Broncos Lose Late to Chargers, Fall to 5-10

 The Broncos lost to the Chargers 19-16 on a late field goal to fall to 5-10 on the season. The Broncos were down 13-0 at the half and rallied back to tie the game at 16 late in the fourth quarter, but they couldn't get one more stop as the Chargers drove down the field and kicked the game-winning field goal. Here are my thoughts and observations on the game.....

1) It is the same story every week with this team. The game started with a big kickoff return by the Chargers, which led to a field goal and Denver was trailing 3-0. After a very good first drive into Chargers territory, Drew Lock scrambled on third down and tried to force a ball into traffic and it was intercepted in the endzone. He should have threw it away and settled for the field goal. Lock seems to make this mistake every week.

2) Then, on the second drive the Broncos are putting together a good drive and Brandon McManus misses an easy field goal attempt. The Chargers come down and score a TD to make it 10-0. That is just another example of how this Broncos season has gone at times.

3) Jerry Jeudy had his worst game of his rookie season. He dropped five passes. One of them was a surefire TD and the other was a deep ball in the final seconds that would have given Denver a chance to tie the game at 19. Jeudy is very talented and will be a good player for years to come, but he has been plagued by drops this season and it is not what I expected from a guy who was considered the best WR prospect in the draft.

4) The Broncos lead the league in turnovers and its the number one reason why they are 5-10. They also have the second least takeaways in the league and their -20 turnover differential is the worst in the league. That is why they are 5-10. They make mistakes every single week. They throw interceptions, fumble, go offsides, and drop passes every single game. They don't play clean football at all.

5) This season has not turned out the way I thought it would. The Broncos played hard on defense-eventhough they are undermanned. Their offense played better in the second half but it was not enough. It is symbolic of their season. As far as Lock goes, the stats will say that he played terrible but it wasn't the case. He was inconsistent as he has been all year. He makes some awful throws, he misses some easy throws and then he makes some great throws and looks like a star. I'll have more to say about Lock once the season is over, but I think the word inconsistent best sums up his season and career so far. 

Broncos-Chargers and Week 16 Picks

At 5-9, the Broncos are playing meaningless football once again in December. They are headed for their fourth consecutive losing season and a fifth straight year out of the playoffs. They have also been decimated by injuries and bad luck all season long. This week, they get to head to LA to take on Justin Herbert, who is lighting up the league and on his way to the Rookie of the Year Award. Look for Herbert to cut up the Broncos depleted secondary. I think Denver is in for long day out in Sofi Stadium on Sunday.

CHARGERS (-3) over Denver

Final Score: Chargers-31 Broncos-17

Last Week's Record: (7-5-4)

Overall Record (110-102-11)

(HOME TEAM IN CAPS) 

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

Minnesota (+8) over NEW ORLEANS: Nice little Christmas Day game in New Orleans. The Saints are 10-4 and have lost two straight. The Vikings are 6-8 and basically out of the playoff race. I think Minnesota covers but the Saints will win the game.

Tampa Bay (-7) over DETROIT: The Lions are 5-9 and playing out the string. The Bucs are 9-5 and ready to cement their playoff berth. The Bucs will win and get their 10th win and secure their first playoff spot since 2007.

ARIZONA (-3) over San Francisco: The Cardinals are 8-6 and have the 7 seed in the NFC in their grasp. The Niners are 5-9 and having a year from hell. Look for the Cardinals to get their ninth win and move one step closer to the playoffs.

LAS VEGAS (+3) over Miami: A Saturday night special between the 7-7 Raiders and the 9-5 Dolphins. Miami is fighting for a wild card spot and the Raiders are all but done. I don't know why but I have a feeling the Raiders will play hard and win this game. I think it's close but I'm going with the Raiders and the upset. 

KANSAS CITY (-11) over Atlanta: The Chiefs are 13-1 and can lock up the #1 seed in the AFC with a win over the hapless Falcons. They won't mess around and they will get the job done and secure that first round bye in the AFC.

Cleveland (-9) over JETS: The Jets pulled the upset of the season with a win over the Rams last week. The Jets are 1-13 and right now took themselves out of the #1 overall pick and the prize of Trevor Lawrence. The Browns are 10-4 and only a game behind the Steelers in the AFC North. Look for the Browns to take care of the Jets on Sunday and put pressure on the Steelers. 

PITTSBURGH (-1) over Indianapolis: The Steelers looked terrible in their loss to the Bengals on Monday Night Football. Pittsburgh is now 11-3 and have lost three in a row. They don't look good on offense and their defense is banged up. The Colts are 10-4 but still have work to do to secure a playoff berth. I'm going to give the Steelers one more week to right the ship.

Carolina (+4) over WASHINGTON: Carolina is 4-10 but playing hard as an undermanned group right now. Washington is 6-8 and still leads the division by a game over Dallas and the Giants. I'm picking Carolina because I want things to get interesting in the Week 17 for the NFC East.

JACKSONVILLE (+7) over Chicago: Jacksonville now holds the #1 overall pick as a result of the Jets win on Sunday. Both teams are 1-13 but if they both lose out and finish 1-15, then the Jags have the tiebreaker and would get the pick. I can totally see Jacksonville being feisty here. I wouldn't trust Mitch Trubisky and this Bears team as a seven point favorite over anyone. Although the Bears are 7-7 and still alive for a playoff spot, I think this game is going to be close. 

Giants (+10) over BALTIMORE: The Ravens are 8-5 and need to keep winning to make the playoffs. I think they will beat the 5-9 Giants here but I think the G-Men will play hard and keep it close.

HOUSTON (-7) over Cincinnati: The Texans are 4-10 and playing out the string. The Bengals are 3-10-1 and playing out the string. Look for Houston to roll past Cincy.

Philadelphia (PICK) over DALLAS: At 5-9, the Cowboys are still alive in the NFC East. The Eagles are 4-9-1 but they are playing better since they inserted Jalen Hurts at QB. I have a feeling they will officially put the Cowboys out of their misery this week.

Rams (+3) over SEATTLE: The Rams were embarrassed by losing to the Jets at home last week, and now they head to Seattle to take on the Seahawks. This game is huge in the NFC West. Seattle is 10-4 and the Rams are 9-5. If Seattle wins, they win the division. I have a feeling that the Rams will rebound from last week's debacle and play well in this game. I think they might even win it outright.

GREEN BAY (-4) over Tennessee: Green Bay can clinch the #1 seed in the NFC with a win over the Titans on Sunday Night Football. Tennessee is 10-4 and still trying to wrap up the AFC South. Look for the Packers to play their best game and lock up the homefield advantage in the NFC.

Buffalo (-6) over NEW ENGLAND: The Bills clinched the AFC East last week and now they host the Patriots on Monday Night Football. The Pats are out of the playoffs for the first time since 2008. Look for the passing of the torch commence in this one as Buffalo puts the Pats away.

Bills Smoke Broncos 48-19, Denver Falls to 5-9

 The Bills came into Denver on Sunday and thrashed the Broncos in every which way 48-19. The loss sends Denver to a 5-9 record and a fourth straight losing season. The Broncos had no answer for Bills QB Josh Allen and the Broncos offense couldn't do much at all against the Bills defense. It was close at halftime, but the Bills broke it open in the 3rd quarter and the game was over by the 4th quarter. The Broncos are officially eliminated from playoff contention. It was a disappointing day all around for the Broncos and it just reaffirms how far off this franchise is from becoming a playoff caliber team. Here are my thoughts and observations.........

1) The Bills and Josh Allen did anything they wanted to the Broncos defense. Denver couldn't stop or contain Allen, who was more impressive in this game than the two games Denver played Pat Mahomes this year, and Stephon Diggs and Cole Beasley killed them in the passing game. The Broncos defense is undermanned and it showed on Saturday.

2) The Broncos offense did not do much in this game. Drew Lock was again inconsistent. He made some nice throws including a TD pass to Noah Fant right before halftime to cut the lead to 21-13. He also had two surefire interceptions dropped and his fumble was returned for a TD in the 3rd quarter. He wasn't terrible, but he wasn't good either. In a game like this, he was going to have to go shot for shot Allen and produce points, but he wasn't up to the task. The jury still remains out on Lock and he has two more games to help cement his status as the starter in Denver next season.

3) The key in this game was the fact that Buffalo went right down the field to start the second half and got a TD to make it 28-13 and then the next series Lock fumbled and Buffalo returned it for a TD to make it 35-13. That was the ballgame right there. Denver even gave up a late 51 yard TD run as the Bills were trying to run out the clock to make it 48-13. Melvin Gordon added a garbage time TD to give Denver its' last score of the day.

4) The Broncos really have been screwed by Covid this year. Brandon McManus couldn't play because he was on the Covid list due to being a close contact to someone who tested positive. He tested negative all week but couldn't play due to the timeframe and number of days he has to be away. If this game was on Sunday, he would have been cleared. Instead, it was on Saturday and he wasn't allowed to play. In his place Tyler Russolino, formerly of the XFL, was the kicker and he promptly missed a field goal on the first drive and two extra points. The Broncos really got screwed in every way this year with Covid.

5) The Bills were simply too much for the Broncos and they are a legitimate Super Bowl contender. This game reminded me of the blowout loss to the Chiefs earlier in the season. The Broncos are not there yet, but maybe they can look to the Bills and see how they were patient with Josh Allen and it paid off.

6) The Broncos still have two games left and they head to LA to take on Justin Herbert and the Chargers. It will be tough to stop Herbert-especially with the Broncos banged up secondary. It is still an important game for the Broncos and Drew Lock. He needs to put two good games together the next two weeks, and I would still like to see them win the last two games and finish 7-9. 

Broncos-Bills and Week 15 Picks

The Broncos have played well the last month, subtracting the Saints game without a QB, and they get another chance to derail a team's playoff aspirations on Saturday in Denver. The Broncos host the Bills in the first of a doubleheader Saturday edition on NFL Network. The Broncos are 5-8 and want to finish the season strong and get to 8-8. The Bills are 10-3 and battling for the AFC East title. The Broncos face another week of adversity as K Brandon McManus is out of this game because he was a close contact of a Covid positive and he won't be able to be cleared in time. The Broncos are going with K Tyler Russolino, formerly of the XFL. Denver is also down their top 3 cornerbacks, and that will make things difficult in defending Josh Allen, who is having a MVP type season for the Bills. I think Denver is going to have a really tough time defending the Bills passing game with Cole Beasley and Stephon Diggs. Although I see Denver being feisty and playing hard most of the game, I think the Bills and Allen will be too much.

Buffalo (-6) over DENVER

Final Score: Bills-31 Broncos-20

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

Last Week's Record: (8-8)

Overall Record (103-97-7)

(HOME TEAM IN CAPS) 

GREEN BAY (-8) over Carolina: The Packers have the inside path to the #1 seed in the NFC. At 10-3, they have a really good chance of beating out the Saints for that spot. Look for them to continue that push with a win over the 4-9 Panthers on Saturday night.

Tampa Bay (-4) over ATLANTA: At 8-5, the Bucs are looking to secure that #5 seed in the playoffs. I don't think they will mess around with 4-9 Atlanta. I look for the Bucs to win convincingly. 

San Francisco (-2) over DALLAS: This game had promise to be a big-time affair when the season started, but now we are looking at 5-8 San Fran and 4-9 Dallas. This game is so bad that the NFL flexed out of it as the Sunday Night Football game on NBC. That never happens with Dallas.

TENNESSEE (-9) over Detroit: The 9-4 Titans have to keep winning to keep the lead in the AFC South and stave off Indy. Look for them to care of the 5-8 Lions-especially since it is doubtful that Matt Stafford will play.

Houston (+7) over INDIANAPOLIS: The Colts are 9-4 and still looking to win the South. This game against Houston is tricky. The Texans were going for a game-winning TD late but Deshaun Watson fumbled the snap and the Colts recovered to win the game 26-20. I could see this game being close, but look for the Colts to win it.

