Category: Sports

So… it’s the Washington Commanders

The long-awaited Washington Football rebrand is finally upon us after over a year and a half of waiting. Here are my thoughts.

Cover photo taken from NBC4 Washington.

July 13, 2020 was a day that every single fan of this team will never forget. After 87 years filled with history and plenty of ups and downs, the NFL team that resides in the nation’s capital would no longer be called the Redskins. Many saw it as the right move, considering the years of backlash from those who believed the name was derogatory and racist. Some hated it and were very against the very idea of being called anything but that name. But, on that fateful summer day in the middle of a global pandemic, this team was the Washington Football Team, effective immediately, with a proper name to come at a later date.

Say what you want about that “name change”, but I truly believe that over the last two seasons as the WFT, the once wacky placeholder grew on all of us. It got to the point that, by the time that an actual new name was upon us, half of the fanbase wanted to keep the Football Team moniker. Realistically, that was never an option. Just before the end of the regular season, the team announced that its new chapter with a new name, logo, and uniforms would begin on February 2nd. After weeks of mock-ups, speculation, and leaks, the reveal was finally upon us. We are now the Washington Commanders.

I have a lot of thoughts on the new name, logo, unis, and more, but I want to preface all of them by saying one thing. The internet absolutely hates change. Every time a team unveils a new uniform or logo or anything, it is met with nothing but resistance. But, sometimes we lighten up to those things. I’m old enough to remember when everyone hated the new Rams and Bengals uniforms. Now, we can’t wait to see them in next week’s Super Bowl. So, what I am doing is something I advise all of my fellow Washington fans to do. Please just marinate in this for a little bit. This decision has been made and there’s nothing we can do, so the least we can do is lighten up. With that being said, here are some of my initial thoughts on the rebrand.

The Name

Guys, I get it. I promise. This isn’t the ideal name for the team. Fans and players alike will tell you that. But, I don’t think this was the worst option in the world. When the team revealed their shortlist of name candidates, I physically cringed at the idea that I’d be cheering for a team called the “Armada” or “Brigade”. I personally really wanted the Red Hogs, seeing as though it gives a nod to the past of both the team and the fans. Take the Cleveland Guardians rebrand, for example. The name Guardians is very similar to Indians, with just one syllable being changed. Similarly, Red Hogs is just one syllable different than Redskins, and it has a hell of a lot more of a personality than Commanders or most NFL team names for that matter. There’s a lot of potential there for logos and shortened nicknames, and I think it was a missed opportunity. Still, while it wasn’t my top choice, I think one day I’ll fully get behind it. Just remember that it could have been a lot worse.

Washington announces new team name: Washington Commanders
The new Washington logo is a slight upgrade from the WFT logo used for the last two seasons. (h/t NFL.com)

This isn’t bad. While I miss having an actual logo instead of a boring old letter, you have to admit that this W is a lot better than the one we’ve seen since 2020. It’s tighter and has more personality, especially considering the new name. “Commanders” is a nod to the military, as team owner Dan Snyder said himself, and this W just looks a lot more militaristic. I personally don’t care about that, but I do think this is a solid logo. There isn’t a lot of room to make a good logo with a name like the Commanders (which wouldn’t have been a problem with Red Hogs, but I digress), so I can get behind this.

The Uniforms

3 ways the Washington Commanders rebrand was a success
The Commanders unveiled their three uniforms, each of which are very different than the team’s previous looks. (h/t Geoff Burke, USA Today Sports)

Anyone who knows me knows how crazy I am about uniforms. I’ll never be able to explain it, but I care way, way too much. So, this was easily the part of the rebrand that I was most terrified of. The very idea that this team was overhauling their uniform for the first time in history was daunting, and I had a feeling they would screw it up. But, I don’t think they did… entirely.

Let’s start with the home unis. Of the three that were unveiled on Wednesday, these are easily my favorites. I honestly love everything about this uni other than the lines above and below the “Commanders” stitching above the numbers on the front. But, I do recognize that gives these jerseys a bit more personality. I also absolutely love the new helmets. The logo looks perfect on them, and between the finish, the return of a stripe, and the burgundy face masks, the helmet is easily my favorite part of the uniform. I will say that, as an avid hater of our all-burgundy combinations in the past, I’m not a fan of us moving to all-burgundy as a permanent home option. However, I’m confident that we’ll see some mixing and matching with the away whites as well. Let’s see those now.

This is where things get a little interesting. I’m not surprised that the team is choosing all-white as a permanent choice for the road, seeing as though we wore all-white more times in 2021 than any season I can remember. We all love the look, seeing as though it is both classic and ice cold. The new away unis are very interesting, especially in the numbering department. The numbers feature a strange new gradient design, similar to what the Rams unveiled in 2020. The shoulder stripes also feature gradients, but with diamonds instead. This was said to be reflective of DC’s diamond shapes and road designs, so that’s cute. I prefer the home set over these, but I think these unis will look a lot better on the field and in game. Poor Chase couldn’t even put on the bottoms as he continues recovering from his ACL injury. In any case, the true controversy lies with the third and final uniform set.

Image
The Commanders’ alternates are a never-before-seen addition to Washington’s uniform catalog. (h/t @Commanders on Twitter)

So, this is new. For the first time in team history, we are going to be in black. That’s cool and all as a concept, but these uniforms are going to take a while to get used to. I will say that I think the gold numbers look fantastic on these jerseys, and their simplicity on the surface is the best part of this whole set. The Commanders patch over the left shoulder pad is an interesting choice, and also clearly influenced by the Rams rebrand of two years past. I might be in the minority here, but I also am a fan of the shoulder patches. The DC flag being on this uniform is a fantastic choice. During this team’s attempts to gain a more positive image in the public eye, they have put an emphasis on getting the people of this city back in love with their football team. The nods to the District in these jerseys is a fantastic way of keeping that up. There are two parts of this uniform that I am not a fan of, however. The first of which isn’t visible in the above photo of Jonathan Allen, and that’s the lines above and below the names on the back of the jersey. That’s just tacky, and it ruins the simplicity that I referenced on the front of the jersey. The other is the helmet, which is the first alternate helmet revealed in the NFL. Having the numbers on the sides is a cute nod to the WFT, but having the logo smack in the middle and on the front of the helmet is one of the more questionable choices of this entire rebrand. I just can’t get behind it right now, but hopefully it looks better on the field than in pictures.

All in all, I really don’t mind this rebrand. It’s a massive change, and that is naturally going to cause some discomfort among fans and rivals alike. But I truly think that this is going to be the start of a great era for this football team. My optimism with this team has always come back to bite me, and I do recognize that we won’t be good any time soon, but at least now we have something to look forward to. In any case, with any name and any uniform on earth, I will always Hail.

Divisional Round Picks

Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes, two of the brightest young star QBs in football, are ready to write another chapter in their budding rivalry on Sunday night. (h/t Syracuse.com)

The NFL is down to its proverbial Elite 8, as we have eight teams and 7 games remaining in the season to decide a champion. Wild Card Weekend was rather underwhelming, but this weekend promises to be a truly great one. The playoff pretenders are all home, and only true contenders remain. Seems like a good formula for some great football. I went 5-1 in the Wild Card round last week, which is a surefire improvement from last year. Let’s get into this weekend’s picks:

Bengals 24-20 Titans

Saturday, 4:30 PM EST, CBS

The first matchup of the Divisional Round is probably the most puzzling one. Relatively speaking, the Titans are one of the more forgettable 1 seeds in recent memory, as they sort of backed their way into the first round bye without Derrick Henry. Now, Henry is back, and that is the ultimate factor in this game. He hasn’t played since Week 8, but when he was playing, he was an MVP candidate. I really don’t know how effective he’ll be seeing as though he has missed so much time and will be playing with a lot of… stuff in his injured foot. If he plays like his usual self, then the Titans should be able to win this game easily. For some reason, I just don’t see that happening. In any case, my fascination with this game lies with the Bengals. Ironically enough, this Cincinnati team reminds me a lot of the Tennessee team from 2019. An up and coming squad that was doubted in the playoffs and ended up in the AFC Championship Game. That Titans team ended up beating the 1 seed in the process. Why not have a proverbial passing of the torch here? The Bengals are an extremely inspired group, coming off the franchise’s first playoff win since 1991. Joe Burrow is on absolute fire right now, and this team just feels like a winning one. This moment might be too big for them, but no moment seems large enough for Joe Burrow. Picking the Bengals makes no practical sense given their injuries and inexperience, but sometimes you got to trust your gut.

Packers 27-16 49ers

Saturday, 8:15 PM EST, FOX

This game features the scariest sight in football: a healthy Packers team. Green Bay is finally getting several key pieces back that they’ve been missing for months. Whether it be David Bakhtiari, Za’Darius Smith, Jaire Alexander, or a plethora of other impact players, the Packers are going to be as close to 100% as they’ve been all season long on Saturday night. This team has been the best in football without all of those pieces, so with everyone back, it is the definition of scary hours. This is the biggest mismatch in terms of seeding in this round, as the 49ers were the only wild card team to win last week, but San Francisco is still a solid team that will surely put up a fight in this game. For one, Aaron Rodgers has never beaten the 49ers in the playoffs, with losses in 2012, 2013, and 2019. But, this is obviously a very different set of circumstances. The Niners were easily the better team in all of those years, but things are different now. Not only are they lucky to be here, but San Francisco is dealing with a lot of injuries defensively, and Jimmy Garoppolo likely won’t be 100% for this game. It’s just a bad time for them to be catching the Packers at their healthiest. I expect a huge day out of a rejuvenated Packers defense that was already one of football’s best. And as long as Aaron Rodgers and the offense do their thing, Green Bay should be just fine in securing their third consecutive trip to the NFC Championship Game.

Rams 29-21 Buccaneers

Sunday, 3:00 PM EST, NBC

In the preseason, this was my pick to be the NFC Championship Game. Evidently, I was a week off. Still, this is a playoff matchup that I have been anticipating for months, and I can’t wait to see it finally play out. These two teams met way back in Week 3, with the Rams winning convincingly in LA. But, a lot has changed since then with both of these teams. Whether it be player additions or subtractions, these are very different squads now. In my preseason prediction, I picked the Buccaneers to win this game. But, I can’t bring myself to do that now. There are several reasons why. For one, Tampa is dealing with more injuries than anyone else in the NFC right now, as their offensive line is extremely banged up and their secondary is still as thin as it was in the regular season. Tom Brady took a beating in the second half of last week’s game thanks to a thin OL, so facing the Rams front seven this week doesn’t inspire much confidence. Moreover, as I stated last week, the Bucs weren’t very impressive down the stretch in the regular season, and last week’s blowout of a very bad Eagles team doesn’t change my perspective on them. Meanwhile, the Rams are looking as good as ever coming off of last week’s clinic of a victory. This will no doubt be a tough road test for them, but I truly believe that they are up to the task. Both sides of the ball are firing on all cylinders, and as I’ve said so many times, it’s hard to envision anyone in football beating them when they are at their best. I know that picking against Tom Brady in the playoffs is as big of a cardinal sin as there is in this world, but all signs are pointing towards a Rams win here. The Bucs are simply too beat up right now, and the Rams are just too hot to pick against.

Chiefs 26-23 Bills

Sunday, 6:30 PM EST, CBS

Between last season and this one, Kansas City and Buffalo appear to be building the NFL’s next great rivalry. These two teams met in last year’s AFC Championship Game with the Chiefs advancing to the Super Bowl, but the Bills got some payback with a dominant win in Kansas City earlier this season. A lot has changed with both of these teams in the time since that Week 5 matchup, and it has all led to another playoff rematch. The Chiefs have sured up their defense since Josh Allen tore them apart, and after stagnating a little in the middle of the season, Patrick Mahomes and the offense are back to looking like their usual selves. Meanwhile, the Bills are also back to their old selves after finishing the regular season red hot and carrying that momentum over into one of the most dominant playoff performances I’ve ever seen last week against New England. Simply put, this game is two unstoppable forces colliding. This is what the playoffs are all about. This is as difficult of a pick as I’ve ever had to make. It’s simply too hard to pick against the Chiefs here. For one, Patrick Mahomes has been virtually unbeatable at home in the playoffs. This team ripped off an insane run last week, albeit against a subpar Steelers team. The Bills looked even more unstoppable last week, and Josh Allen is playing as lights out as anyone I’ve seen in recent memory. Buffalo’s defense is also playing great, but this will be their tallest task of the season. It’s just hard to pick the Bills when I’ve seen Kansas City prove themselves in this moment so many times, whereas Buffalo never has. This is their perfect opportunity to do so, but until I see it, I can’t pick them, but it wouldn’t shock me at all if they are able to pull off this upset. In any case, this game should be fantastic.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Wild Card Weekend Picks

One of the NFL’s longest playoff win droughts will be broken when the Raiders and Bengals square off in an intriguing matchup to kick off Wild Card weekend. (h/t Las Vegas Raiders)

Note: I’m back! Sorry for the lack of content over the last few weeks. I was traveling and on break for a while, so I wasn’t able to get as many articles out as I would have liked. But, I’m now back and ready to deliver for the playoffs. Enjoy!

