NFL 2023 Week 17 Recap

 Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action has come to an end. Week 17 brought us some crazy storylines. Storylines like: controversy in Dallas, an upset in Philadelphia, a blowout in Baltimore, a kicking performance for the ages in Kansas City and a blowout in Minnesota. All those games and more in this week's recap post!

NFL Week 18 Freaky Stat

Christian McCaffrey got 2,023 all purpose yards in the 2023 season. He's the first Niners player since Frank Gore to have 2,000 all purpose yards when he did it in 2006. 

NFL Week 18 Recap

NY Jets 20, Cleveland 37: TW: Browns; CV: Jets

Browns fans will never forget when its team clinched a playoff spot in December 28th, 2023. Trevor Siemian hit 32 of 45 passes for 262 yards with a touchdown pass to Breece Hall but also tossed an interception. Breece Hall was the leading rusher in the game with 84 yards with 13 carries. The touted Jets defense would have a rough night. It's one shining moment was a Joe Flacco pass that was intercepted by Jermaine Johnson II for a pick-six in the 2nd quarter. The Jets offense had 360 total yards in the game. Joe Flacco continues his resurrection of a season and hit 19 of 29 passes for 309 yards for three touchdowns and the aforementioned pick-six. Jerome Ford had two passes for scores and Elijah Moore had a touchdown pass thrown to him as well. Moore would leave the game with an injury. The Browns receiving corp took a bit of a hit as Amari Cooper would get injured in the game. Jerome Ford had 64 yards rushing on 12 carries. Kareem Hunt got some touchdown love with a rushing touchdown and finished the game with 31 yards rushing. David Njoku had one of a rampage of a game as he caught six passes for 134 yards. Cleveland's offense didn't really miss a beat as they had 428 total yards. The name of the game for the Jets were miscues as with the Siemian interception, the Jets also fumbled and had a field goal attempt blocked. Safe to say, it was the Browns night. For the Jets, they drop to 6-10 with all but no hope of making the playoffs, they haven't made it to the tournament since 2010. For the Browns, they make it to the playoffs for just the second time in four seasons with a 11-5 record. 

Next week:
NY Jets: @ New England
Cleveland: @ Cincinnati

TW: 1-0; CV: 0-1

Detroit 19, Dallas 20: TW: Lions; CV: Cowboys

The two-point conversion that will live on for years. Jared Goff hit 19 of 34 passes for 271 yards with a touchdown pass to AmonRa St. Brown. The St. Brown touchdown was the touchdown that came before a controversial two-point conversion decision by Dan Campbell. It's a ballsy call to go for the win. Personally I think tying the game would've been the better call. The controversy would also stem from an Illegal Touch Pass penalty on Taylor Decker. The rule is that no offensive lineman can catch a pass. A lineman can catch a pass as long as they report to the referee that they are eligible. Decker wasn't an eligible receiver where as Dan Skipper was reported as an eligible receiver. With the touchdown, Goff also threw two interceptions. David Montgomery had 65 yards rushing with a touchdown run. Along with the touchdown, St. Brown caught six passes for 90 yards. Detroit had 420 total yards of offense in the game. Dak Prescott hit 26 of 38 passes for 345 yards with two touchdowns and had one pass intercepted. The first touchdown went to CeeDee Lamb on a play where it looked like Prescott might get sacked in the endzone. The dynamic quarterback found some space and an open Lamb for a 92-yard score. The 2nd touchdown went to Brandin Cooks for an 8-yard score. Tony Pollard had 49 yards rushing in the game. The game was a cause for celebration as former head coach Jimmy Johnson was inducted into the Cowboys Ring of Honor. He is the 2nd person this season to get that honor alongside defensive end DeMarcus Ware. For the Lions, they drop to 11-5 but won't drop below the 4th seed as they won the NFC North title. For the Cowboys, they get a much needed win and improve to 11-5. Look on the bright side Lions fans, your Detroit Pistons ended their 28-game losing streak. 

Next week:

Detroit: vs Minnesota
Dallas: @ Washington

TW: 1-1; CV; 1-1

Arizona 35, Philadelphia 31: TW: Eagles; CV: Cardinals

The Cardinals get the upset in Philadelphia. Kyler Murray hit 25 of 31 passes for 232 yards with three touchdown passes and an interception. The three went to Michael Wilson, Michael Carter and James Conner. James Conner had success in running the football with 26 carries for 128 yards with a rushing touchdown. The scoring the Cards did was in the 2nd half as they scored 29 of their 35 points after halftime. Arizona had their best game of the season with 449 total yards of offense. Jalen Hurts had success in the game as well as he hit 18 of 23 passes for 167 yards for three touchdowns and an interception. Julio Jones caught two of those touchdown passes while Dallas Goedert had the other touchdown. Philly's defense would score a touchdown on a Murray pass intended for Michael Wilson that was grabbed by Sydney Brown. Jake Elliott's field goal gave the Eagles a 31-28 lead before Murray ran down the field where it was the Conner rushing touchdown that gave the Cardinals the lead and the win. Philadelphia finished with 275 total yards in the game. For the Cardinals, they improve to 4-12 on the offseason with some momentum going into the offseason. For the Eagles, the loss drops them to 11-5. 

Next week:
Arizona: vs Seattle
Philadelphia: @ NY Giants

TW: 1-2; CV: 2-1

Atlanta 17, Chicago 37: TW: Bears; CV: Falcons

Atlanta turnovers give the Bears a huge win. Taylor Heinicke started the game and didn't play the best game. He hit 10 of 29 passes for 163 yards with a touchdown pass but also threw three interceptions. The passing touchdown went to Tyler Allgeier for a 75-yard play in the 2nd quarter. Desmond Ridder would get some action as he caught 3 of 4 passes for 17 yards with an interception. Bijan Robinson rushed for 75 yards in the game. Taylor Heinicke was the Falcon that rushed for the other touchdown on a 24-yard run. Atlanta had 307 total yards in the game. Justin Fields had a solid game as he hit 20 of 32 passes for 268 yards with a passing and rushing touchdown. The passing touchdown went to DJ Moore for a 7-yard score while finishing the game with 159 yards. Chicago's running game got the scoring going as Khalil Herbert rushed in for a touchdown with 124 yards rushing. Fields had 45 yards rushing with the aforementioned touchdown. Roschon Johnson got a rushing touchdown as well. Most of the scoring for the Bears happened in the first half as they got 21 of their 37 points before halftime. The Bears had 432 total yards in the game. For the Falcons, they drop to 7-9 with diminished hope of making the playoffs. For the Bears, they move up to 7-9 with no hope of making the playoffs as they got elminated. 

