I'm going with a little bit of a different format for this week's picks. I'll list the meaningless games first with no real analysis attached. Then, I'll breakdown my picks for the other Week 17 games that are important. Finally, I'll add my Playoff Schedule Predictions at the end. I'll leave the Broncos-Chargers preview for a separate column. Here we go with the picks for Week 17...
Last Week's Record: 9-7
Overall Record: 114-118-11
(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)
Meaningless Games:
ATLANTA (-3) over New Orleans
Washington (+3) over DALLAS
Detroit (+1) over CHICAGO
NY GIANTS (-3) over Philly
SAN FRANCISCO (+3) over St. Louis
Games with Playoff Implications:
New York Jets (-3) over BUFFALO: This is usually a game that the Jets would lose, but I just think that they will find a way to grind out a win over Rex Ryan and the Bills in Buffalo to gain a playoff berth. You know Rex will have his team very fired up and ready to knock the Jets out of the playoffs, but I just have a feeling that the Jets will get it done. They have played very well the last month, and they are the better team, and they will be a very dangerous team once the playoffs begin.
Tampa Bay (+10) over CAROLINA: The Panthers will win this game outright, but I think it will be closer than the spread. Carolina will finish 15-1 and lock up the #1 seed in the NFC.
New England (-9) over MIAMI: The Pats will take care of business and pound the Dolphins in Miami to take the #1 seed in the AFC.
CINCY (-7) over Baltimore: Cincy won't sleep on the Ravens, and they will finish 12-4 and rebound from their tough loss in Week 16 to the Broncos, and they are most likely looking at the #3 seed.
Jacksonville (+7) over HOUSTON: The Texans will win the game, and Brian Hoyer will get the start at QB for them, so they will clinch the AFC South and the #4 seed as they finish 9-7. Nice work by Bill O'Brien in getting this team to the playoffs after a 1-4 start to the year.
Pittsburgh (-9) over CLEVELAND: The Steelers will take out their frustrations on the hapless Browns and win this game going away, but they will finish 10-6 and on the outside looking in because the Jets will win in Buffalo.
Tennessee (+7) over INDY: The Colts have to win, Houston has to lose, and 8 other games have to break right for them to make the playoffs. Their odds of that happening are like 3,000-1. I don't even know if they will win this game because Andrew Luck, Matt Hasselback, and Charlie Whitehurst are all injured for this game. They might have to start either Josh Freeman or Ryan Lindley for this game. Yikes!
Kansas City (-4) over Oakland: I think the Chiefs will finish the season with 10 straight wins and an 11-5 record. I think this game will be close, and the Raiders will fight hard to get to 8-8, but I have to give the edge to KC to finish out their run and win this game at home.
Seattle (+7) over ARIZONA: I think Arizona is the best team in the NFL, but I don't know if they are going to go all out for this game, even if they have a chance at the #1 seed in the NFC. I think Seattle will play with more desperation to avoid being the #6 seed. Arizona finishes 13-3 and #2 seed and Seattle finishes 10-6 and the #5 seed.
GREEN BAY (-3) over Minnesota: As bad as the Packers have looked at times, I would be shocked if they don't take care of business and efeat the Vikings at home in Lambeau Field on Sunday Night Football with the AFC North on the line. The Packers win and get the #3 seed and the Vikings finish 10-6 and get the #6 seed. These two teams will square off once again the following week during Wild Card Weekend.
2015 NFL Playoff Schedule Predictions:
I think that the NFL will give FOX the late Sunday game on Divisional Weekend because FOX only has 1 game that weekend because NBC will get the early NFC game on that Saturday. That will give CBS the late Sunday game on Wild Card Sunday in Round 1. I'm also basing this off the fact that nothing major changes on Sunday and the likely results happen in Week 17.
Wild Card Weekend
Saturday Jan 9th
4:30pm EST-AFC Wild Card Game (ESPN)
(5) Kansas City at (4) Houston
8:00pm EST-NFC Wild Card Game (NBC)
(5) Seattle at (4) Washington
Sunday Jan 10th
1:00pm EST-NFC Wild Card Game (FOX)
(6) Minnesota at (3) Green Bay
4:30pm EST-AFC Wild Card Game (CBS)
(6) NY Jets at (3) Cincinnati
Divisional Weekend
Saturday Jan 16th
4:30 pm EST-NFC Divisional Playoff (NBC)
at (2) Arizona
8:00pm EST-AFC Divisional Playoff (CBS)
at (2) Denver
Sunday Jan 17th
1:00pm EST-AFC Divisional Playoff (CBS)
at (1) New England
4:30pm EST-NFC Divisional Playoff (FOX)
at (1) Carolina
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment