Broncos-Chargers and Week 17 Picks!

The Broncos finish 2018 at home against the Chargers, and the game will feature a lot of no shows, the final appearance of Vance Joseph on the Denver sideline, and probably a lopsided loss. The Broncos are going to finish 6-10 and that might actually help their draft position for 2019 based on what happens the rest of the day. The Chargers still can win the division and the #1 seed in the AFC with a win, so they have something to play for. Look for the Chargers to easily roll over the Broncos and put this dreadful season behind us.

Prediction: LA Chargers (-6) over DENVER
Final Score: Chargers-31 Broncos-10

Now onto the picks for Week 17....

Last Week's Record: 7-6-3
Overall Record: 116-107-14
(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)

NY GIANTS (-5) over Dallas: The Cowboys have the NFC East wrapped up, so they will probably take it easy. This could be the last game for Eli Manning as a Giant, so I think they will send him out a winner.

Carolina (+7) over NEW ORLEANS: The Saints locked up the #1 seed in the NFC last week, so they have nothing to play for here.

NY Jets (+14) over NEW ENGLAND: The Pats need to win to get the #2 seed in the AFC, and I think they will win, but I could see Sam Darnold and the Jets keeping it closer than people expect and getting that backdoor cover.

GREEN BAY (-7) over Detroit: Both teams are playing out the string, and I think GB gets to 7-8-1.

HOUSTON (-6) over Jacksonville: The Texans will win and finish 11-5, after a 0-3 start, but they will end up as the #3 seed in the AFC after NE wins.

ATLANTA (-1) over Tampa Bay: The Falcons will win to finish 7-9 on the year.

BUFFALO (-3) over Miami: The Bills will finish the year 6-10 while the Dolphins will finish 7-9.

KANSAS CITY (-13) over Oakland: The Chiefs will win the AFC West and the #1 seed by virtue of knocking off the Raiders in Arrowhead.

Philly (-6) over WASHINGTON: Nick Foles leads the Eagles to win and a 9-7 finish but they will just miss out of the playoffs.

MINNESOTA (-4) over Chicago: The Vikings will win and finish 9-6-1 and get the #6 seed in the NFC, while the Bears will finish 11-5 and the #3 seed.

SEATTLE (-12) over Arizona: The Seahawks will rout the Cards and finish 10-6 and the #5 seed in the NFC.

LA RAMS (-9) over San Francisco: The Rams will win and be the #2 seed in the NFC.

Cleveland (+6) over BALTIMORE: I'm going to have some fun and I predict the Browns will upset the Ravens in Baltimore and knock the Ravens out of a potential playoff spot. The Browns finish 8-7-1, and that sets up.....

PITTSBURGH (-12) over Cincy: The Steelers take care of their business and win the AFC North by virtue of the Ravens loss and the #4 seed in the AFC.

Indy (-3) over TENNESSEE: Game #256 of the regular season concludes with the Colts beating the Titans on the road and getting the #6 seed in the AFC.


Based on my Week 17 predictions, here is what I think the Wild Card Weekend Schedule will look like:

Saturday 1/5

(6) Indy at (3) Houston-4:30pm (ESPN/ABC)
(6) Minnesota at (3) Chicago- 8:00pm (NBC)

Sunday 1/6
(5) LA Chargers at (4) Pittsburgh (CBS)
(5) Seattle at (4) Dallas (FOX)

To go further, I think this will be the set up for the Divisional Round the following week:

Saturday 1/12
at New England-4:30pm (NBC)
at New Orleans-8:00pm (FOX)

Sunday 1/13
at Kansas City-1:00pm (CBS)
at Los Angeles Rams-4:00pm (FOX)

Broncos Lose to Raiders 27-14, Fall to 6-9

Christmas Eve was not very kind to the Broncos or their fans as Denver turned in one of its' worst performances of the year in a 27-14 loss to the 4-11 Raiders in Oakland. There is nothing really memorable to say about this game. They were down 17-0 at the half, and it looked like they didn't want to be there. The Broncos are 6-9 and headed for back-to-back losing seasons for the first time since 1971-1972. That is the reality for this franchise, and the reality is that Vance Joseph is going to be gone once Week 17 mercifully ends next week at home against the Chargers. Here are my thoughts and observations on the game.....