Next week: 
Atlanta: @ New Orleans
Chicago: @ Green Bay

TW: 2-2; CV; 2-2

Carolina 0, Jacksonville 26: TW: Jaguars; CV: Panthers

Travis Etienne scores two touchdowns in shutout win. Bryce Young hit 19 of 32 passes for 112 yards with an interception. For the math nerds, that's 5.89 yards/pass completion. Chuba Hubbard had 45 yards rushing. Adam Thielen had six catches for 38 yards. Carolina would get 112 total yards in the game. CJ Beathard got the start for the Jaguars. He hit 17 of 24 passes for 178 yards while rushing for 24 yards. The scoring for the Jaguars came from Travis Etienne as he got 102 yards rushing with two touchdowns from 62 yards and 1 yard plays. The 62-yard run came on a drive that had two plays. The Jaguars defense clamped down on the Panthers as they held Carolina to just 1 for 13 on 3rd down conversions while going 3 for 6 on 4th down conversions. For the Panthers, they will drop to 2-14 on the season. For the Jaguars, they rebound from a rough 4-game losing streak and get to 9-7. Stay Classy David Tepper. 

Next week:
Carolina: vs Tampa Bay
Jacksonville: @ Tennessee

TW: 3-2; CV: 2-3

LA Rams 26, NY Giants 25: TW: Rams; CV: Giants

The Giants failed 2-point conversion gives the Rams a win. Matthew Stafford hit 24 of 34 passes for 317 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. The touchdown throw went to Cooper Kupp for a 5-yard score. Kyren Williams had 87 yards rushing with three trips to the endzone via rushing touchdown. Puka Nacua had another great day with five catches for 118 yards with a 80-yard play being the longest play in the game. The Rams finished with 391 total yards in the game. Tyrod Taylor got the start for the G-men in the game. He hit 27 of 41 passes for 319 yards with a touchdown and an interception. The pass went to Darius Slayton for a 80-yard play. The 1st and 2nd leading rushers for the Giants were Tyrod Taylor with 40 yards rushing and Saquon Barkley had 39 yards rushing. Wandale Robinson had 24 yards rushing on a run play that yielded for a touchdown. Gunner Olszewski would get a punt-six on a 94-yard run back. Head coach Brian Daboll went for the win but failed as Tyrod Taylor tried to get a pass to Saquon Barkley that failed. The Giants had 389 total yards in the game. For the Rams, they clinch a playoff spot with a 9-7 record. For the Giants, they drop to 5-11 on the season. A far cry from last year for Big Blue. 

Next week: 
LA Rams: @ San Francisco
NY Giants: vs Philadelphia

TW: 4-2; CV: 2-4

Las Vegas 20, Indianapolis 23: TW: Raiders; CV: Colts

The Raiders comeback falls short. Aidan O'Connell had a solid day passing the ball. He hit 30 of 47 passes for 299 yards with two touchdown passes. The two passes went to Davante Adams. Along with the two scores, Adams had 13 catches for 126 yards. One of the touchdowns came to him on the Raiders last drive of the game. Zamir White had 71 yards rushing on 20 carries. Las Vegas had 370 yards in total offense. Gardner Minshew hit 15 of 23 passes for 224 yards with a touchdown pass to Alec Pierce on a play that went for 58 yards. Jonathan Taylor saw success in the game with 96 yards rushing with a touchdown. The Colts had 349 total yards in the game. At the start of the 4th quarter, the Colts had a 17-10 lead. The Raiders scored 10 points in four minutes. They just ran out of time and hope. For the Raiders, they drop to 7-9 and will not have a chance to host the Super Bowl in their own stadium as they are eliminated from playoff competition. For the Colts, they improve to 9-7 and maintain the possibility of winning a playoff spot or the AFC South. 

Next week: 
Las Vegas: vs Denver
Indianapolis: vs Houston

TW: 4-3; CV: 3-4

Miami 19, Baltimore 56: TW: Dolphins; CV: Ravens

The MVP might've been won for Lamar Jackson against the Dolphins. Tua Tagovailoa hit 22 of 38 passes for 237 yards with two touchdowns but tossed two interceptions. D'Evon Achane and Cedric Wilson Jr. were the Dolphins that caught the passes. D'Evon Achane rushed for 107 yards with 14 carries. His 45-yard run was the longest play in the game for Miami. At one point, the Dolphins had a 10-7 lead in the game. Obviously it wouldn't last. Lamar Jackson had a good game as he hit 18 of 21 passes for 321 yards with five touchdown passes. The passes went to Justice Hill for a 20-yard touchdown, Zay Flowers for a 75-yard touchdown, Isiah Likely for a 7-yard play, and Patrick Richard for a 4-yard touchdown. Tyler Huntley played quarterback for a bit as he hit a 19-yard pass to Charlie Kolar. Gus Edwards had 68 yards rushing with a touchdown. Melvin Gordon (yeah he still is in the NFL) got a rushing touchdown as well. Baltimore's offense scored 21 points in the 2nd and 4th quarters. Total yardage for both teams was quite a bit as the Dolphins had 375 yards and the Ravens had 491 yards. For the Dolphins, they drop to 11-5 and clinch a playoff spot. They will have to win against Buffalo next week to win the AFC East. For the Ravens, they clinch the AFC North and the #1 seed in the AFC with a 13-3 record.

Next week: 
Miami: vs Buffalo
Baltimore: vs Pittsburgh

TW: 4-4; CV: 4-4

New England 21, Buffalo 27: TW: Bills; CV: Patriots

The Patriots four turnovers almost gave them a win in Buffalo. Bailey Zappe didn't have the best game as he hit 16 of 26 passes for 209 yards with three interceptions. He had a 18-yard run that went for a touchdown, while compiling 37 yards. Ezekiel Elliott had a rushing touchdown as well, coming from a 6-yard run. Along with the interceptions, the Patriots also fumbled on a Kevin Harris catch. New England's special teams got a boost of scoring with a Jaylen Reagor kick-six to start the game. Unfortunately, the Patriots forgot to play the other 59:48 left in the game. New England had 294 yards of total offense in the game. Josh Allen the passer wasn't at his best. He hit 15 of 30 passes for 169 yards with an interception. Josh Allen the runner had more success as he rushed for 44 yards with two touchdowns. James Cook had 48 yards rushing on 16 carries. Buffalo's defense had one of its best showings from Rasul Douglas as he intercepted two passes, one of them went to the endzone for a pick-six. Buffalo's offense had 281 total yards in the game. It was an ugly win for the Bills as they really should've scored more points off of the Patriots turnovers. For the Patriots, they drop to 4-12 on the season. For the Bills, they improve to 10-6 and have a hot date with the Dolphins for the AFC East title. 

