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| The SOBs will be paying extra close attention to the Panthers-Bucs game because the boys are facing off in fantasyland and each have one of the top two rookie wide receivers in the league. |
Either way, there are a ton of big games with tons of playoff implications, as this year looks to be one of the more exciting Wild Card races in recent memory. There are so many teams still alive it is ridiculous. Hell the four win Panthers still have a shot!
As usual, it should be another exciting week of football, unless you are a New York football fan. Enjoy our breakdown!
Austen's Eight-Point Pick
@Baltimore over Jacksonville
Austen: I did not even know that Denard Robinson was out for the year when I took the Ravens this high. Jacksonville is a terrible terrible football team and they are now down arguably their best player. This is going to be a disaster. Even Ravens fans should not bother watching this game.
Stally: There are a few pretty obvious picks this week and this is one of them. Hate them as much as us or hate them more than us, the Ravens are rounding into their usual late season playoff form. On the bright side for the Jags: only one week until they get to beat Tennessee again!
Stally's Eight-Point Pick
@New England over Miami
Stally: The Patriots are a lock against the Dolphins when playing in New England in December. It seems that Fins usually have an early season upset that only incites the Pats to blow 'em out in the rematch.
Austen: Throw in the fact that the Dolphins typically fail when the wins mean the most at the end of the year (last season was so bad I was shocked Joe Philbin kept his job). I think the Dolphins keep it close, but I would be shocked if they pull out this win.
Austen's Seven-Point Pick
@Kansas City over Oakland
Austen: Jamaal Charles is going to run wild (and possibly ruin my fantasy season by the hand of Stally) and make this an easy win for the Chiefs. Derek Carr is a fantastic rookie QB, but the lack of a run game is going to be a huge problem against a defense that is one of the best in the league at taking down quarterbacks.
Stally: The Chiefs can't possibly lose to the Raiders twice this season, can they?
Stally's Seven-Point Pick
@Detroit over Minnesota
Stally: I don't really like taking this game this high, but the Lions seem to be playing on both sides of the football right now and need this game to stay in control of their playoff standing. (Or is that a reason to pick against them, Austen?)
Austen: Stally should take this with full confidence. The Vikings are a sub-par team at best. I'm seriously considering finding a way to put money on the Lions making the Super Bowl. I think if they make the playoffs, they are going to be a team that surprises a lot of people. They are getting healthy at the right time.
Austen's Six-Point Pick
@Seattle over San Francisco
Austen: I've been saying it all year long that the 49ers are not a great football team. You simply do not lose to the Raiders and then go to Seattle and win. My brain might explode if that happens.
Stally: I've lost all faith in the 49ers after last week's loss to Oakland. Their season is done, and as much as we liked to circle this as one of the season's great games, it won't be. The Seahawks will win in a rout.
Stally's Six-Point Pick
@Indianapolis over Houston
Stally: I continue to like the Texans, but winning at Indianapolis is a tall task to ask. I can't see the Texans offense keeping up with Andrew Luck and Co. at home, and Indy already won in Houston earlier this year.
Austen: If the season ended today, I might riot if JJ Watt did not win the MVP. However, him and Arian Foster are this entire team. They simply don't have the talent to keep up with the Colts. However, do not be shocked if the Colts start off down early again and rally back. It's kinda their thing.
Austen's Five-Point Pick
@St. Louis over Arizona
Austen: Did Ryan Lindley just really knock off one of the hottest team in the NFL? I do not know how the Cardinal keep winning with literally no offense. This is a championship defense, but without Carson Palmer and Andre Ellington, I would be surprised if they lasted past the first round of the playoffs (unless they somehow wind up with a first round bye). No matter what happens this offseason, the Cardinals will be a Super Bowl favorite for 2015.
Stally: Don't worry, Austen, I missed this one, too. The Rams had been looking great coming into this one, and the Cardinals stardom appeared to be fading. It's hard when you hold a team to just four field goals and your offense can't manage a touchdown.
Stally's Five-Point Pick
Green Bay over @Buffalo
Stally: The Bills are going to be a challenge for every team, especially at home. However, Aaron Rodgers is the kind of quarterback that can escape the pressure of their talented defensive front-seven and get the ball downfield. Green Bay is the better team and will win.
Austen: Is it bad that I kinda want the Bills to win just because I think that might knock Rodgers down in the MVP race with JJ Watt? It's not going to happen either way, but I think I might be secretly rooting for that. I love Rodgers, but Watt has to win the MVP this year. He just has to.
Austen's Four-Point Pick
@New York Giants over Washington
Austen: The Redskins are a total disaster. Remember in the offseason when everyone was talking about how defenses were going to cover all of these amazing receivers? NFL defenses seem to be fine dealing with them. This is going to be a horrible game to watch.
Stally: The Giants are a bad football team, but the Redskins are a worse and look like a total train wreck (again). I'd go with the home team in this one for sure.
Stally's Four-Point Pick
@Carolina over Tampa Bay
Stally: I thought about moving this one down after the Cam Newton injury at QB, but I don't really consider Derek Anderson to be a huge drop. Newton hasn't had a great season, and Anderson was under center when the Panthers won at Tampa Bay in Week 1.
Austen: I don't disagree with the pick, just how high this is taken. Derek Anderson won a close one against the Bucs in Week 1. I think there's a very good chance he does enough to lose this game. However I simply do not have the cojones to pick the Bucs to win any game.
Austen's Three-Point Pick
Denver over @San Diego
Austen: C.J. Anderson has been one of the best backs in football the last five weeks. He was an afterthought in a backfield that was supposed to be lead by Monte Ball and Ronnie Hillman during the offseason. Now he might be the reason they get to another Super Bowl. People underestimate how big a difference being able to run the ball at will is for this football team. Either way, it will be enough to take down a banged up and struggling Chargers team.
Stally: I'm going with the Chargers for the upset. Denver hasn't been as dominant as it was last season by any means. San Diego is 5-2 at home and squarely in the middle of the AFC's playoff picture.
Stally's Three-Point Pick
@Atlanta over Pittsburgh
Stally: I still haven't figured out if Pittsburgh is any good or not. I know Atlanta's not very strong, but the Matt Ryan-Julio Jones connection can help the Falcons outscore the Steelers. That's assuming that Jones is a go after suffering a hip injury.
Austen: Julio Jones is not a go, but I had the Steelers either way. Atlanta's defense is just so bad, even if they keep it close, their D will lose the game for them.
Austen's Two-Point Pick
New Orleans over @Chicago
Austen: I said I'm going down with the ship and I meant it. This team is simply better than their record, and really how they have played. I am not sure what is wrong with them, but they still have a good shot to win their division (which is ridiculous), so this is a must win game. The Bears on the other hand are down their top receiver and their offensive coordinator is talking smack about their $120 million quarterback. The Bears are a total mess, even more than the struggling Saints.
Stally: At this point in the season, record is a pretty good indicator of how good a team is. The Bears are 5-8; the Saints are 5-8. In this night game at Chicago in December, I'll take the home team over the dome team from Louisiana.
Stally's Two-Point Pick
Dallas over @Philadelphia
Stally: I know the Eagles just blew the Cowboys out in Dallas two weeks ago, but Philadelphia totally had their confidence deflated against the Seahawks last weekend. I still like Dallas more as a team and find the NFC East has a knack for splitting season series.
Austen: The Eagles are not stopping DeMarco Murray twice this year. He had his worst game of the year in the Cowboys' loss against Philly. I think he is the reason they win this time around.
Austen's One-Point Pick
@Cleveland over Cincinnati
Austen: This is a must watch game for anyone who can get it on their TV. It is Johnny Manziel's first start of his career and it has a ton of playoff implications for both of these teams. My confidence in the Browns might be an overcorrection after the Steelers dropped 25 points on the Bengals in the fourth quarter alone last week, but that did not sit well with me. Taking a lead into the fourth quarter and allowing a team to outscore you 25-0 shows me there is something very wrong in Cincinnati.
Stally: I'm not going to look too much into the Browns 24-3 win at Cincinnati in early November, but it should count for something against these evenly matched, division rivals. I also like Cleveland and Johnny Football at home.
Stally's One-Point Pick
New York Jets over @Tennessee
Stally: The Titans are horrible, the Jets at least have a good coach and a few playmakers. This is a winnable game for New York and I think it pulls it out.
Austen: The Jets have to lose this game because it keeps them in contention of the first overall pick. That is exactly why they are going to win this game and ruin their future, just like they always do.
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