Tag: Buffalo Bills

Post-Week 15 Power Rankings

One of the most fun, action-packed weeks in recent memory has caused a ton of shuffling in the Rankings as the regular season continues winding down and the playoff picture starts to take shape.

Cover photo taken from The San Diego Union-Tribune.

1 – Eagles (13-1)

Sunday’s win in Chicago wasn’t nearly as clean as the Eagles would have liked. Jalen Hurts threw two picks, but it never held the offense back, and they still controlled the game for the most part. They ran the ball effectively and their defense made all the plays when they were called upon. Hurts still ended the game with a great statline especially by pounding the ball on the ground, but that cost him and the team as he now has a sprained shoulder and might miss this week’s pivotal divisional clash in Dallas. I hope Hurts can go, but if it’s Gardner Minshew under center, I still feel like the Birds have a good shot with their run game and defense. With the 1 seed on the line, I feel like they’ll step up and get it done.

2 – Bengals (10-4)

Sunday’s comeback win in Tampa emphasized everything I love about the Bengals. They were definitely struggling in the first half, getting stifled offensively and looking lost on defense. But they turned it up in the second half, forcing turnover after turnover and gifting Joe Burrow a bunch of short fields which were easily converted into points to eventually win by double digits after going down 17-0. Burrow was masterful with the ball in his hands outside of a tipped INT, and the offense was firing on all cylinders with four different touchdown scorers. The defense lost Sam Hubbard who could miss the rest of the regular season with a calf issue, which could prove to be extremely detrimental, but the rest of the unit stepped up on Sunday, so perhaps they have it in them to keep it going against some stiff competition as the season winds down.

3 – Chiefs (11-3)

The Chiefs are the latest team to learn to not overlook the Houston Texans. They did not play their sharpest ball across the board, which could be seen as a cause for concern. But I am never concerned with this team as long as they have Patrick Mahomes. He was marvelous once again, boasting the highest completion percentage in a game with 40+ attempts in history to go along with 3 total touchdowns to carry his team to victory. The overtime win clinched the AFC West for KC, but it may have also clinched Mahomes the MVP. I still have a lot of reservations about this defense, especially in the secondary, but they have a few weeks to get it figured out before the postseason.

4 – 49ers (10-4)

The Brock Purdy show keeps on keeping on in the Bay. The rookie keeps on playing some very good ball, and while the 49ers aren’t necessarily winning because of him, he’s definitely a reason why. The offense hasn’t lost a step (in fact, they might be even better), and the defense continues playing at a level that I have rarely seen. If that unit can carry this team to a potential title, they might go down in history as one of the best we’ve ever witnessed. The Niners close out the year with a couple tough matchups, but I simply don’t see them losing any more games with the way they’re clicking across the board. They have no reason to.

5 – Bills (11-3) 1

The Bills are playing some of their best ball as of late, and they’re finally starting to assert themselves as one of the elite contenders in the league. While I don’t think Saturday’s win was one of their best, I really like the way they won. They faced adversity, didn’t back down, made plays on both sides of the ball, and pulled it out late. Josh Allen keeps on carrying this team on his back, and while I still don’t know how long he can keep it up for, it just keeps working. The defense is playing much better than I’ve expected, and it’s paying dividends. The return of Tre White to the secondary has proven to be massive. Buffalo still controls their own destiny in the pursuit of the 1 seed, and while the Bengals might play spoiler in two weeks, these guys have everything they need to get the job done.

6 – Cowboys (10-4) 1

Last week, I said that the Cowboys’ struggles likely weren’t a sign of things to come. I might have been wrong. Dallas got extremely unlucky on Sunday en route to a loss, but they have themselves to blame for a lot of their issues. There’s no excuse to blow a 17-point second half lead. This defense is far too good to allow over 500 yards of offense to any team. Dak Prescott has played well for the most part, and the game-losing pick six was not his fault, but he hasn’t elevated the offense to where they need to be. When the run game struggles like it did on Sunday, the offense lacks that next level to put them over the top. They’re bound to play some great defenses in the playoffs, so I certainly have my reservations about where this team is headed.

7 – Vikings (11-3) 1

Major props to the Vikings for making history with their record-setting 33-point comeback win on Saturday. It was awesome to watch unfold. It really epitomized what this team has been all year long. They have the exact opposite luck of the Vikings teams of old, as I’ve been saying for months. That has propelled them to this record and this division title. A lot of people would give them flak for getting down 33-0 in the first place, but it was a disastrous first half with defensive and special teams touchdowns allowed amidst turnovers and complete chaos. When the gameplan called for the Vikes offense to be at their best, they completely turned it up and showed us what they’re capable of. I understand the narrative that this team isn’t all that and won’t be a threat in the playoffs, but perhaps they’re not quite yet out of miracles.

8 – Chargers (8-6) 1

No one is benefitting more from the AFC Wild Card race falling apart than the Chargers, who continue to rise to the occasion and now sit as the 6 seed. Since their offense has gotten fully healthy, they’ve played some of their best ball of the year, and with Joey Bosa returning to the defense soon, LA is a team that nobody is going to want to face in the playoffs. Justin Herbert is simply playing lights out, and the shorthanded defense is playing much better than anticipated. The remaining schedule is a relative cakewalk, so a playoff berth is imminent. It’s just a matter of where the Chargers sit as we head into the postseason.

9 – Dolphins (8-6) 2

The Dolphins have gotten some tough breaks over the last few weeks, but that’s the nature of this league. You have to win close games, and Miami hasn’t done that. They’ve lost three in a row against three teams in this top 8, which would happen to most teams in the league, and they simply haven’t looked as good as they did earlier in the year. I loved the fight they put up in the frigid conditions on Saturday, but this is a team that needs to win games like that to inspire confidence in them. When they lose, it really hurts that confidence level. Their final three games are going to be tough, so while the Dolphins are almost certainly going to make the playoffs, it might be a rougher road than they could have traveled to get there.

10 – Lions (7-7) 2

Look at the Lions man. So inspirational. This team keeps on winning in a plethora of ways to miraculously find their way back at .500 and in the top 10 for the first time ever. On Sunday, it was the late game execution of their offense and their overall defensive performance that got the job done. They were definitely susceptible to a few huge plays by the Jets offense, but they never broke despite being bent, and they made every play they had to in the end to pull out the win. This team just plays inspiring football and I can’t wait to see them continue this playoff push. I hope they get in over the likes of some other NFC Wild Card teams that I won’t mention.

11 – Jets (7-7)

I feel bad for the Jets. I really do. Being in a perfect spot to make a playoff push just to have to revert back to starting Zach Wilson is brutal. I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemies. They’re now spiraling out of the playoffs and on the outside looking in, and their final three games are certainly going to be lost if Wilson remains the starter. Even with the defense playing how it is and the skill position players on offense doing their thing, nothing will be accomplished with the worst QB in the league under center.

12 – Jaguars (6-8) 7

The Jaguars are developing into one of the best stories of the back half of the season. They’ve won back to back massive games and now control their own destiny to win the division and make the playoffs. It’s truly a great story for such a fun, energetic, and genuinely good young team. The receiving corps is finally putting up numbers, the run game is solid, and the defense is a ton of fun. But the story here is obviously Trevor Lawrence, who has been one of the best QBs in the league this year. It took him a year outside of the dysfunction of 2021 to develop into the star we all knew he could be, and now that he’s playing at such a high level, the Jags are a force. I know he has what it takes to carry this team to wins, and perhaps a division title in a few weeks. I can’t wait to see what else this team has in store.

13 – Giants (8-5-1) 4

With no due respect, I refuse to talk about this fraudulent, disgusting, and corrupt team for the rest of the season. I will simply place them in the Power Rankings and pick their games with no explanation or further commentary from here on out.

14 – Commanders (7-6-1) 4

It was supposed to be different this time. It wasn’t. They were supposed to change the narrative. They didn’t. I don’t know why I ever got my hopes up. It’s utterly embarrassing to go out there and put up that performance at home in primetime in front of one of the best crowds we’ve had in years after two weeks prep against the same team you just played to separate yourself in the Wild Card race. I understand that the officiating is grabbing all the headlines; it was completely inexcusable and those officials need to be held accountable. But the real story of the loss is the fact that this is the same old team that cannot win the big game. They can’t even get prepared for it. Taylor Heinicke is an absolute bum and a complete joke of a player and I cannot wait for the day he no longer plays for this team. The playcalling is just abhorrent. Brian Robinson just gets ignored for no reason. The defense once again could not stop Daniel Jones. It’s just a sad joke. It was one of the most devastating losses I’ve ever seen, and it’s going to be a while before I recover from it considering it practically ended our season. I wouldn’t be surprised if we lost out.

15 – Ravens (9-5) 2

Thank goodness the Ravens finally lost. I’ve been waiting for this for way too long now. Thank you for opening the door for the Bengals to take this division. The NFL and its fans thank the Browns for their services. This team is so boring and so incompetent offensively that I don’t even want to see them in a playoff game. The defense is still fine, but no one wants to see this 1950s offense in January. Maybe things will change with Lamar gets back, but I seriously doubt it.

16 – Raiders (6-8) 2

The never-ending roller coaster that is the Raiders franchise just went for some more drops and loops on Sunday evening. This team almost certainly did not deserve to win that game, being gifted a touchdown to tie the game when Keelan Cole was clearly out of bounds, then being gifted the most ridiculous touchdown at the end of the game to win it. But I won’t rain on the parade. It was hilarious and one of the best game-winning plays I’ve ever seen. It was the type of finish that the Raiders needed if they want to find it in them to make a push for the postseason at this point. They should be .500 or better by all means, and if they play their best ball down the stretch, they might just sneak in. The problem is that their last two games (vs. SF and KC) are as brutal as it gets.

17 – Seahawks (7-7) 2

The wheels are officially falling off the Seahawks. It’s kind of sad to watch happen in real time. They just don’t play with the same juice they did in the first half of the season. Geno Smith is losing his precise touch, the defense is becoming very susceptible to big plays, and the run game is disappearing. They’re playing the exact opposite brand of football of the one they excelled at just a few weeks ago. It’s now an uphill climb for Seattle to get back in the playoff picture, and at this point, I just don’t see it happening.

18 – Titans (7-7) 1

Speaking of the wheels falling off teams, the Titans look like Lightning McQueen on the last lap of the Piston Cup right now. There are no more wheels. It’s simply over. I have no more faith in the Titans to accomplish anything, and I’m fully committed to the idea that the Jaguars are going to run the table and steal this division from underneath them. I recognize that the defense had themselves a heck of a game on Sunday, but nothing else on this team is working. I have faith in their coaching to steer them in the right direction, but it is simply too late for that.

19 – Browns (6-8) 1

The Browns are one of my BFFs this week for beating the Ravens, even though it wasn’t exactly the most convincing win in the world. It was ugly, sloppy, and old-school AFC North football that got the job done. They still don’t look great offensively with Deshaun Watson, but the defense is balling, and I still feel like it won’t be long before the other side of the ball figures it out. It’s too late for this team to make a playoff push, but I have to think they can carry some of this momentum into next season.

20 – Packers (6-8) 1

I’ve seen a lot of commotion about the Packers making a potential playoff push. Let’s stop that right now please. They’ve had a few nice games here and there, but anyone can look good against the Rams and Bears. This team still doesn’t have what they once did on either side of the ball, and it wouldn’t shock me in the slightest if they don’t win another game this season. It is nice to see them play well; good football at Lambeau at this stage in the year is simply football heritage. But this isn’t a playoff team. Be real with yourselves.

21 – Patriots (7-7) 7

I really just don’t know what to say. I’ve seen an infinite amount of awful plays at every level of football. I’ve seen some ridiculous ways to lose games. That might have been the worst one in the history of the sport. But this is more than the way the Patriots lost on Sunday. It’s the fact that the loss took them out of a playoff spot and likely ended their season. The fact that it may be the reason the team cleans house next year. It’s a season-defining low for a franchise that has never stooped to this point in this century. It feels like a fever dream. And it’s absolutely hilarious.

22 – Buccaneers (6-8)

Sunday’s game was a microcosm of this entire season for Tampa Bay. In the first half, the offense was absolutely clicking and the defense was suffocating. In the second half, the offense could not hold onto the football and the defense couldn’t stop a nosebleed (albeit in their own half over and over again). From up 17-0 to down 34-17. It epitomized the 2022 Buccaneers. Somehow this team still leads the pitiful NFC South, but who knows what could happen in the next three weeks. Perhaps this is still a team that no one wants to see in the playoffs. But I’m just not scared by these guys anymore. There is nothing to be afraid of.

23 – Steelers (6-8) 1

Remind me to never bet a Steelers game ever again. I just can’t a read on these guys. I never have any idea what to make of them. Their defense played very well on Sunday, but it comes one week after being gashed by the Ravens. Their offense had a solid showing as well, which comes after a season’s worth of awful performances. They are consistently inconsistent, and it puts them in no man’s land in my brain. But they deserve this spot considering the teams that are below them.

24 – Panthers (5-9) 1

In a completely shocking turn of events, Sam Darnold sucks at football. Who would have thought? Why would I ever bet on that guy? Despite their pitiful QB play and their nonexistent run game, the Panthers somehow sit a game out of first place in this God awful division. I don’t like their chances with a guy like Darnold under center, but anything can happen in this league. Against all odds, they still control their own destiny. If they make something happen, I’ll be shocked.

25 – Falcons (5-9)

Desmond Ridder lost his first start with Atlanta in essentially the exact way I expected him to. There’s not much else to it. The Falcons aren’t showing me anything to like, but like all the other teams in this division, they can still somehow win it. It’s truly embarrassing to see the NFC South in a spot like this, but at least it gives me a reason to be invested in these games as the season winds down. I think this team probably has the worst chance of any to sneak up and win the division, but like I said with Carolina, anything can happen in this league.

26 – Broncos (4-10) 4

Does anyone think it’s a stretch to say the Broncos are better with Brett Rypien than they are with Russell Wilson? Or was Sunday’s great win a product of playing the Cardinals? Either way, Denver should feel good about themselves with this win. It was nice to see Mile High so alive after a year’s worth of struggles. I honestly don’t see a reason to play Russ again this season, but maybe that’s wishful thinking and me wanting to be averted of seeing his awful play again.

27 – Saints (5-9) 4

Are the Saints back? No. Probably not. But Sunday’s win was a nice one that was fairly obvious to predict. They didn’t look great offensively, but they were good enough on a select few plays to put them over the top while the defense held it down for the rest of the game. This team is somehow one game behind in the division, but it’s hard to see them making any sort of “run” for the title with their remaining schedule. But as I said above, at least it gives me a reason to care about their final few games.

28 – Cardinals (4-10) 2

QB injuries continue to plague the Cardinals as backup Colt McCoy got hurt on Sunday, leaving Trace McSorley as the guy moving forward in Arizona. What a disaster. The kid from Briarwoods was about as bad as you’d expect in relief of McCoy, throwing no dimes whatsoever, unless they were to the Broncos defensive backs. You’d think having DeAndre Hopkins and Hollywood Brown to throw to would help a backup QB, but it simply doesn’t. Things have gone from bad to worse to simply atrocious in the desert, but at least this team has a future to look forward to once they clean house this offseason and move forward with some sense of direction.

29 – Colts (4-9-1) 2

New rule: if you go up 33-0 in the first half just to blow the biggest lead in the history of the league in the second half and overtime, I’m not talking about you for that week.

30 – Rams (4-10) 2

I tried to tell you guys about Baker. The media was so happy that their beloved QB pulled off an incredible win two weeks ago to get another starting job. He had you all fooled. Anyone with a semblance of knowledge about this game knows how awful he is, and it was on full display in an absolutely shambolic performance on Monday night in Lambeau. Is Bryce Perkins really that worse of an option? It’s honestly crazy to me. I really hope this team doesn’t subject us to watching more of this guy play QB this season. If they do, I certainly will be spending my Christmas elsewhere.

31 – Bears (3-11) 2

I’m a broken record when it comes to the Bears at this point, but they keep on doing exactly what they need to do. Justin Fields continues to cook while they continue to cook and inch closer to a top 2 pick. It’s really a beautiful sight.

32 – Texans (1-12-1)

Like I said last week, the Texans are back to being the frisky team they were in the first half of the season, pushing great teams like Dallas and Kansas City to the brink. That’s a solid sign for the worst team in the NFL, and it’s definitely a good thing that they continue to lose these games. They’re essentially locked in for a top 2 pick, so a franchise QB is heading to H-Town. We can only hope that they don’t mess it up.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Week 15 Picks

The final month of the regular season begins with an action-packed slate on paper featuring some pivotal playoff scenarios. Here’s how I see it playing out.

Cover photo taken from Flipboard.

Last Week: 8-5

Season Total: 128-77-2

49ers 23-14 Seahawks

Thursday, 8:15 PM EST, Prime Video

These two teams are simply going in two completely different directions. The Seahawks have been trending downwards for a month now, and the 49ers are still flying high, even with Brock Purdy at QB. The rookie has been battling illness all week, but should be good to go in this game. But it frankly doesn’t matter. The Niners defense is the difference in every single game they play, and that will prove to be the case again on Thursday night. They’re going to suffocate the Seahawks offense that simply hasn’t been itself in recent weeks. Even in a tough road environment in primetime between division rivals, I don’t see a scenario where this game is even close.

Vikings 26-23 Colts

Saturday, 1:00 PM EST, NFL Network

This is perhaps the weirdest game of the week to analyze and preview. I never have any idea what to make of either of these teams. With the Colts coming off a bye, I think they can certainly compete and hang around for a while in this game. But the Vikings coming home after their tough loss last week should give them the juice they need to come out on top. I don’t have faith in them to win any game super convincingly, so I’d probably take the Colts to cover here, but I think the superior offensive talent of Minnesota will put them over the top.

Browns 19-16 Ravens

Saturday, 4:30 PM EST, NFL Network

I’m probably a fool for this, but it’s simply what my gut is telling me. I picked (and bet) against the Ravens last week in this exact same scenario and it came back to bite me. They’re once again short underdogs on the road against a rival with Tyler Huntley starting at QB. This time, I actually feel slightly better about picking against them. The Browns are simply better than the Steelers, and this will likely be a tougher environment for Huntley and the offense to play in. They’re not facing the world’s toughest run defense, which is good news for them, but I just have a feeling that this is the game where Cleveland finally puts it together with Deshaun Watson in the lineup. Baltimore’s defense is not invincible by any means, and while I don’t think the Browns are going to light up the scoreboard, I think they’re going to play their most complete game with Watson so far to pull out a late win.

Bills 24-17 Dolphins

Saturday, 8:15 PM EST, NFL Network

This is another game that just feels weird. I feel like the Bills should absolutely dominate this game, and I’m expecting next to nothing out of Tua and the Dolphins offense. But no one else is either. So maybe they’ll come out and play the Bills close, or even lead for the majority of this game. People are jumping ship on Miami after last week’s loss, so they’re motivated to show out. This is a perfect opportunity to do so and suddenly jump back into the race for the division. That being said, I just don’t see them winning this game. Buffalo is far too solid, especially at home, and their defense is playing much better. I think they should control this game for the most part, and Josh Allen will make enough plays to put them over the top. Think a repeat of last week’s game against New York with just a little bit more scoring.

Eagles 31-13 Bears

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

The Eagles might have their backups in this game by the third quarter. I’m pretty sure they could play the entire game and Philly would still win by multiple scores. As long as Justin Fields gets his stats in, I’m good.

Saints 23-20 Falcons

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

This is another strange game on paper. Desmond Ridder is making his first start at QB for the Falcons, which has been long overdue, and I actually feel good about the rookie’s chances. I just think going on the road to the Superdome makes for one of the toughest environments for a rookie QB to make his first start. At the same time, I feel nothing remotely positive about the Saints. Yes, they’re coming off a bye and yes they’re coming off a tough primetime loss before that, but this team hasn’t shown us any indication that they can play a complete 60 minute game and come out with a win, especially against a frisky team like Atlanta. I really want to pick the Falcons, but something’s just telling me not to. Maybe the Saints defense puts together a great game against a rookie QB. Maybe Andy Dalton takes advantage of a porous secondary. Somehow, someway, I just see the Saints coming out on top.

Lions 27-24 Jets

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

This is by far the most fascinating game of the week. It’s one of the most fascinating games of the year. Which is really crazy considering it’s Lions-Jets. Neither of these teams can afford a loss if they want to stay afloat in their respective Wild Card races, and for that reason, this game is going to be played at an extremely high level. It’s going to be very physical, but I think it’s also going to be pretty high-scoring. These two offenses can let it fly, and while the Jets boast a solid secondary, they can definitely get pieced up by a WR room as deep as Detroit’s. Moreover, the Lions have proven me wrong about being able to play on the road. They no longer back down from the challenge of playing in the great outdoors, and I think they have what it takes to beat a great defense on the road. I know the Lions passing defense is atrocious, and for that reason, I think Mike White and the Jets offense will let it fly as well, but if this becomes a shootout, I trust the Lions ever so slightly more. This team is playing some of the best football in the league, and with the Jets limping after last week’s beatdown by the Bills, I think Detroit is going to take the game over with their offense and pull away another impressive win to get to .500 and right in the thick of the playoff picture.

Panthers 22-19 Steelers

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

Does a 3-point win for the Panthers not seem like the most obvious possible outcome for this game? They’re coming home after a huge win last week in Seattle, and they know they have to keep on winning in order to stay alive in the NFC South. The Steelers, meanwhile, have absolutely nothing to play for, and might have to start Mitch Trubisky again as Kenny Pickett is still in concussion protocol. That’s never a good sign, especially against this stout Panthers defense. I just love the way Carolina is playing lately, and I think the crowd in Charlotte is going to be electric as their team continues this improbable playoff push.

Cowboys 26-17 Jaguars

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

A lot of people, including Vegas, think the Jaguars are going to play the Cowboys very close in this game. I think that argument has a lot of merit considering the play the team has been playing lately and how stellar Trevor Lawrence has been in the last couple of months. But Jacksonville is simply too up and down to trust to put together back to back great performances. Moreover, they tend to struggle against elite defenses, which is just what Dallas has. The Cowboys are probably eager to show the country that they’re not the team that just struggled to beat the worst team in football, so I expect a typical performance out of them on both sides of the ball, utilizing their run game and suffocating defense to come away with a comfortable road win.

Chiefs 30-13 Texans

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

I know the Texans were very competitive on the road last week against a great team, but let’s be real. The Chiefs are much better than the Cowboys are. Last week was cute and all, but there’s no way Houston puts together a similar game against a vastly better team. Their defense actually plays solid ball at home, but I expect Patrick Mahomes and company to piece them up all game long and make them look like the typical Texans we’re used to seeing.

Broncos 20-17 Cardinals

Sunday, 4:05 PM EST, FOX

This might turn out to be the Backup QB Bowl as Colt McCoy will be under center for the rest of the season in Arizona after Kyler Murray’s injury and Brett Rypien might have to fill in for the concussed Russell Wilson. Regardless of who starts for Denver, they’re easily my pick in this game. They put together their best offensive game of the season last week, and I think they can keep that going against another bad defense this week, especially at home. It won’t take much to score on this Arizona team. As long as their defense bounces back from last week’s embarrassment, I think Denver should be able to hold off the Cards and pull it out in the end.

Raiders 27-23 Patriots

Sunday, 4:05 PM EST, FOX

This feels like such a great spot to buy low on the Raiders and sell high on the Patriots. These are two teams coming off polar opposite primetime performances; Vegas got shocked last Thursday night and New England looked very solid on Monday night. So, I’m fading the Pats. It just makes sense. I don’t think they’re as good as the team we saw on Monday night. Their offensive injuries are starting to stack up, and I simply don’t trust them to win another road game on the west coast, even if they stayed out there this week. I can’t believe I’m continuing to put faith in the Raiders, but I still like their offense and I think they can move the ball against this Patriots defense. Davante Adams needs to step up and bounce back from going ghost last week, and I think he can do just that. Combine that with a vintage Josh Jacobs performance, and the Raiders will simply outscore the Patriots to win.

Chargers 24-20 Titans

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, CBS

I honestly don’t know if this game will be this close. I’m putting some respect on the Titans, but there’s really no reason to do that. They have looked awful in the last month, and they inspire no confidence on either side of the ball. Their only bright spot is Derrick Henry, but I don’t think he can make up for this team’s shortcomings on his own. The Chargers, meanwhile, are coming off a massive win on Sunday night and are trending in a completely different direction than Tennessee is. If their defense can put together another solid performance, then the offense will simply do the rest. This lowkey feels like a great place to fade the Chargers, but I’m not going to do it. I’m going to stick with my gut and the fact that they’re playing better football right now.

Bengals 23-20 Buccaneers

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, CBS

Like so many other scenarios this week, this feels like a great place to buy low on the Buccaneers. They got absolutely humiliated last week and have a great chance to come home and make amends. I’d take them to cover for that reason. But I just cannot pick them to win this game outright. Even at home, the Bengals are simply too tough of a test. Their defense is playing too well to lose to this anemic Bucs offense. The potential loss of Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd might hinder Cincy’s offense in this game, but if Joe Burrow has to force feed Ja’Marr Chase for sixty minutes, I think they’ll still be just fine. I think this will come down to whoever plays better defense, and at this point, it’s much easier to trust the Bengals.

Commanders 24-13 Giants

Sunday, 8:20 PM EST, NBC

Here it is. One of our biggest games in years. Our first home Sunday nighter in five years. They flexed us in here for a reason. It’s a real chance to separate ourselves in the Wild Card race. A shot at revenge for the vaunted tie from two weeks ago. This might as well be a playoff game. FedEx is going to be electric, and this team is going to play their best game of the year. I just know it. The defense is going to show up and show out against a Giants offense that got smothered last week. The offense is going to put together some nice drives and do what they have to do to win. Terry McLaurin is going to light up the box score. Brian Robinson Jr. is going to run through people. I can’t wait to see it. I haven’t been this confident in the fact that we’re going win in a very long time. So, this will probably end with me in shambles.

Packers 27-17 Rams

Monday, 8:15 PM EST, ESPN

When the schedule was first released, this looked like it would be one of the best games of the year. A potential playoff preview on Monday night at iconic Lambeau Field. Now, it’s a game that absolutely nobody wants to watch. Baker Mayfield will get the start for the Rams (imagine telling that to someone in April), which is not a good thing despite the feel-good nature of last Thursday’s win. He’s going to look like the typical Baker in a very tough environment. Don’t be surprised if he winds up with three picks. The Packers aren’t great and don’t inspire much confidence on either side of the ball, but they’re at home off a bye against a team that’s absolutely dreadful on both sides of the ball. I think they’re going to look just fine and win easily.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Post-Week 14 Power Rankings

Another wacky week caused plenty more mix-ups in this week’s Power Rankings as we head into the final month of the regular season.

Cover photo taken from Idaho Press.

1 – Eagles (12-1)

The Eagles keep on asserting themselves as the best team in the NFL by a seemingly solid margin. They became the first team to clinch a spot in the playoffs in an emphatic win over the Giants, and once again looked unstoppable in every facet of the game. It was another party on the ground for the run game, and Jalen Hurts has never looked more like the MVP. The defense had their way as they almost always do, and the Birds never broke a sweat. I know that the Giants aren’t exactly a tough test, but you don’t see road wins against divisional opponents that are this dominant in the NFL very often. It is a testament to this team’s greatness.

2 – Bengals (9-4)

Joe Burrow finally got the monkey off his back and beat the Browns, and it wasn’t even close. This really impressed me for two reasons. The first of which is that, although I picked the Bengals to win, I figured it’d be pretty close given the nature of the rivalry. It wasn’t, and that’s in large part due to Burrow’s continued excellence as well as the defense’s dominance highlighted by rookie DB Cam Taylor-Britt’s emergence. The second reason is that Tee Higgins didn’t even play due to getting hurt in warmups. For Cincy to lose one of their key offensive players and still look unstoppable is really impressive. I hope he’s ok moving forward, but apparently they don’t even need him. As long as Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase do their thing, nobody is stopping this offense.

3 – Chiefs (10-3)

I think a lot of people are overreacting to the Chiefs “almost” blowing a 27-0 lead. Let’s pump the brakes please. For one, the fact that they went up 27-0 on the road against one of the best defenses in the league speaks for itself. They were clicking in all three phases and it was poetry in motion. They got very careless afterwards, highlighted by a whopping three very poor and uncharacteristic interceptions by Patrick Mahomes, but when it came down to crunch time, they were the better team and executed to come away with the win that was really never in doubt. This team is still fantastic, they just got in their own way a bit. I will say that their pass defense concerns me since it has shown very little to no signs of improvement over the last month or so. They will not win this conference with its current level of play.

4 – 49ers (9-4)

All aboard the Brock Purdy train. The rookie QB has looked brilliant in his two games this year, beating two very capable defenses without breaking a sweat. I understand that the offense is pretty easy to run when you have the roster that San Francisco has, but Purdy has looked very comfortable and solid as the QB, and I have no more doubts that the 49ers can continue to dominate, especially with their defense playing the way that they are. The injury to Deebo Samuel really scared everyone, but apparently he’s going to be ok and might return before the regular season is over. If that’s true, then this team is going to moonwalk to a division title and might just be the scariest squad in the entire playoffs.

5 – Cowboys (10-3)

As much as I’d love to bump the Cowboys down for squeaking by the worst team in football, I just can’t. It doesn’t feel fair considering the teams below them. Anything can happen in the NFL on any given Sunday. At least Dallas came away with a win. Not only that, but they put together a fantastic 98-yard touchdown drive to do so. They didn’t play their best game, but we know this is a great team, and I don’t think the wheels are falling off anytime soon. Only time will tell if this was a sign of things to come. I just don’t think it was.

6 – Bills (10-3) 2

The Bills looked pretty solid all around on Sunday in absolutely awful conditions in Orchard Park. There’s not much more that can be said. What I liked most about their performance was their defense’s dominance. They played fast and extremely hard all game long, which is exactly what I wanted to see out of them. Since Von Miller’s injury, they’ve looked great, so I have no more doubts in that area. I still think they’re far too reliant on Josh Allen to make plays with his legs on offense, but as I’ve said time and time again, he’s built for that, and it works. Buffalo follows their formula to a T, and if it keeps translating to wins, I won’t doubt it.

7 – Dolphins (8-5) 1

I think Sunday night was worst-case scenario all around for the Dolphins. Tua looked absolutely dreadful, the run game was once again non-existent, and the defense got completely shredded by an elite QB. None of those things will fly in the playoffs. I don’t want to say this team has been “exposed” in their last two games, but now any team with a competent coaching staff knows what they have to do to stop this team. Just play man and make Tua beat you with his arm. Spoiler alert: he can’t. I’m not going to write this team off, but it could start going south really quickly for the Dolphins. They need to get it together ahead of this week’s massive game in Buffalo.

8 – Vikings (10-3) 1

I won’t be too mean to the Vikings after losing a game on the road to a divisional opponent that I picked them to lose. I would have been much meaner if they didn’t put together perhaps their best game through the air, with Kirk Cousins throwing for over 400 yards and Justin Jefferson setting a franchise record with over 200 receiving yards. But there are two aspects of this team that really worry me that I know will be their undoing in January. The first of which is their now-nonexistent running game. Dalvin Cook can’t exactly get anything going, and while they can rely on Kirk and Jettas to make plays, they definitely don’t want to be in that scenario for 60 minutes. The second thing is that their defense is simply atrocious. It has gone from bad to worse in Minnesota on that side of the ball, and I don’t see it getting better anytime soon.

9 – Chargers (7-6) 8

Just when I think I’m out, they pull me back in. Against all odds, the Chargers looked nothing short of elite on Sunday night, and it really wasn’t in the fashion that I anticipated. Justin Herbert looked marvelous with his full supporting cast available, but that wasn’t surprising. We know what he’s capable of when the offense is healthy. What stunned me was how great this injury-riddled defense looked. I mean, these guys were starting Alohi Gilman in the secondary and made the NFL’s most prolific passing offense look like they belonged in Saturday’s Army-Navy game. It could be a one-game thing, but if the Chargers can keep up that level of play defensively, then nothing is stopping this team from making a playoff push.

10 – Commanders (7-5-1) 1

For the first time in history, Washington makes my top 10. But it doesn’t feel right. It’s mostly a product of the mess that’s around them in this week’s Power Rankings. We had the week off ahead of one of the biggest games in recent memory as the Giants come into town for a primetime showdown on Sunday night. I cannot wait for that, and I’ll get more into it on Thursday.

11 – Jets (7-6) 1

I’m starting to feel bad for the Jets. All this team does is compete their tails off, but that has gotten them nowhere in the last few weeks. The injuries are continuing to rack up as Mike White is dealing with problems with his ribs after being smacked around by the Bills defense and standout DT Quinnen Williams has a calf issue. The good news is that the offense still looks solid and the defense did their thing for the most part on Sunday. I still feel confident in this team’s capabilities, but the AFC Wild Card race is heating up all of a sudden, and this team might get lost in the mix if they can’t get back on track ASAP.

12 – Lions (6-7) 2

Simply put, not many teams are playing better football in the last two months than the Detroit Lions. Yes, their secondary sucks. Yes, that’s a problem. But everyone else is operating at an immensely high level. The offense is simply unstoppable right now, and just like I predicted, getting Jameson Williams healthy gives them a level of explosiveness down the field. The front seven is actually pretty solid, and the #2 overall pick Aidan Hutchinson is starting to make a DROY push. This team has momentum and a ton of character, and I think that’ll go a long way as they try to make the playoffs. The remaining schedule is tough, but not impossible to do well against. Considering how flimsy the NFC Wild Card hopefuls are, who says this team can’t sneak into the dance?

13 – Ravens (9-4) 3

I still hate everything about what this team has going on, especially offensively, but I will respect the ability to go on the road and beat your bitter rival on the backs of a great defensive performance. Moreover, to win with your 3rd string QB playing for a solid chunk of the game means something. But what the Ravens did on Sunday won’t fly against most teams in this league. They cannot throw the ball, so don’t be fooled by their run game’s good numbers. The defense is playing really well, and that’s a good sign, but it means nothing if the offense is this bad. I’m just patiently waiting on them to finally drop a game and let the Bengals rightfully take over as the division leaders.

14 – Patriots (7-6) 4

The Patriots simply won’t go away, and it’s honestly getting annoying. I have no idea what to expect from this team in any given week. Will they look absolutely awful on offense? Will they somehow turn practice squad RBs into stars? Will their defense live up to their potential or get gashed? It’s a total coinflip from game to game. But they’ve gotten good luck on those coinflips to now sit in the playoff picture as the 7 seed once again. I don’t know how long it will last, but I don’t imagine it’ll be for long with their very intense remaining schedule.

15 – Seahawks (7-6) 6

I think the wheels have officially fallen off the Seahawks. They have now lost 3 of their last 4 games, Geno Smith is playing uncharacteristically sloppy, and the defense is getting gashed week in and week out by great rushing attacks. Even at home, where they’re supposed to be at their best and most formidable, this team just doesn’t play well at all. They’re playing their way out of the playoffs, which is honestly what they deserve. This is not a playoff team at all right now.

16 – Titans (7-6) 4

I don’t want to talk about the Titans. They are one of the biggest eye sores in all of football, and the fact that they are inevitably going to get a playoff spot just angers me. Even though I predicted them to lose, the manner in which it happened was flat out embarrassing and a sign that this team just doesn’t have what they once did. They’ve now lost three in a row and just look lifeless. Let’s just fast forward to their first round exit already.

17 – Giants (7-5-1) 4

I’m so glad that the Giants are continuing to prove me right every single week. This team is flat out bad, and now you all realize that. Even when this team was 6-1, I never had an ounce of faith in them, and they’re finally showing us who they truly are. They were never some sleeper team that could do damage in the playoffs. They were always complete frauds who were immensely lucky against an awful schedule. They might sit in a playoff spot right now, but we all know that’s not going to last. I can’t for them to get embarrassed once again on Sunday night.

18 – Raiders (5-8) 3

Come on, guys. You finally regained my trust and my faith and you go out and do that? I thought you were better than that. Unfortunately, the Raiders season ended on a complete whimper, blowing a 13 point lead in a matter of minutes to a QB who hadn’t spent more than 48 hours with the team. That has to be the most Raiders thing I’ve ever seen. They didn’t even look bad for most of the game, but they simply fell apart and lost their grip on the game, and effectively, their season. Just another week for the silver and black.

19 – Jaguars (5-8) 5

The Jaguars might not accomplish much this season, but they have to feel great about what they’ve been able to accomplish in the last few weeks. Trevor Lawrence is continuing to string together sensational performances, and the former #1 overall pick is finally emerging as the elite QB we all knew he could be. The rest of the offense isn’t anything special, but they simply get the job done. Meanwhile, the defense continues to look solid as well, and this year’s #1 pick Travon Walker looked like a real game-wrecker on Sunday. If the Jags can somehow make a push for the division title, I would absolutely love it. I just don’t think it’s likely. Still, I really like what’s going on in Jacksonville, and I’m excited for the future.

20 – Browns (5-8) 1

For the second consecutive week, the Browns looked much worse than I expected them to. I don’t know what the common denominator is, considering Deshaun Watson actually played a decent game on Sunday. I can’t pinpoint the exact problems with this team, but they should just be so much better than they are. On paper, they can be one of the best in the league. Instead, they’re a lifeless, uninspired, boring team that I don’t want to watch.

21 – Packers (5-8)

Thankfully for our eyes, the Packers had the week off. Unfortunately for our eyes, we have to watch them in primetime this Monday night against the Rams. Curse you, schedulemakers!

22 – Buccaneers (6-7) 2

It’s over. The Buccaneers are over. The Tom Brady era in Tampa was fun and all, but it’s time to blow it up. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a game more indicative of an era coming to a close as Sunday’s beatdown by Mr. Irrelevant and the 49ers. It was almost poetic to see Brady go home and essentially give up against the team he might end his career with. So, let him go do whatever he wants to do and start preparing for the future. Get healthy for next year and find your next QB. You won’t be awful considering this roster is pretty good when fully healthy, but it’s pretty clear that you won’t have the GOAT.

23 – Panthers (5-8) 5

I’ve noted the competitiveness of the Panthers all year long as one of their strengths. Well, it’s finally starting to translate into wins, and all of a sudden, Carolina is a game out of first place in the division. They already beat the brakes off the Bucs once this year, so who’s to say it won’t happen again? The defense is balling out and the offense has finally found itself. It’s weird that it took Sam Darnold coming back for that to happen, but if it works, then so be it. I really like the way this team plays, and I wouldn’t be shocked at all if they end up making a run at the division title. It’s just so strange to imagine that after they spent so long being one of the worst teams in football.

24 – Steelers (5-8) 2

I feel bad for the Steelers and their fans. Having your rookie QB get hurt and having to deal with Mitch Trubisky again is something that I wouldn’t even wish on my worst enemies. Having four drives stall in enemy territory thanks to a blocked field goal and three interceptions is just brutal. Having all of that happen against your biggest rival makes it that much worse.

25 – Falcons (5-8) 2

After their bye, the Falcons are finally making the QB switch to Desmond Ridder thanks to an injury sustained by Marcus Mariota. I have no idea how the rookie is going to look, but I have high hopes for him. At the very least, the offense should look better than it did with Mariota under center. But that’s a very, very low bar.

26 – Cardinals (4-9) 1

Having Kyler Murray tear his ACL at the end of a completely lost season is such a shame. I feel awful for Kyler, and I’m hoping he makes a speedy recovery. I just hope this injury doesn’t cloud the awful job done by this coaching staff. The two best things this franchise can hope for going into 2023 is that Kyler gets healthy and they have a new head coach.

27 – Colts (4-8-1) 1

The Colts were on a bye this week ahead of a fascinating matchup with the Vikings on Saturday. I don’t know what to expect out of this team at this point, but I think they’re certainly going to be competitive in Minnesota.

28 – Rams (4-9) 1

I have no earthly idea how Baker Mayfield and the Rams pulled off their incredible comeback on Thursday night, but you can’t help but feel good for them. This is a player and franchise that desperately needed a win like that, and it showed. I have no doubt that the season will only go downhill from here, but at least they got to experience that happiness before this inevitably awful final month of the year.

29 – Bears (3-10) 2

For the first time in nearly two months, the Bears didn’t lose! Good work, Chicago! As I keep saying, the best-case scenario for this team is losing out and securing a top pick in the draft. They don’t exactly have any winnable games left on the schedule, so they should be able to do that with ease.

30 – Broncos (3-10) 1

The good news is that the Broncos were very competitive against a great team on Sunday and put together their best offensive performance of the year by a good margin. The bad news is that they had to fall behind 27-0 in the first half in order to do that.

31 – Saints (4-9) 1

Mercifully, the Saints didn’t play this week, and we should all be grateful for being spared from watching Andy Dalton play QB. If only the coaching staff was competent enough to finally bench him for good. Unfortunately, Dalton will still be starting this week. So I advise you to stay away from this team’s game against Atlanta at all costs.

32 – Texans (1-11-1)

The Texans looked like their September/October selves on Sunday, losing to. a great team after being very competitive for most of the game. You could honestly make the argument that they actively lost the game down the stretch, and you’d probably be right. But that’s a good thing for Houston. They’re now on the verge of clinching the #1 overall pick and finding their franchise QB. That’s what we call a great success!

All stats taken from ESPN.

Week 14 Picks

After my first ever undefeated week, I feel pretty good about predicting the upcoming slate of somewhat boring and average matchups.

Cover photo taken from Sporting News.

Last Week: 14-0-1 (!!!)

Season Total: 120-72-2

Raiders 27-17 Rams

Thursday, 8:15 PM EST, Prime Video

The Rams are a complete mess at QB right now. It doesn’t matter whether it’s John Wolford or Bryce Perkins or even Baker Mayfield. They aren’t going to win this game. The Raiders are playing great ball lately and are seeing their fourth straight win. If they stick to their bread and butter of feeding Josh Jacobs and letting Davante Adams dismantle opposing corners, they’ll be fine. Jalen Ramsey is obviously a tough test, but Adams has toasted him before, and I think he’ll do it again on Thursday night. As long as Vegas’ defense does its job against an anemic Rams offense, the Raiders should win comfortably.

Bills 24-20 Jets

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

Vegas thinks this is going to be a complete wash for the Bills, and I don’t get it. For starters, the Jets beat this Bills team when they had Zach Wilson starting just a month ago. Division games are always close, especially when two great defenses are at work. And Buffalo will still be without Von Miller against a team that can run the ball pretty well. New York will certainly be competitive in this game unless Mike White turns into a bum, which I don’t see happening. If he can keep feeding Garrett Wilson and the RBs do their thing, then they definitely have a fighting chance. I don’t think it’ll be enough to win in a very tough road environment, though. Josh Allen has been playing better football in recent weeks, and that’s all the Bills need to win football games. I’m excited to see how they look, but regardless of what that is, I think it’ll be good enough to come away with this key victory.

Bengals 26-23 Browns

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

One of the great mysteries of the NFL is how Joe Burrow has never beaten the Cleveland Browns. They just have the young star QB’s number for some reason. However, all good things must come to an end. The Browns should look better on Sunday than they did last week, assuming that Deshaun Watson has gotten his jitters and rust out of the way. But this is going to be an infinitely tougher test. The Bengals are playing some of the best football in the league right now, with both sides of the ball firing on all cylinders. Cleveland has simply looked average at best on both sides of the ball in recent weeks. I’m giving them the benefit of the doubt and trusting them to keep it close (and cover), but I don’t see them shutting down Burrow and company again, especially with Ja’Marr Chase back this time.

Cowboys 38-10 Texans

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

Not talking about this one. There’s a reason this spread is straight out of college football Next!

Lions 30-27 Vikings

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

The Lions are my absolute favorite pick of the week. This is just a perfect storm for them and everything I have been praising them for over the last month or so. They’re at home on a hot streak in which their offense has been scorching hot and their defense has been better. Jared Goff is great at home. Amon-Ra St. Brown has been unstoppable. The RBs are doing their thing. This could be Jameson Williams’ coming out party as well. I do think their defense will have their hands full with the Vikings’ star-studded offense, but I find it damn near impossible to pick Minnesota in this game. They struggled mightily with Detroit in their first matchup, and that one was in Minneapolis. The Vikes have been extremely lucky in one-score games this year, and maybe a regression to the mean is in order. I think the Lions are simply going to outscore the Vikings in this one and keep the winning ways alive.

Jaguars 22-16 Titans

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

I didn’t have many upset picks planned this week, but I feel better about the Jaguars than any other underdog on Sunday. They should be thanking their lucky stars that Trevor Lawrence is ok after last week’s scary sight. The Jags still got smacked, but that actually makes me feel better about picking them here. I think they’re eager to bounce back, especially in a game against a division rival. It’s going to be a tough road environment, but the Titans simply haven’t shown me anything to like as a team in recent weeks. As I said on Tuesday, this team doesn’t really do anything well anymore. At least the Jags can move the ball on offense. If their defense steps up and limits Derrick Henry, then I feel great about their chances of winning.

Eagles 24-13 Giants

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

This kind of goes against my philosophy of road division games, but it feels warranted in a situation like this. The Giants are solid, but the Eagles are simply miles better than they are. I don’t see how New York musters up enough on defense to slow down this offensive juggernaut in Philly, and I think the Eagles defense should be able to limit big plays and keep the Giants at arms length. It could certainly be closer than this, but I just don’t see that happening. Philadelphia is an infinitely better team.

Steelers 13-10 Ravens

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

This is all sorts of gross. The Ravens will be without Lamar Jackson in this game, but even if he was playing, I think this would still be my exact pick. Baltimore is just so inept offensively, running a 1960s offense and failing completely at it. It’s obviously not their fault that they have no WRs, but it doesn’t matter. They’re not going to be able to get anything going against this stout Pittsburgh defense. The Steelers will certainly struggle on offense as well, but that’s simply in their DNA. However, I think they have what it takes to get the job done at home. They’ll make one or two more plays down the stretch to win this game.

Chiefs 23-10 Broncos

Sunday, 4:05 PM EST, CBS

The Broncos are an unwatchable disgusting mess of a football team. Patrick Mahomes has never lost a road game to a divisional opponent. It’s a pretty simple calculus, guys. I do think Denver’s defense will stifle the Chiefs a little bit, but it won’t be enough, and it will not matter. There is no way in the world that they can win this game, or even keep it close. Like the Eagles pick, this kind of goes against my typical philosophies, but it’s totally warranted.

49ers 16-13 Buccaneers

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, FOX

In the preseason, this was my pick for one of the NFC Divisional Round games. A lot has changed since then, but that’s still entirely possible. But it won’t be at all what I envisioned. The 49ers are down to their rookie 3rd string QB in former Iowa State star and 2022 Mr. Irrelevant Brock Purdy. Purdy looked solid last week when he was thrown into the fire, but this is going to be a much tougher test. The Bucs defense will make life hell for him. The good news is that the 49ers defense is the best in the league by a longshot, and they will make life even worse for Tom Brady and Tampa’s offense. I mean, this is a unit that had 3 points in 55 minutes against the Saints. The Saints! San Francisco’s defense should have a field day, but the game will be close regardless considering the state of their offense. So, this game comes down to the superior defense. Pretty easy pick in that case, isn’t it? It’s going to be ugly and low scoring, but the Niners will certainly come out on top.

Seahawks 24-14 Panthers

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, FOX

This game feels like a total trap with the Seahawks only being favored by 4. I saw that and thought to jump all over it, but it just feels… wrong. Vegas definitely knows something we don’t. So, I won’t touch that line with a ten-foot pole. However, I will pick Seattle to win comfortably. They’re back at home against a Panthers team that has been solid and competitive, but not on the same level as the Seahawks. The loss of Kenneth Walker will hurt their offense, but they can throw the ball all the live long day. I think they’ll do just that and win comfortably.

Dolphins 30-20 Chargers

Sunday, 8:20 PM EST, NBC

Once again, I’m abandoning my philosophy here and simply taking the much better team to win. The Chargers just aren’t right, and their offense is pretty tough to watch while their defense gets toasted week in and week out. The Dolphins, on the other hand, have one of the best offenses in football. They just got stifled by the best defense in the league, so they’re probably eager to put on a show in primetime. Their defense might struggle a little bit with Justin Herbert, but it might not matter if their offense lights up the scoreboard. I just don’t think LA has it in them to beat a team like Miami right now, even at home and in primetime.

Cardinals 23-17 Patriots

Monday, 8:15 PM EST, ESPN

This game is so weird. It’s probably the biggest coinflip of the week. I don’t like what either of these teams are doing, and neither of them inspire confidence to win any given game on any given day. So I’m just going to take the Cardinals for the boring Raza reasons of them being at home in primetime and off a bye. I don’t exactly think their defense poses a threat, but neither does the Patriots offense. All the Cards have to do is limit their mistakes and force feed DeAndre Hopkins and James Conner, and they should be able to win. But, knowing this team, they’re probably going to fail disastrously and hilariously.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Post-Week 13 Power Rankings

Last week lived up to the hype and has caused a plethora of shuffling in this week’s rankings, including some potentially controversial placements.

Cover photo taken from The Boston Globe.

1 – Eagles (11-1) 2

The Eagles are back on top after another complete, dominant performance featuring one of the best revenge games you’ll ever see. I’ve been waiting for them to look like themselves again, and they did that emphatically on Sunday. Jalen Hurts was magnificent with 380 passing yards and 3 touchdowns as well as a rushing touchdown, and AJ Brown showed the Titans why they never should have let him go with an incredible 8/119/2 statline featuring two dominant touchdown catches. The defense showed up and showed out, and the Birds finally looked the part of the team with the best record in football again. There’s no reason to slow down now.

2 – Bengals (8-4) 4

They did it again. For the third time in the calendar year, Joe Burrow and the Bengals took down Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. That’s pretty staggering, especially considering the manner in which they’ve won every game. They just keep on outplaying the team that has been the class of the NFL. For that, the Bengals are my new top AFC team. Burrow has just been masterful all year long after getting off to a slow start, the offense looks fantastic no matter who lines up, and the defense is finally getting the recognition it deserves for being one of the best in the NFL right now. They may not get the numbers, but they make the plays, and that makes the difference. This team is as complete as any in the league, and considering the situation in Baltimore, I think it’s only a matter of time before they lock up the division.

3 – Chiefs (9-3) 1

I’m not going to fault the Chiefs too much for losing a close road game to a great team by 3 when I predicted them to lose by 3. But they were certainly the inferior team on Sunday. They didn’t play poorly by any means, but they struggled at times and really have only themselves to blame for the loss. Travis Kelce was a non-factor, and when he did get one of his only touches, he fumbled. They couldn’t convert fourth downs. They missed a key FG (side note: Harrison Butker is simply not reliable anymore). They were simply stifled on both sides of the ball against a great team. The good news for Kansas City is that the remaining schedule is a cakewalk, and I’d be shocked if they lose another game this season en route to a potential 1 seed. But we’ve seen them lose to Buffalo and Cincinnati now, so who knows what could happen in January?

4 – 49ers (8-4) 2

The NFL is a brutal league. I truly believe this 49ers team is the best in the NFC. But with Jimmy Garoppolo’s season over, they now turn to Brock Purdy, their 3rd string QB. Crazier things have happened in this league, and this team is remarkable across the board, but I just don’t see how they live up to their potential anymore. They still won convincingly with Purdy against a great Dolphins team, and it wasn’t in spite of him by any means, but I just don’t know what to expect moving forward. I know this defense is going to ball out no matter what, but it might be a matter of how far they can take this team as a whole.

5 – Cowboys (9-3) 1

The Cowboys absolutely ran away from the Colts in the fourth quarter, but it certainly wasn’t easy for the first three. It was a real struggle for most of the game on Sunday night, but I don’t see too much of an issue with that. Indy has been a competitive team all year long, and that fourth quarter was pretty impressive to watch. This team is as solid as any in the NFC, and the door is now wide open for them to make a run as a wild card team (most likely). Dallas is simply as complete as they come, and that will be crucial for them down the stretch.

6 – Dolphins (8-4) 1

Like the Chiefs, I’m not going to fault the Dolphins for losing a tough road game to a great opponent. I’m actually impressed with how they were able to get back in the game. Tua Tagovailoa struggled for the most part, but made some key plays to make it a game again. Tyreek Hill was great as always, which helps any young QB. The run game was invisible, but that was fairly predictable when they’re facing a front as stout as the 49ers’. The defense was arguably the weakest link as they got carved up by a 3rd string QB. I don’t expect them to look that porous again, but they need to tighten up ASAP as the remaining schedule is brutal.

7 – Vikings (10-2)

For the trillionth time this season, the Vikings escaped by the skin of their teeth with a close win. I’ve never faulted this team for doing that, because it’s honestly a skill for a team to have, and I won’t fault them now. Their defense bent a lot, but never broke, making all of the plays necessary to win the game in the end. Kirk Cousins wasn’t great, but he also made the throws he had to when it mattered. Justin Jefferson once again put the team on his back, and it was awesome to watch. This team obviously has a clear ceiling, but they can certainly compete with anyone in this league. I don’t consider them to be contenders, but I still feel like they shouldn’t be this disrespected by everyone.

8 – Bills (9-3)

The Bills got back to their dominant ways on Thursday by completely shutting down the Patriots in a tough road environment. I had been waiting for them to put together a complete performance, and they finally did it. I can safely say that was their best game since they beat the Chiefs. Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs were masterful, James Cook got involved out of the backfield, and the defense asserted themselves all game long. Buffalo now sits atop the AFC with the 1 seed, and while that may not last, I now have way more faith in them to look like a complete team down the stretch.

9 – Seahawks (7-5) 2

The Seahawks are becoming a weird team to assess, but one thing remains certain: watching Geno Smith play is so damn fun. I love this offense so much, even though Kenneth Walker has disappeared into the void. Their passing attack with DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett isn’t getting the respect it deserves as one of the best in the league. The lack of running game and the defense’s decreasing quality are causes for concern, however. I don’t know if this team has what it takes to make a playoff push down the stretch if they lack the two key elements of a great team. The schedule isn’t awful, so it’ll be up to Geno and company to get the job done. I have plenty of faith in him.

10 – Jets (7-5)

Despite getting vastly outplayed and absolutely stifled for most of the game on Sunday, I can make the argument that the Jets deserved to win. They had every opportunity down the stretch, but poor decisions or overthrows or other self-inflicted wounds gave them another loss. I still really like what this team has going on. Mike White has been really solid, Garrett Wilson continues to be a revelation, and the RB room keeps on producing. The defense wasn’t the issue, but they gave up one or two plays too many for the offense to make up for it. I like this team a lot, but the remaining schedule is brutal, and I don’t know if they’ll be up to the task of staying in a playoff spot with some other teams nipping at their heels.

11 – Commanders (7-5-1) 2

Thinking about Sunday’s game infuriates me, so I’ll make this quick. We were the vastly superior team on Sunday. A combination of self-inflicted wounds (mostly poor playcalling) and some of the most one-sided refereeing you’ll ever see in this league is what made us end up with a vaunted tie. I’m proud of this defense for playing their tails off for most of the game, and while the offense sputtered after a hot start, they also did what they had to do down the stretch. Despite not being able to come away with a win, I feel immensely confident in our ability to come out of next week’s bye, learn from our mistakes, and crush the Giants in primetime.

12 – Titans (7-5) 3

The wheels are coming off the Titans. All of a sudden, they don’t do a single thing well. Derrick Henry hasn’t eclipsed 50 yards in his last 3 games, the passing attack was nonexistent when Treylon Burks got hurt, and the defense is surprisingly getting pushed around quite a lot. I wanted to drop Tennessee a lot further, but I’m going to give them a couple more chances in the next few weeks in some make or break games.

13 – Giants (7-4-1) 3

The Giants played about as well as I expected them to on Sunday. They should have lost, like I predicted they would. But, the refs and Lady Luck were on their side, so they escaped with a tie. I’m still pretty bitter, so I don’t want to talk about this team. Just know that a reckoning is coming in two weeks.

14 – Lions (5-7) 5

The Lions continue to look fantastic, and Sunday was a coming out party for the defense. We know what their offense is capable of, especially at home (did you know Jared Goff has a passer rating of 105 at Ford Field?), but the other side of the ball finally asserted their dominance, completely shutting down a solid Jags offense. Amon-Ra St. Brown has been one of the best WRs in football in recent weeks, Jamaal Williams won’t stop scoring, and Jameson Williams is about to provide this team a new level of athleticism. We might have to watch out for the Lions as a potential wild card team.

15 – Raiders (5-7) 6

The Raiders might as well be the Lions of the AFC. I completely wrote this team off, even dubbing them as the worst team in the league a few weeks ago, and all they’ve done is string together great performance after great performance to get back in the playoff hunt. I love the way this team is playing right now, especially offensively. Who would have thought the Raiders would be one of the most fun teams to watch at this point? Davante Adams has been incredible, getting back to his WR1 level, Josh Jacobs continues to be perhaps the best RB in the league this year, and the rest of the offense is starting to pour in contributions. Most importantly, the defense is finally stepping up as well. They’re making plays, forcing turnovers, and actually winning this team games. I love the way they play, and their trajectory could have them firmly in the hunt as the season winds down.

16 – Ravens (8-4) 4

I’m getting so sick and tired of talking about the Ravens. It seems counter-intuitive, but this team doesn’t deserve to be 8-4 at all. They are such an eye sore with a horrible offense and a lackluster defense. With Lamar Jackson being sidelined for the next week or so, their flaws are really going to show. I can’t wait for them to lose this division race and inevitably be a first round exit.

17 – Chargers (6-6) 2

The Chargers are the Chargers. There’s not much more that can be said. They lose every game in virtually the exact same fashion, and they cannot be trusted in any regard. That’s exactly why I picked against them on Sunday, and I’ll continue to do so. There’s only so much Justin Herbert can do. The kid has looked amazing lately, but it means nothing when his defense is as poor as it is. Gotta feel bad for him.

18 – Patriots (6-6) 4

Remember the two week stretch where the Patriots offense looked pretty solid? Yeah, those were the days. They’re back to being incompetent on that side of the ball with poor QB play and virtually no weapons on the roster. It also doesn’t help that the wheels have seemingly fallen off the defense, which was the strong suit of the team for so long. They simply don’t do anything well right now, and they’re not going to make the playoffs for that reason. They could turn it around, but it just seems too unlikely with the roster in its current state and a very tough remaining schedule.

19 – Browns (5-7) 2

The Deshaun Watson return was extremely anti-climactic and lackluster in every regard. The offense was absolutely abysmal from start to finish, and the Browns needed help from the incompetent Texans to rack up defensive and special teams scores to win. I don’t know if it was rust or what, but it was pretty embarrassing. I do think they’ll turn it around, but man. That was not a promising sight at all.

20 – Buccaneers (6-6) 2

Even at age 45, Tom Brady can still be Tom Brady. So, that’s cool. It’d be even cooler if wasn’t the most blatant script in the history of the NFL, but it doesn’t really matter to me. The real Buccaneers were the team we saw for the first 55 minutes on Monday night: incompetent offensively with a solid defense. That will be enough to win them this dreadful division, but that’s about it. Unless Goodell busts the scripts out for the playoffs. I won’t put that past him.

21 – Packers (4-8) 1

Aaron Rodgers still owns the Bears. Not exactly breaking news. Still, the Packers are showing things to like, especially offensively. Christian Watson has simply been on fire, and the offense looks a lot more balanced now that they can effectively throw and run the ball. The defense is still nothing short of a mess, but they made all the necessary plays on Sunday to win. It doesn’t really mean anything, but the Packers should feel good about themselves. Wins have been hard to come by, so they should cherish them all.

22 – Steelers (5-7) 3

Like Detroit and Vegas, the Steelers are a team that has been playing great ball and have a great trajectory. Unlike those teams, this team has a clear offensive ceiling that holds them back. There’s nothing remotely special about that side of the ball in Pittsburgh. But, the defense is still fantastic, and that’s all they need to win games like Sunday’s. We’ll see how far it can take them.

