Total: 9-4
Cumulative Total: 27–25
After last week’s struggles, I hope to have a proverbial “get right week” as we delve deeper into December. This is also the last week without a full slate of games until the new year, which is exciting in that there are more opportunities to get back on track in the coming days.
Ravens @ Browns 1:00 Est. Sun.
Even though Baltimore is, by most available metrics, the better team coming into a critical AFC North matchup. But. Cleveland is certainly more desperate: missing the playoffs is a real possibility if Baker Mayfield and co. lose this game. Add to those factors the advantage the Browns have playing at home and the swathe of injuries that has ravaged the Ravens and I think Cleveland can squeeze out a win at FirstEnergy stadium.
Pick: Cleveland -2.5 🅇
Jaguars @ Titans 1:00 Est. Sun.
This game presents has two conflicting ideas. On one hand, the Jaguars are an awful team back at the top of the expected draft order that any divisional leader should blow out. On the other hand, the Titans seem to lose to bad teams with some degree of regularity. I think what tips the scale is the number of unhealthy players on Tennessee, which has had more different players take the field than any team in recent memory. Overall, Jacksonville probably keeps it within a possession even if the Titans get an early lead given Mike Vrabel’s love for the run game and Ryan Tannehill not being the kind of quarterback to run up the score.
Pick: Jaguars +9 🅇
Raiders @ Chiefs 1:00 Est. Sun.
Even though the Chiefs are on a win streak and back in contention after a scare in the early part of the year, their offense still can’t seem to get it right. In a game against a Raiders team in disarray at Arrowhead, I think Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes put on a show and score at least 35. At that point, the Chiefs recent defensive success makes me believe that Vegas doesn’t even stay within striking distance after a few scores from a passing game still trying to find its footing.
Pick: Chiefs -9.5 ✅
Saints @ Jets 1:00 Est. Sun.
The Saints have been maddening to pick this year, blowing out Bill Belichick one week and having historically bad quarterback play the next. Meanwhile, making predictions about the Jets has definitely helped my record this year: a loss is almost always guaranteed. At the end of the day, I just don’t believe that Sean Payton lets his team lose to a perpetual AFC bottomfeeder. The offensive mastermind has to figure out New Orleans’ quarterback situation eventually.
Pick: Saints -5.5 ✅
Cowboys @ Football Team 1:00 Est. Sun.
Perhaps the only more frustrating team than the Saints has been the Football Team. Every. Single. Time. I pick against it, and the nameless, .500 team quarterbacked by Taylor Heineke wrecks my record for the week. Well, not again. With such a large point spread favoring the road team in a notoriously tight NFC East matchup, I think it’s finally time for the Football Team’s upsets to go my way.
Pick: Football Team +6 🅇
Falcons @ Panthers 1:00 Est. Sun.
Although these teams have the same record, the Falcons have played much better recently, with Carolina recently getting blown out by the Dolphins in a putrid performance. Atlanta, while inconsistent, has flashed and seemed like a very good team at times and Matt Ryan is always going to be more trustworthy than Sam Darnold. I just don’t think this matchup, even in Carolina, justifies Carolina being the favorite.
Pick: Falcons +2.5 ✅
Seahawks @ Texans 1:00 Est. Sun.
Speaking of teams burning me, the Seahawks get my hopes up every week. This time, I will not fall under the spell of Seattle’s former glory. Russell Wilson just is not the same between his hand injury and his desire to get out of the Pacific Northwest. Meanwhile, the Texans have shown an ability to stick close with teams much better than them, especially at home. I don’t think this is as much of a blow out as the spread suggests.
Pick: Texans +9 🅇
Lions @ Broncos 4:05 Est. Sun.
The Lions, riding the high of a win last week, should be in for a surprise against Denver. The Broncos, who flew under the radar for much of this year, stayed close for most of last Sunday night’s game against the Chiefs in Arrowhead and have real potential as a sleeper team. I don’t think Detroit has enough to come into Mile High and keep it close, especially given Denver’s great defence in recent games.
Broncos -8 ✅
Giants @ Chargers 4:05 Est. Sun.
While Los Angeles has played inconsistently this year, New York has played very badly from September to December. At SoFi stadium where the quarterback matchup is Justin Herbert against Daniel Jones and the Chargers defense has flashed in a way Giants fans can only dream of, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Bolts win by 20.
Pick: Chargers -10.5 ✅
49ers @ Bengals 4:25 Est. Sun.
Initially, I wanted to pick the Bengals going into this game. Just based off of the narratives surrounding these teams and their standings in their conferences respective playoff races, you would expect a Cincinnati win. However, the 49ers have played very well as of late with the Bengals are teetering after a loss to the Chargers last week that was much closer than the score board indicated. I think Kyle Shanahan has San Francisco rounding into form at the right time and Jimmy Garoppolo has a few more years under his belt than the talented but inexperienced Joe Burrow.
Pick: 49ers -1 ✅
Bills @ Buccaneers 4:25 Est. Sun.
What a roller coaster ride for the Bills mafia: after being on top of the division and seeming like it would become a perennial powerhouse this time last year, Buffalo lost to archrival New England at home and now has to play in Tampa Bay against a familiar foe in Tom Brady. Unfortunately for the Bills, the Bucs have been arguably the best team when they’re at Raymond James stadium, and Mr. Brady loses very rarely in December. In what is a short turnaround for Buffalo after a game on Monday night, I honestly don’t even expect this game to be very close.
Pick: Buccaneers -3 ✅
Bears @ Packers 8:20 Est. Sun.
The Bears get to visit their “owner” over in Green Bay on a Sunday night edition of a historic rivalry that’s been rather one sided in recent years. And Aaron Rodgers truly is Chicago’s owner, the bane of Bears’ fans existence since 2007. At Lambeau Field with a potential first round bye on the line against a ‘lame duck’ coach, I think the Packers surprisingly good defense could hold the Chicago to single digits while Rodgers and the prolific offense goes up and down the field.
Pick: Packers -11.5 ✅
Rams @ Cardinals 8:15 Est. Mon.
This matchup to me is a classic example of a team being “due.” The Rams simply have too much talent to stay on the mat forever, and a Monday night divisional game with the lights shining bright seems to me like a spot where LA’s players put aside whatever differences they may have after reeling for the past few weeks. Meanwhile, the Cardinals have not faced a test in several weeks and seem “due” for a heat check after being praised as the class of the league after finishing in the middle of the pack last year.
Pick: Rams +3 ✅
