NFL 2021 Week 17 Picks

 Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action is coming upon us yet again. The second to last week of the regular season is sure to bring some quality drama into the fold this week. I'm keeping an eye on the Chiefs-Bengals, Raiders-Colts, Cardinals-Cowboys and Vikings-Packers games this week. Let's get to work!

Playoff Picture

AFC

Seedings

1st seed: Kansas City Chiefs (11-4) Clinched AFC West
2nd seed: Tennessee Titans (10-5)
3rd seed: Cincinnati Bengals (9-6)
4th seed: Buffalo Bills (9-6)
5th seed: Indianapolis Colts (9-6)
6th seed: New England Patriots (9-6)
7th seed: Miami Dolphins (8-7)

Super Wild Card Weekend Matchups

Miami @ Tennessee
New England @ Cincinnati
Indianapolis @ Buffalo

In the hunt:
Baltimore (8-7), LA Chargers (8-7), Las Vegas (8-7), Pittsburgh (7-7-1), Cleveland (7-8), Denver (7-8)

Better luck next year:
NY Jets (4-11), Houston (4-11), Jacksonville (2-13)

Buffalo is ahead of New England because of division record. Indianapolis is ahead of New England based on head to head. Tennessee could clinch the AFC South with a win and a Colts loss or tie. Miami is ahead of Baltimore because of head to head. 

NFC

Seedings

1st seed: Green Bay Packers (12-3) Clinched NFC North
2nd seed: Dallas Cowboys (11-4) Clinched NFC East
3rd seed: Los Angeles Rams (11-4) Clinched playoff berth
4th seed: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11-4) Clinched NFC South
5th seed: Arizona Cardinals (10-5) clinched playoff berth
6th seed: San Francisco 49ers (8-7)
7th seed: Philadelphia Eagles (8-7)

Super Wild Card Weekend Matchups

Philadelphia @ Dallas
San Francisco @ LA Rams
Arizona @ Tampa Bay

In the hunt:
Minnesota (7-8), Atlanta (7-8), New Orleans (7-8), Washington (6-9)

Better luck next year: 
Carolina (5-10), Chicago (5-10), Seattle (5-10), NY Giants (4-11), Detroit (2-12-1)

Week 17 Preview

The Seventeenth week of the National Football League's regular season won't have games this week in Thursday or Saturday. The week has a 16-game slate where all 32 teams will play. Week 17 had been traditionally the last week of the regular season but with the 17-game schedule that won't be the case. The week features nine early games, five late games, a Sunday night game and a Monday night game. No teams are on a bye last week. Let's get to the picks!

Week 17 Picks

Note: TW is me and CV is Cardinal Viking, my former roommate. All game times are US Eastern. 

Jacksonville (2-13) @ New England (9-6) (CBS; 1:00 pm): TW: Patriots; CV: Patriots
The Jaguars lost to the Jets and the Patriots lost to the Bills last week. I honestly think the Patriots will have a bounceback game this week. Bill Belichick will get this team back on the right foot and get back to a winning way this week.

Atlanta (7-8) @ Buffalo (9-6) (FOX; 1:00 pm): TW: Bills; CV: Bills
The Falcons beat the Lions and the Bills beat the Patriots last week. Buffalo had probably its best win in a few months last week against their old bully in the Patriots. Atlanta has been having a better season than I had expected. I still think the Bills are a bit too much for a meager team like the Falcons. 

Kansas City (11-4) @ Cincinnati (9-6) (CBS; 1:00 pm): TW: Chiefs; CV: Chiefs 
Both teams won last week as the Chiefs beat the Steelers and the Bengals beat the Ravens. The Chiefs destroyed the Steelers last week and their offense looked spectacular. Cincinnati had a similar performance but the Ravens did have some starters injured. I think the Chiefs will take care of business as I don't feel good with the Bengals handling such success. 

LA Rams (11-4) @ Baltimore (8-7) (FOX; 1:00 pm): TW: Rams; CV: Rams
The Rams beat the Vikings and the Ravens lost to the Bengals last week. Matthew Stafford didn't look that solid against the Vikings but I think he will have a rebound game against a really banged up Ravens team. Baltimore had looked good but after that loss to the Steelers, their resolve and morale sunk to a relative low. Doesn't help that Lamar Jackson or Tyler Huntley are out. 

Las Vegas (8-7) @ Indianapolis (9-6) (FOX; 1:00 pm): TW: Colts; CV: Colts
Last week the Raiders beat the Broncos and the Colts beat the Cardinals. The Raiders have been an up and down team for the season and they could fall back to .500 with this game. They will have to rely on the fact that Carson Wentz can beat them and make him beat you. If they can stack eight men in the box then it could be a rough go for it. Jonathan Taylor has to be in the consideration for MVP this season and I think he could have a good game. 

Miami (8-7) @ Tennessee (10-5) (CBS; 1:00 pm): TW: Titans; CV: Titans
The Dolphins beat the Saints and the Titans beat the 49ers last week. Miami has gone from 1-7 to 8-7 in a season span through 16 weeks. They have been somewhat impressive in getting back to fighting for a playoff spot. The Titans have had some roadblocks this season with the loss of Derrick Henry being a big factor. Tennessee is just hoping for the best that he gets back in time for the playoffs. I think the winning streak for the Dolphins ends. 

NY Giants (4-11) @ Chicago (5-10) (CBS; 1:00 pm): TW: Bears; CV: Bears
The Giants lost to the Eagles and the Bears beat the Seahawks last week. Both teams are trending in the wrong directions. The Giants will likely get Joe Judge back for this season. For Chicago it is likely that Matt Nagy will get fired. Both teams are in terrible situations but I do like the Bears a bit more in the game as they do have a good running game. 

Philadelphia (8-7) @ Washington (6-9) (FOX; 1:00 pm): TW: Eagles; CV: Football Team
The Eagles beat the Giants and the Football Team lost to the Cowboys. Washington really had a bad game as they were blown out. It was over by the end of the 1st quarter. Philadelphia has been trending in the right direction and they have a great shot to win against their NFC East rivals in the Washington Football Team. I think Jalen Hurts will remain to be the x-factor in this one. 

Tampa Bay (11-4) @ NY Jets (4-11) (FOX; 1:00 pm): TW: Buccaneers; CV: Buccaneers
The Buccaneers beat the Panthers and the Jets beat the Jaguars last week. The Buccaneers achieved their first division title since 2007. The team has had its ups and downs but the defending champs are still in the drivers seat to make it back to a Super Bowl. For the Jets a familiar face comes back to haunt them as Tom Brady just casually strolls in and not give Jets fans PTSD of the last 20 years. I'll take the Bucs.

Houston (4-11) @ San Francisco (8-7) (CBS; 4:05 pm): TW: 49ers; CV: 49ers
The Texans beat the Chargers and the 49ers lost to the Titans last week. The Texans surprised some folks as they took down a good Chargers team at home. They will face a tough 49ers team that is looking to get back to a winning way and stay in the playoff hunt. Putting faith in Davis Mills seems like more of a high risk, low reward. I feel safe with the 49ers. 

Denver (7-8) @ LA Chargers (8-7) (CBS; 4:05 pm): TW: Chargers; CV: Chargers
The Broncos lost to the Raiders and the Chargers lost to the Texans. Both teams really had a letdown last week. The Broncos were somewhat of a decent team going against the Raiders but obviously the Raiders felt were the better team. The Chargers should've beaten the Texans and they could stay in the playoff race in the AFC. I still like the Chargers in the matchup since they will have to face off against a Broncos team that won't likely have Teddy Bridgewater. 

Arizona (10-5) @ Dallas (11-4) (FOX; 4:25 pm): TW: Cardinals; CV: Cowboys
The Cardinals lost to the Colts and the Cowboys beat the Football Team last week. Most of America will see this one as the Cowboys face off against the Cardinals in a battle for the 2nd seed in the NFC playoffs. The Cardinals have slowly fallen off the cliff and the loss of DeAndre Hopkins for the season will hurt but they still have a team that can take down the Cowboys. Dak Prescott and company had one of their best games in the Mike McCarthy era. They have a lot of weapons and I feel they will have a slight letdown this week. Just has bad vibes for me if I wanted to take the Cowboys. 

Carolina (5-10) @ New Orleans (7-8) (FOX; 4:25 pm): TW: Saints; CV: Saints
Both teams lost last week as the Panthers lost to the Buccaneers and the Saints lost to the Dolphins last week. The Panthers fell off a huge cliff after starting 3-0 and going on a 2-10 run since then. The lack of a consistencey at the quarterback position has been one of the factors for this as they are a dysfunctional bunch. New Orleans is less so dysfunctional but they haven't had one of their better seasons. The Ian Book experiment failed as the Saints offense was bogged down. They will likely need to get a better start from him or get Trevor Siemian or Taysom Hill back to have a shot to win this one. I really don't think either team is great. I guess the Saints are worthwhile. 

Detroit (2-12-1) @ Seattle (5-10) (FOX; 4:25 pm): TW: Seahawks; CV: Seahawks
The Lions lost to the Falcons and the Seahawks lost to the Bears last week. Detroit has had a rough season but they have played competitive football this year. Their fans can hang their hats on that at least. Seattle has had a rough season as well. They've likely lost Russell Wilson to free agency in the offseason. At this point I think the Seahawks are just trying to get something good out of this year as much as possible. I think it'll be a competitive game but I don't trust the Lions enough to give them the nod in this one. 

Minnesota (7-8) @ Green Bay (12-3) (NBC; 8:20 pm): TW: Packers; CV: Vikings
The Vikings lost to the Rams and the Packers beat the Browns last week. Sunday night features the great rivalry in the NFC North. Minnesota has been in and out of the playoff picture and would like nothing more to get a win and a season sweep of the Packers and possibly secure a playoff spot. Green Bay has had much success this season and they would like nothing more than to beat their rivals at home in the cold of Green Bay. I think the Packers will take care of business and get back to a winning way. 

