NFL 2020 Week 12 Picks

 Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action is soon upon us yet again. The week features three delicious contests for Thanksgiving as well as some intriguing matchups including the Chiefs-Buccaneers matchup in the late game window. In this post I'll do my take on what all 32 teams have to be thankful for and my picks for the games. Let's get to work!

A Thankful Take: 2020 Edition

For those who have followed this blog since 2017 have come to know that I do a "What each team is Thankful for" segment of the blog prior to Thanksgiving. I do what I think each team is thankful for in sort of a joking way. By no means do I really think that's what each team thinks. Here's the 2020 list: 

Arizona Cardinals: DeAndre Hopkins' hands. 

Atlanta Falcons: thankful that you can't blow a lead if you're not leading in a game. 

Baltimore Ravens: that third wild card spot

Buffalo Bills: Tom Brady no longer in your division. 

Carolina Panthers: Teddy Bridgewater and Christian McCaffrey as a powerful combo.

Chicago Bears: Your defense. Offense is not really that great.

Cincinnati Bengals: Thankful that Joe Burrow hasn't retired yet. 

Cleveland Browns: thankful that you could possibly be playing January football soon.

Dallas Cowboys: you're still in play for having a playoff berth and a top-10 pick.

Denver Broncos: A plethora of quarterbacks that John Elway loves to keep around. 

Detroit Lions: The hope that Matt Patricia could be fired. 

Green Bay Packers: Aaron Rodgers.

Houston Texans: thankful that Bill O'Brien is gone.

Indianapolis Colts: DeForest Buckner. That defense is legit.

Jacksonville Jaguars: At least the basement is nice and cool during that warm Florida weather.

Kansas City Chiefs: Patrick Mahomes. 'Nuff said. 

Las Vegas Raiders: Nice stadium. 

Los Angeles Chargers: Justin Herbert's arm. 

Los Angeles Rams: Your team is back to relevance. 

Miami Dolphins: the future of Tua Tagovailoa. Please protect him. 

Minnesota Vikings: Your season has been awful but you can't choke in the playoffs if you're not in the playoffs. 

New England Patriots: The bandwagon fans are gone.

New Orleans Saints: Drew Brees is not lost for the season.

New York Giants: at least you're not the Jets.

New York Jets: Trevor Lawrence... oh wait that's not really good. Shit. 

Philadelphia Eagles: see Dallas Cowboys

Pittsburgh Steelers: Yinzers are spoiled, you're thankful for too much. 

San Francisco 49ers: The hangover has been real and you have had a lot of injuries. A down year is sometimes a blessing. 

Seattle Seahawks: Russell Wilson. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: You might have your first winning season in a decade.

Tennessee Titans: Derrick Henry's legs. 

Washington Football Team: At least Alex Smith is back in one piece. 

Week 12 Picks

Week 12 of the National Football League's regular season starts in Detroit, Michigan and finishes in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The week features a full 16-game (15 depending on Ravens-Steelers start) slate. It features two Thursday games, nine early games, three late games, a Sunday night game, and a Monday night game. CBS will have the double-header while FOX will have the single, regional game. No teams are on a bye this week. Let's get to the picks!

Note: I'll still pick the Ravens-Steelers game regardless if it happens this week. Better to be safe than sorry.

Houston (3-7) @ Detroit (4-6) (CBS): TW: Texans; CV: Texans
The Texans beat the Patriots and the Lions lost to the Panthers last week. Turkey day festivities starts off with an intriguing offensive matchup. Both teams have had rough seasons. I would expect the Texans to win based on their better defense and their ability to stop the run. I tend to lean towards DeShaun Watson over Matthew Stafford based on his ability to throw and run. 

Washington (3-7) @ Dallas (3-7) (FOX): TW: Cowboys; CV: Football Team
Both teams won last week as the Football Team beat the Bengals and the Cowboys beat the Vikings. The sleeper game features a snorefest of a division: the NFC EAST! DUN DUN DUN! Alex Smith could make this an entertaining contest but let's be real. I feel the Cowboys offense will get back on track and take hold of the reins of the division. They seem to have gotten back on track against the Vikings. Could be wrong but I really don't want Washington to possibly lead this division by week's end. 

Baltimore (6-4) @ Pittsburgh (10-0) (NBC): TW: Steelers; CV: Steelers
The Ravens lost to the Titans and the Steelers beat the Jaguars last week. The game was originally supposed to happen on the Thanksgiving primetime slot but this got moved to Sunday due to Ravens staff testing positive for COVID. For the first time since 1997, NBC will have a regular season game played in the afternoon. Back to football, I feel the Steelers will lose eventually this season, I just don't know how this Ravens team can somehow beat them. This Ravens team seems to be trending downward. Maybe Baltimore can pull off the upset but I don't see it. 

Las Vegas (6-4) @ Atlanta (3-7) (CBS): TW: Raiders; CV: Raiders
The Raiders lost to the Chiefs and the Falcons lost to the Saints. Despite last week's loss, the Raiders look poised to go back to the postseason for the first time since 2016. What they face against is a terrible Falcons team. I think the game will be more of a feature of the two quarterbacks than anything else. What Las Vegas has that Atlanta lacks is a running back tandem. I do like the tandem of Josh Jacobs and Devontae Booker. I'll take the Raiders. 

Miami (6-4) @ NY Jets (0-10) (CBS): TW: Dolphins; CV: Dolphins
Both teams lost last week as the Dolphins lost to the Broncos and the Jets lost to the Chargers. It's uncertain which quarterback will start for Miami. I'll be brutally honest: I don't think it'll matter. Dan Marino could come out of retirement and could ball and still beat the Jets. New York had some possibility that they could win but they played against the inept Chargers defense. Could the Jets beat the Dolphins defense? I don't see it as the Dolphins seem to play more of a team defense. I don't trust either team but I'll take the Dolphins. 

NY Giants (3-7) @ Cincinnati (2-7-1) (FOX): TW: Giants; CV: Bengals
The Giants were on a bye and the Bengals lost to the Football Team. No Joe Burrow in this one for Cincy. This likely means that the Bengals passing game will struggle and no Joe Mixon will also mean that it will fall on Giovanni Bernard or Samaje Perine to step up and carry the offense. Daniel Jones of the Giants is healthy and his offense has seen more stability than the Bengals despite no Saquon Barkley. Wayne Gallman has been an okay substitute. I'll take the Giants but this game is a snoozer. 

Tennessee (7-3) @ Indianapolis (7-3) (CBS): TW: Colts; CV: Colts
Both teams won last week as the Titans beat the Ravens and the Colts beat the Packers. I feel the game will be better to watch than the first matchup a few weeks ago. At least I hope that the Titans punting game gets figured out. Indy contained Derrick Henry fairly well in the first game and I would expect them to slow him down and make Ryan Tannehill beat you. The Colts will need to clean up the penalties otherwise you're just giving the opposition free yards. 

LA Chargers (3-7) @ Buffalo (7-3) (CBS): TW: Bills; CV: Bills
The Chargers beat the Jets and the Bills were on a bye last week. Oh boy, this one will be a defensive coordinator's worst nightmare. Both quarterbacks have the legs and the arm to make any defense angry and frustrated. I can't stress it enough that the Bills running attack needs to give Josh Allen some help. Los Angeles's defense isn't particularly great but even the average defense can make a team one-dimensional. I'll take the Bills based on better cast on offense and a stingy defense. 

Cleveland (7-3) @ Jacksonville (1-9) (CBS): TW: Browns; CV: Browns
The Browns beat the Eagles and the Jaguars lost to the Steelers. Cleveland is on the cusp of their first non-losing season in quite a long time. A win in Jacksonville will do that. Luckily for them the Jags aren't particularly great. Interestingly enough, Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone will go with veteran Mike Glennon as starter. Gardner Minshew isn't still likely to return for this game. I could see the Browns defense making the Jaguars offense silly as heck in this one. I still question on how well Baker Mayfield can play but its not like he's playing against a team with a tough defense. 

Arizona (6-4) @ New England (4-6) (FOX): TW: Cardinals; CV: Cardinals
Both teams lost last week as the Cardinals lost to the Seahawks and the Patriots lost to the Texans. New England's road to the playoffs looks to be getting tougher. Bill Belichek will have the tall task of trying to stop the multi-talented personnel of the Cardinals. Arizona is pretty well balanced on offense. What scares me is how well the Cardinals defense can handle the Patriots offense that at times looked inept and at times looked unstoppable. I feel the game will serve up points but I like the Cardinals in this one. 

Carolina (4-7) @ Minnesota (4-6) (FOX): TW: Vikings; CV: Vikings
The Panthers beat the Lions and the Vikings lost to the Cowboys. Good news: Teddy Bridgewater will likely return from injury. Bad news: Carolina will not have Christian McCaffrey in the game. Despite the records, both teams have shown that they can be good at times. Minnesota has the better offense, especially at running back with Dalvin Cook. Mike Davis has shown that he can be powerful back but he ain't no Dalvin Cook. I'll take the Vikings.

New Orleans (8-2) @ Denver (4-6) (FOX): TW: Saints; CV: Saints
Both teams won last week as the Saints beat the Falcons and the Broncos beat the Dolphins. Taysom Hill showed that he can be a great substitute for Drew Brees, who'll likely not play in this one due to chest injury. Denver's defense is better than Atlanta's so this will be an interesting test for Hill and the Saint's offense. Drew Lock had a better game against the Dolphins. I don't trust Lock to not turn the ball over. I'll take the Saints. 

San Francisco (4-6) @ LA Rams (7-3) (FOX): TW: Rams; CV: Rams
The 49ers were on a bye and the Rams beat the Buccaneers last week. Last time we saw San Francisco, they got pulverized by the Saints on November 15th. Nick Mullens could start but Jimmy Garoppolo could start as well. I don't see the quarterback being a factor in the 49ers to win. Los Angeles has seen a resurgence of their defense and some good options at running back. It could be a rough one for the 49ers. 

Kansas City (9-1) @ Tampa Bay (7-4) (CBS): TW: Chiefs; CV: Chiefs
The Chiefs beat the Raiders and the Buccaneers lost to the Rams last week. Marquee game of the week as Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady face off. This game could be a passing showcase as both quarterbacks can throw the ball really well. Controlling the tempo and time of possession will be key to victory for both teams. Kansas City's defense will have their hands full in trying to slow down both Tom Brady and Ronald Jones. I like both team's in the matchup but I can't go wrong in picking the defending champs. 

Chicago (5-5) @ Green Bay (7-3) (NBC): TW: Packers; CV: Bears
The Bears were on a bye and the Packers lost to the Colts last week. Oldest rivalry in the NFL returns. Like most games in the past it will be a duel between Aaron Rodgers and the Bears defense. Chicago's success this season has been mostly on their defense and occasionally their offense. Nick Foles has had some games with great passing numbers but I question how well their running game can matchup against the Packers defensive line. Sure their rush defense is suspect but its a rivalry game and both team's will likely play their hardest to win. 

