It's Wild Card time in the NFL and I'm especially excited for it this year. For one, fantasy football season is over which means I can just watch the games without worrying about who is scoring in what game and how many more points I need to win my matchup. Don't get me wrong, I love playing fantasy football, but after 17 weeks, I need a little break. Another reason I'm excited for the playoffs this year is the absence of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Last year was very difficult to stomach as I watched the Steelers cruise through the playoffs and win their sixth Super Bowl. Even while attending a Super Bowl party, I was unable to fully enjoy myself because I was wrapped in my own misery of watching the Steelers win. I know; I take these things too seriously. Plus, I only have to write about two games instead of 16. So really, the only way I'd be more excited for the playoffs is if I got to see the Bills actually participate in them. Luckily for me (and all other Bills fans), things are about to turn around. You hear me? THINGS ARE TURNING AROUND.

Before we get to my previews and picks for this Saturday, I wanted to take this time to review mine and Scott's regular season predictions. As you all remember, we both split up the divisions and wrote a quick preview for each team followed by our prediction of how they would finish the regular season. Now it's time to see just how smart (or dumb) we look. Listed below are the divisions and who picked them. Then I will list each team, with the record they finished with, and the record either Scott or I predicted bolded afterwards.





New York Jets @ Cincinnati Bengals (Sat. 4:30pm)

Leave it to the NFL to make a playoff schedule that makes zero sense. Hey, let's take the latest game on Sunday and make them play the first game this coming Saturday. Somehow, we all knew this was going to happen. Although I suppose we have to at least give the NFL credit for not hosting their Championship game on a Thursday night. That's right BCS, I said it. You suck. I hate you.

I'm sure it's fresh in everybody's memory, but these two teams met last week in the Meadowlands which ended with a 37-0 win by the Jets and allowed them to clinch the playoffs. The biggest factor in why the Jets won so easily was their running game, which has been their greatest strength for the entire season. Last week they racked up 257 total yards rushing, while only passing for 63 yards. It seems that after 17 weeks, Rex Ryan and his staff realized that they need to rely heavily on the running game while taking the ball out of Mark Sanchez's hands as much as possible. Otherwise, he may be prone to throwing multiple interceptions and throwing another game in the garbage.

I'm being dead serious when I tell you this; Mark Sanchez has been downright awful this season. Normally I wouldn't be this harsh on a rookie QB, but since the day he was drafted people were touting him as the next legendary QB to play in the NFL and something about that seriously bothered me. At first glance, I can see at least three games that Sanchez gift wrapped for the other team. Just by glancing at the Jets schedule, I can see at least three games that were tossed away by Sanchez. We could very well be discussing the 12-4 AFC East Champion NY Jets right now.

I had a very difficult time writing about this game because I kept changing my mind on who would win. Literally, this is the third time I've re-written this portion of the article. So instead of going on any further, I'm just going to highlight my main points for each team and why they will win.

Reasons the Jets will win:

• Number one rushing offense in the NFL.
  

• Number one overall defense in the NFL.
  
• As stated before, they already demolished the Bengals this season.
  
• 4-2 against teams with a winning record this season.
  
• Winning record (5-3) in road games this season.
  
• Darrelle Revis. Easily one of the top five shutdown corners in the league going against Chad Ochocinco, the Bengals one and only threat in the passing game.
  

Reasons the Bengals will win:

• Bengals are 5-4 against teams with a winning record this season.
  
• Chris Henry. Never underestimate a team that has gone through something major like that during the season.
  
• Home field. Bengals fans will be going nuts for a rare chance at the playoffs.
  
• Number four overall defense in the NFL.
  
• Carson Palmer. He may not be more experienced in the playoffs, but he is far more experienced than Mark Sanchez overall.
  
• 6-2 record at home this season.
  

My Pick: Cincinnati Bengals (-2.5) over NY Jets





Philadelphia Eagles @ Dallas Cowboys (Sat. 8:00pm)

Just like the Bengals/Jets game, this is a rematch from a game this past Sunday which involved the road team getting laughed right off the field. However, unlike the Bengals/Jets game, the circumstances are not quite the same. Sunday's game between the Eagles and Cowboys was for the NFC East title and the right to host the first round game, so there was quite a bit at stake for both teams. After watching the game though, it seems that only the Cowboys realized this and showed up to play.

The Cowboys are heading into the playoffs on a real strong winning streak which should worry the other NFC teams. After knocking off the previously undefeated Saints in New Orleans, Dallas has since posted back to back shutouts of division rivals. They also swept the season series with Philadelphia this season which works in their favor. In fact, the only thing I can even say negatively about Dallas is that they still haven't won a playoff game in over a decade. And really, I don't think that matters at this point in time.