New England (+3) over MIAMI: At 6-7, the Patriots are not going to win the AFC East for the first time since 2008. The Dolphins are still pushing for the division and the wild card at 8-5. I can see the Patriots somehow keeping this game close and maybe even winning it late. It is just my gut. 

MINNESOTA (-3) over Chicago: Both teams are 6-7 and one game behind the Cardinals for the last playoff spot in the NFC. This is basically a "Loser Leaves Town" match in the NFC North. Whoever wins this game is still alive and the loser is probably done with any chance of making the playoffs barring a miracle. I think the Vikings will keep themselves afloat for one more week. 

Seattle (-5) over WASHINGTON: The Washington Football Team leads the NFC East at 6-7 and they have easier path down the stretch than the Giants, so they are the favorites to win the division. It won't be easy for them because Seattle comes to town at 9-4 and tied for the lead in the NFC West. I think Seattle steps up and wins the game going away. 

BALTIMORE (-12) over Jacksonville: The Ravens are 8-5 and in position to grab a playoff spot from the Dolphins in the AFC. They need to keep winning and I can't see them having a letdown here at home against the 1-12 Jaguars. 

RAMS (-16) over Jets: The Rams 9-4 and tied for the lead in the NFC West. The Jets are 0-13 and looking at the #1 pick in the draft. The Rams will do their job on Sunday at home. 

ARIZONA (-5) over Philadelphia: That win at the Meadowlands was huge for the Cardinals last week. At 7-6, they are the leaders to get that 7th seed in the NFC. If they beat the Eagles this week and the Niners next week, they should get in. I don't think they will have too much trouble with Philly and Jalen Hurts. 

NEW ORLEANS (+4) over Kansas City: Potential game of the year on Sunday afternoon in New Orleans. It is certainly the game of the week. The 12-1 Chiefs head into the Superdome to take on the 10-3 Saints. Two of the best teams in the league collide in what could be a Super Bowl preview. It looks like Drew Brees will start at QB in this game and that makes it so much better. Look for a back and forth game, but I like the Saints defense to make one crucial stop on Pat Mahomes and that Chiefs offense to secure the victory. 

Cleveland (-4) over GIANTS: The Giants lost a big game last week at home to Arizona and find themselves at 5-8 and one game behind Washington in the NFC East. Their best corner, James Bradbury, and offensive coordinator, Jason Garrett, tested positive for Covid this week, so it hasn't been the best week for the G-Men. It could be the revenge of Freddie Kitchens as the former Browns head coach will call plays for Garrett and the Giants this week. I was thinking of taking the Giants all week, but I'm going to back off and take the Browns. They are 9-4 and although they lost a heartbreaker last Monday night to the Ravens, I think they will bounce back and get the win on SNF this week. 

Pittsburgh (-11) over CINCINNATI: The Steelers will end their two-game losing streak and take care of business on Monday Night Football over the 2-10-1 Bengals. 

Week 15 TNF Pick

 Chargers (+3) over LAS VEGAS

Broncos Outlast Panthers 32-27 Behind Big Performance by Lock

 The Broncos went into Carolina on Sunday in a matchup that featured two 4-8 teams. Denver still has a lot to play for and they want to finish the year strong. I would love to see them win the last four and go 8-8. They got one win out of the way with a 32-27 victory over the Panthers to improve to 5-8 on the season. This was one of Drew Lock's best performances of his career as he threw four TDs to help Denver hold off the Panthers. It was fun game and good day for the Broncos all around. Here are my thoughts and observations on the game...

1) The story of the game for the Broncos was Drew Lock. He went 21-27 for 280 yards and 4 TDs. He made two big time TD throws to KJ Hamler to help the Broncos extend the lead. It was one of his best days as a Bronco and it was the kind of performance he needed and quite frankly the entire fanbase needed to see. Let's hope he continues to play like that down the stretch.

2) The Broncos just can't seem to catch a break this year. LT Garrett Bolles was downgraded to OUT right before the game due to a stomach illness. Noah Fant also left the game early due to a stomach illness. Both players cleared COVID tests, so it could have been food poisoning or a stomach bug. The offensive line played well even without Bolles.