1) Dwayne Harris returned a punt 99 yards for a touchdown after Isaac Yiadom downed the ball back in play at the one, and Harris smartly picked it up and raced down the sideline for a TD. That gave the Raiders a 7-0 lead and they never looked back.

2) It was 17-0 at the half and the Raiders second TD was a 24 yard run that not one Bronco player was near the RB as he went into the endzone untouched. It was pitiful.

3) Philip Lindsay did break the 1,000 yard rushing mark in this game, but he was hurt in the 3rd quarter with a wrist injury. He will need surgery and will be out 3-4 months. Hopefully, he comes back healthy in time for OTAs. Of course, we are robbed of seeing him in Week 17, but it was great season for Lindsay and the future is bright for him.

4) Speaking of Lindsay, my 9 year old son is a huge fan of his, and he wrote him a letter a few weeks ago. ESPN was talking about Lindsay during the game and they showed fan mail that he has received and my son's letter was on the screen as they were talking about it. It was a very cool moment for me and my family. That was the only bright spot in this dreadful game.

5) The Broncos end the 2018 season at home against the Chargers, who still can win the AFC West and the #1 seed in the AFC with a win and a Chiefs loss. It will be the final game in the Vance Joseph era (Thank God) and the Broncos will be looking for a new head coach come Monday December 31st. I'll have a wrap of the season and thoughts on the new HC next week. Until then, let's just ge this season over with and move onto 2019!

Broncos-Raiders and Week 16 Picks!

The Broncos head to Oakland for a Christmas Eve showdown against the Raiders on Monday Night Football. The Broncos are 6-8 and officially eliminated from playoff contention. They are going to fire Vance Joseph at the end of the season, and now it is all about pride. It will be hard to tell how motivated they will be on MNF. They have a lot of injuries and nothing to play for. The Raiders are 3-11 but this could be the last ever game they play in Oakland. Their stadium situation is unknown for next year and since they are moving to Las Vegas in two years, there is a question about where they will play their home games next year. If this is the last ever game in Oakland, you know the Black Hole will be fired up. I could see the Raiders playing inspired while the Broncos are just looking to get the season over with.

Prediction: OAKLAND (+2) over Denver
Final Score: Raiders-26 Broncos-18

Now, onto the picks for Week 16 in the NFL............

Last Week's Record: 9-6-1
Overall Record: 109-101-11
(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)

TENNESSEE (-9) over Washington: Somehow, the Redskins are still alive the playoff picture at 7-7 despite having to go with 4th string QB Josh Johnson. The Titans are 8-6 and on the verge of getting into the playoffs. Take the Titans at home on Saturday afternoon to get to 9-6.

LA CHARGERS (-4) over Baltimore: Very interesting game in the AFC on Saturday night. The Chargers are 11-3 and still have a chance to win the AFC West and get the #1 seed. The Ravens are 8-6 and still in contention for a Wild Card and possibly even the AFC North title. This game should be close throughout, but I think the Chargers will win by a touchdown late.


PHILLY (-2) over Houston: Another huge game with playoff ramifications. The Eagles are 7-7 and still have a chance at the playoffs after their big win over the Rams last week. Nick Foles played well in relief of the injured Carson Wentz, and they can definitely get to 8-7 with a big win here at home. The Texans are 10-4 and fighting for a first round bye, but I think they will get tripped up here. Remember, the Texans went to NY last week to play the Jets, and now they head back up East to play the Eagles. They might be tired.

Minnesota (-5) over DETROIT: The Vikings are 7-6-1 and have to win to make the playoffs. There is no way they can get tripped up at 5-9 Detroit. I think they will take care of their business.


Tampa Bay (+9) over DALLAS: I think the Cowboys win the game outright, but I have a feeling this game is close. It's just a hunch and I think Dallas gets it done and clinches the NFC East, but it won't be easy.