Welcome to the playoffs. After the longest season in NFL history, we have 14 teams and 13 games to decide this year’s Super Bowl Champion. It’s a very different field than we’ve seen in years past, which makes this so much more exciting. To get here was a roller coaster, and we’re not even close to getting off. This week features plenty of interesting matchups, with several rematches of games from earlier this season. It should be a blast. With that, let’s get into my picks for this weekend’s Wild Card games:

Bengals 28-24 Raiders

Saturday, 4:30 PM EST, NBC

Wild Card Weekend kicks off with one of the more interesting playoff matchups I’ve seen in some time. The Bengals and Raiders have two of the longest playoff droughts in the sport when it comes to winning. The Bengals haven’t won a postseason game since 1991, while the Raiders haven’t since 2005. One of these droughts will be snapped in Cincinnati on Saturday evening. When these two teams met in the regular season, the Bengals had their way all day long to the tune of a blowout victory. But, this is the playoffs, and it’s hard to blow a team out twice in a single season. The Raiders fought their tails off to get to the postseason, and they will not go down without a fight. That being said, I still like Cincy to come out on top in this game. Not only do I think they’re the better team, but they rested many of their starters in Week 18 to be fresh for this game. Meanwhile, Vegas played a full OT game on Sunday night against the Chargers. Combine that with the expectedly raucous home crowd of Cincinnati fans waiting to see their first playoff win of the century, and you’ve got a tough matchup for the Raiders. I don’t know if their secondary is up to the task against such a potent passing attack, and they got gashed on the ground in their Week 11 matchup. I expect to see a big day out of the exciting young Bengals offense en route to a long-awaited playoff victory.

Patriots 16-13 Bills

Saturday, 8:15 PM EST, CBS

I have a lot of mixed feelings about this game. These two teams have proven themselves as incredibly inconsistent as the regular season came to a close, and their two regular season matchups didn’t provide a ton of evidence to work with when it comes to a third matchup. But, seeing as though the conditions in this game are similar, if not worse than the first between New England and Buffalo, it’s hard to foresee this game going any differently than that one. We all remember the Patriots winning despite only attempting 3 passes in the frigid upstate New York cold. Who’s to say they don’t do the exact same thing on Saturday night? It worked the first time, so I don’t see why it wouldn’t work a second time. Moreover, Josh Allen has folded time and time again with his arm in such conditions. Considering it’s going to be in the single digits throughout the course of the game, I simply cannot trust him to step up and make the plays necessary to defeat a team like the Patriots, which already has his number. I think Buffalo’s win condition is their defense, which was the deciding factor in a similar playoff game last year against the Ravens. If they can step up and make enough plays against the Patriots offense, it will surely be enough to put them over the top in what is sure to be a low scoring affair. But, if New England and their offense control this game, then it’ll be too difficult for the Bills to overcome. Considering their matchup earlier this season and the postseason prowess of Bill Belichick and the Patriots, it’s just too hard to pick against them.

Buccaneers 27-17 Eagles

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

For a second consecutive year, Tom Brady and the Bucs begin their Super Bowl quest against an NFC East team that really shouldn’t be in the playoffs. The Eagles had a very nice second half of their season, but down the stretch, they looked very unconvincing against a bunch of bad teams with bad QBs, especially within the NFC East. Maybe a month ago I would have liked Philly’s chances in this game, but they just don’t move me the way they once did. The Buccaneers also don’t move me like they once did, as their final few weeks was as unconvincing as it gets for any team that considers themselves to be a “contender”. Things are just so messy in Tampa, with the whole Antonio Brown drama clouding poor play and a roster that is still as injured as any in the playoff field. They still have enough sheer talent, and the greatest QB of all time on their side, to be able to beat what is likely the weakest team in the NFC playoffs, but it wouldn’t shock me if this game is close for a while. It’s just a matter of whoever gets their head out of their you-know-where first, and in the playoffs, how can I not pick Tom Brady? I picked against him 3 straight times last year in the postseason and he burned me every single time. I won’t make that mistake this week, but I can’t make any promises for the next.

49ers 26-23 Cowboys

Sunday, 4:30 PM EST, CBS

In my opinion, this is the game of the weekend. How can it not be? The brands, the logos, the history, the old rivalry, the new star power, and storylines galore. It should be a fun few hours on Sunday evening in Arlington. The Cowboys are another team that didn’t move me whatsoever down the stretch of their season. They used some blowouts of remarkably inferior competition to mask a team that still has plenty of problems and isn’t nearly as formidable as they seemed in the first half of the regular season. Their run game has disappeared, Dak Prescott has struggled against real teams, and while their front seven is plenty good, their secondary is anything but. This makes the matchup with San Francisco very, very difficult. The 49ers willed their way into the dance with an incredible comeback OT win last week against the Rams, and I’m glad they did. This is a team that played like a playoff team down the stretch and undoubtedly deserved to be here. Now, they get a fairly favorable matchup, especially offensively. San Francisco prides itself on being able to run the ball with any of their weapons offensively, whether it be Elijah Mitchell or Deebo Samuel or any of their other gadget guys. Once that gets going, Jimmy Garoppolo can play efficient ball and lead plenty of scoring drives to put points on the board. The recent emergence of WR Jauan Jennings and season-long production of Deebo Samuel makes this offense a lot more deadly than it might seem. Moreover, the defense has stepped up in a huge way to get this team into the playoffs, and against a Dallas team that simply doesn’t have the offensive firepower as earlier in the season, I think they’ll do enough to let their offense go out and win the game. I expect this one to be close throughout, and it wouldn’t shock me if it ends up going into overtime. But, I have a ton of faith in the Niners to get the job done and keep their season alive.

Chiefs 30-14 Steelers

Sunday, 8:15 PM EST, NBC

Ben Roethlisberger said it best himself. The Steelers don’t stand a chance in this game. You can make the argument that Pittsburgh doesn’t even deserve to be here, and you’d have a pretty solid one. It took until the final play of the regular season for this team to get into the playoffs, and if it wasn’t for the incompetence of the Chargers, they might not even have been here. But, they are, and now they get to play arguably the best team playing this weekend. The Chiefs had a blazing hot second half of their season, and while it ended somewhat unceremoniously with a loss to Cincinnati and a close win over Denver, they still were very close to getting a 1 seed. Thanks to a complete 180 from their defense and very good, efficient play from their offense, Kansas City is primed for another potential Super Bowl run. This team may not be as flashy or incredible to watch as the last two AFC Championship-winning teams, but they are still pretty damn good. If anything, they are much better than this Steelers team. And if you need any evidence for that, I suggest looking at their matchup just 3 weeks ago. The Chiefs routed Pittsburgh by nearly 30 points in a game that was over before it even started. In a nearly identical circumstance, it’s hard to see this game going any differently. I think the Steelers will put up a fight, but this is simply too big of a mountain for them to climb.

Rams 23-20 Cardinals

Monday, 8:15 PM EST, ESPN

The Rams and Cardinals will be making history on Monday night in the first ever playoff game on a Monday in NFL history. I still don’t know how I feel about that, but alas, it’s how things are now. This third matchup between these two division rivals promises to be a good one. The first two games this season were very accurate reflections of where these teams were at the time. The first game early in the season was all Arizona, as they were off to an incredibly hot start in September and October. The second game belonged to the Rams thanks to a complete performance with all of their new acquisitions making an impact. It was the first time the Rams truly looked like the team they had the potential to be, and it kickstarted a blazing hot finish to their season that saw them taking Arizona over in the standings and winning the NFC West. So, what does this matchup have in store for us? If I had to guess, it’d be closer to the second game than the first. The Rams have simply been a much better team over the last couple of months, with their pieces finally gelling and the team finally living up to their potential, as I stated before. Meanwhile, the Cardinals had a fledgling finish to 2021, losing the division race and losing more games than they won. They simply aren’t the same explosive, fun team that they were in the first half of the season. Moreover, their quality of play has dropped substantially, especially defensively. Based on what they’ve shown me in recent weeks, I don’t have enough confidence to pick them to pull off this upset. Los Angeles has simply been the much better team, and if they play up to their potential, there are very few teams in this league that can slow them down. Now is the time to push for a title, and it has to start here.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Week 15 Picks

Jonathan Taylor and the Colts host Mac Jones and the Patriots in one of the biggest games of the season on Saturday night. (h/t NFL.com)

We have reached the home stretch. Byes are over, and we have 4 weeks left to determine the playoffs. It’s gonna be a blast, starting with this week, which has some incredible games on tap. I had a very good Week 14, going 11-3 to bring my 2021 total to 129-77-1. Let’s have another great one, and let’s get into this week’s picks:

Chiefs 27-24 Chargers

Thursday, 8:20 PM, FOX

Week 15 kicks off with an absolute banger on TNF. The first matchup between these two teams earlier this season was a thrilling matchup that came down to the wire, and I expect similar fireworks tonight. Not to mention that these teams have been on a tear, and the winner sits atop the division. In my opinion, this game comes down to a key matchup of strength: LA’s offense against Kansas City’s defense. If the Chiefs continue their stellar play on that side of the ball, they should win this game with ease. Justin Herbert is very good, but when he goes up against difficult defenses, he tends to struggle. I think the Chargers defense isn’t bad, but it remains to be seen how they’ll perform against someone like Patrick Mahomes. I think KC’s defense will do just enough to put Mahomes and the offense in a position to win, and that will be the key difference in the game.

Raiders 20-17 Browns

Saturday, 4:30 PM EST, NFL Network

This game is a mess on all fronts. COVID has run rampant on the Browns, leaving them without their first and second string QBs, as Nick Mullens is now in line to start this game. On the other hand, the Raiders are just a mess 24/7. So, expect a mess of a football game in Cleveland. I just don’t know how I’m supposed to pick the Browns with all of their COVID problems, but I also don’t know how I’m supposed to pick the Raiders in any given circumstance. I’m putting my faith in Vegas to win this game against a team as depleted as any, but I will not be remotely shocked if they manage to mess up this easiest of wins.

Patriots 21-17 Colts

Saturday, 8:15 PM EST, NFL Network

This is it. Arguably the biggest game of the season in the AFC, if not the entire NFL. It’s not just because of how important this game is in the grand scheme of things, but these two teams are both fantastic, and it should make for a great game on Saturday night. Both teams are coming off byes, so the playing field is as leveled as it can be. There isn’t a single matchup that stands out here because both teams are so good on both sides of the ball. So, what gives? Well, the Patriots still have what I consider as a top 2 defense in the league, and I think that makes the difference. Indy’s defense is also fantastic, but if Jonathan Taylor and that offense are stifled, they won’t have a chance. I trust Bill Belichick and that Pats defense to get the job done, and I also trust Mac Jones and the offense to put up enough points to win the game.

Bills 30-10 Panthers

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

This is the type of bounce-back game that the Bills need desperately. They not only need a win to get back into the playoff picture, but also just to feel good about themselves. They should get that on Sunday. The Panthers are just dreadful, and Sam Darnold coming back doesn’t change that. In fact, it might make things worse. If Josh Allen and the Bills lose this one, they’ll only have themselves to blame.

Cardinals 34-14 Lions

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

Well, this is the team with the best record in the NFL going up against the team with the worst record in the NFL. Does any more need to be said? The loss of DeAndre Hopkins certainly hurts the Cardinals, but they’re talented enough to come back and still thrive offensively. This is a perfect opportunity for them to bounce back after Monday night, and they should do so with swiftness.

