Cover photo taken from NFL.com.
Last Week: 11-5
Season Total: 106-72-1
Bills 23-20 Patriots 
Thursday, 8:15 PM EST, Prime Video
I really wanted to pick the Patriots outright here, seeing as though all signs point towards them winning this game. Both teams are equally rested from playing on Thanksgiving, and New England looked arguably better than Buffalo did. Now, the Pats come home for this massive showdown with a ton of implications for the division and the playoffs. I think Bill Belichick is going to have his guys ready, but as much as I want to trust that, I can’t pick Josh Allen and the Bills to lose this game. They need to come out and make a statement, and I think that’s exactly what they’re going to do. Buffalo’s defense will need to step up and play some of their best ball of the season, and without Von Miller, it’s going to be very tough. It’s going to be a slog for a while, and the Patriots will probably lead this one for the most part, but I think the Bills offense will get going in the second half to come back and steal a win in Foxboro.
Steelers 17-14 Falcons 
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS
These teams are on par with each other in my mind. I’d typically pick the home team in a situation like this, but I think the Steelers are simply trending in a much better direction than the Falcons are. Pittsburgh’s young pieces are finally starting to gel and the defense is back to playing very well now that they’re healthy again, and I simply don’t see how Marcus Mariota and the Falcons’ anemic offense is going to put up enough points on them. The Steelers offense should do just enough, regardless of whether Najee Harris plays or not, to win this game.
Packers 24-21 Bears 
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX
As much as I would love to pick the Bears in this game, predicting Aaron Rodgers to lose to Chicago is simply sacrilegious. Justin Fields should be back for the Bears, which makes them the better team, but until they show me that they can actually beat the Packers, I won’t predict them to. If Fields is fully healthy and plays like his usual self, then Chicago should win this one fairly easily. This is their best opportunity to prove me wrong.
Lions 27-24 Jaguars 
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX
This may look like a gross matchup on paper, but I think this game is going to be so much fun. These are two young teams that are seemingly starting to get it going, and I think there’s going to be points galore in Detroit in a very exciting contest. I’m not sure how the Jaguars are a road favorite against a Lions team that has been so solid at home, especially ATS, but I do understand the sentiment. Jacksonville looked really great last week, and Trevor Lawrence is doing his thing. But, the same can be said about the Lions. They almost beat the Bills, and we know how dangerous they are at Ford Field. I think their prowess at home is enough to put them over the top in a game like this against an opponent that’s on their level. It wouldn’t shock me if it goes the other way, seeing as though the Lions always find a way to lose games like this. Regardless, I’m actually really excited to see it play out.
Vikings 21-20 Jets 
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS
It’s strange to see a game like this mean so much at this point in the season, but here we are. This one is going to be extremely impactful on the playoff races in both conferences. The Vikings squeaked by for a win yet again last week, while the Jets are flying high after Mike White’s heroics last week and the continued lights-out play by their defense. I actually think this is a super solid matchup for the Jets. I think their defensive front will be able to lock up Dalvin Cook, and I think Sauce Gardner can hold his own against Justin Jefferson (in what’s probably the best WR-CB battle of the season). But it feels too difficult to pick against the Vikings at home coming off a mini-bye, especially with 1PM Kirk Cousins being activated. They should be able to do just enough offensively towards the end of this game to snatch another victory out of the jaws of defeat and inch closer to a division title.
Commanders 20-17 Giants 
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX
It has been six years since the last meaningful Washington-New York game this late in the season. There is so much on the line on Sunday in East Rutherford when it comes to the Wild Card race. Neither team can afford a loss, and a win puts someone firmly in position to lock up a playoff spot in the coming weeks. These teams are trending in completely opposite directions; the Giants are coming off a mini-bye after being handled by the Cowboys on Thanksgiving, which was their third loss in their last four games, and the Commanders are coming off their sixth win in seven weeks on Sunday against Atlanta. So, it’s no secret why Washington is favored in this one, even on the road. Vegas is right. We are the better team and there is no excuse to lose this game, even on the road. We can effectively stop everything that the Giants do well offensively, and if our offense does its job and limits its mistakes, then we will win this game. I think it all boils down to which QB loses the game for their team. I want to believe it won’t be Taylor Heinicke. And I really, really want to be proven right.
Eagles 22-17 Titans 
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX
This game looks a lot better on paper than it will actually be. I think it’ll be close, but it will be pretty ugly and run-centric from start to finish. That says a lot about these two defenses, which are both great. I think both offenses are capable of doing great things, but not in a matchup like this. The two fantastic front sevens will control this game, with both teams desperate to establish the run. So, it’ll probably come down to whoever can make the most plays through the air. There’s no doubt who the better passing team is here. The Titans have certainly found something in rookie WR Treylon Burks, but the Eagles have plenty more weapons and the vastly better QB in Jalen Hurts. At home, they will make all the plays necessary in the passing game to win this one late.
Ravens 19-10 Broncos 
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS
Both of these teams annoy me, so the fact that they’re playing against each other this week really annoys me. The Ravens are simply the better team by a longshot, so they will obviously win this game. But it’s going to be ugly and there will not be a lot of points put on the board thanks to the level of both defenses. So, my two pieces of advice are: don’t watch this game and take the under.