I had the Eagles pegged as winning the division and representing the Super Bowl before the season, so I'm a little surprised at how poorly they played this past Sunday in handing the NFC East over to Dallas. Regardless, they made the playoffs and we've all seen how dangerous they can be once we're down to a four game season. The biggest thing working against Philly is getting swept this season by Dallas. We saw last season that Baltimore wasn't able to overcome the season sweep when they lost the AFC Championship to Pittsburgh. However, two years ago, the Giants were able to overcome the season sweep against the very same Dallas Cowboys. So what have I proven with this little exercise? Nothing. Damnit.

Upon further review of Philadelphia's season so far, it has been less impressive than I once thought. The only team they beat this season with a winning record was Atlanta, who finished the season at 9-7. I suppose I should also mention that neither Matt Ryan or Michael Turner played in that game, so it's not really the best example of Philly beating somebody worthwhile. Meanwhile, the Eagles did lose New Orleans, Dallas (x2), and San Diego. As you can see, this isn't exactly an endorsement for the Eagles Super Bowl bandwagon.

When looking at the season Dallas had, it's been much more impressive than Philadelphia. They beat Atlanta (with Ryan and Turner), Philadelphia (x2), and New Orleans, which were all teams finishing with a winning record. However, they also lost to San Diego and Green Bay. Again, much more impressive than Philly. There is a part of me that wonders just how hard the Eagles tried last week against Dallas. For instance, did they go down by a certain amount and Andy Reid basically threw his gameplan out the window because he didn't want to give Dallas anything more to prepare for this week? Who knows? I guess we'll find out Saturday night. I do think Dallas can win this game, but Tony Romo is going to have a ton of pressure on him. I can only imagine what kind of firestorm he'll face if he goes through another season without a playoff victory.



My Pick: Philadelphia Eagles (+4) over Dallas Cowboys



Sunday's Games:

New England Patriots (-3.5) over Baltimore Ravens

Green Bay Packers (+1) over Arizona Cardinals

With only one week remaining, I decided to scrap my bracket style for the power rankings. Instead they are broken up into two groups. Playoff bound or potentially playoff bound teams, and teams that are officially eliminated. So without any further rambling, have at it.



1. San Diego Chargers (4) – With a Christmas day thrashing of the Titans in Tennessee, the Chargers won their 10^th straight game and clinched the second seed in the AFC. This is the one AFC team that the Colts do not want to face in the playoffs. Last season, an 8-8 Chargers team defeated the 12-4 Colts in the playoffs. The year before that, the Chargers beat the Colts in Indianapolis in the divisional round. If there is one team that seems to have the Colts number, it's the Chargers.

2. Indianapolis Colts (2) – The Colts suck. Ok, so they are pretty good, but I'm still highly disappointed in them for pulling their starters. They had a chance at history and gave it up to "save themselves" for the Super Bowl. Terrible decision. Absolutely horrid. They are already getting a week off for the wild card round, but apparently that isn't enough. I loved how Tony Dungy defended them for the decision. It's like he completely forgot all the times he pulled a similar stunt and the Colts choked in the playoffs. Never mind the fact that the year they won the Super Bowl, the starters played through Week 17.

3. New Orleans Saints (1) – The Saints wrapped up the number one seed this past week thanks to Minnesota's loss in Chicago. . After last week I wondered if it was a good thing that they lost their game and could now focus on the Super Bowl, but now I'm not so sure. Since their Week 12 victory over New England, the Saints have been anything but spectacular. They beat both Washington and Atlanta by the skin of their teeth and followed it up with these two losses. To summarize, it's been a full month since the Saints have played well. That isn't exactly a recipe for success when heading into the playoffs.

4. Philadelphia Eagles (5) – I knew this Week 17 matchup against Dallas would be an important game. Granted I thought a playoff spot would be up for grabs, but it's still a big game nevertheless. The winner of this game will determine the NFC East champion, which also means the winner gets to host a playoff game in the wild card round. Even more interesting, if Philly and Arizona win their game, that sets up another Dallas/Philadelphia and Green Bay/Arizona matchup in the playoffs. Has there ever been a time when both NFC wild card games were the same matchups as Week 17?

5. Minnesota Vikings (3) – It was nice to see Minnesota actually show up on Monday Night Football instead of mailing it in. Ahem, that was sarcasm. In the event of a New Orleans/Minnesota matchup in the NFC Championship, at least it will still be indoors. That has to be good news for Old Man Favre.

6. New England Patriots (10) – The Patriots took back the AFC East throne after loaning it out to Miami last season by beating Jacksonville in a laugher. Literally. Randy Moss was laughing hysterically on the sidelines during the game. How does that feel Jacksonville? Eh, who cares?

7. Dallas Cowboys (9) – Dallas has proved me and plenty of other football fans wrong with their last two December victories. In fact, I think it's safe to say we can put that argument to rest. Next step, actually winning a playoff game.

8. Cincinnati Bengals (6) – The Bengals finally clinched the AFC North with a victory over Kansas City. Now it's just a matter over whether they get the three or four seed in the AFC. Either way, they are hosting a home game in the wild card round, so the game this Sunday night is somewhat meaningless for them.

