeda bring to the table? Well I am putting these guys on top yet again as they have a guy who I think will make a big difference. Corey Seager (photo) should be amazing this season and put up numbers to shock everyone. I think will their good offense, they will be able to overcome some flaws on the mound, plus they already have the highest payroll so you can bet they will acquire some names at some point. Dodgers will have to fight with their division foes, but they will be chilling in the top seat in the west come October.
Can the Giants keep their even year tradition going? They picked up some big names in the offseason, adding Cueto and Samardzija to the rotation and Span to the outfield. With Bumgarner leading things off, you would expect this team to be dominant on the mound. But they have not looked to good through spring training. Plus health is a real concern for them, as I bet Span, Pagan, and Belt join the DL at some point, along with Cueto, Peavy, and Cain from the rotation. These guys need to stay healthy if they want to get into the playoffs. Hopefully Posey (Photo) can stay behind the plate, as their pitchers numbers are so much better when he is in the squat. The Giants need leadership from Pence and Posey to be successful and of course some more pop from Brandon Crawford who amazed everyone last year. The Giants will put up a great fight, but a wildcard seat will be the best they can do, but like I said only if they stay healthy.
Originally I was going to put the Diamondbacks on top int he division. But after Pollock fractured his elbow my faith in Arizona has gone down a bit. The pickups of Greinke (Photo), Miller, and Segura are huge. This team was known for their bats with Goldschmidt in the lineup, but now they will be known for both and very dangerous. Segura has shown great numbers through spring training, as the Diamondbacks seemed almost unbeatable. With Clippard in the bullpen now, blown saves should not be to much of an issue, especially with how late in games their starters will be going. Having Greinke, Miller, and Corbin as the leading three will be tough to beat. Like the other two however, can these guys stay healthy. Corbin has DL history, while Miller and Greinke are coming off high inning total seasons. Arizona will be in contention and possibly fight for the wildcard as well. Don't be surprised if they go on crazy streaks, winning 9 in a row then tripping for 5-6 in a row. I like Arizona this year, as they should have league leaders in almost every category.
San Diego was gathering everyone's attention last year, making tons of crazy deals but it obviously did not work out for them. This year they were a little more calm, trying to fix their flaws adding names such as veteran Alexi Ramirez and Jon Jay. These guys should have good defense this season, as they have plugged Will Myers in at first now, but they are lacking pop. I don't think this offense will be very impressive as they only too guys I think you can count on for RBIs will both hit the DL. Kemp has hip issues while Will Myers always seems to go on the DL early and for a good amount of time. their rotation isn't top notch either, as Shields (Photo) is on the decline walking to many guys and Cashner and Ross are just to wild. They got good heat and should put together K's, but will be putting guys on base for free and then surrendering the big multirun blast. San Diego will come up short this season, as we will see if they look to sell like they did with some of their bats and arms in the offseason.
The Colorado Rockies are a team that can hit, but not pitch as they will be suffering on the mound this season. I actually really like a lot of guys in their lineup. LeMahieu is a guy with great contact and a great glove, Blackmon is a greta leadoff hitter who will provide some pop as well, Carlos Gonzalez will hit 30 plus homers at Coors Field if he can stay off the DL that is, and of course Nolan Arenado (Photo) is like a third baseman god with how he can hit and field. Arenado deserves to be in MVP will his numbers, as I bet he smacks 35 plus this year. These guys tried to beef up the bullpen with trading for McGee, but I think they will really miss Dickerson and his power. Their starting rotation is the problem, as no one would be on the roster of a few other teams. De La Rosa isn't anything like he used to be, plus the DL is where he needs to start calling home. I like Lyles, but don't expect anything to special from him or anyone else, as they will all have ERAs over four. Rockies will finish at the bottom of the division and hopefully for their sake don't have to dish away any of their young stars.
NL West Records:
1. Dodgers 89-73
2. Giants 87-75
3. Diamondbacks 85-77
4. Padres 70-92
5. Rockies 67-95
MLB Predictions: AL Central
This division is really a toss up, I know last years World Series winner is from the AL Central, but each of these teams has some great weapons that could have the year to get them into the postseason. The big difference between teams is the level of pitching, as only one team has the starters to take them far. Everyone else picked up or resigned offensive weapons, but it will come down to how effective each team can be on the mound.
The city of Cleveland has gone a while without being able to raise a trophy, as jersey burning seems to be their annual tradition, with Mr. Manziel being the most recent addition. But I really like what I think the Indians will be able to do this coming season, as Brantley looks to be healthy and they got the arms. With Kluber, Carrasco, Salazar, and Bauer these Indians are going to tough to hit off of. They should each post an ERA under four and will be putting up the W's needed to come away with the division. The challenge they will face is going deep enough into the game, as I don't trust their bullpen very much. Don't get me wrong, Cody Allen is a great closer but they will need to made an acquisition or two to beef up their bullpen to bring home the last season wins. I really like Lindor. This kid has an amazing glove and can hit for average while also providing occasional power. He is a big piece of their future and will be a difference maker this season, as they hope Kipnis and Santana can stay healthy and have their All-Star seasons to support Brantley. The Royals and Indians will be battling for the number seat all year, but I think Cleveland comes away with it in the end.
Kansas City is coming off a great World Series victory, beating one of the best rotations in baseball. They brought back power hitting outfielder Alex Gordon, but weren't able to keep the big weapons in their rotation. They tried to make up for it with a good amount of signings including Kennedy and Medlen, but they don't have an ace or even someone I would consider to be a strong number two in the rotation. Volquez has been around and is now declining in his career, while Kennedy isn't what he used to be either. Ventura definitely has a future, but right now he still isn't hitting the zone enough to take that ace role. This team does excel in both hitting and bullpen though, as Wade Davis and is one of the best if not the best in baseball. Don't get me started on what their lineup can do, with Cain, Perez, Hosmer, and Moustakas this team will put up great offensive numbers. The question is will those be enough to support their rotation when they may be facing pitchers such as Kluber and Zimmermann regularly. Kansas City will have a good season and will go far if they are able to pick up and big name pitcher at some point in the season. Look for them to fight for the division and if they come up short there, one of those wildcard seats. They have the confidence right now and know they can go far which will be beneficial all season.
The Tigers are coming off a disappointing year, as they signed a couple big names to try and get back in the picture. With the addition of Upton, this team has got some good pop, but the question is if they can stay healthy, as a couple guys are already having injury issues. Like usual Victor Martinez is dinged up and may start the year on the DL, while Cameron Maybin took a ball off the wrist and looks to be out as the season starts. Word was he was getting batting practice in, but they have Anthony Gose to cover center while he is out. With J.D. Martinez and Miguel Cabrera, Upton will see pitches batting in the number two spot, so we will see how much of a difference he can make. Health is another issue out on the mound as well, as with a healthy Verlander and Sanchez this rotation looks dangerous. But I wouldn't count on them to avoid the DL all season. Zimmermann was a great pick up, but I think he will be the only starter with consistent numbers this year. The bullpen has some good tools, but blown saves wont be rare for the Tigers. I thin Detroit has a chance to make the playoffs, but only if they stay healthy and Cabrera reminds all the arms in his division why they should fear him at the plate.
The White Sox were busy in the offseason acquiring some bats to support Abreu, as they picked up Todd Fraizer, Brett Lawrie, Alex Avila, Austin Jackson, and Jimmy Rollins. I think Fraizer is a great pick up, as his pop will be looking good in their ballpark. Lawrie will probably have a career high in homers, especially after leaving a place like Oakland were homers seem impossible. This team will be putting up much different offensive numbers and I would put Abreu in MVP talk with the pitches he will be seeing and runs he will be driving in. These guys weakness will be out on the mound. Chris Sale is a beast, by far one of the best in baseball and though I thought he might get traded last year, they couldn't rebuild while both him and Abreu are in their prime. This team needs to win now, but they will need to pick up another starter or get an amazing season out of a couple other guys in the rotation. Quintana could finally have a winning season, as he puts up great innings but can never seems to get the wins. Rodon could be a huge weapon this season, as he does have a great career ahead of him. We will see if they can lock it down and come through this season. With Robertson in the bullpen they just need some good starts to give their offense a chance to put up enough runs. It is possible to make the playoffs, but their pitching will have to prove it to me before I get my hopes up for Chicago.
The Twins lack one thing that would really make a good difference for them, leadership as they are a team full of skill but not much confidence. They will get some good pop out of bats like Dozier, Sano, and hopefully Park. But we will see how well Byung Ho Park adjusts to baseball in the states, as there is a lot of expectation put on him. Mauer isn't the guy with power anymore, but he will hopefully get some good RBI numbers. Their rotation is really questionable, as no one is a number one type starter and Hughes and Santana numbers haven't really been impressive. This team is definitely improving coming into this season, but it will be a long shot for them to make the playoffs. Some surprising seasons would be necessary, along with a couple trades to bring in some dominant help on the mound.
The city of Cleveland has gone a while without being able to raise a trophy, as jersey burning seems to be their annual tradition, with Mr. Manziel being the most recent addition. But I really like what I think the Indians will be able to do this coming season, as Brantley looks to be healthy and they got the arms. With Kluber, Carrasco, Salazar, and Bauer these Indians are going to tough to hit off of. They should each post an ERA under four and will be putting up the W's needed to come away with the division. The challenge they will face is going deep enough into the game, as I don't trust their bullpen very much. Don't get me wrong, Cody Allen is a great closer but they will need to made an acquisition or two to beef up their bullpen to bring home the last season wins. I really like Lindor. This kid has an amazing glove and can hit for average while also providing occasional power. He is a big piece of their future and will be a difference maker this season, as they hope Kipnis and Santana can stay healthy and have their All-Star seasons to support Brantley. The Royals and Indians will be battling for the number seat all year, but I think Cleveland comes away with it in the end.
Kansas City is coming off a great World Series victory, beating one of the best rotations in baseball. They brought back power hitting outfielder Alex Gordon, but weren't able to keep the big weapons in their rotation. They tried to make up for it with a good amount of signings including Kennedy and Medlen, but they don't have an ace or even someone I would consider to be a strong number two in the rotation. Volquez has been around and is now declining in his career, while Kennedy isn't what he used to be either. Ventura definitely has a future, but right now he still isn't hitting the zone enough to take that ace role. This team does excel in both hitting and bullpen though, as Wade Davis and is one of the best if not the best in baseball. Don't get me started on what their lineup can do, with Cain, Perez, Hosmer, and Moustakas this team will put up great offensive numbers. The question is will those be enough to support their rotation when they may be facing pitchers such as Kluber and Zimmermann regularly. Kansas City will have a good season and will go far if they are able to pick up and big name pitcher at some point in the season. Look for them to fight for the division and if they come up short there, one of those wildcard seats. They have the confidence right now and know they can go far which will be beneficial all season.
The Tigers are coming off a disappointing year, as they signed a couple big names to try and get back in the picture. With the addition of Upton, this team has got some good pop, but the question is if they can stay healthy, as a couple guys are already having injury issues. Like usual Victor Martinez is dinged up and may start the year on the DL, while Cameron Maybin took a ball off the wrist and looks to be out as the season starts. Word was he was getting batting practice in, but they have Anthony Gose to cover center while he is out. With J.D. Martinez and Miguel Cabrera, Upton will see pitches batting in the number two spot, so we will see how much of a difference he can make. Health is another issue out on the mound as well, as with a healthy Verlander and Sanchez this rotation looks dangerous. But I wouldn't count on them to avoid the DL all season. Zimmermann was a great pick up, but I think he will be the only starter with consistent numbers this year. The bullpen has some good tools, but blown saves wont be rare for the Tigers. I thin Detroit has a chance to make the playoffs, but only if they stay healthy and Cabrera reminds all the arms in his division why they should fear him at the plate.
The White Sox were busy in the offseason acquiring some bats to support Abreu, as they picked up Todd Fraizer, Brett Lawrie, Alex Avila, Austin Jackson, and Jimmy Rollins. I think Fraizer is a great pick up, as his pop will be looking good in their ballpark. Lawrie will probably have a career high in homers, especially after leaving a place like Oakland were homers seem impossible. This team will be putting up much different offensive numbers and I would put Abreu in MVP talk with the pitches he will be seeing and runs he will be driving in. These guys weakness will be out on the mound. Chris Sale is a beast, by far one of the best in baseball and though I thought he might get traded last year, they couldn't rebuild while both him and Abreu are in their prime. This team needs to win now, but they will need to pick up another starter or get an amazing season out of a couple other guys in the rotation. Quintana could finally have a winning season, as he puts up great innings but can never seems to get the wins. Rodon could be a huge weapon this season, as he does have a great career ahead of him. We will see if they can lock it down and come through this season. With Robertson in the bullpen they just need some good starts to give their offense a chance to put up enough runs. It is possible to make the playoffs, but their pitching will have to prove it to me before I get my hopes up for Chicago.
AL Central Records:
1. Indians 87-75
2. Royals 85-77
3. Tigers 82-80
4. White Sox 79-83
5. Twins 72-90
FRIDAY, APRIL 1, 2016
MLB Predictions: NL Central
Well if you have been paying attention to MLB over the winter, you know who has been getting a lot of attention. A lot of expectations have been put on the Chicago Cubs as they look to bring home a World Series title for the first time since 1908. The Cardinals have been the team dominating this division for a while, but things are tense with the Cubs and Pirates worthy of the playoffs. The Cardinals lost a couple weapons to their rival, as the Cubs look to get past the NLCS and on to the World Series this season.
The Cubs offense is insane. I expect Bryant and Rizzo to lower their strikeout totals and have say 30-40 homers each. Schwarber will add to the power, while Fowler and Zobrist provide a consistent average. Heyward got quite the paycheck, I mean $200 million is a lot for him. But he will hit for power and average, as the Cardinals will be missing him. Of course they got Arrieta on the mound, with the horse Lackey, another weapon stolen from their division rival. But my question about this team is about the rest of their rotation. My faith in Lester has taken a dive, while Hammel could be a big question mark when it comes to consistency as well. Pitching could be a flaw for the Cubs, but their offense will be unbelievable. Look for them to possibly add and arm by the end of July if it seems starting pitching is slowing them down in the battle for the title. But I realistically don't think it should be to hard, a good fight into September, but it will be the Cubs division and possibly conference title in the fall.
The Cardinals may be missing a couple big names from their roster last season, but I think they got one of the most underrated rotations in baseball. Wainwright is teaching the youngster arms, Wacha and Garcia, as they look to put up solid innings. St. Louis acquired Mike Leake who can put together 5-6 innings each start even if he is getting roughed up. Holliday is taking over at first, as Grichuk will be in the outfield hopefully ready to put up good numbers and stay off the DL. Jhonny Peralta got dinged up in spring training and will miss time, but with an offense lead by Matt Carpenter, the Cardinals will always be dangerous. Though the hype has been all about Chicago, the Cardinals will still have a good season taking the lead seat in the wildcard.
The Pirates just can't get past that wildcard game, as they were shut out yet again last season. The Pirates have a good offense lead by McCutchen and Polanco. They added David Freese, but he isn't the player he was when he beat them up in a St. Louis jersey. Jung Ho Kang has got some good pop, but his health already seems to be an issue. The deal the Pirates made sending Neil Walker to the Mets for Jon Niese will come back to hurt them. Missing his bat in the lineup will turn into lack of run production, and Niese wasn't the kind of arm they were looking to acquire in the winter. They got Cole and Liriano at the top of the rotation, but Locke and Vogelsong wont be putting up impressive ERAs. The Pirates will be among contenders for the playoffs, but they will need to pick up another pitcher if they want to go anywhere this time.
Don't count on much from the Brewers this season. They got their three main bats with Braun, Lucroy, and Hill, but unless the three of them have great seasons and carry the team you can expect around 90 loses. I would think with their poor pitching staff lead by Willy Peralta, you can expect them to deal away a couple of their big names. I wouldn't be surprised if Lucroy joins a contender come July. The way Segura is playing, you can bet they are regretting making that deal with Arizona. Chris Carter was a good pickup for pop, but you can't expect him to have a good average. I like Jeffress in the bullpen, but he will need to come up big after Smith joined the DL last week. The Brewers may hit a good amount of homers, but will have a bad ERA and a poor record.
Now the Reds may have been hot in 2010-13, making the playoffs each year, but now that era has come to a close and they are just looking to rebuild. Their rotation is either dinged up or inexperienced. Bailey is coming back from Tommy John, but they will be breaking him back into the league slowly and other than Brandon Finnegan, I don't have much faith in their young arms. Now the Reds still have their big name bats, with Votto, Bruce, Phillips, and Hamilton. But those guys need to take more walks and will probably be wearing different jerseys at some point in the season. Another question mark is Mesoraco and how he can preform after his hip surgery. Can he catch? Or will the Reds have to place him somewhere else? I bet it will be a long season for the Reds, as they need a turn around year from their bats or they will be selling their names just like Fraizer.
The Cubs offense is insane. I expect Bryant and Rizzo to lower their strikeout totals and have say 30-40 homers each. Schwarber will add to the power, while Fowler and Zobrist provide a consistent average. Heyward got quite the paycheck, I mean $200 million is a lot for him. But he will hit for power and average, as the Cardinals will be missing him. Of course they got Arrieta on the mound, with the horse Lackey, another weapon stolen from their division rival. But my question about this team is about the rest of their rotation. My faith in Lester has taken a dive, while Hammel could be a big question mark when it comes to consistency as well. Pitching could be a flaw for the Cubs, but their offense will be unbelievable. Look for them to possibly add and arm by the end of July if it seems starting pitching is slowing them down in the battle for the title. But I realistically don't think it should be to hard, a good fight into September, but it will be the Cubs division and possibly conference title in the fall.
The Cardinals may be missing a couple big names from their roster last season, but I think they got one of the most underrated rotations in baseball. Wainwright is teaching the youngster arms, Wacha and Garcia, as they look to put up solid innings. St. Louis acquired Mike Leake who can put together 5-6 innings each start even if he is getting roughed up. Holliday is taking over at first, as Grichuk will be in the outfield hopefully ready to put up good numbers and stay off the DL. Jhonny Peralta got dinged up in spring training and will miss time, but with an offense lead by Matt Carpenter, the Cardinals will always be dangerous. Though the hype has been all about Chicago, the Cardinals will still have a good season taking the lead seat in the wildcard. 
NL Central Records:
1. Cubs 100-62
2. Cardinals 89-73
3. Pirates 87-75
4. Brewers 69-93
5. Reds 68-94
MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016
MLB Predictions: AL East
The AL East looks to be very competitive this season, as I see four teams fighting for the division title down until late September. The Yankees, Red Sox, and Blue Jays are all in the same boat, while the Orioles and Rays have opposite issues. It will come down to who stays healthy and makes the right acquisitions. Winner of the division will need at least 95 wins and it will come down to the final few games in October.
Lets start with the Blue Jays, these guys have pop. Donaldson is coming off his MVP season, as Bautista and Encarnacion are playing for new contracts. These guys are who everyone in the AL have to fear at the plate, as I think their three big bats will put together more than one hundred homeruns. Kevin Pillar will be batting leadoff, and he will be a big difference maker as well. He will be that extra RBI for each power bat if not Tulowitzki or Martin. The loss of Price looked tough for Toronto, but I think Stroman will fill in well as the teams ace. I just don't know how well the rest of the rotation can hold up. J.A. Happ should put together some wins, but I honestly don't have much faith in Dickey and Estrada. If the Jays want to lock up the division, they will need to add another arm to the rotation at some point in the season. The Blue Jays could also look for another left handed bat to add to the lineup, as they do have a lot of righties. Perhaps another power bat such as lefty Joey Votto could make a great addition. I expect Toronto to battle it out until the end and either take the division or the first wildcard seat.
Boston made the big signing bringing David Price over to lead their rotation after their terrible pitching
performance last season. The Red Sox have taken last place two years in a row now, as they need healthy and productive seasons out of David Ortiz, Dustin Pedroia, and most importantly Clay Buchholz. They are in the same shoes as Toronto and will need to make a deal to add to their rotation in order to come away with the division. Word right now is, they may deal away one of the worst signings in the last ten years and make Pablo Sandoval San Diego's problem while getting James Shields in return. They have Travis Shaw to play third if they let go of Pablo and could use Shields who is not making much of a difference with the Padres. Hanley Ramirez has his new position and Boston hopes he makes a big difference offensively. With the addition of Shields or another pitcher, I expect the Sox to put on a good show and be in division talk all season.
The Yankees made some deals this offseason that didn't get to much attention but will be big difference makers for their offense. Alex Rodriguez has announced his retirement after this season, as the Yankees need to get names like him, Teixeira, and Sabathia off their payroll. The pick ups of Didi Gregorius and Starlin Castro will need to pay off, as their bats along with Ackley and Hicks will need to be productive as the older guys in the lineup such as Beltran and AROD averaged missing 35 games last year. The Yankees have Tanaka at the top of the rotation, but after that I am not sure if they can rely to much on Pineda and Severino in their hitter friendly ball park. Like their rivals, I expect the Yankees to acquire another starter at some point during the season. The Yankees should be able to stay in the picture and make a good reach for the playoffs, but health will be their main issue this season both on the mound and at the plate. The main strength of the Yankees will be the bullpen, though they will be missing Chapman due to his suspension. I expect the Yankees to come up a bit short the division, but battle for a wildcard seat.
The Tampa Bay Rays will be very interesting this season. Like usual they have some great pitching, as I expect Chris Archer to fight for the CY Young this year. With Odorizzi, Moore, and Smyly behind him they have the best rotation in the division but are slacking big time in the bullpen and when it comes to the bat. Sure they have Evan Longoria, but he can't stay off the DL and his numbers have not been impressive over the last few seasons. The Rays need some miracles with the bat from guys such as Steve Pearce and Corey Dickerson. That or need to pick up some bats over trade, which the Rays are not really known for doing during the regular season. The Rays pitching will keep them alive until late in the year, but a few to many blown saves and lack of offense will knock them out of division title talk come September.
The Orioles have one heck of a lineup after their pickups of Trumbo and Alvarez. They already had Davis on his new deal, Adam Jones, healthy Wieters, and MVP potential Manny Machado. These guys are going to hit a lot of homers this year, the only question is if they will hit enough. They scored almost half their runs last season through long balls and will probably have a higher percentage this year adding power but not consistency to the lineup. The real problem for the Orioles though is their rotation. They are starting off with Chris Tillman who never lived up to his potential and follow him with washed up starters such as Gallardo and Jimenez. I don't think one of these guys will have an ERA under four, especially playing against their division. Look for Baltimores bats to be amazing one game and then get shut out the next, as this team is relying completely on power. If they can destroy aces like Price, Tanaka, and Archer then they can make a push for the playoffs, but I think injuries and a bunch of strikeouts will slow them to much. Expect a great year from Machado, with an average near .300 and 25 plus homers, but he wont be able to carry the team.
Boston made the big signing bringing David Price over to lead their rotation after their terrible pitching
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The Tampa Bay Rays will be very interesting this season. Like usual they have some great pitching, as I expect Chris Archer to fight for the CY Young this year. With Odorizzi, Moore, and Smyly behind him they have the best rotation in the division but are slacking big time in the bullpen and when it comes to the bat. Sure they have Evan Longoria, but he can't stay off the DL and his numbers have not been impressive over the last few seasons. The Rays need some miracles with the bat from guys such as Steve Pearce and Corey Dickerson. That or need to pick up some bats over trade, which the Rays are not really known for doing during the regular season. The Rays pitching will keep them alive until late in the year, but a few to many blown saves and lack of offense will knock them out of division title talk come September.
AL East Records:
1. Blue Jays 96-66
2. Red Sox 94-68
3. Yankees 83-79
4. Rays 81-81
5. Orioles 70-92
MLB Predictions: NL East
Time is ticking, as coaches, players, and especially fans count down the final week of spring training. It has come time to put in my picks for the 2016 season and we are going to start with the NL East
division. The New York Mets made a trip to World Series last season thanks to their amazing pitching and clutch hitting from a couple guys named Cespedes and Murphy. Daniel Murphy may have taken off to a division rival, but they were able to bring back Cepedes on his big contract and acquire new names such as Neil Walker. The big difference maker on this team will be the guys on the mound, as they are only getting better. Their is a small worry about them being a bit fatigued after the long postseason, but I think Jacob deGrom, Matt Harvey, Steven Matz, and Nolan Syndagard are only going to be more impressive this season. The Mets have one of the best pitching rotations and their record will show for it. The Mets will take the NL East after solid battle from their opponents down at the Nations capital.
Bryce Harper, that is the story in DC as the Nationals look to regroup after a disappointing 2015. Harper looks ready to put together another amazing season and possibly another MVP award. With Dusty Baker now at the helm, the Nationals now look to hunt down the Mets with their good pop and strong rotation. When you got Scherzer at the front followed by two very underrated guys, Strasberg and Gonzalez, you have a rotation that will put a good fight no matter the ball park. I also expect a strong year from Anthony Rendon as long as he can stay healthy. The only things that worry me when it comes to the Nats, is Jayson Werth and Ryan Zimmermann. They have looked good in spring training, but they both can't stay off the DL and their numbers have not been very impressive recently. Look for the Nationals to put up a good fight, but I say Wildcard is best they can do.
The Miami Marlins look to be a dangerous team. They have a new coaching staff this season, with Don
Mattingly filling in as the new manager and Barry Bonds reappearing in the league as the new hitting coach. With bats like Stanton and Yelich I see as a powerful offense, but not one that gets on base consistently. Jose Fernandez is an amazing arm to take the ace role, but then there is not much after that. Mattingly will be a good fit with Miami, as I think the Marlins will be a team that starts hot and hangs around until September, but due to things such as injuries they will fall out of the playoff picture late in the season. Also incase you didn't hear, Barry Bonds was able to beat the entire team in a homerun competition which does not put much faith in their bats.
The Philadelphia Phillies have not been impressing anyone for the last few years and I don't think that
will change this year. Now don't get me wrong, I think with their young bats and arms, such as Franco and Hellickson they are a team on the rise and will be contending not to far into the future. But they still don't have the weapons to make a big enough difference to take on the amazing rotations within their divisions. They have Crawford for a great glove in the infield, but he just doesn't seem ready offensively. Their bullpen is rather good and they should get good innings out of guys like Charlie Morton, but with Ryan Howard still slowing them down the Phillies will be in a fight with Atlanta to avoid last place in the East.
The Atlanta Braves dished away all their big name players in a big yard sale, and with Freeman still on the roster it may still be in process. The Braves did add a few noticeable names with Aybar and Inciarte coming in deals sending away much more valuable names like Shelby Miller and Anderlton Simmons, but they will have some of the worst offense in the NL even with that possible MVP bat Freeman in the lineup. I still don't really understand why the Braves had to sell out, as all their bats and arms were under the age of 35 and had great potential, with Heyward and Gattis also on the list. The Braves will be fighting with Rockies, Phillies, and possibly Brewers for worst record in the NL as they are headed for a disappointing year. If I was Freeman or Markakis I would hoping to be dealt to a contender.
Bryce Harper, that is the story in DC as the Nationals look to regroup after a disappointing 2015. Harper looks ready to put together another amazing season and possibly another MVP award. With Dusty Baker now at the helm, the Nationals now look to hunt down the Mets with their good pop and strong rotation. When you got Scherzer at the front followed by two very underrated guys, Strasberg and Gonzalez, you have a rotation that will put a good fight no matter the ball park. I also expect a strong year from Anthony Rendon as long as he can stay healthy. The only things that worry me when it comes to the Nats, is Jayson Werth and Ryan Zimmermann. They have looked good in spring training, but they both can't stay off the DL and their numbers have not been very impressive recently. Look for the Nationals to put up a good fight, but I say Wildcard is best they can do.The Miami Marlins look to be a dangerous team. They have a new coaching staff this season, with Don
The Philadelphia Phillies have not been impressing anyone for the last few years and I don't think that
NL East Records:
1. Mets 93-69
2. Nationals 87-75
3. Marlins 79-83
4. Phillies 64-98
5. Braves 61-101
Conference Championships Predictions
The battle for the seats in the Super Bowl has arrived. We have three QB's who were the first overall picks in the draft and then there is Brady who went number 199 in his, but of course he has the most rings. This will be a great weekend seeing some rivalries back in action and a comeback QB taking on a youngster. The number one vs two seed in both matches, which will be some intense games. The funny thing in my opinion is how, if Brady continues his normal Manning destruction and goes on to beat one of the NFC teams in the Super Bowl, both of which he has already beaten once, then he gets to go up and share the stand and get his trophy from Goodell. Goodell, the guy who tried to punish Brady and the Patriots over the deflate rumors back before the season. If Brady keeps things going for the Patriots, then he gets the last laugh while Goodell will most likely be in a heavy state of frustration up on that podium.
Patriots @ Broncos
Well here we go again, Brady vs Manning. This will be their 17 meeting, as Brady has taken home 11 of the 16 so far including previous AFC Championship games. However Brady does not have a great history in Denver, but after the Broncos performance, barley overcoming the heavily injured Steelers, I do not have much faith in Denver. The Patriots have a lot of their weapons back and we have not seen anyone be able to stop Gronk. The spread favors the Patriots by three and I think it will be a defensive game with New England having control from from the start of the second half on. Patriots 23-17.
Cardinals @ Panthers
Carson Palmer has looked really good coming off his ACL injury last season. I honestly saw him as the comeback player of the year, but in reality you can't take that from Berry. However Palmer was not very impressive against the Packers who's defense doesn't compare to that of Carolina's. I have been hearing a good amount of doubt towards the Panthers however, but I see this as a game that will be decided by the QB. Both have strong defense, but Palmer coming off his first playoff win, is an in the pocket guy, while Newton can run. I think the pressure the Panthers will put on Palmer is what is going to prevent him from always being able to find Fitzgerald down the field, while Newton is more capable of escaping and finding his targets and or running for the first himself. The spread favors Carolina by three and I am going to say Panthers 31-27.
Last Week: 2-2
Record:164-100
NFL Divisional Round Playoff Expectations
For the first time in history in the Wildcard Round, all the road teams came out on top taking all four games. It was a fun and entertaining round with some crazy aspects to it, from the Walsh miss to the big penalties that sunk the Bengals. Well some big injuries will have an impact on this round this weekend.
Chiefs @ Patriots
The Chiefs are on fire, finishing the season with all those consecutive wins, then destroying the Texans in Houston in the first round by 30 points. But they had a couple dinged up people including the key clutch target Maclin. Still unknown if he will play or not, but Kelce will be the big piece for Smith to look for if Maclin is out. Brady is a QB that knows what to do in the playoffs and a very tough to beat no matter how many pieces the Patriots are currently missing. Gronk looks to be active and it will take a big game from the Chiefs defense in order to take Brady down. The Chiefs have not won in New England since 1990, but I am looking to see that come to an end. The spread favors the Patriots by 4.5 but I am going with the Chiefs, they are to hot while the 2-4 over the last six games Patriots are not. Chiefs 23-21.
Packers @ Cardinals
The Packers were killed when they visited Arizona last month, a solid 38-8 defeat and the worst game since Mike McCarthy took over as head coach. The Packers did look a lot better last week in Washington however, but this will be a much tougher challenge. The Cardinals are coming off a bad game to finish the regular season against Seattle but should still have all the weapons they need to overcome Green Bay. The Packers have been having receiver issues all season and lost one of Rodgers favorite targets, Adams to injury. The Cardinals are favored by seven, but I will give it to them 24-20 Arizona.
Seahawks @ Panthers
Seattle got lucky last week, that missed field goal is the kind of break Pete Carroll seems to always catch. Now the Panthers have beaten Seahawks already this season back early in the season, but it was a last second comeback and that was when the Seahawks were cold. Now Seattle has taken nine of their last eleven and are coming wanting to get to a third straight Super Bowl. The Panthers are favored by 1.5, but expect a good challenge from the Seattle defense. Though I would much rather see the 15-1 Panthers continue on, I think Seattle, with Lynch back will keep things up and pull off the upset. Seahawks 27-24.
Steelers @ Broncos
The Steelers lost two keys pieces to their offense last week in their win over the division rival Bengals. With both Brown and Williams out it is up to the injured Big Ben to make the difference with some assistance from Bryant and Miller. Against a defense like Denver however, they are going to have a real hard time. I don't have to much faith in Peyton Manning, but I do believe the Broncos defense will come up with the turnovers and plays that will slow the injured Steelers offense down enough. The spread is seven points but I don't think this will be much of a competition. Roethlisberger is known for being clutch especially in the playoffs, but with his injury there will not be much he can do. Broncos 31-17.
Last Week: 3-1
Record: 162-98
The Chiefs are on fire, finishing the season with all those consecutive wins, then destroying the Texans in Houston in the first round by 30 points. But they had a couple dinged up people including the key clutch target Maclin. Still unknown if he will play or not, but Kelce will be the big piece for Smith to look for if Maclin is out. Brady is a QB that knows what to do in the playoffs and a very tough to beat no matter how many pieces the Patriots are currently missing. Gronk looks to be active and it will take a big game from the Chiefs defense in order to take Brady down. The Chiefs have not won in New England since 1990, but I am looking to see that come to an end. The spread favors the Patriots by 4.5 but I am going with the Chiefs, they are to hot while the 2-4 over the last six games Patriots are not. Chiefs 23-21.
The Packers were killed when they visited Arizona last month, a solid 38-8 defeat and the worst game since Mike McCarthy took over as head coach. The Packers did look a lot better last week in Washington however, but this will be a much tougher challenge. The Cardinals are coming off a bad game to finish the regular season against Seattle but should still have all the weapons they need to overcome Green Bay. The Packers have been having receiver issues all season and lost one of Rodgers favorite targets, Adams to injury. The Cardinals are favored by seven, but I will give it to them 24-20 Arizona.
Seattle got lucky last week, that missed field goal is the kind of break Pete Carroll seems to always catch. Now the Panthers have beaten Seahawks already this season back early in the season, but it was a last second comeback and that was when the Seahawks were cold. Now Seattle has taken nine of their last eleven and are coming wanting to get to a third straight Super Bowl. The Panthers are favored by 1.5, but expect a good challenge from the Seattle defense. Though I would much rather see the 15-1 Panthers continue on, I think Seattle, with Lynch back will keep things up and pull off the upset. Seahawks 27-24.
The Steelers lost two keys pieces to their offense last week in their win over the division rival Bengals. With both Brown and Williams out it is up to the injured Big Ben to make the difference with some assistance from Bryant and Miller. Against a defense like Denver however, they are going to have a real hard time. I don't have to much faith in Peyton Manning, but I do believe the Broncos defense will come up with the turnovers and plays that will slow the injured Steelers offense down enough. The spread is seven points but I don't think this will be much of a competition. Roethlisberger is known for being clutch especially in the playoffs, but with his injury there will not be much he can do. Broncos 31-17.
Last Week: 3-1
Record: 162-98
Wild Card Round NFL Playoffs Predictions
The Playoffs are finally here as Super Bowl 50 approaches in the Bay Area. Unfortunately for San Francisco they had quiet the off season, but are already busy firing their coach for that. Looking back 50 years to the first Super Bowl, the Green Bay Packers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs which could be a possible matchup this season, however very very unlikely. I can see the Chiefs reaching the bog game, but the Packers offense can't overcome their opponents in the NFC. Looking at the history of the two teams in the playoffs, you would trust Green Bay a lot more than Kansas City but its all about here and now, not back then.
Chiefs (11-5) @ Texans (9-7)
First off the Chiefs head in to Houston taking on Hoyer and the Texans. These two teams met to start the season, as the Chiefs won 27-20 and then tanked for the next five games. Houston started rather slow as well but have taken seven of the last nine games. That however is nothing compared to the Chiefs taking the final 10 games of the season. Both teams appear to be hot, but I don't think the Texans have much of a chance against that Chiefs defense and Alex Smith leading the offense. The spread is three favoring the Chiefs, but with Peters in the secondary and Maclin running routes for Smith, prepare to see a Kansas City 24-15 win.
Steelers (10-6) @ Bengals (12-4)
Saturday night concludes with a good AFC North matchup between two high scoring teams. The Bengals want to get out of their drought. They have not won a playoff game in 25 years, which is something their fan base must be getting sick of. The Steelers have dominated the rivalry of these two teams however, including a victory in Cincinnati just a little over a month ago. The Bengals started hot with their 8-0 record, but have gone 4-4 since with Dalton's injury being in the mix. They are relying on McCarron to carry them to their first win they are starving for. The spread favors the Steelers by 2.5 points, but I think Roethlisberger will have a good time finding Brown and Miller for good yardage and a few TDs. DeAngelo Williams health is a big factor, but I am going Steelers 31-23.
Seahawks (10-6) @ Vikings (11-5)
Now the Seahawks may have started things slowly dripping games to their division rivals, but they have taken eight of the last 10 including a destruction of Minnesota in early December. The Seahawks look to be getting Lynch back as their offense will be to much for the Vikings to cover. Bridgewater and Peterson have been very impressive this season, but the Seahawks defense has come back to life and will expose their weaknesses and force mistakes. The Seahawks are favored by five points, I think the reigning NFC Champions will take it 34-20 Seattle.
Packers (10-6) @ Redskins (8-8)
The Green Bay Packer may have started hot with their 6-0 record, but they have been cold since only winning four of their last ten games. The Packers offense has just been terrible, as their receivers can't get open and Rodgers is left with the options to run, throw it away, or just take the hit. The small passing plays and lack of running game is what will keep the Packers from going anywhere this year. Washington has been hot recently, but you look at who they are playing and you agree it wasn't much of a challenge. They have only played two teams that made the playoffs and got smoked by both of them and have not beaten one team that with a positive record all year. But I think Cousins is hot enough to bring one hope for the Country's Capital. Packers are favored by one, but I am going 23-21 Redskins.
Last Week: 10-6
RECORD: 159-97 (.621)
First off the Chiefs head in to Houston taking on Hoyer and the Texans. These two teams met to start the season, as the Chiefs won 27-20 and then tanked for the next five games. Houston started rather slow as well but have taken seven of the last nine games. That however is nothing compared to the Chiefs taking the final 10 games of the season. Both teams appear to be hot, but I don't think the Texans have much of a chance against that Chiefs defense and Alex Smith leading the offense. The spread is three favoring the Chiefs, but with Peters in the secondary and Maclin running routes for Smith, prepare to see a Kansas City 24-15 win.
Saturday night concludes with a good AFC North matchup between two high scoring teams. The Bengals want to get out of their drought. They have not won a playoff game in 25 years, which is something their fan base must be getting sick of. The Steelers have dominated the rivalry of these two teams however, including a victory in Cincinnati just a little over a month ago. The Bengals started hot with their 8-0 record, but have gone 4-4 since with Dalton's injury being in the mix. They are relying on McCarron to carry them to their first win they are starving for. The spread favors the Steelers by 2.5 points, but I think Roethlisberger will have a good time finding Brown and Miller for good yardage and a few TDs. DeAngelo Williams health is a big factor, but I am going Steelers 31-23.
Now the Seahawks may have started things slowly dripping games to their division rivals, but they have taken eight of the last 10 including a destruction of Minnesota in early December. The Seahawks look to be getting Lynch back as their offense will be to much for the Vikings to cover. Bridgewater and Peterson have been very impressive this season, but the Seahawks defense has come back to life and will expose their weaknesses and force mistakes. The Seahawks are favored by five points, I think the reigning NFC Champions will take it 34-20 Seattle.
The Green Bay Packer may have started hot with their 6-0 record, but they have been cold since only winning four of their last ten games. The Packers offense has just been terrible, as their receivers can't get open and Rodgers is left with the options to run, throw it away, or just take the hit. The small passing plays and lack of running game is what will keep the Packers from going anywhere this year. Washington has been hot recently, but you look at who they are playing and you agree it wasn't much of a challenge. They have only played two teams that made the playoffs and got smoked by both of them and have not beaten one team that with a positive record all year. But I think Cousins is hot enough to bring one hope for the Country's Capital. Packers are favored by one, but I am going 23-21 Redskins.
Last Week: 10-6
RECORD: 159-97 (.621)
Week 17 Predictions
Heading into the final week of the regular season there is still a good amount to decide when it comes to placement in the playoffs. Some teams can clinch byes or divisions, while others are looking to steal the division or a wildcard seat. It will be a fun week, as upsets will really make it an interesting story for playoff placement.
Well this is a big one. This is the battle for the NFC North title, as the Packers beat the Vikings earlier in the year. But the Packers have not beaten a division rival at home yet this season. Will they be able to end that streak? Going off last weeks defeat in Arizona, the Packers are not looking to sharp. The spread favors Green Bay by three, but I am liking Peterson and Bridgewater's chances. But a loss could mean an easier time in the playoffs visiting the Redskins. Vikings 31-27.
Jets (10-5) @ Bills (7-8)
You can bet Rex Ryan is looking forward to this Sunday and an opportunity to possibly knock his old team out of the playoff race. But the Bills have not impressed me recently. They are coming off a win, but that was against the Cowboys so you can't really get all that excited. The Jets have been a lot more clutch this year and with their defense they should be to handle a bit of a dinged up Bills team. Jets are favored by three so I am going to say New York 23-12.
Patriots (12-3) @ Dolphins (5-10)
The Patriots are coming off their loss due to the bizarre OT coin toss. Well they want to turn things around before the have their bye and they are playing a team that just wants the season to end. The Patriots are favored by nine, which may be a bit much as you can bet backups will come in once New England has a good lead. Patriots 24-16.
Buccaneers (6-9) @ Panthers (14-1)
The Panthers saw their perfect season come to an end last week, but that could be a positive thing as the stress is no longer there distracting them. The Panthers look to lock up the number one seed in the NFC but I am sure the Bucs would love to knock them down to the number two spot instead to finish off their season. Bucs have lost three straight which is why the spread is a solid 10.5 points, but I will predict a 27-20 Carolina win.
The Falcons are coming off a win to be proud of, but now they take on another division rival. Both these teams have been hard to predict this year, as they go from being hot to cold so quickly. If the Falcons are able to find Julio Jones for some great plays like last week, expect them to have fun against that Saints defense. But I am sure Drew Brees will make the Atlanta defense look poor as well. Spread is four favoring Atlanta, I am calling a 32-30 Falcons win.
Ravens (5-10) @ Bengals (11-4)
The Ravens impressed many with their upset win over Pittsburgh last week, but now they will be facing a team with much better defense though it will most likely be a lot of backups. The Bengals will stay hot going into the playoffs as they hope to get Dalton back and lock up a bye week. The spread is 7.5 favoring Cincinnati, I am going Bengals 28-17.
Steelers (9-6) @ Browns (3-12)
The Steelers tripped pretty badly last week handing their playoff pass to Jets in their loss to Baltimore. Now the Steelers need to take home the win in Cleveland and they need Buffalo to do them a big favor if they want to get back in the mix and reach the postseason. I am sure Roethlisberger will have plenty of space and time to find Brown, Byrant, etc for some TDs, while Cleveland looks to be playing without Manziel this week who had a concussion. The spread is 10 points and with Johnny Football out, I will take the Steelers 38-21.
Houston is just a win away from taking home the AFC South this season. A win over the Jaguars will put them in the playoffs or a Colts loss. Houston is starting Hoyer at the QB position as he is healthy again, though Weeden looked pretty good in week 16. The Jaguars have been really impressive offensively, so this wont be a blow out. The spread favors the Texans by 6.5, and I don't think Jacksonville will be able to put up 51 points against the Houston defense. Texans 24-17.
Titans (3-12) @ Colts (7-8)
The Colts need a lot of things to happen to get in the playoffs. But most important is taking home the win over the Titans. The Colts need to use another back up QB this week as Stephen Morris is getting the call. Don't expect to many points to be scored int his one, the spread is six favoring Indy so I am going to go Colts 17-10.
Raiders (7-8) @ Chiefs (10-5)
The Chiefs have been unstoppable as they look to possibly take the division after their terrible 1-5 start. If the Broncos lose then the Chiefs could take the AFC West if they can overcome the Raiders. Well I don't think they will let the Raiders ruin any of their plans. It is always the hot teams that do well in the playoffs, I expect a lot from Kansas City in a couple weeks. The spread is 6.5 favoring KC, I am calling it 31-23 Chiefs.
Redskins (8-7) @ Cowboys (4-11)
The Redskins have already locked up the NFC East and can't gain anything but momentum going into the playoffs. The Cowboys don't have anything to lose either and may want to make sure they get the best draft pick possible. I am guessing Washington will be using mostly backups which is why Dallas is favored by three, but I am going with 18-15 Washington.
Well both these teams are really disappointed in their seasons, as Philly has already gone ahead and fire Chip Kelly. It seems Coughlin will get tossed as well. This weeks game depends on who is really less of a disaster team right now. Beckham is back and the Giants are favored by three, so I am taking New York 24-20.
Lions (6-9) @ Bears (6-9)
NFC North showdown in Chicago where believe it or not, the Bears have been terrible this season. The Lions have heated up, but they were about two-three weeks to late to make any difference in the season hopes for the playoffs. Look for Detroit to expose the Bears weaknesses on defense and runaway with this one. Bears are favored by one, but I see it going Lions 27-13.
Chargers (4-11) @ Broncos (11-4)
The Broncos are looking to lock up the division coming off their big win against the Bengals. The last time these two met up in San Diego, Denver took it 17-3, but the Chargers have been showing better offense recently. If the Broncos defense can keep things together they shouldn't have an issue picking up the clutch win. The spread is 8.5 which may be tough to cover, but I am going Broncos 28-12.
The Seahawks are going to be a wildcard team, no matter what happens. So you can expect them to possibly rest some players. The Cardinals on the other hand can still grab the number one seat in the NFC if the Bucs come through for them. The spread is 6.5 favoring Arizona and after their blowout win over Green Bay it seems that shouldn't be much of a challenge. Cardinals 26-14.
Rams (7-8) @ 49ers (4-11)
The Rams defense has impressed me lately but they may be without Gurley this week. The 9ers really don't have any positive to look at coming out of this season besides maybe Gabbert and his performance at the QB position. The Rams are favored by 3.5 points, but without their RB don't expect much offense in this game. Rams 13-9.
Record: 149-91 (.621)
Week 16 NFL Predictions
Chargers (4-10) @ Raiders (6-8)
Thursday night’s game should be a fun interesting one, though both team are out of contention there may be a twist or turn to make things exciting. Last I heard it is possible Charles Woodson may get a few plays out there as a receiver, which he has not done since 2000. Got it make it fun since he is playing in his last couple games. The spread is 5.5 favoring Oakland, after the Chargers great week against Miami you would have faith in them, but I am still going Oakland 28-20.
Redskins (7-7) @ Eagles (6-8)
Big division match Saturday night as the Redskins look to defend their lead in the NFC East and take home the division title with a win. Eagles want to stay in the fight and though the Redskins have been a rather bad road team, they are just to hot right now. The spread is favoring the Eagles by three, but I am saying Redskins 27-24.
Patriots (12-2) @ Jets (9-5)
This game will be a fun one. The Patriots can’t stop losing people but Brady keeps winning anyway. Amendola appears to be out, but they added Steven Jackson to possibly solve their missing running game issue. The Jets defense has been strong, but will they be able to contain Gronk and Brady? The spread is only three favoring New England and I think they will do better. Patriots 27-22.
Texans (7-7) @ Titans (3-11)
Houston can clinch their playoff spot with a victory, while the Titans are now missing Mariota. Mettenberger did look rather good however though the Titans continued their woes. The Titans are actually favored by 4.5 points, but I got to go with the Texans and a 24-23 win.
Browns (3-11) @ Chiefs (9-5)
Sorry Manziel but the Chiefs are way to hot right now to overcome. The Browns have done well to get their fans excited with short bursts of success, followed by a lot of failure. While the Chiefs have gotten everyone in KC stoked with their big win streak as they try to take the AFC West from the Broncos. The spread is 12.5 but I say Chiefs 34-17.
Colts (6-8) @ Dolphins (5-9)
Both these teams have been disappointments this season and have been slumping a lot recently. Dolphins have dropped four of five while Colts have lost six of nine. There is no spread in this one but the Colts know they need to go undefeated, which is why I am going take Indy 23-21.
Jaguars (5-9) @ Saints (5-9)
The big story of this game is Drew Brees and if he can play. Brees was playing with foot pain last week and they found an issue by his heel. Though the Jags are 1-5 on the road, I think Bortles will have fun hitting Robinson for big yards and a lot of TDs. Spread favors the Saints by 4.5, but I am taking Jacksonville 31-24.
49ers (4-10) @ Lions (5-9)
Ok the 9ers are just sad. They can’t stop any form of offense and let their QB get hit consistently. Poor Gabbert is showing good stuff this season, but is not getting protected. The Lions have heated up taking four of six and shouldn’t have an issue putting a good amount of points on the board this week. Look for Stafford to Tate for a good amount of yards, if you’re made to the playoff in fantasy. Spread favors the Lions by nine so I am going Lions 30-18.
Cowboys (4-10) @ Bills (6-8)
Both these teams came into the year thinking playoffs and Super Bowl, the Cowboys thought they could go all the way while Rex was saying he will catch the Patriots. Now both are thinking about where they will be in the draft. The Cowboys are going with their young rookie QB this week, as he looks to make a name for himself if Romo breaks more bones next year. The spread favors the Bills by six, but I think the Cowboys will make it closer than that. Bills 23-21.
Bears (5-9) @ Buccaneers (6-8)
This is a tough one to call, as Lovie Smith gets a shot at his old team. Both teams have not played well as of recent but I like Winston more than Cutler so I will agree with the three point spread favoring Tampa Bay. Bucs 24-20.
Panthers (14-0) @ Falcons (7-7)
The Panthers remain undefeated and Cam Newton each week lets us know why. They now head into the Falcons who took a huge dive halfway through the year. Though I am sure the Falcons would like to keep a perfect season from their division rival, they don’t have a chance of slowing down that offense and putting a lot of points up against that defense. Panthers are favored by seven, but they will win by plenty more than that. Panthers 38-20.
Giants (6-8) @ Vikings (9-5)
The big story in this one is Beckham’s suspension after his brawls with Norman last week. Without their main receiver with Manning be able to keep with the Vikings? The spread favors the Vikings by 6.5 points, but the Giants always seem to at least make the games close. As long as the Giants don’t continue to miss tackles against AP they should be able to make it an intense matchup. Vikings 26-24.
Packers (10-4) @ Cardinals (12-2)
The Cardinals are looking to beat the only team who may take that first round bye away from them. Green Bay is going to be in need of some luck in order to get that week off, as they need Seattle to come through for them next week as well. But in reality the Packers can dream on, as David Johnson has been way too much of a beast to slow down. Palmer did have a finger issue last week, but Johnson carried that offense to their win. Cardinals are favored by 4.5 and since Rodgers has had a hard time trusting his receivers this year I got to agree. Cardinals 35-27.
Rams (6-8) @ Seahawks (9-5)
Now the Rams may have taken the first matchup between these two, but that was when the Seahawks were slumping. Now they are red hot taking seven of eight and have become contenders yet again. I expect a Seahawk and Panther NFC Championship. The spread favors the Seahawks by 13.5, which is a lot. I see a closer match, Seahawks 31-24.
Steelers (9-5) @ Ravens (4-10)
The Steelers showed us they are never out of it last week in their win over Denver. Look for Big Ben to have fun hitting his targets for big yards all game against a demolished Ravens roster. Spread is 10.5 in favor of Pittsburgh, so I am going to go Steelers 38-12.
Bengals (11-3) @ Broncos (10-4)
The Broncos come in with a two game losing streak, as QB question arise. But the Bengals are missing theirs as well, though McCormic showed us last week that he isn’t really a liability. The spread favors the Broncos by 3.5, but I like the Bengals in this one. Bengals 29-27.
Record: 140-84 (.625)
Week 15 NFL Predictions
Buccaneers (6-7) @ Rams (5-8)
Thursday night kicks off with two teams kissing the playoffs goodbye. The Bucs have some small hope if they can win out and see their opponents drop the rest of their games. In reality this is a Gurley vs Winston type game, which ever player can carry their team more will bring home the win. I see Winston heating up again, the game may be favored for a Rams win by one point, but I see a Bucs 23-20 win.
Jets (8-5) @ Cowboys (4-9)
There is no reason to believe in the Cowboys anymore, especially against a team looking to lock up a wildcard spot. The spread in this one favors the Jets by a three, but after the Packers took down the Cowboys by three touchdowns, I think the Jets will be able to do better than that spread. Jets 24-14.
Bears (5-8) @ Vikings (8-5)
Now the Bears are a much better team on the road than they are at home, but they are heading into Minnesota to take on a Viking team in desperate need of a win in order to keep up with the Packers. If you are going to rely on a clutch performance, I got to go with Bridgewater and Peterson. Spread favors the Vikings by 5.5 points, which does sound like a bit much. But I see a Minnesota 27-21 win.
Falcons (6-7) @ Jaguars (5-8)
These two teams are coming off very different weeks. The Falcons got shut out in their 38-0 defeat to the undefeated Panthers, while the Jaguars put up 51 points against the division leading Colts to keep their playoff hopes alive, thin but alive. The spread favors the Jaguars by three, as it will be a competition between Bortles and Ryan on who can hit their big wide receivers the most. Jaguars 28-20.
Texans (6-7) @ Colts (6-7)
This is a big matchup as one of these two will finally take the lead in the AFC South. Hoyer is inactive for Houston, but of course Luck may not return at all this year. After getting dominated last week, I expect a bit of a better performance from the Colts defense which will turn out to be the difference. There is no spread, but Houston is 0-13 when visiting Indy so we will see a Colts 22-21 win.
Cardinals (11-2) @ Eagles (6-7)
The Eagles have been looking better over the last couple weeks, as they try to stay in the fight for the NFC East. The Cardinals on the other hand are looking to lock up their division, as a win or Seahawks loss will give that to them. They can't count on Cleveland in Seattle, so look for this to be a tough battle as both have a lot to fight for. Cardinals are favored by 3.5 and take it 31-24 Arizona.
Panthers (13-0) @ Giants (6-7)
Lets take a look at these two, the Giants are known for blowing leads in close match ups while the Panthers are known for destroying their opponent. The spread favors the Panthers by five, but though the Giants are still fighting for a playoff spot this one wont be close. Newton will lead the Panthers to a blowout with how poorly those Giants defenseman play. 42-17 Panthers.
Titans (3-10) @ Patriots (11-2)
The Titans will do good, well next year. They have been improving but will still do nothing against New England up in Foxborough. Brady may keep losing offensive weapons, but admit it he can turn anyone into a weapon. The Patriots will live up to the 14 point spread and take this one with ease. Patriots 38-16.
Bills (6-7) @ Redskins (6-7)
Both these teams are in tight spots looking to get in to the playoffs. The Redskins are better off looking at their division rivals facing division leading opponents, while the Bills need to win to catch up still. Though I have been impressed with Washington recently, I got to go with the Bills in this one since the Washington will be watching the Giants and Eagles get slaughtered up on the scoreboard and will be feeling more relaxed. Bills 24-23.
Chiefs (8-5) @ Ravens (4-9)
The Chiefs have been the hottest team in the NFL, as they fight for a wildcard spot in the AFC. While the Ravens could not stop having issues with IR being a common listing on their roster. The Chiefs are favored by 7.5, but I don't think that will be much of an issue. Chiefs 30-17.
Browns (3-10) @ Seahawks (8-5)
Mr. Manziel is out there for Cleveland, as he showed us his game last week picking up the victory. But now he goes to meet the 12th Man in one of the hardest places to get a win. Wilson and the Seahawks have been one of the hottest teams in football after their very slow start. The spread is 14.5, but I think that defense against the rookie QB can make that happen. Seahawks 34-17.
Broncos (10-3) @ Steelers (8-5)
The Broncos took a hard loss to the Raiders last week and are now heading into a tough place near the end of the season, as the Steelers have been hot and need to stay that way to make the playoffs. Big Ben wants to show his veteran abilities against the young Osweilier and bring home a big Steelers win. The Steelers are favored by six which may be to much. But I am calling a Steelers 27-20 win.
Dolphins (5-8) @ Chargers (3-10)
These two teams have really nothing to look forward to besides the draft. It has just been a tough season for both of them, as players will just be trying to show their worth. The Chargers are favored by 1.5 points, but I am going to take the Dolphins 21-17.
Bengals (10-3) @ 49ers (4-9)
Dalton is out, possibly through the playoffs. McCarron is stepping in to try and find Green to put up the same types of points for the Bengals. The 9ers really don't have much going for them besides maybe hope for a future QB in Gabbert. Overall I see the Bengals defense shutting down the 49ers and making the difference in this one. Turnovers will give the Bengals the 24-14 win they need to cover the 4.5 point spread.
Packers (9-4) @ Raiders (6-7)
Raiders are in need of a win to stay in the playoff hunt, but Rodgers and the Packers can afford to lose any games if they want tobe able to take the division from the Vikings on their week 17 matchup. The Packers are favored by three points and it could turn out to a Mason Crosby field goal that brings it home for them. But with the Packers rookie Randall in the secondary, look for Carr to turn it over a couple times to give the Packers the 31-24 win.
Lions (4-9) @ Saints (5-8)
In all honesty this one is a toss up. Both teams don't have much to play for. It is really just a battle between Stafford and Brees on who can throw more TD passes as neither team has much defense to be proud of. I have more faith in Drew Brees, so I will take him this week. Saints favored by three, so I will go Saints 35-31.
Record 130-78 (62.5%)
Thursday night kicks off with two teams kissing the playoffs goodbye. The Bucs have some small hope if they can win out and see their opponents drop the rest of their games. In reality this is a Gurley vs Winston type game, which ever player can carry their team more will bring home the win. I see Winston heating up again, the game may be favored for a Rams win by one point, but I see a Bucs 23-20 win.
Jets (8-5) @ Cowboys (4-9)
There is no reason to believe in the Cowboys anymore, especially against a team looking to lock up a wildcard spot. The spread in this one favors the Jets by a three, but after the Packers took down the Cowboys by three touchdowns, I think the Jets will be able to do better than that spread. Jets 24-14.
Bears (5-8) @ Vikings (8-5)Now the Bears are a much better team on the road than they are at home, but they are heading into Minnesota to take on a Viking team in desperate need of a win in order to keep up with the Packers. If you are going to rely on a clutch performance, I got to go with Bridgewater and Peterson. Spread favors the Vikings by 5.5 points, which does sound like a bit much. But I see a Minnesota 27-21 win.
Falcons (6-7) @ Jaguars (5-8)
These two teams are coming off very different weeks. The Falcons got shut out in their 38-0 defeat to the undefeated Panthers, while the Jaguars put up 51 points against the division leading Colts to keep their playoff hopes alive, thin but alive. The spread favors the Jaguars by three, as it will be a competition between Bortles and Ryan on who can hit their big wide receivers the most. Jaguars 28-20.
Texans (6-7) @ Colts (6-7)
This is a big matchup as one of these two will finally take the lead in the AFC South. Hoyer is inactive for Houston, but of course Luck may not return at all this year. After getting dominated last week, I expect a bit of a better performance from the Colts defense which will turn out to be the difference. There is no spread, but Houston is 0-13 when visiting Indy so we will see a Colts 22-21 win.
Cardinals (11-2) @ Eagles (6-7)The Eagles have been looking better over the last couple weeks, as they try to stay in the fight for the NFC East. The Cardinals on the other hand are looking to lock up their division, as a win or Seahawks loss will give that to them. They can't count on Cleveland in Seattle, so look for this to be a tough battle as both have a lot to fight for. Cardinals are favored by 3.5 and take it 31-24 Arizona.
Panthers (13-0) @ Giants (6-7)
Lets take a look at these two, the Giants are known for blowing leads in close match ups while the Panthers are known for destroying their opponent. The spread favors the Panthers by five, but though the Giants are still fighting for a playoff spot this one wont be close. Newton will lead the Panthers to a blowout with how poorly those Giants defenseman play. 42-17 Panthers.
Titans (3-10) @ Patriots (11-2)
The Titans will do good, well next year. They have been improving but will still do nothing against New England up in Foxborough. Brady may keep losing offensive weapons, but admit it he can turn anyone into a weapon. The Patriots will live up to the 14 point spread and take this one with ease. Patriots 38-16.
Bills (6-7) @ Redskins (6-7)
Both these teams are in tight spots looking to get in to the playoffs. The Redskins are better off looking at their division rivals facing division leading opponents, while the Bills need to win to catch up still. Though I have been impressed with Washington recently, I got to go with the Bills in this one since the Washington will be watching the Giants and Eagles get slaughtered up on the scoreboard and will be feeling more relaxed. Bills 24-23.
The Chiefs have been the hottest team in the NFL, as they fight for a wildcard spot in the AFC. While the Ravens could not stop having issues with IR being a common listing on their roster. The Chiefs are favored by 7.5, but I don't think that will be much of an issue. Chiefs 30-17.
Browns (3-10) @ Seahawks (8-5)
Mr. Manziel is out there for Cleveland, as he showed us his game last week picking up the victory. But now he goes to meet the 12th Man in one of the hardest places to get a win. Wilson and the Seahawks have been one of the hottest teams in football after their very slow start. The spread is 14.5, but I think that defense against the rookie QB can make that happen. Seahawks 34-17.
The Broncos took a hard loss to the Raiders last week and are now heading into a tough place near the end of the season, as the Steelers have been hot and need to stay that way to make the playoffs. Big Ben wants to show his veteran abilities against the young Osweilier and bring home a big Steelers win. The Steelers are favored by six which may be to much. But I am calling a Steelers 27-20 win.
Dolphins (5-8) @ Chargers (3-10)
These two teams have really nothing to look forward to besides the draft. It has just been a tough season for both of them, as players will just be trying to show their worth. The Chargers are favored by 1.5 points, but I am going to take the Dolphins 21-17.
Bengals (10-3) @ 49ers (4-9)
Dalton is out, possibly through the playoffs. McCarron is stepping in to try and find Green to put up the same types of points for the Bengals. The 9ers really don't have much going for them besides maybe hope for a future QB in Gabbert. Overall I see the Bengals defense shutting down the 49ers and making the difference in this one. Turnovers will give the Bengals the 24-14 win they need to cover the 4.5 point spread.
Packers (9-4) @ Raiders (6-7)Raiders are in need of a win to stay in the playoff hunt, but Rodgers and the Packers can afford to lose any games if they want tobe able to take the division from the Vikings on their week 17 matchup. The Packers are favored by three points and it could turn out to a Mason Crosby field goal that brings it home for them. But with the Packers rookie Randall in the secondary, look for Carr to turn it over a couple times to give the Packers the 31-24 win.
Lions (4-9) @ Saints (5-8)
In all honesty this one is a toss up. Both teams don't have much to play for. It is really just a battle between Stafford and Brees on who can throw more TD passes as neither team has much defense to be proud of. I have more faith in Drew Brees, so I will take him this week. Saints favored by three, so I will go Saints 35-31.
Record 130-78 (62.5%)
Week 14 NFL Predictions
Races are getting intense, as wildcard seats are getting harder to reach and division titles are still up for grabs, well in those rather pathetic divisions that is. Look for some teams to be putting it all in to stay in the picture or be like the Panthers and have a seat locked up and theirs.
Vikings (8-4) @ Cardinals (10-2)
Minnesota sits a top the NFC North tied with Green Bay after their tough loss against Seattle. They have now dropped two of the last three now, as they head down into the desert to take on Arizona. The Cardinals have proven themselves to be a tough team to beat. The Cardinals just smoked the Rams and wont be showing any mercy to the Vikings as they look to make the NFC West theirs. Look for Arizona to focus on covering the wholes to limit Adrian Peterson and cover all of Bridgewaters options. Spread favors the Cardinals by 7.5, which may be a bit much but I see a 27-18 Cardinals win.
Cowboys (4-8) @ Packers (8-4)
The Cowboys are coming of their first win without Romo taking the snaps, as they were able to come out on top after all the back and forth scoring in Washington. You can see they still have good defense and it was a big difference maker in their last win. Green Bay had their miracle victory on the last second bomb from Rodgers to Rodgers. They have got some momentum right now, though their offense doesn't seem to be fully figured out. If Rodgers receivers can get open expect the Packers to put up a big score. But if things continue and Rodgers can't find his targets, the Cowboys will get to him and bring him down for some big sacks. Packers are favored by 7, I see a 24-15 Green Bay victory.
Bills (6-6) @ Eagles (5-7)
Bills are entering their first of three games against the NFC East, so if this is a time for them to make a push the playoffs this would be it. They got a tough battle fighting with the Jets, Steelers and others for one of those two extra seats. The Eagles shocked everyone overcoming the Patriots and giving them their second loss in a row. Can that be good enough momentum to beat the Bills as well? I doubt it. There is no spread on this one, but I am going Bills 28-20.
49ers (4-8) @ Browns (2-10)
The Cleveland Browns currently sit with the number pick in next years draft. So why are putting Manziel back into the starting role? You would think they would want that pick. Well they are putting Manziel in to take on the 9ers who actually haven't looked to bad in recent weeks. Gabbert may be the guy they have been looking for, though he only had 99 passing yards through the first four quarters. The Browns are favored by 1.5 points, but I am going to go with the 49ers here. San Francisco 23-21.
Lions (4-8) @ Rams (4-8)
As the season started the Rams look to be a tough team, taking down both the Seahawks and Cardinals. While the Lions looked pretty bad starting 0-5, but since then Detroit has heated up and the Rams have slumped leading to both of them to have 4-8 records. Right now the Lions are the team to trust, they are coming off a tough OT loss but I have to go with them against a team that can't even decide on a QB right now. Rams are favored by one, but I take Detroit 20-13.
Saints (4-8) @ Buccaneers (6-6)
It is plain and simple, the Saints defense can't seem to stop anyone. We have seen Bress get out scored over and over again, as he does his job but doesn't see much support. The spread in this is 3.5 points favoring the Bucs. Now that is tough to call, as Brees has at least made some of these games close. Can Winston cover that spread? I still think the Bucs will win, but not by enough. Tampa Bay 32-30.
Titans (3-9) @ Jets (7-5)
These two teams come into this game facing much different situations. The Jets are fighting to get a wildcard spot while the Titans are just trying to figure out who they should be planning to draft. The Titans have looked good recently however, but I think the push for the playoffs will be enough to make the Jets beat a team that they shouldn't fall to anyway. The spread is seven favoring New York, which does sound like it might be to much, but I am going to go Jets 24-14.
Steelers (7-5) @ Bengals (10-2)
Here is a big division showdown and the biggest game of the week, as the Bengals look to lock up the division and the Steelers try to stay in a good position for a playoff spot. If the Bengals take this one, the playoffs are theirs, but the Steelers have scored more than 30 in four straight games. Cincinnati took the first matchup between these two, but the Steelers have impressed me with all the great offense thanks to Brown, Bryant, Wheater and all of Big Bens options, not to mention Williams who has been one of the leaders in rushing recently.The spread favors the Bengals by three, but I want to take the Steelers 34-31.
Patriots (10-2) @ Texans (6-6)
The Patriots have dropped two in a row, what has happened? Is Belichick not paying those refs enough. Well I am sure they wont let it continue. Watt is a tough man to beat, but Brady will find a way to come up with a win. Houston is still trying to fight their way into the playoffs, but they will need to continue on week 15 as New England wont let themselves miss a bye in the playoffs. Spread favors New England by three, which sounds rather accurate. Patriots 27-24.
Colts (6-6) @ Jaguars (4-8)
It seemed the Colts had things figured out with Hasselbeck starting at QB, but then they get destroyed. The Jaguars took a tough loss, Robinson got in for three TDs but they still fell short by three against the Titans. The Jaguars are favored by one and with a win, they right back in the mix for the AFC South title. With the Colts being a bit beat up after their huge loss, I am going to take the Jaguars 23-21.
Chargers (3-9) @ Chiefs (7-5)
There is not a hotter team than the Chiefs. They have taken six straight while the Chargers have dropped seven of eight. You would think after the loss of Charles, the Chiefs would be screwed but they have done just great without him. The Chiefs continue their fight for the playoffs which is why they are favored by a solid 10. I give it the Chiefs 34-20.
Redskins (5-7) @ Bears (5-7)
The Bears tough loss last week has pushed them back in the playoffs, while though the Redskins had a tough one as well, they are still right in the fight. The Bears can't win at hone for some random reason, so though they are favored by by three I got to go with Washington. They still have motivation for the season while I bet the Bears have thrown in the towel. Redskins take it 28-25.
Falcons (6-6) @ Panthers (12-0)
Go back to early October both teams were undefeated in their fight for the NFC South. The Falcons were 5-0 and looked to take it to the end with Carolina. Since, the Panthers have stayed perfect while the Falcons have dropped six of the last seven. Newton and Panthers have been unstoppable as they are favored by 7.5 in this one. Shouldn't be an issue to cover that again, Panthers 37-24.
Raiders (5-7) @ Broncos (10-2)
The Raiders looked to have a good start to the season, but they have slipped up after their 4-3 start. As they showed us last week, turnovers are what is killing them. The Broncos are a team that force turnovers, so Carr and the Raiders better protect that ball if they want any hope in winning this one. The spread favors the Broncos by 7.5, as the Raiders will have a tough time scoring against Denver in the mile high city. Broncos 24-10.
Seahawks (7-5) @ Ravens (4-8)
Lets be honest, this game is a joke. Nothing against the Ravens, they are just to beat up to be able to keep up with Wilson and the Seahawks. The spread on this one is nine points, but I think the Seahawks wont have any issue with that. They have been really hot these last few weeks in their fight to claim one of the wildcard seats.Seattle 31-17.
Giants (5-7) @ Dolphins (5-7)
Both these teams apparently were suppose to make a great show at this point in the season on MNF but they have had some brutal seasons. Now the Giants still have a fight for their division with the big tie in the NFC East, but the funny story to them is how if the final 75 seconds of games could have been skipped, the Giants would 10-2 right now. Blowing that late lead just seems to be their thing this year. Last week against the Jets is just a simple example. The spread favors the Giants by one, and since they have something to fight for I have to go with them. Giants 20-17.
Record: 119-73 (.620)
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Vikings (8-4) @ Cardinals (10-2)
Minnesota sits a top the NFC North tied with Green Bay after their tough loss against Seattle. They have now dropped two of the last three now, as they head down into the desert to take on Arizona. The Cardinals have proven themselves to be a tough team to beat. The Cardinals just smoked the Rams and wont be showing any mercy to the Vikings as they look to make the NFC West theirs. Look for Arizona to focus on covering the wholes to limit Adrian Peterson and cover all of Bridgewaters options. Spread favors the Cardinals by 7.5, which may be a bit much but I see a 27-18 Cardinals win.
The Cowboys are coming of their first win without Romo taking the snaps, as they were able to come out on top after all the back and forth scoring in Washington. You can see they still have good defense and it was a big difference maker in their last win. Green Bay had their miracle victory on the last second bomb from Rodgers to Rodgers. They have got some momentum right now, though their offense doesn't seem to be fully figured out. If Rodgers receivers can get open expect the Packers to put up a big score. But if things continue and Rodgers can't find his targets, the Cowboys will get to him and bring him down for some big sacks. Packers are favored by 7, I see a 24-15 Green Bay victory.
Bills (6-6) @ Eagles (5-7)
Bills are entering their first of three games against the NFC East, so if this is a time for them to make a push the playoffs this would be it. They got a tough battle fighting with the Jets, Steelers and others for one of those two extra seats. The Eagles shocked everyone overcoming the Patriots and giving them their second loss in a row. Can that be good enough momentum to beat the Bills as well? I doubt it. There is no spread on this one, but I am going Bills 28-20.
The Cleveland Browns currently sit with the number pick in next years draft. So why are putting Manziel back into the starting role? You would think they would want that pick. Well they are putting Manziel in to take on the 9ers who actually haven't looked to bad in recent weeks. Gabbert may be the guy they have been looking for, though he only had 99 passing yards through the first four quarters. The Browns are favored by 1.5 points, but I am going to go with the 49ers here. San Francisco 23-21.
Lions (4-8) @ Rams (4-8)
As the season started the Rams look to be a tough team, taking down both the Seahawks and Cardinals. While the Lions looked pretty bad starting 0-5, but since then Detroit has heated up and the Rams have slumped leading to both of them to have 4-8 records. Right now the Lions are the team to trust, they are coming off a tough OT loss but I have to go with them against a team that can't even decide on a QB right now. Rams are favored by one, but I take Detroit 20-13.
Saints (4-8) @ Buccaneers (6-6)
It is plain and simple, the Saints defense can't seem to stop anyone. We have seen Bress get out scored over and over again, as he does his job but doesn't see much support. The spread in this is 3.5 points favoring the Bucs. Now that is tough to call, as Brees has at least made some of these games close. Can Winston cover that spread? I still think the Bucs will win, but not by enough. Tampa Bay 32-30.
These two teams come into this game facing much different situations. The Jets are fighting to get a wildcard spot while the Titans are just trying to figure out who they should be planning to draft. The Titans have looked good recently however, but I think the push for the playoffs will be enough to make the Jets beat a team that they shouldn't fall to anyway. The spread is seven favoring New York, which does sound like it might be to much, but I am going to go Jets 24-14.
Steelers (7-5) @ Bengals (10-2)
Here is a big division showdown and the biggest game of the week, as the Bengals look to lock up the division and the Steelers try to stay in a good position for a playoff spot. If the Bengals take this one, the playoffs are theirs, but the Steelers have scored more than 30 in four straight games. Cincinnati took the first matchup between these two, but the Steelers have impressed me with all the great offense thanks to Brown, Bryant, Wheater and all of Big Bens options, not to mention Williams who has been one of the leaders in rushing recently.The spread favors the Bengals by three, but I want to take the Steelers 34-31.
Patriots (10-2) @ Texans (6-6)
The Patriots have dropped two in a row, what has happened? Is Belichick not paying those refs enough. Well I am sure they wont let it continue. Watt is a tough man to beat, but Brady will find a way to come up with a win. Houston is still trying to fight their way into the playoffs, but they will need to continue on week 15 as New England wont let themselves miss a bye in the playoffs. Spread favors New England by three, which sounds rather accurate. Patriots 27-24.
It seemed the Colts had things figured out with Hasselbeck starting at QB, but then they get destroyed. The Jaguars took a tough loss, Robinson got in for three TDs but they still fell short by three against the Titans. The Jaguars are favored by one and with a win, they right back in the mix for the AFC South title. With the Colts being a bit beat up after their huge loss, I am going to take the Jaguars 23-21.
Chargers (3-9) @ Chiefs (7-5)
There is not a hotter team than the Chiefs. They have taken six straight while the Chargers have dropped seven of eight. You would think after the loss of Charles, the Chiefs would be screwed but they have done just great without him. The Chiefs continue their fight for the playoffs which is why they are favored by a solid 10. I give it the Chiefs 34-20.
Redskins (5-7) @ Bears (5-7)
The Bears tough loss last week has pushed them back in the playoffs, while though the Redskins had a tough one as well, they are still right in the fight. The Bears can't win at hone for some random reason, so though they are favored by by three I got to go with Washington. They still have motivation for the season while I bet the Bears have thrown in the towel. Redskins take it 28-25.
Go back to early October both teams were undefeated in their fight for the NFC South. The Falcons were 5-0 and looked to take it to the end with Carolina. Since, the Panthers have stayed perfect while the Falcons have dropped six of the last seven. Newton and Panthers have been unstoppable as they are favored by 7.5 in this one. Shouldn't be an issue to cover that again, Panthers 37-24.
Raiders (5-7) @ Broncos (10-2)
The Raiders looked to have a good start to the season, but they have slipped up after their 4-3 start. As they showed us last week, turnovers are what is killing them. The Broncos are a team that force turnovers, so Carr and the Raiders better protect that ball if they want any hope in winning this one. The spread favors the Broncos by 7.5, as the Raiders will have a tough time scoring against Denver in the mile high city. Broncos 24-10.
Seahawks (7-5) @ Ravens (4-8)
Lets be honest, this game is a joke. Nothing against the Ravens, they are just to beat up to be able to keep up with Wilson and the Seahawks. The spread on this one is nine points, but I think the Seahawks wont have any issue with that. They have been really hot these last few weeks in their fight to claim one of the wildcard seats.Seattle 31-17.
Both these teams apparently were suppose to make a great show at this point in the season on MNF but they have had some brutal seasons. Now the Giants still have a fight for their division with the big tie in the NFC East, but the funny story to them is how if the final 75 seconds of games could have been skipped, the Giants would 10-2 right now. Blowing that late lead just seems to be their thing this year. Last week against the Jets is just a simple example. The spread favors the Giants by one, and since they have something to fight for I have to go with them. Giants 20-17.
Record: 119-73 (.620)
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Week 13 Predictions
Divisions are starting to get intense and wildcard spots are beginning to disappear for some teams. We got a good idea on who will be making the playoffs, but some crazy streaks and slumps can change all that. With nine division matchups this week, it will be a week to remember this season with a lot of outcomes to look back on when it comes to who gets in those playoff seats.
Packers (7-4) @ Lions (4-7)
Now these two teams may have opposite records, but the Lions have been hot and the Packers have been slumping. The Lions beat the Packers in Green Bay a few weeks ago, giving them one of their four loses in their last five games. The Lions look to get their first sweep of Green Bay since 1991, as they host this weeks Thursday night game. The spread favors Rodgers and pass dropping Packers by three, but I am expecting a big game from Calvin Johnson and a Lions 23-17 win.
Jets (6-5) @ Giants (5-6)
The traditional home game for both Jets and Giants, as the Giants have beaten them in every regular season game since 1993. While the Jets have a better record they still trail in their division by plenty, while the Giants still lead their division with their negative record and are in a serious need of a win. Revis remains in concussion protocol, which would make things difficult for the Jets to cover Beckham Jr. But it is still a road game at home for the Jets and I think they will be able to end their long losing streak. The Jets are favored by two, as I see them making it a 24-20 Jets win.
Cardinals (9-2) @ Rams (4-7)
The Rams may have beaten Arizona on the road back in early October, but there is little faith in St. Louis left. When they were able to pull of the 24-22 win in Arizona, Foles was their QB and were looking at a positive record. Now they have dropped four straight and though Chris Johnson is done for the season, Arizona still has Ellington and plenty of offensive weapons. Cardinals are favored by 5.5 points while the Rams are having QB issues and are struggling offensively. I give this one to the Cardinals 24-13.
Falcons (6-5) @ Buccaneers (5-6)
AFC South battle with two teams still looking at a possible wildcard seat, as the Falcons look to get off their four game losing streak and the Buccaneers try to reach an even .500 record yet again. Freeman is practicing for the Falcons, as they have been struggling offensively after their hot start to the season. I see Winston exposing the Falcons this week and agree with the two point spread favoring Tampa. 23-21 Bucs.
Panthers (11-0) @ Saints (4-7)
Carolina is the only undefeated left, as they take on their division enemy Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints. Brees long passing touchdown record came to an end last week, as the Saints defense has fallen apart. Carolina beat the Saints 27-22 back in their first meeting this season, but I think they will have more fun this time. The Panthers are favored by seven, so I see a 38-20 Panthers win.
Bengals (9-2) @ Browns (2-9)
This game is a serious joke, as the Bengals are undefeated against the division this season and the Browns are nothing but a mess with their injuries and party issues at the QB position. They are starting Davis for the first time this season, as they look to compete with the Dalton and Green offense. The Bengals are favored by nine, and I give it to them by much more. Bengals 34-14.
Jaguars (4-7) @ Titans (2-9)
These two met for Thursday Night Football two weeks ago, where the Titans blew a late lead and suffered the 19-13 defeat. This is honestly the most irrelevant game of the week, besides maybe the fact of who keeps the worst record between the Titans and Browns to decide who would get the first round pick in the draft. The Titans may want that pick, so i got to take the Jaguars. Tennessee is favored by 2.5, but I am going Jaguars 17-14.
49ers (3-8) @ Bears (5-6)
The Bears are coming off a great win over division rival Packers, however they are only 1-4 at home this season. But San Francisco is winless on the road this year. The spread is seven points favoring the Bears and though I see a Bears victory that may be a bit much. Only one game behind a playoff spot, Chicago wins 21-16.
Broncos (9-2) @ Chargers (8-3)
Brock Osweiler has earned his job as a starting QB. I understand Brady was missing his targets, but Osweiler and the Broncos defense lead them to give the Patriots their first loss last week. Manning may be fully recovered soon, but I think Osweiler deserves to start until he shows sign of consistent weakness. The Broncos were only winning thanks to their defense earlier in the season, but now they have legit strength on both sides of the ball. San Diego can't stop getting hurt and simply needs to forget about this season. Once recovered they will be a threatening team again. Denver is favored by four, but I am goingBroncos 24-17.
Texans (6-5) @ Bills (5-6)
Houston is hot, they have taken four straight and remain in the fight for the AFC South. Buffalo is slumping a bit, as they have dropped a couple in a row in close battles that didn't come out their way. The Bills have not defeated the Texans since 2006 and it seems like this would be a good time for that to end. Bills are favored by three, I am going 24-23 Buffalo.
Seahawks (6-5) @ Vikings (8-3)
Seattle has been unstoppable over the last couple weeks, as Rawls and Wilson are finding all the answers. The Vikings have looked great all season, beating their opponents through either the run or pass game if not both. Adrian Peterson will be the difference on this game, if Seattle can restrain him then they should take it easily. If he can break through that defense, then Minnesota will run away with it. There is no spread in this one, as it is a pretty even game. I am gonna take Seattle 26-24, as they are in more dire need of a win.
Ravens (4-7) @ Miami (4-7)
Baltimore is missing to many of their stars, they seriously got lucky in their OT win on Monday night against the Browns. Miami may be slumping right now, but I think it time they finally turn things around. Tannehill will pull his game together and lead Miami to a win. They have a few dinged up players as well, but they will get their first win against Baltimore in eight years. The Dolphins are favored by four, I see a21-20 Miami win.
Chiefs (6-5) @ Raiders (5-6)
Though neither of these teams are top of the division or any story like that, this is actually a really important game as they are in a fight for that second wildcard spot. The Chiefs are unbeatable right now. They have been smoking their opponents after their terrible start to the season. The Raiders are much better this season, they just have not been able to come up with the late clutch plays. Alex Smith has been impressing me, as the Chiefs are favored by three. They started 1-5 and are undefeated since then while Oakland has been slowing down. Chiefs take it 26-21.
Eagles (4-7) @ Patriots (10-1)
The Patriots are coming off their first loss and are angry and hungry for a win. Well they are playing the Eagles so it shouldn't be hard. Philadelphia can't seem to stop any offense, so though Brady will be missing Gronk along with so many of his other options, the Patriots shouldn't have any issue putting points on the board. The spread is 9.5 points and the Patriots should do even more taking it 37-20 New England.
Colts (6-5) @ Steelers (6-5)
Big Ben has been cleared to play as they Steelers get ready to give Hasselbeck his first loss of the season. Since the merger, the Steelers always seem to crush the Colts. They have taken 19 of the 24 games including a 51 point Steeler win last season. DeAngelo Williams should be a big difference maker giving the Steelers more than needed to cover the spread. Steelers win 31-21.
Cowboys (3-8) @ Redskins (5-6)
The Redskins are tied for the division lead in the weak NFC East, while Dallas is Romoless. All that means is they can't win. Jerry Jones is probably focusing on getting the best possible draft pick as of now. The spread is four favoring Washington. I give it to Washington by a final of 28-23, as it is a battle down to the final quarter where turnovers and penalties drag the Cowboys down.
Record: 108-68
Packers (7-4) @ Lions (4-7)
Now these two teams may have opposite records, but the Lions have been hot and the Packers have been slumping. The Lions beat the Packers in Green Bay a few weeks ago, giving them one of their four loses in their last five games. The Lions look to get their first sweep of Green Bay since 1991, as they host this weeks Thursday night game. The spread favors Rodgers and pass dropping Packers by three, but I am expecting a big game from Calvin Johnson and a Lions 23-17 win.
Jets (6-5) @ Giants (5-6)
The traditional home game for both Jets and Giants, as the Giants have beaten them in every regular season game since 1993. While the Jets have a better record they still trail in their division by plenty, while the Giants still lead their division with their negative record and are in a serious need of a win. Revis remains in concussion protocol, which would make things difficult for the Jets to cover Beckham Jr. But it is still a road game at home for the Jets and I think they will be able to end their long losing streak. The Jets are favored by two, as I see them making it a 24-20 Jets win.
Cardinals (9-2) @ Rams (4-7)
The Rams may have beaten Arizona on the road back in early October, but there is little faith in St. Louis left. When they were able to pull of the 24-22 win in Arizona, Foles was their QB and were looking at a positive record. Now they have dropped four straight and though Chris Johnson is done for the season, Arizona still has Ellington and plenty of offensive weapons. Cardinals are favored by 5.5 points while the Rams are having QB issues and are struggling offensively. I give this one to the Cardinals 24-13.
AFC South battle with two teams still looking at a possible wildcard seat, as the Falcons look to get off their four game losing streak and the Buccaneers try to reach an even .500 record yet again. Freeman is practicing for the Falcons, as they have been struggling offensively after their hot start to the season. I see Winston exposing the Falcons this week and agree with the two point spread favoring Tampa. 23-21 Bucs.
Panthers (11-0) @ Saints (4-7)
Carolina is the only undefeated left, as they take on their division enemy Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints. Brees long passing touchdown record came to an end last week, as the Saints defense has fallen apart. Carolina beat the Saints 27-22 back in their first meeting this season, but I think they will have more fun this time. The Panthers are favored by seven, so I see a 38-20 Panthers win.
Bengals (9-2) @ Browns (2-9)
This game is a serious joke, as the Bengals are undefeated against the division this season and the Browns are nothing but a mess with their injuries and party issues at the QB position. They are starting Davis for the first time this season, as they look to compete with the Dalton and Green offense. The Bengals are favored by nine, and I give it to them by much more. Bengals 34-14.
Jaguars (4-7) @ Titans (2-9)
These two met for Thursday Night Football two weeks ago, where the Titans blew a late lead and suffered the 19-13 defeat. This is honestly the most irrelevant game of the week, besides maybe the fact of who keeps the worst record between the Titans and Browns to decide who would get the first round pick in the draft. The Titans may want that pick, so i got to take the Jaguars. Tennessee is favored by 2.5, but I am going Jaguars 17-14.
49ers (3-8) @ Bears (5-6)
The Bears are coming off a great win over division rival Packers, however they are only 1-4 at home this season. But San Francisco is winless on the road this year. The spread is seven points favoring the Bears and though I see a Bears victory that may be a bit much. Only one game behind a playoff spot, Chicago wins 21-16.
Brock Osweiler has earned his job as a starting QB. I understand Brady was missing his targets, but Osweiler and the Broncos defense lead them to give the Patriots their first loss last week. Manning may be fully recovered soon, but I think Osweiler deserves to start until he shows sign of consistent weakness. The Broncos were only winning thanks to their defense earlier in the season, but now they have legit strength on both sides of the ball. San Diego can't stop getting hurt and simply needs to forget about this season. Once recovered they will be a threatening team again. Denver is favored by four, but I am goingBroncos 24-17.
Texans (6-5) @ Bills (5-6)
Houston is hot, they have taken four straight and remain in the fight for the AFC South. Buffalo is slumping a bit, as they have dropped a couple in a row in close battles that didn't come out their way. The Bills have not defeated the Texans since 2006 and it seems like this would be a good time for that to end. Bills are favored by three, I am going 24-23 Buffalo.
Seahawks (6-5) @ Vikings (8-3)
Seattle has been unstoppable over the last couple weeks, as Rawls and Wilson are finding all the answers. The Vikings have looked great all season, beating their opponents through either the run or pass game if not both. Adrian Peterson will be the difference on this game, if Seattle can restrain him then they should take it easily. If he can break through that defense, then Minnesota will run away with it. There is no spread in this one, as it is a pretty even game. I am gonna take Seattle 26-24, as they are in more dire need of a win.
Ravens (4-7) @ Miami (4-7)
Baltimore is missing to many of their stars, they seriously got lucky in their OT win on Monday night against the Browns. Miami may be slumping right now, but I think it time they finally turn things around. Tannehill will pull his game together and lead Miami to a win. They have a few dinged up players as well, but they will get their first win against Baltimore in eight years. The Dolphins are favored by four, I see a21-20 Miami win.
Though neither of these teams are top of the division or any story like that, this is actually a really important game as they are in a fight for that second wildcard spot. The Chiefs are unbeatable right now. They have been smoking their opponents after their terrible start to the season. The Raiders are much better this season, they just have not been able to come up with the late clutch plays. Alex Smith has been impressing me, as the Chiefs are favored by three. They started 1-5 and are undefeated since then while Oakland has been slowing down. Chiefs take it 26-21.
Eagles (4-7) @ Patriots (10-1)
The Patriots are coming off their first loss and are angry and hungry for a win. Well they are playing the Eagles so it shouldn't be hard. Philadelphia can't seem to stop any offense, so though Brady will be missing Gronk along with so many of his other options, the Patriots shouldn't have any issue putting points on the board. The spread is 9.5 points and the Patriots should do even more taking it 37-20 New England.
Colts (6-5) @ Steelers (6-5)
Big Ben has been cleared to play as they Steelers get ready to give Hasselbeck his first loss of the season. Since the merger, the Steelers always seem to crush the Colts. They have taken 19 of the 24 games including a 51 point Steeler win last season. DeAngelo Williams should be a big difference maker giving the Steelers more than needed to cover the spread. Steelers win 31-21.
Cowboys (3-8) @ Redskins (5-6)
The Redskins are tied for the division lead in the weak NFC East, while Dallas is Romoless. All that means is they can't win. Jerry Jones is probably focusing on getting the best possible draft pick as of now. The spread is four favoring Washington. I give it to Washington by a final of 28-23, as it is a battle down to the final quarter where turnovers and penalties drag the Cowboys down.
Record: 108-68
Week 12 Predictions
Thanksgiving is only a couple days away, as the traditional teams are lined up to play in some important NFC games. As I pig out on some turkey and potatoes, it will be entertaining to see which teams can hold their division leads, stay in the wildcard fight, and even stay undefeated. I expect each game to be close, as it should be a great holiday with some intense matchup's.
Eagles (4-6) @ Lions (3-7)
The Eagles are having issues all around the team, but the number one problem is Bradford and his shoulder/concussion injury. He has cleared concussion protocol, but is still doubtful due to the big hit he took. The Eagles just seem to be slumping down further and further, as there is no sign of them regrouping. They are only one game back in their division, but it seems like they are much farther behind as people have more hope in Dallas though they only have three victories. The Lions on the other hand have used the momentum they got from their win over Green Bay to put together their first win streak of the season. I think Megatron will have some fun in this one, as the Lions keep their little streak going. There is no spread in this one, but I say 20-17 Lions.
Panthers (10-0) @ Cowboys (3-7)
When you look at these records, it seems like this shouldn't be much of a game. But Tony Romo is back and showed off his skill last week, improving his record to 3-0 on the season. You got to think the Panthers will trip up and lose one sometime soon right? Well not here. Cam Newton is on fire and the Cowboys don't have the tools to slow him down. The Panthers however have the weapons needed to slow Romo down. This game may be in Dallas, but the Panthers are still favored by one. I give it to them thanks to Newton, Funchess, and Kuechly, 27-24 Panthers.
Bears (4-6) @ Packers (7-3)
Thanksgiving night gives us the division battle between the Bears and Packers, the oldest rivalry in the game. The Packers are retiring Favre's number, Bart Starr will be on scene, and it will be an emotional game at Lambeau. Green Bay is coming off their recovery win, ending their longest losing streak since Rodgers stepped into the starter role. The Packers showed us that as long as Rodgers targets can get open, they have no problem winning. The Bears have been a hard team to predict, as one week they will do great and blow out their opponent and then the next they will turn it over four times and get owned. The Packers have taken eight of the last nine meetings and I think they will keep it going. Spread it a solid nine, but I see a 31-23 Packers win.
Raiders (4-6) @ Titans (2-8)
The Raiders have had a couple disappointing weeks in a row, as they have taken a step back in the wildcard race. They let the Lions get only their third win of the season against them last week and now the Titans will try to do the same thing. I think Carr and Woodson will make sure they don't continue their losing streak and will put together an impressive game on Sunday. I am plugging Murray in for fantasy, as the Titans rush defense has not impressed me in recent games. Mariota will be a tough guy to track down in the backfield, but I see the Raiders forcing some good turnovers and bringing home the win to get back into wildcard talk. The spread is 1.5, so I am going to go with 22-15 Raiders win.
Bills (5-5) @ Chiefs (5-5)
This will be an intense matchup, as these are two teams are fighting for a wildcard spot. The Steelers hold the first seat with a 6-4 record, while five teams are currently sitting 5-5 in the AFC. The Bills have great skill and talent on their team, they just seem to be making to many young mistakes within their games that ends up costing them as we saw on Monday Night. The Chiefs started 1-5 and have taken four in row, as they reside in one of the hardest stadiums for visiting teams. After their blow out 33-3 win on Sunday, I got to go with them as they are winning their games in every aspect thinkable. The spread is 4.5 favoring the Chiefs, but I think Taylor will be able to keep it closer as a field goal decides this one. Chiefs 23-20.
Buccaneers (5-5) @ Colts (5-5)
Matt Hasselbeck is starting yet again, as he remains undefeated on the season though the Colts are sitting in a tie at first in the AFC South at 5-5. Winston just got a bunch of attention in his five touchdown win over the Eagles, but the difference is he will actually run into some defense against Indianapolis. Still with Evans, Martin, and the now healthy Jackson, Tamp Bay's offense is a lot more dangerous than many think. The spread favors the Colts by three, so with the points I am definitely taking the Bucs. But I think the Colts will pull off a victory on a last second play. Colts 24-23.
Giants (5-5) @ Redskins (4-6)
This is an NFC East battle that honestly doesn't really interest me at all. Eli and the Giants are chilling with their .500 record but are sitting in first in their division. Both Eagles and Redskins are only one game behind, but I think it is really the Cowboys they all need to worry about. Odell Beckham Jr. should give us a good show this weekend, as it will be a back and forth game until Cousins makes to many mistakes giving the Giants the win. New York is favored by 2.5 points and they will take it to give them a bit of cushioning in the division. 28-20 Giants.
Saints (4-6) @ Houston (5-5)
Lets face it, the Saints can't stop anyone. The are worst in the league averaging allowing 31.5 points a game. They may have Drew Brees, but he can't outscore his opponent every time when he always needs to overcome such a huge number. The Texans are hot right now, as they are fighting with the Colts for the lead in the AFC South. Hopkins has been one of the top receivers this season, as he and Nate Washington will explode for yardage and touchdowns. The Texans are favored by three points, as they need this win to stay tied with the Colts. Houston 34-27.
Vikings (7-3) @ Falcons (6-4)
Look to Adrian Peterson to have a great day, as the Vikings look to rebound after their loss to Green Bay. Atlanta started off hot but have lost three in a row and four of the last five. With Freeman suffering a concussion last week, Julio Jones is the only threat left on the offensive side of the ball. Look to the Vikings to shut the Falcons down and plow through their defensive line. Peterson leads the Vikings to a 30-20 win.
Rams (4-6) @ Bengals (8-2)
The Rams are all mixed up right now, as they need to pick out a QB to hold the role and actually produce points. They have Gurley in that back field, if they had a Rodgers, Brady, or Brees at QB then they would be a much more dangerous team. They have defense, that QB poisiton has them struggling as they look to get back into wildcard talk. The Bengals have dropped two in a row after starting 8-0. They will look to get their confidence back by destroying the Rams. Dalton will find Green, Jones, and Sanu all game for big points, covering the nine point spread making it 38-23 Bengals.
Chargers (2-8) @ Jaguars (4-6)
The Jaguars may only have four wins, but they are still in the mix to catch the AFC South title as they remain only a game behind. They have young talent that has surprised me this season, as I have been grabbing a few of their names off fantasy free agency. The Chargers have lost some big names and are on a six game losing streak. I really didn't see them tanking it so bad this year, I mean they are coming a 30 point loss to a division rival. The spread is four and I agree, 20-12 Jaguars.
Dolphins (4-6) @ Jets (5-5)
The Jets will pull off a sweep of their division enemy on Sunday, as the Dolphins have shown no sign of winning over the last few weeks. Miami has just been turning the ball over and their defense has seriously declined. The Jets are still fighting for a wildcard seat and wont let a game like this get in their way. Look for Fitzpatrick to find Marshall and Decker for some clutch plays that will appear on ESPN yet again. The spread is 3.5 favoring New York. I see it finishing 26-14 Jets.
Cardinals (8-2) @ 49ers (3-7)
The Cardinals are coming off an impressive victory over the Bengals and will use some of that momentum to wipe out San Francisco. Nelson was a surprising wide receiver, as he put together great yardage on just a few receptions. Against the 49ers defense you will just need to throw a quick pass to him on the outside and he should out run everyone. The 49ers need the season to end, Gabbert has looked good but all the rest of their team is down and out. The spread is 10 but that is to small, 41-17 Cardinals.
Steelers (6-4) @ Seahawks (5-5)
The Steelers are a dark horse team, I think they will continue to put together wins even though big injuries seem to keep slapping them across the face. They are going into a tough place to win and will be facing not Lynch but maybe even a more threatening weapon in Rawls. Rawls destroyed San Francisco last week and will be looking to blast through the Steelers line as well. The Seahawks are favored by four, which may be to much. It will be an intense battle, as Brown breaks apart the Legion of Boom and Wilson exposes the Steelers weaknesses. Seahawks 22-21.
Patriots (10-0) @ Broncos (8-2)
Brady is running out of weapons. Edleman, Lewis, and now Amendola are all beat up. But some how Brady continues to have the Broncos number. But he will be facing a different enemy taking the snaps. Osweiler is coming off the win against the Bears and is getting ready to face the number one ranked team in the league. The Patriots will continue their streak finding Gronk and forcing turnovers. Patriots 24-20.
Ravens (3-7) @ Browns (2-8)
A lot of Qb switching has been happening with these two teams over the last week. Cleveland caught Manziel enjoying himself to much over the bye and have lowered him from the starter role down to third string. The Ravens lost Flacco to a knee injury and snagged Clausen from Chicago. These two bottom of the division teams don't really have anything going for them, as they will mostly be testing young rookies and seeing who can get the better draft pick. I see McCown doing as the Browns did earlier in the year and beat Baltimore. Cleveland 17-13.
Record 97-63
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The Eagles are having issues all around the team, but the number one problem is Bradford and his shoulder/concussion injury. He has cleared concussion protocol, but is still doubtful due to the big hit he took. The Eagles just seem to be slumping down further and further, as there is no sign of them regrouping. They are only one game back in their division, but it seems like they are much farther behind as people have more hope in Dallas though they only have three victories. The Lions on the other hand have used the momentum they got from their win over Green Bay to put together their first win streak of the season. I think Megatron will have some fun in this one, as the Lions keep their little streak going. There is no spread in this one, but I say 20-17 Lions.
