NFL Week 14: Downtown Express - No Local Service Edition

NFL Week 14: Downtown Express - No Local Service Edition
M.D. Wright
12.4.08

I have been STUPID busy this week, four papers down, three more to go, three study sessions and four finals in three days next week. I apologize if my picks go by like the NYSE crawl.

Thursday Night Game

Oakland Raiders vs. San Diego Chargers
Qualcomm Stadium
San Diego, California
*THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL*

The Raiders have shown flashes under Cable, but they've been extreme flashes. They beat Denver just two weeks ago, but that was sandwiched between two very bad losses (as Raider losses go). The Chargers can ONLY make the playoffs if Denver goes 1-2 or 0-3 in their next two games -- and then they beat Denver. Chargers win.

Call:
Oakland 6
San Diego 31
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Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Chicago Bears
Soldier Field
Chicago, Illinois

The Jags are listless. They just got stomped by Houston, and coming off a short week. The Bears are wounded, and wounded Bears attack.

Call:
Jacksonville 13
Chicago 24
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Minnesota Vikings vs. Detroit Lions
Ford Field
Detroit, Michigan

...
Well, I'll say this, the Lions score a few points to start the game. But that's it.

Call:
Minnesota 31
Detroit 14
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Houston Texans vs. Green Bay Packers
Lambeau Field
Green Bay, Wisconsin

The Texans are going to surprise the Packers here. Their offense is scary. Their defense is emerging of late; with quite a few young players contributing. On the contrary, the Packers look tired. Rodgers has had a decent year, but teams are keying on Ryan Grant. This leads to more passes in coverage, as teams are also getting more pressure on Rodgers of late. He's had a number of backbreaking INTs lately. Matt Schaub is back for the Texans, as well. Rodgers puts up big numbers, but Mario Williams will, too.

Call:
Houston 34
Green Bay 23
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Cleveland Browns vs. Tennessee Titans
LP Field
Nashville, Tennessee

The Browns have officially quit. The Titans are trying to wrap up the division, and a win here will get them within .5 game of doing just that. In other words, they're going to eat the Browns' children.

Call:
Cleveland 14
Tennessee 24
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Cincinnati Bengals vs. Indianapolis Colts
Lucas Oil Stadium
Indianapolis, Indiana

The Colts are on a MISSION. The Bengals are done and only solidifying the fact that they're going to get Marv fired.

Call:
Cincinnati 13
Indianapolis 28
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Atlanta Falcons vs. New Orleans Saints
The Louisiana Superdome
New Orleans, Louisiana

The Falcons are consistent on both sides of the ball. The Saints are not. Increasingly, they are becoming one-dimensional. All passing. They get none yards (as John Madden would say) from their running game. Add to that, their defense is putrid. The Falcons will be in Brees' face and the faces of his targets all day. It won't be a blowout, because the Saints won't stop coming at Atlanta, but it will be ugly if Brees throws those INTs he's been throwing.

Call:
Atlanta 37
New Orleans 24
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Kansas City Chiefs vs. Denver Broncos
Invesco Field at Mile High Stadium
Denver, Colorado

This is my upset special of the week. I don't like Denver. At all. I am not impressed by their "wins" vs. Atlanta and the New York Football Jets. I'm impressed with how Oakland beat them. The Chiefs are feisty, man. I really don't know that the Broncos can stop Larry Johnson, and Tyler Thigpen is playing reasonably well. Unless the Cutler-Marshall/Cutler-Royal combos work, they don't convince me they are going to win. And I don't think they will do it.

Call:
Kansas City 26
Denver 24
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Miami Dolphins vs. Buffalo Bills
Ralph Wilson Stadium
Orchard Park, New York

The Bills are done. The loss last week vs. San Francisco was the death knell. The Dolphins are on a push to go 3-1/4-0 and have a chance to still make the playoffs. The Bills fed Marshawn Lynch the ball (although STILL NOT ENOUGH -- 16, 17 touches? 134 yards) and still lost.

Call:
Miami 30
Buffalo 20
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New York Football Jets vs. San Francisco 49ers
Candlestick Park
San Francisco, California

Watch out here if you are a degenerate. The Jets do NOT play well when they go west. Good lord they're awful. I still think they will win this game, but it is going to be ugly because 1) the Niners will muck it up 2) the Jets will be sluggish on both sides of the ball. I think they will pull it out, despite Mangini's silly play-calling at times.