Cleveland (7-8) @ Pittsburgh (7-7-1) (ESPN; 8:15 pm): TW: Steelers; CV: Browns
The Browns lost to the Packers and the Steelers lost to the Chiefs last week. Cleveland has a lot of questions going into this game and their offseason plans. Is Baker Mayfield the right choice to go for this game and into next season? I'm not hard pressed to say no that question. Ben Roethlisberger hinted that this could be his last regular season game at Heinz Field and possibly his last game ever at the football palace. Barring the Steelers making the playoffs of course. I think the emotions will be high for the Steelers as they try to get this game for their long-time quarterback. The Browns could play spoiler but I don't really see it happening. 

Early & Late Game TV Pairings (courtesy of 506sports.com):

Note: Games in bold are being shown in my area.

CBS Single

Kansas City @ Cincinnati
Jim Nantz, Tony Romo

NY Giants @ Chicago
Spero Dedes, Jay Feely

Miami @ Tennessee
Kevin Harlan, Trent Green

Jacksonville @ New England
Andrew Catalon, James Lofton

Denver @ LA Chargers (LATE)
Ian Eagle, Charles Davis

Houston @ San Francisco (LATE)
Greg Gumbel, Adam Archuleta

FOX Early

LA Rams @ Baltimore
Kevin Burkhardt, Greg Olson

Philadelphia @ Washington
Adam Amin, Mark Schlereth

Las Vegas @ Indianapolis
Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma

Atlanta @ Buffalo
Kevin Kugler, Mark Sanchez

Tampa Bay @ NY Jets
Chris Myers, Daryl Johnston

FOX Late

Arizona @ Dallas
Joe Buck, Troy Aikman

Detroit @ Seattle
Gus Johnson, Aqib Talib

Carolina @ New Orleans
Brandon Gaudin, Matt Millen

2021 Pick'em Records:

My record:

Week 1: 7-9
Week 2: 10-6
Week 3: 10-6
Week 4: 9-7
Week 5: 12-4
Week 6: 11-3
Week 7: 10-3
Week 8: 7-8
Week 9: 7-7
Week 10: 5-8-1
Week 11: 8-7
Week 12: 8-7
Week 13: 10-4
Week 14: 10-4
Week 15: 13-3

Total: 137-86-1

Cardinal Viking's record:

Week 1: 6-10
Week 2: 12-4
Week 3: 13-3
Week 4: 10-6
Week 5: 10-6
Week 6: 12-2
Week 7: 10-3
Week 8: 7-8
Week 9: 8-6
Week 10: 5-8-1
Week 11: 10-5
Week 12: 9-6
Week 13: 7-7
Week 14: 9-5
Week 15: 10-6

Total: 138-85-1

Previous Picking Records:

Cardinal Viking:

2017: 167-89
2018: 156-98-2
2019: 151-104-1
2020: 163-92-1

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

2020: 167-88-1 

See you all on Monday for the Week 17 Recap post! Enjoy the games and Happy New Year!

-Tom

This post is dedicated to the memory of

John Madden

(1936-2021)

Rest in peace!

NFL 2021 Week 16 Recap

 Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action has come and gone. The week that was featured such Christmas goodies like the Buffalo Bills returning the fruitcake to Bill Belichick, Baker Mayfield throwing gifts to opposing jerseys and the Cowboys giving their fans false hope. In this post, I'll do a recap of the week's action. Let's get to work!

Week 16 Recap

San Francisco 17, Tennessee 20: TW: 49ers; CV: Titans
The Titans may be banged up but they keep finding ways to win. Jimmy Garoppolo completed 26 of 35 passes for 322 yards with a touchdown pass to Brandon Aiyuk. The passer would also throw two passes for interception. Jeff Wilson rushed the ball for 45 yards on 14 carries with a touchdown. Deebo Samuel rushed for 32 yards on five carries. Ryan Tannehill completed 22 of 29 passes for 209 yards with a touchdown pass to AJ Brown. Jeremy McNichols rushed for 31 yards on seven carries. Donta Freeman would score a rushing touchdown as well as had 17 yards rushing on nine carries. Tennessee would outscore San Francisco 20-7 in the 2nd half and have used their 52nd different starter this season. 

TW: 0-1; CV: 1-0

Next week:
San Francisco: vs Houston
Tennessee: vs Miami

Cleveland 22, Green Bay 24: TW: Packers; CV: Packers
Baker Mayfield gave out gifts to not just his own team. The Browns quarterback would complete 21 of 36 passes for 222 yards with two touchdowns but had four interceptions. Some of them were questionable ones as some were possibly pass interference. Nick Chubb would find paradise against the Packers rush defense as he ran for 126 yards on 17 carries with a touchdown. His longest run was for 27 yards. Aaron Rodgers was solid again in this game as the passer completed 24 of 34 passes for 202 yards with three touchdowns. One of those touchdowns would be the one that would break Brett Favre's franchise touchdown record at 443 touchdowns. Aaron Jones rushed for 66 yards on 12 carries. Safe to say the Browns have been a disappointment this season but as I felt in the preseason, they'd have a down year. 

TW: 1-1; CV: 2-0

Next week:
Cleveland: @ Pittsburgh
Green Bay: vs Minnesota

Indianapolis 22, Arizona 16: TW: Colts; CV: Cardinals
Was one of the best games that Carson Wentz has had as a Colt. Wentz completed 18 of 28 passes for 225 yards with two touchdowns. Jonathan Taylor was magical in this one as he rushed for 108 yards on 27 carries with a 43-yard run being his longest. The Colts would also get a safety on a Kyler Murray pass that was flagged for intentional grounding. Kyler Murray would have a good day as the passer completed 27 of 43 passes for 245 yards with a touchdown pass for Antoine Wesley as well as 74 rushing yards. Chase Edmonds would score a rushing touchdown as well as adding 56 yards rushing. Arizona's special teams would be a factor in this game as Matt Prater would hit 1 of 3 field goals and 1 of 2 point afters. 

TW: 2-1; CV: 2-1

Next week:
Indianapolis: vs Las Vegas
Arizona: @ Dallas 

Buffalo 33, New England 21: TW: Bills; CV: Bills
The Buffalo Bills got their revenge on the Patriots. Josh Allen was a one-man wrecking crew as the passer accounted for 314 passing yards with three touchdown passes as well as 64 yards rushing. Devin Singletary would get a score as well as rushing for 39 yards. The Bills defense would take advantage of interceptions thrown at them. Mac Jones was not that great as the passer finished with 14 of 32 pass completions for 145 yards with two interceptions. Damien Harris would account for the offensive scoring as the runner accounted for three touchdowns and 103 rushing yards. Mac Jones had 33 yards rushing. The Bills looked dead a few weeks ago but they're still alive. 

TW: 3-1; CV: 3-1

Next week:
Buffalo: vs Atlanta
New England: vs Jacksonville

Baltimore 21, Cincinnati 41: TW: Bengals; CV: Bengals
Joe Burrow had a good day at the office. Baltimore was without Lamar Jackson due to injury and Tyler Huntley due to COVID protocol and it was down to 3rd stringer Josh Johnson. Johnson was signed as a free agent 10 days ago. The passer completed 28 of 40 passes for 304 yards with two touchdowns with an interception. Not a bad outing for someone who was out of football a few weeks ago. Devonta Freeman would get 17 yards rushing on six carries with a touchdown run. Joe Burrow would have a spectacular day as the sophomore quarterback threw for 525 yards with four touchdowns. Burrow broke the single-game franchise record set by Boomer Esiason who had 490 yards in a game against the Los Angeles Rams back in 1990. Joe Mixon had 65 yards rushing while scoring a touchdown. With the Ravens and Browns losing, the Bengals control their own destiny in the AFC North. 

TW: 4-1; CV: 4-1

Next week:
Baltimore: vs LA Rams
Cincinnati: vs Kansas City

Detroit 16, Atlanta 20: TW: Falcons; CV: Falcons
Sorry Lions, no victory for you. Tim Boyle would get the start over Jared Goff as Goff would be placed into COVID reserve/protocol. Boyle would complete 24 of 34 passes for 187 yards with a touchdown but also had a costly interception. Jamaal Williams rushed the ball for 77 yards on 19 carries. Detroit would rely on their kicker Riley Patterson in this one a lot as the kicker would hit a perfect 3 for 3 on field goals. Detroit had the ball for over 38 minutes in this game. Matt Ryan completed 18 of 24 passes for 215 yards with a touchdown. Cordarelle Patterson rushed for 14 yards with a touchdown. Mike Davis had a 28-yard, seven carries day. Virtually ever statistic pointed towards Detroit but in this league, points matter more than just stats. 

TW: 5-1; CV: 5-1

Next week:
Detroit: @ Seattle
Atlanta: @ Buffalo

Jacksonville 21, NY Jets 26: TW: Jaguars; CV: Jaguars
Typical Jaguars. You pick them and they lose. Trevor Lawrence was better in this game as he completed 26 of 39 passes for 280 yards. Dare Ogunbowale rushed for 57 yards on 17 carries with a touchdown. Lawrence would also have 37 yards rushing on six carries. The Jaguars would also get a score from an unlikely source, their left tackle Will Richardson would recover a Lawrence fumble and run it in for a score. Big boy touchdown. Zach Wilson had okay numbers but didn't really show flashes of brilliance. He would have 14 of 22 passes for completion for 102 yards with a touchdown pass as well as had 91 yards rushing with a touchdown. Jets runningback Michael Carter rushed for 118 yards on 16 carries. 

TW: 5-2; CV: 5-2

Next week:
Jacksonville: @ New England
NY Jets: vs Tampa Bay

LA Chargers 29, Houston 41: TW: Chargers; CV: Chargers
When it mattered most you play down to competition didn't ya Chargers. Justin Herbert completed 27 of 35 passes for 336 yards with a touchdown pass to Josh Palmer as well has had two interceptions. Justin Jackson rushed for 64 yards with two touchdowns. Davis Mills completed 21 of 27 passes for 254 yards with two touchdowns and didn't have an interception in the game. Shocking I know. Rex Burkhead had a spectacular day on the ground as the former Patriot rushed for 149 yards with two touchdowns. Houston would score 24 points in the 4th quarter whereas they had only scored 17 in the first three quarters. Bad loss for the Chargers and a Chiefs win would mean that Kansas City is the AFC West champs. 

