Baltimore Ravens @ Atlanta Falcons
This is going to be a good game. Both teams are ranked extremely close to each other in rushing on both sides of the ball, with Atlanta holding a slight edge on defense. Atlanta is getting killed through the air on defense, while Baltimore is in the top 10. Both teams are among the best in the league in scoring defense, though. They're both very similar in passing offense, both in yards and points, and both among the best in the league in sacks allowed and interceptions. This game is going to have to come down to intangibles. Flacco and company have let me down this season and Baltimore is on the road, but Atlanta also has come close to losing to some teams that are not as good as Baltimore. My gut says go with the Ravens.
Prediction Ravens
Detroit Lions @ Buffalo Bills
Detroit can hang with the big boys like the Jets, they can beat the Bills, that is unless they have Ndamukong Suh handle kicking duties again. The Bills always make it interesting, though, so this is my sleeper of the week.
Prediction: Lions
Minnesota Vikings @ Chicago Bears
Oh, the Vikings are going to kill them! Oh, Favre is completely back, forget everything that happened up until last week! Oh, Simeon Rice is going to explode after sitting out all of the pre-season and the first nine weeks of the regular season! Oh, Adrian Peterson is going to run all over them!
I think the Bears have become the team that everyone likes to dump on. Sometimes it's warranted, but more often than not it's unfounded. I still run into people who have a love affair with the Packers even after they struggled in recent weeks, and the Vikings finally have one good game and all of the sudden people act like they're back to last season's form, but the Bears, oh no, they're pretenders. It's crap, people are still judging the NFC North by last season's performance, but I think they may need a memory refresher. Week 16, the Vikings come into Soldier Field heavy favorites on the way to the NFC Championship Game, and yet the lowly Bears manufacture a late comeback and beat the immortal Brett Favre, while the entire Vikings team is playing better football than they are this year, in overtime 36-30. The Bears are finding ways to win against good teams like the Packers, just like they found a way to win against the Vikings last season. They are playing shut-down rush defense, they are not allowing scoring through the air, they are getting turnovers, and they are executing on offense despite problems.
Maybe the Vikings will get to Cutler, that's my biggest concern, but our defense is solid and should be able to be just as imposing against a Minnesota line that hasn't looked like itself this season. This might be some sentimentality on my part, but at home I have to take the Bears, and then maybe we can finally put an end to the statements that they're the worst team in the division. This is my game of the week.
Prediction: Bears
New York Jets @ Cleveland Browns
Cleveland's heating up right now and the Jets are struggling, but can they really get by New York's run defense? Maybe not, but the Browns shut down Tom Brady and I see no reason why Mark Sanchez will have any easier of a game. This is my upset of the week.
Prediction: Browns
Cincinnati Bengals @ Indianapolis Colts
I've lost faith in the Colts, but I've lost much more in the Bengals. Marvin Lewis might want to start looking for a new job.
Prediction: Colts
Houston Texans @ Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville just doesn't have the pressure or the secondary to make me think they can stop Matt Schaub.
Prediction: Texans
Tennessee Titans @ Miami Dolphins
The Titans are going to continue rolling, moreso with Randy Moss on board.
Prediction: Dolphins
Carolina Panthers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Bucs lose at home to the Panthers? Maybe I should start a counter for the cats of how many more losses they have to suffer through this season.
Prediction: Buccaneers
Kansas City Chiefs @ Denver Broncos
The Broncos are imploding, coach McDaniels is losing control fast. They lose one of their captains this week, and KC will make them pay for it.
Prediction: Chiefs
Seattle Seahawks @ Arizona Cardinals
Both teams are bad on both sides of the ball running, this game is going to come down to passing. They're both bad in defending the pass in terms of yards, and in putting up yards through the air. Neither team ranks very well in interceptions on offense, but where Seattle isn't creating turnovers on defense Arizona is, so I have to give it to them.
Prediction: Cardinals
Dallas Cowboys @ New York Giants
Jerry Jones is tossing Jason Garrett right into the fire by having his first game as head coach be at home against arguably the best team in the NFC right now, Cowboys won't get back on track this week.
Prediction: Giants
St. Louis Rams @ San Francisco 49ers
Niners are hurting and struggling, Rams are making the most of their opportunities. Sam Bradford should be able to take the Rams to a division victory.
Prediction: Rams
New England Patriots @ Pittsburgh Steelers
Both teams' recent struggles make me hesitant with this pick, but New England is getting killed by the run.
Prediction: Steelers
Philadelphia Eagles @ Washington Redskins
Vick and the Eagles should put the hurt on a struggling Washington team at home.
Prediction: Eagles
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