Next week: 
New England: vs NY Jets

Buffalo: @ Miami 

TW: 5-4; CV: 4-5

New Orleans 23, Tampa Bay 13: TW: Buccaneers; CV: Saints

Tampa's comeback falls short. Derek Carr hit 24 of 32 passes for 197 yards with two touchdowns. Juwan Johnson and Taysom Hill were the Saints that caught the passes from Carr. Jamaal Williams rushed for 58 yards on 19 carries. New Orleans had 310 total yards of offense in the game. I think the reason why the Saints won is their time of possession game and their 3rd down conversions where the Saints converted 8 of 18 chances on that down. Blake Grupe hit three field goals in the game. Baker Mayfield hit 22 of 33 passes for 309 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Perhaps the turnovers were also an issue. Trey Palmer and Chris Godwin were the players that caught the passes from Mayfield. Both touchdowns were in the 4th quarter. Rachaad White got 42 yards rushing in the game. Despite losing the game, the Buccaneers had 349 total yards in the game. For the Saints, they improve to 8-8 and set up now with a 1st place tie with the same Buccaneers. For the Buccaneers, they miss a chance to clinch the NFC South as they drop to 8-8. 

Next week: 
New Orleans: vs Atlanta
Tampa Bay: @ Carolina

TW: 5-5; CV: 5-5

San Francisco 27, Washington 10: TW: 49ers; CV: Commanders

The Niners take care of business and clinch the #1 seed in the NFC. Brock Purdy was solid in the start. He hit 22 of 28 passes for 230 yards with two touchdowns. Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel were the Niners that caught the passes from Purdy. Elijah Mitchell had 17 carries for 80 yards and a touchdown. Christian McCaffrey eclipsed 2,000 all purpose yards in the game as he rushed for 64 yards and had 27 receiving yards. Brandon Aiyuk had 114 receiving yards with seven catches. San Francisco had 408 total offensive yards in the game. Sam Howell hit 17 of 28 passes for 169 yards with a touchdown pass to Terry McLaurin in the 2nd quarter. Howell wouldn't help the cause any as he tossed two interceptions in the game. Brian Robinson rushed for 44 yards on nine carries. Terry McLaurin caught four passes for 61 yards. Main issues for the Commanders in the game was that they couldn't get off the field on defense, they couldn't generate enough offense to keep pace with the 49ers. Washington had 225 total yards of offense in the game. For the 49ers, they improve to 12-4 and clinch the #1 seed in the playoffs. For the Commanders, they drop to 4-12 on the season. Such a far cry from the 2-0 start they had. 

Next week: 
San Francisco: vs LA Rams
Washington: vs Dallas

TW: 6-5; CV: 5-6

Tennessee 3, Houston 26: TW: Texans; CV: Titans

The Texans cruise to win against the rival Titans. Ryan Tannehill hit 16 of 20 passes for 168 yards. Will Levis hit 2 of 6 passes for 16 yards. Derrick Henry would be a limited factor in the game as he got 12 carries for 42 yards. Points off turnovers were the factor in the loss as Sheldon Rankins returned a fumble on a play that Will Levis was under center for. Tennessee would have a limited offensive showing as they got 187 total yards. CJ Stroud had a solid game as he hit 24 of 32 passes for 213 yards with a touchdown. The touchdown came to Brevin Jordan. Along with the fumble-six, the Texans got four field goals from Kyle Fairbairn. Most of the issues for the Titans came on 3rd down conversions and not getting sustained offense in the game. Houston had 312 total yards in the game. For the Titans, they drop to 5-11 on the season. For the Texans, they improve to 9-7 on the season. 

Next week: 
Tennessee: vs Jacksonville
Houston: @ Indianapolis

TW: 7-5; CV: 5-7

Pittsburgh 30, Seattle 23: TW: Seahawks; CV: Steelers

Pittsburgh won't have a losing season this year and haven't had one of those since 2006. Mason Rudolph didn't quite save Christmas but he did provide 18 of 24 passing for 274 yards. The Steelers run game was their key to the win. Najee Harris had 27 carries for 122 yards with two touchdowns. Jaylen Warren had 13 carries for 75 yards and a touchdown. Both running backs had plays for 23 yards. George Pickens had a game as he caught seven passes from Rudolph for 131 yards. Geno Smith had 23 of 33 passes for 290 yards with a touchdown while rushing for 33 yards. The touchdown pass went to Jaxon Smith-Njgba for a 12-yard score. Kenneth Walker III rushed for 53 yards with 10 carries. DK Metcalf caught five passes for 106 yards. Jason Myers had three field goals in the game for Seattle. If there was some questionable decision making, it would have to be going for the three instead of trying for a touchdown or continuing the drive. Nonetheless, the Seahawks failed to win the game. For total yards the Steelers got 468 yards and the Seahawks got 369 yards. For the Steelers, they improve to 9-7 with a needed win. For the Seahawks, they slip to 8-8 with some hope of a playoff spot but need some help to get in it. 

Next week: 
Pittsburgh: @ Seattle
Seattle: @ Arizona

TW: 7-6; CV: 6-7

Cincinnati 17, Kansas City 25: TW: Chiefs; CV: Bengals

Harrison Butker's six field goals give the Chiefs the win and the AFC West. Jake Browning hit 19 of 33 passes for 197 yards with a touchdown pass to Joe Mixon. Jake Browning would rush into the endzone on a play for a score. Joe Mixon rushed for 21 carries for 65 yards in the game. Cincinnati had 263 total yards in the game. Kansas City would only score an offensive touchdown in the game. It was on a Patrick Mahomes to Isiah Pacheco connection in the 1st quarter. Mahomes finished the game with 21 of 29 passes for 245 yards with the aforementioned touchdown. Isiah Pacheco had a solid game running the ball with 18 carries for 130 yards including a 37-yard run that was the longest in the game. The hero for the Chiefs was kicker Harrison Butker. With a 17-7 deficit staring at them, the kicker hit field goals from 54, 43, 27, 24, 48 and 46 yard field goals that went unanswered for the Bengals. Rashee Rice caught five passes for 127 yards. The matchup was a rematch of the past two AFC championship games and there was some bad blood between Ja'Marr Chase and LJarius Sneed as the two went back and forth and made a few pushes and shoves. The Bengals had an opportunity to tie the game but the Bengals offensive line broke down much like their hopes of a playoff berth. Total yards for the Chiefs was 373 yards. For the Bengals, they drop to 8-8 and won't make the playoffs for the first time since 2020. For the Chiefs, they take a 10-6 record and win their 8th straight AFC West crown. 