TW: 5-3; CV: 5-3

Next week:
LA Chargers: vs Denver
Houston: @ San Francisco

LA Rams 30, Minnesota 23: TW: Rams; CV: Vikings
It wasn't a pretty game but the Rams clinched a playoff spot. Matthew Stafford looked bad in this game as he completed 21 of 37 passes for 197 yards with a touchdown pass to Odell Beckham Jr but had three passes grabbed by the purple people eaters defense. Sony Michel would run over the Vikings defense as he rammed his way to 131 yards rushing on 27 carries with a touchdown run. LA's special teams would get a boost as Brandon Powell would get a kick-six on a 61-yard return. Kirk Cousins would complete 27 of 38 passes for 315 yards with a touchdown but had an interception in the game. Alexander Mattison rushed for 41 yards with a touchdown. The NFC West is still in question but a playoff berth is the first step to reaching the big dance for the Rams.

TW: 6-3; CV: 5-4

Next week:
LA Rams: @ Baltimore
Minnesota: @ Green Bay

NY Giants 10, Philadelphia 34: TW: Eagles; CV: Eagles
The Eagles would stay on task and crush the Giants en route to a possible playoff berth. Jake Fromm would start his first NFL game and it was not a spectacular one. The former Georgia Bulldog would complete 6 of 17 passes for 25 yards with an interception. Mike Glennon would relieve him and finished with a meager 17 of 27 passing for 93 yards with a touchdown but had an interception. Saquon Barkley would get only 32 yards rushing on 15 carries. Jalen Hurts would have a better game from the air and not on the ground. He would complete 17 of 29 yards with 199 yards with two touchdown passes. Miles Sanders would rush for 45 yards on seven carries. Boston Scott rushed for 41 yards with a touchdown. Both teams would go into halftime on a 3-3 tie and would go onto a 31-7 scoring burst. 

TW: 7-3; CV: 6-4

Next week:
NY Giants: @ Chicago
Philadelphia: @ Washington

Tampa Bay 32, Carolina 6: TW: Buccaneers; CV: Buccaneers
Tampa Bay achieved its first NFC South title since 2007. Antonio Brown would also make his return. Tom Brady completed 18 of 30 passes for 232 yards with a touchdown pass. Keyshawn Vaughn would have a good day running the football with 70 yards rushing on seven carries with a touchdown. Ronald Jones would have the workload with 65 yards rushing with a touchdown run on 20 carries. Antonio Brown would catch 10 balls for 101 yards. Cam Newton would start again but wouldn't produce a lot of results as he completed 7 of 13 passes for 61 yards with an interception. Sam Darnold would replace him but wouldn't fare much better as he had 15 of 32 passes completed for 190 yards passing. Newton did have a decent day running the football with 42 yards rushing on five carries with a 33-yard run being his longest. Carolina is 2-10 since they started 3-0 to start the season. 

TW: 8-3; CV: 7-4

Next week:
Tampa Bay: @ NY Jets
Carolina: @ New Orleans

Chicago 25, Seattle 24: TW: Seahawks; CV: Bears
Snow game in the Emerald City! Nick Foles would get the start over Justin Fields who had been dealing with an ankle injury. Foles was quiet in the game but would come to life in the 4th quarter. Foles would complete 24 of 35 passes for 250 yards with a touchdown pass to Jimmy Graham with 1:01 left in the game. David Montgomery would run for 45 yards with a touchdown on 21 carries. Khalil Herbert would rush for 21 yards with a touchdown run on two carries. Chicago would try to go for a 2-point conversion and would convert it on a Damiere Byrd catch. Russell Wilson would complete 16 of 27 passes for 181 yards with two touchdowns to DK Metcalf and Gerald Everett. Rashad Penny had a solid day running the football as he ran for 135 yards on 17 carries with a touchdown. 

TW: 8-4; CV: 8-4

Next week:
Chicago: vs NY Giants
Seattle: vs Detroit

Denver 13, Las Vegas 17: TW: Raiders; CV: Raiders
It was a skiddish game but the Raiders would pull it out in the 2nd half. Drew Lock would get the nod at quarterback over Teddy Bridgewater who is dealing with a neck injury. The passer completed 15 of 22 passes for 153 yards. Javontae Williams would score the only touchdown for Denver while getting 12 yards rushing on seven carries. All of Denver's 13 points would come in the 2nd quarter. Derek Carr would have a sluggish start but would overcome the troubles with 20 completions out of 25 attempts for 201 yards with a touchdown pass but also did have an interception that was deflected and landed in the arms of Bradley Chubb. Josh Jacobs would find success in the ground game as the runner had 129 yards rushing on 27 carries. Peyton Barber would get 22 yards rushing with a touchdown run. Las Vegas is still alive. 

TW: 9-4; CV: 9-4

Next week:
Denver: @ LA Chargers
Las Vegas: @ Indianapolis

Pittsburgh 10, Kansas City 36: TW: Chiefs; CV: Chiefs
The game might've been a bit closer if the vaunted Steelers defense knew how to tackle and the offense didn't start so slow. Ben Roethlisberger would complete 23 of 35 passes for 159 yards with a touchdown but had an interception. The touchdown would come on garbage time and the interception would come on a badly executed flea flicker. Mason Rudolph would 5 of 8 passes for 35 yards. Najee Harris has been the bright spot for the Steelers this season as the runner had 93 yards on 19 carries. Patrick Mahomes would make the Steelers defense mince meat as he hit 23 of 30 passes for 258 yards with three touchdowns. Damien Williams rushed for 55 yards on 11 carries. Derrick Gore would rush for 43 yards with 12 carries. Clyde Edwards-Helaire would hit 27 yards rushing with a touchdown. Very unlikely now that the Steelers will make the playoffs. Darn shame. 

TW: 10-4; CV: 10-4

Next week:
Pittsburgh: vs Cleveland
Kansas City: @ Cincinnati

Washington 14, Dallas 56: TW: Cowboys; CV: Cowboys
Largest margin of victory in the Washington-Dallas rivalry in favor of the Cowboys. Taylor Heinicke would start the game for the Football Team and he didn't look good. He had 7 of 22 passes completed for 121 yards with a touchdown pass and two interceptions. One of those interceptions would go to Trevon Diggs who caught his 11th interception in the season. Kyle Allen would replace him and would find better luck as he had 8 of 10 passes completed for 67 yards with a touchdown. Jaret Patterson would rush for 33 yards on nine carries. Antonio Gibson would rush for 29 yards on six carries. Dak Prescott looked like a man on a mission in this game as he had 28 of 39 passes completed for 330 yards with four touchdowns. Cooper Rush would relieve him late in the game and had 70 yards passing with a touchdown as well. Ezekiel Elliot would rush for 37 yards with a touchdown. Tony Pollard provided 34 yards rushing. 

TW: 11-4; CV: 11-4

Next week:
Washington: vs Philadelphia
Dallas: vs Arizona

Miami 20, New Orleans 3: TW: Dolphins; CV: Saints
Miami has gone from 1-7 to 8-7 baby! Tua Tagovailoa would complete 19 of 26 passes for 198 yards with a touchdown pass to Jaylen Waddle who would have 10 catches for 92 receiving yards in the game. He would have a pass that would get picked off. Duke Johnson rushed for 39 yards on 13 carries in the game. Phillip Lindsay rushed for 36 yards on 13 carries. Ian Book would get his first career start and NFL debut in this game. The former Notre Dame product would hit 12 of his 20 passes for 135 yards with two interceptions. One of the interceptions would be grabbed by Dolphins free safety Nik Needham for a touchdown. Alvin Kamara would have to get the workload in this game as the runner had 52 yards rushing on 13 carries. Wasn't an impressive game but a win is a win if you're a Dolphins fan. 

TW: 12-4; CV: 11-5

Next week:
Miami: @ Tennessee
New Orleans: vs Carolina

2021 Pick'em Records:

My record:

Week 1: 7-9
Week 2: 10-6
Week 3: 10-6
Week 4: 9-7
Week 5: 12-4
Week 6: 11-3
Week 7: 10-3
Week 8: 7-8
Week 9: 7-7
Week 10: 5-8-1
Week 11: 8-7
Week 12: 8-7
Week 13: 10-4
Week 14: 10-4
Week 15: 13-3
Week 16: 12-4

Total: 149-90-1

Cardinal Viking's record:

Week 1: 6-10
Week 2: 12-4
Week 3: 13-3
Week 4: 10-6
Week 5: 10-6
Week 6: 12-2
Week 7: 10-3
Week 8: 7-8
Week 9: 8-6
Week 10: 5-8-1
Week 11: 10-5
Week 12: 9-6
Week 13: 7-7
Week 14: 9-5
Week 15: 10-6
Week 16: 11-5

Total: 149-90-1

Previous Picking Records:

Cardinal Viking:

2017: 167-89
2018: 156-98-2
2019: 151-104-1
2020: 163-92-1

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

2020: 167-88-1 

I'll see you all on Wednesday for the Week 17 Picks post! See you then!

-Tom

NFL 2021 Week 16 Picks

 Hello readers! It was just only yesterday that Week 15 wrapped up with two games. Week 16 is hopefully a better week for the NFL as it tries to combat the menace of the Coronavirus Pandemic. The week's games that I'm keeping an eye on are the 49ers-Titans, Bills-Patriots, and the Ravens-Bengals games. In this post I'll do the latest playoff picture, a preview for the week, my picks for the games, and the Early & Late Game TV Pairings. Let's get to work!