Dolphins 20-13 Jets

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

Look here, another easy win for the Dolphins to keep their win streak alive. Coming off a bye and getting the Jets is quite the treat. I don’t even know why I think this game will be within a possession, but oh well. All I know is that Miami will win and inexplicably get to .500. What a league.

Cowboys 24-14 Giants

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

You know it’s a great week when the entire NFC East plays each other. This game isn’t exactly an intrigue, but I think we’ll learn a lot more about the Cowboys. If their defense thrives against Mike Glennon, then so be it. That’s to be expected. But their offense has been lethargic as of late, and the Giants defense isn’t terrible. They should win, but, if Dallas struggles in this game, then it’s even more cause for concern. And if they lose, just imagine the headlines.

Eagles 26-13 Washington

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

In a week where COVID has run through the NFL, no team has been hit harder than Washington. As of right now, 21 players will miss this game on the COVID list, and that number will likely rise by kickoff. Many of those are key contributors like Jonathan Allen, Kendall Fuller, Kam Curl, and more. So, you can just chalk this one up as a loss. I didn’t think Washington would win this game anyways, but it’s all but set in stone now. Coming off a bye, Jalen Hurts and this Eagles offense will have a field day against a ravaged WFT defense. And I will be miserable watching it.

Steelers 22-21 Titans

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

What a strange matchup. It’s well-documented by now that I don’t feel very strongly about either of these teams. Neither have been very impressive as of late, and now they match up with one another. So, what gives? I honestly don’t know. I just don’t have the confidence to pick the Titans without Derrick Henry, even though we just saw the Steelers defense get carved up last Thursday. I’m still picking Pittsburgh because I thought they showed good fight in their comeback attempt last week, whereas the Titans didn’t look like world-beaters against the Jaguars. It’s just a weird game all around.

Texans 23-17 Jaguars

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

Yet another entry in the series of games that nobody wants or deserves to watch. The Urban Meyer era is finally over in Jacksonville, and I usually like teams the week that they fire their coach. But, I don’t trust the Jaguars. Not anymore. Every time I pick them, they let me down, so I’m not doing it again. It’s as simple as that.

Broncos 24-23 Bengals

Sunday, 4:05 PM EST, CBS

This is one of the most interesting matchups of the week, and I don’t think enough people are talking about it. This is a pivotal matchup in the AFC wild card race, as the loser could drop out entirely. The Broncos looked great last week whereas the Bengals came up just short in a potential comeback victory. Both of these teams have shown us so much at times and so little at others. I’m not sure what to expect in this game, but I have to pick the Broncos. I just like the brand of football they’ve been playing in the last few weeks, whereas the Bengals don’t look like themselves right now. Denver’s running game led by Javonte Williams has been deadly, and their defense is playing lights out. I think they’ll do enough to stifle Joe Burrow and Cincy’s offense and win this game.

49ers 28-23 Falcons

Sunday, 4:05 PM EST, CBS

I’m not entirely sure what to make of this game. I think the Falcons can give the Niners a bit of a run on Sunday, but at the same time, it feels impossible to pick a close game. I just don’t have enough faith in Atlanta. But, I’ll pick it anyways because I can. I don’t think the Falcons will win this game, but they have the offensive talent to keep up with San Francisco’s slow burn of an offense. I like the 49ers defense a lot, but their secondary is ravaged and I saw them get carved up by the Seahawks, so anything is possible. San Francisco is the far better team and will win this game, but I just have this lingering feeling that it’s bound to be close.

Rams 30-20 Seahawks

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, FOX

The Seahawks are playing like a real football team as of late, so I don’t think this game will be a complete snoozer. But, it shouldn’t be close. The Rams have found their stride and aren’t showing any signs of slowing down, however, COVID has gone to work on their roster, and they’ll be short-handed in this game. But, so will Seattle. So, it’s still fairly even, and that still gives LA the advantage. I expect another huge day out of Matt Stafford and the Rams offense as they inch closer to potentially snatching away the division title.

Packers 27-16 Ravens

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, FOX

The main factor in play for this game is the status of Lamar Jackson. At the moment, it remains to be seen whether or not he will play. But, even if he does, I just don’t see how the Ravens win this game. The Packers are the best team in the NFL, and they match up very well with this Baltimore team. The defense should have another field day no matter which QB they face, and their offense will take apart a bad Ravens defense. This game has all the star power you can ask for, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to be a good game. Sounds like something else I saw this weekend.

Buccaneers 26-20 Saints

Sunday, 8:20 PM EST, NBC

The 8th wonder of the world is why Tom Brady struggles so much against the Saints. I don’t see the Bucs losing to New Orleans once again, but I know for a fact that this will be close. The Saints just have their number, and I can’t explain it. But, Tampa has been playing very good football in the last month or so, and they have vastly improved since the last time these teams played. It might not be the flashiest game in the world, but the Bucs don’t have to win with flash. They should be able to slug this one out in a close game that should be more fun than a lot of people expect.

Vikings 24-21 Bears

Monday, 8:15 PM EST, ESPN

Every year, we can’t escape the Vikings-Bears primetime game in Chicago. Please stop doing this to us, NFL. While I’m not very excited for this game, I think there’s some potential for a fun one on MNF. The Bears showed some promise for abut 30 minutes last Sunday night, and the Vikings put on a fireworks show for nearly 3 quarters last Thursday. I’m not sure what we’ll see on Monday night, but I do think that the Vikings have no excuse to not win this game. They’re the better team with more talent and they’re playing better football right now. Not to mention they have infinitely more to play for as a win could put them into a playoff spot. This is typically a moment where a franchise like Minnesota folds, but I have to trust them to get this done.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Post-Week 14 Power Rankings

The Rams’ dominant Monday night win over the Cardinals has them rising in this week’s Power Rankings. (h/t Christian Petersen, Getty Images)

1 – Packers (10-3)

No surprises at the top. It was a wild week amongst the league’s elite, but the Packers still stand alone atop the NFL mountain. It was a wacky first half in Lambeau in which Green Bay’s defense and special teams gave the Bears a real chance, but a dominant second half put that to bed with swiftness. It was a fantastic game for the offense, namely Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams. What else is new? This team will still only get better as they get healthier, and thanks to the Cardinals’ loss, they are now the #1 seed in the NFC. It’s hard to see that changing.

2 – Patriots (9-4) 1

Speaking of 1 seeds, the Patriots won their bye week by getting a little more cushion atop the AFC. The Chiefs and Titans are still right on their heels, but the Ravens loss gives them some more room for error. This week’s matchup with the Colts will be massive for both teams as they jockey for playoff positioning, and it should be a fun one.

3 – Buccaneers (10-3) 1

You know what Sunday’s game reminded me of? Last year’s Chiefs-Buccaneers regular season game. One team starts out blazing hot, allows the other team to come back, but still pulls it out in the end. I’m not saying the trajectory of these teams will be similar, but it felt very familiar. In any case, I was impressed with the Bucs outside of their near slip-up. The offense looked fantastic to start the game, and the defense was putting in work before they inexplicably started playing prevent late, allowing the Bills to come back. But, when it mattered most, they got the stops they needed, and the offense did the rest. This team is just too solid, and they always get the job done. This 4 game win streak of theirs has been fantastic, and it’s hard to see them slowing down in the next 4 weeks.

4 – Chiefs (9-4) 1

What exactly is it about playing the Raiders that brings this Chiefs offense to life? In their two games this season, KC outscored Vegas 89-23. That’s pretty good. This week’s thrashing was impressive on all fronts, as every single facet of this team was clicking on all cylinders. The defense did its usual work, and the offense looked alive again. It remains to be seen how the offense performs against the league’s elite defenses, but I will always trust Patrick Mahomes in the biggest moments.

5 – Rams (9-4) 2

Well, the Rams are back. And it is quite a scary sight. After their first great performance against a real team in weeks, this team has finally picked up steam and they are not showing any signs of slowing down. Monday night’s game was proof of just how dangerous this team can be when they’re clicking. Matt Stafford looked incredible throwing the football, Sony Michel provided a spark out of the backfield, Cooper Kupp did his usual thing, and Odell Beckham Jr. is becoming a real part of this offense. On the other side of the ball, LA’s defense made life hell for Kyler Murray, forcing turnovers, getting sacks, making stops, and asserting their dominance against their division rival. It’s a very tough final stretch for them, but when the Rams play like this, there might not be a single team that can stop them.

6 – Cardinals (10-3) 4

So, the Cardinals have now lost 3 of their last 6 games after starting the year 7-0. This team is still plenty good, but that’s a concern. The offense didn’t have its worst game by any means on Monday night, but turnovers in huge spots ruined their chances. By all means, they should be just fine. But, their defense was a definite concern. They couldn’t stop the run, got cut up on short and medium routes, and got burnt on deep shots all game long. In a conference with QBs like Aaron Rodgers, Matt Stafford, and Tom Brady, that cannot be happening if this team is to make a Super Bowl push.

7 – Colts (7-6) 1

It was a rather uneventful bye week for the Colts, which they should be thankful for considering the chaos around the NFL right now. They need all hands on deck for this Saturday’s blockbuster showdown with the Patriots. Any and all losses from here on out can seriously derail Indy’s chances in a conference littered with 7-6 and 6-7 teams.

8 – 49ers (7-6) 5

The assessment on the 49ers is very simple. When they play their brand of football and execute it well, they are a very, very difficult team to beat. If they slip up even a little, then it’s hard for them to recover. This team has now won 4 of 5 by playing their best ball, and Sunday’s game in Cincinnati was a perfect example of that. Their defense was dominant, especially up front. They ran the ball effectively, and threw it efficiently and brilliantly to a plethora of offensive weapons. Brandon Aiyuk has finally found himself again, and George Kittle is playing like one of the best and most unstoppable players in the league. Not to mention the ultimate weapon that is Deebo Samuel. Jimmy Garoppolo is playing very good football, and for as long as that’s the case, this team will win football games. They will only go as far as he does.

9 – Chargers (8-5) 2

For the first time since the beginning of the season, the Chargers have put together consecutive good weeks of football. I’m genuinely shocked. I won’t look too much into a blowout of a bad team starting a backup QB, but this team was pretty awesome to watch on Sunday. Justin Herbert played a fantastic game even without Keenan Allen, and the defense put together perhaps their best game of the season. I’ve always said that this is a very dangerous team when they play their best ball, but they just haven’t done that much lately. If they can continue stringing together performances like Sunday’s, then I like their chances. Their biggest test yet comes tomorrow against the Chiefs in a battle for first place. Lord knows which Chargers team we’ll get then.

10 – Cowboys (9-4) 2

It’s very rare that a team in this league goes out and wins a game, but feels like they lost. But, that’s what the Cowboys did on Sunday. They started out blazing thanks to their fantastic defensive front, led by Micah Parsons. But, after gaining their 18-0 lead, it feels like Dallas just… stopped trying. The offense only put together 3 scoring drives for the rest of the game, all resulting in field goals, with just 3 points in the second half. The defense let Washington back in the game, and the offense was nonexistent. Dak Prescott played a rather poor game, missing receivers, throwing right to defenders, and putting together the worst QBR of his career (9.9) and just a 58.8 passer rating. On top of that, the run game is essentially dead without Tony Pollard as Ezekiel Elliott has been running like he’s wearing bricks for shoes. I didn’t think we’d see a time where this team would only go as far as their defense takes them, but that’s where we’re at. The Cowboys can no longer rely on Dak and their offense to carry them. They’re in a perfect position to win a terrible division, but I don’t see much promise with this team after that.

11 – Bills (7-6) 2

The Buffalo Bills in a single word: disappointment. That applies to the franchise’s entire history, and it definitely applies to the 2021 season. The Bills have now lost 3 in a row and are playing themselves out of the playoffs. Sunday’s comeback effort was a valiant one, but being down 24-3 in the first place isn’t exactly a good look. The offense got dominated in the first half, and the defense got gashed. This team still can’t run the ball, and they just can’t match up against truly elite teams in this league. They have the talent to make the playoffs, but even that seems unlikely at this point. It’s just disappointing.