Next week: 
Cincinnati: vs Cleveland
Kansas City: @ LA Chargers

TW: 8-6; CV: 6-8

LA Chargers 9, Denver 16: TW: Chargers, CV: Broncos

Jarrett Stidham did enough to get the win but the Chiefs win eliminates them from the playoffs. Easton Stick hit 24 of 38 passes for 220 yards in the game. Alex Anderson caught seven passes for 98 of those 220 yards. Austin Ekeler rushed for 46 yards with 13 carries. The Chargers got 301 total yards in the game. Jarrett Stidham started this game instead of Russell Wilson. There was news made over the week that Wilson would be released due to a contract issue. All that aside, Stidham hit 20 of 32 passes for 224 yards with a touchdown pass to Lilijordan Humphrey. Humphrey caught two passes for 69 yards with a 54-yard play that went for the score. Jaleel McLaughlin rushed eight times for 44 yards. Javonte Williams rushed 15 times for 41 yards. Denver got 313 total yards in the game. The Chargers had more first downs than the Broncos but they couldn't sustain drives as they were held to 2 for 11 on 3rd down conversions. Denver also held the ball for 33:46 whereas the Chargers held the ball for 26:14. For the Chargers, they drop to 5-11 on the season. For the Broncos, they improve to 8-8 but won't see playoffs. They haven't made it back to the postseason since winning it all on Super Bowl 50. 

Next week: 
LA Chargers: vs Kansas City
Denver: @ Las Vegas

TW: 8-7; CV: 7-8

Green Bay 33, Minnesota 10: TW: Packers; CV: Vikings

Jordan Love sends the Vikings packing in Minneapolis. The Packers quarterback hit 24 of 33 passes for 256 yards with three touchdowns. Jayden Reed caught two passes from Love and Bo Melton caught the other pass for a score. Aaron Jones rushed for 120 yards with 20 carries. He didn't get a touchdown run. Bo Melton caught six passes for 105 yards. Green Bay finished the game with 470 total yards in the game. Uff dah! Nick Mullens hit 13 of 22 passes for 113 yards with a touchdown to Johnny Mundt that came in the 4th quarter. By the time it was pretty much a game won for the Packers. Jaren Hall would get some playtime as he hit 5 of 10 passes for 67 yards with an interception. Tyson Chandler rushed for 40 yards with 10 carries. Justin Jefferson caught five passes for 59 yards. Minnesota got 211 total yards in the game. Not quite enough to muster a comeback. For the Packers, they improve to 8-8 with a playoff spot but need to win out to clinch it. For the Vikings, they are eliminated from the playoffs for the 3rd time in the last five seasons. 

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

TW: 9-7; CV: 7-9

Records

Cardinal Viking:

2023: 
Week 1: 10-6

Week 2: 10-6

Week 3: 8-8

Week 4: 13-3
Week 5: 6-8

Week 6: 9-6

Week 7: 4-9

Week 8: 10-6

Week 9: 8-6
Week 10: 6-8

Week 11: 7-7

Week 12: 9-7

Week 13: 9-4

Week 14: 5-10

Week 15: 10-6

Week 16: 10-6

Week 17: 7-9

Total: 141-115

2017: 167-89
2018: 156-98-2
2019: 151-104-1
2020: 163-92-1
2021: 167-104-1
2022: 157-112-2

My record: 

2023:
Week 1: 9-7

Week 2: 11-5
Week 3: 11-5

Week 4: 14-2

Week 5: 7-7

Week 6: 8-7

Week 7: 5-8

Week 8: 10-6

Week 9: 9-5
Week 10: 7-7

Week 11: 11-3

Week 12: 8-8

Week 13: 9-4

Week 14: 4-11

Week 15: 10-6

Week 16: 9-7

Week 17: 9-7

Total: 151-105

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 

2021: 173-98-1
2022: 166-103-2

See you all on Wednesday/Thursday for the Week 18 Picks post! Enjoy your week!

-Tom

NFL 2023 Week 17 Picks

 Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action is coming upon us yet again! There is only just two weeks of regular season play left. As of right now there is only eight spots left to the postseason still open as teams make their runs. For this post, I am doing a Playoff Picture for Week 17, Week 17 preview and picks and the Early & Late Game TV Broadcast Pairings for Week 17. Let's get to work!

NFL Playoff Picture: Week 17

With two weeks left of the regular season, there is a few spots open in the NFC. So we shall start there. 

Seeding

1st seed: San Francisco 49ers (11-4) (Clinched NFC West)

2nd seed: Philadelphia Eagles (11-4) (Clinched playoff berth)

3rd seed: Detroit Lions (11-4) (Clinched NFC North)

4th seed: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-7)

5th seed: Dallas Cowboys (10-5) (Clinched playoff berth)

6th seed: Los Angeles Rams (8-7)

7th seed: Seattle Seahawks (8-7)

Super Wild Card Weekend Matchups

Seattle @ Philadelphia

LA Rams @ Detroit

Dallas @ Tampa Bay

In the Hunt

Minnesota (7-8), Atlanta (7-8), Green Bay (7-8), New Orleans (7-8), Chicago (6-9)

Better Luck Next Year

NY Giants (5-10), Washington (4-11), Arizona (3-12), Carolina (2-13)

A fair amount of division titles locked up. The 49ers are ahead of the Eagles based on head-to-head record. The 49ers are ahead of Detroit based on conference record. The Rams are ahead of the Seahawks based on head-to-head record. So ultimately there is a couple of wild card spots open and the NFC South title. Let's look at the AFC.

Seeding

1st seed: Baltimore Ravens (12-3) (clinched playoff berth)

2nd seed: Miami Dolphins (11-4) (clinched playoff berth)

3rd seed: Kansas City Chiefs (9-6)

4th seed: Jacksonville Jaguars (8-7)

5th seed: Cleveland Browns (10-5)

6th seed: Buffalo Bills (9-6)

7th seed: Indianapolis Colts (8-7)

Super Wild Card Weekend Matchups

Indianapolis @ Miami

Buffalo @ Kansas City

Cleveland @ Jacksonville

In the Hunt

Houston (8-7), Pittsburgh (8-7), Cincinnati (8-7), Las Vegas (7-8), Denver (7-8)

Better Luck Next Year

NY Jets (6-9), Tennessee (5-10), LA Chargers (5-10), New England (4-11)

A bit less interesting in the AFC in terms of division titles clinched. Just two of the seven spots have been clinched for playoff position. The AFC's 12 (of 16 in total) teams are currently still alive to have a ticket punched to the postseason. Chances are this week might see that 12 number drop to possibly less. If everything stays the course, the Ravens will likely win the #1 seed in the playoffs. 

Week 17 Preview

The Seventeenth week of the National Football League's regular season will start in Cleveland, Ohio and finish up in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The week features a 16-game slate where all 32 teams will play. No teams are on a bye this week. Week 16 features a Thursday night game, a Saturday night game, 10 early games, three late games and a Sunday night game. CBS will have the doubleheader and FOX will show the single, regional game this week. Let's get to the picks! 