9. Green Bay Packers (12) – The Packers also clinched a playoff spot this past Sunday and as highlighted above, might be facing Arizona in consecutive weeks. It presents an interesting situation. Seeing that they will definitely be on the road in the first round, do they even try at Arizona? With a chance to play Arizona twice, I would assume that they don't want to give anything away by playing all out.

10. Arizona Cardinals (7) – I'm so tempted to pick against Arizona once the playoffs roll around, but the memories of last season are still vividly ringing in my head. I couldn't be more excited for playoff football to begin. Ok, I'm lying. I would be more excited if the Bills were actually participating.

11. Baltimore Ravens (11) – Despite handing the game to Pittsburgh, the Ravens are still in a 'win and in' scenario this Sunday. Seriously, have you ever seen a team just serve the game on a silver platter and still only lose by three? It was absolutely amazing. They have the Raiders in Oakland this week, which has proven to not be a totally easy game, but it should be a game they can win, especially with a playoff spot on the line.

12. New York Jets (18) – Like Baltimore, the Jets also control their own destiny. I know I've been harsh on the Sanchise and Rex Ryan this season, but I really hope they pull this one out. I know you're probably wondering how I can root for the Jets to win and make the playoffs when my team is a division rival, but if you knew me you would understand completely.

13. Pittsburgh Steelers (16) – The Steelers have done their best to rally late in the season, but their hopes are still slim. If Pittsburgh loses, they are finished.

14. Denver Broncos (8) – Unlike the Steelers, the Broncos have done their best to crap away a good season. They were clearly in the driver's seat a few weeks ago and now need a ton of help to make the playoffs.

15. Houston Texans (20) – Houston is also still alive, but needs quite a bit of help to make the playoffs. Regardless, at least their fans have something to cheer for in Week 17. It must be nice.

16. Miami Dolphins (13) – It's nice to see Miami playing their best ball when the playoffs are on the line. Oh well, they are still in it, although barely, and the only thing they can control this Sunday is their game against Pittsburgh.

17. Jacksonville Jaguars (15) – The Jags had the playoffs clearly in their sights until they decided to lay down and die the past three weeks. Nobody wanted to see them in the playoffs anyways so this was probably the best case scenario for all football fans.



Instead of copying all the playoff scenarios into the rankings, I felt it would be easier (and more proper) to just like the page from ESPN that clearly highlights all the scenarios for Week 17. Read and enjoy! And now without further ado, the best the worst.



18. Tennessee Titans (17) – The Titans had a slim chance at the playoffs until they got throttled on Christmas night by San Diego. I still give them credit for bouncing back from a 0-6 start and playing the way they did down the stretch. Chris Johnson needs only 128 yards in the final game against Seattle to reach 2,000 for the season. In fact, he only needs 234 to surpass Eric Dickerson for the most rushing yards in one season. If I'm the Titans, I'm giving Johnson the ball as many times necessary to help him get the record. When there is nothing else to play for, might as well make the season memorable.

19. Atlanta Falcons (19) – The Falcons creamed the Bills this past Sunday, which isn't saying much, but at least they haven't totally given up on their season. A healthy Matt Ryan is probably the difference between the Falcons being out of it and the Falcons preparing for the playoffs. If they win this Sunday at Tampa Bay, they will at least finish 9-7 and have back to back winning seasons.

20. Carolina Panthers (23) – Jake Delhomme's job is officially in jeopardy, or at least it should be. Matt Moore has been impressive in the past two weeks, and even more impressive, the Panthers have handled the Vikings and the Giants. While the Giants won't be in the playoffs, they could've been if it wasn't for Carolina. In other news, John Fox and his staff were informed that they will be back in 2010, which rules out Bill Cowher coming to Carolina (if he is planning on coaching next season for sure).

21. New York Giants (14) – The Giants have been a huge disappointment this season. So what better way to cap off a wildly inconsistent year than getting blown out at home by Matt Moore and the Panthers, in the final home game in Giants Stadium for the Giants. Maybe the Jets can at least make the closing of the stadium a little more memorable next week.

22. San Francisco 49ers (21) – Barring some kind of miracle, the 49ers should be able to beat St. Louis this week and finish the season 8-8. While it wasn't good enough for the postseason, it is an improvement over 7-9 last season and should fill Niners fans up with some hope. They will definitely need a new QB this offseason but that might be all they need seeing they still play in the NFC West.

23. Chicago Bears (24) – Sometimes I love fantasy football and other times I hate it. Heading into Monday night, I was leading our very own Scott Lunn 86-85, with each of us having one player left. Scott had Minnesota's defense and I had Chicago tight end Greg Olsen. Somehow, Cutler actually played like a good QB and even hit Olsen for a touchdown ensuring me of the victory. This is why I love fantasy football. Normally I would've had no interest in this game, instead I watched with a great deal of interest.