23 – Falcons (5-8) 1

The Falcons are another team that I just don’t want to talk about anymore. They are just so boring and so bad at everything that I don’t see a reason to talk about them. I’ll just sound like a broken record. I think there’s a future in Atlanta, but this season is beyond cooked.

24 – Jaguars (4-8) 1

The Jaguars may have gotten smoked on Sunday in Detroit, but they did come away with one win. Trevor Lawrence coming out of a scary, low hit completely unscathed is honestly miraculous. It looked like a season-ending injury, but he’s completely fine. That’s great to see. The young QB has been solid, and an injury like that would have been awful to see. The rest of the team was pretty awful to see, however. On any given week, the Jags are either going to look like a solid young team with a great future or a complete dumpster fire. I’m pretty sure they flip a coin in the locker room to decide which one it’ll be every Sunday.

25 – Cardinals (4-8) 1

Mercifully, the Cardinals had the week off. This is where I’d make a Kyler Murray COD joke, but I won’t stoop that low. All I know is that this team will continue to be its weird little self as the season winds down, and it’s not going to be very fun to watch.

26 – Colts (4-7-1)

As I said before, the Colts were very competitive for three quarters on Sunday night. The fourth quarter was a nightmare. But it was such an anomaly that I don’t want to bump this team down. I know they’re a solid bunch that’s nothing special. Their identity has been clear for several weeks now, and that’s not going to change.

27 – Bears (3-10)

Once again, the Bears did exactly what they had to do. They let Justin Fields cook, and they lost. It’s the perfect outcome, and they’ve done it for months now. Keep on doing this, Chicago. Go get that top 3 pick you deserve and build this team around #1.

28 – Panthers (4-8)

The Panthers won the bye week by releasing Baker Mayfield. Good for them!

29 – Rams (3-9) 1

I’ll give the Rams credit, they were competitive to the bitter end, and John Wolford looked really solid. He toughed out a late injury and did what he had to in order to give his team a fighting chance. That was very valiant and cool to see. The defense didn’t exactly follow suit, which was fairly predictable. But maybe this team will be competitive if nothing else down the stretch. Maybe.

30 – Saints (4-9) 1

I just don’t know. There are so many problems with this team, and repeating them is a complete waste of time. Just clean house and start over, for our sake and your own.

31 – Broncos (3-9)

I mean, good lord guys. This is getting so embarrassing that I don’t think I can quantify it in words. I don’t know if anything or anyone is capable of fixing this offense at this point. If I was on the Broncos defense, I’d ask for reparations.

32 – Texans (1-10-1)

Enjoy the #1 pick! Please don’t waste it.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Week 13 Picks

Week 13 provides the most stacked schedule of the entire season with incredible matchups and fantastic storylines all over the place. Here’s how I see this inevitably awesome slate playing out.

Cover photo taken from NFL.com.

Last Week: 11-5

Season Total: 106-72-1

Bills 23-20 Patriots

Thursday, 8:15 PM EST, Prime Video

I really wanted to pick the Patriots outright here, seeing as though all signs point towards them winning this game. Both teams are equally rested from playing on Thanksgiving, and New England looked arguably better than Buffalo did. Now, the Pats come home for this massive showdown with a ton of implications for the division and the playoffs. I think Bill Belichick is going to have his guys ready, but as much as I want to trust that, I can’t pick Josh Allen and the Bills to lose this game. They need to come out and make a statement, and I think that’s exactly what they’re going to do. Buffalo’s defense will need to step up and play some of their best ball of the season, and without Von Miller, it’s going to be very tough. It’s going to be a slog for a while, and the Patriots will probably lead this one for the most part, but I think the Bills offense will get going in the second half to come back and steal a win in Foxboro.

Steelers 17-14 Falcons

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

These teams are on par with each other in my mind. I’d typically pick the home team in a situation like this, but I think the Steelers are simply trending in a much better direction than the Falcons are. Pittsburgh’s young pieces are finally starting to gel and the defense is back to playing very well now that they’re healthy again, and I simply don’t see how Marcus Mariota and the Falcons’ anemic offense is going to put up enough points on them. The Steelers offense should do just enough, regardless of whether Najee Harris plays or not, to win this game.

Packers 24-21 Bears

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

As much as I would love to pick the Bears in this game, predicting Aaron Rodgers to lose to Chicago is simply sacrilegious. Justin Fields should be back for the Bears, which makes them the better team, but until they show me that they can actually beat the Packers, I won’t predict them to. If Fields is fully healthy and plays like his usual self, then Chicago should win this one fairly easily. This is their best opportunity to prove me wrong.

Lions 27-24 Jaguars

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

This may look like a gross matchup on paper, but I think this game is going to be so much fun. These are two young teams that are seemingly starting to get it going, and I think there’s going to be points galore in Detroit in a very exciting contest. I’m not sure how the Jaguars are a road favorite against a Lions team that has been so solid at home, especially ATS, but I do understand the sentiment. Jacksonville looked really great last week, and Trevor Lawrence is doing his thing. But, the same can be said about the Lions. They almost beat the Bills, and we know how dangerous they are at Ford Field. I think their prowess at home is enough to put them over the top in a game like this against an opponent that’s on their level. It wouldn’t shock me if it goes the other way, seeing as though the Lions always find a way to lose games like this. Regardless, I’m actually really excited to see it play out.

Vikings 21-20 Jets

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

It’s strange to see a game like this mean so much at this point in the season, but here we are. This one is going to be extremely impactful on the playoff races in both conferences. The Vikings squeaked by for a win yet again last week, while the Jets are flying high after Mike White’s heroics last week and the continued lights-out play by their defense. I actually think this is a super solid matchup for the Jets. I think their defensive front will be able to lock up Dalvin Cook, and I think Sauce Gardner can hold his own against Justin Jefferson (in what’s probably the best WR-CB battle of the season). But it feels too difficult to pick against the Vikings at home coming off a mini-bye, especially with 1PM Kirk Cousins being activated. They should be able to do just enough offensively towards the end of this game to snatch another victory out of the jaws of defeat and inch closer to a division title.

Commanders 20-17 Giants

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

It has been six years since the last meaningful Washington-New York game this late in the season. There is so much on the line on Sunday in East Rutherford when it comes to the Wild Card race. Neither team can afford a loss, and a win puts someone firmly in position to lock up a playoff spot in the coming weeks. These teams are trending in completely opposite directions; the Giants are coming off a mini-bye after being handled by the Cowboys on Thanksgiving, which was their third loss in their last four games, and the Commanders are coming off their sixth win in seven weeks on Sunday against Atlanta. So, it’s no secret why Washington is favored in this one, even on the road. Vegas is right. We are the better team and there is no excuse to lose this game, even on the road. We can effectively stop everything that the Giants do well offensively, and if our offense does its job and limits its mistakes, then we will win this game. I think it all boils down to which QB loses the game for their team. I want to believe it won’t be Taylor Heinicke. And I really, really want to be proven right.

Eagles 22-17 Titans

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

This game looks a lot better on paper than it will actually be. I think it’ll be close, but it will be pretty ugly and run-centric from start to finish. That says a lot about these two defenses, which are both great. I think both offenses are capable of doing great things, but not in a matchup like this. The two fantastic front sevens will control this game, with both teams desperate to establish the run. So, it’ll probably come down to whoever can make the most plays through the air. There’s no doubt who the better passing team is here. The Titans have certainly found something in rookie WR Treylon Burks, but the Eagles have plenty more weapons and the vastly better QB in Jalen Hurts. At home, they will make all the plays necessary in the passing game to win this one late.

Ravens 19-10 Broncos

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

Both of these teams annoy me, so the fact that they’re playing against each other this week really annoys me. The Ravens are simply the better team by a longshot, so they will obviously win this game. But it’s going to be ugly and there will not be a lot of points put on the board thanks to the level of both defenses. So, my two pieces of advice are: don’t watch this game and take the under.

Browns 27-10 Texans

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

Deshaun Watson is back in the NFL and back in Houston. Certainly this wasn’t deliberate on the part of the league! Regardless, Watson should be thankful that he’s getting such an easy tune-up in his first game back. Houston will definitely be hostile for him on Sunday, but the Texans themselves certainly won’t be. He should have a field day against their dreadful defense, and the Browns will likely look like the great team that they have the potential to be.

Seahawks 24-13 Rams

Sunday, 4:05 PM EST, FOX

It’s no surprise that more money is coming in on the Seahawks than any other team this week. Everyone knows the Rams will be completely overmatched in this game despite being somewhat competitive last week. Yes, the Seahawks looked absolutely brutal defensively on Sunday, but Los Angeles doesn’t pose any sort of offensive threat. This is a perfect bounce-back opportunity for Seattle’s defense, and their offense should have an absolute field day once again. Even in a road environment against a divisional opponent, the Seahawks should dominate this one.

49ers 20-17 Dolphins

Sunday, 4:05 PM EST, FOX

What a gorgeous matchup this is. Two of the best teams in the NFL that play nearly identical football facing off in a massive matchup and potential Super Bowl preview in December. The student in Mike McDaniel vs. the teacher in Kyle Shanahan: who can execute the system better? It’s a difficult question to answer. I’m picking the 49ers for a few reasons. The first of which is their defense, which is miles better than any other in the NFL right now. Even against a phenomenal Dolphins offense, I think they’ll be able to keep things under control. The second reason is what I mentioned earlier: Kyle Shanahan is the teacher. He should know all the ins and outs of Mike McDaniel and his system, since Shanahan is the one who started it. The final reason is the most basic, Raza reason of all time, which is the 49ers being at home. But the first two are my main rationale behind picking the Niners here. I just think it’s a great matchup for them, and Miami needs to prove to me that they’re up for this incredibly difficult test.

Bengals 30-27 Chiefs

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, CBS

Here it is. Perhaps the game of the year in a rematch of last year’s regular season thriller and playoff classic. Two of the best QBs in the NFL facing off in Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow. Two of the best weapons in football on display in Travis Kelce and Ja’Marr Chase. Two fantastic offenses and two improving, stout defenses facing off against one another. This game is certainly going to live up to the hype, and it might exceed it somehow. I’d typically be wrestling with myself in making this pick, but I actually feel very confident in the Bengals to win this game, and I even think they should be favored here. For starters, they’re at home. They got DJ Reader back, which immediately made the defensive front infinitely better, and the Chiefs don’t pose much of a rushing threat (although Isiah Pacheco is certainly giving them a lift). They’re getting Ja’Marr Chase back, and Joe Mixon is likely returning as well, providing their offense with the biggest possible lift. Joe Burrow has never lost to Patrick Mahomes, and I see no reason for that first loss to come here. If Cincinnati’s offensive line can keep Burrow afloat, he should have a field day against a secondary that simply hasn’t seen an offense this stacked yet this season. Look for Chase to have a massive game against Chiefs rookie DB Trent McDuffie. This is a perfect matchup for Cincy, and while Mahomes and company are obviously going to do their thing, I just think the Bengals have what it takes to win this game and stake their claim for the AFC. Bengals stocks are skyrocketing, and this is their best opportunity to keep them rising. I virtually never pick against the Chiefs, but this just makes sense to me. Which of course means it’s going to explode in my face.

Raiders 27-24 Chargers

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, CBS

If I know anything about both of these teams (which I rarely ever do), then I know this game is going to be hilarious and must-see TV from start to finish on Sunday evening. They don’t make many games with much more potential to be a complete clown fiesta than this one. These teams in this time slot in a divisional showdown is just bound to create fireworks. Neither of these teams moves the needle at all. Neither one does anything particularly well other than force feed their star RBs. Neither of these defenses are good, so those RBs should pop off like they always do. That alone makes this worth the price of admission. I don’t even know how to assess this matchup or make a pick here, so I’m just going to take the Raiders for being at home and looking flashier last week. They might come back to Earth and completely crash after last week, or they could carry that momentum into this big game and pop off yet again. Regardless of what I predict, the opposite will happen.

Cowboys 27-16 Colts

Sunday, 8:20 PM EST, NBC

This is one of the more simple picks of the week. Dallas has extra rest after playing on Thanksgiving. They have the vastly superior offense and a much better defense. They are playing some of the best football in the league. The Colts are solid and competitive, but they will simply be overmatched here from start to finish. They might hang around for a while, but I don’t think they have a semblance of a chance in this game.

Buccaneers 16-13 Saints

Monday, 8:15 PM EST, ESPN

This is gross. Buccaneers-Saints games always are, but this one might be the worst of them all. For both of these teams, the ceiling is mid and the floor is unwatchable garbage. I expect this matchup to bring out the worst in both sides. It’s going to be ugly, defensive, low-scoring, and littered with turnovers. And the slightly better team will prevail. It’s pretty simple in theory, but it’s going to be awful in reality.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Post-Week 12 Power Rankings

Thanksgiving weekend provided some great football and shook up the Power Rankings from top to bottom.

Cover photo taken from Yahoo News.

1 – Chiefs (9-2)

The Chiefs didn’t play their best game on Sunday, settling for a lot of field goals on long drives that died close to the goal line. Despite that, they still won very convincingly, albeit against one of the worst teams in the league. They still got their numbers in and are vastly improving in the run game due to the emergence of Isiah Pacheco. They have one of their toughest tests of the year this week in a banger matchup against the Bengals, so we’ll see just how effective their new and improved run game and secondary is in that one.

2 – 49ers (7-4)

Like the team above them, the 49ers didn’t put together the flashiest performance in their win on Sunday, but they continued to show just how dominant they can be defensively. Shutting out the team who had gone the longest without being shut out is a pretty impressive feat. San Francisco is now first in every defensive statistical category other than passing defense. The offense didn’t look great, and Elijah Mitchell is out again with injury, but I think that will allow them to use Christian McCaffrey a lot more, which can help them in the end. After a few weeks of beating up on poor opposition, this week’s potential Super Bowl preview against the Dolphins will tell us whether or not the Niners deserve to be this high.

3 – Eagles (10-1)

I wanted to move the Eagles up just a bit this week, but I simply hated what I saw from their defense on Sunday night. Giving up 33 points at home to an offense that has struggled all year long isn’t a great sign. What is a great sign is seeing their own offense finally look like themselves again, rushing for a franchise record 363 yards amidst another tremendous outing from Jalen Hurts. I would like to see them throw the ball more effectively, but at this point, it doesn’t matter. They can run it down your throat all game long, and there’s nothing you can do to stop it.

4 – Cowboys (8-3)

Dallas looked just about as good as I expected them to on Thanksgiving. Their defense got off to a slow start, but they eventually suffocated the Giants offense while Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb did the rest on the other side of the ball. It’s difficult to assess the meaning of moving the ball on the Giants at this point in the season, but I liked what the Cowboys offense showed on Thursday. They don’t have many tough defenses on the schedule for the next few weeks, so this theme should continue for a bit.

5 – Dolphins (8-3)

The Dolphins did exactly what we all knew they would do on Sunday, if not less than expected. They thrashed the Texans on both sides of the ball, although it wasn’t as flashy or explosive as I may have anticipated. Still, they were up 30-0 at halftime, so taking the rest of the game off doesn’t bother me. Tua Tagovailoa still looks incredible, the offense continues to fire on all cylinders, and the defense is still clicking as well. The last couple of weeks have been gimmes for Miami, so this week’s mammoth matchup with the 49ers will be a great benchmark for where this team stands.