3) I thought this was also Pat Shurmur's best game from a play-calling standpoint. I loved the play-action on 1st and goal for the Broncos TD right before the half, and I love the play action boot pass to Tim Patrick to extend the Broncos lead to 25-10.

4) The Broncos had their first punt return TD since 2015 when Diontae Spencer went 80 yards to open the scoring in the first quarter. On the flip side, Brandon McManus had an off day when he missed two extra points.

5) The defense lost another CB when Duke Dawson went down with a knee injury. That leaves DaVante Bausby and Michael Ojemudia as our two starting CBs, with Will Parks playing nickel corner. With that said, our secondary played pretty well and our pass rush caused problems with Teddy Bridgewater all game long. Give Bausby credit because he made the game-saving tackle on a 4th and 8 to win the game.

6) Overall, it was a fun win for the Broncos. They got a special teams return touchdown, Lock threw four TDs, they scored over 30 points and their banged up defense made enough plays to win the game. Hopefully, they can continue their winning ways and pull the upset over the 10-3 Bills at home in a special Saturday afternoon special. 

Broncos-Panthers and Week 14 Picks

 Last Week's Record: (8-6-1)

Overall Record (95-89-7)

(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)

At 4-8, the Broncos are now just playing out the string for the fourth straight December. It sucks and that is the most depressing thing in the NFL-when your team is playing meaningless games down the stretch. But, there is something to watch these last four games. It would be nice to see the Broncos get to 8-8 and avoid a fourth straight losing season. It is also important to see how Drew Lock plays these last four games as he heads into next year. Also, the Broncos season could have gone in so many other ways more positive but it feels like they are snakebit this year, so it would be nice to see them finish strong. This will be a tough one this week in Carolina because they are without CB AJ Bouye, who is suspended for 6 games due to PED use, so they are without their top 3 corners. It looks like RB Christian McCaffrey will not play, but I just don't know what Denver has left in the tank to play well and win though. Everytime I have confidence in them this season, they end up losing or screwing me over. 

CAROLINA (-4) over Denver

Final Score: Panthers-26 Broncos-20

Now, onto the picks for Week 14....

Arizona (-2) over GIANTS: The 6-6 Cardinals have lost three in a row and are barely hanging on to the 6th seed in the NFC. The G-Men have won four in a row and at 5-7 lead the NFC East. This is a huge game in the NFC on Sunday. A lot of people are picking the Giants, and I hope they win, but I got a feeling this is a tight game and Kyler Murray pulls off some magic and leads the Cards to a late win.

Dallas (-2) over CINCINNATI: The Cowboys season ended when Dak Prescott got hurt. At 3-9, they are having a nightmare year and can start looking to 2021. The Bengals are without Joe Burrow for the rest of the year and they are just not interesting without him. Look for Dallas to win Andy Dalton's return to Cincy.

Minnesota (+7) over TAMPA BAY: This is a huge game in the NFC Wild Card picture. At 7-5, the Bucs can solidify the #5 seed if they win out. The Vikings are very much alive for the #7 seed at 6-6. I see a back and forth game, and I think the Bucs win, but I have a feeling the Vikings keep it close.

JACKSONVILLE (+8) over Tennessee: The Titans will win the game to get to 9-4, but I think the Jags have been scrappy the last two weeks and this one might be closer than people expect.

Kansas City (-7) over MIAMI: Another big game in the AFC. The Chiefs are 11-1 and they are fighting for the #1 seed in the AFC and that all important first round bye. The Dolphins are fighting for the Wild Card at 8-4. This game has huge ramifications for the playoffs with any result. I think KC leaves no doubt and goes into Miami and buries the Dolphins.

DETROIT (+8) over Green Bay:  Green Bay is 9-3 and closing in on another NFC North crown, but the question remains if they can grab the #1 seed in the NFC from the Saints. They need to win this game and they will, but look for the 5-7 Lions to cover the spread.

CHICAGO (PICK) over Houston: At 5-7, the Bears are barely hanging on to any playoff hopes. They have lost six in a row after starting 5-1. A win here keeps them in the playoff race-especially if Arizona and Minnesota lose. I think they avoid their 7th straight loss here and take care of the 4-8 Texans.

SEATTLE (-13) over Jets: Seattle will bury the Jets at home this week after getting beat at home to the Giants last week. The Seahawks won't mess around in this game. Seattle needs to win this game to get to 9-4 to keep pace with the Rams in the NFC West. They will take out their frustration on the 0-12 Jets, who are headed for the #1 pick in the draft. 

LAS VEGAS (+3) over Indianapolis: Another huge game in the AFC. I think the Raiders will get to 8-5 with a big win over the 8-4 Colts. Whatever happens will have huge effects in the Wild Card race. For some reason, I haven't bought into the Colts all year, and I am still skeptical. There is a scenario in which both these teams don't make the playoffs.

New Orleans (-7) over PHILADELPHIA: Philly benched Carson Wentz and goes with Jalen Hurts at QB. I don't think it will matter at New Orleans wins at home. The Saints are 10-2 and need this game to keep the lead as the #1 seed in the NFC, and I can't see their defense getting fooled by Hurts. 

CHARGERS (+3) over Atlanta: This is a meaningless game between the 3-9 Chargers and the 4-8 Falcons. I look for Justin Herbert to bounce back after last week's poor performance. 

Washington (+3) over SAN FRANCISCO: I think that Washington goes to 6-7 and takes control of the NFC East with a win over the banged up 49ers. For whatever reason, I feel like only the year 2020 can produce the Washington Football Team winning the NFC East.

Pittsburgh (+3) over BUFFALO: Great game on Sunday Night Football on NBC. The Steelers lost their first game of the year to Washington to fall to 11-1. I think they will will rebound from their first loss and take care of business on the road over the 9-3 Bills. If they Bills lose, they can still win their division so a loss here won't kill their season. The Steelers need the game more and I think they will do enough to get the win.

CLEVELAND (PICK) over Baltimore: This is an interesting and important game on Monday Night Football. The Browns are 9-3 and on the cusp of their first playoff win since 2002. The Ravens are 7-5 after burying the Cowboys on Tuesday night. I still don't think the Ravens have righted the ship and I'm not so sure they will run the table and make the playoffs. Believe it or not I like the Browns at home. 

Week 14 TNF Picks

 RAMS (-4) over New England

Broncos Lose Tight One to the Chiefs 22-16, Fall to 4-8

 There are no moral victories in the NFL, but the Broncos did show up on Sunday Night Football and played the Chiefs very tough in Arrowhead in 22-16 loss. The loss sends Denver to 4-8 and all but eliminates any playoff hopes. It also ensures Denver will not have a winning season for the fourth consecutive season. The Broncos led at halftime 10-9 and they lead late in the 3rd quarter 16-12, but they just couldn't pull out the game. Their defense played really well, and the offense had its moments. It is tough loss for Denver, but maybe they are closing the gap a little on the Chiefs. At least, we know that their defense matches up with the Chiefs about as good as anyone else in the AFC West. Here are my thoughts and observations about the game....

1) Vic Fangio's defensive gameplan was really, really good once again against the Chiefs and  Pat Mahomes. They weren't going to get beat deep, they gave KC the yards in the middle and then they stopped in the red zone. It was the second time this year that Fangio's defense played Mahomes and KC tough. That is a positive to take into next year.

2) The offense played well for a long stretch. They ran the ball well and Melvin Gordon had over 100 yards and popped a big run. The play action game worked well like it did in the Miami game. Drew Lock made some nice plays. He had some big completions and made a big-time throw to Tim Patrick on a fade route that gave Denver a 16-12 lead late in the 3rd quarter. The Broncos did a nice job of revolving the gameplan around the running game and play action. That is what they need to do with him the last four games.

3) Lock needs to get better at protecting the football and stop making ill-advised throws. It is his biggest problem right now. The first drive was a perfect example. He makes a big throw to Noah Fant for a first down, and they are in field goal range and on 2nd and 9, he scrambles and throws up a pass to Troy Fumagali that gets picked down the sideline. Just a bad throw and bad decision. He has to fix that going forward. 