24. Cleveland Browns (29) – The Browns have really come on as of late. I realize their last two wins were only against the Chiefs in Kansas City and the Raiders at home, but that is something Pittsburgh couldn't do this year. Speaking of that, the Browns are actually on a three game winning streak when you include their Thursday night victory over the Steelers in Week 14. It's almost like that win was enough to get a little momentum going. Unfortunately for Browns fans, this might be enough for Eric Mangini to remain the Head Coach for at least next season.

25. Oakland Raiders (27) – The Raiders should finish this season 5-11 which isn't very good, unless you consider the amount of dysfunction that they have faced this season. Did I mention that JaMarcus Russell was their starting QB for over half the season too? So as you can see, it's actually been a pretty solid season for the Raiders. In other news, while the Bills have gone 53 games with having a 300 yard passer, both Bruce Gradkowski and Charlie Frye have done it this season with the Raiders.

26. Buffalo Bills (22) – How bad was the Bills game in Atlanta? I got up and started doing household chores once halftime hit. They were literally so bad that I couldn't stomach it. Of course I had the game on in the background so I was at least following it somewhat, but there was no way I could justify wasting a Sunday afternoon watching that game when I had other things that needed done.

On the positive side of things, I was somewhat pleased with Brian Brohm in his first NFL start. When you factor in that he has only been a member of the Bills for a few weeks and hadn't even practiced with the first team until a few days before the game, he played quite well. And shall I even mention the offensive line he had protecting him? He did throw two interceptions, but I'll argue all night and day that the first one wasn't his fault. It could've been easily avoided if a certain wide receiver gave at least a 2% effort to break up the pass. Despite his mailing it in on that play, Terrell Owens did surpass 1,000 receptions for his career for that I say, congrats T.O.

27. Kansas City Chiefs (28) – I had the Chiefs a little higher, but even I couldn't rank them ahead of Buffalo. I mean, the Bills actually got one of their wins against the Chiefs, so yes, they are that bad. I'll be highly interested to see what they have planned for the draft this spring. Do they grab a QB or do they hope that Matt Cassel somehow reverts back to his Patriot form? Unless the Chiefs plan on bringing Randy Moss and Wes Welker into town, I don't see that happening.

28. Seattle Seahawks (25) – The Seahawks have pretty much mailed it in for the season. I wondered aloud before the season why Seattle didn't show any interest in signing Michael Vick and now I'm wondering about that even more. It's apparent that Matt Hasselbeck has seen better days. I'd be shocked if he was starting for Seattle next season.

29. Washington Redskins (26) – Speaking of mailing it in, the Redskins have been outscored 62-12 at home in the past two weeks by the Giants and Cowboys. Now I know both of those teams are much better than Washington, but still, they are a division rival. Shouldn't those games be a little closer? I'm fairly certain that Mike Shannahan will be the next coach of the Redskins. So ummm…good luck with that Mike.

30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (31) – Tampa Bay shocked the football world yesterday with their win in New Orleans. Not only did they grab their third win of the season, they may have completely altered the landscape of the NFC playoff picture. We'll know more after next week but Minnesota is sending many thank you cards out to Tampa Bay right now.

31. Detroit Lions (30) – Well this has been a typical season from the Lions. I'd like to comment more on their game against the 49ers, but until I checked the box scores, I wasn't even sure the game was played.

32. St Louis Rams (32) – Not that the Rams will have to try, but they really should tank this last game and ensure themselves of the number one pick. I'm sure they have a ton of needs to address this offseason, but there is no way they can pass up Ndamukong Suh.

San Diego Chargers @ Tennessee Titans (Fri)

I'm having trouble picking against Tennessee, however I want San Diego to win because it will clear up that AFC playoff picture a little bit more. Seriously, I've seen calculus problems that are easier than figuring out all of those tie-breakers. Plus the Chargers have a very good chance of being my pick as the AFC representative in the Super Bowl and I don't want them to screw it up with a late season loss.

Buffalo Bills @ Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons were far from impressive in their win against the Jets, although a win is a win. The Bills were also less than impressive but they got a loss last week, which is even worse. However, Brian Brohm makes his first NFL start this week for Buffalo and I'm giving them the nod for this. I'm not sure why. He is basically a rookie playing behind a horrendous offensive line. I will have fun calling him the "Brohm Bomber" though. Plus he was compared to Jim Kelly coming out of college, so he has to be good, right? All sarcasm aside, I called for the Bills to start Brohm before the season ended a week or two ago and while the injuries to both Ryan Fitzpatrick and Trent Edwards forced the decision, I'm very excited to see it.

Kansas City Chiefs @ Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals have been reeling a bit lately but they should get back on track against Kansas City. It will be their first home game since the death of Chris Henry and the most fitting tribute they could give him would be a win at home to clinch the AFC North.

Oakland Raiders @ Cleveland Browns

Is everybody ready for Charlie Frye's long awaited return to Cleveland? It's too bad the Raiders don't play the Bills because a J.P. Losman return to Buffalo would rank right up there with this game.

