Sunday, November 29, 2009

NFL Weekend Preview: Week 12

The Patriots and Saints hook up Monday Night in New Orleans in what is easily the best looking matchup of the week.


Thanksgiving football is behind us, but there are still a lot of great games to go this weekend, here is what I see in my admittedly cloudy crystal ball...

Tampa Bay at Atlanta - Falcons are just plain better than the Bucs, the fact that they are playing the game in Atlanta makes the Falcons an even more obvious choice. Falcons 33 Buccaneers 10

Miami at Buffalo - Ryan Fitzpatrick versus Chad Henne...the quarterback stars will really be out and shining bright in Western New York! Dolphins 23 Bills 16

Cleveland at Cincinnati - Thanks to my backup quarterback playing Thursday (Matt Stafford), and my starting quarterback being announced as out of commission on Friday (Ben Roethlisberger), I am stuck with the mighty Brady Quinn starting for my fantasy team on the road in Cincinnati this week. Lets just say, I'm not expecting to win my game. Bengals 38 Browns 7

Seattle at Saint Louis - If you're playing a home game against the Seahawks this season as a 4 point underdog, you're a very bad team. Not a whole lot of reason to be interested in this woofer of a game. Seahawks 13 Rams 10

Carolina at New York Jets - The Panthers are probably better than their 4-6 record would indicate, and the Jets would probably be better than 4-6 as well if their rookie quarterback hadn't completely imploded this year. Both teams are hurting at QB at the moment, and it would take a miracle for either of these teams to make the playoffs this season. In this battle of also-rans, I'll take the visitors. Panthers 27 Jets 22

Washington at Philadelphia - I'm still trying to figure out how this dismal Redskins squad took down my Broncos a few weeks back. I don't think they have the firepower to take down a game Philly squad who are gunning for the playoffs and need a win to stay within distance of the Cowboys. Eagles 30 Redskins 13

Indianapolis at Houston - The Texans have lost two consecutive games by a score of 20-17 in heartbreaking fashion...missing a tying field goal as time expired both times...once to these very same Colts team. I say they finally get on the good side of that score this week and give the Colts their first L. Yes, I'm picking against the Colts...no one ever said I was bright. Texans 20 Colts 17

Kansas City at San Diego - As much as I would love to see the Chiefs pull off their second straight gigantic upset and drop the Chargers into a first place tie with the Broncos for the AFC West, I just don't see it happening. Chargers 39 Chiefs 20

Jacksonville at San Francisco - I may doubt this Jaguars team all the way into a playoff berth. I still refuse to believe they are good. The Niners aren't much good either, but I'm going to go with San Francisco since they've got home Bay advantage. 49ers 19 Jaguars 16

Chicago at Minnesota - I'm beginning to think that Brett Favre isn't going to fall apart into a pile of old and useless quarterback bones this season. Which makes me sad, as it's been a late season tradition for several seasons now. The thing is, until they make the playoffs, their schedule is not overly difficult. It's hard to see the Vikings not getting a bye week in the playoffs, and with the Saints also probably getting a bye, the Road to the Super Bowl in the NFC goes through a dome. The Bears have looked dreadful of late, and I doubt they pull it together in Minnesota. Vikings 34 Bears 21

Arizona at Tennessee - The Brett Kern curse was broken by the Broncos who finally won a game without their old punter, and now the Titans good mojo is likely gone as well. This will be the toughest test the rejuvenated Titans have faced since pulling themselves up off of the mat. I say the Titan good luck comes to an end at the hands of the NFC Champs. Cardinals 27 Titans 20

Pittsburgh at Baltimore - Something called Dennis Dixon is starting for the Steelers at quarterback in the AFC Championship Game rematch in Baltimore. I see this ending very badly for the Champs, as without Ben extending plays as is his tendency, the Steelers don't have a whole lot going for them. They are on a two game skid, and I expect at the end of Sunday Night's game it will be a three game slide. Ravens 27 Steelers 13

New England at New Orleans - What a glorious matchup ESPN has for us on Monday night. The Saints are still undefeated, but it has been far from easy as they've played far too many close games lately. The Patriots have looked very stout of late, and it's tempting to pick them to knock the Saints from the ranks of the unbeaten, but there is something about the voodoo of playing in the Superdome on a nationally televised game in Louisiana that just won't allow me to pick the Pats. In a terrific game that lives up to the hype, I'll take the Saints by a whisker over the Patriots. Saints 31 Patriots 29


My Picks Scorecard:

Thanksgiving Games: 2-1
Season to Date: 105-58

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