- Cincy @ Baltimore - 1:00 - Baltimore needs this one... a win for them combined with a Pittsburgh loss would give them the #2 seed and a bye... I like them in the game because... well... Cincy isn't very good... look for Carson to give it away a couple of times, and Ray Rice could go nuts here for Baltimore...
- Tampa Bay @ New Orleans - 1:00 - Is it crazy that NO could still get the #1 seed?... This game means at least SOMETHING to both teams (TB has a crazy backdoor playoff chance I believe), but look for NO to go out and take care of business... Tampa Bay has beaten the teams that they should've beaten all year, but going on the road here in a game NO needs isn't favorable... but hey, Josh Freeman wins football games...
- Pittsburgh @ Cleveland - 1:00 - The Steelers win? 2 seed and a bye... that's incentive enough for me... Cleveland's offense has really packed it in... teams are keying on Peyton Hillis now, and their passing game can't do enough to win... especially against Pittsburgh...
- Carolina @ Atlanta - 1:00 - Well... ATL is a 15 point favorite (that has to be the biggest line I've ever seen on a Falcons game), and should beat Carolina... that said, it's still an NFL team on the other end, so it's not a gimme... all signs point to a workmanlike win here and the number 1 seed...
- Tennessee @ Indy - 4:00 - The Colts are playing for the AFC South... Tennessee has pretty much packed it in... Indy will put up 30+ here and barring a crazy breakout game from Chris Johnson (in play btw), they should win this one going away...
- Jacksonville @ Houston - 4:00 - Tough spot here.... MJD may not play... Garrard is out... but do I really think Houston, a team that's quit on Kubiak without Andre Johnson, is winning here? Absolutely not... Give me Trent Edwards and Rashad Jennings!
- NY Giants @ Washington - 4:00 - Upset special... yes, the Giants are still alive... but I think that's a deflated football team, and on the road, I think they lay yet another egg here and cement Coughlin's fate... just a gut call...
- Chicago @ Green Bay - 4:00 - Chicago is locked in the 2 seed... they'll be resting guys and while they won't fully mail it in (I don't think), Green Bay is the better team IMO playing at home with something on the line... Aaron Rodgers looked to be 100% last week, and he puts up enough points to win here...
- St. Louis @ Seattle - 8:20 - This is such an impossible spot... full disclosure? I think St. Louis is the better team here and it's not that close... but there are 3 factors working... 1) Sam Bradford is a rookie QB playing on the road at night with the season on the line.... 2) Qwest Field is one of the best home-field advantages in the league (that's for you James), the game is outside (STL is a dome team) and at night... and 3) Charlie Whitehurst is playing QB for Seattle... What do we make of all this?... If Hasselbeck was playing? No-brainer I take the Seahawks because of reasons 1 and 2... there just isn't a great track record for rookie QBs on the road in big games... but Whitehurst has been SO bad this season that it gives me pause... I like Sam Bradford, I like Steven Jackson, and the Rams have done a fantastic job this year... but in the end, flip a coin, and give me the Seahawks at home...
THE PICKS! (48-43-2 before Bowl picks begin)
- New England -3.5 over Miami - I know I didn't even mention this game above (because it means nothing) but NE will play their starters for at least a half I believe because they have the bye coming, and they'll be up 14-17 by then...
- Pittsburgh -6 over Cleveland
- Jacksonville -1.5 over Houston - Trent Edwards on the road? No Problem!
Enjoy the slate...
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