Seattle Seahawks @ Green Bay Packers

When it comes to this game, I'm extremely nervous/interested in it. In fact, I would argue that this game holds more interest for me than the Bills game does. Mostly because the Bills and Falcons are irrelevant at this point, both from an NFL aspect and fantasy aspect.

Baltimore Ravens @ Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers took their first game against Baltimore to overtime before losing, mostly because of a costly interception thrown by Dennis Dixon. I said this immediately after the game, but the Ravens won't have that liberty this time. So not only do they get Pittsburgh on the road, but Ben Roethlisberger will be under center for this game. On top of that, the Steelers just got a sickening last second victory that will no doubt propel them straight into the playoffs and beyond. This whole thing has back-to-back Super Bowl Champs written all over it. You can quote me on that.

Houston Texans @ Miami Dolphins

Ok, I'll give Miami another shot. So far they lost to Buffalo when I picked them, they beat Jacksonville when I picked the Jags, and they lost to the Titans when I picked them. But you know what? They can handle Houston at home. To be honest, the only thing I care about is how well Andre Johnson does in this game. Last season, I would've considered him for the number two or three receiver in the entire league behind Larry Fitzgerald, but now I might have to reconsider that notion. Johnson has been downright amazing for the entire season.

Jacksonville Jaguars @ New England Patriots

Sure, I'll pick New England. I guess. Randy Moss can carry the world on his shoulders so they should definitely win. I'm not sure why he didn't do that in Minnesota or Oakland, but apparently he can do it now. Except for that game against Carolina where he completely mailed it in. But whatever, he really showed me last week. I'm convinced.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ New Orleans Saints

The Buccaneers aren't a very good team and the Saints just got humbled on National TV. This game has 'ugly' written all over it. I'd bet the house on New Orleans with a 20 point line right now.

Carolina Panthers @ New York Giants

The Panthers played some inspired football Sunday night against Minnesota, but I don't see it happening two weeks in a row. Meanwhile, the Giants desperately need a win to stay alive in the playoff chase. While I don't totally trust Eli Manning in the howling New Jersey wind, I think the rest of the Giants should can elevate their game enough to pick up another win.

St. Louis Rams @ Arizona Cardinals

Even though the Cardinals have won their division, have basically nothing to play for, and randomly decide to not show up for games, this should be an easy win. It's the Rams for crying out loud. Throw the ball to Larry Fitzgerald, early and often.

Detroit Lions @ San Francisco 49ers

The Niners really have no excuse to lose to the Lions. While they did improve on last year's 0-16 record, the Lions are still the Lions and have no chance in this game.

Denver Broncos @ Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles need to keep winning in order to win the NFC East, and they should be able to handle Denver. For one, Denver is traveling all the way to the East Coast for this game. For two, they just lost at home to Oakland and I no longer have any confidence in that team. Yes, I realize that Philly also lost to Oakland, but the circumstances were a little different.

New York Jets @ Indianapolis Colts

Normally I'd have a ton of confidence in picking the undefeated home team over the .500 away team, but having the game inside a dome takes away the Colts biggest advantage, the Sanchise playing outdoors. Luckily for the Colts, the Jets aren't very good as it is so they should be able to hit 15-0 with relative ease. Then the only thing standing in their way of an undefeated regular season is a trip to Orchard Park on January 3^rd.

Dallas Cowboys @ Washington Redskins

While this has the makings of a letdown game, I'm not quite sure the Redskins can even manage that these days. They looked about as lifeless as humanly possible last Monday night against the Giants. Then again, with division rivals facing each other, you never know. Or in this case, you definitely know.

Minnesota Vikings @ Chicago Bears

The Vikings haven't been especially great lately, but they should easily rebound against the Bears. Even if Brett Favre played poorly in this game, it would be immensely better than how Jay Cutler has played all season long. Speaking of Cutler, has there been a bigger disappointment in terms of offseason acquisitions? I don't think so. My initial criticism of Cutler was that he was a glorified fantasy QB, and he can't even live up to that hype this season. Along with killing fantasy owners who drafted him, he is consistently killing the owners who drafted Greg Olsen as their starting tight end.

On the topic of fantasy, in one particular league I'm in, I got saddled with the first overall draft pick. I hate drafting first. Not only do you set the tone for the entire draft, but with 12 teams in the league, you don't draft again for another 21 picks. So by that time, everyone else really good has been taken. Now you're debating on grabbing a wide receiver or QB, then you're waiting again while everyone goes off the board. It is by far the worst pick in a fantasy draft. Somehow, I managed to still make it to the Championship in this league, but no huge thanks to Adrian Peterson. He is one of three people to get me over 200 points this season, the others were drafted in rounds four and nine. It used to be a slam dunk that Peterson was the best RB in the league, but now I think someone would be crazy to make that statement. In other news, the team I'm facing has Chris Johnson.