Week 17 Picks

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

NY Jets (6-9) @ Cleveland (10-5) (Amazon; 8:15 pm): TW: Browns; CV: Jets

The Jets beat the Commanders and the Browns beat the Texans last week. Week 16 starts with the Thursday Night Football finale of the season. The Jets come into this game having some success with the offense improving by going with Trevor Siemian. The Jets defense had its struggles against the Washington offense but they still have one of the better defensive units in the league. Cleveland comes into this game winning three straight games. They have had success with Joe Flacco, not DeShaun Watson, this season. The connection of Flacco to receiver Amari Cooper has been one of the best combos in the league. I think the connection will be tested as the Jets defense has one of the best pass defense in the league. I like the Browns but Joe Flacco needs to cut down on the turnovers. 

Detroit (11-4) @ Dallas (11-4) (ABC/ESPN; 8:15 pm): TW: Lions; CV: Cowboys

The Lions beat the Vikings and the Cowboys lost to the Dolphins last week. Detroit finally got a division title for the first time since 1993. Head coach Dan Campbell wants his team to be even more hungrier and get a playoff win. The big test for the Lions will come this week as their counterparts from Dallas host them. The Lions offense has been doing its thing. There shouldn't be too much of a concern but the turnovers and penalties have been traditionally their Achilles heel. Dallas Has had a tough time the past few weeks. Losses to Buffalo and Miami have put some down on the Cowboys. Dallas will need to play one of their best games of the season on defense to slow down the offensive machine of the Lions. It feels like a game where the Cowboys are the better team but I will take the Lions. 

Arizona (3-12) @ Philadelphia (11-4) (FOX; 1:00 pm): TW: Eagles; CV: Cardinals

The Cardinals lost to the Bears and the Eagles beat the Giants last week. Arizona hasn't had a great season. They're pretty much playing it out and hope to get some good draft position whether it be the #1 pick or a top 5 pick. A lot of uncertainty with Kyler Murray will come into question as Week 18 and beyond happens. Personally I hope they stick with him but who knows. Philly is the opposite of their opposition. They finally got back on a winning column and beat the Giants by a little closer than they probably wanted. You can make the argument that the Eagles are better team on paper but the details of their season has been kind of lacking. Despite all this negativity towards the birds, I'll stick with them. 

Atlanta (7-8) @ Chicago (6-9) (CBS; 1:00 pm): TW: Bears; CV: Falcons

The Falcons beat the Colts and the Bears beat the Cardinals last week. The Falcons are a weird team. They can play well at times and then shit the bed most of the other times. Their offense can be at times off balance at times. They could have some success against the Bears. Chicago has been playing better of late. The offense has done some good things and their running game has quite a bit of platoon of running backs that can be good. DJ Moore has had a solid season with 1,141 receiving yards. I feel it will come down to whether or not the Bears can find success in the pass game against one of the better pass defenses in the league. I'll take the Bears. 

Carolina (2-13) @ Jacksonville (8-7) (CBS; 1:00 pm): TW: Jaguars; CV: Panthers

The Panthers lost to the Packers and the Jaguars lost to the Buccaneers last week. Carolina has had a rough season. They're playing it out for better or worse. However, they would like nothing better to play spoiler to teams that are trying to solidify playoff positioning. I'm not saying that the Panthers will beat them but they have some pieces on offense that can keep Trevor Lawrence on the bench. Jacksonville has had a rough skid of late. Since the loss to the 49ers, they just seem to lost a few spots in their fur it seems. The defense of Jacksonville's has really let the team down. Trevor Lawrence is definitely guilty of the team's recent skid with turnovers. I still think the Jaguars can take care of business but I would pump the brakes on them getting this win on a cinch. 

LA Rams (8-7) @ NY Giants (5-10) (FOX; 1:00 pm): TW: Rams; CV: Giants

The Rams beat the Saints and the Giants lost to the Eagles last week. Matthew Stafford is healthy, the Rams running game is starting to look nasty, they have a rookie receiver that has 1,327 yards to his name. It seems like a success story for the Rams. They still have a bit of work to do to lock up a playoff spot but if they can continue to produce like they have, I don't think most teams would want to play them. The Giants have fallen off a cliff since surprising people last season. A drop from 9-7-1 to 5-10 in the course of 350+ days is quite shocking. I'm not sure if Daniel Jones is the answer for the Giants. Maybe the Italian Tommy DeVito is the answer. Regardless, the Giants are kind of a hot mess. I'll take the Rams. 

Las Vegas (7-8) @ Indianapolis (8-7) (CBS; 1:00 pm): TW: Raiders; CV: Colts

The Raiders beat the Chiefs and the Colts lost to the Falcons last week. Las Vegas got one of the biggest upsets of the season in beating the rival Chiefs. Their rivals had lately had the better of them. At some point, Mark Davis has to remove the interim tag off of head coach Antonio Pierce and give him full head coach status. Don't make the mistake of going with Josh McDaniels when you had a players coach in Rich Bisacchia (spelling?). I like the Raiders in the matchup as they do have another good running back in Zamir White. If Josh Jacobs can get back onto the field, the two could be something to watch. I'd like to see Aidan O'Connell to improve. Indianapolis could possibly put forth a fight but at some point their hopes of a playoff spot diminish a bit. Going off of momentum I'll go with the Raiders. 

Miami (11-4) @ Baltimore (12-3) (CBS; 1:00 pm): TW: Dolphins; CV: Ravens

The Dolphins beat the Cowboys and the Ravens beat the 49ers last week. A potential AFC Championship preview? Miami comes into the game with a team win against a good Cowboys team. They will play another good or rather great team in the Ravens. I think both teams are pretty similar to each other. If there was a difference it would be the quarterbacks. Tua Tagovailoa would be a bit more of a pocket passer and Lamar Jackson can be a bit more of a running quarterback. Running backs, wide receivers and defense are pretty similar as well. Baltimore does have a better defense than Miami. I think the biggest takeaway for this game will be which team can score at least 35 points first. I'll take the road team. 

New England (4-11) @ Buffalo (9-6) (CBS; 1:00 pm): TW: Bills; CV: Patriots

The Patriots beat the Broncos and the Bills beat the Chargers last week. The Patriots-Bills rivalry returns for more. New England comes into this game winning two of three games so they are playing their best football of the season. Bailey Zappe has been somewhat of the decent answer at quarterback. At least an improvement from Mac Jones. Buffalo has been playing better as of late. They have a shot to get the AFC East at least winning a playoff spot. I'm not sure how the Patriots won the first matchup in the series but the Patriots will need to keep pace and stay level headed. I picked the Bills in the first matchup and I'll take the Bills in the 2nd matchup. 

New Orleans (7-8) @ Tampa Bay (8-7) (FOX; 1:00 pm): TW: Buccaneers; CV: Saints

The Saints lost to the Rams and the Buccaneers beat the Jaguars last week. A big NFC South matchup. The Saints offense was starting to show its strides. They were down by a bit against the Rams and came back to play some competitive football. I feel the Derek Carr experiment has been kind of a letdown. Maybe he can stay healthy next year. Tampa Bay is the better team on paper. I like the Baker Mayfield to Mike Evans connection as the two have put forth 13 touchdowns and 1,163 receiving yards. It would be nice to have the Buccaneers have another running back to complement Rachaad White. 