Seattle (7-3) @ Philadelphia (3-6-1) (ESPN): TW: Seahawks; CV: Eagles
The Seahawks beat the Cardinals and the Eagles lost to the Browns last week. Week finishes up with an NFC Wild Card rematch between the Seahawks and Eagles. ESPN probably thought this game could be a good one when the schedule was made but much like their deal with the NFL, its a dud. I do like the Seahawks in the matchup as their offense seems to be talented and balanced. Russell Wilson finally got some help at running back with Carlos Hyde back last week and its likely that Chris Carson will return as well. As much as I like Carson Wentz, I don't see how his offense and even his defense can stop the Seahawks from winning this one. 

Local TV Schedule (courtesy of 506sports.com, check local listings): 

CBS Early:
Tennessee @ Indianapolis
Ian Eagle, Charles Davis

CBS Late:
Kansas City @ Tampa Bay
Jim Nantz, Tony Romo

FOX Single:
Carolina @ Minnesota
Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma

For more information on which game is being shown in your area, check out: NFL Week 12 Maps

2020 Week by Week Record: 

TW's record:

Week 1: 8-8
Week 2: 15-1
Week 3: 9-6-1
Week 4: 11-4
Week 5: 9-5
Week 6: 7-7
Week 7: 12-2
Week 8: 7-7
Week 9: 10-4
Week 10: 10-4
Week 11: 7-7
Total: 105-55-1

Cardinal Viking's record:

Week 1: 10-6
Week 2: 11-5
Week 3: 8-7-1
Week 4: 7-8
Week 5: 8-6
Week 6: 9-5
Week 7: 11-3
Week 8: 7-7
Week 9: 9-5
Week 10: 11-3
Week 11: 8-6
Total: 99-61-1

Previous Picking Records:

Cardinal Viking:

2017: 167-89
2018: 156-98-2
2019: 151-104-1

My record: 

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 156-98-2

2019: 161-94-1

I'll see you guys after the Monday night game for the Week 12 recap. Have a safe and healthy Thanksgiving and enjoy the football. 

-Tom

UPDATE: So the Ravens-Steelers game will get moved to Tuesday night. I'll do the recap post after that game. Stupid Baltimore ruining everything. 

NFL 2020 Week 11 Recap

 Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action has come by yet again. The week that was featured some entertaining finishes including two overtime games, a shutout, and the Cowboys winning their 3rd game this season. All this and more with this week's recap. Let's get to work!

Week 11 Recap

Arizona 21, Seattle 28: TW: Cardinals; CV: Cardinals
The game had just as much drama to it than the 1st game. Kyler Murray threw for 269 yards with two touchdowns in the game, along with 15 yards rushing. Kenyan Drake wouldn't get a lot of rushing yards in the game as he rushed for 29 yards but did score a rushing touchdown. Russell Wilson threw for 197 yards with two touchdowns. Carlos Hyde made his way back from injury and contributed 79 yards rushing with a touchdown run. Seattle's defense would cause a safety that was the result of an offensive holding. I feel these two teams will meet again possibly in January. 

Next week:
Arizona: @ New England; Seattle: @ Philadelphia

TW: 0-1; CV: 0-1

New England 20, Houston 27: TW: Patriots; CV: Patriots
DeShaun Watson dragged two New England defenders with him to the endzone. Cam Newton had a great game with 365 yards passing with a touchdown. Damien Harris rushed for 43 yards with a touchdown run. DeShaun Watson had a remarkable game as well, finishing with 344 yards passing with two touchdowns. Watson also had 36 yards rushing with a touchdown. JJ Watt was the football swatter, knocking down many Cam Newton passes. With a 4-6 record, the hopes of a playoff return for New England, is starting to slip away.

Next week:
New England: vs Arizona; Houston: @ Detroit

TW: 0-2; CV: 0-2

Detroit 0, Carolina 20: TW: Panthers; CV: Lions
PJ Walker made the most of his opportunity. Matthew Stafford threw for 178 yards but didn't throw for a touchdown pass in the game. Dandre Swift was injured for Detroit so Adrian Peterson would get the start at running back. Peterson could only put up 18 yards. Detroit wouldn't get much in terms of pass protection as Stafford was sacked five times. PJ Walker got the start for Carolina. The former XFL star threw for 258 yards with a touchdown but also threw two interceptions. Mike Davis rushed for 64 yards and rushed for a touchdown. 

Next week:
Detroit: vs Houston; Carolina: @ Minnesota

TW: 1-2; CV: 0-3

Philadelphia 17, Cleveland 22: TW: Browns; CV: Browns
The weather and the Browns made it inhospitable for Carson Wentz. Wentz threw for 235 yards with two touchdown passes but also threw two interceptions. One of the interceptions ended up being a pick-six. Miles Sanders had 66 yards in the game but also fumbled the ball. Baker Mayfield was more of a field manager as he threw for 204 yards with zero touchdowns. Nick Chubb racked up yards in this one as he rushed for 114 yards, his longest was for 54 yards. Kareem Hunt would score the only offensive touchdown for Cleveland, while getting 11 yards. Cleveland's hopes for a winning season are high, we shall have to see if they can play January football. 

Next week:
Philadelphia: vs Seattle; Cleveland: @ Jacksonville

TW: 2-2; CV: 1-3

Pittsburgh 27, Jacksonville 3: TW: Steelers; CV: Steelers
Pittsburgh looked perfect, nothing more, nothing less. Ben Roethlisberger threw for 267 yards with two touchdowns but also threw an interception in the game. Jacksonville couldn't capitalize on it though. James Conner rushed for 89 yards and Benny Snell rushed for 15 yards and scored a touchdown. Jake Luton wouldn't have a repeat performance in this one as he threw for 151 yards but also threw for four interceptions. James Robinson would carry the ball 17 times for 73 yards in the game. Do I think that Pittsburgh can stay undefeated? I doubt it. 

Next week:
Pittsburgh: vs Baltimore; Jacksonville: vs Cleveland

TW: 3-2; CV: 2-3

Tennessee 30, Baltimore 24 (F/OT): TW: Ravens; CV: Titans
Definitely no love lost in this one. Ryan Tannehill threw for 259 yards with two touchdowns but also threw an interception. Derrick Henry was slowed down but not contained in the game. He rushed for 133 yards in the game, his longest was the game-winning touchdown in overtime. Lamar Jackson threw for 186 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Jackson also ran for 51 yards. JK Dobbins rushed for 70 yards with a touchdown. 

Next week:
Tennessee: @ Indianapolis; Baltimore: @ Pittsburgh

TW: 3-3; CV: 3-3

Cincinnati 9, Washington 20: TW: Football Team; CV: Football Team
Heartbreak for Joe Burrow who'll likely be out for the rest of the season. Joe Burrow started for the Bengals and had 203 yards passing with a touchdown. He would leave the game during the 3rd quarter with what looked to be an apparent leg injury that bent backwards, tearing his ACL. Ryan Finley replaced him and would contribute only 30 yards passing with an interception. The Bungles running game wouldn't get much as both Samaje Perine and Ryan Finley rushed for 19 yards each. Giovanni Bernard rushed for 18 yards. Alex Smith threw for 166 yards with a touchdown but also threw an interception. Antonio Gibson rushed for 94 yards with a rushing touchdown in the game. 

Next week:
Cincinnati: vs NY Giants; Washington: @ Dallas

TW: 4-3; CV: 4-3

Atlanta 9, New Orleans 24: TW: Saints; CV: Falcons
Atlanta had no answer for Taysom Hill. Matt Ryan threw for 232 yards and threw two interceptions in the game. Todd Gurley wouldn't get much from the ground with 26 yards rushing. There was some controversy prior to this week in starting Taysom Hill for New Orleans but he seemed to pay it off. Hill threw for 233 yards. He didn't throw for a touchdown pass but didn't throw an interception in the game either. His biggest contribution in the game was his 51 yards rushing with two touchdown runs. Alvin Kamara gave some rushing yards of his own with 45 yards and also rushed for a touchdown. Latavius Murray rushed for 49 yards. Thankfully Sean Payton's decision to start Taysom Hill over Jameis Winston made enough sense to the rest of the team. 

Next week:
Atlanta: vs Las Vegas; New Orleans: @ Denver

TW: 5-3; CV: 4-4

NY Jets 28, LA Chargers 34: TW: Chargers; CV: Chargers
Might as well just give Offensive Rookie of the Year to Justin Herbert. Joe Flacco threw for 205 yards with two touchdowns but also threw an interception that led to a pick-six. Frank Gore and Lamical Perine both scored rushing touchdowns with 61 and 33 yards rushing respectively. Justin Herbert was magical in the game with 366 yards with three touchdown passes. Kalen Ballage rushed for a modest 44 yards in the game. You almost won Jets, just didn't quite have enough to stop Herbert.

Next week:
NY Jets: vs Miami; LA Chargers: @ Buffalo

TW: 6-3; CV: 5-4

Miami 13, Denver 20: TW: Dolphins; CV: Dolphins
Celebrations for a possible Dolphins playoff appearance will have to be put on hold. Tua Tagovailoa started for the Dolphins and threw for 83 yards with a touchdown before getting sacked six times and knocked out in the 4th quarter. Ryan Fitzpatrick threw for 117 yards with an interception. Salvon Ahmed rushed for 43 yards in the game. Drew Lock had a better game this go around with 270 yards but only threw just one interception. Melvin Gordon rushed for 84 yards with two touchdowns. 

Next week:
Miami: @ NY Jets; Denver: vs New Orleans

TW: 6-4; CV: 5-5

Dallas 31, Minnesota 28: TW: Vikings; CV: Vikings
The well-rested Cowboys got a much needed win. Andy Dalton made his return at quarterback and threw for 203 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. Ezekiel Elliot broke his 8-game streak of not rushing for 100+ yards in a game with 103 yards in the game. Tony Pollard rushed for 60 yards with a touchdown run. CeeDee Lamb caught four for 34 yards with a touchdown, including a crazy over the shoulder catch that resulted in the touchdown for him. Kirk Cousins threw for 314 yards with three touchdown passes and did not throw an interception in the game. Dalvin Cook would get the edge over Ezekiel Elliot in terms of rushing yards as Cook finished with 115 and scored a touchdown run. Adam Thielen had a monster game with eight catches for 123 yards and two touchdowns. At this point, I just want some team from the NFC East a winner with not a losing record. 