12 – Ravens (8-5) 2

Back to back losses for the Ravens took this team from the 1 seed to nearly a wild card spot. Even after Lamar Jackson went down on Sunday, this team didn’t give up as Tyler Huntley played a solid game and nearly pulled off an improbable comeback. But, like the Bills, I’m not a fan of a team being down that much to begin with. This defense got torn apart by a Browns team that hadn’t gotten anything going on that side of the ball in weeks. Moreover, Cleveland’s defense completely shut down Lamar and the offense while he was in the game. I just don’t know how to feel about the Ravens right now, and it’ll only get worse as the Packers come to town on Sunday. They better hope for some more losses for division teams, or first place could be theirs to lose.

13 – Bengals (7-6) 1

I feel bad for the Bengals. Their comeback on Sunday was absolutely awesome to watch, as Joe Burrow and Jamarr Chase lit up the field in the fourth quarter to force OT. But, they just didn’t have enough in them to get the job done. This defense struggled yet again as the star power of the 49ers was simply too much to contain. I like Cincy’s chances against teams on their level or slightly worse, but I just don’t know if this team has it in them to knock off those above them. Their final four games are all very tough, so they better hope they prove me wrong, or they won’t be in the playoff hunt for much longer.

14 – Titans (9-4)

The Titans proved me wrong this week in the sense that they actually won on Sunday. But, I’m still just not impressed with this team without Derrick Henry, especially offensively. The defense is very good, and I won’t question that. But, as I’ve been saying for week, until Henry returns, this team doesn’t have my vote of confidence. It’s that simple.

15 – Broncos (7-6) 2

This is a good football team. That’s not news. Sunday’s inspiring win was one of the highlights of the season for me, as the Broncos won for the late Demaryius Thomas, who we lost too soon. Now, they are still right in the thick of the wild card race and can gain some real ground with a tough matchup this week against the Bengals. Denver’s winning formula is a very good one, centered around defense and running the football. Javonte Williams has been a revelation out of the backfield, and he adds another gear to this offense that was missing earlier in the season. I like the Broncos’ chances as we head into the final stretch of the season, but it will be tough. We’ll see if they can rise to the occasion.

16 – Eagles (6-7) 1

I hope the bye week treated the Eagles well. This week’s game against Washington is arguably the biggest of the season, as a win will vault them into playoff positioning in all likelihood. I think this team is plenty good enough to do that.

17 – Vikings (6-7) 1

Good lord this team is the most insane roller coaster on the planet. The Vikings looked genuinely incredible to start Thursday night’s game, getting out to a 29-0 lead thanks to great defense and Dalvin Cook running circles around the Steelers. What followed was simply the most Vikings thing I’ve ever seen. They were outscored 28-7 in the final 18 or so minutes, and if it wasn’t for a dropped touchdown on the game’s final play, they very well could have gone to OT and lost. After being up by twenty nine points. They won, and it was a good win, but would it hurt them to win normally for once? It was the tenth game decided by single digits for the Vikings this season, and just the fifth win in those games. They better hope they get some more in the next 4 weeks if they want to find themselves in the playoffs.

18 – Washington (6-7) 3

This is why I never got my hopes up. Sunday’s game wasn’t even a bad one. It just started out worse than I ever could have imagined. Anemic offense and nonexistent OL play put this team in an 18-0 hole in just 14 minutes. But, to their credit, the rest of the game was honestly not terrible. After going down 24-0, they were the far better team in the second half as the defense stepped up time and time again and the offense made a few plays here and there. But, if the offense was even slightly better, I truly think we would have won on Sunday. The blame there lies with Taylor Heinicke. The moment proved to be too big for him, and he folded. Now, he’s dealing with a knee injury ahead of another massive divisional game in Philly. Considering all the other problems with this team as COVID runs through the roster, I’m very ready to stick a fork in them. We’ll see if Sunday’s game gives me the green light.

19 – Browns (7-6) 2

The Browns put together their best game in several weeks on Sunday, and even then, they almost lost. Before nearly blowing it in tremendous fashion, Cleveland used their great defense and a solid offensive performance to stifle the Ravens for most of the game. I can’t explain the near-choke, but they won, and that’s what matters. Now, the Browns are right back in the playoff race when all hope seemed lost. I still think the key is the performance of Baker Mayfield, but if he does his job like he did on Sunday, then this team should be able to play their way into the postseason.

20 – Steelers (6-6-1)

Last week was… weird. The Steelers found themselves in an inexplicable 29-0 hole thanks to a nonexistent defense and an offensive performance that was straight out of October. But, they stormed back in the second half, and I really thought they had a great chance of pulling off the biggest comeback in regular season history. But, it was not to be. Still, the fight that Pittsburgh showed in their comeback inspires some confidence as they vie for a playoff spot. If they can just play sound on both sides of the ball, this team’s talent should be able to win them games. Unfortunately, their final four games are very difficult, and that formula might not be enough for them against such good opponents.

21 – Dolphins (6-7) 1

Miami’s bye has come and gone, and only question remains. Can this team keep up their winning ways and play their way into the playoffs? I don’t think it’s impossible. They get the Jets this week, so at they have at least one more win in them on this streak. After that? It’s anyone’s guess.

22 – Saints (6-7) 1

The return of Alvin Kamara did wonders for this team, as they could actually run the ball effectively. That in turn allowed Taysom Hill to do his thing, and it led to a generally dominant win. The defense also got back on track, which was fairly easy against Zach Wilson and the Jets. I don’t have much faith in this team to win many more games this season, but at least they know that they’re not nearly as bad as the last few weeks have suggested.

23 – Falcons (6-7) 1

The Falcons having 6 wins is just so funny to me. It’s just so hard to wrap your head around. Sunday was another nice win for Atlanta, but alas, it was against Cam Newton. So, while it looked good, are we sure it was that impressive? This is still a nice team that has a good future, but no matter how many wins they manage to pick up, I’m not buying any of their stock.

24 – Raiders (6-7) 5

No. Just… no.

25 – Seahawks (5-8) 1

Good on the Seahawks for getting their nonexistent wings back to flapping a little bit. Russell Wilson seems to have finally fully healed from his finger injury, and this offense is much better for it. Not to mention the emergence of Rashaad Penny out of the backfield. Blowing out the Texans isn’t impressive, but it’s clear that the Seahawks are figuring things out. Too bad it’s 3 months too late.

26 – Bears (4-9) 1

I genuinely have no idea where any of that came from on Sunday night. The Bears looked explosive for about 30 minutes, which is more than can be said about the last 13 weeks. That first half was genuinely awesome to watch, as Justin Field and his receivers were making play after play, especially Jakeem Grant, who added a 97 yard punt return TD. The defense was even getting to Aaron Rodgers consistently. But, the second half was more of the same old Bears. I still liked what I saw out of Justin Fields and David Montgomery, and it felt good to leave a Bears game with a non-sour taste.

27 – Panthers (5-8) 2

There are 0 positive happenings with the Carolina Panthers. The only thing with promise is the return of Sam Darnold this week. That’s how you know it’s bad.

28 – Giants (4-9)

The Giants continue reaching new lows, and it’s honestly nothing shocking. I thought they’d at least be competitive on Sunday, but they never showed up. There just aren’t any positives with this team right now, and it’s hard to find anything positive going into next year. It’s just a mess.

29 – Jets (3-10)

You know what, Jets. At least you have 2 first round picks this year. You can always sleep well at night knowing you fleeced the Seahawks. Other than that, there’s nothing about this team that allows you to sleep well. It’s a permanent nightmare.

30 – Lions (1-11-1) 1

You might be asking, why is this team getting bumped up after getting absolutely ran over? Well, you can thank the Jacksonville Jaguars for that.

31 – Texans (2-11) 1

See above.

32 – Jaguars (2-11) 2

I don’t know how this team keeps doing it. They just reach new lows that you never could have imagined. Urban Meyer is certainly on his way out of town after a turbulent few weeks involving chastising his coordinators, benching his star RB, and fighting his rookie QB about said benching. Oh, not to mention a 17-0 loss on Sunday to boot. It just can’t get any worse in Jacksonville… can it?

All stats taken from ESPN.

Week 14 Picks

The Rams head to Arizona for a pivotal primetime matchup with the Cardinals on Monday night. (h/t Sporting News)

The regular season is coming to a close as just one month remains in the schedule. Playoff races are heating up, and clinching scenarios are finally coming into the fray. Things are going to be wild from here on out, so buckle up for the ride. I went 9-5 last week, bringing my 2021 total to 118-74-1. Let’s get into this week’s picks:

Vikings 24-20 Steelers

Thursday, 8:20 PM EST, FOX

This is essentially a must-win for both teams. If either of these teams want to keep their wild card hopes alive, they need to come away with a win here. Neither team has been very consistent, and last week was quite wacky with the Vikings losing to the Lions and the Steelers eeking out a win over Baltimore. Pittsburgh’s offense has looked better in recent weeks, and their defense speaks for itself. But, the Vikings can show up and show out on any given day, especially offensively. This is a pretty even matchup, but I still don’t know what I’m going to get from these teams on any given day. I’m taking the Vikings because I still think their offense is perfectly capable, especially with Dalvin Cook returning to the lineup. But, it’s primetime Kirk Cousins, so this is bound to fail.

Ravens 20-16 Browns

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

After watching these teams play two weeks ago on SNF, I have no intention of watching this game. That was one of the ugliest games I’ve ever had the displeasure of watching, and I don’t see this one being much better. The Browns are coming off a bye and that should benefit them, especially seeing as though the Ravens just had a very physical game with the Steelers. But, I truly believe the Ravens are the much better team, and even in a tough, road environment, I trust them to win this game. When it comes to picking between Lamar Jackson and Baker Mayfield, the choice becomes fairly simple.

Jaguars 24-23 Titans

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

Why not? The Titans are coming off a bye, yes, but they were playing dreadfully heading into it. The offense won’t be magically fixed for as long as Derrick Henry is out, and while their defense is plenty good, I’ve seen them struggle against bad teams like Houston. Jacksonville has what it takes to hang around, and they can definitely get some breaks to go their way. I really don’t know why I’m feeling the Jags so much this week, but I’m sticking with my gut and sticking with this upset.

Chiefs 26-14 Raiders

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

Both of these division rivals are heading in different directions, but that’s not the only reason I don’t think this game will be close. For one, we just saw the Chiefs dismantle this Raiders team on SNF a few weeks ago. Moreover, the Chiefs defense is playing better by the week, while the Raiders can’t seem to figure themselves out offensively. They were on fire against Dallas, but fizzled out against Washington. The Chiefs offense hasn’t been itself, but as I keep saying, it doesn’t need to be. Their defense will do more than enough to win this game.

Saints 23-15 Jets

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

What an ugly, ugly game. I don’t want to watch a single snap. But, I still need to pick a winner, and God knows I’ll never pick the Jets. So, enjoy your free win, New Orleans. Don’t mess this up. Even with Taysom Hill at QB, losing to this Jets team would be an extreme low. Don’t make me look foolish.

Cowboys 26-23 Washington

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

An incredibly meaningful Washington-Dallas game in December. When was the last time this happened? It feels good to be here, but unfortunately, I have a bad feeling about this game. This team has played great football over the last month and then some, but I’ll always be a cynic in these situations. The Cowboys aren’t as formidable as they were earlier this season, but this is still a very good football team. Their offense is nothing to scoff at, despite the run game struggling in recent weeks. The biggest matchup is how Washington’s improving defense handles those Dallas playmakers. If they can keep things within range, then I truly believe Washington can take advantage of a poor Cowboys defense. I actually really like the matchup here. But I don’t have it in me to pick this team. This would be a great time for them to keep proving me wrong.

Falcons 24-17 Panthers

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

This game is a colossal snoozefest, but like I said above, I have to pick winners. So, why not the Falcons? They didn’t have their best showing last week, and the Panthers should be well-rested coming off a bye, but I simply do not trust Carolina without Christian McCaffrey. Even if their defense shows up, I know their offense won’t. At least I know I’ll get something out of Atlanta, and that’s enough for me to pick them.

Seahawks 22-13 Texans

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

Yeah, no. This is another game I want nothing to do with. At least the Seahawks looked like a real football team last week. That’s more than can be said about the Texans at any given point in time.