San Francisco (11-4) @ Washington (4-11) (FOX; 1:00 pm): TW: 49ers; CV: Commanders

The 49ers lost to the Ravens and the Commanders lost to the Jets last week. San Francisco had a tough three-game stretch and then the Ravens game happened. Brock Purdy had looked like a potential MVP. He might've made his case for not getting the MVP on Monday night. He might've lost it to Lamar Jackson. The 49ers have a chance to get back to possibly retaining the #1 seed in the NFC in the Washington Commanders. Washington hasn't had the best of seasons. Their offense that had been playing really well almost won against the Jets. The defense has been kind of the downside for the Commanders. Washington's offense will definitely have a big test against the 49ers defensive front. I think the Niners will rebound and get a win. 

Tennessee (5-10) @ Houston (8-7) (FOX; 1:00 pm): TW: Texans; CV: Titans

The Titans lost to the Seahawks and the Texans lost to the Browns last week. A team that wants to play spoiler while the other wants to get back into the wild card. Tennessee comes off a tough loss against Seattle. They managed to hold them down but ended up losing. Derrick Henry was both runner and passer in that game. Ryan Tannehill's time in Tennessee just hasn't been a good one in 2023. Despite upgrading at wide receiver, their offense has been mostly Will Levis. Houston without CJ Stroud has been kind of incomplete as something is missing. Maybe he really should be Offensive Rookie of the Year. At least he would have my vote. It would be best if CJ Stroud would come back and play in this game. He had a concussion a couple of weeks ago and he wasn't playing last week. Case Keenum didn't have the best game and Davis Mills had to come off the bench and played alright in garbage time. It seems like the Texans should be able to handle it so I'll take the Texans. 

Pittsburgh (8-7) @ Seattle (8-7) (FOX; 4:05 pm): TW: Seahawks; CV: Steelers

The Steelers beat the Bengals and the Seahawks beat the Titans last week. Pittsburgh's offense got it going against the red hot Bengals. The Bengals have usually been the pedestrian kittens when it comes to the Steelers. Pittsburgh owns them I suppose. If they win they'll have a guaranteed winning season. Mason Rudolph has been somewhat of the answer at quarterback. Seattle is still in play for the wild card. They need to focus first on the task at hand. Geno Smith will need to know where TJ Watt is at all times. He can wreck havoc if given the chance. Despite this I'll take the Seahawks. 

Cincinnati (8-7) @ Kansas City (9-6) (CBS; 4:25 pm): TW: Chiefs; CV: Bengals

The Bengals lost to the Steelers and the Chiefs lost to the Raiders last week. Cincinnati had been playing out of their minds the last few weeks. Then the Steelers came and ruined them. Fortunately the Bengals only have to play the Steelers twice a season. They will have a shot to get some measure of revenge. Jake Browning will need to shake off the turnovers he had last week and produce some solid football. Kansas City has been having a rough go of it lately. Their offensive woes really showed their ugly heads last Monday against the Raiders. Maxx Crosby went out of his way and disrupted the whole Chiefs offense. Granted the Chiefs offense turned in its roughest performance of the season. Both teams have a chance to regain some momentum. I think Andy Reid will coach his team hard and return to winning. 

LA Chargers (5-10) @ Denver (7-8) (CBS; 4:25 pm): TW: Chargers; CV: Broncos

The Chargers lost to the Bills and the Broncos lost to the Patriots last week. Los Angeles is having a rough season. They waited too long to fire Brandon Staley, they lost Justin Herbert to injury and the defense needs an overhaul perhaps. The Chargers offense with Easton Stick has been kind of alright. He isn't Justin Herbert but he isn't either Ryan Leaf either. He's a serviceable quarterback. Denver had a chance to really solidify the playoffs but they shot themselves in the foot against New England. Like literally you lose to the worst team in the AFC. It makes their road to the playoffs a lot tougher. They're going to need to win out and get a lot of help. I'm not saying its impossible but an 8-7 Broncos team would've had an easier time than a 7-8 Broncos team. I'm selling stock on the Broncos. 

Green Bay (7-8) @ Minnesota (7-8) (NBC; 8:20 pm): TW: Packers; CV: Vikings

The Packers beat the Panthers and the Vikings lost to the Lions last week. Week 17 wraps up with an NFC North matchup. Green Bay has had a tough time as the road team in Minnesota. They haven't won in Minnesota since 2020. It also has been a back and forth affair. There hasn't been a sweep in the season series since 2019. The Packers come into this game looking to get into the playoffs. Their offense is starting to get back to being healthy. The defense could use some ironing out but at this point, who isn't. Minnesota has been kind of a team on the low. Their offense has been really good or really bad. In the case of the Lions game, I'd argue that they were pretty bad when it came to ball protection. Just imagine how that game would've been like if Nick Mullens didn't throw those four interceptions. I don't trust the Vikings in this game but if Justin Jefferson can get going and stay healthy, I think this game will be close. I'll take the road team Packers. In case you hadn't noticed, Cardinal Viking is going all opposite of me. Could be a smart move or it could backfire. 

Early & Late Game TV Broadcast Pairings

Note: Games in bold are being shown in my area, check local listings

CBS Early

New England @ Buffalo

Kevin Harlan, Trent Green

Miami @ Baltimore

Ian Eagle, Charles Davis

Atlanta @ Chicago

Chris Lewis, Jason McCourty, Ross Tucker

Las Vegas @ Indianapolis

Andrew Catalon, Tiki Barber, Matt Ryan

Carolina @ Jacksonville

Spero Dedes, Adam Archuleta

CBS Late

Cincinnati @ Kansas City

Jim Nantz, Tony Romo

LA Chargers @ Denver

Tom McCarthy, James Lofton, Jay Feely

FOX Single

LA Rams @ NY Giants

Kevin Kugler, Mark Sanchez

San Francisco @ Washington

Adam Amin, Mark Sclereth

New Orleans @ Tampa Bay

Kevin Burkhardt, Greg Olson

Arizona @ Philadelphia

Joe Davis, Daryl Johnston

Tennessee @ Houston

Chris Myers, Roberth Smith

Pittsburgh @ Seattle (Late)

Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma

For more information on which game is being shown in your area check out: NFL 2023: Week 17 Maps

Records

Cardinal Viking:

2023: 
Week 1: 10-6

Week 2: 10-6

Week 3: 8-8

Week 4: 13-3
Week 5: 6-8

Week 6: 9-6

Week 7: 4-9

Week 8: 10-6

Week 9: 8-6
Week 10: 6-8

Week 11: 7-7

Week 12: 9-7

Week 13: 9-4

Week 14: 5-10

Week 15: 10-6

Week 16: 10-6

Total: 134-106

2017: 167-89
2018: 156-98-2
2019: 151-104-1
2020: 163-92-1
2021: 167-104-1
2022: 157-112-2

My record: 

2023:
Week 1: 9-7

Week 2: 11-5
Week 3: 11-5

Week 4: 14-2

Week 5: 7-7

Week 6: 8-7

Week 7: 5-8

Week 8: 10-6

Week 9: 9-5
Week 10: 7-7

Week 11: 11-3

Week 12: 8-8

Week 13: 9-4

Week 14: 4-11

Week 15: 10-6

Week 16: 9-7

Total: 142-98

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 

2021: 173-98-1
2022: 166-103-2

See you all after the Sunday night game for the Week 17 Recap! Enjoy the games!