Next week:
Dallas: vs Washington; Minnesota: vs Carolina

TW: 6-5; CV: 5-6

Green Bay 31, Indianapolis 34 (F/OT): TW: Packers; CV: Colts
Green Bay's offense did not do a lot in the 2nd half and the defense did the same as well. Aaron Rodgers threw for 311 yards with three touchdown passes and had an interception in the game. Aaron Jones ran for 41 yards with a touchdown run. Phillip Rivers threw for 288 yards with three touchdowns as well as an interception. The big difference is that the weak Packers rush defense reared its ugly head as Jonathan Taylor rushed for 90 yards in the game. Somewhat of a factor was penalty yards and turn overs. Green Bay committed three fumbles while Indianapolis had 116 penalty yards in the game. Ugly game for both but one would end up winning. 

Next week:
Green Bay: vs Chicago; Indianapolis: vs Tennessee

TW: 6-6; CV: 6-6

Kansas City 35, Las Vegas 31: TW: Chiefs; CV: Chiefs
The game was nothing short but a must-watch. Patrick Mahomes threw for 348 yards with two touchdowns and had an interception in the game. Clyde Edwards-Helaire rushed for 69 yards and two touchdowns. Le'Veon Bell made his Chiefs debut in this one and had 25 rushing yards with a touchdown. Derek Carr threw for 275 yards with three touchdowns and had an interception in the game. Josh Jacobs rushed for 55 yards and had a touchdown run. Derek Carr's touchdown to Jason Witten gave the Chiefs 1:43 left to play to score the go-ahead touchdown. Patrick Mahomes would only need 1:15 of game time to score that touchdown. Could be a possible playoff rematch in January. 

Next week:
Kansas City: @ Tampa Bay; Las Vegas: @ Atlanta

TW: 7-6; CV: 7-6

LA Rams 27, Tampa Bay 24: TW: Buccaneers; CV: Rams
The game really shouldn't have been closer than the score suggests. Jared Goff threw for 376 yards with three touchdowns and threw two interceptions in the game. Malcolm Brown wouldn't get too much going in the game as he racked up only 20 yards. Tom Brady threw for 216 yards with two touchdowns and threw two interceptions. One of the interceptions came during the Bucs final drive in the game. Ronald Jones was contained pretty well by the Rams defense as he rushed for only 24 yards. Leonard Fournette would score a rushing touchdown in this one but he could get only 17 yards of his own. 

Next week:
LA Rams: vs San Francisco; Tampa Bay: vs Kansas City

TW: 7-7; CV: 8-6

2020 Week by Week Record: 

TW's record:

Week 1: 8-8
Week 2: 15-1
Week 3: 9-6-1
Week 4: 11-4
Week 5: 9-5
Week 6: 7-7
Week 7: 12-2
Week 8: 7-7
Week 9: 10-4
Week 10: 10-4
Week 11: 7-7
Total: 105-55-1

Cardinal Viking's record:

Week 1: 10-6
Week 2: 11-5
Week 3: 8-7-1
Week 4: 7-8
Week 5: 8-6
Week 6: 9-5
Week 7: 11-3
Week 8: 7-7
Week 9: 9-5
Week 10: 11-3
Week 11: 8-6
Total: 99-61-1

Previous Picking Records:

Cardinal Viking:

2017: 167-89
2018: 156-98-2
2019: 151-104-1

My record: 

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 156-98-2

2019: 161-94-1

I'll see you guys on Wednesday for the Week 12 Picks post

-Tom

NFL 2020 Week 11 Picks

 Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action is coming soon! Week 11 has some interesting games to keep an eye on. Such games like: the Cardinals-Seahawks rematch in the Emerald City, Tom Brady facing against the Rams for the first time since Super Bowl LIII, and the 2nd Chiefs-Raiders matchup. We'll get to those games and the rest of the week's slate coming up. Let's get to work!

Week 11 Picks

The Eleventh week of the National Football League's regular season starts at Seattle, Washington and ends in Tampa, Florida. The week features a 14-game slate. It includes a Thursday night game, seven early games, four late games, a Sunday night game and a Monday night game. FOX will have the double-header while CBS will show a single, regional game. Buffalo, Chicago, NY Giants, and San Francisco are on a bye. Let's get to the picks.

Arizona (6-3) @ Seattle (6-3) (FOX/NFL Network): TW: Cardinals; CV: Cardinals
The Cardinals beat the Bills and the Seahawks lost to the Rams last week. If this game was anything like the first game a few weeks ago, this one will be a classic. Arizona has good vibes their way and who can blame them. They beat Buffalo on a hail mary pass with a few seconds left in the game. The play could be a bit sloppy since both teams will be on short rest. I feel good going with Arizona in this one.

New England (4-5) @ Houston (2-7) (CBS): TW: Patriots; CV: Patriots
The Patriots beat the Ravens and the Texans lost to the Browns last week. New England seemed to find a way to win with a little help from mother nature last week against Baltimore. Safe to say I don't think the elements will help the Pats in this one. Cam Newton will need to play better and not turn the ball over if the Patriots hope to win in this game. Houston's receiving corp will need to step up and help Wil Fuller out in passing offense. I'll take the Patriots.

Detroit (4-5) @ Carolina (3-7) (FOX): TW: Panthers; CV: Lions
The Lions beat the Football Team and the Panthers lost to the Buccaneers. Both teams aren't particularly great on either side of the ball. Detroit did well for me picking them last week but I'm not so sure about this week. The Lions typically do better on the road than being at home. Mike Davis is a stable option at running back for Carolina but I just don't know if he can produce the same numbers that Christian McCaffrey produces on a normal basis when he's not injured. It came down to an eeny-miney-moe and Carolina was there so I guess I'll go Panthers in this one.

Philadelphia (3-5-1) @ Cleveland (6-3) (FOX): TW: Browns; CV: Browns
The Eagles lost to the Giants and the Browns beat the Texans last week. Cleveland played well enough to get the dub last week by scoring more points than the opposition. Baker Mayfield did alright in not turning the ball over but he could've done more I feel last week in terms of passing yards. Philadelphia's rush defense is pretty suspect and the Browns have used their running backs well. Should be an entertaining game nonetheless. 

Pittsburgh (9-0) @ Jacksonville (1-8) (CBS): TW: Steelers; CV: Steelers
The Steelers beat the Bengals and the Jaguars lost to the Packers last week. Jacksonville raised some heads last week in almost beating Green Bay on Sunday. Unfortunately they're facing off arguably the best team in the NFL right now in the Steelers. At some point Pittsburgh is going to lose but I don't see how they can possibly lose to a one-win Jaguars team. 

Tennessee (6-3) @ Baltimore (6-3) (CBS): TW: Ravens; CV: Titans
Both teams lost last week as the Titans lost to the Colts and the Ravens lost to the Patriots. One would hope that the Titans figure out their punting issues before this game happens. Baltimore got exposed and made Lamar Jackson look like a mortal and a running back. New England's pass rush made it inhospitable to him. Still I like the Ravens in the matchup as they do have an upgraded defense. They'll need all the help they can get in containing Derrick Henry. 

Cincinnati (2-6-1) @ Washington (2-7) (CBS): TW: Football Team; CV: Football Team
Both teams lost last week as the Bengals lost to the Steelers and the Football Team lost to the Lions. The rookie vs the veteran in terms of quarterbacks. Both teams aren't really that great in terms of record and overall talent. I do like the promise of Joe Burrow despite many obstacles along the way. I do like the Football Team in the matchup as they do have a formidable running attack and some decent wide outs for Alex Smith to throw to. Joe Mixon for the Bengals could still be out for this one and I can't trust him to make the start at running back for Cincy. Tough luck Bungles.

Atlanta (3-6) @ New Orleans (7-2) (FOX): TW: Saints; CV: Falcons
The Falcons were on a bye and the Saints beat the 49ers last week. New Orleans beat the 49ers handily last week but it came at a cost. Drew Brees will be out for this game and who knows will be in for the Saints. One would assume it would be Jameis Winston since he saw some action in place of Brees last week. Or it could be Taysom Hill who could get the nod. Nonethless, I feel the game will be close but Alvin Kamara will have to be the one to step up on offense. 

NY Jets (0-9) @ LA Chargers (2-7) (CBS): TW: Chargers; CV: Chargers
The Jets were on a bye and the Chargers lost to the Dolphins. New York will return after a copious amount of rest. Sam Darnold seems to be an incomplete in terms of grade as he just hasn't been given the kind of help that the team would give him. Fortunately for Justin Herbert, he does have some options at running back and Keenan Allen. New York might have a shot to make it a close one but I feel their loss total will hit double digits by game's end. 

Miami (6-3) @ Denver (3-6) (CBS): TW: Dolphins; CV: Dolphins
The Dolphins beat the Chargers and the Broncos lost to the Raiders last week. I had my doubts that Tua Tagovailoa would get starts in 2020 but so far he has been playing well in his young career. It helps when the Dolphins play like a team and help each other out when needed. They're not a sexy team by any stretch but they play for each other. Drew Lock of the Broncos could possibly not play in this game which means that Brett Rypien could get more first team reps. Denver's running game will be badly needed in this one. Should be an intriguing game to watch. 

Dallas (2-7) @ Minnesota (4-5) (FOX): TW: Vikings; CV: Vikings
The Cowboys were on a bye and the Vikings beat the Bears last week. Dallas without Dak Prescott is pathetic to watch. Their record speaks the truth of that. At one point Minnesota was hoping to be in the Trevor Lawrence sweepstakes but if they keep winning like they do, I don't see him falling into their laps. I'll watch the Ezekiel Elliot vs Dalvin Cook matchup in this one. I'll take Cook and the Vikings. Dallas's defense is trash.

Green Bay (7-2) @ Indianapolis (6-3) (FOX): TW: Packers; CV: Colts
Both teams won last week as the Packers beat the Jaguars and the Colts beat the Titans. Green Bay's defense maybe suspect at times but when it comes to crunch time they do find a way to get it done. They'll need to play better because Philip Rivers can still do Philip Rivers things and Jonathan Taylor can still put up numbers. The Packers offense will have their hands full taking on the Colts defense which is 3rd in rush defense and 1st in pass defense and 1st in overall defense. I think Aaron Rodgers will find a way to get it done. 

Kansas City (8-1) @ Las Vegas (6-3) (NBC): TW: Chiefs; CV: Chiefs
The Chiefs were on a bye and the Raiders beat the Broncos last week. Classic AFC matchup on NBC. The Raiders had the last laugh in beating the Chiefs earlier in the season. Rivalry games are hard to pick as both teams will play their hardest to best the other. No love lost between these two rivals. I'll take the Chiefs in that they want to beat their rival at their place. 

LA Rams (6-3) @ Tampa Bay (7-3) (ESPN): TW: Buccaneers; CV: Rams
Both teams won last week as the Rams beat the Seahawks and the Buccaneers beat the Panthers. Week 11 wraps up with a tantalizing matchup. Last time Tom Brady faced off against the Rams was in Super Bowl LIII. I think it'll be a close game but I think Brady will win the game with Ronald Jones and their defense behind him. 