6 – Bengals (7-4) 3

The Bengals just put together one of the most impressive wins of the year. I thought they would lose when we were still under the impression that Ja’Marr Chase would be playing. When he was ruled out, I figured there was no way they could pull it out. And they controlled the Titans from start to finish in another remarkable performance by their star QB Joe Burrow and their great defense. Burrow just keeps on slinging it even without his favorite target, Tee Higgins has been incredibly dominant as a WR1, and Semaje Perine has proven himself as a very capable backup with back to back spectacular performances. Meanwhile, the defense keeps on doing its thing, despite being susceptible to the occasional big play. But they don’t give up many touchdowns, and they are one of the best in the league after halftime. They’ll have their hands full with Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs coming into town on Sunday, but I just keep on loving what the Bengals show me, and I have no reason to believe that they won’t be up for the test.

7 – Vikings (9-2) 1

My biggest takeaway from Thanksgiving is that Kirk Cousins put together a great performance in primetime. I was pleasantly surprised to see the Vikings pull it out late, and their offense looked fantastic all game long with Justin Jefferson putting together another spectacular performance. Their defense made the plays they had to in the end despite struggling all game long, and now Minnesota is in a position to become the first division-clincher of the season. I feel like I’m not as low on this team as so many others, but I’m still not as high as I once was. I think they have a ton of potential, but I still need to see more before concluding that they can reach that potential on a weekly basis.

8 – Bills (8-3) 1

I’m not going to sit here and say that struggling with the Lions is a bad thing. That’s a solid team and that’s an environment that’s fine to struggle in. I’m also not going to sit here and say I wasn’t impressed with the Bills on Thanksgiving. I would have liked to see them play better on both sides of the ball, especially offensively. I don’t know why they keep getting off to such slow starts, but it doesn’t matter if Josh Allen keeps putting the team on his back late in games. I do think the injury to Von Miller is going to set this team back a great deal, and their defense could struggle mightily in the coming weeks. Buffalo now has three straight tough divisional games that will show us what they’re made of.

9 – Titans (7-4) 1

I had a great deal of faith in the Titans. Unfortunately that faith was misplaced. I do think that this team has a ton of great things going on, and they just happened to lose to a better team. I think the thing I like the most about what Tennessee is showing me is that Treylon Burks is finally emerging as a viable WR in this offense. They are going to need that down the stretch. They still look plenty good on both sides of the ball, and they will be fine. But Sunday’s loss makes me skeptical that this team can do anything in the playoffs.

10 – Jets (7-4) 5

All the Jets needed to become a great team again was a quarterback change. Who would’ve thought? The legend of Mike White returned and grew tenfold on Sunday as the backup came in and produced another incredible performance. It helps that the best player on the offense finally got the ball consistently as rookie WR Garrett Wilson put together one of the best games of his young career. When #17 gets the ball, good things happen. The RB room continues to get thinner, but backups Zonovan Knight and Ty Johnson did their thing when they were called upon. The defense looked like themselves again, but I’ll wait until they play a QB not named Trevor Siemian to decide whether or not they’re fully back. The good news is that the Jets have their mojo again and finally look like a competent team once more. The remaining schedule is brutal, so we’ll see how long they can keep it up.

11 – Seahawks (6-5)

What happened to the Seahawks defense? I can’t make heads or tails of it, but all of a sudden, they can’t stop anything anymore. I thought the Bucs game was a product of a huge international trip, but getting gashed at home by the Raiders leaves me scratching my head. Moreover, Geno Smith has started committing some errant turnovers that don’t inspire a lot of confidence. He was able to bounce back and string together a nice performance, but it means nothing when the defense doesn’t show up. It also doesn’t help that Kenneth Walker was running into a wall all game long. Seattle is now outside of the playoff picture, and they need to fix their issues at the earliest convenience if they want to get back in.

12 – Ravens (7-4) 2

I don’t want to talk about this team. They annoy me to no end. Every game goes exactly the same: get off to a huge lead and then blow it in hilarious and ridiculous fashion. Each of the Ravens’ losses have come with multi-possession second half leads. For a team as supposedly well-coached as Baltimore is, that is both inexcusable and incomprehensible. Continuing to lose in this fashion again and again is what can cause a team and a locker room to fall apart. It’s going to cause this team to lose their grip on the division.

13 – Commanders (7-5)

Hey. Look at us. Who would’ve thought. Not me! The Commanders have now won six of seven and sit in the playoffs as the 7 seed. The winning formula continues to be executed perfectly week in and week out. Brian Robinson Jr. has emerged as the RB1 we all knew he could be, notching his first 100-yard game and boasting a reasonably-sized hat afterwards. The defense continues to play at an elite level, doing everything necessary to win games on their own. They bent for a while on Sunday, but never broke, and eventually came up with the game-winning turnover. Chase Young should actually return next week, which will help the pass rush (I am tired of saying this every week, please come back Chase!), but we don’t even need that at this point. Montez Sweat is playing out of his mind, as is Jonathan Allen, as always. Taylor Heinicke is still… Taylor Heinicke, but it doesn’t matter at this point. As long as the team arounds him continues to thrive, his mistakes can be avenged. But I still don’t like seeing them. There’s room to improve, but I have a ton of faith in this team to keep on doing their thing. Next up is two straight games against the Giants with a bye sandwiched in the middle. This is a fantastic opportunity to prove ourselves, and I hope we can get the job done.

14 – Patriots (6-5)

The Patriots showed me a lot to like on Thursday night. Mac Jones played another surprisingly great game and several members of the offense contributed in huge ways. The defense could have played better, but they also flashed at times. You can talk about the refs all you want, but the Patriots probably deserved to lose anyways. Still, I feel pretty solid about this team, and think they have what it takes to make a playoff push. Next up is another Thursday nighter, this time in a massive divisional showdown against the Bills. Don’t be surprised if it looks similar to last week’s game.

15 – Chargers (6-5) 2

I’m not going to overreact to the Chargers eking out a win over a bad Cardinals team, but it was nice to see them put together a win like that after last week’s tough loss. Justin Herbert looked great once again and put together a masterclass of a game-winning drive. I still don’t feel great about this team on either side of the ball, but I know that #10 gives them a fighting shot in any of their games. That’s more than I can say about most teams in this league.

16 – Giants (7-4)

The Giants are continuing to get exposed week in and week out and I am continuing to love it. There’s not much I can say about Thursday’s game that I haven’t been saying about this team for months. They cannot beat teams that are better than they are, and they cannot rely on their passing game to carry them offensively. Their defense continues to struggle against any offense with a pulse, although they are getting healthier, which could help them in the upcoming weeks. Their next four games are against current playoff teams, so New York could either prove me completely wrong or continue to fall apart like I knew they would.

17 – Browns (4-7) 4

The Browns did what I expected them to do in beating the Buccaneers this week. It wasn’t necessarily how I expected it to happen, but they got it done. However, none of that really matters now. All eyes are on Cleveland this week as Deshaun Watson returns from his suspension. There’s no doubt that he will elevate this offense tremendously, but it still feels so wrong that he’ll even be playing at all. It’ll be interesting to assess this team after seeing him play, but there’s no doubt that it will be sullied by just how poorly this franchise has handled everything in the last year or so.

18 – Buccaneers (5-6) 6

Why should we have any faith in the Buccaneers to do anything worth a damn? Yes, they are going to win this atrocious division and host a playoff game, but why should I believe that will amount to anything? They aren’t playing as poorly as they once were, but they are now bordering on incompetent when it comes to coaching, and that will hold them back. Todd Bowles just isn’t meant to be a head coach in this league. We’ll see if their newfound running game can carry them.

19 – Lions (4-7) 3

Simply put, the Lions just keep on showing me things to like. Their passing offense continues to play at a prolific level at home, and Jamaal Williams is proving to be way more effective than any of us expected. He’s practically RB1 in this offense at this point. Now, they could be adding first round pick WR Jameson Williams to the fold, which will give them another level of explosiveness as the season winds down. I wish this defense was playing ever so slightly better, but even they looked solid on Thanksgiving, making some nice plays in key spots. But, they folded when it mattered most, and that’s all anyone is going to remember. Still, I thoroughly enjoy watching this team, and I think that’s going to continue for the rest of the year.

20 – Packers (4-8) 1

The Packers are in a very precarious spot that I don’t believe they ever wanted to be in. The season is a completely cooked product, but now, so is Aaron Rodgers. So, the reins are likely being handed to Jordan Love, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The third-year man looked great in his relief appearance on Sunday night, and I think he could really flash if given the opportunity to start the rest of the year. I see no reason for Rodgers to come back this year, and I think it would benefit the Packers tremendously to let Love do his thing for the next few weeks. They have nothing to lose, and plenty of draft position to gain.

21 – Raiders (4-7) 6

Josh Jacobs. That’s it. That’s all that needs to be said about the Raiders. Jacobs is continuing to play like an OPOY frontrunner, putting together the best game of his life on Sunday, putting together over 300 all purpose yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winning sprint in overtime. Vegas keeps on feeding him non-stop, and it keeps on working. It’s honestly really nice to see him flourish. Davante Adams also continues to pour in good contributions offensively, which helps complement Jacobs’ running attack. Yeah the defense still sucks, but I don’t even think this team cares as long as #28 keeps on doing what he’s doing.

22 – Falcons (5-7) 2

It has been pretty apparent for a while now that the Marcus Mariota experiment in Atlanta has been a complete failure. Yes, the Falcons are still very much in position to perhaps win this division, but I don’t think Mariota should continue being the signal caller. I don’t think Atlanta loses anything from letting Desmond Ridder get some reps. This team can’t get anything going offensively with Mariota under center, so why not see what the rookie has to offer? The defense is actually playing pretty well, so a change at the QB position could provide this team the lift they need to get back on track.

23 – Jaguars (4-7) 3

Sunday’s win was absolutely awesome to see thanks to the best game of Trevor Lawrence’s career by a longshot. The young star QB went 29/37 for 321 yards, 3 touchdowns, and no picks. He orchestrated a beautiful game-winning drive with barely any time on the clock and looked the part of the generational QB he has been promised to be. It felt really nice to see the kid do his thing on a big stage against a good team. It inspires a lot of confidence in what the Jaguars are building moving forward.

24 – Cardinals (4-8) 6

You can’t force me to talk about this team. I won’t do it! The only thing I’ll say is that they need to fire Kliff Kingsbury yesterday. Just swallow your pride and do it.

25 – Steelers (4-7) 3

The Steelers are starting to figure things out with their young offense. Kenny Pickett looks more comfortable by the week, George Pickens continues to break out as one of the best rookie WRs of his class, and the run game is actually working. Benny Snell was the workhorse after Najee Harris’ injury, but both poured in good contributions all game long. The defense is clearly amplified by the presence of TJ Watt and Minkah Fitzpatrick, who made the plays to win the game, as they so often do. I think Pittsburg his a team that could have a strong finish to the year now that the pieces are finally starting to fit together.

26 – Colts (4-7-1) 3

Jeff Saturday had his first bad coaching moment on Monday night. I’m surprised it took three weeks for it to happen. Remarkably poor clock management and surprisingly poor defense what lost the Colts the game on Monday night. They were able to orchestrate a nice comeback, but it just wasn’t enough. It’s clear that Indy has some pretty nice offensive pieces, and with an actual QB, they could do some nice things in the future. But the weak links simply continue to weigh them down.

27 – Bears (3-9) 3

The Bears played a good team on the road without their star QB and were forced to start a journeyman backup with painkilling injections in his leg and subsequently got thrashed. And none of us are surprised. Chicago will look like that more often than not when they’re missing their best player. It’s a pretty simple calculus.

28 – Panthers (4-8) 3

The Panthers have quietly been pretty solid over the last month or so. Yeah this team is pretty bad, but they were always competitive, and that competitiveness is now translating into wins over bad teams. That’s about as much as you could ask for with a team in a state like this. The run game got back on track, Sam Darnold wasn’t awful, and the defense didn’t have to do much against the worst offense in football. It was just a solid game from a team that’s probably better than they seem.

29 – Saints (4-8) 4

Stop making me watch Andy Dalton. I’m begging you.

30 – Rams (3-8)

The Rams are a sad sight that is only getting sadder by the week. While I think they played better than we expected on Sunday, they still weren’t good by any means and never stood a chance. They don’t really stand a chance in any of their games at this point. This is just an awful team that’s only getting worse.

31 – Broncos (3-8) 2

No thanks.

32 – Texans (1-9-1)

Making a QB change meant absolutely nothing and predictably didn’t help at all. What a shocker! I never liked the decision to bench Davis Mills. The team’s struggles were never his fault. I hope they give him another shot.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Week 12 Picks

Thanksgiving is upon us with an absolute feast of a schedule of games throughout the holiday weekend. Here are my picks for one of the most stacked slates of the season.

Cover photo taken from NFL.com.

Last Week: 9-5

Season Total: 95-67-1

Bills 27-20 Lions

Thursday, 12:30 PM EST, CBS

Thanksgiving kicks off with what should be a very entertaining game in Detroit. The Bills are playing their second straight game at Ford Field after the blizzard moved their game there last week. They’re going to be much more comfortable in this game than they were on Sunday against Cleveland, and I think their offense is going to look much better. Josh Allen should be able to string together a solid performance, and he has a penchant for tearing it up on Thanksgiving. I do think the Lions will be competitive though. They’re on a three-game win streak and have looked very good on both sides of the ball in recent weeks. They won’t back down from this challenge at all. But I think this is a bit too tall of a mountain for them to climb.

Cowboys 26-13 Giants

Thursday, 4:30 PM EST, FOX

If last week was any indication, then this game shouldn’t be close. The Cowboys are 9.5-point favorites for a reason. They looked unstoppable on both sides of the ball last week in Minnesota, while the Giants lost to a Lions team that hasn’t been anything special this season. Now, the Cowboys come home and should be able to handle this Giants team with ease. They already beat them this year on the road, and that was when Cooper Rush was starting. With Dak back and playing great ball, and with that defense being as dominant as they are, I think this one could be a blowout.

Patriots 20-17 Vikings

Thursday, 8:20 PM EST, NBC

Everyone is jumping ship on the Vikings after their embarrassment/exposé last week. While I’m not ready to give up on them, I do think this is going to be another brutal matchup for them. New England’s defense has been great, and Kirk Cousins is bound to struggle in primetime against another stout defensive front. New England’s offense isn’t anything special, but they should look much better than they did last week amidst the elements in Foxboro. I just think this matchup plays right into the strengths of the Patriots with their defense and run game, and they should be able to escape with a close win.

Browns 21-18 Buccaneers

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

This is one of the more even matchups of the week for me. I think the Bucs are a better team than the Browns, but this feels like a very winnable game for Cleveland. Tampa is coming off a bye and had some good momentum going into it, but this is a tough road test for them. The Browns have been losing, but they’ve been competitive. Amari Cooper has been playing fantastic, and if they can get Nick Chubb going, then they can win any game. The key to this one is how the Buccaneers offense looks coming out of their bye. I’d like to think that they won’t be completely lethargic, but they have been lacking something all year long. This is a great opportunity to prove their worth as they try to get back over .500.