Playoff Picture: Week 16

NFC

Seedings

1st seed: Green Bay Packers (11-3) Clinched NFC North
2nd seed: Dallas Cowboys (10-4)
3rd seed: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-4)
4th seed: Arizona Cardinals (10-4)
5th seed: Los Angeles Rams (9-4)
6th seed: San Francisco 49ers (8-6)
7th seed: Minnesota Vikings (6-7)

Super Wild Card Weekend Matchups

Minnesota @ Dallas
San Francisco @ Tampa Bay
LA Rams @ Arizona

In the hunt

Philadelphia (7-7), New Orleans (7-7), Washington (6-8), Atlanta (6-8), Carolina (5-9), Seattle (5-9), NY Giants (4-10)

Better luck next year

Chicago (4-10), Detroit (2-11-1)

No current NFC clinching scenarios this week. Dallas is ahead of Tampa and Arizona based on conference record. Arizona is ahead of the LA Rams based on division record. Philadelphia is ahead of New Orleans because of Philadelphia based on head-to-head. 

AFC

Seedings

1st seed: Kansas City Chiefs (10-4)
2nd seed: New England Patriots (9-5)
3rd seed: Tennessee Titans (9-5)
4th seed: Cincinnati Bengals (8-6)
5th seed: Indianapolis Colts (8-6)
6th seed: Los Angeles Chargers (8-6)
7th seed: Buffalo Bills (8-6)

Super Wild Card Weekend Matchups

Buffalo @ New England
LA Chargers @ Tennessee
Indianapolis @ Cincinnati

In the hunt

Baltimore (8-6), Pittsburgh (7-6-1), Las Vegas (7-7), Miami (7-7), Cleveland (7-7), Denver (7-7)

Better luck next year

NY Jets (3-11), Houston (3-11), Jacksonville (2-12)

Week 16 Preview

The Sixteenth week of the NFL's regular season will start in Nashville, Tennessee and finishes up in New Orleans, Louisiana. The week offers a 16-game slate that all 32 teams will play in. Week 16 will feature a Thursday night game, two Saturday games, eight early games, three late games, a Sunday night game and a Monday night game. FOX will carry the single, regional game and CBS will have the doubleheader this week. Let's get to the picks!

Week 16 Picks

Note: TW is me and CV is Cardinal Viking, my former roommate. Game times are in US Eastern. It'll also be a short picks section because of the lengthened Week 15 and because of the holiday. 

San Francisco (8-6) @ Tennessee (9-5) (NFL Network; 8:20 pm): TW: 49ers; CV: Titans

Cleveland (7-7) @ Green Bay (11-3) (FOX/Amazon/NFL Network; 4:30 pm): TW: Packers; CV: Packers

Indianapolis (8-6) @ Arizona (10-4) (NFL Network; 8:15 pm): TW: Colts; CV: Cardinals

Buffalo (8-6) @ New England (9-5) (CBS; 1:00 pm): TW: Bills; CV: Bills

Baltimore (8-6) @ Cincinnati (8-6) (CBS; 1:00 pm): TW: Bengals; CV: Bengals

Detroit (2-11-1) @ Atlanta (6-8) (FOX; 1:00 pm): TW: Falcons; CV: Falcons

Jacksonville (2-12) @ NY Jets (3-11) (CBS; 1:00 pm): TW: Jaguars; CV: Jaguars

LA Chargers (8-6) @ Houston (3-11) (CBS; 1:00 pm): TW: Chargers; CV: Chargers

LA Rams (10-4) @ Minnesota (7-7) (FOX; 1:00 pm): TW: Rams; CV: Vikings

NY Giants (4-10) @ Philadelphia (7-7) (FOX; 1:00 pm): TW: Eagles; CV: Eagles

Tampa Bay (10-4) @ Carolina (5-9) (FOX; 1:00 pm): TW: Buccaneers; CV: Buccaneers

Chicago (4-10) @ Seattle (5-9) (FOX; 4:05 pm): TW: Seahawks; CV: Bears

Denver (7-7) @ Las Vegas (7-7) (CBS; 4:25 pm): TW: Raiders; CV: Raiders

Pittsburgh (7-6-1) @ Kansas City (10-4) (CBS; 4:25 pm): TW: Chiefs; CV: Chiefs

Washington (6-8) @ Dallas (10-4) (NBC; 8:20 pm): TW: Cowboys; CV: Cowboys

Miami (7-7) @ New Orleans (7-7) (ESPN; 8:15 pm): TW: Dolphins; CV: Saints

Early & Late Game TV Pairings (courtesy of 506sports.com): 

Note: games in bold are being shown in my area.

FOX Single

LA Rams @ Minnesota
Adam Amin, Mark Schlereth

NY Giants @ Philadelphia
Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma

Tampa Bay @ Carolina
Kevin Kugler, Mark Sanchez

Detroit @ Atlanta
Chris Myers, Robert Smith

Chicago @ Seattle (LATE)
Gus Johnson, Aqib Talib

CBS Early

Buffalo @ New England
Ian Eagle, Charles Davis

Baltimore @ Cincinnati
Kevin Harlan, Trent Green

Jacksonville @ NY Jets
Spero Dedes, Jay Feely

LA Chargers @ Houston
Andrew Catalon, James Lofton

CBS Late

Pittsburgh @ Kansas City
Jim Nantz, Tony Romo

Denver @ Las Vegas
Greg Gumbel, Adam Archuleta

For more information on which game is being shown in your area check out: NFL 2021: Week 16 Maps

2021 Pick'em Records:

My record:

Week 1: 7-9
Week 2: 10-6
Week 3: 10-6
Week 4: 9-7
Week 5: 12-4
Week 6: 11-3
Week 7: 10-3
Week 8: 7-8
Week 9: 7-7
Week 10: 5-8-1
Week 11: 8-7
Week 12: 8-7
Week 13: 10-4
Week 14: 10-4
Week 15: 13-3

Total: 137-86-1

Cardinal Viking's record:

Week 1: 6-10
Week 2: 12-4
Week 3: 13-3
Week 4: 10-6
Week 5: 10-6
Week 6: 12-2
Week 7: 10-3
Week 8: 7-8
Week 9: 8-6
Week 10: 5-8-1
Week 11: 10-5
Week 12: 9-6
Week 13: 7-7
Week 14: 9-5
Week 15: 10-6

Total: 138-85-1

Previous Picking Records:

Cardinal Viking:

2017: 167-89
2018: 156-98-2
2019: 151-104-1
2020: 163-92-1

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

2020: 167-88-1 

See you all after the Monday night game for the Week 16 Recap post! Enjoy the games!

-Tom

NFL 2021 Week 15 Recap

 Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action has come and gone. The week that was brought us some sad realities as a new wave of COVID has impacted games from starting in their original times to more stranger times like Tuesday or Wednesday or something. However the week did bring some surprises as the Colts ended the Patriots winning streak, a down to the wire game in Pittsburgh, and a Lions team upsetting the top heavy Cardinals. This post will have a recap of those games and more in this week's recap post. Let's get to work!

Week 15 Recap

Kansas City 34, LA Chargers 28 (F/OT): TW: Chiefs; CV: Chiefs
Holy cow this was a crazy game. Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert put up quite a show. Mahomes completed 31 of 47 passes for 410 yards with three touchdowns and had an interception picked off. He would also get 32 yards rushing and his 32-yard run was the longest in the game. Clyde Edwards-Helaire also would get 32 yards rushing in the game. Michael Burton, the Chiefs fullback, would get a touchdown on a 7-yard run. The touchdown play would come on a 7-yard pass to the right to Travis Kelce. Harrison Butker would be the one to tie it up. Justin Herbert completed 22 of 38 passes for 236 yards with two touchdowns but also threw an interception. He also would get 16 yards rushing with a touchdown. Along with Herbert was Justin Jackson's 86 yards, Austin Ekeler's 59 yards with a touchdown and Justin Kelly's 21 yards rushing. The game-winning touchdown would come from a Mahomes to Kelce pass for 34 yards down the middle for the score. 

TW: 1-0; CV: 1-0

Next week:
Kansas City: vs Pittsburgh
LA Chargers: @ Houston

New England 17, Indianapolis 27: TW: Colts; CV: Patriots
Mac Jones would turn mortal for this game. Jonathan Taylor might've just won MVP just in this game alone. Mac Jones completed 26 of 45 passes for 299 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Rhamondre Stevenson rushed for 36 yards in the game. Certainly the Colts defensive gameplan was to slow or limit the effectiveness of the Patriots run game. Carson Wentz completed 5 of 12 passes for 57 yards with a touchdown but also threw an interception. Jonathan Taylor carried the ball 29 times for 170 yards with a touchdown, including a 67-yard run that would result in a score. Indianapolis would also get a score on a special teams play that featured a block punt that was recovered by Elijah Speed for a score. Anything can happen in the NFL and this season is no exception. 

TW: 2-0; CV: 1-1

Next week:
New England: vs Buffalo
Indianapolis: @ Arizona

Arizona 12, Detroit 30: TW: Cardinals; CV: Cardinals
Who saw this coming? Not even Lions fans probably. Kyler Murray threw 23 of 41 passes for completion for 257 yards with a touchdown and had a pass that was intercepted. Colt McCoy would play some in this game as he threw 6 of 9 passes for 56 yards. Chase Edmonds rushed the ball for 53 yards on six carries. Jared Goff had one of his best days as a Lion as he completed 21 of 26 passes for 216 yards with three touchdowns. Craig Reynolds, the former product out of Kutztown (apparently there's a school named that), would make the most of his opportunity as Jamaal Williams was out on COVID protocol. Dandre Swift would also not play due to a shoulder injury. Reynolds would rush for 112 yards on 26 carries. Red Zone efficiency hurt the Cardinals in this one as they would go 0-4 inside the 20-yard line. Certainly a shock but a shock that DeAndre Hopkins will be out for the rest of the season. 

TW: 2-1; CV: 1-2

Next week:
Arizona: vs Indianapolis
Detroit: @ Atlanta

Carolina 14, Buffalo 31: TW: Bills; CV: Bills
Buffalo gets back on track while Carolina continues to freefall. Cam Newton would continue to his below average play as he completed 18 of 38 passes for 156 yards with a touchdown to Ameer Abdullah but also threw a pass to a Bills player. He also did save himself with a 15 carries, 71 yards rushing, one touchdown performance in the game. Chuba Hubbard had eight carries for 40 yards. Josh Allen would have a better game with a better cast. Allen completed 19 of 34 passes for 210 yards with three touchdown passes but did have an interception. Devin Singletary would have a solid day on the ground with 86 yards rushing with a touchdown. Josh Allen would get 24 yards rushing on three carries. 

