NFL 2016 Week 17 Predictions

Week 17 Predictions:

Ravens +1 over Bengals, 20-17

-Ravens are mad about missing the post season and Cincy now is sitting a lot of players. This will probably be ugly to watch in either case.

Bucs -6 over Panthers, 24-17

-Bucs need this game, Panthers are shutting it down. Someone will need to explain Cam’s season to me in the offseason and convince me it won’t just be the same next season.

Texans +3 over Titans, 17-13

-The Matt Cassel effect. Texans don’t need this but tune up before the post season. I’d like to see Savage work through some more complex reads and route combinations.

Colts -4.5 over Jags, 27-20

-Colts boost their numbers in a meaningless game. Jags find a way to throw an INT to an official.

Pats -9.5 over Fins, 23-13

-I thought this game was going to be meaningless for the Pats and the Fins would need it to get in. Turns out it is the opposite. Pats light it up, Brady hunts the MVP through 3 quarters before sitting.

Vikings -5 over Bears, 20-13

-Well, it was a nice run of almost mediocrity from the Bears while it lasted. The Vikings could give the 9^th pick to Philly after this season if they lose. They started 3-0!

Jets +3.5 over Bills, 17-16

-What a shit show. I’m just taking the points.

Cowboys +3.5 over Eagles, 21-20

-Taking the points. If the Cowboys continue to play all of their starters like that though…they deserve an injury if they get one.

Steelers -6 over Browns, 24-12

-Good job Browns. Guess what is probably going to happen to you this week? Can someone get Joe Thomas to a winning team?

Falcons -7 over Saints, 38-30

-POINTS! Take this over. Brees wants to hit 5K again (he’s like 20 games from setting the overall record!), and the Falcons want their shot at the bye. Julio’s health worries me a bit as they head into the playoffs though.

The team that must not be named -7 over Giants, 27-19

-Giants say they will play their starters but can’t improve their playoff position. Washington is hungry, and Cousins wants 5K as well.

Raiders -1 over Broncos, 23-14

-I totally think the Raiders’ offense will be a mess. Despite that, the Broncos are completely a mess and may just be mentally done. The Raiders need this to ensure their bye.

Cards -6 over Rams, 25-9

-Rams, just get done with this game and look to rebuild for next year. Cards are still feisty.

Chiefs -5.5 over Chargers, 24-13

-Chiefs need it, Chargers are done and done.

Seahawks -9.5 over Niners, 20-10

-I’m only nervous about this game because the running back for Seattle may be Shaun Alexander. Chip’s last game?

Packers -3.5 over Lions, 30-20

-It’s been a great run Lions, but the magician may have run out of spare rabbits at the bottom of the hat. The magician is Jim Bob Cooter, to be clear. Or Matt Stafford. In which case the issue is his broken finger making him unable to reach cleanly into the hat. In any case, Aaron Rodgers has a better hat, and better rabbits. 

Record last week: 

Straight Up: 10-6

By Spread: 10-6

Record this year: 

Straight Up: 132-87

By Spread: 114-103

Lifetime record:
Straight Up: 1076-603
By Spread: 888-776

NFL 2016 Week 16 Predictions

Week 16 Predictions:

Giants -2.5 over Eagles, 20-13

-Giants are alive and their defense is fired up. Carson Wentz has had a positive rookie campaign but should focus on finishing it quietly and conservatively because it is off the rails a bit.

Bears +3.5 over Washington Professional Football Franchise, 24-23

-Bears are feisty and Matt Barkley might be an NFL quarterback who suddenly has a decent set of weapons. I’ll say, the Bears will be interesting to watch for next year if they can piece things together in the offseason. The Washington team remains inconsistent, and I don’t trust them.

Fins +3.5 over Bills, 24-20

-Fins are alive for a playoff spot and the Bills are deciding which week to fire their coach on. I understand its Matt Moore, but the points here are essentially free.

Bucs +3.5 over Saints, 31-30

-Confusing game because the Bucs just lost and the Saints won, but their playoffs odds are the inverse of that. Bucs getting points is too good of a boon, even if I don’t like them that much. Good over bet though.

Falcons -2.5 over Panthers, 31-26

-This would about end the Panthers season, and the Falcons keep the offense rolling. Panthers also had a short week and had to travel, and Cam isn’t 100% healthy.

Packers -6.5 over Vikings, 24-6

-Packers let the Bears come too close last week, but the Bears aren’t horrible. Vikings are about done and can’t really move the ball. Packers should bust this one open by margin, but I’d hit the under.

Pats -16.5 over Jets, 30-10

-Way too many points to lay, but still the probable result. Death by 1000 papercuts is the most likely strategy here.