Local TV Schedule (courtesy of 506sports.com):

CBS Single
Tennessee @ Baltimore
Jim Nantz, Tony Romo

FOX Early
Philadelphia @ Cleveland
Adam Amin, Mark Schlereth

FOX Late
Dallas @ Minnesota
Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma

For more information on which game is being shown in your area check out: NFL Maps: Week 11

2020 Week by Week Record: 

TW's record:

Week 1: 8-8
Week 2: 15-1
Week 3: 9-6-1
Week 4: 11-4
Week 5: 9-5
Week 6: 7-7
Week 7: 12-2
Week 8: 7-7
Week 9: 10-4
Week 10: 10-4
Total: 98-48-1

Cardinal Viking's record:

Week 1: 10-6
Week 2: 11-5
Week 3: 8-7-1
Week 4: 7-8
Week 5: 8-6
Week 6: 9-5
Week 7: 11-3
Week 8: 7-7
Week 9: 9-5
Week 10: 11-3
Total: 91-55-1

Previous Picking Records:

Cardinal Viking:

2017: 167-89
2018: 156-98-2
2019: 151-104-1

My record: 

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 156-98-2

2019: 161-94-1

I'll see you guys after the Monday night game for the Week 11 recap.

-Tom 

NFL Week 10 Recap

 Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action has passed us by. The football on my 32nd birthday was something to be had. A huge upset in New England, a walk-off win in Arizona and Green Bay squeaks by against the Jaguars. My recap of those games and the rest of the week are all in this post. Let's get to work!

Week 10 Recap

Indianapolis 34, Tennessee 17: TW: Titans; CV: Titans
Help wanted: a person who can punt the ball for more than 10 yards. Philip Rivers threw for 308 yards with a touchdown pass. Nyheim Hines rushed for 70 yards with a touchdown run. Former Colts starter Jacoby Brissett would get a touchdown run on a 2-yard run. The Colts capitalized on bad punts by the Titans during the 2nd half. Ryan Tannehill threw for 147 yards with a touchdown. Star Derrick Henry would hit the 100-yard plateau with a 103-yard game but wouldn't score a TD. Jonnu Smith would score one though on a 1-yard run. Special teams matters late in the season. Sadly people don't realize that. 

Next week:
Indianapolis: vs Green Bay; Tennessee: @ Baltimore

TW: 0-1; CV: 0-1

Jacksonville 20, Green Bay 24: TW: Packers; CV: Packers
The score was way too close for comfort in Cheeseland. Jake Luton threw for 169 yards with a touchdown and an interception. The Packers rush defense laxed as James Robinson rushed for 109 yards in the game. Keelan Cole scored a touchdown on a 91-yard punt return. Aaron Rodgers threw for 325 yards with two touchdowns but also threw an interception in the game. Rodgers would also run into the endzone for a score as well. Aaron Jones would rush for a modest 46 yards in the game. 

Next week:
Jacksonville: vs Pittsburgh; Green Bay: @ Indianapolis

TW: 1-1; CV: 1-1

Houston 7, Cleveland 10: TW: Browns; CV: Browns 
Who thought this game to be a defensive contest? DeShaun Watson threw for 163 yards with a touchdown along with 36 yards rushing. David Johnson rushed for 54 yards in the game. Baker Mayfield would only throw for 132 yards in the game but didn't throw a touchdown pass but didn't throw an interception either. Cleveland's running tandem of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt racked up 126 and 104 yards respectively with Chubb scoring the only touchdown for the Browns. I guess Baker Mayfield didn't have enough seat covers to cover the whole stadium for the impending storm that happened before kickoff. 

Next week:
Houston: vs New England; Cleveland: vs Philadelphia

TW: 2-1; CV: 2-1

Philadelphia 17, NY Giants 27: TW: Eagles; CV: Eagles
What the heck Giants!? Carson Wentz threw for 208 yards but didn't throw a touchdown pass but didn't throw an interception either. Miles Sanders rushed for 85 yards, the game's leading rusher. Boston Scott and Corey Clement would score rushing touchdowns for Philly. Daniel Jones threw for 244 yards but, like Wentz, didn't throw a touchdown pass or an interception. Jones would rack up 64 yards rushing with a rushing touchdown. Wayne Gallman proved to be a productive running back for the G-men with 53 yards rushing with two touchdowns. Seriously New York, you beat your divisions only chance for a winning record in Philly. Le sigh.

Next week:
Philadelphia: @ Cleveland; NY Giants: Bye

TW: 2-2; CV: 2-2

Tampa Bay 46, Carolina 23: TW: Buccaneers; CV: Buccaneers
It was kind of cool to see Rob Gronkowski do Rob Gronkowski things to opposing players. Tom Brady threw for 341 yards with three touchdowns. Ronald Jones went off in this one with 192 yards with a touchdown run. That touchdown run was on a 98-yard run that was the longest run in Buccaneers franchise history. Teddy Bridgewater threw for 136 yards with two touchdowns with an interception. Bridgewater also rushed for 16 yards with a touchdown run. Mike Davis would rush for the meager 32 yards. 

Next week:
Tampa Bay: vs Rams; Carolina: vs Detroit

TW: 3-2: CV: 3-2

Washington 27, Detroit 30: TW: Lions; CV: Lions
Matt Prater saved Matt Patricia from that seat from getting hotter. Alex Smith had one of his best games in a while with 390 yards passing in the game. Antonio Gibson rushed for 45 yards with two touchdown runs. Matthew Stafford threw for 276 yards with three touchdowns. Dandre Swift rushed for 81 yards. Matt Prater, channeling his inner Dustin Johnson, hit a 59-yard field goal to give the Lions the edge in the game. Who would've thought Alex Smith would throw for almost 400 yards after two years of rehab. 

Next week:
Washington: vs Cincinnati; Detroit: @ Carolina

TW: 4-2; CV: 4-2

LA Chargers 21, Miami 29: TW: Dolphins; CV: Dolphins
In the battle of two rookie quarterbacks, the kid from Alabama pulled it off. Justin Herbert threw for 187 yards with two touchdowns but also threw an interception in the game. Kalen Ballage, the former Dolphin, rushed for 68 yards while Justin Herbert rushed for 10 yards with a touchdown. Tua Tagovailoa threw for 169 yards with two touchdowns. Salvon Ahmed ran for 85 yards with a touchdown. Miami's 6-3 record is their best since 2001 and their five-game winning streak is their longest since 2016. I never thought this team would be a playoff team but sometimes the football gods fool us all. 

Next week:
LA Chargers: vs NY Jets; Miami: @ Denver

TW: 5-2; CV: 5-2

Denver 12, Las Vegas 37: TW: Raiders; CV: Raiders
Mistakes were a bound in this game. Drew Lock threw for 257 yards with a touchdown but threw for an astonishing four interceptions in the game. Melvin Gordon would rush for 46 yards in the game. Derek Carr threw for 154 yards but didn't throw for a touchdown or threw an interception. The tandem of Josh Jacobs and Devontae Booker rushed for 112 and 81 yards respectively while both scoring two touchdowns each. Derek Carr obviously didn't need to be the hero though. 

Next week:
Denver: vs Miami; Las Vegas: vs Kansas City

TW: 6-2; CV: 6-2

Buffalo 30, Arizona 32: TW: Cardinals; CV: Cardinals
Definitely a nominee for Game of the Year. Josh Allen threw for 284 yards with two touchdowns but also threw for two interceptions. Ian McKenzie threw a 12-yard to Josh Allen. Josh Allen would be the leading rusher for the Bills with 38 yards. Kyler Murray threw for 245 yards with a touchdown but also threw an interception. Kenyan Drake rushed for a solid 100 yards in the game. Murray also rushed for 61 yards with two touchdowns. The Kyler Murray touchdown pass to DeAndre Hopkins came with only two seconds left in the game to give the Cardinals the lead. The game has officially been called "Hail Murray."

Next week:
Buffalo: Bye; Arizona: @ Seattle

TW: 7-2; CV: 7-2

Cincinnati 10, Pittsburgh 36: TW: Steelers; CV: Steelers
A Ben Roethlisberger spending the week at home instead of being at the practice field is equally dangerous to the opponents. Joe Burrow threw for 213 yards with a touchdown pass. Samaje Perine rushed for 48 yards in place of the injured Joe Mixon. Probably didn't help their cause any when Cincinnati was 0-13 on third down. Ben Roethlisberger threw for 333 yards with four touchdowns. James Conner rushed for 36 yards in the game. Pittsburgh is 9-0 for the first time in franchise history. Keep in mind that this team has been around since 1933. 

Next week:
Cincinnati: @ Washington; Pittsburgh: @ Jacksonville

TW: 8-2; CV: 8-2

Seattle 16, LA Rams 23: TW: Seahawks; CV: Rams
Russell Wilson looked mortal in this game. Wilson threw for 248 yards and threw for two interceptions in the game. Wilson was the leading rusher in the game with 60 yards. Alex Collins rushed for 43 yards with a touchdown. DK Metcalf would only get 28 receiving yards with two catches. Jared Goff threw for 302 yards in the game. Cam Akers rushed for 38 yards, Malcolm Brown rushed for 33 yards with two touchdowns and Darrell Henderson rushed for 28 yards with a touchdown. Obviously the Rams didn't need to put up rushing yards a lot but would only need to score touchdowns in the game. 

Next week:
Seattle: vs Arizona; LA Rams: @ Tampa Bay

TW: 8-3; CV: 9-2

San Francisco 13, New Orleans 27: TW: Saints; CV: Saints
You tried San Francisco, you tried. Nick Mullens threw for 247 yards with a touchdown but also threw two interceptions in the game. Jerrick McKinnon rushed for 33 yards in the game. Drew Brees started the game for the Saints but would leave the game after a crushing hit by 49ers defensive lineman Kentavius Street. Brees would leave the game with 76 yards with a touchdown. Jameis Winston would take his stead with 63 yards passing. Latavius Murray rushed for 57 yards in the game but Alvin Kamara rushed for 15 yards with two touchdowns. Late on Monday it was learned that Drew Brees had cracked ribs and a collapsed lung. Hopefully he can return soon to the field. 

Next week:
San Francisco: Bye; New Orleans: vs Atlanta

TW: 9-3; CV: 10-2

Baltimore 17, New England 23: TW: Ravens; CV: Ravens
The Patriots got a lot of help from Mother Nature in this one. Lamar Jackson threw for 249 yards with two touchdowns but also threw an interception in this game. Jackson also rushed for 55 yards in the game. Cam Newton threw for 118 yards with a touchdown. New England's running game had a good game as Damien Harris rushed for 121 yards rushing, Rex Burkhead with 31 yards and Cam Newton with 21 yards rushing with a touchdown run. Kind of a huge upset and the Steelers having a sizable lead in the AFC North hurts Baltimore who looked really good to start this season. 