Panthers (10-0) @ Cowboys (3-7)
When you look at these records, it seems like this shouldn't be much of a game. But Tony Romo is back and showed off his skill last week, improving his record to 3-0 on the season. You got to think the Panthers will trip up and lose one sometime soon right? Well not here. Cam Newton is on fire and the Cowboys don't have the tools to slow him down. The Panthers however have the weapons needed to slow Romo down. This game may be in Dallas, but the Panthers are still favored by one. I give it to them thanks to Newton, Funchess, and Kuechly, 27-24 Panthers.
Thanksgiving night gives us the division battle between the Bears and Packers, the oldest rivalry in the game. The Packers are retiring Favre's number, Bart Starr will be on scene, and it will be an emotional game at Lambeau. Green Bay is coming off their recovery win, ending their longest losing streak since Rodgers stepped into the starter role. The Packers showed us that as long as Rodgers targets can get open, they have no problem winning. The Bears have been a hard team to predict, as one week they will do great and blow out their opponent and then the next they will turn it over four times and get owned. The Packers have taken eight of the last nine meetings and I think they will keep it going. Spread it a solid nine, but I see a 31-23 Packers win.
Raiders (4-6) @ Titans (2-8)
The Raiders have had a couple disappointing weeks in a row, as they have taken a step back in the wildcard race. They let the Lions get only their third win of the season against them last week and now the Titans will try to do the same thing. I think Carr and Woodson will make sure they don't continue their losing streak and will put together an impressive game on Sunday. I am plugging Murray in for fantasy, as the Titans rush defense has not impressed me in recent games. Mariota will be a tough guy to track down in the backfield, but I see the Raiders forcing some good turnovers and bringing home the win to get back into wildcard talk. The spread is 1.5, so I am going to go with 22-15 Raiders win.
Bills (5-5) @ Chiefs (5-5)
This will be an intense matchup, as these are two teams are fighting for a wildcard spot. The Steelers hold the first seat with a 6-4 record, while five teams are currently sitting 5-5 in the AFC. The Bills have great skill and talent on their team, they just seem to be making to many young mistakes within their games that ends up costing them as we saw on Monday Night. The Chiefs started 1-5 and have taken four in row, as they reside in one of the hardest stadiums for visiting teams. After their blow out 33-3 win on Sunday, I got to go with them as they are winning their games in every aspect thinkable. The spread is 4.5 favoring the Chiefs, but I think Taylor will be able to keep it closer as a field goal decides this one. Chiefs 23-20.
Matt Hasselbeck is starting yet again, as he remains undefeated on the season though the Colts are sitting in a tie at first in the AFC South at 5-5. Winston just got a bunch of attention in his five touchdown win over the Eagles, but the difference is he will actually run into some defense against Indianapolis. Still with Evans, Martin, and the now healthy Jackson, Tamp Bay's offense is a lot more dangerous than many think. The spread favors the Colts by three, so with the points I am definitely taking the Bucs. But I think the Colts will pull off a victory on a last second play. Colts 24-23.
Giants (5-5) @ Redskins (4-6)
This is an NFC East battle that honestly doesn't really interest me at all. Eli and the Giants are chilling with their .500 record but are sitting in first in their division. Both Eagles and Redskins are only one game behind, but I think it is really the Cowboys they all need to worry about. Odell Beckham Jr. should give us a good show this weekend, as it will be a back and forth game until Cousins makes to many mistakes giving the Giants the win. New York is favored by 2.5 points and they will take it to give them a bit of cushioning in the division. 28-20 Giants.
Lets face it, the Saints can't stop anyone. The are worst in the league averaging allowing 31.5 points a game. They may have Drew Brees, but he can't outscore his opponent every time when he always needs to overcome such a huge number. The Texans are hot right now, as they are fighting with the Colts for the lead in the AFC South. Hopkins has been one of the top receivers this season, as he and Nate Washington will explode for yardage and touchdowns. The Texans are favored by three points, as they need this win to stay tied with the Colts. Houston 34-27.
Vikings (7-3) @ Falcons (6-4)
Look to Adrian Peterson to have a great day, as the Vikings look to rebound after their loss to Green Bay. Atlanta started off hot but have lost three in a row and four of the last five. With Freeman suffering a concussion last week, Julio Jones is the only threat left on the offensive side of the ball. Look to the Vikings to shut the Falcons down and plow through their defensive line. Peterson leads the Vikings to a 30-20 win.
Rams (4-6) @ Bengals (8-2)
The Rams are all mixed up right now, as they need to pick out a QB to hold the role and actually produce points. They have Gurley in that back field, if they had a Rodgers, Brady, or Brees at QB then they would be a much more dangerous team. They have defense, that QB poisiton has them struggling as they look to get back into wildcard talk. The Bengals have dropped two in a row after starting 8-0. They will look to get their confidence back by destroying the Rams. Dalton will find Green, Jones, and Sanu all game for big points, covering the nine point spread making it 38-23 Bengals.
Chargers (2-8) @ Jaguars (4-6)
The Jaguars may only have four wins, but they are still in the mix to catch the AFC South title as they remain only a game behind. They have young talent that has surprised me this season, as I have been grabbing a few of their names off fantasy free agency. The Chargers have lost some big names and are on a six game losing streak. I really didn't see them tanking it so bad this year, I mean they are coming a 30 point loss to a division rival. The spread is four and I agree, 20-12 Jaguars.
Dolphins (4-6) @ Jets (5-5)
The Jets will pull off a sweep of their division enemy on Sunday, as the Dolphins have shown no sign of winning over the last few weeks. Miami has just been turning the ball over and their defense has seriously declined. The Jets are still fighting for a wildcard seat and wont let a game like this get in their way. Look for Fitzpatrick to find Marshall and Decker for some clutch plays that will appear on ESPN yet again. The spread is 3.5 favoring New York. I see it finishing 26-14 Jets.
The Cardinals are coming off an impressive victory over the Bengals and will use some of that momentum to wipe out San Francisco. Nelson was a surprising wide receiver, as he put together great yardage on just a few receptions. Against the 49ers defense you will just need to throw a quick pass to him on the outside and he should out run everyone. The 49ers need the season to end, Gabbert has looked good but all the rest of their team is down and out. The spread is 10 but that is to small, 41-17 Cardinals.
Steelers (6-4) @ Seahawks (5-5)
The Steelers are a dark horse team, I think they will continue to put together wins even though big injuries seem to keep slapping them across the face. They are going into a tough place to win and will be facing not Lynch but maybe even a more threatening weapon in Rawls. Rawls destroyed San Francisco last week and will be looking to blast through the Steelers line as well. The Seahawks are favored by four, which may be to much. It will be an intense battle, as Brown breaks apart the Legion of Boom and Wilson exposes the Steelers weaknesses. Seahawks 22-21.
Patriots (10-0) @ Broncos (8-2)
Brady is running out of weapons. Edleman, Lewis, and now Amendola are all beat up. But some how Brady continues to have the Broncos number. But he will be facing a different enemy taking the snaps. Osweiler is coming off the win against the Bears and is getting ready to face the number one ranked team in the league. The Patriots will continue their streak finding Gronk and forcing turnovers. Patriots 24-20.
Ravens (3-7) @ Browns (2-8)
A lot of Qb switching has been happening with these two teams over the last week. Cleveland caught Manziel enjoying himself to much over the bye and have lowered him from the starter role down to third string. The Ravens lost Flacco to a knee injury and snagged Clausen from Chicago. These two bottom of the division teams don't really have anything going for them, as they will mostly be testing young rookies and seeing who can get the better draft pick. I see McCown doing as the Browns did earlier in the year and beat Baltimore. Cleveland 17-13.
Record 97-63
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Week 11 Predictions
Week 10 was full of upsets and close matches, even some with big missed calls that decided the game. We go into week 11 with a lot of QB issues, from Manning and Foles hitting the bench to dealing with injuries as bad as Luck and as minor as Bradford. Either way Romo is back, Weeden is cut and division leads are up for grabs.
Titans (2-7) @ Jaguars (3-6)
Week 11 gets underway with an AFC South fight between the Titans and Jaguars, as the battle for this division is still wide open. Jacksonville has a chance to take over with a win and Texans loss, as they are coming off their shall we say lucky victory over Baltimore. The Jaguars are looking good right now, as Bortles has been raising his QB rating and the defense has been putting up a good fight. I see them putting pressure on Mariota and bringing a good win at home. The spread is three points favoring the Jaguars and I agree. Jaguars take it 17-14.
Packers (6-3) @ Vikings (7-2)
Peterson and the Vikings have taken five straight and are really hot, while the Packers are completely opposite right now dropping the last three suffering the Ditka curse. Rodgers did not seem to trust his receivers last week in their disgraceful loss to the 1-7 Lions. There were dropped passes and just a pure lack of offense from Green Bay, as they couldn't get anything going. The Vikings are favored by one point at home, which I think to be a little low.Vikings 30-24.
Raiders (4-5) @ Lions (2-7)
The Raiders have suffered back to back loses against the Steelers and Vikings and are now in need of a victory to make the playoffs a realistic possibility once again. The Lions are coming off their win, that is first win in Green Bay since 1991. With that achievement they have some momentum to build off of, as they look to make a run for a wildcard spot. Though on their losing streak and losing Aldon Smith for the year, the Raiders are favored by two but I bet Carr and Murray do better against the Lions defense. Raiders win 23-17.
Colts (4-5) @ Falcons (6-3)
No Andrew Luck. That is the story of this matchup, as this will be the third game Luck misses on the season and it wont be the last. But if you look back on it, Hasselbeck took home a couple of wins in his previous starts early in the year. The Falcons may have started 5-0, but they have looked terrible since then. With no Luck the spread favors the Falcons by six points, that is a bit much but I still side with Atlanta. Falcons 20-17.
Jets (5-4) @ Texans (4-5)
Houston is in good position to take solid control of the AFC South this week, as they get ready to take on the dinged up Jets. New York had a hot start, but from Fitzpatrick's hand problem to WR injuries of Marshal and Decker, it will be up to Ivory to carry the Jets offense as they have been slumping. The Texans are coming off their impressive win over the Bengals on Monday night, but may be missing their starter Hoyer after his injury that took him out of the game. TJ Yates may be making the start for Houston, as they look to sink the Jets hopes for the playoffs and keep their winning streak going. Spread favors the Jets by two, but I say Texans 21-20.
Buccaneers (4-5) @ Eagles (4-5)
Eagles are facing the common QB issue as Bradford may not play and they would have to rely on Sanchez. Now if you know the NFL, you know not to do that. The question is if Winston and the Bucs can put up enough offense to overcome the Eagles. The Eagles are favored by 5.5, which is way to much as if they were to win it would be by three at max. The Bucs have not won in Philly since 2003, but if Bradford is out I got to goBuccaneers 18-16.
Broncos (7-2) @ Bears (4-5)
Bears were looking like a bottom dweller this season, then they got hot and lit up the Rams by 24. Peyton Manning set the NFL passing yard record last week, but also threw four interceptions and was benched. Now he has an injured left foot and the Broncos are relying Osweiler. The Bears are favored by one, and with how hot they have been its tough to go against them. Can the Broncos tough defense step it up and force Cutler to make all his normal mistakes? I got to go Bears 24-21.
Rams (4-5) @ Ravens (2-7)
Ravens are coming off a tough one and they can't continue to have such bad luck. The Rams are benching Foles, as they are unhappy with their offense. Gurley has been a beast, but he needs some support from the other side. Look for Flacco and the Ravens to finally get back on the winners table. They are favored by two, but I see a 13-10 Ravens victory.
Cowboys (2-7) @ Dolphins (4-5)
Tony Romo is back! The Cowboys are winless since he got injured in week two and I think he will turn that around. With Romo back the Cowboys will finally be able to put together an offense they can be proud of. The Dolphins have been struggling, as they came up with a last second win over Philly last week, but looked terrible the prior two weeks. The spread is even in this matchup, but with Romo back I got to say Cowboys 27-20.
Redskins (4-5) @ Panthers (9-0)
Washington just put up 47 points in their win over the Saints. Don't expect anything like that again, as they go from the worst pass defense to one of the best in the NFL. With Kuechly, Short, and Allen putting on the pressure Cousins will be throwing the ball up for grabs and the Panthers will take advantage. Everyone is picking up Jone soff fantasy after his performance last week, but he will be lucky to get positive points this week. Panthers are favored by seven, but I think they wil stay undefeated and take it 31-9 Carolina.
Bengals (8-1) @ Cardinals (7-2)
Dalton and the Bengals are coming off a tough loss after getting tamed by the Texans. They look to rebound, but are taking on another tough defense and possibly the best team in the NFC. The Cardinals showed their division rival that there is no easy way to get past them with their win over the Seahawks. Palmer, Fitzgerald, Ellington, Floyd, and Johnson are working together to be an offense that is hard to slow down. When Iupati left the game things began to slow down, but he has passed concussion protocol and may play this week. The Cardinals are favored by four and that is something I can go with. Arizona wins 32-24.
49ers (3-6) @ Seahawks (4-5)
The 9ers are coming off not only the bye but also a victory. Now that doesn't mean they will be able to do much visiting Seattle, but I have more faith in them than a lot of others seem to. The spread is 12.5 points which comes off as a bit much. With that 4-5 record, the Seahawks know they basically need to go undefeated to make the playoffs. Wilson will expose the 49ers defense weakness and bring home a 24-13 Seattle win.
Chiefs (4-5) @ Chargers (2-7)
Though Rivers has been a league leader so much of the season, the Chargers are still sitting at the bottom of their division losing five in a row. The Chiefs originally looked to be the team that would finish in last in the AFC West with their 1-5 start. But they have now taken three in a row even without Charles. The Chiefs defense looked great against Manning, as they look to force Rivers to turnover the ball at the same rate. The Chiefs are favored by three and I think their defense will give them that. Kansas City 29-23.
Bills (5-4) @ Patriots (9-0)
Rex Ryan took down his former team, now he wants to beat the Patriots. Brady has lost one of his main targets in Julian Edleman who is out with a foot injury. Though that makes the Patriots a little more vulnerable, I don't think it will be enough to bring them down. I mena Gronk is still out there. The Patriots are favored by seven, but I think the Bills will make it more interesting. Patriots win 31-27.
Record: 87-59
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Week 11 gets underway with an AFC South fight between the Titans and Jaguars, as the battle for this division is still wide open. Jacksonville has a chance to take over with a win and Texans loss, as they are coming off their shall we say lucky victory over Baltimore. The Jaguars are looking good right now, as Bortles has been raising his QB rating and the defense has been putting up a good fight. I see them putting pressure on Mariota and bringing a good win at home. The spread is three points favoring the Jaguars and I agree. Jaguars take it 17-14.
Peterson and the Vikings have taken five straight and are really hot, while the Packers are completely opposite right now dropping the last three suffering the Ditka curse. Rodgers did not seem to trust his receivers last week in their disgraceful loss to the 1-7 Lions. There were dropped passes and just a pure lack of offense from Green Bay, as they couldn't get anything going. The Vikings are favored by one point at home, which I think to be a little low.Vikings 30-24.
Raiders (4-5) @ Lions (2-7)
The Raiders have suffered back to back loses against the Steelers and Vikings and are now in need of a victory to make the playoffs a realistic possibility once again. The Lions are coming off their win, that is first win in Green Bay since 1991. With that achievement they have some momentum to build off of, as they look to make a run for a wildcard spot. Though on their losing streak and losing Aldon Smith for the year, the Raiders are favored by two but I bet Carr and Murray do better against the Lions defense. Raiders win 23-17.
Colts (4-5) @ Falcons (6-3)
No Andrew Luck. That is the story of this matchup, as this will be the third game Luck misses on the season and it wont be the last. But if you look back on it, Hasselbeck took home a couple of wins in his previous starts early in the year. The Falcons may have started 5-0, but they have looked terrible since then. With no Luck the spread favors the Falcons by six points, that is a bit much but I still side with Atlanta. Falcons 20-17.
Jets (5-4) @ Texans (4-5)
Houston is in good position to take solid control of the AFC South this week, as they get ready to take on the dinged up Jets. New York had a hot start, but from Fitzpatrick's hand problem to WR injuries of Marshal and Decker, it will be up to Ivory to carry the Jets offense as they have been slumping. The Texans are coming off their impressive win over the Bengals on Monday night, but may be missing their starter Hoyer after his injury that took him out of the game. TJ Yates may be making the start for Houston, as they look to sink the Jets hopes for the playoffs and keep their winning streak going. Spread favors the Jets by two, but I say Texans 21-20.
Eagles are facing the common QB issue as Bradford may not play and they would have to rely on Sanchez. Now if you know the NFL, you know not to do that. The question is if Winston and the Bucs can put up enough offense to overcome the Eagles. The Eagles are favored by 5.5, which is way to much as if they were to win it would be by three at max. The Bucs have not won in Philly since 2003, but if Bradford is out I got to goBuccaneers 18-16.
Broncos (7-2) @ Bears (4-5)
Bears were looking like a bottom dweller this season, then they got hot and lit up the Rams by 24. Peyton Manning set the NFL passing yard record last week, but also threw four interceptions and was benched. Now he has an injured left foot and the Broncos are relying Osweiler. The Bears are favored by one, and with how hot they have been its tough to go against them. Can the Broncos tough defense step it up and force Cutler to make all his normal mistakes? I got to go Bears 24-21.
Rams (4-5) @ Ravens (2-7)
Ravens are coming off a tough one and they can't continue to have such bad luck. The Rams are benching Foles, as they are unhappy with their offense. Gurley has been a beast, but he needs some support from the other side. Look for Flacco and the Ravens to finally get back on the winners table. They are favored by two, but I see a 13-10 Ravens victory.
Tony Romo is back! The Cowboys are winless since he got injured in week two and I think he will turn that around. With Romo back the Cowboys will finally be able to put together an offense they can be proud of. The Dolphins have been struggling, as they came up with a last second win over Philly last week, but looked terrible the prior two weeks. The spread is even in this matchup, but with Romo back I got to say Cowboys 27-20.
Redskins (4-5) @ Panthers (9-0)
Washington just put up 47 points in their win over the Saints. Don't expect anything like that again, as they go from the worst pass defense to one of the best in the NFL. With Kuechly, Short, and Allen putting on the pressure Cousins will be throwing the ball up for grabs and the Panthers will take advantage. Everyone is picking up Jone soff fantasy after his performance last week, but he will be lucky to get positive points this week. Panthers are favored by seven, but I think they wil stay undefeated and take it 31-9 Carolina.
Dalton and the Bengals are coming off a tough loss after getting tamed by the Texans. They look to rebound, but are taking on another tough defense and possibly the best team in the NFC. The Cardinals showed their division rival that there is no easy way to get past them with their win over the Seahawks. Palmer, Fitzgerald, Ellington, Floyd, and Johnson are working together to be an offense that is hard to slow down. When Iupati left the game things began to slow down, but he has passed concussion protocol and may play this week. The Cardinals are favored by four and that is something I can go with. Arizona wins 32-24.
49ers (3-6) @ Seahawks (4-5)
The 9ers are coming off not only the bye but also a victory. Now that doesn't mean they will be able to do much visiting Seattle, but I have more faith in them than a lot of others seem to. The spread is 12.5 points which comes off as a bit much. With that 4-5 record, the Seahawks know they basically need to go undefeated to make the playoffs. Wilson will expose the 49ers defense weakness and bring home a 24-13 Seattle win.
Chiefs (4-5) @ Chargers (2-7)
Though Rivers has been a league leader so much of the season, the Chargers are still sitting at the bottom of their division losing five in a row. The Chiefs originally looked to be the team that would finish in last in the AFC West with their 1-5 start. But they have now taken three in a row even without Charles. The Chiefs defense looked great against Manning, as they look to force Rivers to turnover the ball at the same rate. The Chiefs are favored by three and I think their defense will give them that. Kansas City 29-23.
Rex Ryan took down his former team, now he wants to beat the Patriots. Brady has lost one of his main targets in Julian Edleman who is out with a foot injury. Though that makes the Patriots a little more vulnerable, I don't think it will be enough to bring them down. I mena Gronk is still out there. The Patriots are favored by seven, but I think the Bills will make it more interesting. Patriots win 31-27.
Record: 87-59
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Week 10 Predictions
Rex Ryan is visiting his former home team for the first time since they cut him and I am sure he is looking to get some revenge. Both of these teams are looking to get a wildcard spot in the playoffs and see this as a huge matchup. Each one has some great defense, it will all depend on which QB can come through. Fitzpatrick had some injury issues recently, and the Jets don't trust Geno, while Taylor has impressed me over in Buffalo. He looks to be fully recovered after his domination last week. This will be a close game, but I am putting my money on the Bills though they are not favored. Jets are favored by 2.5, but I think it will be Rex bringing some payback with a final of Bills 24-23.
Lions (1-7) @ Packers (6-2)
Rodgers is not happy coming off an second loss in a row. Usually after a defeat he brings punishment and has one of his best games of the season. He may be a little bit of a disadvantage as according to reports, the Packers have the slowest targets in the NFL. But in reality I don't think that is to impactive, as Jones and Cobb have been putting up good numbers. The Lions are obviously struggling, but they seem to always give their main enemy a good fight. The spread in this one favors the Packers by 11.5 points, as I say Rodgers gets off the snide with a 38-20 Packers win.
Cowboys (2-6) @ Buccaneers (3-6)
The struggling Cowboys are pulling in to Tampa with the injuries still haunting them. But I think Cassel and the Cowboys are looking better each week and may finally come through after six straight loses. Winston has looked good, its the Bucs defense I don't trust. Though Lee is out, yet again for the Cowboys, they still got some good defense which may be the difference maker. Buccaneers are favored by 1.5 points, but I am going Cowboys 21-19.
Panthers (8-0) @ Titans (2-6)
This game is an easy one to make a quick pick and toss aside with the Panthers record, but if you look at it they have not blown anyone away all year. The Titans will make this interesting, but I think Cam and the Panthers will still get the win. Mariota will face a lot of pressure and late turnovers will keep the Titans away from coming back. The spread is 4.5, Panthers cover it with a defense win 27-21 Carolina.
Cutler and the Bears made their comeback on Monday with the victory over the Chargers, taking their third of the last five games. The Rams are coming off a tough loss, but I think they are ready to turn things around lead by Gurley. Forte is dinged up and the running game will be the big difference maker with QBs Foles and Cutler. Gurley will pile up the yards and give the Rams the win. They are favored by 7.5 points, while I don't give them that many it will still be a 24-20 Rams win.
Saints (4-5) @ Redskins (3-5)
The Saints dropped a tough one last week against the Titans, as they were exposed to their weakness of not being able to stop the passing game. That will be the case these week again and it will be up to Brees to out duel Cousins. The Saints are favored by one and I think Brees will be able to do it this week. After that last week, I am sure he is determined to put a lot of points on the board, knowing he has to carry his team. Saints take it 42-34.
Dolphins (3-5) @ Eagles (4-4)
The Eagles have been looking good coming off their win against the Cowboys. The Dolphins have slowed down, dropping their last two games as Campbell's affect seems to have worn off. I have to lean towards the Eagles on this one. They are the hot team coming in, though I don't trust Bradford at all, the Dolphins have been owned each of the last two games and I can't have faith in them after that. The Eagles are favored by 6.5, but I give it to Philly 28-23.
Browns (2-7) @ Steelers (5-4)
No Big Ben as the Steelers face another big missing piece on their offense. While the Browns have dropped four in a row dealing with QB injuries of their own. This game will end up being a close one, as Deangelo Williams will be the difference maker on the run game. The Steelers are favored by 4.5, but I think the Browns will keep it closer with the 23-20 Steelers win.
Jaguars (2-6) @ Ravens (2-6)
The Jaguars may be looking at a tough 2-6 record, but they have made a lot of those games really close. They still have a chance to fight for the division, as the leading Colts just lost Luck to an abdominal injury that will keep him out. While the Ravens were a team I thought would be fighting for the AFC North this year, but that has not been the case. Injuries are getting to them now too, as they are missing a good amount of offensive weapons. The Ravens are favored by 5.5, but I think Bortles will make it more of a match with 21-20 Ravens victory.
The Vikings have been hot, as they just tied the Packers for the number one seat in the NFC North. The Vikings will be leaving the midwest and head over to Oakland to take on the good surprise Raiders. Carr, Murray, and Cooper have been strong weapons on the offensive side of the ball. Look for them to expose the Vikings defense and take away the upper hand in a close match, as the Vikings have been slipping by with all their wins. Raiders are favored by 3.5, but I give it to Oakland 27-20.
Patriots (8-0) @ Giants (5-4)
Brady and the Patriots are about to face the one team that seems to have their number, especially in the big Super Bowl games. But I bet the Patriots have got them this time, as though they lead their division, the Giants have not nearly impressed me as much as New England has. The spread is 7, and that might be a bit much. But Brady will take the Pats to a 31-27 win.
Chiefs (3-5) @ Broncos (7-1)
The Broncos already beat the Chiefs once this season and I bet now at home they do it yet again. Manning is coming off a disappointing loss against his former team, but I bet he brings it out hitting Sanders and Thomas for a good amount of yardage. The Chiefs are coming off a long bye after their victory in London and have won two in a row. But their really slow start has them out of the picture, for the division at least. The Broncos will end that streak covering the spread of 6.5 with the 34-27 Denver win.