-Tom

NFL 2023 Week 16 Recap

 Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action has come to an end. The week that was brought us some some presents both with friends and family and as well as football. NFL Fans were given gifts of the Lions winning a division title, Rudolph saving Christmas in Pittsburgh, an upset win in Denver, and a beatdown in San Francisco. All those games and more in this week's recap post!

NFL Week 16 Freaky Stat

The Lions winning their first NFC North title in their history. They last won a division title when they were in the NFC Central in 1993. 

NFL Week 16 Recap

New Orleans 22, LA Rams 30: TW: Rams; CV: Rams

The Rams stave off the Saints comeback. Derek Carr hit 27 of 40 passes for 319 yards with three touchdown passes but tossed an interception. Rashid Shaheed, Juwan Johnson and At Perry were the Saints that caught the passes from Carr. The Saints were down early in the game thus their running game wouldn't get used a lot. Alvin Kamara was the leading rusher for the Saints with 19 yards. The Saints had 339 total yards in the game. Chris Olave had a good game with nine catches for 123 yards. Matthew Stafford hit 24 of 34 passes for 328 yards with two touchdowns to Puka Nacua and Demarcus Robinson. Nacua had a stellar game as he caught nine passes for 164 yards. Kyren Williams would reach the 100-yard rushing mark with 104 yards with a touchdown. The Rams offense would not be stopped as they held the ball for over 34 minutes in time of possession while getting 458 yards in total. Perhaps the big thing to note is that the Saints went 0 for 3 on 4th down conversions. Just seems that when you go down 17-7 at halftime that, you might not make it out alive. For the Saints, they enter the Christmas holiday with a meh 7-8 record. For the Rams, they get a nice 8-7 record with a present of a playoff spot in their midst. 

Next week: 

New Orleans: @ Tampa Bay

LA Rams: @ NY Giants

TW: 1-0; CV: 1-0

Cincinnati 11, Pittsburgh 34: TW: Bengals; CV: Bengals

Rudolph saves Christmas for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Jake Browning had a rough game as he hit 28 of 42 passes for 335 yards with a touchdown pass to Tee Higgins that went for 80 yards. The rough part would be three interceptions that he would toss. One of them came on a redzone trip for the Bengals. Joe Mixon rushed for 43 yards on 11 carries. Tee Higgins had a good game as he caught five passes for 140 yards. All in all, the Bengals got 368 total yards in the game. Imagine what the game could've been if Browning didn't throw those interceptions. Maybe he was seeing ghosts. Mason Rudolph with his big arm hit 17 of 27 passes for 290 yards with two touchdowns to George Pickens. Pickens would have a similar touchdown play to Higgins, instead it was for an 86-yard play. He finished with four catches for 195 yards. Najee Harris rebounded in the game and hit 78 yards rushing with a touchdown. Calvin Austin III rushed for a touchdown on a 7-yard play. Pittsburgh got 397 total yards in the game. Unlike the Bengals, the Steelers didn't fumble the ball or turned the ball at all during the game. For the Bengals, they miss an opportunity to stay in the AFC Wild Card with an 8-7 record. For the Steelers, they improve to 8-7 and keep hope of maintaining 16 straight non-losing seasons under Mike Tomlin. 

Next week: 
Cincinnati: @ Kansas City
Pittsburgh: @ Seattle

TW: 1-1; CV: 1-1

Buffalo 24, LA Chargers 22: TW: Bills; CV: Bills

Josh Allen's three total touchdowns keep the Bills alive in the playoff hunt. Allen hit 15 of 21 passes for 237 yards with a touchdown pass to Gabe Davis. He would also hit a pass to Charger Alohi Gilman for an interception. James Cook rushed for 70 yards on 20 carries. Gabe Davis had a stellar game with four catches for 130 yards. His touchdown came on the longest play of the game, a 57-yard play. Buffalo got 335 yards total in offense. Easton Stick did alright as he hit 23 of 33 passes for 215 yards while rushing for 25 yards and scoring the only touchdown the Chargers had in the game. It was on a 1-yard run play. Austin Ekeler was the leading rusher for the Chargers with 65 yards on 15 carries. Cameron Dicker would be the player that kept it going for the Chargers hitting five field goals. Dicker hit field goals from 20, 40, 47, 45 and 53 yards. The Chargers got 273 yards of offense in the game. For the Bills, they will keep their playoff hopes alive and stay in the running for a wild card spot while stay in the running for the AFC East division title at 9-6. For the Chargers, they will miss the playoffs while getting a 5-10 record. 

Next week: 
Buffalo: vs New England

LA Chargers: @ Denver

TW: 2-1; CV: 2-1

Detroit 30, Minnesota 24: TW: Lions; CV: Lions

Ifeatu Melifonwu called game. Jared Goff hit 30 of 40 passes for 257 yards with a touchdown pass to AmonRa St. Brown. St. Brown had a good game as he caught 12 passes for 106 yards. Jahmyr Gibbs had a solid game as he rushed for 80 yards with two touchdowns. David Montgomery had a good game as well as the sidekick with 55 yards rushing and a touchdown. It wasn't an easy contest as it went back and forth between the two rivals. Detroit had 389 total yards in the game. Nick Mullens didn't quite have the best game in the week. He hit 22 of 36 passes for 411 yards with two touchdowns but threw four interceptions. Justin Jefferson and KJ Osborn were the Vikings that caught those passes from Mullens. Of the four interceptions, Kerby Joseph intercepted two, Brian Branch grabbed one and the aforementioned Ifeatu Melifonwu had one. Tyson Chandler got 17 yards rushing on eight carries. Definitely not a lot of help for Mullens in the game. It was also the Vikings 2nd annual White Out game where everyone wore white. For the Lions, for the first time since 1993 they are division champions of the NFC North (they were NFC Central champions back in '93) with a 11-4 record. For the Vikings, they slip down to a 7-8 record with a tough road to get to the playoffs. 