4) A lot of people are going to criticize Fangio's decision to punt on 4th and 3 from near midfield with six minutes to go and down 19-16. KJ Hamler dropped a pass over the middle on 3rd down that would have given them a first down and in field goal range. It is debatable if Fangio went for it there. If he does, and the Broncos don't get it, then KC has a short field and a TD there ices it. Mahomes took 5 minutes off the clock and got a field goal to extend the lead to 22-16 with a minute to play. It is one of those "damned if you do and damned if you don't" situations. I'm not going to kill Vic for that.

5) There are no moral victories in the NFL but to hold the best team in the league to 22 points on the road and be in this game late is a sign of progress. The Broncos are without Von Miller, Bryce Callahan, Jurell Casey, and Mike Purcell on their defensive unit. Their defense played gutty and really well. Tip your cap to Shelby Harris, who played a really good game coming back from Covid. You add more pieces to this defense, and hope that Drew Lock can evolve as a QB and the Broncos can close this gap even more on KC next year.

5) To me, the last four games are important to this franchise. Lock needs to improve and evolve as a QB and show he can be the guy next year. Plus, it would be great to win the last four and finish 8-8 and avoid another losing season. There is still a lot of watch these last four games. 

Broncos-Chiefs and Week 13 Picks

After last week's debacle in which the NFL made the Broncos play the Saints with no QBs available due to Covid contact tracing, Denver gets to head to Arrowhead to take on the Chiefs. At 4-7, this season is pretty much lost, and I don't envision any possible way that the Broncos pull the upset over KC. Plus, the Chiefs have motivation in this game because if they win, then they clinch a playoff spot. That is all that need to take care of business and bury the Broncos and send them to 4-8.

KANSAS CITY (-14) over Denver

Final Score: Chiefs-55 Broncos-10

Now, onto the picks for Week 13.....

Last Week's Record: (8-8)

Overall Record (87-83-7)

(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)

CHICAGO (-3) over Detroit: The Bears are 5-6 after a 5-1 start and they are starting Mitch Trubisky again at QB with Nick Foles still out. They are only 1 game behind in the Wild Card race so they are not out of it yet. The Lions just fired Matt Patricia and at 4-7 are going nowhere. I gotta think the Bears find a way to win this one. 

Cincinnati (+12) over MIAMI: Miami is 7-4 and in line for a playoff spot but they haven't looked good at all the past two games. Tua might not even play again this week. I think the Dolphins will win the game, but for some reason, I can see the Bengals keeping it close.

Indianapolis (-3) over HOUSTON: The Texans are 4-7 and they host the 7-4 Colts. Indy desperately needs this game to stay in the race in the AFC South and for the Wild Card. I think Indy takes care of business and doesn't mess around in this game.

MINNESOTA (-9) over Jacksonville: The Vikings are 5-6 and only one game behind Arizona in the NFC Wild Card race. I don't see Jacksonville, who is starting Mike Glennon once again, giving the Vikings much of a game as Minnesota gets to 6-6.

Las Vegas (-7) over JETS: The Raiders are 6-5 after getting killed on the road last week at Atlanta. They are currently on the outside looking in as far as the playoffs go. They head back East again this week but the Jets are so bad that I can't see the Raiders messing up and blowing this game. If they do, then they definitely don't deserve to go to the playoffs.

ATLANTA (+3) over New Orleans: The Saints are 2-0 with Taysom Hill at QB but they got a break in Denver last week. This is an interesting game. The Falcons are 4-7 and playing better and these two teams played each other two weeks ago. The Saints won that game, but I think the Falcons get revenge because I just don't buy into Hill at QB for the Saints.

TENNESSEE (-6) over Cleveland: Huge game in the AFC playoff picture. 8-3 Tennessee hosts 8-3 Cleveland. The Browns schedule is tricky down the stretch here and this is one of their tougher games remaining. I think the Titans will play well and put together a convincing win over the Browns at home. 

