I'm visiting my lovely girlfriend in Philadelphia this week, and have thus been unable to do a great deal of writing. In a true attempt at efficiency, I'm going to incorporate my Week 13 SCQ commentary into my predictions for the upcoming slate of games.
Cleveland v. Pittsburgh: The Browns travel this week to Heinz Field for a Thursday showdown with the 5-7 Steelers, who come in riding the momentum of 20-3 win over Tampa Bay. Unfortunately for Pittsburgh, a victory against the lowly Bucs does not exactly warrant a notch in the belt; fortunately, though, the Browns aren't much better. So, if nothing else, Bill Cowher's men may be able to crawl closer to the .500 mark. Cleveland certainly must have enjoyed last week's 31-28 home win over a legitimate Kansas City team. While impressive, such magic is not likely to stick around for long. (Note: While it is possible that this entry will not be published in full until Friday, the comments for this Thursday game were written at 5:30 pm on 12/7, several hours before kickoff.)
[20-14, Pittsburgh]
Oakland v. Cincinnati: After dropping five of six games, the Bengals have rebounded to win three in a row, including victories at New Orleans and against division-leading Baltimore. The defeat of the Ravens, in particular, seems to have vaulted Cincinnati back into the realm of legitimacy. A win over the Raiders, coupled with a Baltimore loss at Arrowhead, would leave the Bengals only one game back in the North. In case you haven't heard, the Raiders stink, and have yet to win a road game this season.
[34-14, Cincinnati]
Minnesota v. Detroit: (Insert bogus assertion that NFC used-to-be-Central games are fiercely competitive and entertaining, regardless of the teams' records.)
[21-17, Minnesota]
Baltimore v. Kansas City: Put simply, this game is LARGE. Last week Kansas City suffered the kind of crippling loss against the 3-8 Browns that real contenders simply cannot afford. Considering that they must travel next week to meet the red-hot Chargers, the Chiefs must find a way to defend their home turf against the Ravens; 8-5 looks a whole lot better than 7-6, especially when you're about to play a 10-2 team that hasn't lost at home all year. The Ravens, on the other hand, are suddenly in jeopardy of falling out of contention for home-field advantage in the playoffs. A loss this week would drop Billick's boys to 9-4 and put them behind Indy, San Diego, and New England (assuming the Pats defeat the Dolphins). Expect a low-scoring, hard-nosed battle between two teams looking to figure out who they really are.
[17-13, Kansas City]
New England v. Miami: The Patriots, who are 5-0 away from home this season, suddely find themselves in the top-tier mix. With Indy beginning to show signs of mortality, Brady and company stand in a prime position to shake things up at the top. The Pats have four winnable games remaining, and they must feel as though 13-3 would be good enough to secure home-field advantage in the playoffs. Then again, they seem to be a much better road team this year, so perhaps they'd prefer to enter the postseason in the middle of the pack and make a quiet run at the Lombardi Trophy. Miami, conversely, saw their momentum party crashed last week at the hands of the Jaguars. Don't expect them to rediscover their winning ways at the expense of the rolling Patriots.
[28-13, New England]
Atlanta v. Tampa Bay: The Falcons may have salvaged their season by defeating the Redskins last week. Even in a weak NFC, though, Atlanta needs to establish a bit more consistency before they can deservedly be called contenders. Some may view this game as a relatively easy one for the Falcons; keep in mind, though, that all three of the Bucs' wins have come at home. Look once again for the Vick ship to encounter thundering waves, and don't be surprised if Atlanta's hopes are purloined by the pirates at Raymond James Stadium.
[21-17, Tampa Bay]
Philadelphia v. Washington: Philly's win against Carolina on Monday might have initially led some folks to feel that the 6-6 Eagles now have a realistic chance of making the playoffs. Unfortunately for Philly fans, the Birds' next three games come at Washington, at New York, and at Dallas--a brutal stretch of road division contests, to be sure. The most winnable of these three matchups is undoubtedly this week's game against the 'Skins. Perhaps reaching a plus-.500 record will serve as motivation to the Eagles, leading them to peak at just the right time.
[17-10, Philadelphia]
New York Giants v. Carolina: Even in the anything-can-still-happen NFC, this game appears to be a must-win for both teams. It's been a Tale of Two Seasons for both of these clubs: the Panthers have been extremely up-and-down, losing 2, winning 4, losing 2, winning 2, and losing 2; the Giants, likewise, followed 5 straight wins with 4 consecutive losses. Indeed, it's hard to determine who needs this game more--the chameleon-like Panthers, who change shades from week to week, or the Jekyll-and-Hyde Giants, who stay in character (whether good or bad) for longer blocks of time. At 6-7, the losers of this dogfight will certainly have their backs against the wall.
[24-21, New York]
Indianapolis v. Jacksonville: While the Colts were handed their second loss last week at the hands (make that feet) of the Tennessee Titans, they don't tend to be known for losing back-t0-back games. Jacksonville boasts an impressive 5-1 record at home, but the quality of their performances continues to be inconsistent. Expect the on-and-off Jags to fade down the stretch, with games against New England and at Kansas City left to play.
[24-14, Indianapolis]
Tennessee v. Houston: Give me wondercoach Jeff Fisher! Give me Rob "Myyy" Bironas! Sign me up for a seat on the Titan bandwagon!
[28-10, Tennessee]
Seattle v. Arizona: The Cardinals and Raiders are probably the only two teams I'd never pick in an Upset Special.
[34-17, Seattle]
Green Bay v. San Francisco: This would have been an exciting matchup ten years ago.
[23-14, San Francisco]
Buffalo v. New York Jets: The Jets stand in a very favorable position from here on out. Their remaining opponents are Buffalo, Minnesota, Miami, and Oakland. Even in the cutthroat AFC, New York has a conceivable chance of earning a Wild Card spot. Buffalo, my favorite up-and-coming team, will likely struggle with starting back Willis McGahee out due to injury. I'd love to pick the Bills in a close one, but I expect the Jets to eke it out.
[17-13, New York]
Denver v. San Diego: Denver's once-promising season appears to be in serious jeopardy, while the Chargers continue to look like the best team in the NFL. It's Rookie Quarterback versus Mean Merriman and the Touchdown Machine. Chargers, in a rout.
[31-14, San Diego]
New Orleans v. Dallas: This game may very well go a long way in determining who gets the NFC's #2 seed. It will also feature the league's two hottest quarterbacks, MVP candidate Drew Brees and insta-celeb Tony Romo. I give the edge to the Cowboys, due to their solid secondary, their 4-1 home mark, and their recent wave of momentum. (If the game were being played in the Superdome, I'd probably pick the Saints.) Look for lots of passing yards on both sides in this one, with turnovers being the key to victory.
[28-24, Dallas]
Chicago v. St. Louis: In light of the recent performances put forth by Mr. Gross Man, I'm calling for a big upset in this one.
[16-10, St. Louis]
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