Last Week: 10-6*

NFL Season: 145-92

*I picked Jax/NO for my first two picks in the article last week, but when transferring the picks over to my group on ESPN.com, I picked Ind/Dal. To keep things consistent in terms of overall record, those picks were counted since there was no way to take them off via ESPN.



Scott's Picks:



San Diego Chargers @ Tennessee Titans (Fri)

Buffalo Bills @ Atlanta Falcons

Kansas City Chiefs @ Cincinnati Bengals

Oakland Raiders @ Cleveland Browns

Seattle Seahawks @ Green Bay Packers

Baltimore Ravens @ Pittsburgh Steelers

Houston Texans @ Miami Dolphins

Jacksonville Jaguars @ New England Patriots

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ New Orleans Saints

Carolina Panthers @ New York Giants

St. Louis Rams @ Arizona Cardinals

Detroit Lions @ San Francisco 49ers

Denver Broncos @ Philadelphia Eagles

New York Jets @ Indianapolis Colts

Dallas Cowboys @ Washington Redskins

Minnesota Vikings @ Chicago Bears



Last Week: 9-7

NFL Season: 149-88

Indianapolis Colts @ Jacksonville Jaguars (Thurs)

Congrats to the Jaguars for actually selling out a game. Too bad it wasn't until Week 15 before they did so. The Jaguars are such an up and down team that I can't get a grasp on them at all. Their best stretch this season has been a three game winning streak where they defeated Kansas City, the Jets, and Buffalo by a combined eight points. Out of their seven wins this season, the only one that came against a team currently with a record above .500 was their win against the Jets.

So why am I picking them to knock off the undefeated Colts? Simple. I pick against the Colts every single week. But seriously, this has to be the week they finally go down. They clinched the number one seed in the AFC so they literally have nothing to play for anymore. Coach Jim Caldwell has said that the healthy starters will continue to play, but I don't believe totally believe him. That is my first factor in picking against them. Second, these two teams played on opening day and the Jags only lost by two points, which was due to a missed two point conversion late in the fourth quarter. They are division "rivals" and always tend to play close games. Third, the Jags need this game desperately to keep their playoff hopes alive and will simply be the hungrier team.

Dallas Cowboys @ New Orleans Saints (Sat)

I really could see a Dallas upset but I have to pick smart if I want to catch Scott, and picking the Cowboys in December against the best team in the NFL isn't exactly smart. I'm five games back of Scott with three weeks remaining so I have to pick and choose my upsets a little more wisely.

I highlighted this point in my rankings this week, but Dallas could very well be on the outside of the playoff picture by the end of this week if they lose to New Orleans and the Giants beat Washington. So if you're Dallas, the playoffs have basically already started. It's not inconceivable to think that if Dallas pulls off this upset, they get on a mini-run and plow through the playoffs. As recently as last year, we watched Arizona do something similar and we watched the Giants pull it off the year before. Then again, those two teams weren't coached by Wade Phillips.

New England Patriots @ Buffalo Bills

I suppose picking the Bills is the polar opposite of picking up upsets wisely, but hear me out. The Patriots have currently defeated the Bills 12 consecutive times. You know who else had a 12 game winning streak against a division foe? The Steelers over the Browns. What happened to that last week? The Browns finally upset the no longer dominant Steelers and ended the streak. The Patriots are in the same boat as Pittsburgh. A once dominant team suddenly isn't what they thought they were and is showing signs of demise. Randy Moss is potentially quitting on the team, the defense can't stop anybody, and Tom Brady is human. We saw this in Week One when the Bills almost pulled off the upset in Foxboro, and I think this is the week to do it.

The Patriots greatest strength is their passing game. Randy Moss and Wes Welker routinely eat them alive. I still think both of those guys have big days because Welker is still himself and Moss is probably a little pissed off over all the accusations of quitting last week against Carolina. However, the greatest strength of the Bills is their pass defense. Rookie safety Jairus Byrd is the league leader with nine interceptions on the season. They are ranked fifth overall in the NFL in pass defense. They are first in the entire NFL with 25 interceptions overall. Hell, Donte Whitner has two on the season which has equaled his career total from the previous three years.

The Bills biggest weakness is their run defense. Every single week teams just run all over them. It's almost amazing at how bad they are. Despite that fact, teams continue to pass on them for some reason. I'm not sure if they can't get over their ego or they just like throwing the ball. Luckily for the Bills, the Pats really don't have a great running game. Their leading rusher is Laurence Maroney and he has been less than spectacular, only rushing for 654 yards on the season.

So I see the Bills pulling off the upset and finally ending the 12 game losing streak to New England and it will come down to three things. One, bottle up Maroney as much as possible. It's a given that he'll get his 100 yards but if they can contain him as much as possible, they should be fine. Two, double Wes Welker at all times. He is clearly the most dangerous weapon on the Patriots offense. Watch Randy Moss going deep, but otherwise single coverage should be fine. He isn't exactly fond of going over the middle. Three, give the ball to Fred Jackson. Whether it's out of the backfield running the ball or catching screen passes, the Bills offense goes as Jackson goes. Feed him the ball early and often to help move the chains and keep the clock running.

