Happy holidays, everyone! It's week 16 and many teams are still in the mix for a playoff spot, so things are really interesting. Let's get into it. Last week I went 11-5, making my record for the year 147-80-1.
Rams vs Seahawks (Thursday night) Rams win 28-23
Starting off with a fantastic Thursday night game. These two teams will duke it out for the top of the NFC West. The Rams clinched a playoff spot after beating the Lions. Matthew Stafford had a heck of a showing, with 368 yards and 2 touchdowns. Kyren Williams had 2 scores of his own on the ground. The Seahawks had a tight win over the Colts. Sam Darnold was okay, but the offense should've done better. The defense was good though, like always, but it'll have its hands full this week. Rams win.
Eagles vs Commanders (Saturday 5:00) Eagles win 31-14
The first of 2 Saturday games is an NFC Championship rematch. With a win, the Eagles can clinch the NFC East. They took care of the Raiders with no problem. Jalen Hurts threw 3 touchdowns and the defense suffocated former Birds QB Kenny Pickett. The Commanders beat the Giants, but that's not a good thing as it messes their draft pick up. They have benched Jayden Daniels for the rest of the year to improve draft selection and because Daniels is injured. I don't think this will be very close.
Packers vs Bears (Saturday 8:00) Bears win 34-29
The second Saturday game is a far more intriguing match. The Packers had a tough loss in Denver this past weekend. Not only that, but they lost Micah Parsons for the rest of the season due to an ACL tear. Jordan Love didn't look good, with two interceptions. They need to bounce back in this one. The Bears blew past the Browns thanks to Caleb Williams and DeAndre Swift, who each had 2 scores. The defense picked off Shedeur Sanders 3 times. I do think they have enough to take out the Packers.
Chargers vs Cowboys- Chargers win 38-27
The Chargers defeated the Chiefs, and knocked them out of the playoffs (more on that later). Justin Herbert was solid, but nothing crazy. The defense was superb, holding Patrick Mahomes in check. The Cowboys lost to the Vikings in a game that might've ended their season. Dak Prescott wasn't bad, going 23-38 for 294 yards and nothing else. The offense as a whole was solid. It was the defense that crapped the bed. They were cooked by JJ McCarthy and couldn't get anything done. It was just a mess for Dallas. I don't think they can stop the Chargers.
Vikings vs Giants- Vikings win 28-21
The Vikings, as previously mentioned, defeated the Cowboys propelled by a great offensive effort. However, they were eliminated from the playoffs due to a Bears win. The Giants were eliminated in week 12, and are now just hoping for the number 1 pick. This game is meaningless, and I'm just taking the Vikings because the Giants have their sights set on the number 1 pick.
Bengals vs Dolphins- Dolphins win 20-10
Another meaningless game. This game was originally scheduled for Sunday Night Football but was flexed out for Patriots-Ravens. The Bengals were eliminated after getting shut out by the Ravens, while the Dolphins were eliminated after a loss to the Steelers on Monday Night Football. I am taking the Dolphins just because they're home.
Buccaneers vs Panthers- Panthers win 28-27
The battle for the top of the NFC South. The Buccaneers had an embarrassing loss on Thursday Night Football. They were up 28-14 with 10 minutes left, and had the Falcons on 3rd and 28 with 1:20 left, and they still lost. Todd Bowles had a profanity-filled rant after the game, calling out his players. The Panthers also had a tough loss. They had the Saints pinned inside their own 10, but allowed them to drive into field goal range and win it. This should be an interesting game, but the Panthers have a thing where they alternate between winning and losing, and I think that trend continues.
Jets vs Saints- Saints win 20-7
The Jets were blown out in Jacksonville as they get one step closer to getting a higher draft pick. The Saints, as we just discussed, beat the Panthers for their second straight win. I think they're on a roll right now, and it will continue.
