Week 17 picks

Last week: 10-6
Season record: 137-103-1

Here we are in Week 17 and it's impossible to tell week to week who is out in Covid protocol or concussion protocol or freakishly injured or what team is healthy but decides not to put up any points (looking at you, Brady).  It's also bizarre that the first Sunday in January isn't the end to the regular season.  I seriously have no idea how the NFL decided to add another week, but they did.  The good news is that the playoff picture (for the most part) changes every week, so there are only like eight teams eliminated from contention.  

So let's see what's on tap, with 15 games on Sunday and the last MNF game of the year.....

Atlanta at Buffalo--I'm old enough to remember when the Falcons were considered as possibly the worst team in the NFL.  And I'm talking about this season, how they started 0-2 and gave up a combined 80 points to the Eagles and Bucs.  Somehow Arthur Smith, the rookie coach who  was able steer his team to a respectable 7-6 since then.  Oh but the Bills are hitting their stride.  Bills 38, Falcons 20

NY Giants at Chicago--Big sigh. Last Sunday, I was about as bummed out as I've ever been watching my Giants attempt to make chicken salad from chicken shit and the results were as you'd expect.  Since the dream Super Bowl run in 2011, it's been ten years of absolute futility.  Bears 23, Giants 6

Kansas City at Cincinnati--This could possibly be an AFC title game matchup, and I feel like I should watch this one instead of the Giants/Bears game.  Right?  Bengals 34, Chiefs 31

Miami at Tennessee--Oooh another beauty of a game.  For a while the Titans were the top seed in the AFC, but then Derrick Henry's injury derailed them.  Still, Tennessee leads the AFC South and they are facing the hottest team in the NFL Sunday.  Should I predict a tie?  I guess not.  Titans 22, Dolphins 21

Las Vegas at Indianapolis--Okay, so maybe I should watch Red Zone.  Too many good games competing with a NY-Chicago flinging of poo.  Colts 27, Raiders 23

Jacksonville at New England--So much for the Jags winning a game or two for their interim coach.  This season has been utterly forgettable for them and I'm sure can't end soon enough.  Patriots 35, Jags 7

Tampa Bay at NY Jets--I'm sure the Jets are thrilled to have to face their former division nemesis.  Bucs 31, Jets 10

Philadelphia at Washington--The WFT is imploding and Philly is somehow going to snag a playoff berth.  Eagles 24, WFT 17

LA Rams at Baltimore--I sort of smell an upset brewing here.  Yeah, why not......Ravens 26, Rams 24

Denver at LA Chargers--There are a lot of confounding teams in the NFL this year, and the Chargers are maybe in the Top 5 of them.  Chargers 21, Broncos 13

Houston at San Francisco--Wait, the Texans have won FOUR games this year?  You mean they had three wins before that upset against the Chargers?  Hmmm, sounds like fake news.  Niners 22, Texans 9

Arizona at Dallas--Someone let a shitload of air out of the Cards' balloon, the one that was flying real high after starting 7-0 including a dominant performance on SNF at the Rams.  And here comes Dak and a high flying defense to puncture that hole even more.  Cowboys 42, Cards 17

Carolina at New Orleans--Two teams.  Zero NFL-caliber quarterbacks.  Saints 20, Panthers 10

Detroit at Seattle--I get the feeling not many teams want to face this overachieving Lions squad.  Dan Campbell is apparently everything Joe Judge is not.  Seahawks 23, Lions 20

Minnesota at Green Bay--The fire Mike Zimmer pot on the stove is starting to simmer, getting close to its boiling point.  Packers 35, Vikings 27

Cleveland at Pittsburgh--Death, taxes, Ben Roethlisberger beating the Browns.  Or something like that.  The Browns are coming off two of the most gut-wrenching losses I've seen this season from any team.  And I fully expect this trend to continue Monday night.  Steelers 28, Browns 26  

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