Giants (+8) over SEATTLE: At 4-7, the Giants are in first place in the NFC East. Daniel Jones might not play this week, so it is up to Colt McCoy to keep their dreams alive. I think the Giants will keep this game close but ultimately fall to the Seahawks. I know it is a long trip for the G-Men but there is no crowd in Seattle so the 12th Man means nothing this year. Look for Seattle to win but the Giants will make them earn it.

Rams (-3) over ARIZONA: I was shocked the Rams lost at home to the 49ers last week. At 7-4, the Rams need to win this game. Arizona was also upset last week with a brutal loss to the Pats on a field goal in the last seconds of the game. At 6-5, they are only a game ahead in the Wild Card race. This game is huge, and I think the Rams will figure out a way to win the game and get to 8-4.

GREEN BAY (-7) over Philadelphia: The Eagles are really bad this year. After losing at home to the Seahawks last week, they are now 3-7-1. Fortunately, they are still alive in the NFC East. Carson Wentz has played awful this year, and they are talking about how Doug Pederson might be gone after this year. I don't think the Packers will mess around and they will hand the Eagles their fourth straight loss.

New England (PICK) over CHARGERS: Anthony Lynn going up against Bill Belichick. I'll take the Patriots to win on the road in LA.

Washington (+10) over PITTSBURGH: This game was moved to Monday afternoon after all the postponements for the Ravens and Steelers last week. Pittsburgh is 11-0, but they have looked sloppy lately, and the Chiefs are right on their tails for the #1 seed in the AFC. Washington has a chance to win the NFC East at 4-7, so this is actually an important game for them. I'll take Washington to somehow cover.

Buffalo (-2) over SAN FRANCISCO: This game is on Monday night and at 5-6 the Niners are actually only a game out of the Wild Card race behind Arizona. Ironically, the 49ers are playing this home game in Arizona because of restrictions in Santa Clara based on Covid. In any event, they are hosting the 8-3 Bills, who come in leading the AFC East. I like Buffalo in this spot and I think they get to 9-3 with a big win here.

BALTIMORE (NL) over Dallas: After a nightmare week in which Baltimore lost a bunch of key starters, including Lamar Jackson, to Covid, they finally played the Steelers game after it was postponed 6 days. After losing that game, they find themselves at 6-5 and in desperate need of a win in a crowded AFC playoff field. I think they get to 7-5 with a win as most of their team comes off the Covid list, and the Cowboys will fall to 3-9 as their disaster of a year continues. 

Broncos Get Screwed By NFL, Lose to Saints 31-3

 I really can't even spend too much time writing about the Broncos game on Sunday to the Saints because it is so ridiculous, but I'll put something down here. The Broncos got screwed big time by the NFL in this spot. 3rd string QB Jeff Driskel tested positive for Covid on Thursday morning. He is asymptomatic and the league cleared the other Broncos QBs to practice Friday and Saturday. The league then told Denver on Saturday right before practice that all three other Broncos QB (Drew Lock, Brett Rypien, and Blake Bortles) were ineligible to play because they were considered high-risk close contacts. The league reviewed film, given to them by the Broncos, which showed the QBs meeting, socially distanced and wearing masks, on Tuesday as a group watching film together. The Broncos QBs only pulled their masks down to eat and communicate-AND THEY WERE SOCIALLY DISTANT THE WHOLE TIME!!!!!The NFL wouldn't budge and deemed the Broncos QBs inactive to play on Sunday against the Saints. The Broncos were forced to call up practice squad WR Kendall Hinton, who last played QB at Wake Forest in 2015, to play QB and also use Royce Freeman and Philip Lindsay as Wildcat QBs as well. Naturally, the Broncos lost 31-3 and this game was an embarrassment. The league should be ashamed for putting this product on the field and even allowing it to happen. You can't put this all on the Broncos QBs. The league screwed this up. This was a joke. It is sad and disappointing and it effectively ended the Broncos season because at 4-7 they are not going on a run at the end here, and they will get smoked by the Chiefs on Sunday night to fall to 4-8. What a shame and what a joke. The validity of this NFL season is shot in my eyes.