TW: 3-1; CV: 2-2

Next week:
Carolina: vs Tampa Bay
Buffalo: @ New England

Dallas 21, NY Giants 6: TW: Cowboys; CV: Cowboys
The Cowboys with the more convincing win and the Giants just trying to get out of this season with a better draft position. Dak Prescott completed 28 of 37 passes for 217 yards with a touchdown pass to Dalton Schultz. Tony Pollard would return to action in this game as he rushed for 12 times with 74 yards rushing. Ezekiel Elliot rushed for 52 yards on 16 carries. Mike Glennon would start for the Giants with 13 of 24 passes completed for 99 yards with three interceptions. Jake Fromm would come in and provide 82 yards passing on 6 of 12 passing. Devontae Booker carried the ball eight times for 74 yards. Saquon Barkley would rush for 50 yards on 15 carries. 

TW: 4-1; CV: 3-2

Next week:
Dallas: vs Washington
NY Giants: @ Philadelphia

Houston 30, Jacksonville 16: TW: Texans; CV: Texans
Jacksonville fans got an early Christmas present: Urban Meyer got fired! Bad news is that they lost their 12th game this season. Davis Mills completed 19 of 30 passes for 209 yards with two touchdowns to Brandin Cooks but also threw an interception. Rex Burkhead provided 41 yards on the ground on 16 carries. David Johnson added 24 yards on six carries. Trevor Lawrence was alright in the circumstances that he was in with 22 of 38 completions for 210 passing yards. James Robinson rushed for 75 yards on 18 carries with a touchdown. Hopefully the Jaguars actually provide a head coach that can help not hinder Trevor Lawrence. 

TW: 5-1, CV: 4-2

Next week:
Houston: vs LA Chargers
Jacksonville: @ NY Jets

NY Jets 24, Miami 31: TW: Dolphins; CV: Dolphins
The Dolphins have now won six straight games. The Jets also lead at halftime in this game for the first time this year. Zach Wilson started and had 13 of 23 passes for 170 yards for the Jets. Tevin Coleman rushed for 50 yards on eight carries. Zach Wilson would get in the endzone while adding 12 yards rushing. Braxton Berrios would also get a touchdown on 10 yards rushing as well. Tua Tagovailoa wasn't too great in this game as he threw 16 of 27 passes for 196 yards with two touchdowns but also had two passes picked off. Duke Johnson had a great day on the ground however as the runner had 107 yards rushing on 22 carries as well as two touchdowns. Myles Gaskin had 54 yards rushing with 10 carries. Safe to say the Dolphins are back into the playoff hunt after looking left for dead. 

TW: 6-1; CV: 5-2

Next week:
NY Jets: vs Jacksonville
Miami: @ New Orleans

Tennessee 13, Pittsburgh 19: TW: Steelers; CV: Titans
Thank god for that defense. Ryan Tannehill completed 23 of 32 passes for 153 yards with an interception that was grabbed by Justin Schobert. Donta Foreman really did a good job going after the weak Steelers rush defense and had 108 rushing yards on 22 carries. Ryan Tannehill would get the only touchdown for the Titans on a 1-yard run to the right. Ben Roethlisberger completed 16 of 25 passes for 148 yards. He would also score the only touchdown for the Steelers on a  1-yard run. Najee Harris would only get 18 yards on the ground. Pittsburgh's defense would have a field day in the turnover department as they would force five fumbles and recover three of them as well as said interception. 

TW: 7-1; CV: 5-3

Next week:
Tennessee: vs San Francisco
Pittsburgh: @ Kansas City

Atlanta 13, San Francisco 31: TW: 49ers; CV: 49ers
It was a thorough demolition in Santa Clara. Matt Ryan completed 19 of 32 passes for 236 with a touchdown pass to Russell Gage. Mike Davis rushed for 21 yards on six carries. Jimmy Garoppolo was good in this game as he completed 18 of 23 passes for 235 yards with a touchdown. San Francisco's running attack would do the scoring. Jeff Wilson did the most damage with his 110 rushing yards with a touchdown. Deebo Samuel would contribute to the scoring as well as he had a touchdown and added 29 yards rushing in the game. Kyle Juszczyk would get a touchdown on a 6-yard run. 

TW: 8-1; CV: 6-3

Next week:
Atlanta: vs Detroit
San Francisco: @ Tennessee

Cincinnati 15, Denver 10: TW: Bengals; CV: Bengals
Hopefully Teddy Bridgewater is alright after taking a vicious hit to the head. Joe Burrow completed 15 of 22 passes for 157 yards with a touchdown to Tyler Boyd. Joe Mixon carried the ball 17 times for 58 yards. Evan McPherson would hit 3 of 3 field goals that would help the Bengals. Teddy Bridgewater would start for the Bengals. He would complete 12 of 22 passes for 98 yards before getting hit in the head by linebacker Joe Bachie. Bachie would leave the game with a knee injury. Drew Lock would come in and provide 88 passing yards with the only touchdown the Broncos would hit. Javontae Williams rushed for 72 yards and Melvin Gordon rushed for 53 yards. Sucks that bad things happen to good people like Teddy Bridgewater who had gotten his life back together. Football gods giveth and football gods taketh. 

TW: 9-1; CV: 7-3

Next week:
Cincinnati: vs Baltimore
Denver: @ Las Vegas

Green Bay 31, Baltimore 30: TW: Packers; CV: Ravens
Once again the analytics would prove to be a costly decision for the Baltimore Ravens. Aaron Rodgers would do Aaron Rodgers things as the passer completed 23 of 31 passes for 268 yards with three touchdowns. AJ Dillon would carry the ball seven times for 22 yards with a touchdown. Aaron Jones would carry the ball 13 times for 58 yards. Tyler Huntley would carry the Ravens on his back in this one as he completed 28 of 40 passes for 215 yards for two touchdowns as well as adding 73 rushing yards with two touchdowns. Bringing his total touchdowns to four. Ravens head coach John Harbaugh would try again to win the game on a two-point conversion. The play itself would be a pass play where Huntley would go to the right and tries to hit Mark Andrews. Huntley would also have an open Malcolm Brown down the middle as well. 

TW: 10-1; CV: 7-4

Next week:
Green Bay: vs Cleveland
Baltimore: @ Cincinnati

New Orleans 9, Tampa Bay 0: TW: Buccaneers; CV: Saints
First time since 2006 since Tom Brady had been shutout (last time was a 21-0 defeat to Nick Saban's Miami Dolphins). Taysom Hill completed 13 of 27 passes for 154 yards. The passer would add 33 yards rushing as well. Saints kicker Brett Maher would provide the only scoring in this one as he hit three field goals. His longest was from 42 yards. Tom Brady would hit 26 of 48 completed passes for 214 with an interception. Ronald Jones would rush for 63 yards on eight carries. I don't get it, the Saints in the regular season are somehow Brady's kryptonite. With a depleting receiving corp, will the Bucs make it back to the Super Bowl? Who knows.

TW: 10-2; CV: 8-4

New Orleans: vs Miami
Tampa Bay: @ Carolina

Las Vegas 16, Cleveland 14: TW: Browns; CV: Browns
The game that ended up being on a Monday instead of a Saturday. Thanks COVID. Derek Carr completed 25 of 38 passes for 236 yards with a touchdown and had an interception in the game. Josh Jacobs would get adequate yardage in the game as he had 52 yards rushing on 15 carries. Nick Mullens would get the start for Cleveland in place of Baker Mayfield. Mullens would get 20 of 30 passes completed for 147 yards with a touchdown. Nick Chubb had a good game as the running back had 91 yards rushing on 23 carries. Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson would be the clutch player in the game as he would hit a 48-yard field goal to win it for the Raiders. 

TW: 10-3; CV: 8-5

Next week:
Las Vegas: vs Denver
Cleveland: @ Green Bay

Minnesota 17, Chicago 9: TW: Vikings; CV: Vikings
Kind of a boring game, kind of a sleeper. Kirk Cousins completed 12 of 24 passes for 87 yards with two touchdown passes to Justin Jefferson and to Ihmir Smithmarsette. Dalvin Cook would rush for 89 yards on 28 carries. Justin Fields completed 26 of 39 passes for 285 yards with a touchdown pass to Jesper Horsted. The touchdown would come on the last few seconds of the game. David Montgomery rushed for 60 yards on 18 carries. The division is out of the question for the Vikings but the wild card is still in play for them. At least the Bears won't make the playoffs and head coach Matt Nagy won't be the head coach for much longer. Truly a wonderous Christmas gift for the Bears faithful. 

TW: 11-3; CV: 9-5

Next week:
Minnesota: vs LA Rams
Chicago: @ Seattle

Seattle 10, LA Rams 20: TW: Rams; CV: Rams
The Rams take care of business and the Seahawks are now losing season bound for the first time since 2011. Russell Wilson would find this one inhospitable as he completed 17 of 31 passes for 156 yards with an interception. DeeJay Dallas rushed for 41 yards and scored the only touchdown for the Seahawks in this game. Rashad Penny would rush for 39 yards in the game. Matthew Stafford was good in this game as he completed 21 of 29 passes for 244 yards with two touchdown passes to Cooper Kupp. He also threw an interception as well. Sony Michel had a solid day running the ball as the former Patriot racked up 92 yards on 18 carries. Darrell Henderson rushed for 23 yards on six carries. With the Cardinals faltering, could the Rams take control of the NFC West? Who knows. 

TW: 12-3; CV: 10-5

Next week:
Seattle: vs Chicago
LA Rams: @ Minnesota

Washington 17, Philadelphia 27: TW: Eagles; CV: Football Team
Good old fashioned NFC East football here. Garrett Gilbert would start over the folk hero Taylor Heinicke. The passer would finish with 20 of 31 passes for 194 yards, not a bad start for him given the circumstances. Antonio Gibson would find the endzone but would find it difficult to find holes as he would only get 26 yards rushing on 15 carries. Jaret Patterson rushed for 20 yards on four carries with a touchdown as well. Jalen Hurts would be the one to carry the Eagles in this one as he had three total touchdowns as well as racking up 296 passing yards and 38 rushing yards. Miles Sanders would find holes very well as he rushed 131 yards on 18 carries. Jordan Howard rushed for 69 yards with 15 carries. Philadelphia is still in the drivers seat for a playoff spot. 