Cardinals (6-20) @ Seahawks (4-4)
The Seahawks have been picking things up after their slow start and are about to take on the division leading Cardinals. Arizona can lock up the division putting the Seahawks back under .500 half way through the season. Look for this one to be a really good fight between Palmer and the Cardinals offense and the Seahawks secondary. Both teams have great game on both sides of the ball, but I got to go with Seahawks domination as they have taken four of the last five against Arizona. Seahawks are favored by 3 and take it 18-17 Seattle.
Dalton has been amazing this year, leading his team to an undefeated record halfway through. There has been a lot of doubtful words tossed around about the Bengals due to their playoff past. They are about to take on the up and down Texans who they should be able to destroy. That make turn some of those doubters into believers. The Bengals will grab win number 9, as they pass their huge spread of 11 points. With Bernard and Green each grabbing two touchdowns, the Bengals win 42-23.
Record: 83-49
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Week 9 Predictions
Dalton is coming off a late victory against the Steelers to take a solid four game lead in the division. Though the Bengals came away on top, they must have been frustrated with their performance. I am sure up against the beatable Browns defense Dalton will make sure that does not happen again. Look for a couple Green touchdowns and a good amount of yardage for the Bengals. The real story of this game though is McCown's shoulder injury and Manziel making the start. I feel like you never know what kind of performance you are going to get out him. Manziel could make this game really close, or turn the ball over a bunch making even more of a blow out. Either way I am still taking the Bengals, the only question left is if they will overcome the 11 point spread. Dalton will have a good game and Manziel will have to prove himself to keep up. I give it to Cincinnati 34-21.
Packers (6-1) @ Panthers (7-0)
Aaron Rodgers is coming off a tough loss throwing for only 77 yards and suffering the first loss for the Packers on the season. The Panthers had a good solid 23-6 lead over Luck and the Colts, but blew that lead and beat them in overtime thanks to a Keuchly interception. This is by far the game of the week as these two look to go into the playoffs as the number one seat in the NFC. Here is the thing, Rodgers is coming off a loss and when that happens he always comes back the next week and blows his opponent away. Now that wont be easy, with Short, Allen, and the rest of that Panthers defense, they could destroy Rodgers like Denver did. But I al going to side with Rodgers on this one, he may not blow away that Panthers defense, but he will get his team the win. Packers 23-20.
Redskins (3-4) @ Patriots (7-0)
New England is coming off a blow out victory against the red hot Dolphins and are going in to face the off and on Redskins. Washington lost by 14 to the Jets a few weeks back and that just happens to be the spread this week favoring the Patriots. If New England can force Cousins to make some mistakes they should easily cover that spread. With Edleman, Gronk, and Lewis there for Brady I expect them to at least put up 30 points. The question is if they can hold back the Redskins offense. Brady will keep his team undefeated and bring home a 35-20 Patriots win.
Titans (1-6) @ Saints (4-4)
The Saints had a poor start to the season, but have been really hot coming off a great win over the Giants. Brees was very impressive packing up yards and throwing seven TDs. The Titans won in week one, but have not been able to do anything since, suffering Mariota issues along with other keys players on both sides of the ball. The Saints are favored by 8, but with it being a home game an all the Saints should blow them out. Expect Bress to find receivers for a good amount of yards again leading to a27-16 Saints victory.
Dolphins (3-4) @ Bills (3-4)
Taylor is listed probable for the Bills, as they are coming off the bye getting ready to take on the division rival Dolphins. Dolphins just got smoked and they are about to go take on another tough team to beat, especially on the road. Look for defense to play a big role in this one, with turnovers deep in the redzone making the difference in this one. The Dolphins are most likely lacking the confidence after last weeks matchup, which is why I am gonna agree with the spread and go Bills 20-17.
Rams (4-3) @ Vikings (5-2)
The Vikings are looking good with their record this season, but when you look who they've beaten it isn't as impressive. They took out the Chargers who are having an off year, the Chiefs who also have been struggling, the Bears who can be counted on, and then the Lions twice and we all know they are a joke. All together the teams they have beaten have a total of seven wins through eight weeks. The Rams will give them more of a challenge. Both teams have good defenses and great running games with Peterson and Gurley. This game will be decided on who will be clutch on third downs on both sides of the ball. The Vikings are favored by 2.5 points, but I am going to take St. Louis on this one. I see a Rams win 24-23.
Jaguars (2-5) @ Jets (4-3)
Jets have lost two straight and are in a tough predicament. Fitzpatrick is dealing with a thumb injury now and Geno Smith didn't look very impressive against the Raiders taking a lot of big hits and even needing to come out of the game for a few plays. It looks like Geno will be starting this week and that isn't an offense I would want to trust. The Jets are still favored by six points, and I don't give it to them by that much but I do think their defense will be enough to overcome the young Bortles offense of Jacksonville. Jets win 17-14.
Raiders (4-3) @ Steelers (4-4)
The Raiders have been a surprise this year, as Carr has been very impressive these past couple weeks with seven TDs and no picks. The Steelers on the other hand may have just gotten their QB back, but they just lost their star running back Le'Veon Bell for the season. Williams is a strong backup, but I think the Raiders are coming into this with a lot of confidence and determination in what could be a big difference maker on who gets in the playoffs wildcard spots. The Raiders do have to travel across country however and with the absence of Bell look for Roethlisberger to look for Miller, Brown, Bryant, or Wheaton more often. If Woodson can get in the way I would give it to the Raiders, but that is a lot of targets to cover which is why I am going to go Steelers. They are favored by 4.5, but I am only giving it to Pittsburgh 27-24.
Giants (4-4) @ Buccaneers (3-5)
Eli Manning had a great game against the Saints that lead to just a disappointing loss, while Winston lead his team to a great win over division rival Falcons. Both teams have offenses to be proud of, but both a serious slacking on the defensive side of the game. The Giants are favored 2.5 points in this matchup and as long as Manning avoids throwing all those picks he is known for, they should be able to bring that win home. This one could really go either way, but I will take the Giants 33-27.
Falcons (6-2) @ 49ers (2-6)
Big story in this matchup is Colin Keapernick getting benched and Gabbert getting the start at QB for San Francisco. The Falcons defense has definitely declined since the early weeks of the season, so this should be a good chance for Gabbert to show the 9er fans what he can do. Like last week, the Falcons are favored by seven points. They couldn't come through against Tampa, but the 9ers should not be much of a challenge. I expect Ryan to find Jones a few times against the 9ers poor secondary and Gabbert will make a couple mistakes leading to a Falcons 20-14 win.
Broncos (7-0) @ Colts (3-5)
Colts almost came back against the Panthers on Monday night, but they made their trade with Green Bay and are now taking on the undefeated Broncos. Peyton is heading into his old home coming off a great week and looks to keep it going with his new tight-end Vernon Davis. Luck has issues getting sacked and hit all season and Denver is going to bring it. Denver is favored by 4.5 but I think they will do better than that. Don't count on a late Colts comeback this week, look for the Broncos to apply the pressure and burry Indy.Broncos win 26-17.
Eagles (3-4) @ Cowboys (2-5)
You want to know how bad the Cowboys QB situation is? Get this, Romo has not played since his injury in week two, but he still leads the team in passing TDs. Now I get they have had both Weeden and Cassel take snaps, but the two of them only total what Romo did in week one with three TDs over the last six weeks. Its is obvious that you just can't take the Cowboys. Now the Eagles are coming off the bye, meaning Kelly has had two whole weeks to get his team ready. Hopefully for their sake Bradford turns out to function a little more than usual. Eagles are favored by 2.5 and I bet they make it a 28-24 Philadelphia win.
Bears (2-5) @ Chargers (2-6)
San Diego just lost their main target Allen for the season. That will be a tough blow for Rivers and the already slumping Chargers, as Gates, Floyd, and Johnson will need to make a bigger difference. The Bears are a team I feel I can never trust. With Forte dinged up it means you have to rely on Cutler. Now That is something I can never do. Every time I look to Cutler, the game is full of picks and thrown away passes. The Chargers are favored by four points, which may be a little much as I do expect a close game. Look for late turnovers to be the deciding factor in theChargers 23-21 win.
Record 76-43Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TBombsPicks/?ref=bookmarks
Week 8 Predictions
Dolphins @ Patriots
Dolphins @ Patriots
The Dolphins are coming off an impressive victory where they had a lead over 40 at half time, and though they have beaten the Patriots in two of their last meetings, none where at Foxborough. Look for the Patriots to stay perfect with a game that looks to be close through the third quarter, only to turn into a blow out of the final fifteen minutes. Brady will find Edlemen and Gronk beating the 7.5 spread and take the Patriots to a 34-21 win.
Lions vs Chiefs in London
These two teams have not had the seasons they were hoping for. They total three wins, but the Chiefs may have discovered their new ground weapon in West. He was very impressive in their victory over the Steelers, as the Chiefs look to get their first winning streak going. The Lions on the other hand jut tossed a good amount of coaches and personal. They are hoping for a turn around, but I don’t think it will happen this week. The spread is this game is five points favoring the Chiefs. I am not sure if I can give them that much, but I do give them the win. Chiefs 23-20.
Cardinals @ Browns
The 5-2 Cardinals are in the drivers seat looking down upon the rest of their division. But in order to stay good and happy there they can’t trip a give away a game to the Browns. The Browns are 2-5 and dealing with QB issues after McCowns challenge with the wall last week. The spread is this game is 4.5 favoring the Cardinals, but I think through their offense and defense they will take it by plenty more. Look for a 30-16 Cardinal victory.
Bengals @ Steelers
Division rivals are meeting up in a game that the Steelers need to win. The Bengals are enjoying their lead in the AFC North with their undefeated record and a 2 ½ game lead over the Steelers. Dalton and the Bengals offense has been very impressive this year, as they have out scored their opponents by 60 points on the season. But the big question when it comes to this came is what is up Big Ben, as it is possible that he returns this week. That would change this game completely, as I wouldn’t put to much faith in the Steelers without him, but if Roethlisberger is out there then it should be a great match. Bengals are favored by 1.5 points, without Ben I give it to them by two TDs, but with Roethlisberger in Pittsburgh I give it to the Steelers 34-31.
Giants @ Saints
Both of these teams have been on a bit of a hot streak. The Giants have taken four of the last five, while New Orleans has won back-to-back games. While the Giants sit a top of their division looking down, the Saints are battling with two teams that appear to be tough to catch. I Drew Brees and the Saints will have more determination in this one, as they know they need this win. The Giants will be to relaxed sitting in first place. The spread favors the Saints by three and I agree, Saints 24-21.
Buccaneers @ Falcons
Tampa Bay lost a heart breaker last week against the Redskins and now they are heading into Atlanta for a tough division fight. I don’t think this one will be much of a game, but I thought the Falcons would own the Titans and that turned out to be a close one. The Falcons are favored by seven, and I don’t think they will have another week without a couple Ryan TDs. Look for the Falcons to take this one 31-17.
Seahawks @ Cowboys
The Cowboys are surrounded by drama and injuries, which is a good reason why they have lost four straight. The Seahawks are not very happy with their season either, but they are looking a lot better than the Cowboys are coming into this week. Seahawks are favored by six, which may be a little much with how they have been playing on the road. Look to Lynch and Wilson to carry the Seahawks to 23-20 win.
Chargers @ Ravens
The Ravens have been dealing with some really tough loses. They are off to their worst start in franchise history, while one of their division rivals remains undefeated. They just can’t seem to get that last score, as they are not getting blown away by anyone, that fourth quarter just isn’t their friend. The Chargers took a big step down last week with their performance against the Raiders. We will see if Rivers can put things back together this week, as two teams that I considered to be possible playoff teams total for just three wins after seven weeks. The difference in this one will be if Rivers can take apart the Ravens secondary. The spread is three favoring the Ravens, but I give it to the Chargers 24-23.
Vikings @ Bears
The Vikings are looking good this season, with Peterson back and Bridgewater stepping it up they are a lot more dangerous than many people think. The Bears on the other hand have their good days and bad days, well mostly bad days. After dealing away some key pieces I find it hard to put any trust in Chicago. The Vikings are only favored by one, probably since the home team always seems to win between these two. But I bet they break that chain, Vikings take it 28-20.
Titans @ Texans
This one is a tough one to call; with how these teams have been playing I wouldn’t want to pick either of them. Put I am going to put my trust in Mariota, as it appears he will be returning to the field this week. The Texans got blown away last week and are dealing with other random drama from key injuries , Foster, to players missing flights. All of that will only mess up their game. Spread favors Houston, but I give it to the Titans 20-15.
49ers @ Rams
San Francisco is coming off another poor performance, they were looking good for a couple weeks keeping games close, but they only picked up three points last Sunday and are about to take on a tough defensive line. The Rams are looking pretty good, with Gurley busting out of the back field they should take this one easily. The Rams are favored by 8.5 and that may be a bit much as I say Rams 27-20.
Jets @ Raiders
New York is heading across the country to meet up with a team coming off a great win, while the Jets just suffered a tough one against the team they needed to beat. The Raiders have been a bit inconsistent and their defense is nowhere nearly as good as the Jets, so though I like Carr much more than Fitzpatrick I have to go with New York. The Jets defense lead by Revis will force the couple mistakes that make all the difference. Jets 23-21.
Packers @ Broncos
Both teams are coming off the bye, as Rodgers and the more healthy Packers offense looks to face what has been an amazing Broncos defense. The Packers are favored by three, well if they can keep Manning in-check and making those mistakes he has been all year they should be able to runaway with it. With Burnett, Shields, and Hyde in the secondary together again, Green Bay will have a good time picking on the Broncos only form of offense. Packers take it 33-27.
Colts @ Panthers
Indianapolis is coming off another disappointing game while Carolina still looks hot. That Panthers defense is going to be punishing for Luck and he is going to hit the ground multiple times. Turnovers will be crazy and the key reason the Panthers win by more than the seven point spread with a 35-24 Carolina win.
Record 68-37
World Series Pedictions
The World Series starts up tomorrow in Kansas City, as the rested Mets head in to take on the series-seasoned Royals. The Mets are using their Dark Knight Matt Harvey on the mound to take on the Edison Volquez. I expect this to be a great series, as the Mets pitching takes on the consistent small ball bats of Kansas City. The Royals are returning for their second straight World Series after their loss to San Francisco last season where Madison Bumgarner shut them down. The difference in this series will be if deGrom, Harvey, or one fo the Mets arms, if not multiple can come through like Bumgarner did last season. The Royals are a different type of team than the Dodgers and Cubs with their bats. Both of the Mets previous opponents swung big for the walls, so they often swung threw pitches leading to a good amount of strikeouts for the Mets. But the Royals are a team that puts the ball in play, from Escobar, who took home the ALCS MVP, to Zobrist and Cain they have shown they are not a team that gives away free outs. If the Mets wants to take the series they will need to bring the Royals down to that level, they will need to show them stuff they can't handle in order to slow their offense down. The Mets will also need NLCS MVP
The Royals are going into another World Series and this time I think they are more ready for it. After taking the Wild Card last year and breaking through to face the experienced Giants they put up a great fight, but came up short. Now that they have been there, they will be more ready and know how to handle things. After losing last year, the Royals have come in with more determination expecting to get this far. That is what will be the difference maker for them. Majority of the team was in the same shoes and does not want to suffer the tough defeat yet again. So I am taking the Royals in seven games. The Mets will win close ones with deGrom and Harvey on the mound, but Cueto and Ventura will come through for Kansas City in a series that is decided by the consistent bats and motivation of the Royals. They will take their first one since 1985, which would be their perfect turn a solid 30 years later.
Week 7 Predictions
Seattle Seahawks (2-4) at San Francisco 49ers (2-4)
Seattle Seahawks (2-4) at San Francisco 49ers (2-4)
The Seahawks are coming off a tough loss to the Panthers, as Greg Olsen and the Panthers offense made a great comeback. This game will be decided by the quarterbacks play. Between Kaepernick and Wilson, whoever gets more space to make plays and run the ball will be the one to come out of top. We will see if the 49ers learned anything from how well the Panthers contained Wilson. I expect a close game till some last second mistakes where the Seahawks win 27-20.
Buffalo Bills (3-3) at Jacksonville Jaguars (1-5)
EJ Manuel looked pretty good filling in for the injured Taylor. The Bills were playing the unbeaten Bengals and were not able to contain Dalton and that unstoppable Bengal offense. But now they are taking on the Jaguars. Bortles was impressive in his loss last week, with turnovers being his weakness. Trust me the Bills with be looking to rebound defensively and will force a bunch of those. The Bills are expected to win by 5.5 and I don’t think that will be an issue for them. I would bench Bortles if you got him on your fantasy team and put in the Bills for your defense position looking forward to a low scoring and hi turnover game. Bills take it 23-13.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-5) at Washington Redskins (2-4)
Bucs and Redskins, these are two teams that feel like I am at the slot machine. They either have a good week, or a terrible one, but you never know which side is going to show up on the field. I think the Redskins have done a good job to keep things close in their matchups at least. With a spread of 3.5 favoring Washington it is a tough game to call. Since I think Washington has better defense, I bet they will be able to force young Winston to make a mistake or two that will be game deciding, as Washington wins, but doesn’t cover the spread. Redskins 24-21.
Atlanta Falcons (5-1) at Tennessee Titans (1-4)
The Falcons made critical mistakes in the redzone in their loss to the Saints on Thursday Night Football last week. Coming off ten days rest, I bet the Falcons come in with a good game plan in order to avoid such errors yet again. The Titans just got smoked and Mariota got a bit dinged up. He is still playing but it will most likely be a painful experience out on the field for him. Falcons are favored by 4.5 and should take it by plenty more. With Freeman and Jones leading the offense with Ryan, I don't think the Titans defense can slow down Atlanta. I bet this one will be over by the end of the third quarter as the Falcons win 38-23.
New Orleans Saints (2-4) at Indianapolis Colts (3-3)
Questions were risen about Brees and if he would be able to play this year after suffering the arm issue is week two. Well Brees has done a great job coming back and staying with his team fighting through the injury and beating the division rival last week. Now the Saints did catch a lot of breaks, as the Falcons turned it over just yards away from another six points multiple times. The Colts need a win in order to keep their look as a strong contending team, look for a Luck to Hilton for multiple TDs type game if your into that FanDuel stuff. The Colts are favored by 4.5, and while I do think they will end up grabbing the win look for it to be a closer finish. Colts 31-28.
Minnesota Vikings (3-2) at Detroit Lions (1-5)
The Lions got their first win in overtime last week beating Cutler and the Bears. But don't get to excited cause the Vikings aren't easier. I think Peterson is going to have a great day on the ground, while Bridgewater gets some great yardage. The Vikings are only favored by 2.5, but with Stafford issues I don't think they will have anything to worry about as long as they don't continuously turn the ball over. Lions fans are excited about their teams first victory, but they will be disappointed again this Sunday with the Vikings winning 24-14.
Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2) at Kansas City Chiefs (1-5)
1-5 is not the start anyone saw for the Alex Smith and the Kansas City Chiefs, as I would be picking them to finally get another win if Charles was healthy and out on the field. But we saw last week in their loss to the Vikings that they will struggle offensively with Charles absence. I am going to go with Sooners QB Jones and the Steelers 27-17.
Cleveland Browns (2-4) at St. Louis Rams (2-3)
The Rams are coming off a needed bye after they got blown out by the Packers, that wasn't based on an Aaron Rodgers performance. It was more the fact that the Rams kept handing the ball over, as the Packers defense scored some points as well. McCown has done a great job keeping the Browns in games in the recent weeks, as they fell by three to the Chargers on game ending drive, overcame the Ravens by three, and fell to the Broncos in overtime. A spread of 5.5 favoring the Rams is far to much, as if the Rams were to win they wouldn't take it by more than three. I think the Browns will be able to pull this one off though. As long as they don't turn it over a bunch, Browns will take it 24-20.
Houston Texans (2-4) at Miami Dolphins (2-3)
Hoyer and Hopkins are coming off a great week in the Texans win over the Jaguars, while the Dolphins beat up another week team in their win over the Titans. Both of these teams seem to be slacking defensively this season, as Watt and Clowney have not lived up to expectations and Suh has not been living up to that huge contract he received from Miami. This game will be decided by which QB steps it more between Hoyer and Tannehill. A lot of expectations were put on Tannehill coming into the season, but besides the 38 points the Dolphins got last week, they have not be very impressive. With a spread of 4.5 favoring the Dolphins, I wouldn't take them to win by that amount, but I will say Dolphins even up their record with Dolphins 23-21 victory.
New York Jets (4-1) at New England Patriots (5-0)
The Patriots and Jets will be a great game, as we will see if this 4-1 Jets start is a fluke or not. The Jets have not beaten up the Patriots in New England since 2002. Since then Brady has had the upper hand and brought down the Jets in all but one game which was close. Fitzpatrick and the Jets want to be up Brady again, and if there is a good year to do it, I would say it would be now. The Patriots are undefeated with great offense coming from Brady, Edleman, and Gronk, but they have been facing nothing but poor defenses. The Jets are bringing the No. 1 ranked defense into New England this weekend. With that said, I will still take Brady over Fitzpatrick, but not by the expect nine points. Patriots win 31-27.
Oakland Raiders (2-3) at San Diego Chargers (2-4)
Phillips Rivers is leading the league is passing, as he and Allen put up a bunch of yards becoming the first tema Rodgers and the Packers couldn't cover the spread against this season. The Raiders look a lot better this year, but I don't think Woodson and the Raiders defense can hold down the Chargers this week. Heading back into Qualcom, the Chargers should put on a good show taking this game against their AFC West rival and passing them in the standings. I see the Chargers and Raiders each making a few mistakes, but in the end a Chargers 27-20 win.
Phillips Rivers is leading the league is passing, as he and Allen put up a bunch of yards becoming the first tema Rodgers and the Packers couldn't cover the spread against this season. The Raiders look a lot better this year, but I don't think Woodson and the Raiders defense can hold down the Chargers this week. Heading back into Qualcom, the Chargers should put on a good show taking this game against their AFC West rival and passing them in the standings. I see the Chargers and Raiders each making a few mistakes, but in the end a Chargers 27-20 win.
Dallas Cowboys (2-3) at New York Giants (3-3)
Cassel is taking the QB job over from Weeden, even though he had the third best completion percentage in the NFL. But since Romo had his injury, it hasn't been wise to pick the Cowboys, so why start now? I honestly don't think Weeden was the issue with the Cowboys, but we will see if Cassel is an improvement. Eli is coming off an embarrassing game, but he can't do that bad against a team with a depleted defense can he? We will see what new names are added to injury list for the Cowboys, as the Giants take this one 28-24.
Philadelphia Eagles (3-3) at Carolina Panthers (5-0)
Baltimore Ravens (1-5) at Arizona Cardinals (4-2)
The Cardinals are coming off a tough loss to the AFC North Steelers, now going against another AFC North team they are not going to let it happen again, especially to the Suggsless, 1-5 Ravens. Look for Peterson to cover Flacco's only target Steve Smith, while the Cardinals line holds Forrsett from making much of a difference. Palmer and the Cardinals are favored by a solid 7.5 points, normally I wouldn't support that, but I will go with the Cardinals for Monday Night Football as I see 30-21 Cardinals win.
Record 59-32
Week 6 Predictions
Thursday nights matchup is a division battle between the the undefeated Falcons and the one win Saints. The Falcons are a surprising team, of the six, to still be without a lose, while the Saints coming off their embarrassing game against the Eagles are starving for a win. Both teams have had mediocre defenses allowing over 380 yards a game, meaning this game will depend on whose offense can step up and avoid making mistakes. Matt Ryan and the Falcons won last week thanks to Freeman, as Ryan turned it over twice and didn't throw any touchdown passes. If the Saints can shut Freeman down, it will be a game decided by Ryan or Brees. The spread is 3 points in favor of the Falcons and I think they will cover that. Falcons 31-21.
Chargers at Packers
Phillip Rivers is coming off a tough loss and is only heading into a tougher place to get one. The Chargers are looking up in the division at the undefeated Broncos, as they head in Lambeau to face the undefeated Packers. Rodgers finally threw a couple picks, but the Packers showed us that they can overcome mistakes, as they still beat the Rams by 14 points. The spread in this game is 10 points favoring Green Bay, as the Packers are most likely getting their WR Adams back for the first time in three weeks. Look for the Packers to shut the door on everything besides a few short passes to Antonio Gates, but still take it forcing a couple turnovers. Packers 28-17.
Redskins at Jets
The New York Jets are coming off the bye with a 2-2 record on the year. They have looked good with Fitzpatrick, Marshall, and their defense as they look to host Washington. Kirk Cousins has surprised many, they Redskins have been in each of their games. Falcons had to make a comeback last week to overcome them. The Jets have looked good, but they are not a blow out team like their division rivals. Look for Cousins to keep this close, as the spread is 6 points favoring the Jets I pick the Jets to win, but not to cover. Jets 24-20.