Arizona Cardinals @ Detroit Lions

Not good news for the Lions. They already aren't a great team and would be overmatched against Arizona, but now Arizona is a little miffed after being embarrassed on Monday Night Football. You know the Cardinals will be taking out their frustrations on Detroit. Even if Larry Fitzgerald isn't completely healthy (which I pray he is), the Cards should have no issues putting 30+ points on the board. If you find yourself in the playoffs of your fantasy football league and you're playing against Kurt Warner, look out.

Miami Dolphins @ Tennessee Titans

Like my pick of Jacksonville over Miami last week, I have zero confidence in this pick. I just find myself not completely trusting this Miami team. I'm sure they realize what's at stake for them if they get the win, but I'm just not fully confident they will get it done. It doesn't help that they need to win and hope Buffalo knocks off New England.

If Tennessee has any aspirations of continuing their miracle run towards the postseason, they absolutely have to win this week. There is no way possible they will make the playoffs at 8-8, and I would even argue that 9-7 won't be good enough once it comes down to Week 17 and tie-breaking scenarios. Regardless of that, they can only control what they do on the field and that starts this week. This is a playoff game for them.

Cleveland Browns @ Kansas City Chiefs

I've seen both of these teams play several times this year and both are atrocious. However, last week Cleveland got a huge win against Pittsburgh which may get the ball rolling for them, sort of. Meanwhile, Kansas City lost by six to Buffalo and Matt Cassel threw four interceptions, three in the fourth quarter. To put that into perspective, the Bills begged the Chiefs to come back and win the game, and the Chiefs absolutely refused. On an interesting side note, the Chiefs home field advantage is completely out the window. In my brief lifetime, I've never seen a worse crowd at Arrowhead. I realize they are struggling, but come on Kansas City. That showing was terrible.

Houston Texans @ St. Louis Rams

I'm so scared of this game and its all fantasy football related. I made the playoffs in four of my eight leagues, which puts me at a neat and tidy 50% success rate. Although in my mind it will be a complete failure if I don't win and I haven't won in quite a few years. All that aside, I only really gave a crap about five of the leagues I ran, the other three were just joined out of boredom and I probably should've never joined them in the first place. So in one league I'm in, I've battled all season and clinched the number two seed last week to make the playoffs. Only four teams out of 12 make the playoffs. So I already feel somewhat accomplished. Then I realized my playoff matchup involves me playing someone who is starting Matt Schaub against the Rams. I am so incredibly screwed. Sometimes I hate fantasy football.

Atlanta Falcons @ NY Jets

The Falcons have been an epic failure this year. Of course, a lot of that has to do with injuries to their starting QB, RB, and WR. Nevertheless, their playoff hopes will officially end this Sunday in the Meadowlands. The Falcons only win on the road this year came against San Francisco, which feels like it took place 10 years ago. Granted the Falcons have been better than the Chiefs this year, but you have to wonder if Tony Gonzalez regrets his move at least a tiny bit.

I was convinced the Jets were going to lose last week to Tampa Bay. It had letdown written all over it but they kept it together for a resounding win. Of course it helps when Josh Freeman throws three interceptions and only puts up 93 passing yards, good for 12.1 rating on the day. The Jets best shot at the playoffs is the wild card. They could still win the AFC East, but it would take losses by both Miami and New England to even give them that chance. Getting swept by Miami this season and their overall poor division record is going to come back to haunt them. Normally I wouldn't care about the Jets and their playoff chances, but I do this year. There really is something about Rex Ryan that is unlikeable. Maybe he is just what I needed to spark my inner hate towards a division team that I started to care less and less about in recent years.

San Francisco 49ers @ Philadelphia Eagles

Kudos to the Niners for keeping their playoff hopes alive. It was nice to see them respond with a big win instead of rolling over and handing the division to Arizona. In fact, I would almost give San Francisco a chance at taking the division if it wasn't for the schedule in the remaining three weeks. The Cardinals have two straight games against the Lions and Rams, while the 49ers have the pleasure of taking on the Eagles this week before also getting the Lions and Rams. It would take a minor miracle for Arizona to lose those two games and have San Francisco beat Philly. If this game were happening earlier in the season, I might be able to talk myself into an upset, but the Eagles are playing their best ball right now and aren't going to let this one slip by as they already have a stranglehold on the NFC East. Although, even if San Francisco loses, they could still win the division at 8-8 if Arizona loses out. Remember, this is the NFC West we're talking about. An 8-8 division champion is a definite possibility.

Chicago Bears @ Baltimore Ravens

Getting swept by Cincinnati really killed their chances at the AFC North crown, but it's still possible for Baltimore. More realistically, their chances at the wild card are looking pretty good. Their final three games are very winnable. It started last week with a home game against Detroit and continues this week as the crappy Bears visit M&T Bank Stadium. As much as they want to scoreboard watch, they need to focus on the business at hand and that is winning. As long as they win out, things should take care of themselves. This isn't a sure thing, but it's really all they can hope for.