Next week:
Baltimore: vs Tennessee; New England: @ Houston

TW: 9-4; CV: 10-3

Minnesota 19, Chicago 13: TW: Vikings; CV: Vikings
You did it Kirk Cousins, you won your first Monday night game in ten career starts. Cousins had a fairly alright night with 292 yards passing with two touchdowns but also threw an interception. Minnesota won so that should be alright though. Dalvin Cook wouldn't have quite the same performance as previous games but he still nearly ran for 100 yards with 96 yards in this game. Justin Jefferson had eight catches for 135 yards. Nick Foles would start for Chicago in the game. He would leave the game during the final minute of the game. Foles threw for 106 yards with an interception in the game. Former Viking Cordarrelle Patterson could only muster 30 yards from the ground. Patterson's presence was certainly felt on a 104-yard kick-six kick return that would give Chicago its first lead of the game. It wouldn't last though. Minnesota nearly outgained Chicago by a 2:1 ratio and still only won by six. Crazy. 

Next week:
Minnesota: vs Dallas; Chicago: Bye

TW: 10-4; CV: 11-3

2020 Week by Week Record: 

TW's record:

Week 1: 8-8
Week 2: 15-1
Week 3: 9-6-1
Week 4: 11-4
Week 5: 9-5
Week 6: 7-7
Week 7: 12-2
Week 8: 7-7
Week 9: 10-4
Week 10: 10-4
Total: 98-48-1

Cardinal Viking's record:

Week 1: 10-6
Week 2: 11-5
Week 3: 8-7-1
Week 4: 7-8
Week 5: 8-6
Week 6: 9-5
Week 7: 11-3
Week 8: 7-7
Week 9: 9-5
Week 10: 11-3
Total: 91-55-1

Previous Picking Records:

Cardinal Viking:

2017: 167-89
2018: 156-98-2
2019: 151-104-1

My record: 

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 156-98-2

2019: 161-94-1

I'll see you guys on Wednesday for the Week 11 Picks post. The season is going by so quick. 

-Tom

NFL 2020 Week 10 Picks

 Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action is soon upon us. The week offers some fairly interesting matchups. The Seahawks and Rams could be a great game while the Thursday night game with the Colts and Titans should liven up things a bit. This Sunday marks my 32nd birthday so obviously football, pizza and probably beer will be had on that day. In this post I'll talk about my picks for the week's games. Let's get to work!

Week 10 Picks

Week 10 in the NFL regular season starts in Nashville, Tennessee and ends in Chicago, Illinois. The week will have a 14-game slate. It includes a Thursday night game, five early games, six late games, a Sunday night game and a Monday night game. CBS will have the single late game due to their coverage of The Masters tournament and FOX will have the doubleheader this week. Atlanta, Dallas, Kansas City and NY Jets have byes this week. Let's get to the picks!

Indianapolis (5-3) @ Tennessee (6-2) (FOX/NFL Network): TW: Titans; CV: Titans
The Colts lost to the Ravens and the Titans beat the Bears last week. A fairly decent matchup to start the week off as its a battle for 1st in the AFC South. The Colts have shown to be a decent pick in AFC South matchups but I don't know if I can trust Philip Rivers to throw the football at someone other than his own team. Indy's defense will have a huge test this week in stopping or slowing down Derrick Henry. Mostly a gut feeling but I'll take the Titans.

Jacksonville (1-7) @ Green Bay (6-2) (FOX): TW: Packers; CV: Packers
Jacksonville lost to the Texans and the Packers beat the 49ers last week. Jake Luton proved to be a fairly decent option at quarterback for the Jaguars. I think he's going to have his hands full against the Packers front seven though. The extra rest from playing last Thursday will help the Packers out a bit especially with Aaron Jones's health. I'll take the Packers using their running game to win this one. 

Houston (2-6) @ Cleveland (5-3) (FOX): TW: Browns; CV: Browns
Houston beat the Jaguars and the Browns had a bye last week. Cleveland will be well rested for this one. Baker Mayfield has been a wild card this season and that doesn't bode well for picking. Perhaps the week off will give some perspective to Baker Mayfield who should be doing well this season but he has yet to show that he can be a top flight quarterback in the NFL. Houston outside of DeShaun Watson, JJ Watt and Wil Fuller is iffy in terms of talent at best. I think it'll be a quarterback duel. I'll take the Browns but I won't hold my breath if they lose. 

Philadelphia (3-4-1) @ NY Giants (2-7) (FOX): TW: Eagles; CV: Eagles
The Eagles had the bye and the Giants beat the Football Team last week. Ah yes another NFC East matchup that smells rotten. Perhaps not as rotten as the Giants-Football Team game last week but still bad. Philly did well in the first matchup of this series despite Carson Wentz throwing interceptions in the game. Alshon Jeffery could possibly make it back to playing this week which will give Wentz some options to throw. New York's running game could make some noise in this one but I like the Eagles in the game. 

Tampa Bay (6-3) @ Carolina (3-6) (FOX): TW: Buccaneers; CV: Buccaneers
Both teams lost last week as the Buccaneers lost to the Saints and the Panthers lost to the Chiefs. Tampa got spanked last week much to my surprise and most people. Carolina showed promise in nearly beating the defending champion Chiefs last week. Tom Brady typically does well in games after a loss so I'm willing to give the Bucs another shot at winning this game. With Christian McCaffrey back in action this one should be a tight contest. 

Washington (2-6) @ Detroit (3-5) (FOX): TW: Lions; CV: Lions
Both teams lost last week as the Football Team lost to the Giants and the Lions lost to the Vikings. Detroit hopes that Matthew Stafford returns from leaving last week's game with a concussion. It looks like he will make it to this game. I tend to like the Lions a bit in this matchup as they do have a potent passing attack with a sprinkle of running backs to complement. What they lack in is defense. Washington has a good pass defense which makes this hard to pick. I'll take Detroit in the spur of the moment. 

LA Chargers (2-6) @ Miami (5-3) (CBS): TW: Dolphins; CV: Dolphins
The Chargers lost to the Raiders and the Dolphins beat the Cardinals last week. Two young quarterbacks duking it out. I'm not quite sure what we'll see out of Tua Tagovailoa as he hasn't really had a bad game so far in his young career since becoming the starter. Justin Herbert has been the more seasoned rookie and he may as well be garnering votes for Rookie of the Year as far as I'm concerned. If Miami can be spontaneous in its offense, I feel that they should rule the day. 

Denver (3-5) @ Las Vegas (5-3) (CBS): TW: Raiders; CV: Raiders
The Broncos lost to the Falcons and the Raiders beat the Chargers last week. Drew Lock has been hit and miss this season and his stats really speak for themselves as he has six touchdowns and six interceptions with 1,240 passing yards. The Raiders tandem of Josh Jacobs and Devontae Booker was cool to watch last week as it gave them more options to go to in offense. Derek Carr has been playing well this season in spite of me not talking about him as much. I'll take the better offensive power in Las Vegas in this one.

Buffalo (7-2) @ Arizona (5-3) (CBS): TW: Cardinals; CV: Cardinals
The Bills beat the Seahawks and the Cardinals lost to the Dolphins last week. If this game was anything like the Seahawks-Bills game then this one is sure to have high scoring up the wazoo. A defensive coordinator's worst nightmare perhaps. The quarterback matchup speaks for itself. Arizona has two 500+ yard rushers on their team, granted one of them is Kyler Murray. I think the key is going to have to fall on getting Devin Singletary the ball more and try to exploit Arizona's weaker rush defense. Should be a fun one to watch but I'll take the Cardinals. 

Cincinnati (2-5-1) @ Pittsburgh (8-0) (FOX): TW: Steelers; CV: Steelers
The Bengals had a bye and the Steelers beat the Cowboys last week. In spite of the okay performance at Dallas last week, I think the Steelers will have a bit of an easier time facing off against a division rival. A lot of hope rests on whether or not Joe Mixon will play in this game as he was limited in practice so far this week. Joe Mixon or not, I don't see how the Steelers defense will let Joe Burrow free to roam. 

Seattle (6-2) @ LA Rams (5-3) (FOX): TW: Seahawks; CV: Rams
The Seahawks lost to the Bills and the Rams were on a bye last week. Last time we saw the Rams was a rough loss against the Dolphins. A bye was needed for the Rams after that loss for sure. Russell Wilson should still be well on track to get a majority of the MVP votes. Seattle's achilles heel however is their defense that I certainly thought was great. Giving up 44 points to the Bills last week makes me hesitant to give them leeway in this one. Ultimately I'm willing to give Russell Wilson a game of his life in this one. 

San Francisco (4-5) @ New Orleans (6-2) (FOX): TW: Saints; CV: Saints
The 49ers lost to the Packers and the Saints beat the Buccaneers last week. Last Thursday's final score against the Packers was somewhat of a mirage as without most of their star players, the 49ers looked lost. They now take on a tougher test in the New Orleans Saints who put up 38 against Tom Brady and the Buccaneers last week. I'm sorry San Francisco but I don't see how you guys can overcome this game. Perhaps Nick Mullens can find his inner Joe Montana or Steve Young. 

Baltimore (6-2) @ New England (3-5) (NBC): TW: Ravens; CV: Ravens
Both teams got wins last week as the Ravens beat the Colts and the Patriots beat the Jets. The matchup was pretty good to watch back in the earlier part of the last decade but 2020 doesn't seem to be too kind for the Patriots. A lot of their issues stem certainly from Cam Newton but I could make a case for their receiving corp being meager at best. Baltimore's balanced attack will keep the Pats offense off the field and their defense will make their life a long day. I just don't see them losing this game. 

Minnesota (3-5) @ Chicago (5-4) (ESPN): TW: Vikings; CV: Vikings
The Vikings beat the Lions and the Bears lost to the Titans last week. Dalvin Cook has been going on a tear since he returned from injury. Granted it was to be expected as the rest of the team has been below average. Nick Foles has been a decent option at quarterback. Chicago's defense certainly is better than Minnesota's. If Dalvin Cook goes on a tear, I'll take the Vikings. If the Bears defense can slow him down then well don't expect Kirk Cousins to throw for over 400+ yards in this game. 

Local TV Schedule:

CBS Single:
Denver @ Las Vegas
Kevin Harlan, Trent Green

FOX Early:
Jacksonville @ Green Bay
Chris Myers, Greg Jennings, Brock Huard

FOX Late:
San Francisco @ New Orleans
Adam Amin, Mark Schlereth

Games subject to change, for more information on which game is being shown in your area check out: NFL Week 10 Maps

2020 Week by Week Record: 

TW's record:

Week 1: 8-8
Week 2: 15-1
Week 3: 9-6-1
Week 4: 11-4
Week 5: 9-5
Week 6: 7-7
Week 7: 12-2
Week 8: 7-7
Week 9: 10-4
Total: 88-44-1

Cardinal Viking's record:

Week 1: 10-6
Week 2: 11-5
Week 3: 8-7-1
Week 4: 7-8
Week 5: 8-6
Week 6: 9-5
Week 7: 11-3
Week 8: 7-7
Week 9: 9-5
Total: 80-52-1

Previous Picking Records:

Cardinal Viking:

2017: 167-89
2018: 156-98-2
2019: 151-104-1

My record: 

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 156-98-2

2019: 161-94-1

I'll see you guys for the Week 10 Picks post on Wednesday! See you then. 