Broncos 21-17 Lions

Sunday, 4:05 PM EST, FOX

The Lions are riding the high of finally capturing their first win last week, and I think that’s enough for this game to be close. The Broncos typically play to the level of their competition, and playing the Lions close isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I’ve seen Detroit lose enough close games to know that. This should be a close one, but Denver’s talent on both sides of the ball should be enough to carry them to a victory. It wouldn’t shock me much if Detroit found a way to win another game, but picking them is just a bit too difficult.

Chargers 20-19 Giants

Sunday, 4:05 PM EST, FOX

Remember guys, I have the Chargers figured out. It genuinely took everything I had in me to pick them to win this game. The only reason I did is because it will likely be Mike Glennon starting at QB once again for the Giants, and I just can’t trust him to win a game. But, if there’s anything I do know, is that the Chargers will not be themselves on Sunday. Not only do they not have Keenan Allen or Mike Williams (barring improbable comebacks from the COVID list), but this is a week in their pattern that they’re bound to lay a dud. If Daniel Jones was healthy, I genuinely would’ve picked New York here. But, as it stands, I just can’t do that.

49ers 28-24 Bengals

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, CBS

This is honestly the Week 14 game I’m most excited for. I feel very strongly about these teams, and after they both lost last week, they both desperately need wins to stay afloat in the playoff race. It’s going to be a high-intensity football game between two very good teams that I can’t wait to watch. It’s almost a perfectly even matchup as well, with both teams having physical identities centered around running the football and good defense. I think the key to this game is the potential return of Deebo Samuel. As I always say, he is the ultimate weapon, and he makes this 49ers offense instantly better. As it stands, he’s on track to play, and that’s enough for me to pick San Francisco. If he doesn’t then I can easily see Cincy coming away with a win. It all comes down to their defense, which can’t afford to play nearly as poorly as they did last week.

Buccaneers 27-20 Bills

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, CBS

When the schedule was first revealed, this was one of the most anticipated games of the year. Now, I’m just not feeling it. The Bills just aren’t a very fun team to watch, especially when they play teams worth a damn. At least I enjoy watching Tom Brady and the Bucs, who should have themselves a day. Buffalo’s defense hasn’t played like its usual self lately, and considering the emergence of Tampa’s run game with Leonard Fournette, they should have their way on that side of the ball. The Bucs defense is still a question mark, but seeing as though they’re slowly getting healthier and the Bills are as one-dimensional as they come on offense, I don’t think they’ll have a hard time slowing down Josh Allen. I’ll take the defending champs with supreme confidence.

Packers 31-10 Bears

Sunday, 8:20 PM EST, NBC

Death. Taxes. The Packers blowing out the Bears on Sunday Night Football. It’s just a yearly tradition at this point. Might as well put it on Thanksgiving! This game will not be close. The Packers aren’t just the better team, but the Bears are genuinely awful. Even with Justin Fields back, their offense will be anemic in the Frozen Tundra, no matter who suits up or doesn’t for Green Bay defensively. And as Aaron Rodgers would tell you himself, he owns Chicago.

Cardinals 30-20 Rams

Monday, 8:15 PM EST, ESPN

This is a lot easier than you might imagine. The Rams are a team that have run wild on inferior opponents, but anytime they play a real team, they fold in on themselves. That will surely be the case on Monday night. The Cardinals having Kyler Murray back is enough for me to pick them against anybody, but I know how the Rams work by now. I fully expect Matt Stafford to throw a couple more bad picks and for LA’s defense to fall apart. I’d be genuinely shocked at anything else.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Post-Week 13 Power Rankings

The Patriots used a strong run game and resilient defense to knock off the Bills and leap to the AFC’s #1 seed. (h/t Associated Press)

1 – Packers (9-3)

The Packers had their very late bye this week, and they’re taking full advantage of it, as some key contributors are returning to the fray this week. Jaire Alexander, Za’Darius Smith, and David Bakhtiari could all come back this week. The team has been fine without them, and they don’t necessarily need all hands on deck to beat the Bears, but it will only make them more dangerous and continue solidifying their case as the best team in football.

2 – Cardinals (10-2)

Speaking of beating the Bears, the Cardinals looked mighty impressive in doing so this Sunday. The return of Kyler Murray and DeAndre Hopkins lifted the offense in more ways than one, and the defense played a solid game to help put things to bed early. Kyler’s use of his arm and his legs has been his forte all year long, and even in his first game back from a nagging ankle injury, he looked like his old self once again. I expect to see more of the same from him as the season winds down, and he’ll need to be on his A game this week as the Rams come into town.

3 – Patriots (9-4)

I think we can all agree that the Patriots offense wasn’t exactly the most fun to watch on Monday night. Amidst the wind and bone-chilling cold, Mac Jones played handoff simulator for 3 hours to the tune of just 3 passes thrown with 2 completed for a whopping 19 yards. But, all three Pats backs did their jobs, with Damien Harris being the star of the show. The defense also continued its stellar level of play, bending at times but never breaking when the Bills entered the redzone. It was the resilience of that unit that won the game for New England, which shouldn’t come as a surprise. This has been their identity, and I doubt we’ll see a situation where Mac only throws the ball 3 times again.

4 – Buccaneers (9-3)

The Bucs are back in rhythm and really strutting their stuff. There’s not a lot I can say about them that I haven’t said for the last few weeks, but there is one thing I want to mention. The emergence of Leonard Fournette in both the run game and the passing game has added another level to this offense that I never expected to see. It’s allowing them to open up the playbook and spread the field more than they had in the past, and I think it makes them that much more dangerous offensively. Tom Brady continues to stuff the statsheet on his way to another MVP, and the defense is clearly improving by the week as they continue getting healthier. This week’s contest against the Bills will be a tough one, but at their current pace, I like Tampa’s chances.

5 – Chiefs (8-4)

The Chiefs at home are one of the NFL’s weirdest anomalies. Something about playing in Arrowhead sucks all of Patrick Mahomes’ and his offense’s powers away. I can’t explain it, but at this point, it doesn’t matter. KC’s defense is playing like a truly elite unit, which is something I never saw coming 2 months ago. Between getting stops, forcing turnovers, and playing stout in the redzone, the Chiefs have become a team that simply doesn’t let you score. On their now 5-game win streak, they haven’t allowed a single team to score over 17 points. The last time they gave up 20 or more was on October 24th. Once again, the offense doesn’t have to be its usual firework show. The defense will get the job done.

6 – Colts (7-6)

After all the wackiness of the last month or so, I think the Colts truly relished in the proverbial tune-up against the Texans this week. They simply went out there, played their brand of football, and walked away with a clean shutout victory. What more can you ask for? Now, they head into their bye week with some great momentum as they continue pushing for a potential division title. Considering their final stretch of games, they need this week off to get themselves together and continue playing their best ball moving forward.

7 – Rams (8-4) 4

I really don’t know what to make of this team. They’re getting bumped up this high simply because other teams decided to slip up this week. Blowing out the Jaguars isn’t the most impressive thing in the world, but the Rams certainly needed that after a tumultuous last month. It was nice to see them seemingly come to fruition on both sides of the ball, but again, I won’t overreact. This is a team that has made light work of their poor schedule all year long and subsequently folded against any teams with a pulse. This can get them to the playoffs, but I don’t consider this to be an elite team at all.

8 – Cowboys (8-4) 4

I’ll be honest. I wasn’t very impressed with the Cowboys last Thursday. Like the Rams, they’re being bumped up this much because of the actions of teams above them. The offense was clearly rejuvenated by the return of Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb, but I still thought they didn’t play their best game on that side of the ball. The defense had themselves a day, but that’s easy to do when Taysom Hill is the opposing “quarterback”. I think this week’s game against a red hot Washington team will be a better indication of where the Cowboys stand on both sides of the ball. We’ll just have to wait and see.

9 – Bills (7-5)

Realistically speaking, the Bills only have themselves to blame for Monday night’s loss. If you know that the other team is going to run the same play for the entire game and you still let it beat you over and over, you deserve to lose. If you get into the redzone time and time again and don’t get any points out of it, you deserve to lose. If you can’t run the football at all in run-centric conditions, you deserve to lose. If you take bad sacks and make bad throws, then guess what? You deserve to lose. This is a good team that just can’t get out of their own way. None of their problems will fly against truly elite competition. It will hurt them in the playoffs, assuming they even get there at this point.

10 – Ravens (8-4) 2

I knew that Sunday’s game would be close. I thought the Ravens could lose, but I didn’t see it actually happening. And while any loss is concerning, this one almost felt natural. This team is still clearly struggling to find itself offensively, and a good Steelers defense ripped them apart. Meanwhile, the defensive woes reared their ugly head once again. Now, the Ravens are no longer the 1 seed in the AFC, and they only have themselves to blame. If they can’t figure out these issues soon, then it’ll be a quick one-and-done for them in January.

11 – Chargers (7-5) 3

This is an extremely bold proclamation, but I truly believe that it’s true. I think I have finally figured the Chargers out. Like I said last week, this team flip-flops every single Sunday. Last week it was a stinker against Denver, this week was a firework show against Cincinnati. I didn’t pick them to win, but I did say that it wouldn’t shock me if they did. This team has a pattern and they follow it to a T. I’m not saying they’ll lose to the Giants next week, but do not be shocked if it happens.

12 – Bengals (7-5) 5

Just when things looked like they were back on track in Cincinnati, they quite literally fumbled everything away. Despite starting the game down 24-0, the Bengals truly could have and arguably should have won on Sunday, but two key plays ruined their day. A poor Jamarr Chase drop on a perfect throw that should’ve resulted in a TD and an inopportune Joe Mixon fumble when the team was driving to take the lead that was returned for a touchdown killed any hopes of an improbable comeback win. It also didn’t help that the defense forgot how to play football for a while. I still like what this team has going on, but that was a truly poor showing from a group that knows it’s better than this. Next up is a very tough game against the team one spot below them, and a loss could truly derail what was once a promising year for this young team.

13 – 49ers (6-6) 3

I just hate good teams losing to bad teams. I hate it even more when the good team should actually have won the game. The 49ers only have themselves to blame for Sunday’s loss. Between a poor safety taken and not being able to punch the ball in with the game on the line, there can be no excuses made for this team. While they still hold a playoff spot, things can go very south very quickly with a difficult schedule ahead of them. I think they’ll be fine once Deebo Samuel comes back, but they better hope that’s ASAP. They need him badly.

14 – Titans (8-4) 1

Even after a bye, I have no idea what to make of the Titans. Without Derrick Henry, their offense is still going to be an eye sore. They better hope their defense can carry them to victory in these next few weeks.

15 – Washington (6-6) 2

I really have no idea how we got here. But we did, and it’s fun. Out of nowhere, the WFT has the longest winning streak in the conference and the 3rd longest in the league, and the team now sits in the 6 seed in the NFC. Simply put, this team finds ways to win. They play hard-nosed football and they go out and earn it every Sunday. The defense is still playing fantastic ball, the run game has found itself once again, and Taylor Heinicke is a rollercoaster, but he’s tougher than a $2 steak when it matters most. Now, the season comes down to 5 straight games against NFC East opponents, starting with the Cowboys this Sunday. As I said last week, everything is directly in front of this team to take. The playoffs essentially start now. I’m hoping and praying that they don’t let me down.

16 – Eagles (6-7) 3

You know what really impresses me in this league? Winning with backup QBs. It says a lot about a team when you can do that. Even against a lowly opponent like the Jets, Gardner Minshew and the Eagles’ performance on Sunday left a good impression. Jalen Hurts should be back after this bye week, and this team is trending in a very good direction. I have no doubt that they’ll be in the playoff mix for the next month.

17 – Broncos (6-6) 1

The Broncos played a weird game on Sunday night. Their defense was excellent from start to finish thanks to some lucky breaks. They were able to get the ball downfield, especially with the run game thanks to a huge night from Javonte Williams, but they simply refused to score. Between missed kicks, turnovers, or just bad breaks, this team couldn’t get out of their own way. It’s unfortunate, but it happens to everyone. This is still a solid team that is right in the thick of the wild card race, and I really think they have what it takes to sneak into the playoffs. But they have to stop beating themselves first.

18 – Vikings (5-7) 3

Let’s be honest. We all should have seen that coming. Even after this team battled back to take a late lead, we should have known what would happen next. A loss on a touchdown at the buzzer to the Lions to give them their lone win is a perfect microcosm of what this team is in 2021. And that’s all I’ll say about the Minnesota Vikings.