TW: 13-3; CV: 10-6

Next week:
Washington: @ Dallas
Philadelphia: vs NY Giants

2021 Pick'em Records:

My record:

Week 1: 7-9
Week 2: 10-6
Week 3: 10-6
Week 4: 9-7
Week 5: 12-4
Week 6: 11-3
Week 7: 10-3
Week 8: 7-8
Week 9: 7-7
Week 10: 5-8-1
Week 11: 8-7
Week 12: 8-7
Week 13: 10-4
Week 14: 10-4
Week 15: 13-3

Total: 137-86-1

Cardinal Viking's record:

Week 1: 6-10
Week 2: 12-4
Week 3: 13-3
Week 4: 10-6
Week 5: 10-6
Week 6: 12-2
Week 7: 10-3
Week 8: 7-8
Week 9: 8-6
Week 10: 5-8-1
Week 11: 10-5
Week 12: 9-6
Week 13: 7-7
Week 14: 9-5
Week 15: 10-6

Total: 138-85-1

Previous Picking Records:

Cardinal Viking:

2017: 167-89
2018: 156-98-2
2019: 151-104-1
2020: 163-92-1

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

2020: 167-88-1 

See you all on Wednesday for the Week 16 picks post!

-Tom

NFL 2021 Week 15 Picks

 Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action is coming up sooner than you'd believe. For this week, I'll be keeping an eye on the Patriots-Colts, Saints-Buccaneers, and Chiefs-Chargers games this week. In this post, I'll be doing an updated playoff picture, my week 15 preview, the picks for the games and the early and late game tv pairings. Let's get to work!

Playoff Picture:

AFC

Seeding:

1st seed: New England Patriots (9-4)
2nd seed: Tennessee Titans (9-4)
3rd seed: Kansas City Chiefs (9-4)
4th seed: Baltimore Ravens (8-5)
5th seed: Los Angeles Chargers (8-5)
6th seed: Indianapolis Colts (7-6)
7th seed: Buffalo Bills (7-6)

Super Wild Card Weekend Matchups:

Buffalo @ Tennessee
Indianapolis @ Kansas City
LA Chargers @ Baltimore

In the hunt:
Cleveland (7-6), Cincinnati (7-6), Denver (7-6), Pittsburgh (6-6-1), Las Vegas (6-7), Miami (6-7)

Better luck next year:
NY Jets (3-10), Houston (2-11), Jacksonville (2-11)

No AFC clinching scenarios this week but a lot of teams are ahead of Kansas City because largely of head to head records as Tennessee has a leg up on them. Will be interesting to see if one of the 7-6 teams in the hunt make a run. Will have to see for that to happen. 

NFC

1st seed: Green Bay Packers (10-3)
2nd seed: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-3)
3rd seed: Arizona Cardinals (10-3)
4th seed: Dallas Cowboys (9-4)
5th seed: Los Angeles Rams (9-4)
6th seed: San Francisco 49ers (7-6)
7th seed: Washington Football Team (6-7)

Super Wild Card Weekend Matchups:

Washington @ Tampa Bay
San Francisco @ Arizona
LA Rams @ Dallas

In the hunt:
Minnesota (6-7), Philadelphia (6-7), Atlanta (6-7), New Orleans (6-7), Carolina (5-8), Seattle (5-8), NY Giants (4-9), Chicago (4-9)

Better luck next year:
Detroit (1-11-1)

No clinch scenarios this week but the Packers are ahead of the Buccaneers because of conference record and ahead of Arizona based on head to head. Arizona is behind Tampa because of strength of victory. Should be noted that Washington plays Philadelphia this weekend, if they lose the Eagles would have the advantage of head to head record. 

Week 15 Preview

The 14th week of the NFL's regular season will kick off in Inglewood, California and finish up in Chicago, Illinois. The week will have a 16-game slate that all 32 teams will play in. No teams are on a bye this week. The week features a Thursday night game, two Saturday games, seven early games, four late games, a Sunday night game and a Monday night game. FOX will have the doubleheader and CBS will have the single, regional game. Let's get to the picks!

Week 15 Picks

Note: TW is me and CV is Cardinal Viking, my former roommate. All game times are in US Eastern.

Kansas City (9-4) @ LA Chargers (8-5) (FOX/Amazon/NFL Network; 8:20 pm): TW: Chiefs; CV: Chiefs
Both teams picked up wins last week as the Chiefs beat the Raiders and the Chargers beat the Giants. The week starts with a fairly good matchup between two great quarterbacks in the AFC. Kansas City has really hit their stride lately and it is because of the revamped defense that had one point gave up tons of points to opponents. LA has been somewhat of an inconsistent team but have been playing better of late. Usually good defense beats good offense in most cases. If there has to be some consistency with the picks it has to be Kansas City right? I'll go with the safe bet with the Chiefs. 

Las Vegas (6-7) @ Cleveland (7-6) (NFL Network; 4:30 pm): TW: Browns; CV; Browns
The Raiders lost to the Chiefs and the Browns beat the Ravens last week. The first of two games on Saturday features a meh matchup between the faltering Raiders and the lackluster Browns. Both teams aren't really that great but they are similar on paper. I think what defines the Browns is their running game and solid defense. They lack consistency in the quarterback position and Baker Mayfield is that culprit. Las Vegas might be coming off a humbling game against the Chiefs and I don't see them getting off the woe train. 

New England (9-4) @ Indianapolis (7-6) (NFL Network; 8:20 pm): TW: Colts; CV: Patriots
Both teams were on a bye last week. New England has had a renaissance after a disappointing 2020 season. Mac Jones has been a catalyst of that resurgence as Bill Belichick has a passer that he can rely on. The Patriots seem to be the media favorite in this one. The big matchup I think is Jonathan Taylor and the Patriots defensive line. New England has had troubles with stopping the run and if the Colts gameplan is anchored at giving Taylor the ball at least 20 times, they have a good shot to win. I think I'll take the Colts in this one. 

Arizona (10-3) @ Detroit (1-11-1) (FOX; 1:00 pm): TW: Cardinals; CV: Cardinals
Both teams last week lost as the Cardinals lost to the Rams and the Lions lost to the Broncos. Arizona had a road bump last week against the Rams. They were able to get to Kyler Murray and really mess with his running and extending plays abilities. Detroit doesn't look like the squad to win another game this season it would seem. I don't think the Cardinals will have a repeat performance of last week as long as they don't do anything stupid. I'll take the Cards. 

Carolina (5-8) @ Buffalo (7-6) (FOX; 1:00 pm): TW: Bills; CV: Bills
Both teams lost last week as the Panthers lost to the Falcons and the Bills lost to the Buccaneers. Carolina is a mess and Buffalo is a mess but a better mess if that makes sense. The Panthers have a mess of quarterbacks that don't really seem to lead their team to a win. Buffalo likes to just use Josh Allen and no one else. The Bills had aspirations to be in the big game in February and with their play, I have my doubts. I still think the Bills are the better team in the matchup so I'll take them. 

Dallas (9-4) @ NY Giants (4-9) (FOX; 1:00 pm): TW: Cowboys; CV: Cowboys
The Cowboys beat the Football Team and the Giants lost to the Chargers last week. Dallas got a win where they were close to losing. Mike McCarthy did get his guarantee fulfilled though. They have a good running game that uses many runners to run their offense. New York is just a team that is nearing its end as General Manager Dave Gettleman will be leaving the team after this season. What that spells is a possible shakeup in the organization. The Giants could play spoiler but honestly even Giants fans would rather not see that if they want a high draft pick. 

Houston (2-11) @ Jacksonville (2-11) (CBS; 1:00 pm): TW: Texans; CV: Texans
Both teams lost last week as the Texans lost to the Seahawks and the Jaguars lost to the Titans. Another Toilet Bowl boys and girls! The Urban Meyer era in Jacksonville is a trainwreck and it isn't getting any better. I feel there's a lot of distractions down in Jacksonville that I feel the Texans could play better than them. Davis Mills played fairly well last week in spite of the blowout loss. I feel better picking the Texans which says a lot. 

NY Jets (3-10) @ Miami (6-7) (CBS; 1:00 pm): TW: Dolphins; CV: Dolphins
The Jets lost to the Saints and the Dolphins had a bye last week. Miami is currently sporting a five-game winning streak coming into this contest. Could the bye week affect them? Yes and no. They realize that the momentum might've shifted back to normal but they realize that they were supposed to be a playoff contender. The Jets are just not a great squad but that is to be expected as they were supposed to be bad. I'll take the Dolphins. 

Tennessee (9-4) @ Pittsburgh (6-6-1) (CBS; 1:00 pm): TW: Steelers; CV: Titans
The Titans beat the Jaguars and the Steelers lost to the Vikings last week. Tennessee has been playing good football without Derrick Henry. At this point they're just trying to stay in 1st in the AFC South and hope for the best when Henry returns. The Steelers still are in the hunt for a playoff spot and less likely the division but once you're in it anything can happen. Pittsburgh has had its ups and downs this year. Their defense has been the carrier and the offense has had its struggles. If the Steelers can shut down the ground game of the Titans they have a good shot to win. I'll take a risk and take the Steelers. 

Washington (6-7) @ Philadelphia (6-7) (FOX; 1:00 pm): TW: Eagles; CV: Football Team
The Football Team lost to the Cowboys and the Eagles had a bye last week. The game is quite underrated should the Football Team win. They would have a leg up on the playoff hunt and for the Eagles if they win then they would replace Washington. Overall the two offenses stack up really well. I think both will go after their opposing defense. I like the Eagles a bit better but Taylor Heinicke is a nice story. 