CLEVELAND (-8) over Cincy: The Browns are 6-7-1 and Baker Mayfield has the franchise playing with a different mindset. They can actually still make the playoffs. The fans will be fired up for the Browns this week at home, and I think they will get to 7-7-1 with a rout over the Bengals.

INDY (-8) over NY Giants: The Colts are 8-6 and are on the verge of a playoff spot. They won't slip up here at home to the 5-9 Giants. I think this game is a blowout from start to finish./

MIAMI (-4) over Jacksonville: The Dolphins are 7-7 and still have a chance at the playoffs,. They will get to 8-7 with a win over the lifeless Jags at home this week.

NEW ENGLAND (-10) over Buffalo: The Pats have lost two in a row and are now 9-5. They can still get a bye but they need to win their last two and the Texans have to lose one game. I can't see the Pats stubbing their toe at home to the Bills.

NY JETS (+3) over Green Bay: Meaningless game between two teams that are out of the playoff picture.

Atlanta (-3) over CAROLINA: Another meaningless game between two teams that are out of the playoff picture.

LA Rams (-12) over ARIZONA: I'm not worried about the Rams as much as everyone else is. I'll think they will be fine come playoff time. A lot of teams get worn down at the end of the season. They will get back on track with a blowout win over the 3-11 Cardinals.

Chicago (-2) over SAN FRANCISCO: The Niners have won two in a row, but I don't think the Bears will fall into this trap this week. The Bears can still get a bye after locking up the NFC North last week. They will get to 11-4 after a solid road win this week.

NEW ORLEANS (-6) over Pittsburgh: The Saints can lock up the #1 seed in the NFC and homefield advantage throughout with a win here. The Steelers are 8-5-1 and a loss here would be damaging but there is still a path for them to make the playoffs. I'll take the Saints at home to wrap up the NFC's top spot.

Kansas City (-2) over SEATTLE: The Chiefs are battling with the Chargers for the top seed in the AFC and the AFC West crown. The Seahawks are 8-6 and need a win to clinch a playoff spot. Seattle can get in with a win over the Cardinals next week, and the Chiefs need this game more. I think KC plays one of their best games of the year and rolls out of Seattle with a win.

Broncos Lose to Browns 17-16, Officially Eliminated from the Playoffs

The Browns beat the Broncos 17-16 on Saturday Night in Denver and the loss dropped the Broncos to 6-8, and it eliminated them from playoff contention. It was the first time the Broncos lost to the Browns since 1990, and the loss will have significant effects on the franchise as a result. Here are my thoughts and observations on the loss...

1) The Broncos held a 13-10 lead in the 4th quarter and were down 17-13 when the key sequence of the game and season occurred. The Broncos faced 4th and 1 from the Browns six yard line with just over five minutes to play in the game. Vance Joseph decided to go for the field goal instead of going for it on 4th down. They made the field goal but the score was at 17-16. The Browns were able to move the ball on the next drive to kill enough time that Denver got the ball back (After a great stop by Adam Gotsis on 4th and 1) with only 1:42 left at their own 27.

2) The final sequence was another disaster as well. The Broncos moved the ball to the 50 with 52 seconds left. They only needed a field goal so 15-20 yards would have put them in FG range. After a spike and two incompletions, Case Keenum was sacked on 4th down and the game was over. The Broncos play calling in that sequence was very suspect and they needed to run better plays to get closer to field goal range.

3) Baker Mayfield was really good in the beginning of the game, and he was really good at the end of the game. He made some big throws early to give them a 7-0 lead, and then he was good late to take the lead. It definitely hurts to see Mayfield win in Denver for the Browns. I hoped he would be a Bronco all offseason.


4) Case Keenum was average at best and his two interceptions were costly. His first interception was in the end zone and killed a potential field goal near the end of the half. His second one was worse. It was with 14:41 left in the 4th quarter and it was near midfield. The Browns scored on their next possession to take the lead for good.

5) Congrats to Von Miller who passed Simon Fletcher on the Broncos all-time sack list.