4-1 Arizona Cardinals just made Stafford and the Lions look completely worthless. The Steelers on the other hand overcame the Chargers on the last seconds thanks to Mr. Bell in the backfield. With Vick starting, the Cardinals will apply enough pressure and will be lead by Peterson in the secondary to force turnovers and make Pittsburgh rely only on their run game. The spread is 3 favoring the Cardinals, as they look to increase their lead over the Seahawks.Cardinals 27-21.
Chiefs at Vikings
Kansas City was just hit by their worst nightmare, as Jamal Charles is out for the year with a torn ACL. I was looking forward to seeing a Peterson vs. Charles game. The Vikings are coming off their bye and looking for Bridgewater and Peterson to pick up where they left off. We will see if Alex Smith can expand his passing game, or if Charles replacement Davis can make a big difference. Overall I take the Vikings, they are favored to win by 3.5 and I think they will cover that. Vikings 24-17.
The Bengals made their big comeback last week against the Seahawks taking it in overtime, as they have had one of their best starts in franchise history averaging scoring more than 30 points a game. Andy Dalton looks like the QB they have been waiting him to be, as he has impressed fantasy owners with his numbers. The Bills have had some great defense, having one of the lowest averages of points allowed a game. One of those two sides will have to bend, with the Bengals favored by 3 I got to think they will stay consistent and the Bills defense will have another bad week, similar to week 2. Bengals 28-20.
Bears at Lions
Both of these teams have looked rather bad this season, but their has been recent life coming out of Chicago with their last drive wins over Oakland and Kansas City. Stafford and the Lions have just looked so poor on both sides of the ball. They are 0-5, and if you were to think they were to finally get their first win, it would be against the Bears. But they have given me no reason to believe they are capable of winning. The Lions are actually favored by 3 points, and though I am not sure why I will give to them but without covering. Lions 21-20.
Broncos at Browns
Manning has not impressed me this season, but his defense has. I think they will do a good job yet again and force McCown to make some mistakes. If Manziel was in there, I would probably be thinking differently, but look for Cleveland to try and use the run game and make their mistakes on the pass game in the later quarters. Broncos are favored by 4.5 which shouldn't be to tough to cover. Broncos 23-17.
Texans at Jaguars
This game is a tough call, as they spread is only 1 point favoring the Texans. Bortles is practicing, but he did suffer a shoulder injury in last weeks game after his great performance. But with his injury issue, I am putting my trust in Hoyer. Look for Hoyer to find Hopkins multiple times for a good amount of yards and possibly a couple TDs. The Texans defense has not impressed me at all, so look for an offensive game. Texans 28-24.
Dolphins at Titans
Mariota and the Titans just missed their win last week against the Bills, while the Dolphins were on their much needed bye. The Dolphins have shown us that they have nothing but flaws on both sides of the ball, with drama surrounding some of their offseason deals and just so much negativity going on with their name. Both of these teams have not won since week 1. The Titans are favored by 2.5 points, but I think they will take it by plenty more. Titans 23-13.
Now to many teams are undefeated for everyone to continue to stay that way this week. The Panthers will be face their first loss up in Seattle against the Seahawks. The Seahawks are 2-3 and I am sure they are not cool with that. They let their victory slip away against the Bengals and wont let that happen again. Look for them to pressure Newton and for Chancellor to some how make a big play to decide the game. The Seahawks will take it, but will not cover the 7 point spread. Seahawks 24-21.
Ravens at 49ers
This game will be decided by the teams running games. Kaepernick is confident, saying the 49ers can still go 12-4, but his game not looked to impressive on the season. He looked better against the Giants before taking another loss. I have more trust in Flacco, but he is short on options as it is unsure if Steve Smith will play or not. This game relies on Forrsett and Hyde and how they do rushing the ball. Ravens are favored by 2.5, as Forrsett has been playing better than Hyde over the last couple weeks. It is a tough one to call but Ravens 20-17.
Going into the season, you think this would be a preview to the AFC Championship as expectations were high for both of these teams. Things for the Patriots continue to look great and I pick them to make the Super Bowl as of now, but the Colts have not looked very good as they are dealing with QB injury issues. Luck has missed the last two weeks with a shoulder injury while Hasselbeck has been playing with a back strain. It is unclear as of now which QB will play this week, but I honestly don't think it will matter as Brady will show the Colts how weak their defense is blowing them out and covering the 8 point spread. Patriots 31-20.
Giants at Eagles
Philadelphia is coming off a great week against the Saints, as Bradford showed his game and the defense forced a bunch of turnovers. While the Giants were able to stay in fornt of the 9ers with a win to give them a positive record and the lead in the NFC East. This should be a close matchup, as both teams do not want to hand a win over to the division rival that may the one taking away their seat in the playoffs. Look for the game to be decided by who makes more mistakes between Eli Manning and Sam Bradford. Eagles are favored by 3.5 and I think they will take it in the final couple minutes of the fourth quarter, but not by more than 3. Eagles 24-23.
Record: 50-27
Hockey Season is Back! Season Predictions
The Atlantic division should be fun, but I think it will be no competition as Stamkos and the Lightning should run away with it easily. Stamkos is coming into a free agent offseason, so he'll be looking great making sure he gets a huge paycheck from Tampa Bay or another team. The Lightning will only have one problem in their way, and that is Carey Price. I think the Canadiens are the only team that will be giving the Lightning a hard time when it holding the lead in the Atlantic mainly because of their man in the net. It will be interesting to see what kind of a difference Mike Babcock makes for the, shall I say seems like forever struggling Maple Leafs, as he visited the Red Wings and got a standing ovation a few days ago. I don't the Bruins did enough to improve their main defensive problems from last season, while the Panthers definitely did adjust things and should be better this year, but will need a little more time before they can be consistent enough to keep up to Stamkos. 
The Central Division has the Cup Champs Blackhawks looking to come back and keep on winning, as they have run off with the trophy many times in the recent years. My friend was calling them the Yankees of the NHL the other day, as some appear to be getting sick of their success. Well I don't think they will take the division this season, as they started the season with a lot of drama and unneeded distractions. I think Nashville has got it this season, I really like Weber and I bet he hets the Norris this season. I think the Predators will fight a close division all season, but come away with it in the end. If your'e not feeling the Predators, I also think the Blues will be successful as they impressed me with a couple breakaways already on the season. Blackhawks will of course be in the fight as well, but sitting a top of the Central in my opinion with be Nashville thanks to their overall good offense, Rinne in the net, and a strong defense lead by Weber.
Going into the season, when it comes to the Pacific Division I was thinking Ducks all the way. Now I know its only been two games, but the team that has impressed me is the San Jose Sharks. The HSarks missed the playoffs for the first time in fifteen something years last season, but hey have this speed that the Kings couldn't keep up with while their new young goaltender Jones shut the door allowing only one goal against both the Kings and Ducks. Now its way to early to base a pick off of, but look for the Sharks to get back in the playoff picture and be a threat if that Jones goalie is able to keep up what I have seen so far. I think the Coyotes and Ducks will be the teams fighting for the top seat in this division. Kings and Canucks also wont make it easy, while the Flames impressed me last season and I don't know why any of that would back off. Overall I got to go with my gut and say the Ducks will win this one, but I think its the biggest toss up. The Cup will be decided by whoever is the hottest at the time and the streaky teams that may come away with it are the Capitals and Lightning thanks to the leadership and great skill both teams perform with.Week 5 Predictions
Heading into week 5 we got the AFC South division battle between the poor QB Texans and the injured QB Colts. Luck is out, meaning Hasselbeck is starting even though he has been sick all week and hasn't practiced at all. With all that being the case, I think defense will be winning this game which is why I look to Watt and his friends on the line to bring home the 12-10 win.Rams are visiting the Rodgers and the Packers in Green Bay. The Rams have impressed me in a few games with wins over Arizona and Seattle, while they have had a couple loses I didn't expect including the one against Washington. The Rams seems to only beat teams ranked higher than them, but I trust Rodgers and his amazing ability to get points on the board to pull off a close victory 21-17 and grab the 5-0 start to the season.
Both Bears and Chiefs are disappointed with their starts to the season, as they come into week 5 1-3. Arrowhead is a really loud stadium and though Cutler and the Bears looked good last week, I think the Chiefs will get the win. The Chiefs pass defense may be beat up, but they will be able to pull off plays the Bears can't thanks to the volume of the stadium. Chiefs wont cover the 9.5 spread, but will take it 24-20.
Matt Ryan and Julio Jones are among league leaders and they are going to add to it this week. With Freeman on the ground game the Redskins wont be able to predict what is coming and will never be set for a certain play. The Falcons offense is to dangerous, while their defense has lived up past expectations. The Falcons should not have much of a problem taking this one 31-20.
Jaguars actually have been showing everyone that they have a good offense, with Bortles at QB they have been surprising many and putting up a good amount of yardage but he is still ranking 28th in passer rating. Winston is coming off a a tough week against Carolina, which is why he ranks 31st in passer rating. These are two of the worst teams in the league, but the Jaguars have taken 4 of the last 5 meetings between the two teams which is why I am going to take the Jaguars 17-14.
The Eagles are not a top NFL team like predicted in the beginning of the season. They only have one win, which was not impressive as they totaled only 231 yards. The Saints impressed me against Dallas coming away with the overtime win. The spread in this one is -5 for the Eagles, well the Saints will keep within a field goal difference if they don't win themselves. With the Saints poor pass defense I see a20-17 Eagles win.
The Ravens are beat up, they lost their main receiver last week in Steve Smith and are just lacking
The Bills couldn't catch a break last week, as they had TDs taken back due to penalties which made the difference in their loss. I don't think they will catch all those bad breaks again, as they take on the now humbled Mariota and the Titans. Look to Bills defense to slow the Titans down as Taylor runs away with this game. I call a 27-13 Bills win.
Stafford and Lions are the only winless team left this season, but they are about to take on a team that has been beating up low record teams all season. The Cardinals are coming off a tough loss where they turned it over three times. That wont happen back to back weeks, as the Cardinals will force turnovers and stop the worst run game in football. Cardinals 28-17.
The Patriots are coming off their bye week, having spend the last couple weeks preparing for this game in Dallas. The Cowboys just lost Sean Lee, and running back Dunbar as the injuries only continue for an already beat up team. Brady and Gronk are going to have a great game as the Patriots easily take it over Weeden and the Cowboys 38-21.
The Broncos and Raiders are meeting up, Denver is still undefeated while the Raiders are coming off a tough loss to Chicago. All of the Broncos victories have been close to the end however, while Carr has only thrown two interceptions on the season. The Raiders defense needs to step it up and keep it close, as Manning has already thrown five picks. This one will come down to the end and whoever makes the last mistake. Since the Broncos have been the team to make those plays on defense so far this year, I got to take them 24-17.
The 49ers have been a disappointment with three straight loses that weren't even close. The Giants caught a lot of breaks last week in their win over the Bills, but if Eli Manning was able to get a lead I don't think he has to worry about losing it against the 67.7 QB rating of Kaepernick which is as bad as you can basically get. Look for Manning and Jennings to put up some points and take the double digit win24-13.
Record 41-22
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MLB DS Predictions
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MLB Postseason
The AL had a lot more at stake today, as the Toronto Blue Jays were looking to take home field advantage away from the Royals. But the Tampa Bay Rays got in the way beating the Jays 12-3, while the Royals won today against the Twins. So Kansas City will hold home field, as they look to represent the American League in the World Series for the second season in a row. The Texas Rangers locked up the AL West today, as the got the win they needed that also eliminated the Angels from the playoffs. The Astros were going into today looking at three different possible outcomes. They could the division, the wildcard, or get eliminated. The Astros lost their game 5-3 against the Diamondbacks, but caught the break of the Angels losing as well to the team they were trying to catch. The Astros will now head into New York to fight the Yankees in the AL Wildcard game. Like the NL game, I expect the road team to come away on top, as Keuchel should be representing the Astros on the mound and from what I have seen this year, I have a lot of confidence in him. The Astros would get through to take the Royals, which would be a great matchup.
The other playoff set matchups are Rangers going into Toronto, which will be a who's hot an who's not type duel. It will depend on which teamis seeing the ball better and hitting in the clutch, as both teams, well realistically more the Blue Jays, are known for offense and providing pop to bring home the wins. It will be tough to out do Donaldson, even with Hamilton and Fielder. In the NL the Mets will be visiting the Dodgers. This series is quiet the opposite, as both team are known for pitching with Greinke and Kershaw on one side, then Harvey and deGrom and others with the Mets. I expect low scoring games with a single big fly being the difference in games. Dodgers did just reactivate Puig, hoping he can resume and be a difference maker. Fun news of the day, Ichiro took the mound for the first time in his career today for the Marlins. It was hilarious and fun to watch him take his windup and deliver the pitch.
Week 4 Predictions
Record: 31-17
Week 3 Predictions
Thursday nights game is a division match between the Redskins and Giants that I believe will turn out to be very entertaining. Not much hope was placed in either team coming into the season, but they can still put on a show as the Redskins showed us last week in their win over the Rams. The Giants have choked at the end of both games on the season and I think that will happen again. Eli will have a lead going into the final quarter, but like usual a turnover or some penalties will give the Redskins the edge they need to take the win. The defense will be the answer, as Washington takes it 23-21. Romo is out, but the Cowboys are still 2-0. The Cowboys picked up Matt Cassel, but are still going to start Weeden. Julio Jones has been unstoppable, and though the Cowboys have better defense I think Jones will still be the difference maker. Ryan will find Jones for a couple clutch plays giving the Falcons the 21-20 win and a 3-0 record.
The Colts are in need of a win and they know it. Luck will take on this years possible rookie sensation Mariota, who didn't have the same type of week against the Browns like he did in week 1. Both teams need help on the offensive line, but the Colts will be more desperate and will take it 31-24. Manziel was outstanding last week, but lost the starting job to McCown as the Browns are now going to take on the Raiders who are coming off an impressive victory against the Ravens. The Raiders are a bit beat up on defense, but Carr will out do McCown and show the Browns they need to stick will Manziel in the Raiders 17-14 win. Division battle between the Bengals and Ravens is scheduled for week 3. The Ravens are missing Suggs with their 0-2 start, while the Bengals are 2-0. The Bengals just have more offensive weapons which will be the reason they overcome the Ravens 27-20.
The Jaguars are visiting the Patriots, and sorry but this one is a no-brainer. Brady to Gronk will yet again be the answer giving the Patriots a 30-14 win. Drew Brees may still play though he is a bit dinged up, but the Saints obviously don't have much defense this year. Newton will have fun finding Ginn and Olsen in the redzone for the 28-20 victory. The Eagles are off to a disappointing season, as their big name additions have not been making much of a difference. The Jets have been strong on defense, as they kept Luck quiet last week, they will have fun forcing turnovers and keeping DeMarco Murray irrelevant, winning 24-20. Winston had a good game in week 2, showing his skills against the Saints, but the Texans will show them a much stronger defense. Watt will get in for a sack or two, maybe even a turnover or TD as the Texans get their first win 20-14.
The Chargers and Vikings game is a tough one to call, but I have faith in San Diego on this one. They have a good defensive line, which means they should be able to hold the Vikings main strength from to big a difference. It will be up to Bridgewater to defeat San Diego, but I like Rivers more and see a 31-28 win for the Chargers. The Steelers blew out the 49ers, as Roethlisberger to Brown has become the norm to the Steelers success. Deangelo Williams has been very impressive, but the also get Bell back from suspension thus week. Look to the Steelers offense to be to much for the Rams who are already coming off an embarrassing loss with a 27-17 final. The 49ers are meeting the Cardinals in Arizona for what should turn out to be a blow out. The 9ers showed their true colors last week while the Cardinals continued to impress. Look for the Cardinals to take this one 34-23.
Bills and Dolphins are meeting up for a division fight, Taylor has impressed me and I think he will continue to do so in Miami. This game will depend on who can put more pressure on the QB. Look to the Bills to bring down Tannehill a good amount fo times bring in the 23-17 win. The Seahawks are hungry, and the Bears are missing their quarterback. Now that Chancellor is resigned, looked for the Seahawks to put on the pressure, force turnovers and take it 30-10. Manning got lucky last week, but after a good amount of rest and playing against a beat up Stafford, the Broncos will pick off the ball and pick up the win 31-17. Finally the Chiefs have a long break going from Thursday to Monday Night Football as they head into Green Bay. That is a tough place to play, as it seems Rodgers has the answer to everything. This game will be decided by the Packers D-line and if they can hold of Charles. Still I see the Packers scoring with Rodgers to James Jones touchdown passes to take it 31-24.Record: 18-14
Week 2 Predictions
Week two has five good division battles and some intense meet ups between past conference championships showdown rivals. First off tonight, Peyton will take the Broncos into loud Kansas City to face off with the Chiefs. Alex Smith found his tight ends to make the apparent unbeatable Texans defense look rather pathetic last week, if the Broncos look to beat the Chiefs they will need to figure out a way to stop their way of scoring. Peyton will not be able to look into out scoring them as the answer. It will be a tough matchup, but I see the home team taking it 24-20. The Texans are heading into Carolina looking to make up for their performance last Sunday. The Panthers may be missing their key defensive weapon, as Kuechly had a head injury in their game against Jacksonville. But can Hoyer or whoever is starting put points together to overcome Cam? This will be a low scoring game, as the Panthers enjoy a win at home 14-13.
turnovers, as they forced three and didn't give away any. Those kind of numbers wont happen against Brady. New England will be able to penetrate better than the Colts did defensively forcing the young Bills QB to make mistakes. It will still be a close division game, but the Patriots cheating or not will take a 28-24 win mostly because they have Gronk to hit in the red zone.
The Bengals have some good pass defense, though Rivers looked great in his comeback against the Lions, look for Cincinnati to close the door on the San Diego offense. Dalton will either have a great or poor game against the Chargers defense, he will be the make or break piece to this game. I have faith in Dalton and see a Bengals winning 24-17. I don't think home field advantage will be a factor in the Titans at Browns game. Mariota was amazing in his debut, while his defense took apart young Winston. They could do the same to another young QB in Manziel. The Titans will take this game easily if they show us the same skill as they did last week. Look for Tennessee to take it 31-17. The Falcons are coming off an impressive game, but the Giants showed they are good at forcing turnovers. The Giants gave their game away last week, but I think they wont make those clock mistakes again. Odell Beckham Jr. wasn't much of the game against Dallas, so look for him to be a big difference maker against a Falcons defense that most likely wont be as good as last week. This game wont be over til the final couple drives, but the Giants will take it 23-21.
Cowboys vs. Eagles should be a very fun entertaining came. Yes Dez is gone, but he wasn't much of a part of their win against the Giants. The Cowboys have the defense that the Eagles don't, so it will come down to Bradford yet again to be the difference maker for the Eagles. I see this game going down to the final play, giving Dallas a 31-30 win. Seattle and Green Bay are meeting again after the intense NFC Championship meeting. There are two big pieces that will decide this game. First the Seahawks still don't have Chancellor and they looked like a mess without him against the Rams. While the Packers added James Jones back to the team, which paid off last week with two touchdowns. Look for Green Bay to come out on top in a scoring battle 34-30 final. The Jets were impressive in their win over the Browns, but after a good game Fitzpatrick is due for a bad game. Plus I doubt he will be able to keep up to Luck and the Colts who look to make their fans cheer and smile with a 37-24 win.Record: 9-7
NFL Regular Season: Week 1 Predictions
Chiefs are visiting the Texans and it should be a blast to see Charles go up against that defense. Alex
Trade Deadline Predictions
Now that trades are finally underway, things should get entertaining and very interesting. Pitching is a big need for many teams. The Royals, Cubs, and Yankees could use starters while the Cardinals, Mets, and Pirates need relievers as the Dodgers, Blue Jays, and Astros could use both. I expect Cole Hamels, Johnny Cueto, Jeff Samardzija, and David Price to the top targets for contenders. We'll start in the AL East.
The Toronto Blue Jays have offense, coming off their series in Oakland where Josh Donaldson, Jose Bautista, Russel Martin, and Edwin Encarnacion all showed off their power, some more than once. What the Blue Jays are missing is a dominant starter and some real strength in the bullpen. Look for them to target pitchers like Cueto and Hamels, but cost and no trade clauses will become a factor. I think they will have better luck acquiring a top closer such as Jonathan Papelbon from the bottom of the league Phillies. If the Blue Jays were able to pick up a starter, look for them to have a conversation with the Marlins for Dan Haren or Matt Latos. Those starters wont be so much of a cost problem and will be easier to resign. The Blue Jays are currently sitting 5.5 games behind the Yankees and will need their offense to stay strong and healthy along with help out on the mound.
The Chicago Cubs are having their first successful season in a good while and though they sit in third in their division behind the top two records in the NL, the playoffs are not out of their reach as they currently lead the Giants by a half game for the second wildcard seat. With Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo leading the offense, the Cubs can afford to send a bat off in a deal. With Addison Russell added to the team last season, Starlin Castro is a hot commodity for other teams. The San Diego Padres recently announced they will be selling, so look to the Cubs to try to acquire James Shields or Tyson Ross to strengthen their rotation. The Cubs will also be looking to Detroit and their ace David Price. I am not sure if the Tigers are fully ready to part with Price, but if they decide to sell, as they currently are looking up in standings at the Twins and Royals, Price would be one of the big names they send off at the deadline.
The reigning AL champs recently lost their big name left fielder Alex Gordon, but they are in the market for pitching as well. The Cincinnati Reds have had an off season, so I expect those two teams to be chatting. Johnny Cueto and Marlon Byrd are the answer to the Royals issues and would help them lock up the AL Central they currently lead by 6.5 games. The Royals currently have the best record in the AL as they look to get another shot at the World Series.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have had plenty of amazing pitching recently from Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw, but they only lead their division by three games over the San Francisco Giants who they have not had much luck against this season. The Dodgers will be agressive and go after Samardzija, Price, Cueto, and really any other starter they can get their hands on. They will get at least one big name guy to slide into the number three spot in the rotation. However, the Dodgers real problem has been their bullpen. Though they have added former closers such as Chris Perez and JP Howell in recent years, they have not had much success with them on the mound. So the Dodgers will be targeting high heater Arolidis Chapman. The Dodgers have won the NL West the last two seasons, but have always been eliminated in the playoffs due to a poor bullpen. Look to the Dodgers to do everything they can to make sure that doesn't happen again.
The New York Mets currently sit three games behind the injured Nationals with one obvious problem, they need more help on offense. With David Wright still out they have had a hard time putting runs together besides when they use the longball, which isn't easy at Citi Field. Look for the Mets to dish one of their many young talented starters for a big bat. They look to pick up Ben Zobrist from the Oakland A's, but I expect them to do more in their effort to prove they are not a fluke. Maybe a deal with the Padres for Justin Upton, or with the Red Sox for Hanley Ramirez, or even grab Tulowitzki from the Rockies. Their bullpen isn't fully set, but a bat is the first thing on their list. I expect them to be very busy over the next couple days.
The Minnesota Twins have been a pleasant surprise this season, as they sit second in the AL Central and currently hold a wildcard seat. Look to the Twins to try and beef up the lineup with the addition of an outfielder. My guess would be Carlos Gomez from Milwaukee or Yoenis Cespedes from the Tigers. With some more power added on with Dozier, Hunter, and Mauer, look for the Twins to hold on and become a strong threat.
The Toronto Blue Jays have offense, coming off their series in Oakland where Josh Donaldson, Jose Bautista, Russel Martin, and Edwin Encarnacion all showed off their power, some more than once. What the Blue Jays are missing is a dominant starter and some real strength in the bullpen. Look for them to target pitchers like Cueto and Hamels, but cost and no trade clauses will become a factor. I think they will have better luck acquiring a top closer such as Jonathan Papelbon from the bottom of the league Phillies. If the Blue Jays were able to pick up a starter, look for them to have a conversation with the Marlins for Dan Haren or Matt Latos. Those starters wont be so much of a cost problem and will be easier to resign. The Blue Jays are currently sitting 5.5 games behind the Yankees and will need their offense to stay strong and healthy along with help out on the mound.
The Chicago Cubs are having their first successful season in a good while and though they sit in third in their division behind the top two records in the NL, the playoffs are not out of their reach as they currently lead the Giants by a half game for the second wildcard seat. With Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo leading the offense, the Cubs can afford to send a bat off in a deal. With Addison Russell added to the team last season, Starlin Castro is a hot commodity for other teams. The San Diego Padres recently announced they will be selling, so look to the Cubs to try to acquire James Shields or Tyson Ross to strengthen their rotation. The Cubs will also be looking to Detroit and their ace David Price. I am not sure if the Tigers are fully ready to part with Price, but if they decide to sell, as they currently are looking up in standings at the Twins and Royals, Price would be one of the big names they send off at the deadline.