Atlanta (6-7) @ San Francisco (7-6) (CBS; 4:05 pm): TW: 49ers; CV: 49ers
Both teams won last week as the Falcons beat the Panthers and the 49ers beat the Bengals. Old school NFC matchup on CBS (back when they had the NFC package). Both teams have been playing better of late with their defenses leading the way. So both teams are pretty similar on paper. I feel the 49ers are the better team on paper and they are looking to stay in the playoffs as a wild card. I'll take the 49ers. 

Cincinnati (7-6) @ Denver (7-6) (CBS; 4:05 pm): TW: Bengals; CV: Bengals
The Bengals lost to the 49ers and the Broncos beat the Lions last week. The Bengals looked like a dead team walking for most of their game last week. They would eventually almost win that game barring a Brandon Aiyuk touchdown. Denver has been an inconsistent team that has a good defense but have question marks over their offense. Their running game can be their greatest strength or their biggest weakness. I'll take the Bengals. 

Green Bay (10-3) @ Baltimore (8-5) (FOX; 4:25 pm): TW: Packers; CV: Ravens
The Packers beat the Bears and the Ravens lost to the Browns last week. Baltimore is in deep trouble without Lamar Jackson. They had almost a comeback win against Cleveland with Tyler Huntley at quarterback. They face a stiff test with the Packers in town. Green Bay currently holds the #1 seed in the NFC but this game could feel like a trap game for them. I like the Ravens running game a fair bit in this game and their defense can keep them in games. I think the key matchup is the Ravens defensive front and the Packers runningbacks. 

Seattle (5-8) @ LA Rams (9-4) (FOX; 4:25 pm): TW: Rams; CV: Rams
Both teams won last week as the Seahawks beat the Texans and the Rams beat the Cardinals. Seattle is in the midst of a losing year which doesn't happen very often. The 2011 season would be the last time that happened to the Seahawks. The Rams aren't in the midst of a losing season however as they are putting all their chips in and hoping to stay at home for the big game come February. They currently are running on a high as they beat one of the best teams in the NFL in the Arizona Cardinals. In division games, anything can happen but Sean McVay will keep his club focused on the task at hand. 

New Orleans (6-7) @ Tampa Bay (10-3) (NBC; 8:20 pm): TW: Buccaneers; CV: Saints
The Saints beat the Jets and the Buccaneers beat the Bills last week. Brady has had a stellar time in Tampa. The New Orleans Saints in the regular season have been a thorn at his side. On Sunday night that could change as the Saints and Buccaneers meet. The Saints defense has given Brady fits and I think it has to do a lot of their blitz and zone coverages. The Saints however don't have Tom Brady at their quarterback #1. New Orleans might be a possible upset in the making but I think Tom Brady will finally get that elusive win against the Saints. 

Minnesota (6-7) @ Chicago (4-9) (ESPN; 8:15 pm): TW: Vikings; CV: Vikings
The Vikings beat the Steelers and the Bears lost to the Packers last week. The week finishes up with a division matchup in the NFC North. The Vikings have been a meme when it comes to close games, including the near blown lead against Pittsburgh. Chicago is just not great but they do possess a offense that can give the Vikings some fits. David Montgomery is back and they also have a valuable backup in Khalil Herbert. Despite all that and more, I still like the Vikings in the matchup. I'll take them. 

Early & Late Game TV Pairings

Note: Games in bold are being shown in my area, check local listings, courtesy of 506sports.com

CBS Single

Tennessee @ Pittsburgh
Jim Nantz, Tony Romo

NY Jets @ Miami
Greg Gumbel, Adam Archuletea

Houston @ Jacksonville
Andrew Catalon, James Lofton

Cincinnati @ Denver (LATE)
Ian Eagle, Charles Davis

Atlanta @ San Francisco (LATE)
Kevin Harlan, Trent Green

FOX Early

Dallas @ NY Giants
Adam Amin, Mark Schlereth

Washington @ Philadelphia
Kevin Kugler, Mark Sanchez

Carolina @ Buffalo
Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma

Arizona @ Detroit
Gus Johnson, Aqib Talib

FOX Late

Green Bay @ Baltimore
Joe Buck, Troy Aikman

Seattle @ LA Rams
Chris Myers, Daryl Johnston

For more information on which game is being shown in your area, check out: NFL 2021: Week 15 maps

2021 Pick'em Records:

My record:

Week 1: 7-9
Week 2: 10-6
Week 3: 10-6
Week 4: 9-7
Week 5: 12-4
Week 6: 11-3
Week 7: 10-3
Week 8: 7-8
Week 9: 7-7
Week 10: 5-8-1
Week 11: 8-7
Week 12: 8-7
Week 13: 10-4
Week 14: 10-4

Total: 124-83-1

Cardinal Viking's record:

Week 1: 6-10
Week 2: 12-4
Week 3: 13-3
Week 4: 10-6
Week 5: 10-6
Week 6: 12-2
Week 7: 10-3
Week 8: 7-8
Week 9: 8-6
Week 10: 5-8-1
Week 11: 10-5
Week 12: 9-6
Week 13: 7-7
Week 14: 9-5

Total: 128-79-1

Previous Picking Records:

Cardinal Viking:

2017: 167-89
2018: 156-98-2
2019: 151-104-1
2020: 163-92-1

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

2020: 167-88-1 

I'll see you guys after the Monday night game for the Week 15 recap post! Enjoy the games

-Tom

NFL 2021 Week 14 Recap

 Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action has come and gone. The Week that was brought us a near comeback in Minnesota, a scorigami in Kansas City, and a shutout in Nashville. The post will include a recap of the week's games. Let's get to work!

Week 14 Recap

Pittsburgh 28, Minnesota 36: TW: Vikings; CV: Vikings
The comeback that never was. Pittsburgh looked to have a better start to this football game but didn't score a touchdown until the 3rd quarter. Ben Roethlisberger would have a solid game as he completed 28 of his 40 passes for 308 yards for three touchdowns and one interception. Najee Harris would tack  on 94 yards with a touchdown in this game. His touchdown would be the start of a 28-7 run that ultimately would be undone by a Pat Friermuth drop. Kirk Cousins wouldn't look bad as he did have a good start in the first half and slowly faded out in the 2nd. He completed 14 of 31 passes for 216 yards for two touchdowns but also threw two interceptions. The star in the game was the Dalvin Cook show as the runner ran over the Steelers for a great 205 yards and two touchdowns. At one point the Vikings were up 29-0 late in the 3rd quarter. Chase Claypool is a moron sometimes. 

TW: 1-0; CV: 1-0

Next week:
Pittsburgh: vs Tennessee
Minnesota: @ Chicago

Atlanta 29, Carolina 21: TW: Falcons; CV: Falcons
The Panthers are 2-8 since they started out 3-0 this season. Just ouch. Matt Ryan was alright in this game as he completed 19 of 28 passes for 190 yards with a touchdown pass to Hayden Hurst. Cordarrelle Patterson was a key contributor to the win as the runner racked up 58 yards on 16 carries with a touchdown. Mike Davis added 44 yards. Mykal Walker would find himself with a touchdown after Cam Newton threw him a pass and proceeded to return it for a 66-yard touchdown. Cam Newton would start and wasn't stellar as he completed 15 of 23 passes for 178 yards but had an interception and lost a fumble. Newton would also be the leading rusher for the Panthers as he added 47 yards and a touchdown run. PJ Walker would relieve the starter in the 4th quarter and had 6 of 12 passes completed for 75 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Chuba Hubbard would have 33 rushing yards with a touchdown. The Falcons felt that the lead was slipping by but with some good clock management and use of their running game, they would hold on and get their 6th win of the year. 

TW: 2-0; CV: 2-0

Next week:
Atlanta: @ San Francisco
Carolina: @ Buffalo

Baltimore 22, Cleveland 24: TW: Ravens; CV: Ravens
Just another day in the AFC North, where everyone beats each other up. Lamar Jackson would start in the game and hit a perfect 4 for 4 completions for 17 yards. He would leave the game after taking a huge hit to his ankle and couldn't put weight on it. Tyler Huntley would come into the game provide solid backup for Baltimore. He finished with 27 of 38 completions for 270 yards with a touchdown to Mark Andrews. Huntley would run around and rush for 45 yards in the game. Devonta Freeman was the leading rusher in the game with 64 yards on 13 carries. Mark Andrews caught 11 passes for 115 yards with a touchdown. Baker Mayfield looked better as he completed 22 of 32 passes for 190 yards with two touchdowns and had an interception. Nick Chubb added some yards as he rushed 59 yards on 17 carries. Cleveland would get offense on the defense as Myles Garrett sacked Tyler Huntley and had a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a touchdown. Certainly a worthy play for him to add for his Defensive Player of the Year resume. 

TW: 2-1; CV: 2-1

Next week:
Baltimore: vs Green Bay
Cleveland: vs Las Vegas

Dallas 27, Washington 20: TW: Football Team; CV: Football Team
Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy guauranteed a win against rival Washington. The Cowboys would barely make that guarantee a sure thing. Dak Prescott would complete 22 of 39 passes for 211 yards with a touchdown to Amari Cooper but had two passes grabbed by Washington. Ezekiel Elliot rushed for 45 yards on 12 carries. Corey Clement rushed 44 yards on 13 carries. Dallas would get offense on defense as Micah Parsons sacked Taylor Heinicke and made him fumble. Dorance Armstrong would recover it and get it into the endzone. Taylor Heinicke wasn't as effective in past games as the passer hit 11 of 25 completions for 122 yards with a touchdown but had an interception. He would leave the game and Kyle Allen would add 49 yards passing with 4 of 9 passes completed. Jonathan Williams had 16 yards rushing with a touchdown on four carries. Antonio Gibson rushed 10 times for 36 yards. So much for believing in Washington. 