-Tom

NFL 2020 Week 9 Recap

 Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action has passed us by yet again. The week that was brought us some surprises: a Falcons win, the Bills taking the Seahawks to town and the last unbeaten surviving against Dallas. We'll get to those games and more in this recap post. Let's get to work!

Week 9 Recap

Green Bay 34, San Francisco 17: TW: Packers; CV: Packers
The Packers got their revenge from two drubbings by San Francisco last season. Aaron Rodgers threw for 305 yards with four touchdowns. Aaron Jones returned from injury in this game and put up a respectable 58 yards rushing in this game. Davantae Adams had 10 catches for 173 yards with a touchdown in this game. Nick Mullens started for the 49ers. He threw for 291 yards with a touchdown pass and had an interception. Jerrick McKinnon would give the 49ers offense some life with 52 yards with a touchdown run even though most of San Francisco's touchdowns were in the 4th quarter. The result was to be expected and quite honestly I would've wanted San Francisco at full strength. 

Next week:
Green Bay: vs Jacksonville; San Francisco: @ New Orleans

TW: 1-0; CV: 1-0

Detroit 20, Minnesota 34: TW: Vikings; CV: Vikings
Adrian Peterson made his return to Minnesota. Other than that this was all Minnesota. Matthew Stafford threw for 211 yards with a touchdown and threw two interceptions. Stafford would leave the game in the 4th quarter due to concussion protocols. Chase Daniel would step in and provided 94 yards passing with a touchdown but also threw an interception. Dandre Swift gave Detroit some rushing offense with 64 yards and Adrian Peterson had 29 yards rushing as well. Kirk Cousins helped out the Vikings passing attack quite a bit in this one with 220 yards passing with three touchdowns. Dalvin Cook left no stone unturned again in this game with 206 yards rushing with two rushing touchdowns. Thank god I didn't pick Detroit in this game. 

Next week:
Detroit: vs Washington; Minnesota: @ Chicago

TW: 2-0; CV: 2-0

Denver 27, Atlanta 34: TW: Broncos; CV: Falcons
Oh my god, Atlanta almost blew another lead in this game. Drew Lock threw for 313 yards with two touchdowns with an interception in this game. Lock also was the Broncos leading rusher with 47 yards with a touchdown as well. Matt Ryan threw for 284 yards with three touchdowns but also threw an interception. Todd Gurley was the leading rusher in the game with 53 yards with a touchdown run. Seriously, Atlanta was up 27-6 at the end of the 3rd quarter. That should've stayed as the result in this one. 

Next week:
Denver: @ Las Vegas; Atlanta: Bye

TW: 2-1; CV: 3-0

Houston 27, Jacksonville 25: TW: Texans; CV: Jaguars
No Gardner Minshew in this game, bummer. Deshaun Watson threw for 281 yards with two touchdowns. Watson would also once again be the leading rusher for Houston with 50 yards rushing. David Johnson did put up 41 yards and did score a rushing touchdown. Wil Fuller had 100 yards receiving with a touchdown, his longest was a 77-yard touchdown. Jake Luton would get his first start in his NFL debut. Luton threw for 304 yards with a touchdown but also threw an interception. He would also score a rushing touchdown on a 13-yard run. James Robinson would rush for 99 yards with a rushing touchdown as well. Jacksonville almost tied the game in the 4th quarter on a 2-point conversion but a Luton to DJ Chark Jr pass was incomplete. Houston survives. 

Next week:
Houston: @ Cleveland; Jacksonville: @ Green Bay

TW: 3-1; CV: 3-1

NY Giants 23, Washington 20: TW: Giants; CV: Football Team
Daniel Jones gets a gold star for not turning the ball over for the first time this season. Congrats! Jones threw for 212 yards with a touchdown. Wayne Gallman ran for 68 yards with a touchdown to give Jones some help in offense. Former Washington running back Alfred Morris ran for 67 yards. Alex Smith got the start at QB for the Football Team and wasn't that great. He threw for 325 yards with a touchdown and had three interceptions. Not quite a good game for him. Kyle Allen would see some action in this game but wouldn't change the game much as he threw for 62 yards. Antonio Gibson wouldn't get much in this one as he ran for 20 yards with a touchdown. Washington's kicker Dustin Hopkins was 2 for 2 in field goals, his longest was for 48 yards. 

Next week:
NY Giants: vs Philadelphia; Washington: @ Detroit

TW: 4-1; CV: 3-2

Seattle 34, Buffalo 44: TW: Seahawks; CV: Bills
Condolences to Josh Allen who lost his grandmother earlier this week. Russell Wilson threw for 390 yards with two touchdowns and threw two interceptions as well. Deejay Dallas ran for 31 yards with a touchdown run. Wilson also put up five yards rushing with a touchdown in this game. Josh Allen went on a rampage in this game with 415 yards passing with three touchdowns in the game. He also scored his fifth touchdown on a rushing touchdown with 14 yards rushing in the game. Zack Moss would get 18 yards rushing with a touchdown run of his own in this game. It was a game that Buffalo never really relinquished its lead. The last time that Buffalo was 7-2 through nine games was back in 1993, the team's fourth straight Super Bowl appearance. 

Next week:
Seattle: @ LA Rams; Buffalo: @ Arizona

TW: 4-2; CV: 4-2

Chicago 17, Tennessee 24: TW: Titans; CV: Titans
Nick Foles did well in this game, unfortunately it wasn't enough. Foles threw for 335 yards with two touchdowns in the game. David Montgomery rushed for 30 yards in the game on 14 carries. Ryan Tannehill threw for 158 yards with two touchdowns in the game. Derrick Henry was fairly contained in this game but would get a respectable 68 yards in this game. The Titans defense would capitalize on a David Montgomery fumble that would turn into a touchdown to help out their offense a bit. Remember when Chicago was good? I'm fairly content with the result as you can see.

Next week:
Chicago: vs Minnesota; Tennessee: vs Indianapolis

TW: 5-2; CV: 5-2

Carolina 31, Kansas City 33: TW: Chiefs; CV: Chiefs
Welcome back Christian McCaffrey. Teddy Bridgewater threw for 310 yards with two touchdowns in this one. Christian McCaffrey returned from injury in this game, rushing for 69 yards with a touchdown. Bridgewater rushed for 19 yards and also scored a rushing touchdown as well. Patrick Mahomes did Patrick Mahomes things and threw for 372 yards with four touchdowns in the game. Clyde Edwards-Helaire rushed for 14 yards. Andy Reid would get win #230 passing Curly Lambeau for 5th most in NFL history. 

Next week:
Carolina: vs Tampa Bay; Kansas City: Bye

TW: 6-2; CV: 6-2

Baltimore 24, Indianapolis 10: TW: Ravens; CV: Ravens
The Ravens have scored 20+ points in 31 straight games. I'm amazed by this great stat. Lamar Jackson threw for 170 yards but didn't throw a touchdown pass. Jackson rushed for 58 yards with a touchdown. Gus Edwards would get 23 yards with a rushing touchdown as well. Baltimore would capitalize on a fumble by Jonathan Taylor for a touchdown that was recovered by Chuck Clark. Phillip Rivers threw for 227 yards but threw an interception in the game. Jordan Wilkins rushed for 39 yards. Jonathan Taylor would score the only touchdown for Indy and added 27 yards rushing in the game. Fortunately the AFC South is terrible for Indy's case. 

Next week:
Baltimore: @ New England; Indianapolis: @ Tennessee

TW: 7-2; CV: 7-2

Las Vegas 31, LA Chargers 26: TW: Raiders; CV: Chargers
Justin Herbert should get some consideration for Rookie of the Year, because his team would probably be just as terrible without him. Derek Carr threw for 165 yards with two touchdowns. Devontae Booker and Josh Jacobs would score rushing touchdowns while compiling 68 and 65 yards respectively. Justin Herbert threw for 326 yards with two touchdowns. Kalen Ballage would get a rushing touchdown with 69 yards in this game. Keenan Allen had 103 receiving yards with a touchdown. 

Next week:
Las Vegas: vs Denver; LA Chargers: @ Miami

TW: 8-2; CV: 7-3

Miami 34, Arizona 31: TW: Cardinals; CV: Cardinals
What the heck, Arizona? I knew your defense wasn't great but I mean c'mon! Tua Tagovailoa threw for 248 yards with two touchdowns. Jordan Howard rushed for 19 yards with a rushing touchdown. Salvon Ahmed rushed for 38 yards. Kyler Murray threw for 283 yards with three touchdowns. Murray would also score a rushing touchdown with 106 rushing yards. Chase Edmonds would rush for 70 yards in the game. What's more surprising: Miami is 5-3 or Arizona being 5-3? I don't know. 

Next week:
Miami: vs LA Chargers; Arizona: vs Buffalo

TW: 8-3; CV: 7-4

Pittsburgh 24, Dallas 19: TW: Steelers; CV: Steelers
Garrett Gilbert nearly lead the Cowboys to a historic upset. Ben Roethlisberger threw for 306 yards with three touchdowns. Mason Rudolph would see some action in this game with Roethlisberger injured for a bit in the game. He threw for three yards. James Conner was held to 22 yards on nine carries. Garrett Gilbert, the 3rd year quarterback from SMU, threw for 243 yards with a touchdown but also threw an interception. Tony Pollard rushed for 57 yards in the game. Yinzer nation would've been upset indeed had the Steelers lost. 

Next week:
Pittsburgh: vs Cincinnati; Dallas: Bye

TW: 9-3; CV: 8-4

New Orleans 38, Tampa Bay 3: TW: Buccaneers; CV: Buccaneers
Well... shit happens haha. NBC literally went all Tampa Bay in the pregame. That didn't work out well. Drew Brees threw for 222 yards with four touchdowns. Taysom Hill rushed for 54 yards while Alvin Kamara rushed for 40 yards and scored a touchdown. Tom Brady in this one was abysmal as he threw for 209 yards with three interceptions. Tampa's running game didn't have a lot in this one due to the score but Ronald Jones did manage to put up nine yards rushing in the game. Ryan Succop would put up the only points for Tampa with a 48-yard field goal in the 4th quarter. This game was also the worst loss in Tom Brady's career. 