The reigning AL champs recently lost their big name left fielder Alex Gordon, but they are in the market for pitching as well. The Cincinnati Reds have had an off season, so I expect those two teams to be chatting. Johnny Cueto and Marlon Byrd are the answer to the Royals issues and would help them lock up the AL Central they currently lead by 6.5 games. The Royals currently have the best record in the AL as they look to get another shot at the World Series.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have had plenty of amazing pitching recently from Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw, but they only lead their division by three games over the San Francisco Giants who they have not had much luck against this season. The Dodgers will be agressive and go after Samardzija, Price, Cueto, and really any other starter they can get their hands on. They will get at least one big name guy to slide into the number three spot in the rotation. However, the Dodgers real problem has been their bullpen. Though they have added former closers such as Chris Perez and JP Howell in recent years, they have not had much success with them on the mound. So the Dodgers will be targeting high heater Arolidis Chapman. The Dodgers have won the NL West the last two seasons, but have always been eliminated in the playoffs due to a poor bullpen. Look to the Dodgers to do everything they can to make sure that doesn't happen again.
The New York Mets currently sit three games behind the injured Nationals with one obvious problem, they need more help on offense. With David Wright still out they have had a hard time putting runs together besides when they use the longball, which isn't easy at Citi Field. Look for the Mets to dish one of their many young talented starters for a big bat. They look to pick up Ben Zobrist from the Oakland A's, but I expect them to do more in their effort to prove they are not a fluke. Maybe a deal with the Padres for Justin Upton, or with the Red Sox for Hanley Ramirez, or even grab Tulowitzki from the Rockies. Their bullpen isn't fully set, but a bat is the first thing on their list. I expect them to be very busy over the next couple days.
The Minnesota Twins have been a pleasant surprise this season, as they sit second in the AL Central and currently hold a wildcard seat. Look to the Twins to try and beef up the lineup with the addition of an outfielder. My guess would be Carlos Gomez from Milwaukee or Yoenis Cespedes from the Tigers. With some more power added on with Dozier, Hunter, and Mauer, look for the Twins to hold on and become a strong threat.
Adam Jones has stated his unhappiness with the offensive production from his team. Questions were risen about the Orioles plans to either buy or sell come the trade deadline, but they look to add on and make a run for the playoffs though they currently sit fourth in their division. Like the Twins, the Orioles need an outfielder, Gomez and Cespedes could be on their watch as well, but I expect them to look at Charlie Blackmon of the Rockies. A lead off batter with some pop could help them try to catch up to the Yankees at top the AL East.
9/17/14
Week three has got some good division match ups, with Green Bay visiting Detroit and San Francisco heading into Arizona, not to mention a Super Bowl rematch of Denver vs. Seattle. Here is what you should expect in week 3 out comes,
16 TB@ATL 24
24 GB@DET 28
27 SD@BUF 21
14 DAL@STL 19
24 WSH@PHI 30
20 HOU@NYG 6
10 MIN@NO 27
18 TEN@CIN 24
23 BAL@CLE 24
34 IND@JAX 13
17 OAK@NE 41
27 SF@ARI 24
28 DEN@SEA 31
20 KC@MIA 21
15 PIT@CAR 23
23 CHI@NYJ 13
Look to Brady, Luck, and Ryan to have good passing games while Carolina, Houston, and St. Louis have shutdown defense weeks.
9/12/14 NFC and AFC West Predictions
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9/10/14 Week 2 Predictions
As the second week of football approaches, I spoke with good, very football knowledgeable buddy Michael Guydish about his expectations. We agreed and disagreed on some things but came out with some good predictions to go by.
The drama crazy crazy Ravens vs. high scoring Steelers, Michael expects a defensive show down and calls for a 13-10 Steelers win, while I think the offense will get more involved and turn into a 27-14 Steelers victory. Both the Bengals and Falcons are coming off week 1 wins, Michael thinks that Dalton and Green will explode and take it 31-21, while I say Jones and White will exploit the Bengals defense and give the Falcons a 27-24 win. Though both teams had impressive upsets in game one, Michael and I favor Tannehill and the Dolphins over the Bills, both agreeing on a 24-21 finish. Even though the Saints dropped game 1, Michael and I expect them to turn things around against the Browns. He says they will take it 38-14, while I predict a final of 33-20.
Now this may be bias, as Michael is a big Cowboys fan, so he predicts they will overcome the Titans 24-17. While I have more faith in Locker and Walker combining for some offensive plays, giving Tennessee a 20-10 win. Stafford impressed us both on Monday Night Football, leading us to both choose the Lions over Newton and the Panthers in Carolina. Michael expects to see them score 5 touchdowns and take it 35-17, while I think Kuechly will have more of an impact but still face defeat with a final of 27-21 Lions. Tom Brady did not come off with his best stuff in week 1, but we think the Patriots can defeat Peterson and the Vikings. Michael expects a wipeout with a final of 34-10, but with Patterson showing us his amazing moves and speed last week, I think it will be more interesting. Resulting in a 24-21 Patriot win. Eli Manning looked like the same quarterback as last season, which is why we both favor the Cardinals this week. Michael expects a 28-20 win for Arizona, while I think defense will play more or a role resulting in a 17-10 Cardinals victory.
The Redskins have lost nine straight games now, Michael thinks that will come to an end and against who better than the Jaguars. He sees a 21-14 win for RGIII, but I think the Jaguars can step it up and defeat Washington 21-20. Now on their third string QB, the Rams can't seem to avoid injury. But Michael thinks this is the break they needed turning to a new guy to run the offense. So he picks the Rams over the slumping Bucs by a final of 17-6. I think Martin can get it going and lift the Buccaneers past the Rams for a clean 24-10 win. Though Phillip Rivers looked good until the end of his game on Monday, you can't make any mistake against Seattle. We agreed that the Seahawks should take this easily. Michael says 34-14 will be the final, while I think Rivers can a little better and predict a 31-21 final. The big division match up, Broncos and Chiefs. A lot drama surrounded these games last year, but now there is a lot less faith in the Chiefs. Expect Manning to take this game by halftime. Michael sees a clean finish of 41-17, while I think the Broncos will topple the Chiefs by a final of 38-13.
The Packers had a rough week one, but Michael thinks they will bounce back easily taking it 34-10. I on the other hand, still have faith in the Packers, but do not see them winning so easily. Ivory and Johnson looked great for the Jets in week 1, and the Packers looked weak against Lynch, so expect a much closer game finishing at 24-21 Packers. The Raiders offense was a disgrace in week 1. Though they added James Jones and Maurice Jones-Drew they did not make any impact against New York. While Watt Texans held down RGIII in week 1 without a problem. This should be a low scoring game, but expect Watt to be the difference maker, as Michael says Houston will take it 17-13 and I say they will win 13-6. The 49ers were impressive in their victory over Dallas, which is why we both pick them to beat the Bears in week 2. Michael thinks Keapernick will go into beast mode and pick up 34 points leading to a 34-20 win, while I think that game will result in a 24-14 9er victory. And finally on Monday Night Football, I was very surprised that Michael choose his hated rival the Eagles to defeat Luck and the Colts. He has a lot of faith in Foles and expects a 31-28 Eagles win. I disagreed claiming Luck will have a good second half, like always and bring home a 34-28 Colts win.Overall Michael and I agreed on more games resulting in 11 games we agreed on and 5 that we did not. Hopefully by next week we can get more people to share their opinions, possibly through a podcast. Keep checking in for NFL insight, MLB news and once hockey and basketball are in season. News and expectations about those leagues will be shared as well. Like us on Facebook, search T-Bomb's Picks!!!!
9/9/14 NFC NORTH PREDICTIONS
The Minnesota Vikings are coming off a disappointing season, but with Matt Cassel in at the QB position things are looking up as there hopefully is not a lot of QB drama like last season. With AP in the back field, every defense needs to prepare for the run game, not to mention Patterson and what he showed in week 1 with his great moves resulting in a touchdown and 102 yards in only three attempts. The Vikings brought down what was thought to be a good Rams defense in their 34-6 victory. Though the offense looked powerful, the Vikings do need to worry about their defense this season. Defensive end Allen is no longer on the team, and though they held the Rams to six points, that is a team missing not one but now two QBs to the IR. We will see if the Vikings can keep those defensive numbers up as they are going for a tough stretch starting next week against teams with good QBs, facing the Patriots, Saints, Packers, Lions, and Falcons. I say the Vikings will go 6-10, but I give the benefit of the doubt and would not be shocked if they do better if they have a good season from AP and Patterson.
The Chicago Bears were one of highest expected teams to win in week 1, but the Buffalo Bills got in
9/8/14 AFC North Predictions
The big news of today is Ray Rice, how the Ravens have terminated his contract and that he has been suspended indefinitely from the NFL. A new video was issued today by TMZ Sports showing Ray throw a couple punches at his wife knocking her old cold in the elevator. Coach Harbaugh was interviewed after the Ravens team practice, but he avoided most questions about the personal issues with Ray Rice and wanted to focus on questions about the team and moving forward. The Ravens have lost a big piece of their offense and team in general, as Rice was icon of their franchise though he has been declining recently. Rice was already suspended two games, but thanks to the new video that showed his actions, more punishment has come into place . This has left Baltimore with Pierce as their main option to run the ball, though he was benched in the week 1 game after losing a fumble to the Bengals. This is not a good start to the season for the Ravens, as all this extra drama will only serve as a distraction from the real goals of the team. Though Joe Flacco has been improving and with the addition of Steve Smith, as they showed us in week 1, the Ravens offense will still not be at its best for the rest of the season. Torrey Smith and Jacoby Jones joined by Steve Smith with Owen Daniels at TE provides Flacco with good options to throw to, but as we saw in week 1 their running game will be a big weakness especially against opponents such as Pittsburgh, Carolina, and Houston. I expect the Ravens to go 7-9, which many will consider ridiculous, but I think this issue will affect them all season mostly on a mental level.
The Cincinnati Bengals started the season 1-0 with their victory over the Ravens in week 1 thanks to five field goals from Nugent and a touchdown pass to A.J. Green. Green made a juggling grab and a good move to get into the end zone. I think that is just the beginning to a great year for Green and Dalton making connections and deep touchdown passes. I consider Andy Dalton to be under rated and with Bernard in the running game, that Bengal offense will be well balanced as teams need to worry about Bernard as much as Green. The Bengals however do not have an easy schedule with Patriots, Colts, Saints, Broncos, and Panthers all to be dealt with outside of their tough division. If the Bengals defense can play at an elite level all season, they should be able to overcome the high power offenses on their schedule. I expected them to go 9-7 and to make a push for the playoffs, as I now consider the Ravens out and the fight to be between the Bengals and Steelers.
The Cleveland Browns have had a lot of attention throughout the preseason, well basically since they drafted Manziel. The talk surrounded them and who they were going to make their starting QB. Well Hoyer ened up getting that job and ended up throwing for 230 yards and one touchdown in week 1 against the Steelers. In other drama about the Browns, their leading wide receiver from last season, Josh Gordon was suspended for the season. But things are in talk now and that suspension may be lifted which would be very beneficial for the Browns. All the talk when it comes to Cleveland is still about the QB situation and when will Manziel come in to start. I think seeing Manziel play would be fun, but I doubt it would make enough of a difference to get the Browns into the playoff picture. Now they did have a great comeback against Pittsburgh, though they did end up losing. But to comeback when down by 27 and tie it is impressive. Now I expect we will see Manziel within a few weeks at the starting spot unless Hoyer throws 33 yard games with multiple touchdowns. But do not expect Manziel to pull a Tebow and somehow magically get his team to the playoffs. Look for Cameron to have a good season however, as I believe he will become the main target in Cleveland. I expect the Browns to pick up four wins and go 5-11 overall as their division is tough along with the NFC South that they have to deal with.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have had their ups and downs over the past few years with injuries and other issues, but no matter what Big Ben Roethlisberger, boot or no boot is always out their trying to bring hom the wins. I think this looks like a great season for the Steelers, as things are a bit different for them. They are known for having a great defense, but after losing a couple names to retirement or free agency I believe they will be known more for their offense this season. Antonio Brown was a huge receiver last season and he is picking up right were he left off from. His whole kicking the punter in the face stunt was hilarious, but accidental. But through that play you can see he has amazing speed and moves, a lot like his fellow running back Bell. Both got over 100 yards and were very impressive against Cleveland. The only problem with the Steelers is a bit of a lack of defense and they will need their scoring machines to compete against other powerful offenses. The Steelers will runaway with the AFC North this season and take it with a 11-5 record, competing for a bye week.
9/8/14 NFC South Predictions
Opening week is wrapping up, there have been some unexpected turn of events and upsets with Buffalo taking down Chicago and the Patriots sitting in last place in the AFC East for the first time since Brady took over after their loss to Miami for example. But in the NFC South, week one was all about division match ups. Carolina visited Tampa Bay while the Saints went into Atlanta to face the Falcons. The Panthers were looking good through the preseason until Cam newton ran into injury issues. From ankle surgery in the offseason to his rib fracture, Newton was not were the Panthers wanted him to be by game one. So to be safe the Panthers sat him against the Buccaneers, Newton did everything he could to be a part of the game however, even running out to be a part of the huddle. The Panthers turned to Derek Anderson to start in the QB position. He had a good game finding TE Olsen for one of his two touchdowns, as the Panthers took it 20-14. Newton is expected to return in week two to take on Lions, but he did miss some time with his injury and with a new offensive line and a whole new group of WRs, Newton may not have had enough time to adjust to his new team. The key to Carolina though is their defense lead by Luke Kuechly. Their defense did well holing the Buccaneers to only two successful drives, but they need that consistency in order to give Newton time to get to know his offense better. The Panthers don't have an easy schedule, as the next ten weeks are against teams you wouldn't be surprised to see in the playoffs. With their bye in week 12, the Panthers have a good wait before their rest, I expect the Panthers to go 9-7 making a push for a wildcard spot.
The Buccaneers are looking to 35 year old Josh McCown to lead their offense, he had two touchdown passes in their match against Carolina, but also threw two interceptions and only picked up 162 yards passing. The Buccaneers appear to need to look to running back Doug Martin to be the player he was two years ago. But yet again he has had a slow start, only picking up nine yards in nine attempts with a long of four yards. If Tampa Bay wants to have a successful season, they will need more production from both sides of their offense. They have a tough schedule taking on Green Bay and the rest of the NFC North, not to mention two games against Drew Brees and the Saints, the now healthy offense of the Falcons, and another match up against Carolina. Expectations were set a bit high in my opinion for the Bucs, as many claimed them to be a wildcard winner, but I think they will go 7-9.
Finally the Atlanta Falcons are looking for a bounce back season after their 3-13 record last year. They suffered multiple injuries with both Roddy White and Julio Jones getting knocked out for the season. Having those two back, along with the addition of Devin Hester the Falcons offense looks powerful and showed their strength out scoring Drew Brees. Matt Ryan threw for 448 yards and three touchdowns, including one to White and Jones was his leading receiver with 116 yards. The Falcons weakness this season will be their defensive line, as they did not record any sacks against New Orleans. They need to be able to apply more pressure as they will not always be able to out score their opponents. They came away with the win thanks to a long 52 yard field goal by Bryant, who went 3-3 in the game. WIth the Falcons tough schedule, I expect them to pull out a 9-7 record due to a brutal five last weeks that will make or break their playoff chances. 9/6/14 AFC South Predictions
The Jaguars picked up Bortles in the draft, but are still going with Henne in the starting position. Well I tell yea, that wont last long. Bortles will take over by week four, at least that is my guess and we will see a lift in offense for Jacksonville. Going into week one, the biggest spread is between the Eagles and Jags and there is already little confidence in Jacksonville and what they can achieve. With Maurice Jones-Drew now in Oakland, Jacksonville added Toby Gerhart to take over at the leading running back. Looking at their schedule, there are only a few teams that made the playoffs last season on their list. The sooner Bortles takes over, the better the Jaguars will do. Overall, I give the Jaguars a 6-10 record. That is an improvement form last year, but if Bortles takes over sooner than I expect, you might be able to add a couple wins on their list.
The Titans are looking to Jake Locker to deliver a great season and he has got some weapons the Titans can count on. With Delanie Walker, Kendall Wright, and Nate Washington, Locker has a few weapons to choose from. But the big story on the offense has got to be Bishop Sankey. How he does coming through in the RB position will decide how well this offense can produce. The Titans do have a tough start, facing three teams that made the playoffs last season in their first four games. But if they overcome the challenge and pull of a victory against say the Chiefs in Arrowhead, who I believe will decline this year, then the Titans put themselves in good position. I honestly don't expect much from them however. I don't think they will be able to pull off the clutch plays to wins the many close games they face. I say they will go 4-12, taking one game from Houston and Jacksonville, then getting a win against one of the New York teams they face allow with defeating Cleveland early in week 3.
Finally the Colts, they should runaway with this division without a problem. With the powerful defensive line lead by Mathis to rising QB star Andrew Luck, there isn't much that can stop these guys from taking the AFC South. They have had their drama with the huge fine thrown at Irsay, but hopefully that does not make any kind of an affect on how they preform on the field. The Colts have been looking to get in deep in the playoffs, but they have been slipping both years with Luck and I am sure are much more determined to push through this season. Look for the Colts to push for a bye round in the payoffs, that will depend on if they can come through in week 1 against Denver and later in the season against New England, the two teams that have the best shot of taking that away from them. I say the Colts will go 12-4, easily taking the AFC South. Only Houston has a shot in catching them unless injuries play a huge role.8/30/14 NFC East Predictions
The NFC East is a division full of teams that can either excel, or straight up suck. Last year was a great
8/28/14 AFC EAST PREDICTIONS
The preseason games are over, it is now time to make the predictions for the NFL season since we have gotten a bit of a look at these teams and what they are all about. First off the AFC East, starting easy here as it really does not take to much analysis to say who will take this division as it has been the same for quite a while now. The Bills, Jets, and Dolphins all have young developing QBs while the Patriots have their Super Bowl winner still chilling in that position. With that being said, besides possible injuries, I think everyone knows who they should put their money on. But lets break each team down anyway...
The Buffalo Bills, they are running into problems early. The Bills are looking to EJ Manuel at the starting quarter position. The second year QB has not looked to sharp in the preseason, as many off his passes have been going to the ground long before reaching his targets. Manuel has even been getting booed by his fans, as nobody in Buffalo has been impressed with what they have seen out there on the field. A part of his struggles may be the fact that they have already lost their young WR Sammy Watkins to a rib injury. This guy was suppose to be the main target for Manuel after the Bills deal sending away Johnson to the 49ers. With him out, the offense is going to be relying heavily on Spiller to carry that ball and get them the first downs that they do not yet have the chemistry to achieve in their offense. The Bills went 1-4 in the preseason, getting shutout in the final game showing no offensive life. I predict the Bills will go 4-12, grabbing wins only at random parts of the season against their division and maybe Oakland or Minnesota. But even with a large spread, don't count on them against teams likes New England, Green Bay, and Denver.
The Miami Dolphins have been having a pretty smooth preseason, besides a couple injuries like every other team they have escaped a good amount of that unwanted drama. The only note is their cutting of Brady Quinn, but that has been and will be a reoccurring thing every season. Ryan Tannehill is coming into his third season and I think he is due for a break out. He improved his numbers last year and it looks like he will continue to do so in this coming season. All they need to worry about is their tough start into the season with matchups against the Patriots, Bills, and Chiefs before heading to London to take on the Raiders. It wont be an easy start with Reshad Jones and Dion Jordan both out with suspensions. If the Dolphins can come out of those four games with a 3-1 record then I believe they did their job and defined themselves as a team that can put up a fight. After their bye in week 5 they have a couple more tough match ups with Green Bay and Chicago next on the schedule, but they can show their offensive talent like they have going 3-1 in the preseason and attempt to push for the playoffs. I predict the Dolphins will go 8-8 and will be the next team of the AFC East when Brady's reign is over.
Speaking of Brady and the Patriots, they have looked good all preseason going 2-2 will some high scoring victories over Philly and Carolina. The only thing that hasn't gone Brady's way was the trade of Logan Mankins to the Buccaneers. The guard Mankins, has been a pro bowler multiple times since being the first round pick of the Patriots in 2005 and has grown a good relationship with Brady. But the Patriots were in need of Mankins to take a pay cut with their stacked roster this season. Due to his refusal, he was dealt to Tampa for tight end Tim Wright and a fourth round draft pick. With question marks still floating about Gronks health, the pick up of Wright looks to be a good move for New England even if Brady doesn't like it. With their schedule looking to be on the easier side, I predict the Patriots to go 13-3 and easily take the AFC East home. Only Indianapolis, Kansas City, Green Bay, Denver, and San Diego look to be any kind of a threat and I bet they will beat at least a couple of them.
Finally the New York Jets have had a good amount of drama in the news mostly around their defensive back Dimitri Patterson. Patterson went AWOL for 48 hours and missed their preseason game against the New York Giants leading to his suspension for the rest of the preseason. Patterson claims it all to be false, saying his agent brought awareness about his absence. However, Patterson only played in one preseason game where he left with calf injuries. The recently signed free agent has a big history of injuries and spent most of the preseason rehabbing on the sidelines. The Jets added Michael Vick in the offseason and now look to him as a back up and mentor really for their starter Geno Smith. The Jets look for Smith to make some big improvements, as he threw 21 interceptions last season and only 12 touchdowns. The Jets went 2-2 in the preseason, but I predict they will 3-13 as they have to face the AFC West and NFC North in their schedule, both divisions with tough teams. Rex Ryan and the Jets need to do a better job growing and developing their own players instead of bringing in veteran players such as Vick and Chris Johnson to try and solve their problems.
The Buffalo Bills, they are running into problems early. The Bills are looking to EJ Manuel at the starting quarter position. The second year QB has not looked to sharp in the preseason, as many off his passes have been going to the ground long before reaching his targets. Manuel has even been getting booed by his fans, as nobody in Buffalo has been impressed with what they have seen out there on the field. A part of his struggles may be the fact that they have already lost their young WR Sammy Watkins to a rib injury. This guy was suppose to be the main target for Manuel after the Bills deal sending away Johnson to the 49ers. With him out, the offense is going to be relying heavily on Spiller to carry that ball and get them the first downs that they do not yet have the chemistry to achieve in their offense. The Bills went 1-4 in the preseason, getting shutout in the final game showing no offensive life. I predict the Bills will go 4-12, grabbing wins only at random parts of the season against their division and maybe Oakland or Minnesota. But even with a large spread, don't count on them against teams likes New England, Green Bay, and Denver.The Miami Dolphins have been having a pretty smooth preseason, besides a couple injuries like every other team they have escaped a good amount of that unwanted drama. The only note is their cutting of Brady Quinn, but that has been and will be a reoccurring thing every season. Ryan Tannehill is coming into his third season and I think he is due for a break out. He improved his numbers last year and it looks like he will continue to do so in this coming season. All they need to worry about is their tough start into the season with matchups against the Patriots, Bills, and Chiefs before heading to London to take on the Raiders. It wont be an easy start with Reshad Jones and Dion Jordan both out with suspensions. If the Dolphins can come out of those four games with a 3-1 record then I believe they did their job and defined themselves as a team that can put up a fight. After their bye in week 5 they have a couple more tough match ups with Green Bay and Chicago next on the schedule, but they can show their offensive talent like they have going 3-1 in the preseason and attempt to push for the playoffs. I predict the Dolphins will go 8-8 and will be the next team of the AFC East when Brady's reign is over.Speaking of Brady and the Patriots, they have looked good all preseason going 2-2 will some high scoring victories over Philly and Carolina. The only thing that hasn't gone Brady's way was the trade of Logan Mankins to the Buccaneers. The guard Mankins, has been a pro bowler multiple times since being the first round pick of the Patriots in 2005 and has grown a good relationship with Brady. But the Patriots were in need of Mankins to take a pay cut with their stacked roster this season. Due to his refusal, he was dealt to Tampa for tight end Tim Wright and a fourth round draft pick. With question marks still floating about Gronks health, the pick up of Wright looks to be a good move for New England even if Brady doesn't like it. With their schedule looking to be on the easier side, I predict the Patriots to go 13-3 and easily take the AFC East home. Only Indianapolis, Kansas City, Green Bay, Denver, and San Diego look to be any kind of a threat and I bet they will beat at least a couple of them.Finally the New York Jets have had a good amount of drama in the news mostly around their defensive back Dimitri Patterson. Patterson went AWOL for 48 hours and missed their preseason game against the New York Giants leading to his suspension for the rest of the preseason. Patterson claims it all to be false, saying his agent brought awareness about his absence. However, Patterson only played in one preseason game where he left with calf injuries. The recently signed free agent has a big history of injuries and spent most of the preseason rehabbing on the sidelines. The Jets added Michael Vick in the offseason and now look to him as a back up and mentor really for their starter Geno Smith. The Jets look for Smith to make some big improvements, as he threw 21 interceptions last season and only 12 touchdowns. The Jets went 2-2 in the preseason, but I predict they will 3-13 as they have to face the AFC West and NFC North in their schedule, both divisions with tough teams. Rex Ryan and the Jets need to do a better job growing and developing their own players instead of bringing in veteran players such as Vick and Chris Johnson to try and solve their problems.
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