19 – Raiders (6-6) 1

The Raiders didn’t play their worst game by any stretch on Sunday. They were simply stifled enough offensively to have their defense lose the game late. It could’ve gone either way. It was the 4th loss in 5 games for this team that continues to fall apart from a record perspective, but I still think this is a solid team. Maybe not a playoff team, but they can give anyone a game on their best day. Sunday was simply not their best day.

20 – Steelers (6-5-1) 1

I knew the Steelers wouldn’t lay down and die again on Sunday, and I will say that I was very impressed with their ability to actually win the game. They showcased an energy on both sides of the ball that I hadn’t seen from them in a while. The return of T.J. Watt was truly a catalyst for that defense, as he had 3.5 sacks himself and the rest of the unit did enough to win the game late. The offense also had a pulse, which is always a shock. It was an emotional game against their biggest rival, so these things make sense. But, I still doubt this team’s ability to replicate this in the future.

21 – Browns (6-6) 1

Thankfully for my eyes, I didn’t have to watch the Browns this week. They return from their bye with a tough game against the Ravens, who they just lost to last week. After seeing how that game played out, I don’t see why this week should go any differently.

22 – Dolphins (6-7) 1

The second longest winning streak in the NFL resides in South Beach. The Dolphins have won five in a row. And guess what? I don’t care. Those wins have come against the Texans, Jets, Ravens, Panthers, and Giants. All teams who are either straight up bad or struggling right now. But, wins are wins, and this team has played their way into the playoff mix. Their defense has looked very good, and their offense is playing efficient football that wins them games. It’s a solid formula, but I just don’t think it will work against truly great teams. Luckily for the Dolphins, they don’t have any of those left on their schedule outside of a Week 18 game against New England. So, believe it or not, this team could somehow make the playoffs.

23 – Saints (5-7) 1

I just have one thing to say to the Saints. Please stop doing this Taysom Hill thing. He’s a solid player and a true gadget guy, but he’s not an NFL QB. Not even close. He can win games when the team around him is elite, but that’s not the case with this Saints team. And thus, it will only fail miserably. I don’t know why Sean Payton is so in love with Taysom Hill, and I never will. But I do know that this is ugly. Just start Trevor Siemian. Unless you’re actively trying to lose games.

24 – Falcons (5-7)

The Falcons essentially played exactly how I predicted they would on Sunday. After a while, it’s pretty easy to get a read on this team. There’s nothing I can say right now that hasn’t been the case for so many weeks at this point. There’s still hope that they can end the year strong, but other than that, there’s not a lot of hope in Atlanta.

25 – Panthers (5-7)

I enjoy weeks where I don’t have to watch Cam Newton play football. Those are some pretty good weeks. Hopefully that doesn’t mean I won’t enjoy this week. But I know that I won’t enjoy watching this team play.

26 – Seahawks (4-8) 2

Against all odds, the Seahawks won a football game. And they didn’t look awful doing it. They easily could have lost on Sunday, but they did what they had to do to pull off a pretty nice win. Good for them. I still think this team is awful, but I’ll respect them this week because Tyler Lockett put up some nice numbers for my fantasy team. Thanks, guys.

27 – Bears (4-8) 1

This is a very bad football team. There’s not much more that can be said. Justin Fields returning to the lineup this week provides a bit of an offensive spark, but we’ve seen enough of this offense to know that sparks die very quickly. And against the Packers, they might not even light that spark.

28 – Giants (4-8) 1

I can’t fault this team for losing with a backup QB. I told you guys how bad they’d play with Mike Glennon at QB, and that’s exactly what happened. Can’t expect too much out of an already bad team starting a bad QB. At least this team is on pace for two top 10 picks. But, knowing the Giants, they’ll probably find some way to mess them up.

29 – Jets (3-9)

Getting steamrolled by Gardner Minshew isn’t a very good look. But then again, this is the New York Jets. They haven’t known what a good look is in 50 years.

30 – Jaguars (2-10)

I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times. The Jaguars have been the exact same team for almost this entire season. But it’s not like there’s anything wrong with that. This is who we expect the Jaguars to be every week. This is how rebuilds work.

31 – Lions (1-10-1) 1

They did it. The Lions finally captured that elusive first win, and it took a touchdown at the buzzer to do it. I’m genuinely happy for them. You could see how much it meant to Jared Goff, Dan Campbell, the rest of the team, and especially the fans. I can imagine it’s quite a feeling. Good for them. I told you guys this team wouldn’t go winless. And when am I ever wrong?

32 – Texans (2-10) 1

Somehow, the Texans have returned to the #32 spot. They just can’t escape this. And if you wan’t answers, go look at the box score of Sunday’s game. That should tell the story just fine.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Week 13 Picks

Mac Jones and the Patriots head to Buffalo to take on Josh Allen and the Bills in a pivotal AFC matchup on Monday Night Football.

December is here, meaning only one month remains in the regular season. It’s do or die time for playoff contenders across football, of which there seem to be more than ever before. This week promises to not only be pivotal for the playoff race, but also very fun to watch in the process. I went a measly 8-7 last week, bringing my season total to 109-69-1. Can’t afford another mediocre performance. Let’s get into this week’s picks:

Cowboys 24-23 Saints

Thursday, 8:20 PM EST, FOX

Two teams that got embarrassed on Thanksgiving at home trying to make up for it a week later to start December. What a storyline. I was very close to picking the Saints in this game based on how the Cowboys have been playing lately and the fact that New Orleans is starting Taysom Hill in this game, who for some reason fires up this team more than anyone. But, Alvin Kamara is still out, and that makes it impossible for me to trust that offense. Plus, the Cowboys are getting some reinforcements with Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb returning to the lineup to help out the offense. While I don’t think Dallas will necessarily look prolific, they’ll do enough against a struggling Saints defense to win a tough game on the road.

Buccaneers 31-14 Falcons

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

Tampa Bay seems to have found their rhythm again after back-to-back good looking wins. Atlanta isn’t exactly much of a threat to throw that rhythm off. I think the biggest thing about last week’s win for the Bucs was the emergence of their run game. If they can take the load off of Tom Brady’s shoulders, this offense somehow becomes more dangerous. Plus, the return of Rob Gronkowski appears to have helped Brady a ton. So, I expect to see another big offensive day from Tampa against a Falcons team that doesn’t show up against teams with a pulse.

Cardinals 30-13 Bears

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

Could this be the week the Cardinals get Kyler Murray back? Even if they don’t, this should be an easy win for them. The Bears haven’t exactly looked like the greatest offensive team in the world in recent weeks, and if Kyler does come back, then their defense is also in for a rude awakening. The Cards using their bye week to get healthy should terrify the rest of the NFC. Chicago will be the first team to feel that wrath.

Bengals 27-24 Chargers

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

I would be so much more excited for this game if the Chargers weren’t, you know, the Chargers. However, if their pattern is any indication, then they should show up to play this week. The idea of Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert facing off for the first time is enough to get me to watch, but this game means so much more in the bigger picture. The Bengals need to keep winning games if they want to get closer to a potential division title, and the Chargers can’t afford to lose many more games in pursuit of their own playoff spot. Both of these teams will be playing with urgency, and the Bengals have proven that they are the far better team when faced with that circumstance. Their last 2 games have been complete clinics, whereas the Chargers are a complete coinflip from week to week. One team gives you an indication that they’ll show up, the other has no idea. I’ll roll with the more consistent team.

Vikings 26-17 Lions

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

I really don’t want to say this will be easy for the Vikings considering how their first matchup with Detroit went this year. But, I feel like they’ll be playing with a lot more urgency in this game. The loss of Dalvin Cook undoubtedly hurts, but Alexander Mattison has proven himself as a worthwhile backup that will be very productive. Moreover, the Lions will be without DeAndre Swift, so I just don’t see them getting anything going offensively. This could be close for a bit, but if the Vikings don’t win, it won’t only be a shock, but a disgrace. And somehow, it would still make so much sense.

Dolphins 23-13 Giants

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

The Dolphins are hilarious. This stretch of their schedule has been so easy, and they are just tearing through it. Now, they get a Giants team with a backup QB in Mike Glennon, and seemingly another easy W. The Giants already had no offense with Daniel Jones under center. Do you really expect anything more with Glennon? I don’t. Especially not against a Miami defense that has played very well as of late. Plus, their offense has found a groove as well. This should be a breeze for the Dolphins to extend their winning streak to a whopping 5 games.

Eagles 28-17 Jets

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

The Eagles squandered a perfect opportunity to establish themselves as a true playoff contender in the NFC last week against the Giants. Luckily for them, they get the other New York team here. The Jets did just win, but that was the Texans. The Eagles are a real football team. Or at least they’ve looked like one in the last month or so. If they screw this up, then there will be nobody to blame but themselves. I just don’t see that happening.

Colts 30-10 Texans

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

The Colts have returned to their old ways of not being able to hold onto leads. It’s really a shame to see. Luckily for them, they get a team that isn’t really capable of coming back this week. The Texans are definitely at their best with Tyrod Taylor, but their best is nothing close to that of a team as talented as Indy. This is a great opportunity for them to bounce back and potentially find themselves just 1.5 games back of Tennessee for first place.

Raiders 24-20 Washington

Sunday, 4:05 PM EST, FOX

This is a tough one. Both of these teams looked pretty good last week. Washington has looked much better over the last few weeks, but the Raiders still have the talent to win any game. I’m picking them for a few reasons. For one, they played last Thursday, whereas the WFT played on Monday night. Another is that it’s a long road trip for Washington. But to put it plainly, I simply don’t trust us to win a game this important after so many good-looking wins. It’s just not in our DNA. Even without Darren Waller, I can already see Derek Carr carving up this defense that has been so stout for over a month now. I’ve been a fan of this team for too long to not foresee these types of collapses.

Rams 29-14 Jaguars

Sunday, 4:05 PM EST, FOX

If the Rams lay another dud against a team as poor as Jacksonville, we will need to start having some very serious conversations. LA has run through the terrible teams on their schedule all season long, so this shouldn’t be too different. But, nothing would shock me at this point. The Jags have proven that they can play up to their competition. Perhaps this will be closer than I predict.

Ravens 20-17 Steelers

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, CBS

Nothing better than a Ravens-Steelers game on a cold December evening. Neither of these teams has looked very good in recent weeks, but the Ravens have undoubtedly looked better. The Steelers continue to fall apart more and more with every passing week, and last week was the culmination of all that. At least Baltimore is finding ways to win games. Their defense was the star of the show on Sunday night, and they should do a good job of containing a lifeless Steelers offense. At that point, it’ll just be up to Lamar to play a mistake-free game and win it. I’m not sure how much I trust him to do that right now, but like I said, they always seem to find a way to pull it out.

49ers 23-16 Seahawks

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, CBS

The loss of Deebo Samuel hurts this 49ers team tremendously. There is no doubt about that. I think they’ll struggle a bit offensively as they figure out a way to get both the ground and air games going without their ultimate weapon. But, their talent and coaching should be enough to overcome that against a team as bad as Seattle. The Seahawks have no offense or defense right now, and any team with a pulse should beat them without any hitches. They needed terrible refereeing and all the luck in the world to even come close to beating Washington last week. The 49ers are a much better team than that.

Chiefs 27-20 Broncos

Sunday, 8:20 PM EST, NBC

It may not seem like it, but this is actually a hell of a game. The Broncos are somehow just a game back of the Chiefs, and a win here puts them in first place against all odds. These teams have both had very strange seasons up to this point, and in a primetime divisional game, anything is possible. I just find it too hard to pick against the Chiefs coming off a bye, especially considering how hot they were beforehand. Their offense was doing enough, and their defense was rising to the occasion. Riding a 4-game win streak into a bye as the best team in football off byes is a pretty good place to be. The Broncos are a solid team that will hang around, but I just don’t see how they come out of KC with their biggest win in years.

