Halfway through the regular season already! Here we go…
GAME OF THE WEEK – Kansas City Chiefs (6-2) at Dallas Cowboys (4-3), KC by 1 – This has the potential to be a hell of a game if both teams play up to their potential. Kansas City is coming off an important divisional victory against Denver that was essentially won by its defense. Dallas is slowly but surely digging itself out from a slow start, but now will be missing Ezekiel Elliott. I think that loss of Zeke is going to be the difference maker.
Chiefs 20, Cowboys 17THURSDAY NIGHT – Buffalo Bills (5-2) at New York Jets (3-5), BUF by 3 – This one will be hard fought simply because it’s a divisional game, and the Jets will make up for some of the talent deficit by it being a short week at home. But the Bills are playing excellent football, AND just added Kelvin Benjamin to their offense, which should help them put up some more points. I like Buffalo to continue its hot streak.
Bills 24, Jets 19Denver Broncos (3-4) at Philadelphia Eagles (7-1), PHI by 8 – Boy, who saw this season coming for the Eagles? What a hell of a step forward they’ve taken, especially Carson Wentz. They added Jay Ajayi yesterday in a trade and are playing at home against a tough defense and an offense that made a switch at QB. Even if Osweiler is able to look more like his 2015 self than his 2016 self, it’s tough to see the Eagles losing this one.
Eagles 23, Broncos 16Los Angeles Rams (5-2) at New York Giants (1-6), LAR by 3.5 – Both teams are coming off a bye, and the Rams have to fly all the way across the country for this one, which always plays a factor. But the Rams are simply the better team right now, and the Giants are offensively challenged.
Rams 30, Giants 13Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-5) at New Orleans Saints (5-2), NO by 7 – The Saints have been much better than anticipated this year, and it’s largely due to the improvements made on the defensive side of the ball. Playing at home, it’s tough to pick them against a Tampa team that is struggling to meet the high expectations it had for itself coming into the season.
Saints 27, Bucs 20Cincinnati Bengals (3-4) at Jacksonville Jaguars (4-3), JAX by 4.5 – Don’t look now, but the Bengals are slowly but surely climbing back into the playoff race. But this isn’t the Jaguars team we’ve become so accustomed to over the past decade. Twice within the last three games they’ve had double digit sacks on defense. They’re suffocating offenses, and an offense that has had as many problems as Cincy’s has this year isn’t likely to fare well.
Jaguars 24, Bengals 13Atlanta Falcons (4-3) at Carolina Panthers (5-3), CAR by 1 – Would not have expected the Falcons to be third in their division heading into week nine of the season, but here we are. The Panthers have zero running game to speak of outside Cam right now, and just traded away one of their few playmakers left in the passing game with Greg Olsen still sidelined. They’re banged up and in need of a bye, while the Falcons have to be starting to feel some urgency. This one’s an upset.
UPSET! – Falcons 30, Panthers 27Indianapolis Colts (2-6) at Houston Texans (3-4), HOU by 13 – Good god the Colts are awful.
Texans 41, Colts 10Baltimore Ravens (4-4) at Tennessee Titans (4-3), TEN by 5.5 – Really important matchup for the AFC playoff picture here. Both of these teams are hovering around a wild card spot right now, or in Tennessee’s case, still right in the lead for a division title. Baltimore’s game against Miami has to be considered an aberration, but they’ve certainly got the ability to blow teams out at times. Tennessee has been a bit more consistent this season, but hasn’t quite shown they’re ready to jump to the “next level” yet. Still, here’s their chance, and at home against an inconsistent team that’s been banged up, I’ll take em to win.
Titans 23, Ravens 16Arizona Cardinals (3-4) at San Francisco 49ers (0-8), ARZ by 2 – Will be interested to see if Jimmy G plays for San Fran on less than a week of practice, and if so, how much. The Cardinals are in a bad way right now too, missing Carson Palmer AND David Johnson and struggling to get anything going. I’m going to take the Niners to get their first win of the year here.
UPSET! – 49ers 20, Cardinals 10Washington (3-4) at Seattle Seahawks (5-2), SEA by 7.5 – These two teams have a history, as the Seahawks have knocked Washington out of the postseason several times in the last decade and a half. Playing at home, Seattle seems to have the upper hand, especially if Duane Brown can provide Russell Wilson with some more security.
Seahawks 24, Washington 20Oakland Raiders (3-5) at Miami Dolphins (4-3), OAK by 3 – A struggling Dolphins team is just what the doctor ordered for the disappointing Raiders right about now.
Raiders 34, Dolphins 13Detroit Lions (3-4) at Green Bay Packers (4-3), DET by 2.5 – You know what, FUCK IT. Packers coming off the bye, I’m gonna say they somehow magic a win out of Brett Hundley before they go back to losing the rest of the season.
UPSET! – Packers 27, Lions 23BYES: Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, LA Chargers, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers