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| Adrian Peterson needs to have a huge day just for the Vikings to stay in this game in Seattle. (Getty) |
With over half the season over already (I still cannot believe that), teams are starting to look at what they need to do in order to get themselves into the playoffs. Will the elite teams stumble? Who is going to take that last Wild Card spot in the AFC? Only time will tell, but here is how we think this week will play out:
Austen's Eight-Point Pick
@Seattle over Minnesota
Austen: I'm still riding high on the Seattle bandwagon. They are still the best team in the league and Minnesota is one of the worst.
Stally: You don't have to be riding high on the Seattle bandwagon to know that this is the lopsided matchup of the week. It's the only real easy pick of the week.
Stally's Eight-Point Pick
@Cincinnati over Cleveland
Stally: As I said, the Seahawks are the only easy pick. I'm confident in the Bengals, but my taking them this early is a reflection of how even the rest of the games will be this week, not how much I like or dislike one or the other of these Ohio teams.
Austen: I think Stally went a little too high on this one. The Browns are playing more consistent football than the Bengals (I cannot believe I just said that). If the Bengals falter out of the gate early, this one could fall into the hands of the Browns.
Austen's Seven-Point Pick
@Chicago over Baltimore
Austen: The Bears are not playing great football right now, but the Ravens are on pace to have the worst run game in the history of the NFL with both of their top running backs averaging under 2.8 yards a carry (Ray Rice has a shocking 2.5 per carry average). That might be the Ravens' biggest problem, but they are pretty bad in most regards. I like the Bears at home, even if Cutler does not play.
Stally: I can't disagree with this pick. It seems absurd to put this much on a Bears team that's somewhere between above average and good, but I don't see a better pick.
Stally's Seven-Point Pick
Indianapolis over @Tennessee
Stally: Ouch. Again, it's a tough week to pick if I'm putting seven down on a Colts team that got swamped at home by the lowly Rams. I also hate taking the road team on Thursday, but the Titans lost at home to the Jags, so I'll take my chances on someone else beating them as well.
Austen: You lose to the Jags and people sort of lose confidence in your ability to beat anyone, let alone one of the best teams in the AFC. This is a game the Colts have to win.
Austen's Six-Point Pick
Detroit over @Pittsburgh
Austen: This might be the worst season in Steelers' franchise history. I have no idea how this team totally fell off the map, but they are just terrible. Big Ben simply can no longer mask all the problems that this team has. Detroit is a legit contender in the NFC and I think they will win big in this one.
Stally: Detroit has an explosive offense. That should make the score of this game look probably even more lopsided than the actual level of competition; I agree with Austen.
Stally's Six-Point Pick
Atlanta over @Tampa Bay
Stally: The Bucs might have beat the Dolphins, but their run game is down to a fullback and a guy that the Browns cut earlier this season. It's ugly. I'll take the shell of a Falcons team that went 13-3 last year over that hot mess.
Austen: I really do not want to touch this game. The Falcons get their defense leader back in Sean Weatherspoon (they have gone 1-6 without him), but that is about the only good thing I can say about the Falcons right now.
Austen's Five-Point Pick
@New York Giants over Green Bay
Austen: While the Giants are not very good, the Packers are starting Scott Tolzien. If this undrafted third year player, who has been on three different teams already in his short career, tears up the Giants secondary, a lot of people are going to lose their jobs. I like the Giants to keep their mini-run going against a battered opponent.
Stally: You're right: the Giants aren't very good. I do have some faith in the Packers supporting cast on both sides of the ball to make this game competitive. However, I do agree that New York is the pick, just not by much.
Stally's Five-Point Pick
@Denver over Kansas City
Stally: I've been waiting all season for the Chiefs to lose! Here's the game. After running up an 9-0 record on teams like Jacksonville, Oakland, Cleveland and Buffalo, KC actually has to play somebody good, and they'll lose.
Austen: Peyton Manning's health is going to decide this game. He is going to get hit a lot in this game, so a gimp ankle is not exactly ideal. I have Denver only because it is in Denver. This is going to be a lot closer than people think, and could easily go the other way for the Chiefs.
Austen's Four-Point Pick
Arizona over @Jacksonville
Austen: Jacksonville won it's first game of the year last week, yay! It probably won't happen again until 2014.
Stally: Fact.
Stally's Four-Point Pick
New England over @Carolina
Stally: The Patriots are 7-2 and can't have played a whole lot worse through the first half of the season. They always get better in the second half and, coming off of the bye with an additional day until Monday Night Football, I think we see a revitalized team on team on the field. Heading into the bye, Tom Brady had a masterful performance against the Steelers, which marked the clear return of Rob Gronkowski and the emergence of Aaron Dobson, and that chemistry should continue to blossom.
Austen: The Panthers are playing winning football, the Patriots are playing terribly and still squeaking past most of their opponents. I think they get a slice of humble pie in this road game. Tom Brady should be afraid for his life because this defense is simply smoking people.
Austen's Three-Point Pick
@New Orleans over San Francisco
Austen: Drew Brees does not lose at home. The 49ers are a tough matchup for them (think a much better version of the Jets' team that beat them), but I think they are too hot right now to slow down. The Saints have found a run game and one of the better defenses in the league. This is a road game no team wants.
Stally: I wouldn't say the Saints are "hot." They're just a game removed from losing to the New York Jets. I also think the 49ers will take last week's home loss to Carolina personally and pull off the road upset in this one.
Stally's Three-Point Pick
@Houston over Oakland
Stally: Neither one of these teams are any good, but I'd have to give the slight advantage to the Texans. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt, since they're at home.
Austen: If Terrelle Pryor was fully healthy, I would probably side with the Raiders. The Texans are just that bad this year.
Austen's Two-Point Pick
San Diego over @Miami
Austen: As we saw on Monday, the Dolphins stink. They are shrouded in controversy that is going to totally overhaul the coaching and personnel staff, so the players know they will not be playing for these guys next season. That is never good.
Stally: The Chargers are very much alive for the second Wild Card in the paltry AFC. But, they really need to stop screwing up against crappy teams if they want to earn that Wild Card. Aside from Denver, they've lost to Houston, Tennessee, Oakland and Washington. If Miami gets added to that list, I'm willing to dig their grave for them.
Stally's Two-Point Pick
@Philadelphia over Washington
Stally: The NFC East is just horrible this year. The Eagles are actually tied for the lead at 5-5, which puts Washington (at 3-6) just two wins back. It's sad that two teams that have looked so bad are still in the hunt for the division, but I see Philadelphia ending the Skins hopes this weekend. The Eagles are the better team and will need to get in their own way to lose this one.
Austen: I am very tentatively taking the Eagles in this one. RG3 is slowly becoming himself again, but this defense just keeps losing them games over and over again.
Austen's One-Point Pick
New York Jets over @Buffalo
Austen: This will be a close game, but the Jets always seem to play their best football against the Bills. I'd have picked this game much higher if it was in New York (I guess I mean in New Jersey?) but I still like the Jets to pull out a win on the road.
Stally: It doesn't matter where the game is being played, the Jets are a better football team. (Yes, I just said that and it hurts...go Bills!)
Teams on bye this week are Dallas and St. Louis.
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