Not a very exciting week of football at all this week. Maybe it's because there are very few good teams in the NFL, maybe it's just a fluke of scheduling... but there are literally no games I'm looking forward to this week, including the Packers.
But here we go nonetheless:
GAME OF THE WEEK - Oakland Raiders (7-2) vs. Houston Texans (6-3) in Mexico City, OAK by 6 - The NFL's first ever regular season game in Mexico City features two teams that are likely to have big fanbases in that region. This game could be interesting just for the energy of the crowd, but any game that features the Houston Texans probably won't feature the most exciting football. Still, the Raiders are a lot of fun to watch, and I'm hoping they continue their march to a division title. Raiders 27, Texans 17
THURSDAY NIGHT - New Orleans Saints (4-5) at Carolina Panthers (3-6), CAR by 3.5 - Tough game to call here. The Saints have probably been playing better football lately than the Panthers, which isn't saying a whole lot, but they struggle on the road. The Panthers had the Chiefs on the ropes last week until completely collapsing in the fourth quarter. My guess is they finish the job this week. Panthers 23, Saints 20
Tennessee Titans (5-5) at Indianapolis Colts (4-5), IND by 3 - The Titans and Colts both have the distinction of bitch slapping the Packers within the last couple weeks, but the Titans' slap stung just a little harder. So that's what I'm going off this week. UPSET! - Titans 27, Colts 24
Jacksonville Jaguars (2-7) at Detroit Lions (5-4), DET by 6.5 - The Jaguars very much resemble the Lions around 2008/2009... a team with a lot of talent, but no direction, that lets winnable games constantly slip through their grasp. So it's fitting they play this week, with the Lions looking to maintain control over the NFC North. My guess is the Lions win this one to keep the hope alive, before an inevitable collapse begins. I, like DBSoT, have seen enough Detroit Lions teams to know how this is gonna go. Lions 24, Jaguars 16
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-5) at Kansas City Chiefs (7-2), KC by 7 - The Chiefs are 17-2 in their last 19 games. How about that? The Bucs have some talent, but this Chiefs team is very well coached and simply never stops fighting. Chiefs 20, Bucs 13
Chicago Bears (2-7) at New York Giants (6-3), NYG by 7 - As if things weren't bad enough for the Bears, Jay Cutler has once again gone full Cutler and Alshon Jeffery is suspended for the next month. Giants 30, Bears 16
Arizona Cardinals (4-4-1) at Minnesota Vikings (5-4), PUSH - Two teams having very disappointing seasons collide in Minnesota. The Vikings' offense has collapsed beyond the point of repair, and the Cardinals just can't seem to get anything going. Still, I've got the Cardinals being the slightly less incompetent team. Cardinals 27, Vikings 14
Buffalo Bills (4-5) at Cincinnati Bengals (3-5-1), BUF by 3 - No clue what's happened to the Bengals. Part of it seems to be an aging defense. But I think they've got a last gasp in them to at least make things interesting in the AFC North. UPSET! - Bengals 31, Bills 24
Baltimore Ravens (4-5) at Dallas Cowboys (8-1), DAL By 7 - This Cowboys team is impressive. They're certainly flawed, but man can they play some football. At this rate, they've got a clear path to the #1 seed in the NFC. Cowboys 30, Ravens 17
Pittsburgh Steelers (4-5) at Cleveland Browns (0-10), PIT by 8.5 - Browns. Steelers 31, Browns 10
Miami Dolphins (5-4) at Los Angeles Rams (4-5), MIA by 1 - The Dolphins have quietly won four in a row, becoming one of the league's hottest teams. Meanwhile, Jared Goff will be getting his first NFL start for the RAms, which spells disaster. Dolphins 24, Rams 9
New England Patriots (7-2) at San Francisco 49ers (1-8), NE by 13 - 49ers. Patriots 35, 49ers 6
Philadelphia Eagles (5-4) at Seattle Seahawks (6-2-1), SEA by 6.5 - The Eagles are a tough team to figure out. They go a couple weeks of looking like an awful team, then take down one of the hottest teams in the league in the Falcons. The Seahawks, also, have looked incompetent at times on offense this year, then go and take down the Patriots in Foxboro. Playing at home, the Seahawks certainly have the edge. Seahawks 33, Eagles 20
Green Bay Packers (4-5) at Washington Redskins (5-3-1), WAS by 2.5 - The Packers are fucking garbage and if they lose this game McCarthy's head should be on a plate. Redskins 31, Packers 20
BYES: Atlanta Falcons, Denver Broncos, New York Jets, San Diego Chargers