Bills vs Browns- Bills win 31-7
The Bills had a gritty come-from-behind win in New England, and Josh Allen had a clutch performance, with 3 touchdowns through the air. James Cook had a 107 yard, 2 touchdown performance on the ground. The Browns were blown out in Chicago and Shedeur Sanders looked like trash, with 3 interceptions. I don't think this will be much of a contest.
Chiefs vs Titans- Chiefs win 24-9
It's official: For the first time since 2014, the Kansas City Chiefs will not be in the playoffs. Their loss to the Chargers, coupled with the Bills, Jaguars and Texans winning, eliminated them from playoff contention. To make matters worse, Patrick Mahomes tore his ACL, meaning Gardner Minshew will be starting the final 3 games. The Titans, what is there to say that hasn't already been said about how bad they are? If Minshew finds a way to lose this game, he might have a hard time finding a new team.
Jaguars vs Broncos- Broncos win 31-28
The Jaguars steamrolled the Jets and Trevor Lawrence dropped 5 touchdowns. He looked fantastic, don't get me wrong, but it was only the Jets. He now has to face possibly the best defense in the league in the Broncos. The Broncos picked off Jordan Love twice and sacked him 3 times. The offense looked great too, as Bo Nix threw for 302 yards and 4 TDs. It wouldn't surprise me too much if Jacksonville did win this game, but I just don't think they can slow down that high-powered offense.
Falcons vs Cardinals- Falcons win 21-7
The Falcons shocked the Buccaneers, coming back down 2 scores in the 4th quarter thanks to Kirk Cousins playing like his 2015 self. The Cardinals were blown out in Houston and are just looking forward to April at this point, so I don't think they're going to put up much of a fight for the rest of the year.
Steelers vs Lions- Lions win 34-28
This could be fun. The Steelers had a dominant win on Monday Night Football, and Aaron Rodgers looked efficient and the defense was spectacular. But they'll have their hands full against the Lions. Although they lost in Los Angeles, the offense showed some positive signs against a tough defense like the Rams. The defense couldn't stop former Lions QB Matthew Stafford and that cost them. I think this will be a very tight match, but I'm going with the Lions here, because with the game being played in Detroit, I think they've got the momentum.
Raiders vs Texans- Texans win 30-10
The Raiders were shut out in Philadelphia against the reigning champions. Kenny Pickett looked like trash against his old team, going 15-25 with 64 yards and an interception. But the good news is they have a legitimate chance at Fernando Mendoza. The Texans steamrolled the Cardinals, and CJ Stroud had a wonderful game with 260 yards and 3 touchdowns. I think he can keep it up against a team like the Raiders.
Patriots vs Ravens (Sunday night) Patriots win 31-30
The Patriots missed a chance at clinching the AFC East after blowing a 21-0 lead. Drake Maye wasn't good, but Treveyon Henderson carried him in this one. The defense let Henderson down. Josh Allen and James Cook had a field day against the New England defense. The Ravens shut out the Bengals. The offense was decent, but it didn't need to do too much. The highlight came on a pick six by the Ravens when Kyle Van Noy flipped the ball to Alohi Gillman who took it the rest of the way. I wouldn't be surprised if Baltimore came away with a win, but I don't see it happening.
49ers vs Colts (Monday night) 49ers win 27-17
The 49ers have been quietly dominant this year. Sure, they just beat up on the Titans, but they've had some impressive wins over the Seahawks and Rams. Christian McCaffrey has looked damn good, with 922 yards and 9 scores on the year. Brock Purdy has missed a good chunk of the year, but he's shown positive signs in the games he's played in. The Colts had an interesting game. Philip Rivers played in his first game since the COVID-19 pandemic, and he didn't look awful, going 18-27. The defense let him down in the final moments and allowed Seattle to win the game with a field goal. I do think this could be competitive, but I'm going to have to go with San Francisco.
This should be a compelling week of football, and I hope you all enjoy it. Happy holidays, everyone!
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