Next week:
New Orleans: vs San Francisco; Tampa Bay: @ Carolina

TW: 9-4; CV: 8-5

New England 30, NY Jets 27: TW: Patriots; CV: Patriots
Oh so close Jets. So close. Cam Newton threw for 274 yards but didn't throw a passing touchdown. Newton did run for 16 yards with two touchdowns. Rex Burkhead rushed for 56 yards with a touchdown run and Damien Harris rushed for 71 yards. Joe Flacco did fairly well in this game with 262 yards with three touchdowns but he did throw an interception in the game. The hardy veteran Frank Gore did give the Jets some help in the running game with 46 yards rushing. Look at it this way Jets fans: the good news is you're closer to possibly drafting Trevor Lawrence, the bad news is that you're 0-9 for the first time in your franchise's history. Congrats?

Next week:
New England: vs Baltimore; NY Jets: Bye

TW: 10-4; CV: 9-5

2020 Week by Week Record: 

TW's record:

Week 1: 8-8
Week 2: 15-1
Week 3: 9-6-1
Week 4: 11-4
Week 5: 9-5
Week 6: 7-7
Week 7: 12-2
Week 8: 7-7
Week 9: 10-4
Total: 88-44-1

Cardinal Viking's record:

Week 1: 10-6
Week 2: 11-5
Week 3: 8-7-1
Week 4: 7-8
Week 5: 8-6
Week 6: 9-5
Week 7: 11-3
Week 8: 7-7
Week 9: 9-5
Total: 80-52-1

Previous Picking Records:

Cardinal Viking:

2017: 167-89
2018: 156-98-2
2019: 151-104-1

My record: 

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 156-98-2

2019: 161-94-1

I'll see you guys for the Week 10 Picks post on Wednesday! See you then. 

-Tom

NFL 2020 Week 9 Picks

 Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action is soon upon us! The week features a few games to keep an eye on like: an NFC Championship rematch and the 2nd Brady-Brees matchup this season. I'll give you my picks for this week's games. Let's get to work!

Week 9 Picks

Week 9 of the NFL's regular season starts in Santa Clara, California and ends in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The week features a 14-game slate. It includes a Thursday night game, eight early games, three late games, a Sunday night game and a Monday night game. CBS will have the double-header and FOX will have the single, regional game. Cincinnati, Cleveland, LA Rams, and Philadelphia have byes this week. Let's get to the picks!

Green Bay (5-2) @ San Francisco (4-4) (FOX/NFL Network): TW: Packers; CV: Packers
Both teams lost last week as the Packers lost to the Vikings and the 49ers lost to the Seahawks. If the 49ers had more of their stars playing instead of injury, I would be going in a different direction. Green Bay will be getting Aaron Jones back and typically the Packers do well in games after a loss. The 49ers are going to need a boost from their running game if they want to beat Green Bay. I don't see it happening but anything is possible. 

Detroit (3-4) @ Minnesota (2-5) (CBS): TW: Vikings; CV: Vikings
The Lions lost to the Colts and the Vikings beat the Packers last week. Oddly enough this game is on CBS and not FOX. The winner of this game could be taking 3rd in the division. Dalvin Cook had a monster game last week and I would expect him to do damage again this week. Kirk Cousins did enough to get the dub last week and the Vikes will need him to play more of an aggressive style than playing field general. At last throw no interceptions. I'll take the Vikes in this one. 

Denver (3-4) @ Atlanta (2-6) (CBS): TW: Broncos; CV: Falcons
Both teams got wins as the Broncos beat the Chargers and the Falcons beat the Panthers last week. Denver has been somewhat of a disappointment this year but in light of this disappointment they did manage to pull a win out of their ass against LA. The Falcons have been even more of a disappointment as they can't even hold onto any lead that is more than manageable. Both teams look similar on paper except in the quarterback position. Drew Lock will need to play better the whole game to beat this Falcons team. 

Houston (1-6) @ Jacksonville (1-6) (CBS): TW: Texans; CV: Jaguars
Both teams were on a bye last week. Both teams are terrible in terms of record but other than that they both seem similar. The game could really come down to whoever can control the clock and get points on the board as both teams have balance on both sides of the ball. The question is how good can their defenses can be. I know I don't pick you often Jacksonville but I just have the gut feeling that the Texans will pick up a win. Can't go wrong with DeShaun Watson. 

NY Giants (1-7) @ Washington (2-5) (FOX): TW: Giants; CV: Football Team
The Giants lost to the Buccaneers and the Football Team was on a bye last week. Last time these two teams played, the Giants won. New York made some good strides against Brady's Buccaneers. Whether or not that will translate into this game will remain to be seen. Washington does have the benefit of having the week off so perhaps they could make this game into an interesting one. I feel the Giants will win but its the NFC East so anything could really happen. Fuck this division.

Seattle (6-1) @ Buffalo (6-2) (FOX): TW: Seahawks; CV: Bills
Both teams won last week as the Seahawks beat the 49ers and the Bills beat the Patriots. Wilson vs Allen. This Seattle team has relatively no real weakness that makes them vulnerable other than their suspect pass defense at times but on offense they have many weapons. Let alone Russell Wilson's arm and legs. I don't see the Seahawks losing this game based on their offense and stingy defense. Josh Allen will have his hands full in this one. 

Chicago (5-3) @ Tennessee (5-2) (FOX): TW: Titans; CV: Titans
The Bears lost to the Saints and the Titans lost to the Bengals last week. Chicago looked overall sloppy last week but so did Tennessee against the Bengals. Chicago will need Nick Foles to have a bounce back game and keep the Bears offense going as the Titans will eat up clock like no other with Derrick Henry and Ryan Tannehill on offense. Turnovers will be key and if Nick Foles throws interceptions then this one will be hard to come back form. 

Carolina (3-5) @ Kansas City (7-1) (FOX): TW: Chiefs; CV: Chiefs
The Panthers lost to the Falcons and the Chiefs beat the Jets last week. Not giving Carolina a long shot in this one as the Chiefs on offense look spectacular. KC's defense can be suspect at times but outside of the Raiders loss earlier this season, they look good. Teddy Bridgewater and his receiving corp will need to figure out a way to keep themselves on the field and keep Patrick Mahomes off it. Good luck Carolina.

Baltimore (5-2) @ Indianapolis (5-2) (CBS): TW: Ravens; CV: Ravens
The Ravens lost to the Steelers and the Colts beat the Lions last week. Baltimore last week could've put a hold on their rival but their achilles heel in Lamar Jackson's turnover problems eventually took its toll. I sense the Ravens will rebound against their rival Colts this week. Phillip Rivers and company has had the benefit of the doubt against a terrible division. Their defense could put up a fight against the Ravens offense. I'll take the safer route in Baltimore than the pass-happy Phillip Rivers. 

Las Vegas (4-3) @ LA Chargers (2-5) (FOX): TW: Raiders; CV: Chargers
The Raiders beat the Browns and the Chargers lost to the Broncos. Both teams maybe in different cities but the rivalry remains. Justin Herbert has been a fun watch as he was practically thrown into the lions den and somehow survived and thrived. Without a running game and a defense that can't hold onto a 20+ lead, I can't trust the Chargers to beat their rival Raiders. I'll take the Raiders.

Miami (4-3) @ Arizona (5-2) (CBS): TW: Cardinals; CV: Cardinals
The Dolphins beat the Rams and the Cardinals were on a bye last week. Tua Tagovailoa's first NFL start was somewhat impressive despite his defense harkoning back to the days of the No Name Defense. Not also to mention their stellar play on special teams. I'll take the Cardinals based on their offense but even Kyler Murray has been suspect in protecting the football via interceptions. Only question is how well the Cardinals defense can play against Tua. 

Pittsburgh (7-0) @ Dallas (2-6) (CBS): TW: Steelers; CV: Steelers
The Steelers beat the Ravens and the Cowboys lost to the Eagles last week. It's the Yinzer's vs America's Team. While this game isn't the Super Bowl, the history that these two teams share remains. Ben DiNucci could very well be benched in this game which means that anyone could possibly become quarterback for the Cowboys. The Steelers offense is playing well and Ben Roethlisberger has played up to expectation despite playing horrible at Tennessee a few weeks ago. Nevertheless I don't see Pittsburgh losing against a sad excuse of a team. 

New Orleans (5-2) @ Tampa Bay (6-2) (NBC): TW: Buccaneers; CV: Buccaneers
Both teams won last week as the Saints beat the Bears and the Buccaneers beat the Giants. The Sunday primetime game looks to be a fairly entertaining watch as Drew Brees and Tom Brady go head-to-head again in this one. Both teams look really good on paper. I'm taking Tampa is because they're at home and the Saints have been suspect in sustaining drives. I also like the Buccaneers defense against the offensive line in New Orleans. Should be a good game. 

New England (2-5) @ NY Jets (0-8) (ESPN): TW: Patriots; CV: Patriots
Both teams lost last week as the Patriots lost to the Bills and the Jets lost to the Chiefs. Week 9 finishes up with a doozy of a Patriots-Jets game. These games in years past have been dominated by the Patriots with a few Jets squeaker wins here and there. This year is a bit different in that the Pats are vulnerable of possibly having a losing season for the first time since 2000. I'm taking New England based on their few exciting pieces on offense and as long as Cam Newton doesn't turn over the ball as much as he has, I think the Pats will pull it off. Jets could very well get their first win as many of the Patriots stars have left. I feel the Patriots will win. 

Local TV Schedule (courtesy of 506sports.com, subject to change):

CBS Early:
Detroit @ Minnesota
Kevin Harlan, Trent Green

CBS Late:
Pittsburgh @ Dallas
Jim Nantz, Tony Romo

FOX Single:
Carolina @ Kansas City
Kevin Burkhardt, Daryl Johnston

For more information on which game is being shown in your area, check out: NFL Week 9 Maps

2020 Week by Week Record: 

TW's record:

Week 1: 8-8
Week 2: 15-1
Week 3: 9-6-1
Week 4: 11-4
Week 5: 9-5
Week 6: 7-7
Week 7: 12-2
Week 8: 7-7
Total: 78-40-1

Cardinal Viking's record:

Week 1: 10-6
Week 2: 11-5
Week 3: 8-7-1
Week 4: 7-8
Week 5: 8-6
Week 6: 9-5
Week 7: 11-3
Week 8: 7-7
Total: 71-47-1

Previous Picking Records:

Cardinal Viking:

2017: 167-89
2018: 156-98-2
2019: 151-104-1

My record: 

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 156-98-2

2019: 161-94-1

I'll see you guys after the Monday night game for the Week 9 recap post!

-Tom

NFL 2020 Week 8 Recap

 Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action has come and gone. The week that was brought some big surprises. Such surprises as the Steelers overcoming their rival Baltimore, Minnesota ravaging Green Bay, and Miami overcoming the goliath Rams. We'll get to those games and more in this post. Let's get to work!