6) The loss drops to the Broncos to 6-8, and they are eliminated from the playoffs for the third consecutive year. The loss also probably signals the end of the Vance Joseph era, which is probably the best thing that this franchise needs right now. The Broncos are now stuck playing two meaningless games the last two weeks of the season at Oakland and at home against the Chargers.

Broncos-Browns and Week 15 Picks!

The Broncos need a lot of help and things to go their way for any shot of them making the playoffs after losing to the 49ers last week. At 6-7, the Broncos first need to win out. That won't be easy as the Browns come to Mile High on Saturday night. The Browns are 5-7-1 and they are playing a lot better overall since firing Hue Jackson. Baker Mayfield has been on fire, and it will be tough to watch because for long time last offseason, there were a lot of people thinking/hoping that the Broncos would draft Mayfield in the draft. Unfortunately, that did not happen, so if he plays well and beats the Broncos on Saturday night, then it will sting. I think the Broncos are done after that loss last week, and I think the Browns are the better team right now. The Broncos haven't lost to the Browns since 1991. I think that streak ends this Saturday.

Prediction: Cleveland (+3) over DENVER
Final Score: Browns-27 Broncos-17

Now, onto the picks for Week 15...........

Last Week's Record: 11-5

Overall Record: 100-95-10
(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)

Houston (-5) over NY JETS

MINNESOTA (-7) over Miami

CINCY (-3) over Oakland

Tampa Bay (+8) over BALTIMORE

INDY (-3) over Dallas

BUFFALO (-2) over Detroit

Green Bay (+7) over CHICAGO

Tennessee (+2) over NY GIANTS

JACKSONVILLE (-6) over Washington

ATLANTA (-7) over Arizona

Seattle (-3) over SAN FRANCISCO

PITTSBURGH (+3) over New England

LA RAMS (-10) over Philly

New Orleans (-5) over CAROLINA

Week 15 TNF Pick

KANSAS CITY (-3) over LA Chargers

Broncos Lose to 49ers, Fall to 6-7

In a game that the Broncos had to win and one in which most people thought they would win, they went out to San Francisco and lost to the 2-10 49ers 20-14 in Santa Clara on Sunday. The Broncos fell to 6-7 and now are going to need to win out and get a lot of help to get into the playoffs. Denver trailed 20-0 at halftime, and they rallied in the second half, but they fell short and suffered a very devastating loss. It was about as frustrating of a loss as they have had all season, and it might have major ramifications down the road. Here are my thoughts and observations on the game....

1) The Broncos trailed 20-0 at the half mainly because they couldn't stop TE George Kittle. Kittle had 210 receiving yards before halftime. How can you not have a plan for Kittle? The Broncos struggle at stopping TEs and yet they had no answer for Kittle. How come the Broncos always seem to be outschemed by the opposing coaches-especially on defense? Kyle Shanahan against Vance Joseph and Joe Woods is a major mismatch and it showed.

2) The key in the first half was the fact that Kittle scored on a 85 yard reception from Nick Mullens to make it 13-0, and they scored another touchdown with only 8 seconds left in the half. They went 72 yards in 59 seconds. The Broncos had 5 penalties on the drive to help the 49ers move the ball down the field. That was inexcusable.

3) The Broncos back into the game with a Philip Lindsay TD run to make it 20-7 with 6:05 left to go in the third. They turned the ball over on downs the next two possessions. I hated the 4th and 3 call to Lindsay at the Denver 44 with 12:41 to go in the game. I don't mind going for it there, but the playcall was bad. After a Darian Stewart interception, the Broncos got the ball back and moved it to the SF 22 when Lindsay was stopped short again on a pass from Keenum with 8:37 to go in the game. They had to go for it in that spot because a FG does them no good at 20-7.