Titans -5 over Jags, 27-17

-Titans continue to be underrated. Blake Bortles continues to throw ducks. 5 points? Insulting.

Chargers -6 over Browns, 23-12

-I really want to see the win for the Browns in their remaining games, but I don’t think that is going to happen.

Raiders -3.5 over Colts, 30-26

-Colts are riding high, Raiders are barely surviving…this is the exact kind of game the Colts give away.

Niners +3.5 over Rams, 13-10

-This has to be on television?

Cards +8.5 over Seahawks,

Seattle isn’t exactly lighting the world on fire, and the Cards are feisty. It should be close enough for the cover.

Texans -1.5 over Bengals, 17-13

-Savage can’t be worse than Brock. AJ Green coming back will be nice for the Bengals, but the Texans are alive for a playoff spot.

Ravens +5 over Steelers, 21-20

-Ravens are a tough gritty team that battles back. Steelers are much better at home but still not quite the team their reputation and record suggests. Jimmy Smith’s presence means a lot to the ability to cover Steelers’ receivers though.

Chiefs -4 over Broncos, 20-13

-Weather may affect this, but even still the Broncos haven’t been good for a while. Chiefs grit this one out, and probably find some of their running game again too.

Lions +7.5 over Cowboys, 20-22

-That’s a half point too many against a Cowboys team that isn’t super sharp right now.

Record last week: 

Straight Up: 12-4

By Spread: 9-7

Record this year: 

Straight Up: 122-81

By Spread: 104-97

Lifetime record:
Straight Up: 1066-597
By Spread: 878-770

NFL 2016 Week 15 Predictions

Week 15 Predictions:

Rams +14 over Seahawks, 9-17

-That’s too many points for these painful Thursday night games.

Fins -2.5 over Jets, 17-10

-Even with Matt Moore, this is about a team still alive versus a team ready to implode.

Giants -5 over Lions, 20-10

-The Stafford injury scares me.

Ravens -6 over Eagles, 20-13

-Eagles are about done, and the Ravens are going to be mad coming off that loss at NE.

Packers -6.5 over Bears, 31-13

-Layup/tease candidate of the week. Barkley has played well enough to deserve an extended look for next year though, no joke.

Colts +4.5 over Vikings, 17-19

-Vikings can’t score well enough to lay 4.5 to anyone at this point.

Bills -10 over Browns, 20-6

-Looking more and more like the Browns are not going to win a game this year. Not sure they care. If the Bills lose this game, it might be time for Rex come Monday morning.

Titan +5.5 over Chiefs, 21-20

-Go ahead. Keep underestimating the Titans. I’ll wait on the bandwagon.

Texans -6 over Jags, 20-13

-This Texans team isn’t good but they are alive. The Jags are about ready to be done for the year.

Bengals +3.5 over Steelers, 26-24

-Bengals playing a good spoiler lately, might be getting AJ back, and the Steelers aren’t the same team on the road.

Cards -2.5 over Saints, 30-27

-Saints are oddly quiet on offense recently, and the Cards keep fighting at least.

Falcons -13.5 over 49ers, 31-10

-Blowout city, and Matty Ice gets to race Brady for the MVP. They’d be better keeping Julio out to get him fully ready for the final two games.

Pats -3 over Broncos, 27-13

-Does it make sense the Pats are going this with no pass rush, bad TO margins, and no deep threats? No. Am I going to pick against them right now? No. Do the Broncos feel like a good team to me, despite how they look on paper? No. And there we are.

Raiders -3 over Chargers, 31-22

-I just hope Carr’s finger is okay. That cold game at KC clearly hurt him. The 10 days and the plum opponent should right the ship for the Raiders.

Bucs +7.5 over Cowboys, 23-24

-That’s a lot of points for a hot team versus a team that has been shaky for about 3 weeks now.

Ethnics Slurs -4.5 over Panthers, 27-20

-Washington needs this to make a run, and something is still wrong with these Panthers.

Record last week:

Straight Up: 10-6

By Spread: 9-6

Record this year:

Straight Up: 110-77

By Spread: 95-90

Lifetime record:
Straight Up: 1054-593
By Spread: 869-763

NFL 2016 Week 14 Predictions

Week 14 Predictions:

Raiders +3 over Chiefs, 28-26

-I clearly just don’t understand something here. I get the Chiefs are winning. But the Raiders are a better team by record and are winning decisively. I am taking the free points here.

Steelers -2 over Bills, 24-17

-I wish I could do something else, but this makes sense.

Chargers +1.5 over Panthers, 31-27

-Two crashing teams. One I trust more than the other. Rivers probably more likely to remember his tie than Cam. This is vital.

Bengals -6 over Browns, 21-10

-Gotta respect that the Bengals aren’t giving up. I hear RG3 may start for the Browns. That’s tantamount to giving up.

Lions -7.5 over Bears, 27-12

-Stafford’s an MVP candidate. Absolutely. This could be ugly for the Bears.

Colts -6 over Texans, 30-13

-Texans may not win again this year. Colts, for all their flaws, can go into domes versus flawed teams late in the season and throw up 30. That’s enough.

Viks -3 over Jags, 17-13

-This will (or should) be an easy, take care of business win. Let’s see it Bradford.

Fins -1 over Cards, 24-16

-Cards have been so inconsistent this year, and the Fins are still alive for a playoff spot. I will give the Dolphins a pass for last week, especially because I think the Ravens are very good.

Ethnic Slurs pk over Eagles, 28-20

-Eagles are going the wrong way. Cousins can get points on the board. Is he the new Brees? Do we just have to accept he’s good? I’m not sure I’m there yet, but I will take this game.

Titans -1 over Broncos, 24-16

-The Titans can, and arguably should win this game. And it will surprise people anyways. Mariota is a hot young QB. You can run on the Broncos and the Titans have 3 different ways to run down your throat. I like this pick.

Jets +3 over Niners, 13-15

-Just taking the points in a game I’m picking so I don’t get fined.

Saints +3 over Bucs, 29-27

-Taking the points in a close game. If the Bucs win we have to consider them 50-50 to win the division with Atlanta. This is last gasps for the Saints, obviously.

Packers +2.5 over Seahawks, 31-23

-Seattle is having trouble running the ball and keeping the offensive line together. We cannot underestimate the loss of Earl Thomas. It is significant enough I am shying away from making Seattle my NFC pick anymore. Packers are at least throwing on an elite level again, and with Seattle’s condition and the points I will take them here.

Falcons -6 over Rams, 27-10

-Oh, this could be bad for the Rams. I would feel bad for them, but they played the bad quarterback two months too long, and then gave the mediocre coach an unnecessary extension for reasons I don’t understand. They have brought all of this on themselves. The Falcons are going to move the ball and cause some big plays on defense.

Cowboys -3 over Giants, 24-14

-After what the Giants did last week, how could I pretend to like the Giants here? Cowboys are rested and rolling.

Ravens +7 over Pats, 26-27

-This will be a close game and no way am I laying that many point. The Pats have so many injuries and issues right now, and I really like where Baltimore is going. They are my favorite for the North, not Pittsburgh.

Record last week:

Straight Up: 8-5

By Spread: 7-6

Record this year:

Straight Up: 100-71

By Spread: 86-84

Lifetime record:
Straight Up: 1044-587
By Spread: 860-757

NFL 2016 Week 13 Predictions

Week 13 Predictions:

Jags +3.5 over Broncos, 21-22

-I don’t trust the rookie QB. 

Falcons -5.5 over Chiefs, 30-23

-I don’t trust the Chiefs to score, they are coming off a tough physical game, and Falcons are heating up and relatively rested.

Lions +6 over Saints, 31-34

-I’m not betting against the Lions at least covering.

Packers -6 over Texans, 27-17

-Aaron Rodgers isn’t dead yet. I'm not sure Brock has ever lived. 

Pats -13.5 over Rams, 31-12

-No Gronk makes me nervous about this big line. But then I remembered Bill is scheming for a rookie and, of course, NE has Malcolm Mitchell.

Ravens -3.5 over Fins, 20-13

-Been riding the Ravens for a while. No reason to change now.

Bears +2 over 49ers, 17-16

-I’m just picking this game so I don’t get fined.

Eagles +2 over Bengals, 20-16

-Just picking the team who could still do something this year versus the team who can’t.

Raiders -3 over Bills, 31-22

-Others tell me the Bills are good. I don’t see it. Big statement game from Carr here.

Chargers -3.5 over Bucs, 24-20

-I can’t wait to see who manages to lose this game first.

Giants +6 over Steelers, 27-26

-Just cover please. Steelers aren’t as well rounded a team as they are given credit for.

Ethnic Slurs +2.5 over Cards, 28-24

-I love the Cards, but this team is done. Why are they giving points, even at home? Washington can score and is still in the mix in the NFC playoffs.

Panthers +7.5 over Seattle, 23-24

-That’s a lot of points to hang when you aren’t scoring particularly well. Just cover please Cam.

Colts -1.5 over Jets, 27-16

-The Colts are a thoroughly average team. The Jets are bad. I’m confused why the line is so close.

Record last week:

Straight Up: 14-2

By Spread: 11-5

Record this year:

Straight Up: 92-66

By Spread: 79-78

Lifetime record:
Straight Up: 1038-582
By Spread: 853-751