Browns 27-10 Texans 
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS
Deshaun Watson is back in the NFL and back in Houston. Certainly this wasn’t deliberate on the part of the league! Regardless, Watson should be thankful that he’s getting such an easy tune-up in his first game back. Houston will definitely be hostile for him on Sunday, but the Texans themselves certainly won’t be. He should have a field day against their dreadful defense, and the Browns will likely look like the great team that they have the potential to be.
Seahawks 24-13 Rams 
Sunday, 4:05 PM EST, FOX
It’s no surprise that more money is coming in on the Seahawks than any other team this week. Everyone knows the Rams will be completely overmatched in this game despite being somewhat competitive last week. Yes, the Seahawks looked absolutely brutal defensively on Sunday, but Los Angeles doesn’t pose any sort of offensive threat. This is a perfect bounce-back opportunity for Seattle’s defense, and their offense should have an absolute field day once again. Even in a road environment against a divisional opponent, the Seahawks should dominate this one.
49ers 20-17 Dolphins 
Sunday, 4:05 PM EST, FOX
What a gorgeous matchup this is. Two of the best teams in the NFL that play nearly identical football facing off in a massive matchup and potential Super Bowl preview in December. The student in Mike McDaniel vs. the teacher in Kyle Shanahan: who can execute the system better? It’s a difficult question to answer. I’m picking the 49ers for a few reasons. The first of which is their defense, which is miles better than any other in the NFL right now. Even against a phenomenal Dolphins offense, I think they’ll be able to keep things under control. The second reason is what I mentioned earlier: Kyle Shanahan is the teacher. He should know all the ins and outs of Mike McDaniel and his system, since Shanahan is the one who started it. The final reason is the most basic, Raza reason of all time, which is the 49ers being at home. But the first two are my main rationale behind picking the Niners here. I just think it’s a great matchup for them, and Miami needs to prove to me that they’re up for this incredibly difficult test.
Bengals 30-27 Chiefs 
Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, CBS
Here it is. Perhaps the game of the year in a rematch of last year’s regular season thriller and playoff classic. Two of the best QBs in the NFL facing off in Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow. Two of the best weapons in football on display in Travis Kelce and Ja’Marr Chase. Two fantastic offenses and two improving, stout defenses facing off against one another. This game is certainly going to live up to the hype, and it might exceed it somehow. I’d typically be wrestling with myself in making this pick, but I actually feel very confident in the Bengals to win this game, and I even think they should be favored here. For starters, they’re at home. They got DJ Reader back, which immediately made the defensive front infinitely better, and the Chiefs don’t pose much of a rushing threat (although Isiah Pacheco is certainly giving them a lift). They’re getting Ja’Marr Chase back, and Joe Mixon is likely returning as well, providing their offense with the biggest possible lift. Joe Burrow has never lost to Patrick Mahomes, and I see no reason for that first loss to come here. If Cincinnati’s offensive line can keep Burrow afloat, he should have a field day against a secondary that simply hasn’t seen an offense this stacked yet this season. Look for Chase to have a massive game against Chiefs rookie DB Trent McDuffie. This is a perfect matchup for Cincy, and while Mahomes and company are obviously going to do their thing, I just think the Bengals have what it takes to win this game and stake their claim for the AFC. Bengals stocks are skyrocketing, and this is their best opportunity to keep them rising. I virtually never pick against the Chiefs, but this just makes sense to me. Which of course means it’s going to explode in my face.
Raiders 27-24 Chargers 
Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, CBS
If I know anything about both of these teams (which I rarely ever do), then I know this game is going to be hilarious and must-see TV from start to finish on Sunday evening. They don’t make many games with much more potential to be a complete clown fiesta than this one. These teams in this time slot in a divisional showdown is just bound to create fireworks. Neither of these teams moves the needle at all. Neither one does anything particularly well other than force feed their star RBs. Neither of these defenses are good, so those RBs should pop off like they always do. That alone makes this worth the price of admission. I don’t even know how to assess this matchup or make a pick here, so I’m just going to take the Raiders for being at home and looking flashier last week. They might come back to Earth and completely crash after last week, or they could carry that momentum into this big game and pop off yet again. Regardless of what I predict, the opposite will happen.
Cowboys 27-16 Colts 
Sunday, 8:20 PM EST, NBC
This is one of the more simple picks of the week. Dallas has extra rest after playing on Thanksgiving. They have the vastly superior offense and a much better defense. They are playing some of the best football in the league. The Colts are solid and competitive, but they will simply be overmatched here from start to finish. They might hang around for a while, but I don’t think they have a semblance of a chance in this game.
Buccaneers 16-13 Saints 
Monday, 8:15 PM EST, ESPN
This is gross. Buccaneers-Saints games always are, but this one might be the worst of them all. For both of these teams, the ceiling is mid and the floor is unwatchable garbage. I expect this matchup to bring out the worst in both sides. It’s going to be ugly, defensive, low-scoring, and littered with turnovers. And the slightly better team will prevail. It’s pretty simple in theory, but it’s going to be awful in reality.
All stats taken from ESPN.
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