4) Keenum hit DaeSean Hamilton for a 1 yard TD with 3:53 left in the game to make it 20-14. The Broncos gave the ball back to the 49ers needing only one stop with 3:46 to go and all three timeouts and the 49ers were starting at their own 20. On 3rd and 7, Mullens hit Dante Pettis for 31 yards. With 2:28 seconds left, the 49ers faced another 3rd and 3 from the Denver 39 and once again Mullens completed the pass and the first down and that ended the game. The Denver defense has to get off the field in that spot. You can't let Nick Mullens beat you in those situations and it happened twice!

5) This is about as bad of a loss that you can have at this point in the season. Denver was 6-6 with the easiest remaining schedule in the league, and they lost to a 2-10 team. I know they are banged up with injuries. I know they just lost Chris Harris and Emmanuel Sanders to injuries, but they have to win this game. That's the bottom line. This definitely falls on the coaches as well. What this loss means for the future is for another time. The immediate impact is that they are now 6-7 with the Browns coming to Mile High on Saturday night, and they need to win out and get major help to get into the playoffs. It will be hard for them to beat the Browns on Saturday anyway. I wouldn't be surprised if they lost the last three games this year. Instead of being 7-6, riding a four-game winning streak and coming home to a pumped-up fanbase in Mile High this week, the Broncos are 6-7 and wondering what might have been.

Broncos-49ers and Week 14 Picks!

The Broncos have evened their record at 6-6 and are in the playoff mix for the last Wild Card spot in the AFC. They head to San Francisco to take on the 2-10 49ers, and the Broncos are now favored for the second week in a row on the road. Last week, they were favored over the Bengals and they took care of business 24-10. This week they are favored again but the past seven days were costly to the Broncos. Against Cincy, the Broncos lost Chris Harris for at least four weeks due to a fractured fibula. On Wednesday, Denver lost Emmanuel Sanders to a torn Achilles in practice. Those are two devastating injuries and it will be hard for the Broncos to deal with that. They lost their second best defensive player and they lost their second best offensive player in the span of a few days. They signed CB Jamar Taylor this week and WR Andre Holmes and both are expected to play on Sunday. Will it be enough to get by the 49ers? A lot of people think so, but I just think the immediate impact of losing these guys will be too much for the Broncos to overcome-even against at two win San Francisco team.

Prediction: SAN FRANCISCO (+4) over Denver
Final Score: 49ers-22 Broncos-10

Now, onto the rest of the picks for Week 14 in the NFL.....

Last Week's Record: 5-10-1

Overall Record: 89-90-10
(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)

BUFFALO (-3) over NY Jets: The Bills are 4-8 and the Jets are 3-9, and both are going nowhere but we get to see Josh Allen take on Sam Darnold. This might be a preview of the 2021 AFC Championship Game. I'll take the Bills at home.

CLEVELAND (+3) over Carolina: The Panthers have fallen apart and are now 6-6 after a 6-2 start. Cam Newton is banged up, they fired a bunch of assistant coaches, and Ron Rivera is suddenly on the hotseat. Look for the Browns to be a feisty home underdog, and I wouldn't be surprised if they pulled the upset.

Atlanta (+6) over Green Bay: This is a stay away game for me. Both these teams have had disappointing seasons. Green Bay just fired Mike McCarthy and who knows how they'll respond at home.

Baltimore (+7) over KANSAS CITY: I think the Chiefs will win this game, but I have a feeling that the Ravens will keep it close. Look for the Ravens to move the ball effectively at times with Lamar Jackson, but ultimately the Chiefs will close it out.

New England (-7) over MIAMI: The Pats are 9-3 and can clinch the AFC East with a win. The Dolphins are 6-6 and still in the hunt in the AFC for a playoff spot. NE usually has trouble in Miami at times in the past, but I think they will take care of a pretty shitty Dolphins team.

New Orleans (-8) over TAMPA BAY: At 5-7, the Bucs are trying to hold out hope of running the table and getting in the playoffs. The Saints are still fighting for the #1 seed in the NFC, and I think they will get back on track after losing last week at Dallas.

NY Giants (-3) over WASHINGTON: The Redskins are down to Mark Sanchez at QB after losing both Alex Smith and Colt McCoy to injuries this year. I don't know how or why I'm backing the Giants, but if they can play inspired against the Bears and win last week, why not pick them to beat Sanchez and the wounded Redskins this week?

Indy (+5) over HOUSTON: Can the Texans win 10 in a row after starting 0-3? They might just do that this week, but I have a feeling the Colts will keep this game very close. I expect it to comedown to the end. I think Indy will have a better showing than their 6-0 loss to the Jags last week.

LA CHARGERS (-14) over Cincy: The Bengals are 5-7 and they are done in the AFC. Too many injuries have them in a downward spiral. The Chargers are 9-3 and they had a huge comeback win over the Steelers last Sunday night. Look for them to blowout the Bengals in LA on Sunday.

DALLAS (-3) over Philly: I'm picking the Cowboys because I would rather see them win the NFC East than the Eagles. This is a great game in the Sunday afternoon window. I'll take Dallas at home.

Detroit (-3) over ARIZONA: This is an awful game and I won't plan to watch one minute of it.

Pittsburgh (-10) over OAKLAND: The Steelers will waste no time in disposing of the Raiders on Sunday. Pittsburgh has lost two in a row, and they will make sure they won't lost three in a row.

CHICAGO (+3) over LA Rams: I think with Mitch Trubisky coming back the Bears will play well. I'm excited to see how their defense matches up against the Rams offense. This should be a fun one on SNF, and I think the Bears will pull off the upset.

SEATTLE (-3) over Minnesota: This is another huge game in the NFC playoff chase. The Seahawks are 7-5 and firmly in the mix. The Vikings are 6-5-1 and right there as well. I think it is a back and forth game, but I like the Seahawks at home on Monday night.

Titans-Jaguars Week 14 TNF Pick

TENNESSEE (-5) over Jacksonville 

Broncos Blow Past Bengals 24-10 and Get to 6-6

The Broncos evened up their record at 6-6 with a 24-10 win over the Bengals on Sunday in Cincy. It wasn't the prettiest game, but the Broncos got the job done and are in the thick of the AFC Wild Card picture with four weeks to go. Here are my thoughts and observations about the game....

1) It was a pretty game at all. With over 30 mph winds, the Broncos had to rely on the run game on offense. They were able to do that. Philip Lindsay was once again great with 157 yards on 19 carries and 2 touchdowns,. His 6 yard run gave Denver the lead late in the second quarter, and his 65 yard run gave Denver a 21-3 with 7:35 left in the third quarter. That run essentially put the game away for good. Lindsay should be the Offensive Rookie of the Year this year, and he is the Broncos MVP this year as well. It was another amazing performance by Lindsay to help propel the Broncos to another win.

2) Case Keenum's numbers weren't great, but he took care of the football and made some key throws when needed. He hit Devontae Booker on a 30 yard pass play to set up Denver's first TD. Then, he hit Courtland Sutton for a 30 yard TD to give Denver a 14-3 lead in the 3rd quarter. Give him credit for not making the big mistake and controlling the game.

3) The Broncos defense took advantage of backup QB Jeff Driskel. Justin Simmons picked off Driskel in Denver territory in the third quarter, and that led to Lindsay's big touchdown run to seal the game. They also sacked him four times. It seemed that anytime Cincy threatened, the Broncos defense clamped down and made a big play to knock them out of scoring position or field goal range.

4) The other key sequence in the game was when Denver led 7-3 and they punted after their first possession. The Bengals fumbled the punt and the Broncos recovered. Keenum hit Sutton for the 30 yard TD and the Broncos had a 14-3 lead at that point.

5) This game was a slog. It was filled with penalties, both teams played sloppy, and the Broncos were fortunate that the Bengals were starting a backup QB because for a period of time in this game, the Broncos didn't look good and were struggling. The bottom line is that they got the win, no matter how ugly, and they are 6-6 and in the thick of the Wild Card race. This team was 3-6 four weeks ago, and the season looked lost. Now, they have won three in a row and have some meaningful December football ahead of them. It's a lot more fun to think about playoff scenarios than draft scenarios. They go back on the road next week to take on the Niners, and they have to take care of business once again.