Titans 23-20 Bengals

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

This rematch of last year’s divisional playoff matchup should be a blast. This is the best game of the week in my opinion, as well as the hardest to pick. It’s easy to lean the Bengals way with how hot Joe Burrow and their offense have been, especially since Ja’Marr Chase is returning to the lineup after missing the last month or so with injury. Perhaps the result of that playoff game also lingers in people’s minds. But I just can’t bring myself to side with Cincy here. I just think this is a great matchup for the Titans. Being at home helps, but they are simply going to take advantage of all of the Bengals’ weaknesses. Their defensive front should feast on Cincinnati’s horrible offensive line, just like the Steelers did a week ago. Plus, Joe Mixon might not even play for Cincy, so Burrow will be dropping back time after time and will likely get hit over and over again. Derrick Henry has been unstoppable, and considering the Bengals couldn’t stop Najee Harris last week, I think the King could have another huge game. As long as Ryan Tannehill limits his mistakes and the defense keeps Burrow and company in check, the Titans should be able to out-execute the Bengals down the stretch and come away with this win. Or, Burrow and Chase could explode like they always do and carry Cincy to a win. Neither result would shock me.

Dolphins 38-10 Texans

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

The Dolphins are one of the best teams in the NFL with perhaps the best, most explosive, most dynamic offense in the NFL. The Texans are the worst team in the league by a solid margin. This will be a complete wash. Next!

Jets 20-17 Bears

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

The Jets are finally doing the right thing and benching Zach Wilson. It’s about damn time. I’m glad they’re owning up to their mistakes. The reins are now being handed to Mike White, who was a bit up and down last year, but is definitely an upgrade over Wilson. If all else fails, they can always turn to Joe Flacco again, who wasn’t awful in his few starts this year. Regardless, I think the Jets are simply the better team in this game, and I expect their defense to do the heavy lifting on Sunday. The Bears will likely be able to play Justin Fields, but his shoulder injury will limit him. If they can ride David Montgomery all game long, then they could win. But that just doesn’t seem feasible.

Commanders 23-13 Falcons

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

There is not a universe where this game should be remotely close. The Falcons are a team that is incapable of throwing the football, boasting the second worst passing offense in the league with a measly 154.5 yards/game. They just lost one of their only viable pass-catchers with Kyle Pitts’ knee injury. While they’re a good running team, they’re going up against one of the most stout run defenses in the league on the road. The Commanders have give up the sixth least rushing yards per game in the NFL, and the defense is only getting hotter. With Chase Young finally returning to the lineup, they’ll have even more juice on that side of the ball. Like last week, the Commanders offense won’t have to do too much for them to come away with a win. All they have to do is rely on the run game and let their defense do the rest.

Panthers 13-10 Broncos

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

Similar to the Broncos game a week ago, I don’t want anything to do with this, and I know you don’t either. I can’t believe I’m trusting Sam Darnold of all people to win a game, but like last week, I’m just going to drop this here and move on.

Ravens 24-20 Jaguars

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

This is a weird matchup. No matter what my pick would have been, I know I would feel weird about it. On one hand, I feel like the Jaguars could be competitive and maybe even win this game coming out of their bye. The Ravens looked dreadful last week and didn’t inspire a lot of confidence in their offense. On the other hand, this is another Florida homecoming for Lamar Jackson, and the first one went swimmingly. So, who’s to say it won’t happen again? I feel like Baltimore is going to look much better offensively in this game than they did last Sunday, but I also think the Jaguars are going to give them fits for a bit. It will probably be close for a while, but the Ravens pulling away late makes sense to me.

Chargers 27-24 Cardinals

Sunday, 4:05 PM EST, CBS

Both of these teams suffered pretty tough primetime losses to division rivals last week. That makes this pick extremely difficult. The Chargers showed me infinitely more to like than the Cardinals did, especially offensively. Justin Herbert looked great now that he has all of his weapons available. We still don’t really know what’s going on at QB for Arizona, so it’s hard to put any faith in them to win. I do like both of their options, but, neither are better than Herbert. Moreover, the Cards defense got absolutely smacked on Monday, and I think that LA can take advantage of their weaknesses in the secondary. I just think the Chargers are ever so slightly better on both sides of the ball, so they’re my pick, even in a tough road setting.

Seahawks 24-16 Raiders

Sunday, 4:05 PM EST, CBS

I don’t see a world where the Seahawks lose at home off a bye to a team as bad as the Raiders. The last time we saw Seattle was in Munich, where they suffered a tough loss to the Bucs. Now, they’re well rested off the international break, and should be ready to come home and smack a bad team. I’m honestly pretty excited to see how their offense plays. They can either lay a dud like they did in Germany, or they can get back to their dominant ways from the first half of the season. The latter seems much more likely, especially in a matchup like this.

Chiefs 31-10 Rams

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, FOX

A lot has changed for both of these teams since their absolute classic of a meeting four years ago in LA. The Rams have changed infinitely more than the Chiefs have, specifically in the department of being a good team. Kansas City is easily the best team in football, while the Rams have become a laughingstock that sold their soul for a ring. By all means, this should be a complete blowout for the Chiefs. They are hot and are showing no signs of slowing down. The Rams might not even have Matthew Stafford for this game, so that makes it even easier to project a total wash for KC.

49ers 24-13 Saints

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, FOX

The Saints got their mojo back last week, but they’re about to run into a complete wall in San Francisco. The 49ers are far and away the best defensive team in the league, and New Orleans doesn’t pose enough of an offensive threat to make me believe that this one will be close. Moreover, the Niners offense was clicking better than ever before on Monday night in Mexico. At home against an arguably worse defense, I see no reason for them to slow down.

Eagles 27-19 Packers

Sunday, 8:20 PM EST, NBC

The Eagles need a game to get back on track and return to their dominant form from the first half of the season. I think this is their opportunity. Coming back home for another primetime game against a struggling Packers team seems like a promising chance to find themselves again. I think Jalen Hurts is going to have a huge game, and more importantly, I think Philly’s defense is going to bounce back in a massive way and put together a dominant performance. If the Eagles can limit Green Bay’s offense similar to how Tennessee did last Thursday, then they’ll control this one from start to finish.

Colts 16-13 Steelers

Monday, 8:15 PM EST, ESPN

This is going to be low-scoring, smash mouth football from end to end. Both of these teams like playing defense and at least trying to run the ball, and both teams have done well at doing both of those things in recent weeks. The Colts have found their run game again since Jeff Saturday became coach, and the Steelers have seemingly unlocked Najee Harris again. So, that will be the name of this game, especially considering that both QBs aren’t exactly world-beaters. With this game being in Indianapolis where the Colts nearly just beat the Eagles, it’s pretty easy to pick Indy to win, but I think it’s going to be close and honestly pretty entertaining.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Post-Week 11 Power Rankings

Week 11 was ugly and messy, but told us so much about so many teams. Here’s how I stack it up as we head into Thanksgiving.

Cover photo taken from VSiN.

1 – Chiefs (8-2)

Death. Taxes. Patrick Mahomes beating division opponents on the road. Travis Kelce ripping the Chargers apart and breaking SoCal hearts. We all saw it coming, and it was still awesome. 15 and 87 are simply poetry in motion, and this is still the best team in the league. Sunday night’s game was a bit closer than I anticipated, and despite some heroics by the Chargers and Jerrick McKinnon’s best efforts to give the game away, there was no doubt who would win in the end. This offense is simply too dominant, and the defense is still playing well despite some hiccups on Sunday. The Chiefs are top of the league in total yards, passing yards, and scoring. Oh, and Mahomes has now won an impossible 25 straight games in November and December. So yeah, good luck stopping Kansas City.

2 – 49ers (6-4) 2

I know most of you think I’m insane for continuing to put the 49ers this high, but I don’t care. I feel so strongly about this team, and I think they’re the best in the NFC right now. It’s a pretty tight race between them and the two teams below them, but I feel the most confident in San Francisco at the moment. They are simply dominant on both sides of the ball, and when they are playing the way they want to, you aren’t going to get past them. The defense is obviously one of, if not the best in the league, but the offense is finally starting to get everyone involved, and it’s a beautiful sight. I’d wager that more Niners games down the stretch look like Monday night’s. And that is a terrifying thought.

3 – Eagles (9-1) 1

Philly’s cracks are starting to show. Losing Jordan Davis clearly has a massive impact on their defensive interior, and until newcomers Linval Joseph and Ndamukong Suh get more acclimated with this defense, their interior run-stopping ability will be hindered greatly. They did a solid job of containing Jonathan Taylor for the most part, but the weakness was clear. The bigger concern was the offense’s inability to move the ball on a Colts defense without its best player. The Raiders had a better offensive performance against Indy than the Eagles did. Perhaps the Commanders laid the blueprint of how to stop this team. They needed a wild JT fumble on a play that could’ve been blown dead to win on Sunday. It shouldn’t have been that close. Until they show us another complete performance, Philadelphia will keep on sliding.

4 – Cowboys (7-3) 3

The Cowboys are back after a single bad quarter/OT a week ago. All they did to respond was put together perhaps the single best performance of any team this year en route to the biggest road victory in franchise history. The defense was sensational, especially up front, as they destroyed the Vikings OL to the tune of 7 sacks. The offense was firing on all cylinders as everyone got involved, namely Tony Pollard, who has proven himself as one of the most dynamic and useful RBs in the league. Dak Prescott looked very comfortable, and the Cowboys looked like a complete juggernaut. They likely won’t have a better performance this year.

5 – Dolphins (7-3)

The Dolphins had the week off ahead of an absolute cupcake against Houston. I expect another offensive explosion out of them this week.

6 – Vikings (8-2) 4

That was as brutal as it gets in this league. I don’t want to throw in the towel and tell everyone who didn’t believe that the Vikings were legit at 8-1 that they were right, but they might have been onto something. I have no idea how you can come home after such a great win and get walloped so badly, but Minnesota didn’t have a semblance of a pulse on Sunday, and it was simply embarrassing. They should be ashamed of themselves. The good news is that they have nowhere to go but up. I don’t see them playing worse than that this season, and they get a shot at redemption in front of the nation on Thanksgiving. It’s going to be another tough one, but they can’t get any lower than this rock bottom.

7 – Bills (7-3) 1

The Bills are still not looking as good as they should be, but they’re back in the win column, and that’s all that matters. I will say that I like the way they’re running the ball lately, but other than that, I don’t see anything that stands out. Josh Allen has still been pretty average over the last month, and the defense continues to play below their standard. Buffalo is about to smack Detroit on Thanksgiving and the national media will start to fawn over them again, but I’d love to see them put together a complete, dominant performance against an actual team before giving them their flowers again.

8 – Titans (7-3) 2

The Titans just keep on winning. I don’t know if there’s a better culture in the league than the one Mike Vrabel has in Tennessee. They just play winning football week in and week out. Derrick Henry is still on a tear, Ryan Tannehill looks very comfortable off his injury, and this defense proved once again why they’re one of the best in the league, especially when fully healthy. Now, rookie WR Treylon Burks is getting involved offensively, which could give a huge boost to their virtually non-existent passing attack. Going into Lambeau and winning that convincingly in a primetime setting isn’t easy. But the Titans made it look like a walk in the park.

9 – Bengals (6-4) 2

Outside of getting thrashed by Cleveland on MNF a few weeks ago, the Bengals really weathered the storm while Ja’Marr Chase was out. They picked up two huge wins, albeit against pretty poor competition, and now sit in prime position to make a run at the division title with Chase returning to the lineup this week. Joe Burrow looked very comfortable without his top target, and even went Joe Mixon went down, Semaje Perine did a great job in relief. The defense did not play their best game by any means on Sunday, but they made all the plays they had to in order to lock it up in the fourth quarter. I feel great about this team now that their best player is returning and I’m super excited to see them make another push to the playoffs.

10 – Ravens (7-3) 2

I’m not going to try to guess or even make sense of Baltimore’s complete dud of a performance on Sunday. It was sloppy, it was ugly, it was lifeless, and it was straight up weird. But, they won, which is all that matters. I still don’t really know what to make of the Ravens at this point, but they keep on winning and still sit atop the division. I just have a feeling that won’t last very long.

11 – Seahawks (6-4) 2

Seattle had their bye this week ahead of a relatively easy matchup with Vegas on Sunday in the desert. It could turn into a shootout, so they should be thankful they got some rest in this week. I’m interested to see if they can keep up their dominance as the season winds down.

12 – Buccaneers (5-5) 3

The Bucs had the week off after the international trip last week. They head to Cleveland for a tough matchup with the Browns on Sunday, but if their defense keeps playing like they did going into the bye, they should be able to get back above .500.

13 – Commanders (6-5) 2

The winning ways are continuing in DC, and the formula keeps on being executed to perfection. It was the defense that stood out above everyone else in Houston, using an absolute dominant performance from start to finish highlighted by a handful of sacks and a pick six by Kendall Fuller to suffocate the Texans all game long. The offense also did its thing, as Taylor Heinicke played a very solid game and the run game continued to dominate. It was as complete of a performance as you could ask for. Now, Chase Young finally returns to give the defense another huge lift. I can’t wait to see what the next few weeks have in store.

14 – Patriots (6-4) 2

It wasn’t pretty by any means (in fact it was nothing short of miraculous), but the Patriots continued their win streak on Sunday thanks to a dominant defensive performance and one of the most clutch punt return touchdowns in recent memory. Mac Jones actually played quite well against a solid Jets defense, but a combination of wind blowing kicks and passes all over the field left the offense with virtually nothing to show for it. Still, the Patriots showed plenty to like on Sunday, and now sit in a playoff spot with seven games to go. The remaining schedule is tough, but at this rate, I like their chances.

15 – Jets (6-4) 3

I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times. Zach Wilson is by far the worst starting QB in the NFL, and his team is finally starting to agree with me. Robert Saleh knows it, and his teammates are taking notice of the narratives online. It’s only a matter of time before he’s rightfully shoved on the bench. And the Jets will be infinitely better off for it.

16 – Giants (7-3) 3

Is the Giants fugazi run finally coming to a merciful end? It just might be. Getting housed by the Lions in your own stadium is not exactly a promising sight. The offense has finally hit a wall, and the defense got torched, especially on the ground. The remaining schedule isn’t much prettier. New York has a massive Thanksgiving showdown in Dallas on Thursday, then the Commanders and Eagles twice each with tough matchups with Minnesota and Indianapolis sprinkled in. Are we positive that they can win any of those games? Let’s find out.

17 – Chargers (5-5)

I’ll give the Chargers credit: they were a lot more competitive than I imagined they would be on Sunday night. Getting Keenan Allen and Mike Williams back clearly did wonders for Justin Herbert, who was launching the ball all over the joint all game long and looked like his old self again. Even Josh Palmer made huge contributions. At the end of the day, they just couldn’t overcome Patrick Mahomes. So, I won’t be mean to the Chargers. For once, they don’t really deserve it.