Patriots 26-23 Bills

Monday, 8:15 PM EST, ESPN

This might just be the biggest game of the 2021 season thus far. Not only is this game for first place in the division, but if the cards unfold in the right way, it could be for the 1 seed in the AFC. Not to mention both of these teams playing on fire coming into this game. The Bills have slipped up a bit in the last month, but their blowout win on Thanksgiving has them trending in the right direction. Meanwhile, the Patriots are riding the NFL’s best win streak of 6 games coming into MNF. Everything is lined up for this game to be a great one. It’s those aforementioned slip-ups from Buffalo that makes it too difficult to pick them. New England has been so consistent on both sides of the ball, and their level of play has been better than almost any team in football. Their defense has been absolutely suffocating, and considering Josh Allen’s tendency to struggle sometimes (not to mention the complete lack of a run game behind him), it just feels like the Patriots can’t lose this game. I think the Bills will do enough to keep this close, but the better team will come out on top.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Post-Week 12 Power Rankings

The 49ers are making a second half surge that has them back in the top 10 and vying for a playoff spot. (h/t Flipboard)

1 – Packers (9-3) 1

Once again, we have another 1-2 switch as the Packers return to the top of the Power Rankings, and for good reason. Not only did the Cardinals have a bye, but Green Bay played a perfect game in the dismantling of the Rams on Sunday at Lambeau. The offense played perhaps their best game of the season, which should come as no shock as it was the healthiest they’ve been in weeks. The defense also put in work, which might not reflect on the scoreboard thanks to some statpadding from LA, but anyone who watched the game knows how dominant the defense was. It was simply a perfect performance from what is easily the NFL’s best team right now. Watching this team for even a few drives on Sundays is all you need to do to understand how great they truly are.

2 – Cardinals (9-2) 1

The Cards had a bye that they seemingly needed badly as their offensive injury saga hopefully comes to a close. Kyler Murray and DeAndre Hopkins should be back this week, but it wouldn’t shock me at all if they don’t. Even if that’s the case, the backups have proven themselves more than capable of winning games.

3 – Patriots (8-4) 1

With every passing week, this team gets more and more impressive. In every aspect of the game, you can argue that this is the hottest, or maybe best team in football. Their offense is still somehow getting better as more and more people get involved, their defense is still probably the best in football, and any Nick Folk fantasy owners know how good the special teams are. There’s not much I can say about the Patriots that I haven’t been saying for weeks now. They are simply mastering their craft and are without a shadow of a doubt the best team in the AFC right now.

4 – Buccaneers (8-3) 1

It took everything going right in the second half for the Bucs to come out of Indy with a win, but they still looked good on Sunday. They regained their identity with the run game against a very good defense, not necessarily relying on Tom Brady to provide magic in order to win the game. Leonard Fournette carried the load with 4 touchdowns, including the game-winner, and the defense stepped up to make plays and force turnovers to help secure the comeback bid. It was a very solid all-around game, adding to the momentum of last week’s win. As the Bucs get healthier, I expect them to keep up this level of play en route to the playoffs.

5 – Chiefs (7-4)

The Chiefs had a bye this week, so you can fully expect them to come out and play a great game this week against Denver. This is the best team in the league off of byes, so I have no reservations about them winning this week.

6 – Colts (6-6) 1

Bumping up the Colts here feels weird, but you can thank some of the teams above them falling apart for that. Even still, this team held their own for 60 minutes against the Bucs and were arguably the better team for the majority of the game. I’m not one to hand out moral victories, but this team deserves one. I’m not a fan of them abandoning Jonathan Taylor in the second half, but I think they’ve now learned their lesson the hard way. They’re still just 2 games back in the division and are poised to make a run while Derrick Henry remains out in Tennessee. This team proved their worth to me again, even in a loss, and I still feel very good about them.

7 – Bengals (7-4) 6

Don’t look now, but the Bengals are back. After their bye week, they have strung together 2 complete, dominant victories over solid teams in the AFC. Their latest victim was the Steelers, who they absolutely walloped this week. Everything is working right now for Cincy on both sides of the ball, and it’s a delight to watch. I don’t know how long they can keep this level of play up with an insanely tough remaining schedule, but if these last two games are any indication, this team is built for a playoff push. They’re only a game out of first in the division and the 1 seed in the AFC. Why not the Bengals?

8 – Ravens (8-3) 3

I’m not entirely sure what to make of this team right now, but it feels like they’ve done a complete 180 in terms of their identity. Nowadays, their offense is a complete mess, but their defense has been lockdown. Lamar Jackson has struggled mightily lately, especially with his 4 INT game on Sunday night, but the other side of the ball has been a delight to watch. The emergence of rookie DE Odafe Oweh and the rest of the front seven has this team in position to win any game on their schedule. Once the offense picks up the slack, this team should play like the 1 seed that they currently are. But I need to see that first before putting too much faith in them.

9 – Bills (7-4) 3

I’ll give the Bills credit. They went into a very tough environment on a short week and absolutely ran through a decent Saints team. It was a clinic on both sides of the ball, and they looked very impressive. Josh Allen had himself a game with 4 TDs, and Stefon Diggs is putting up superstar numbers after a quiet start to the season. I still don’t like this team’s inability to run the football, but as I’ve said so many times before, they have what it takes to make up for that through the air. The defense also played like its old self, which should hopefully give them some momentum heading into their biggest game of the season next Monday against New England. We’ll see if we get the Bills of old, or the Bills of now.

10 – 49ers (6-5) 6

If you think about it, the 49ers are just the Patriots with a couple more tough early season losses. This team has found its identity in the last month or so, and they have been nothing short of unstoppable since finding it. They can run the ball no matter who they’re handing it off to, and their defense is still playing very well. Sunday wasn’t their best showing, but they still made the necessary plays to win the game in the end. To put it plainly, there aren’t many teams playing better football than San Francisco right now. The injury to Deebo Samuel might derail them for the next week or so, but if they have him healthy, this team can match up with anyone in the league.

11 – Rams (7-4) 5

Well, things got ugly just as quick as they were seemingly getting prettier in LA. The Rams are now 0-3 since acquiring Von Miller and 0-2 since acquiring Odell Beckham Jr., and none of those games have been competitive. Once again, this team was dismantled on both sides of the ball despite having more starpower than almost every team in football. The absence of Robert Woods has clearly made this offense significantly worse. So, what gives at this point? I really don’t know. This team has no business being so underwhelming. Every time they play a team with a pulse, they simply fall apart. Everyone is to blame, from Stafford to McVay to everyone else. I just don’t know what it’ll take to get this team to play up to their talent level. This is probably a playoff team, but until they find their identity, they are the NFL’s #1 fugazi.

12 – Cowboys (7-4) 4

Speaking of fugazis, did anyone watch the Cowboys on Thanksgiving? Because that was truly something to behold. Losing to a team that hasn’t had a semblance of a pulse in the last month is one thing, but losing the way the Cowboys did was embarrassing. I understand that this team was missing its top 2 receivers, but like I said last week, they are built to overcome that. But, the run game was nonexistent, and it took 3 quarters for Dak to find a rhythm. Though they were able to force OT, it just felt like too little too late, and that showed in the collapse in the extra 10 minutes. This defense is showing its true colors, playing very weak and soft, and the offense hasn’t found a groove against a real team in over a month. Like the Rams, I don’t know what it will take to turn this team around. Only they can show us.

13 – Titans (8-4) 4

There’s nothing I can say about the Titans this week that I didn’t already say last week. They are simply not a legitimate team offensively without Derrick Henry. At least their defense had been playing well. We can throw that out of the window as well. What a mess.

14 – Chargers (6-5) 4

Sunday’s loss in Denver was written in the stars sheerly based on how unbelievably inconsistent this team is. Their week-to-week flip-flopping is well-documented by now. So, maybe next week’s Chargers won’t look like a complete dumpster fire. But you can bet on the game after that looking just like this Sunday’s did. It’s just such a waste of time. This team is playing themselves out of the postseason fast, and at this point, that might be a good thing. If you’re this talented and this incompetent, you don’t deserve more than the 17 games you’re given.

15 – Vikings (5-6) 1

In a completely not-shocking turn of events on Sunday, the Vikings snatched defeat from the jaws of victory yet again. Now, their playoff hopes continue to slim down as they continue to play themselves out of wins. Oh, and Dalvin Cook is hurt as well. The franchise that embodies Murphy’s law more than any other in football is doing it again. I still feel bad for them, but at some point, you have to throw your hands up and surrender to the incompetence. Sounds like a team in LA I know.

16 – Broncos (6-5) 4

I’ll give some credit to the Broncos. They have been keeping up a solid level of play in recent weeks, even after the Von Miller trade. Outside of their loss to the Eagles, this team has played really well in the last month, and now only sits a single game out of first place in the division. The offense has been solid, and the defense has returned to old form. This team is just playing some good ball right now, and I personally never saw it coming. It’s nothing that pops off the screen, but it evidently wins games. And if Denver beats KC on Sunday night, they are your first place team in the AFC West. That’s crazy to think about.

17 – Washington (5-6) 4

I can’t believe I’m saying this, but there aren’t many teams in the league playing better football right now than the Washington Football Team. I know. It’s ridiculous to even think about. But, it’s true. While they haven’t exactly been game-wreckers, and their schedule hasn’t been the best, this team has found its winning formula and boy, does it look good. The defense has somehow gotten infinitely better in the absence of star DEs Chase Young and Montez Sweat, and they’re finally playing as advertised. The offense is also playing efficient football thanks to the resilience and craftiness of Taylor Heinicke and the resurgent ground game led by Antonio Gibson. Simply put, this team is playing very solid football and the back stretch of the schedule isn’t much to look at. Everything is in front of them to take if they so desire. Whether they decide to take it or not remains to be seen.

18 – Raiders (6-5) 5

The Raiders evidently will not be buried as easily as some of their AFC counterparts. Thanksgiving’s performance was one I never could have seen coming from a team playing as poorly as they had been playing, but perhaps it can rejuvenate this team moving forward. Sunday’s tough matchup with the WFT will tell us what we need to know. After all, they’re just 1 game out of first place and tied for a wild card spot. Anything is possible in this league.

19 – Eagles (5-7) 2

The Eagles picked a great time to play arguably their worst game of the season. Sunday’s performance was absolutely abhorrent on all fronts, especially offensively. Jalen Hurts played his first bad game in a long time, throwing 3 INTs with some coming at very inopportune moments. Still, he nearly made up for it with some late game heroics, but would be denied by his own WRs’ inability to catch the football. Alas, this team squandered a golden opportunity to get to .500, and now sit at 3rd in the division. That’s the type of game that can derail an entire season. We’ll see how the Eagles respond to it with a cupcake against the Jets coming up.

20 – Browns (6-6) 1

I really don’t feel like talking about this team. There is simply nothing to talk about, but at the same time, it feels like there are an infinite amount of things to talk about. I will say that their defense is playing well, but man, their offense is an absolute mess. It feels impossible to watch. They were gifted 4 extra possessions on Sunday night and did absolutely nothing with any of them. Forcing 4 turnovers and scoring 10 points in 60 minutes is not a winning formula. Most of the blame falls with Baker Mayfield, who still refuses to play like a starting QB. It’s time to move on, Cleveland. This team is too talented to be held back like this any longer.

21 – Steelers (5-5-1) 6

Oh man. How does it feel? To have all of your shortcomings and refusals to move on or get better come crashing down in your face in one swift stroke? Doesn’t feel good, does it? Keeping Big Ben around, refusing to stay healthy on defense, continuing to run a prehistoric offense, the list goes on and on. The unsustainability of it all has reached its breaking point, and it’s on full display for the world to see. It’s over.

22 – Saints (5-6) 4

I don’t know why I put my faith in this team to do anything on Thanksgiving night, but I’ll consider that a lesson learned. The offense remains a complete joke without Alvin Kamara, and the defense once again laid down and died. Now, the Saints are trusting Taysom Hill to lead the charge to redeem this seemingly lost season. Because that inspires so much confidence in all of us. If there’s any team the Saints can beat right now to get back on track, it’s the Cowboys on Thursday night. It’s a perfect opportunity to take a step in the right direction. It’s just so hard to see them doing so. We shall see.

23 – Dolphins (5-7) 2

Can you believe that the second longest winning streak in football belongs to the Dolphins? Well, if you look at their schedule, it becomes a bit more believable. But, teams have shown us that even the most winnable of games can become losses, so credit to the Fins for getting the job done on a weekly basis. Sunday’s game was a complete clinic on both sides of the ball and probably this team’s best performance of 2021. The schedule isn’t getting much tougher, so this team should continue winning games as we roll into the last month of the season. But the early season struggles might prove to be too much to overcome. At least they’re ruining that Eagles pick.