Cincinnati Bengals @ San Diego Chargers

Working in Baltimore's favor is the fact that Cincinnati has to travel out West to face the red-hot Chargers. I would be picking San Diego in this game no matter what, but it's even more of a sure thing since it is a home game for them. Just to review, the Bengals are 0-1 in the state of California this season and that loss came against a much worse team.

I've started to shy away from the Bengals in recent weeks. They have a great record but have been less than impressive in almost every win. I've ignored that for the most part this season because winning is all that counts, but they need to start playing much better if they want to actually advance past the first round. As it stands right now, they have one and done written all over them. I'll change that tune if they get a team like Jacksonville in the first round, otherwise it's going to be a disappointing January for Bengals fans.

Oakland Raiders @ Denver Broncos

The schedule makers were kind to Denver and it should provide a clear and easy path to the playoffs. Don't believe me? Let me introduce you to Charlie Frye. All signs point to him starting for Oakland this week.

On a related side note, the Raiders came to terms with UFL champion QB J.P. Losman, a former first round pick of the Bills. This isn't exactly great news for the Raiders, although I would argue that Losman is an upgrade over Frye or Russell. However, I think its good news for Losman. He could've very easily taken a backup role last summer when he was an unrestricted free agent, but he chose to go to the UFL and get some more playing time/experience with Jim Fassel. It took some guts to go that route and I'm happy he landed back on his feet. Unlike most Bills, I have no animosity towards him. Was he a great QB? No. Was he a first round bust? Yes. Do I hate him for it? No. So it didn't work out. Not all things do. The Bills fans that still spit venom when the topic of Losman is brought up need to get over it and move on.

Green Bay Packers @ Pittsburgh Steelers

Everyone has officially given up on Pittsburgh. They have lost five in a row and things are ugly. I've read several comments from die-hard Steelers fans where they are questioning just how good Mike Tomlin is and have even criticized Ben Roethlisberger. To clarify, Tomlin won a Super Bowl less than a calendar year ago. Roethlisberger has two Super Bowl titles under his belt and is only 27 years gold. I never thought I'd see the day when the fans would actually say anything negative about the guy. But this is when Pittsburgh rises from the dead. They need to win their remaining three games to even have a shot at the playoffs. The final three are against teams that all have winning records. Their current five game losing streak involves losses to three of the worst teams in the league. All signs point to a Green Bay win on the road. And that is exactly what the Steelers want.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Seattle Seahawks

Neither team is good, but there is no way the Bucs travel across the country and win in Seattle. Despite the Seahawks sucking this year, Qwest Field still gives them a home field advantage and Josh Freeman isn't going to overcome that.

Minnesota Vikings @ Carolina Panthers

If the Vikings still have any hope at all of clinching home field throughout the playoffs, they have to take care of business against Carolina. Luckily for them, they should be able to sleepwalk through this game and still come out with a win. I'm not 100% sure Matt Moore is starting his third game in a row for the Panthers, but it shouldn't really matter. Let me remind everyone that the alternative is Jake Delhomme.

NY Giants @ Washington Redskins

The Giants suffered a crushing loss last week against Philadelphia, but the good news for them is Dallas is imploding before our very eyes. The next two games for the Giants should be wins if all goes according to plan, and their final game against Minnesota might also be somewhat easy if New Orleans has the first seed wrapped up by then. So really, things are laid out pretty nicely for the G-Men. The scary thing about them is I absolutely won't write them off in the playoffs because of what they accomplished in 2007. In fact, I would argue that them limping into the playoffs with a wildcard spot is actually more dangerous than getting the first round bye like they did one year ago. Seems to me like Eli does a little better on the road than at home around this time of year. Seeing that the top two seeds in the NFC are dome teams and well, don't rule them out. That's all I'm saying. Of course, I can't really tell you what to do or think as that's been thrown in my face plenty of times this season.



Last Week: 9-7

NFL Season: 135-86



Scott's Picks:



Indianapolis Colts @ Jacksonville Jaguars (Thurs)

Dallas Cowboys @ New Orleans Saints (Sat)

New England Patriots @ Buffalo Bills

Arizona Cardinals @ Detroit Lions

Miami Dolphins @ Tennessee Titans

Cleveland Browns @ Kansas City Chiefs

Houston Texans @ St. Louis Rams

Atlanta Falcons @ NY Jets

San Francisco 49ers @ Philadelphia Eagles

Chicago Bears @ Baltimore Ravens

Cincinnati Bengals @ San Diego Chargers

Oakland Raiders @ Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers @ Pittsburgh Steelers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Seattle Seahawks

Minnesota Vikings @ Carolina Panthers

NY Giants @ Washington Redskins

Last Week: 11-5

NFL Season: 140-81