18 – Cardinals (4-7)

I realistically should be dropping the Cardinals for Monday night’s absolute stinker, but it’s hard to beat elite teams with a backup QB. I really don’t have much else to say. They should be better when Kyler Murray returns to the lineup, but they’ll still be the same old mid Cardinals they’ve been all year long. They probably won’t look as bad as they did on Monday again, but we know this team is nothing special. Just keep on giving me Nuk fantasy points, and we’re chilling.

19 – Packers (4-7)

I had a lot more faith in the Packers to do literally anything on Thursday night, but they reminded us all that they still don’t do anything particularly well. The comeback against the Cowboys was nothing short of a fluke. The defense was porous once again as Derrick Henry absolutely manhandled them for sixty minutes, and they became the only secondary to allow Treylon Burks to do anything in his career. The offense really couldn’t get going either, despite two more touchdown catches by Christian Watson. Overall, it was just another bad Packers performance, one that we should all come to expect.

20 – Falcons (5-6) 2

The Falcons overcame the Justin Fields freight train in a pretty solid home win on Sunday. It did come at a cost, as Kyle Pitts is now likely out for the year with a knee injury, but he could never get involved enough offensively for me to believe that’s some sort of debilitating hit to that side of the ball. They did get Drake London involved, which is a great sign. And Cordarrelle Patterson broke the record for most kick return touchdowns in a career. On top of that, the defense finally came through and won them a game. It was just a solid afternoon all around in Atlanta.

21 – Browns (3-7)

The Browns keep on losing, but at least they showed some fight on Sunday in Detroit. Having the game moved on short notice didn’t seem to affect them, as they had a bit of a pulse. Amari Cooper continued to feast on opposing secondaries, but it just wasn’t enough as the defense laid a dud and the run game couldn’t really get going. I do think the Browns are going to look a lot better after Deshaun Watson comes back, but they still have one more game to go.

22 – Lions (4-6) 4

Look at the Lions stringing together impressive wins. Sunday’s might have been the best yet, as they smothered the Giants defensively and ran circles around them on the other side of the ball. Jamaal Williams poured in three touchdowns to take the NFL lead, Aidan Hutchinson continued his dominant ways, and the Lions have now won three in a row. They’re getting their groove, and are actually playing good football in outdoor environments. Plus, they should be getting Jameson Williams back soon, and the rookie is primed to make a huge splash. Thanksgiving’s showdown with Buffalo should be a lot of fun.

23 – Colts (4-6-1) 2

By all means, the Colts should have won on Sunday. They controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball and outplayed the Eagles for 58+ minutes. But, an unfortunate Jonathan Taylor fumble and the greatness of Jalen Hurts prevented Indy from returning to .500. Still, it’s hard not to feel good about what Jeff Saturday is doing with this team. They’re playing solid, winning football, and using their bread and butter of a running attack as the backbone of their team. I think we’ll see the Colts be a lot more competitive down the stretch with their newfound formula.

24 – Bears (3-8) 4

The Bears finally returned to Earth on Sunday in a tough loss in Atlanta. They simply folded in all three phases, with special teams and the offensive line folding the most. I don’t really think the result of the game or anything that happened in it matters as much as Justin Fields’ shoulder, which got injured in the waning stages of the game. He should be good to go this week, but shoulder injuries always plague QBs, so hopefully he’s able to make a full recovery soon.

25 – Saints (4-7) 5

Good for the Saints to look like a real team again. It’s about time. Andy Dalton looked like a real QB, spreading the ball around and getting everyone involved. Chris Olave had perhaps the best game of his rookie season, highlighted by a long touchdown catch in which he absolutely torched perhaps the league’s best corner in Jalen Ramsey. The defense wasn’t great, bu they did what they had to do down the stretch. It helped that Matthew Stafford left the game with an injury.

26 – Jaguars (3-7) 1

The Jaguars had their bye this week ahead of a really intriguing matchup with the Ravens on Sunday. Believe it or not, I think Jacksonville might have a real shot in that one. But we’ll dive more into that on Thursday.

27 – Raiders (3-7) 5

The Raiders must have heard my slander (and must’ve known I took them +2.5), because their last few minutes in Denver on Sunday displayed more life than I’ve seen from them all year long. The Broncos defense was giving them fits all game long, but Derek Carr put on his big boy pants and led a fantastic drive to tie the game and send it to OT, then hit two huge passes to win it on a beautiful deep ball to Davante Adams. Adams had another big game, and Josh Jacobs got back to his productive ways as well. I’m not going to give this defense props for shutting down the worst offense in football, but that’s always a positive as well.

28 – Steelers (3-7) 1

I have one major takeaway from the Steelers’ performance on Sunday. That takeaway is that Najee Harris might not be completely cooked. He had a great game against a solid defensive front, and finally looked like he did in 2021. I’m not saying that he’s back by any means, but it was promising to see that. Kenny Pickett wasn’t awful either, especially when he was targeting George Pickens, who is easily Pittsburgh’s WR1 at this point. The defense got some key takeaways, but it wasn’t enough to stop the potent Bengals offense. I thought it would be closer, but I still like what the Steelers showed me.

29 – Broncos (3-7) 6

There is no reason to talk about the Denver Broncos in any context. Next!

30 – Rams (3-7) 6

I told you this team would look dreadful without Cooper Kupp. Outside of a long touchdown and maybe one other nice drive, this offense was stuck in quicksand against a Saints defense that isn’t very good. It didn’t help that Matthew Stafford got hurt again, but come on. This team doesn’t do anything well, and they looked completely lifeless, just as I predicted.

31 – Panthers (3-8) 3

You know, at least the Panthers were competitive for most of the game on Sunday. That’s a lot more than I can say for the team below them. Baker Mayfield was pretty bad, but so was the rest of the team, and so was the team across from them. It was just an ugly mess, and the inferior team always loses those kinds of games.

32 – Texans (1-8-1) 1

Yeah, this is way worse than I thought. The Texans are cooked in every aspect, as they can’t get anything going on either side of the ball anymore. Dameon Pierce has disappeared, Davis Mills is a statue in the pocket, and the defense might as well not even be there. Houston is on the fast track to the #1 overall pick, and they better pray they don’t mess it up. They have a plethora of picks and can turn this around pretty quickly. Cleaning house and starting over with a new star QB could do wonders for this franchise. Lord knows they need it.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Week 11 Picks

Last week’s upsets made for a losing record after several great performances. Let’s try to get back on track this week.

Cover photo taken from Dallas Cowboys.

Last Week: 6-8

Season Total: 86-62-1

Packers 20-17 Titans

Thursday, 8:15 PM EST, Prime Video

This week’s Thursday nighter is going to be a strange one. Both of these teams are in weird spots right now, with both picking up wins last week but still in a really precarious spot on the season. Both Green Bay and Tennessee could really use a win here, but the Packers need one infinitely more. I think they have some great momentum from their comeback last week and have found a wrinkle in their offense by getting Christian Watson involved. While I think the Titans defense is probably the best unit in this game, it’s hard to bet against the Packers at Lambeau with everything going right for them. Plus, I just don’t know what to make of Tennessee’s offense right now. This is bound to come back to bite me, but I’m rolling with the hot hand.

Bears 26-23 Falcons

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

I don’t trust the Bears to win a game convincingly to save my life. Hell, I don’t know if I even trust them to win a game at all at this point. But the Falcons are simply a team that’s reeling more than almost any other in football right now. Even at home, I don’t see anything to like with them. At least Chicago has Justin Fields, who has been one of the most unstoppable players in the league for the last month. I don’t know if he’ll be able to continue replicating his incredible performances, but I know I can trust him more than anyone on Atlanta. Maybe, just maybe, this is the one that the Bears finally win.

Bills 17-14 Browns

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

The big storyline here is the weather. It’s going to be one of the biggest blizzards that someone ever decides to play football in with plenty of wind to boot. So, at the very least, this is going to be low scoring and close (as long as they don’t move the game). I actually wanted to pick Cleveland here, seeing as though the conditions likely favor the better running team. But there’s simply no way I can pick the Browns in a game like this. The Bills need this win badly, and these conditions favor them seeing as though they’re built for it. I know they lost to New England last year in that frigid wind-fest, but I just feel like this one will be different.

Eagles 24-16 Colts

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

The Eagles finally suffered their first loss on Monday night, and I think it’s safe to say they won’t have many more games like that for the remainder of the season. They have a great opportunity to bounce back in this one. If last week was any indication, the Colts will be feisty, especially returning home, so I think this game will be close for a bit. But the Eagles are simply so much better than Indy is on both sides of the ball, and that will prove to be the difference. They won’t let themselves get physically dominated like they did against Washington.

Patriots 25-17 Jets

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

Let me get a couple of things straight. I think the Jets are better than the Patriots. I also don’t think this game should be a blowout. But history is simply pulling me in this direction. The Patriots own the Jets so bad that it’s almost embarrassing. Every time you think New York has the team that can overcome New England, they collapse. It happened earlier this year when I picked the Jets, so I’m simply not going to make that same mistake again. I think it’s worth noting that I have only picked one (1) Jets game correctly all year long, and that was when they beat Denver. So, take this with a grain of salt. I just don’t trust Zach Wilson to not give this game away like he always does. He has been awful in every game he has played against the Patriots, and I don’t see that changing. All New England has to do is capitalize on those mistakes, and they’ll be golden.

Saints 19-13 Rams

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

Remember when these teams were good? Yeah, those were the days. Now, they’re two of the most unwatchable teams in football that will make this game an eyesore from start to finish. At least the uniform matchup is gonna be great! Simply put, the Rams are going to accomplish absolutely nothing with Cooper Kupp out. He is their entire offense, and they won’t be able to move the ball whatsoever, even against an awful Saints D. New Orleans has nothing promising on offense either, but they certainly have more to like than LA at this point. All they have to do is get Alvin Kamara involved, and they will win. It’s hard to tell whether or not they will, but you just have to pray they use common sense.

Giants 23-20 Lions

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

I wanted to pick the Lions so bad here. I just want the Giants to lose so bad. The question is whether or not I can trust Detroit in a spot like this. All signs point towards a resounding no, but they did put together another nice performance last week in Chicago, and that was a similar road environment to this one. But I just think this all boils down to a very simple matchup to assess. The Giants are the third best rushing team in football with 164 yards/game, led by this year’s top RB in Saquon Barkley. The Lions, meanwhile, have the second worst rush defense in the league, giving up an incomprehensible 160 yards/game on the ground. So, this will come down to whether or not Detroit can stop Barkley and the Giants on the ground. I simply do not see that happening. Maybe they can force Daniel Jones into some mistakes like they did last week with Justin Fields, but New York is simply better defensively than Chicago is, and that will also prove to be a huge factor.

Ravens 27-16 Panthers

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

A 13-point spread seems a bit harsh, but this should be a blowout for Baltimore. They’re coming off a bye and likely getting some key offensive pieces back like Mark Andrews and Gus Edwards. The Panthers are coming off a mini-bye and a win last Thursday, but this is an infinitely tougher test than that one. Combine that with the fact that Baker Mayfield is starting this game for Carolina, and you have a disaster waiting to happen. The Ravens are way better on both sides of the ball and should control this one from start to finish.

Commanders 22-19 Texans

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

This is a must-win game. We cannot lose to the Texans after what we’ve done in the last 5 weeks. That’s the type of loss that completely derails a season beyond repair. This team has to stay focused and keep the good things going. This is the place where it would be so typical for them to lose. It has to be different this time. Yes, the Texans are a perfectly competitive team, but they also have the worst record in the league. I don’t care what the situation is. You have to win. The defense has to keep playing lights out, and boy would I love to see Chase Young make a huge impact in his return. The run game has to keep on moving the ball and making Taylor Heinicke’s life easier. And he has to keep feeding Terry McLaurin all game long. The formula is there and we should be able to execute it against the worst team in the league. Just… don’t lose.

Broncos 17-14 Raiders

Sunday, 4:05 PM EST, FOX

I hate both of these teams so much that I don’t even want to pick this game. I don’t want to even think about this game. I’ll just drop this here and move on.

Vikings 26-23 Cowboys

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, CBS

On paper, this is probably the game of the week. Look at the Vikings getting so much national love! Good for them. That’s great and all, but I really need them to pull through and win another one. They are coming off an incredibly draining, emotional win last week in Buffalo. They could either keep that momentum up and come home to pull off another huge win, or they could fall flat on the national stage. While the latter seems more likely, I’m not going to lose faith in this time that I’ve been riding all year long. The Cowboys are coming off a 4th quarter collapse and probably want to bounce back in dominant fashion, but it’s going to be hard. Minnesota is playing great offense and the defense has some mojo now. This is such an air-tight matchup that is so difficult to pick, but I just think the Vikings are the better team, so I have to rock with them. This is another opportunity for them to make a massive statement, and I think they’ll be up to the task.

Bengals 20-19 Steelers

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, CBS

Contrary to what you might think, this game should also be pretty tight. For starters, the first meeting between these teams was absolutely insane, and Joe Burrow had 5 turnovers. So don’t think it’s a foregone conclusion that Cincy will just roll in this game. I think Pittsburgh not having Minkah Fitzpatrick is a huge deal, but having TJ Watt is an even bigger deal. His impact was felt in a massive way last week, and I think the Steelers defense will once again make life uncomfortable for Joe Burrow, especially while he’s still without Ja’Marr Chase. The Bengals we saw two weeks ago against Carolina are nowhere close to the Bengals we’ll see this Sunday. This all boils down to whether or not they can out-physical their bitter rival and win a tough road game. They couldn’t do it against Cleveland a few weeks ago. It’s really hard to imagine them doing it this week. But, I can’t trust Kenny Pickett and this Pittsburgh offense. At least the Browns have competent players on that side of the ball. The Steelers have nothing. By all means, this is a must-win game for Cincinnati, and I think their defense will rise to the occasion and make the difference in this game. Just don’t be surprised if it goes the other way.

Chiefs 31-20 Chargers

Sunday, 8:20 PM EST, NBC

These teams are trending in completely opposite directions. The Chiefs are scorching hot and my #1 team in the league right now as Patrick Mahomes continues to shred defenses en route to potentially another MVP. They’re getting everyone involved offensively, and the defense is finally playing up to its potential. The Chargers, meanwhile, won’t stop falling apart, and there’s nothing Justin Herbert can do about it. The defense isn’t good at all and is likely going to get torched once again by this unstoppable Chiefs offense. Precedent would suggest that this will be a close game due to this being the second meeting between these teams and it being in primetime at SoFi and whatnot. To that, I simply say that I do not care. The Chiefs are leagues better than the Chargers, and Mahomes shines on primetime no matter where he plays. Give me KC in dominant fashion.

49ers 23-14 Cardinals

Monday, 8:15 PM EST, ESPN

We still don’t know who will be starting at QB for the Cardinals in this game, but it doesn’t matter. The 49ers are an infinitely better team that should be able to handle them all game long. Arizona is certainly competent, and either QB gives them a good shot to win, but San Francisco’s defense will simply be too much to overcome. The Mexico crowd should also have a blast watching the Niners run all over the Cardinals’ defense, which gives up the third most points per game in the league. There could be a lot more points scored in this game, but this feels right for where these two teams stand right now.

All stats taken from ESPN.