Week 8 Recap

Atlanta 25, Carolina 17: TW: Panthers; CV: Panthers
Atlanta had a lead and held onto it, it truly is a miracle. Matt Ryan threw for 281 yards while throwing an interception. Ryan would also score a touchdown and racking up 27 yards in the game. Brian Hill rushed for 55 yards while Todd Gurley rushed for 46 yards and gained some redemption by scoring a touchdown. This time this touchdown was warranted. Teddy Bridgewater threw for 176 yards with a touchdown while throwing an interception. Curtis Samuel would score a rushing touchdown while getting 23 yards rushing. Mike Davis was the leading rusher in the game with 66 yards. For a time, I actually thought Carolina could make some noise this season. Now i'm not so sure. 

Next week:
Atlanta: vs Denver; Carolina: @ Kansas City

TW: 0-1; CV: 0-1

New England 21, Buffalo 24: TW: Bills; CV: Bills
The Bills actually did it. Cam Newton threw for 174 yards in the game while not throwing a touchdown but didn't throw an interception either. Damien Harris ran for 102 yards in the game with a touchdown and Cam Newton scored a rushing touchdown as well with 54 yards. Josh Allen threw for 154 yards but threw an interception. Allen rushed for 23 yards with a touchdown. Zach Moss rushed for 81 yards and scored two touchdowns and Devin Singletary rushed for 86 yards. Buffalo won at home against the Patriots for the first time since 2011. 

Next week:
New England: @ NY Jets; Buffalo: vs Seattle

TW: 1-1; CV: 1-1

Minnesota 28, Green Bay 22: TW: Packers; CV: Packers
This game was what I was expecting in their Week 1 matchup. Kirk Cousins threw for 160 yards with a touchdown pass. Dalvin Cook absolutely went on a tear in this game, rushing for 163 yards with three touchdown runs. Aaron Rodgers threw for 291 yards with three touchdowns. Jamaal Williams rushed for a good 75 yards but didn't score a touchdown in this game. Penalties were abundant for the Packers with nine of them for 85 yards. 

Next week:
Minnesota: vs Detroit; Green Bay: @ San Francisco

TW: 1-2; CV: 1-2

NY Jets 9, Kansas City 35: TW: Chiefs; CV: Chiefs
The result was to be expected, the Jets are terrible. Sam Darnold threw for only 133 yards. Frank Gore rushed for 30 yards in the game. Patrick Mahomes went on a tear and left no stone unturned as he threw for 416 yards with five touchdowns. Chad Henne and Tommy Townsend would see some action in the game due to the blowout. Clyde Edwards-Helaire rushed for 21 yards. How about that blue sky eh?

Next week:
NY Jets: vs New England; Kansas City: vs Carolina

TW: 2-2; CV: 2-2

Pittsburgh 28, Baltimore 24: TW: Steelers; CV: Steelers
Turnovers hurt and fortunately Pittsburgh woke up to get past their rival. Ben Roethlisberger threw for 182 yards with two touchdowns. James Conner rushed for 47 yards with a touchdown. Lamar Jackson threw for 208 yards with two touchdowns but threw two interceptions. One of them was a pick-six from Steeler linebacker Robert Spillane. Jackson also rushed for 65 yards. JK Dobbins rushed for 113 yards and Gus Edwards rushed for 87 yards while scoring a rushing touchdown. The rivalry is back. 

Next week:
Pittsburgh: @ Dallas; Baltimore: @ Indianapolis

TW: 3-2; CV: 3-2

Tennessee 20, Cincinnati 31: TW: Titans; CV: Titans
Gotta give it to Cincy, they hung tough and got a win. Ryan Tannehill threw for 233 yards with two touchdowns and threw an interception. Derrick Henry rushed for 112 yards while scoring a rushing touchdown. Corey Davis had 128 receiving yards and had a touchdown. Joe Burrow threw for 249 yards and scored two touchdowns. Giovanni Bernard and Samaje Perine scored rushing touchdowns while racking up 62 and 32 rushing yards respectively. Cincy really controlled the time of possession with a 35:57 to 24:03 advantage. 

Next week:
Tennessee: vs Chicago; Cincinnati: Bye

TW: 3-3; CV: 3-3

Las Vegas 16, Cleveland 6: TW: Browns; CV: Browns 
Oh Browns, somehow I knew you'd fuck it up. Derek Carr threw for 112 yards with a touchdown pass. Josh Jacobs really came out and balled against the Browns defense and rushed for 128 yards. The Baker Mayfield we got in this one was the dud version that threw for 122 yards and threw for no touchdowns but neither didn't throw an interception either. Kareem Hunt did have a decent game with 66 yards rushing. Las Vegas controlled the clock with over 37 minutes of time of possession. 

Next week:
Las Vegas: @ LA Chargers; Cleveland: Bye

TW: 3-4; CV: 3-4

LA Rams 17, Miami 28: TW: Rams; CV: Rams
Somehow the Dolphins have a winning record. Jared Goff threw for 355 yards with a touchdown and threw two interceptions. Darrell Henderson wouldn't get too much from the ground with 47 yards. Robert Woods did score a rushing touchdown with nine yards in the game. Tua Tagovailoa threw for 93 yards with a touchdown pass in his first NFL start. Myles Gaskin rushed for 47 yards with a touchdown. Miami's defense would get some points as Jared Goff fumbled the ball that would end up getting recovered by Emmanuel Ogbah for a touchdown. Their special teams would get a punt-six as Jakeem Grant ran for 88 yards for a touchdown. 

Next week:
LA Rams: Bye; Miami: @ Arizona

TW: 3-5; CV: 3-5

Indianapolis 41, Detroit: TW: Lions; CV: Colts
Why Detroit? WHY! Phillip Rivers threw for 262 yards with three touchdowns. A good game for him. Jordan Wilkins rushed for 89 yards with a touchdown for Indy. Trey Burton scored a rushing touchdown on a 2-yard play. Matthew Stafford threw for 336 yards with three touchdowns and threw an interception. His running game did not help him a lot as Jamal Agnew rushed for 11 yards on one carry. Adrian Peterson would get seven rushing yards on five carries. I questioned why Detroit lost but then I remember that their defense is a faux version of New England. 

Next week:
Indianapolis: vs Baltimore; Detroit: @ Minnesota

TW: 3-6; CV: 4-5

LA Chargers 30, Denver 31: TW: Chargers; CV: Chargers
Atlanta, you're not the only one that likes to blow leads. Justin Herbert threw for 278 yards with three touchdowns and had two passes that were intercepted. Justin Jackson gave his team a good game with 89 yards rushing. Drew Lock threw for 248 yards with three touchdowns and had an interception in the game. Phillip Lindsay rushed for 83 yards with a touchdown. For context, at the end of the 3rd quarter, the Chargers were ahead 24-10 in the game. Denver goes on a 21-6 run. Welcome to the club LA!

Next week:
LA Chargers: vs Las Vegas; Denver: @ Atlanta

TW: 3-7; CV: 4-6

New Orleans 26, Chicago 23 (F/OT): TW: Saints; CV: Bears
Both teams almost finished this game in a tie. Quite honestly both teams played awful that they probably deserved to tie it. Drew Brees threw for 280 yards with two touchdowns. Alvin Kamara rushed for 67 yards in the game, his longest was for 20 yards. He also had 96 receiving yards. Nick Foles threw for 272 yards with two touchdowns but also threw an interception. David Montgomery was the leading rusher in the game with 89 yards. Allen Robinson had 87 receiving yards with a touchdown. Saints kicker Wil Lutz would hit the game-winning field goal from 35 yards. I'm glad Chicago lost. 

Next week:
New Orleans: @ Tampa Bay; Chicago: @ Tennessee

TW: 4-7; CV: 4-7

San Francisco 27, Seattle 37: TW: Seahawks; CV: Seahawks
The result to be expected but the amount of injuries was not. San Francisco looked dead for a while but then they almost made a comeback. Jimmy Garoppolo started for San Fran but would also go down due to injury. He threw 84 yards. Nick Mullens threw for 238 yards with two touchdowns in his stead. The 49ers running game wouldn't get much but Jamycal Hasty ran for 29 yards with a touchdown. Russell Wilson threw for 261 yards with four touchdowns. Deejay Dallas rushed for 41 with a touchdown run. George Kittle also went down with an injury and could possibly miss 6-8 weeks. Rough season for the 49ers. 

Next week:
San Francisco: vs Green Bay; Seattle: @ Buffalo

TW: 5-7; CV: 5-7

Dallas 9, Philadelphia 23: TW: Eagles; CV: Eagles 
Two former NCAA FCS quarterbacks played in this one. Ben DiNucci of James Madison University threw for 180 yards but didn't throw a touchdown in the game or throw an interception either. Ezekiel Elliot gave his team some help in the run game with 63 yards but didn't score a touchdown. Carson Wentz of North Dakota State University wasn't really spectacular in this one as he threw for 123 yards with two touchdowns but also threw two interceptions. Boston Scott rushed for 70 yards on 15 carries. Both teams combined for six turnovers as the Cowboys lost two fumbles while the Eagles fumbled two times as well as Wentz's two interceptions mentioned either. In spite of the poor play, the Eagles did get by with a win. 

Next week:
Dallas: vs Pittsburgh; Philadelphia: @ NY Giants

TW: 6-7; CV: 6-7

Tampa Bay 25, NY Giants 23: TW: Buccaneers; CV: Buccaneers
This one was a close one. Like a two-point conversion attempt away from a tie game. Tom Brady threw for 279 yards with two touchdowns. Leonard Fournette would be the leading rusher for the game with 52 yards. Mike Evans had 55 receiving yards with a touchdown. Daniel Jones threw for 256 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. One of the touchdowns was a pass to Golden Tate that brought the game to a 25-23 margin. Wayne Gallman rushed for 44 yards with a touchdown. Ryan Succop hit four field goals to help the Buccaneers out. 

Next week:
Tampa Bay: vs New Orleans; NY Giants: @ Washington

TW: 7-7; CV: 7-7

2020 Week by Week Record: 

TW's record:

Week 1: 8-8
Week 2: 15-1
Week 3: 9-6-1
Week 4: 11-4
Week 5: 9-5
Week 6: 7-7
Week 7: 12-2
Week 8: 7-7
Total: 78-40-1

Cardinal Viking's record:

Week 1: 10-6
Week 2: 11-5
Week 3: 8-7-1
Week 4: 7-8
Week 5: 8-6
Week 6: 9-5
Week 7: 11-3
Week 8: 7-7
Total: 71-47-1

Previous Picking Records:

Cardinal Viking:

2017: 167-89
2018: 156-98-2
2019: 151-104-1

My record: 

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 156-98-2

2019: 161-94-1

I'll see you guys on Wednesday for the Week 8 picks post! Be sure to go vote and make your voice heard! See you then!

-Tom