TW: 2-2; CV: 2-2

Next week:
Dallas: @ NY Giants
Washington: @ Philadelphia

Jacksonville 0, Tennessee 20: TW: Titans; CV: Titans
To say that Jacksonville was lost was an understatement. Newer headlines came out of head coach Urban Meyer's leadership and coaching came out as the season of woes continued for Jacksonville. Trevor Lawrence was the contributor to these woes as the passer threw 24 of 40 passes for 221 yards with four interceptions. James Robinson was shut down by a long while as he had four yards rushing on six carries. Ryan Tannehill didn't really take advantage of the turnovers but he didn't add to the turnover fest either. The passer threw 20 of 31 passes for 191 yards. Donta Freeman carried the ball 13 times for 47 yards with a touchdown. Ryan Tannehill did get a touchdown while adding 29 yards rushing. Safe to say the Titans are playing solid ball while hoping Derrick Henry comes back come playoff time. 

TW: 3-2; CV: 3-2

Next week:
Jacksonville: vs Houston
Tennessee: @ Pittsburgh

Las Vegas 9, Kansas City 48: TW: Chiefs; CV: Chiefs
The Raiders first play in the game resulted in a fumble for six. They wouldn't recover after that. Derek Carr threw 33 of 45 balls for completion for 263 yards with a touchdown but had an interception that was grabbed by Tyrann Mathieu. Josh Jacobs rushed nine times for 24 yards. Patrick Mahomes was efficient in the game as he completed 20 of 24 passes for 258 yards with two touchdowns. Derrick Gore rushed 66 yards on nine carries for a touchdown. Clyde Edwards-Helaire rushed for 37 yards with two touchdowns. Las Vegas also added fuel to the fire when the entire team stepped on the Chiefs logo just before kickoff. The 48-9 score was the 1,071st unique score in NFL history. Happy Scorigami everyone! 

TW: 4-2; CV: 4-2

Next week:
Las Vegas: @ Cleveland
Kansas City: @ LA Chargers

New Orleans 30, NY Jets 9: TW: Saints; CV: Saints
The Jets certainly heard the Saints were marching on. Taysom Hill had a solid game on offense as the passer-runner would hit 15 of 21 passes for 175 yards as well as 73 yards rushing with two touchdowns on the ground. Alvin Kamara would make his return to action as the rusher racked up 120 yards over the Jets defense with a touchdown run. Zach Wilson was not great in this game but being with the Jets is a task of its own. Wilson would hit 19 of 42 passes for 202 yards as well as ran for 33 yards on four carries. Lamical Perine would rush for 28 yards on seven carries. New York's nine points would come on three Eddy Pineiro field goals, with a 46-yard attempt being his longest in this game. New Orleans came back to life but I'd pump the brakes on it as they beat the Jets. 

TW: 5-2; CV: 5-2

Next week:
New Orleans: @ Tampa Bay
NY Jets: @ Miami

Seattle 33, Houston 13: TW: Seahawks; CV: Seahawks
For once, Davis Mills didn't absolutely look awful in this game. Russell Wilson completed 17 of 28 passes for 260 yards with two touchdowns. Rashaad Penny was a beast in the gmae as he had 137 yards rushing with two touchdowns, a 47-yard run being his longest in the game. Davis Mills was effective in the game as he completed 33 of 49 passes for 331 yards with a touchdown. Rex Burkhead rushed for 40 yards on 11 carries. At one point the Texans held a lead for about five minutes then the Seahawks took over. Tyler Lockett and former Seahawks wide receiver and Hall of Famer Steve Largent share a birthday. 

TW: 6-2; CV: 6-2

Next week:
Houston: @ Jacksonville
Seattle: @ LA Rams

Detroit 10, Denver 38: TW: Broncos; CV: Broncos
The Broncos would start the game with 10 men on the field in honor of Demaryius Thomas. It was a tribute that would lead to a Broncos victory. Jared Goff would fall back to earth with 24 completions out of 39 passes for 215 yards with a touchdown to Kalif Raymond and had an interception. Craig Reynolds rushed for 83 yards on 11 carries with a 35-yard run being his longest. Teddy Bridgewater was alright in the game as he threw 18 of 25 passes for completions with a 179 yard day from the air with two touchdowns. Melvin Gordon rushed for 111 yards with two touchdowns. Javontae Williams rushed for 73 yards with a touchdown. Safe to say the Detroit Lions might have won their Super Bowl last week against the Vikings. 

TW: 7-2; CV: 7-2

Next week:
Detroit: vs Arizona
Denver: vs Cincinnati

NY Giants 21, LA Chargers 37: TW: Chargers; CV: Chargers
The Chargers showed no mercy. Joey Bosa proved it by doing push ups in an act of savagery. Mike Glennon was not great as the passer completed 17 of 36 passes for 191 yards with two touchdown passes with an interception as well as running in for a score on a 7-yard run. Saquon Barkley would get 64 yards on 16 carries. Devontae Booker rushed for 56 yards on eight carries. Justin Herbert would be magical as the passer completed 23 of 31 passes for 275 yards for three touchdowns. One of the touchdowns would come on a 59-yard bomb pass to Jalen Guyton. Austin Ekeler would be a valuable back as the runner rushed for 67 yards with a touchdown. It's okay Giants fans, the season is only four more weeks away from being over. 

TW: 8-2; CV: 8-2

Next week:
NY Giants: vs Dallas
LA Chargers: vs Kansas City

Buffalo 27, Tampa Bay 33 (F/OT): TW: Buccaneers; CV: Bills
Tom Brady's 700th career touchdown would come at a valuable time. Buffalo looked to get back to on a winning track and nearly did. Josh Allen would prove to yet again be the only man on the field that could stay with the defending champs. Allen would hit 36 of 54 passes for completions for 308 yards with two touchdowns while throwing an interception. He would also be the leading rusher for the Bills as he ran for 109 yards on 12 carries for a touchdown. Devin Singletary would get 52 yards on the ground with a 29-yard run being his longest. Tom Brady would stay himself in this game as the 44-year old completed 31 of 46 passes for 363 yards for two touchdowns. He would also get his jogging skills to use as he got 16 yards with a touchdown run. Leonard Fournette would be the beast in this game for the Buccaneers as the runner got 113 yards with a touchdown. His longest was a 47-yard run. Buffalo is still in the mix but not anymore for a division I feel. 

TW: 9-2; CV: 8-3

Next week:
Buffalo: vs Carolina
Tampa Bay: vs New Orleans

San Francisco 26, Cincinnati 23 (F/OT): TW: Bengals; CV: Bengals
Quite the exciting overtime period. Jimmy Garoppolo was quite effective in this game as the passer threw 27 of 41 completed passes for 296 yards with two touchdowns, including the game winner to Brandon Aiyuk in overtime. Jeff Wilson would get consistent yardage for the 49ers with 56 yards. Deebo Samuel would get a touchdown on 27-yard run to the right. Joe Burrow played better in this game as he completed 25 of 34 passes for 348 yards for two touchdowns to Ja'Marr Chase. Joe Mixon would rush for 58 yards on 18 carries with a 17-yard run being his longest in the game. Two fumbles by Cincinnati would be key for the game as the 49ers would take advantage of those mistakes. Cincinnati's road to the playoffs let alone the division got a bit harder. 

TW: 9-3; CV: 8-4

Next week:
San Francisco: vs Atlanta
Cincinnati: @ Denver

Chicago 30, Green Bay 45: TW: Packers; CV: Packers
If that was the last time that Aaron Rodgers faces off against the Bears, I feel Bears fans can be relieved of it. Justin Fields wasn't great in the game as he completed 18 of 33 passes for 224 yards with two touchdowns but also threw two interceptions. The passer would also be a runner in the game as he ran for 74 yards on nine carries. David Montgomery would get 42 yards rushing on 10 carries. The scoring for the Chicago Bears would come on the 2nd quarter where both teams would put up 45 combined points. Aaron Rodgers was sluggish in the first quarter but he would get back to his old self as the passer finished with 29 of 37 pass completions for 341 yards with four touchdowns. AJ Dillon rushed for 71 yards on 15 carries. Aaron Jones rushed for 35 yards with a touchdown on five carries. Safe to say that Aaron Rodgers still owns you Bears. 

TW: 10-3; CV: 9-4

Next week:
Chicago: vs Minnesota
Green Bay: @ Baltimore

LA Rams 30, Arizona 23: TW: Cardinals; CV: Cardinals
When they were up against the wall, the Rams reacted when everyone was against them. Matthew Stafford would prove to be the catalyst in the game as the passer completed 23 of 30 passes for 287 yards with three touchdown passes. Each of them to Cooper Kupp, Odell Beckham Jr and Van Jefferson. Sony Michel would provide some good rushing yards as he carried the ball 20 times for 79 yards. Kyler Murray would find himself in a hostile environment all game long as the passer completed 32 of his 49 passes for 383 yards with two interceptions. He would also rush for 61 yards on seven carries. The scorer for the Cards would come to James Conner. Conner would find the endzone two times while getting 31 yards rushing on 13 carries. Along with the two interceptions, the Rams would keep Kyler Murray in the pocket and get in his face all day. Doesn't help that the Cards were 2 for 4 on 4th down conversions and 8 for 15 on 3rd down. 

TW: 10-4; CV: 9-5

Next week:
LA Rams: vs Seattle
Arizona: @ Detroit

2021 Pick'em Records:

My record:

Week 1: 7-9
Week 2: 10-6
Week 3: 10-6
Week 4: 9-7
Week 5: 12-4
Week 6: 11-3
Week 7: 10-3
Week 8: 7-8
Week 9: 7-7
Week 10: 5-8-1
Week 11: 8-7
Week 12: 8-7
Week 13: 10-4
Week 14: 10-4

Total: 124-83-1

Cardinal Viking's record:

Week 1: 6-10
Week 2: 12-4
Week 3: 13-3
Week 4: 10-6
Week 5: 10-6
Week 6: 12-2
Week 7: 10-3
Week 8: 7-8
Week 9: 8-6
Week 10: 5-8-1
Week 11: 10-5
Week 12: 9-6
Week 13: 7-7
Week 14: 9-5

Total: 128-79-1

Previous Picking Records:

Cardinal Viking:

2017: 167-89
2018: 156-98-2
2019: 151-104-1
2020: 163-92-1

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

2020: 167-88-1 

I'll see you guys on Wednesday for the Week 15 Picks post! See you then!

-Tom

P.S.

Rest In Peace
Demaryius Thomas

(1987-2021)