Call:
NY Jets 17
San Francisco 13
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Philadelphia Eagles vs. New York Football Giants
Giants Stadium at the New Jersey Meadowlands
East Rutherford, New Jersey

The Iggles aren't done yet. You have to hand it to them. They have no quit. Donovan F. McNabb has had a time this year dealing with the Philly media and their ridiculous fans. Westbrook, however, is not 100% and did not stand a chance of getting huge yards against this particular Giants defense even if he were. The Giants won't miss a beat without Burress (if at all) until the playoffs. The Iggles do not strike fear in anyone with their secondary. Because the Jints can run the ball at will, there won't be as much blitzing by Jim Johnson.

Side Note: for those unaware of how the Giants organization is run (as I tune out Gloom 'n' Doomers like Floyd Reese -- what the heck was all that hot air about the other night??? -- and Cris Collinsworth, who has been predicting the worst for everyone such as McNabb, coach Andy Reid and of late, Burress) you have to realize that the Giants are faithful to their players and give out second chances when they are jammed up. Contrary to all the sensationalist media reports, if you were to glean anything from the transaction of benching him for the remainder of the season and playoffs -- with his contract language -- you should see that the Giants are going to be patient and let the legal ramifications pan out before they do anything. They are not going to release Burress. You heard it here first. For one, they don't want to have to draft a WR, when Jerry Reese (GM of the Year) did a good job stocking that unit the past two years. And the NFL will, at most, hit Burress with a 4 game suspension to start 2009. If Adam Jones doesn't get lifetime banishment for what he did, Burress won't. And Puff got the same charge (with the same lawyer) in 1999/2000. He did no time, only probation. Same thing with Cam'ron. Probation, no time.

Call:
Philadelphia 13
NY Giants 34
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New England Patriots vs. Seattle Seahawks
Qwest Field
Seattle, Washington

The Seabags are playing like My Father's Seabags. They're done. The Patriots will come back after getting smacked/exposed. Pats in a blowout.

Call:
New England 31
Seattle 9
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St. Louis Rams vs. Arizona Cardinals
University of Phoenix Stadium
Glendale, Arizona

Kurt & The Boys are going to put up Greatest Show On Turf numbers in this one. The Rams are packed and ready to go to Hawaii.

Call:
St. Louis 6
Arizona 43
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Dallas Cowboys vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Heinz Field
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
*GAME OF THE WEEK*

Dallas has a lot to prove. Back to back weeks, they play the best defense in the NFL, and the best defense in the NFC. Tough task. They must win one or both of these games and keep pace with Atlanta; who has the better conference record and ownership of the last wild card seed right now. If they lose to PIT and NYG that puts them at 8-6 and doing a lot of scoreboard watching during Atlanta's games in Weeks 16 and 17. I don't know that I am picking them here, but we will see next week vs. NYG. Tony Romo is going to get smacked around much like he did in the NFC Divisional Playoff last year. If Marion Barber is not able to go all out, they're in serious trouble.

Call:
Dallas 20
Pittsburgh 24
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Washington Redskins vs. Baltimore Ravens
M&T Bank Stadium
Baltimore, Maryland
*SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL*

On paper, this looks even. In reality, given how the two teams are on divergent paths of late, it's lopsided. I think everything will hold true to form over the past month or so and the Ravens will actually win this one similarly to the WASH/NYG game last week; going away. Too much consistency from Flacco, not enough from Campbell. Too much McClain/Rice. Portis is breaking down like a fine Acura with 415,000 miles on it. The Redskins' receivers are not getting separation out of their breaks. This will kill the Redskins' playoff hopes.

Call:
Washington 17
Baltimore 30
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Carolina Panthers
Bank of America Stadium
Charlotte, North Carolina
*MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL*
*GAME OF THE WEEK, PT. II*

This is the one for all the chips. The Bucs win, they have sole possession of first place and the head-to-head tiebreaker over Carolina. If the Black Cats win, they have sole possession of first place and the tiebreaker due to better record vs. common opponents. I give the slight edge to the Cats here because they are undefeated at home, and don't want their Week 16 trek to East Rutherford to determine whether or not they make the playoffs (a loss in this game would put them in a potential three-way tie with Dallas and Atlanta). I think they will break the Bucs' back with their two-headed running game. Jake Delhomme will ensure they will be one and done even if they make the playoffs, however. Mark my words. He's been brutal the last half of the season.

Call:
Tampa Bay 14
Carolina 23
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More this weekend.