24 – Falcons (5-6) 3

Congrats to the Falcons on avoiding the incredible embarrassment of losing to the Jaguars. They did their job. They almost messed it up, but they did it. And that’s about all I want to say about them.

25 – Panthers (5-7) 3

Remember when I said that Cam coming back to this team was good for them? Yeah, disregard everything I said. After a 5/20 passing day with 2 INTs and a passer rating of FIVE (5!), Cam was benched in the middle of a blowout at the hands of the fledgling Dolphins. Oh, and now Christian McCaffrey is out for the season, so the already nonexistent offense is about to somehow get worse. I don’t want to watch another snap of this team for the rest of the year. Not one.

26 – Bears (4-7) 2

Why am I moving the Bears up? I genuinely don’t know. They absolutely deserved to lose on Thanksgiving, which is truly saying something considering they were playing the Lions. The game was an absolute mess from start to finish, but they proved to be the less incompetent team, winning on a FG at the buzzer. The win did nothing for me, but thanks to some action around them, they get bumped up this week.

27 – Giants (4-7) 1

The Giants’ win over the Eagles on Sunday was probably the most shocking of the week to me. I never thought this lifeless team could have strung together 60 minutes of winning football, but they did just that, and it was thanks to a stellar performance from their defense. That was always the team’s best unit, and they played perhaps their best game yet against a red hot Philly team. The offense was still a struggle, and it’ll only get worse as Daniel Jones will now miss time with a neck injury. Still, Sunday’s win was a good one that this team desperately needed.

28 – Seahawks (3-8) 2

Remember what I said last week about this team being a joke? Just imagine that, but worse. That’s all I’ll say about the Seahawks.

29 – Jets (3-8) 2

The Jets won the worst game ever put to paper, proving themselves as at least better than the Texans for likely the rest of the season. Good for them. That’s not a very high bar to pass, but at least they passed.

30 – Jaguars (2-9) 1

The Jags have been the same team for many, many weeks now. They’re competent, and often competitive, but simply incapable of winning games. Their offense just doesn’t have what it takes. It doesn’t really matter at this point, but that’s who they are, and it won’t change between now and season’s end.

31 – Texans (2-9) 1

The Texans have entered an elusive club of teams that have lost to the Jets, which really rubs me the wrong way. I just hate it when teams do that. I thought they at least had it in them to beat such a putrid team, but this team was either riding the high of the Titans upset, or they’re still just terrible. Either way, at least they’re not Detroit!

32 – Lions (0-10-1)

The Lions have played themselves out of so many win this season, it’s like they want to be winless. It feels intentional. Well, Detroit, you get what you ask for. Hope you relish in this.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Week 12 Picks

The stars will be out and about all day long on Thanksgiving, the premier football holiday of the season. (h/t NFL.com)

Happy Thanksgiving! This fantastic holiday of food, family, and football is finally upon us, and it should be a blast. This promises to be a great weekend of celebration, but of football as well. I hope you enjoy. I went 10-5 in Week 11, bringing my season total to 101-62-1. Looks like I’m getting back on track. Let’s get into this week’s picks:

Lions 20-17 Bears

Thursday, 12:30 PM EST, FOX

I’m feeling the holiday spirit here. Why not pick the Lions to win their first game on their annual Thanksgiving afternoon with America? There’s no better time for them to get that elusive first W. It helps that Tim Boyle won’t be their QB in this game. Meanwhile, the Bears will be starting their backup QB in Andy Dalton, and while I think he’s plenty capable of leading this team to victory, I’m feeling generous today. This Detroit team is long overdue for a win, and it just feels right to get it on a day like today.

Cowboys 27-16 Raiders

Thursday, 4:30 PM EST, CBS

This game looked a lot better a few weeks ago, but there is still a bit of hope that the football gods finally give us a good Cowboys thanksgiving game. However, I’m not hoping too hard. The wheels have completely come off the Raiders, and the Cowboys have been struggling in recent weeks. But, Dallas is still a far better team as of right now, and they should be able to win this game with ease. They need a game like this against a lifeless opponent to help them get back on track after being stifled last week. They’ll still be without some offensive pieces, but Vegas doesn’t pose much of a threat anyways. This game is your perfect opportunity to take that nap before eating. Or after. I don’t judge.

Saints 24-23 Bills

Thursday, 8:20 PM EST, NBC

The Thanksgiving nightcap is a battle of two teams that are really lost right now. The Saints have an excuse, at least. The Bills, on the other hand, have no excuse to be playing this poorly. Coming off another very tough loss, it’s just hard to put any faith in them. I think the Saints still have the will and the fight to win games, but it will be hard without Alvin Kamara once again. I don’t really know why I’m picking the Saints here, but it feels like the right pick. Being at home in front of those fans on Thanksgiving night, I just feel like them winning makes too much sense. My only hope is that this game can make up for whatever conversations we all have around the dinner table.

Bengals 23-20 Steelers

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

This is as pivotal as it gets, not just in the AFC North, but in the conference as a whole. Both of these teams cannot afford a loss at this point in the season, and the winner will be sitting a lot more comfortably in the playoff picture. The first meeting between these teams wasn’t very close, but I think the Steelers are playing much better now than they were then. I also think the Bengals aren’t playing with the same level of offensive explosiveness as that early season game. This will be a much closer game, but I still think Cincy has what it takes to pull this one out. I like the way their defense has been playing, and with Pittsburgh still dealing with a plethora of defensive injuries, I think Joe Burrow and the Bengals offense will do just enough to pull out a massive victory.

Colts 27-21 Buccaneers

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

As far as inter-conference matchups go, this is about as interesting as it gets. In my opinion, these are two of the best teams in football, and if last week’s games were any indication, both of these teams are playing extremely well and finding their stride. Not a lot separates these teams on paper, as both use a killer offense and suffocating defense to win their games. But, the Colts have one aspect to them that nobody else has. And his name is Jonathan Taylor. JT has been playing like an MVP candidate, and while the Bucs are usually stout against RBs, they haven’t seen this guy yet. Even if they slow him down, I truly think Carson Wentz has what it takes to win this game with his arm considering all of Tampa’s injuries in the secondary. I always have a hard time picking against Tom Brady, but the inconsistencies of the Bucs makes it hard to pick them against a team that has been much more consistent as of late.

Dolphins 24-21 Panthers

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

This is the kind of game where you throw your hands in the air and say “what the heck” when you pick it. The Dolphins have been playing very well this month, winning 3 straight games, albeit against rather weak opposition (and the Ravens). The highlight of that win streak has been their resurgent defense, which makes it a bit easier to pick them to upset a Panthers team that is clearly still figuring themselves out offensively. Carolina puts up their numbers on that side of the ball, but it still feels like there’s too many moving parts, and their offensive line has been a struggle bus all year long. I don’t have much faith in Miami’s offense, but with the way the team has been playing lately, I can easily see them picking up another win against a Panthers team that is simply treading water right now.

Patriots 21-13 Titans

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

A lot of people would tell you that these are probably the two best teams in the AFC. So, why am I not feeling it with this game? Oh yeah, that’s right, it’s because the Titans are an unwatchable mess without Derrick Henry. Still, this game has plenty of intrigue across the board. Belichick vs. Vrabel and both of their great defenses facing off is enough to get me to watch this one. In a defensive battle, you either take the better defense or the better offense on the other side to win. Luckily for me, both reside with the Patriots. Their offense is easily better with the Titans lacking the best RB in football, and their defense has been playing like the best in football over the last month or so. I just don’t see Tennessee getting anything going offensively in this game, and that’ll be more than enough for the Patriots to get the job done.

Eagles 29-15 Giants

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

The trope is that divisional games are usually close. That will not be the case in this game. These two teams couldn’t be going in any more different directions. The Eagles are starting to piece things together and are playing their best football in a very long time, whereas the Giants can’t find a semblance of an offensive identity and are a constant eyesore. Assuming these trends continue, I don’t see this game being very close. There’s always the chance that the Giants decide to show up for once, and considering the way this season has gone, it wouldn’t surprise me. I just can’t predict it.

Falcons 27-24 Jaguars

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

No. Just… no. I don’t want to watch this game. You don’t want to watch this game. I don’t even want to talk about it. I was honestly very close to picking the Jags here considering the Falcons haven’t scored a point in 7 quarters, but I’m just saying screw it and picking Atlanta for no rhyme or reason. They’re the better team, and they should win. It would not shock me at all if that doesn’t end up being the case.

Texans 20-14 Jets

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

Well folks, here you have it. This is likely the worst matchup of the entire 2021 NFL season. Bask in its glory. At least we’re getting this out of the way. Better late than never. The Texans have shown significantly more fight with Tyrod Taylor as their QB this season, and I don’t even know who’ll be starting at QB for the Jets. So, this is an easy pick for me. And that’s the last thing I ever want to say about this game.

Chargers 28-24 Broncos

Sunday, 4:05 PM EST, CBS

Now this is a divisional game that could both be close and rather entertaining. The Broncos are coming off a bye and should come into this game very well-rested and well-prepared. Meanwhile, the Chargers are coming off a huge, high-octane win over the Steelers on primetime last week. This is a very even matchup that could very easily go either way. I’d love to pick the Broncos here, as playing at Mile High is never easy for a road team, but the Chargers just appear to be too solid to lose a game this important for them. I think they know what’s on the line, and they’ll find a way to pull this off. It wouldn’t shock me if their trend of laying duds after huge wins continues here. I’m just hoping it doesn’t.

Packers 27-20 Rams

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, FOX

This could very well be the biggest game of the NFL season, not just on paper, but in terms of impact on the league as well. The playoff picture, division races, MVP race; everything is in the balance in Green Bay on Sunday. A game of this magnitude should feel harder to pick, but I have absolutely no reservations whatsoever in picking the Packers. This is a team that is playing better than almost anyone else in football, even despite last week’s loss. The Rams are coming off a bye, and their performance in this game is the story I can’t wait to watch. The last time we saw them, they were getting pushed around by the Titans and 49ers. How do they fare against another physical team in the Packers? I think it will be more of the same. They should be able to keep this closer, sheerly based on rest and preparation, but I have no doubt that the better team will come out on top in this massive NFC showdown.

49ers 29-26 Vikings

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, FOX

This is yet another remarkably intriguing matchup to me. These are two teams that have essentially had the exact same seasons. They both refused to realize their potential, but now, they’re starting to figure things out, and both teams are primed to make second half playoff pushes. Not a lot differentiates these teams, but I’m rocking with the 49ers for a couple reasons. The biggest one is the resurgence of their defense, which has allowed just 10 points in back to back games. But, their offensive identity of running the ball physically and passing it efficiently seems like a very solid winning formula for any home games that they know they can control. If they can keep Kirk Cousins and the Vikings offense on the sideline, then the 49ers shouldn’t have too much trouble in this game. We’ll see what version of their offense we get.

Ravens 24-19 Browns

Sunday, 8:20 PM EST, NBC

This game looked a whole lot better just a few weeks ago, but there is still some promise here. These AFC North games are always fun, and the Ravens are getting Lamar Jackson back, so they won’t be unwatchable like last week. The Browns, on the other hand, have been quite unwatchable over the last 2 weeks, as neither side of the ball has any sort of life or momentum. It’s hard to pick them in a game this big in a situation like that. At least I know what I’m going to get out of the Ravens, especially offensively. The Browns give me no confidence, and that makes it impossible to pick them here.

Washington 26-17 Seahawks

Monday, 8:15 PM EST, ESPN

This is the ultimate Raza trap pick here. Monday Night Football against the Seahawks when we’re playing well and they’re playing horribly? You already know Seattle is going to win this game simply based on the parameters. Still, I will have faith in my team to continue this win streak and finally break, or at least start to break the MNF curse. I know we’re going to lose, but it won’t stop me from picking them. This team has inspired a level of confidence in me that I didn’t think they had in them over the last 2 weeks through extremely resilient play that honestly inspires me. A combination of that and the lifeless, flopping around nature of the Seahawks make this pick seemingly easy. But, again, a loss here makes all the sense in the world. I am praying to the football gods that, for once, they are on our side.

All stats taken from ESPN.