Next week:
Detroit: @ Dallas (Saturday)
Minnesota: vs Green Bay (Sunday night)

TW: 3-1; CV: 3-1

Cleveland 36, Houston 22: TW: Browns; CV: Browns

The Browns demolish the Texans. Joe Flacco hit 27 of 42 passes for 368 yards with three touchdowns but tossed two interceptions. Amari Cooper was the recipient of the majority of those passes as he caught two of those passes for six points. David Njoku caught the other pass for a touchdown. Jerome Ford and Kareem Hunt were the runners that trudged through the endzone. Ford had 25 yards rushing and Hunt had 11 yards. Amari Cooper gave his fantasy owners some amazing stats as he caught 11 passes for 265 yards, which with the two touchdowns gave fantasy a whopping 51 points. Cleveland had 418 total yards in the game. Case Keenum started the game for the Texans. The journeyman wouldn't have his best game as he hit 11 of 17 passes for 62 yards with two interceptions. He would be replaced by Davis Mills as he hit 15 of 32 passes for 149 yards with two touchdowns. Nico Collins and Andrew Beck were the Texans that caught those passes from Mills. Devin Singletary rushed for 44 yards with nine carries in the game. Houston would score a majority of its points in the 4th quarter by which the score was out of reach. Dameon Pierce would give his team a boost in special teams as he had a kick-six for a 98-yard score. For total yards, the Texans had 250 yards with 178 yards from the air. For the Browns, they improve to 10-5 and keep pace with the AFC Wild Card. For the Texans, they drop to 8-7 with some faded hope in the AFC South division title race. 

Next week:
Cleveland: vs NY Jets (Thursday night)

Houston: vs Tennessee

TW: 4-1; CV: 4-1

Green Bay 33, Carolina 30: TW: Packers; CV: Packers

Andrew Carlson hit the game-winner for the Packers. Jordan Love hit 17 of 28 passes for 219 yards with two touchdowns. Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks were the players that caught the passes from Love. Love would also rush into the endzone for a 1-yard touchdown. AJ Dillon had 12 yards rushing on seven carries. Aaron Jones did most of the gruntwork with 21 carries for a whopping 127 yards. Good game from him. Green Bay had 369 yards of offense in the game. Bryce Young would have his better games today. He hit 23 of 35 passes for 312 yards and two touchdowns. DJ Chark caught six passes for 98 yards and the two touchdowns. Chuba Hubbard had 43 yards rushing with a touchdown. Ihmir Smith-Marsette rushed for 33 yards with a touchdown on a 20-yard play. It was a 30-16 game in the 4th quarter. Then Carolina scored touchdowns on back-to-back drives with a game-tying two-point conversion. Andrew Carlson hit a 32-yard field goal with 22 seconds left in the game. Carolina then proceeded to get two 20+ yard plays that moved the ball to the Packers 31-yard line. The controversy was that there was either 0:01 left on the clock or did the clock expire? Who knows. For the Packers, they move up to 7-8 and keep their playoff hopes alive. For the Panthers, they drop to 2-13 on the season. 

Next week: 
Green Bay: @ Minnesota (Sunday night)
Carolina: @ Jacksonville

TW: 5-1; CV: 5-1

Indianapolis 10, Atlanta 29: TW: Colts; CV: Colts

A bit of a surprise in Atlanta. Gardner Minshew hit 20 of 37 passes for 201 yards with an interception. Jonathan Taylor scored on the only Colts touchdown on a 1-yard run play. He finished the game with 43 yards. Gardner Minshew hit 31 yards rushing. Indianapolis had 262 total yards in the game. Taylor Heinicke started for the Falcons. He hit 23 of 33 passes for 229 yards with a touchdown pass to Kyle Pitts. Heinicke would have an interesting time as he ran into the a kicking net. Fortunately he was alright but the kicking net might need to spend time in the IR. Bijan Robinson rushed for 72 yards on 12 carries. Tyler Allgeier rushed for 69 yards (heheh nice) with a touchdown run in the game. It was one of the better games for the Falcons offense which had been rudderless for a past month had 406 total yards in the game. Safe to say it was a good showing. For the Colts, their playoff hopes stall a bit as they drop to 8-7. For the Falcons, they improve to 7-8 with some hope of getting into the tournament. 

Next week: 

Indianapolis: vs Las Vegas
Atlanta: @ Chicago

TW: 5-2; CV: 5-2

Seattle 20, Tennessee 17: TW: Titans; CV: Seahawks

Geno Smith returns to help the Seahawks to a win. Smith came back from injury and hit 25 of 36 passes for 227 yards for two touchdowns. The touchdowns came to DK Metcalf on a 11-yard play and Colby Parkinson on a 5-yard play. Both of them came in the 4th quarter. Kenneth Walker III rushed for 54 yards on 16 carries. Prior to the 4th quarter, the Seahawks had two field goals from Jason Myers. For total yards, the Seahawks had 273 offensive yards. Ryan Tannehill returned to the fray in this one. He hit 18 of 26 passes for 152 yards. Derrick Henry would play both passer and runner in the game. Henry the passer hit a 12-yard connection to Chigoziem Okonkwo. It brings Henry's passing touchdowns to four. Derrick Henry the runner had 88 yards rushing with a touchdown. It would be the Smith to Parkinson touchdown that gave the Seahawks the game-winning score of 20-17 in a clutch effort. For the Seahawks, they improve to 8-7 on the season. For the Titans, they drop to 5-10 with all but lost hope of getting in the playoffs. 

Next week: 
Seattle: vs Pittsburgh

Tennessee: @ Houston

TW: 5-3; CV: 6-2

Washington 28, NY Jets 30: TW: Commanders; CV: Commanders

The Jets blow a lead and then Greg Zuerlein saves them. Typical Jets. Sam Howell hit 6 of 22 passes for 56 yards and two interceptions before he would see bench. Jacoby Brissett came in relief and hit 10 of 13 passes for 100 yards and a touchdown. The touchdown pass went to Logan Thomas. Washington's running game got the scoring on as Chris Rodriguez Jr rushed for 58 yards with two touchdowns. Antonio Gibson had 30 yards rushing with a touchdown. It had looked like the Jets would run away with it at half time with a 27-7 lead at halftime. Washington proceeded to outscore New York 21-3 in the 2nd half. Washington got 245 yards of offense in the game. Trevor Siemian started for the Jets in what has been a QB carousel in East Rutherford. Siemian hit 27 of 49 passes for a touchdown and an interception. The touchdown pass came to Jason Brownlee. Breece Hall rushed for 95 yards on 20 carries. He had a 36-yard play that was the longest in the game as well as two touchdowns. Greg Zuerlein hit three field goals in the game for 25 yards, 27 yards and then the 54-yard field goal that gave the Jets the lead for good. I do question Robert Saleh's time management in this game. Nonetheless he will stay with the Jets into the next season. New York had 381 total yards in the game. For the Commanders, they drop to 4-11. For the Jets, they improve to 6-9 and keep their slim playoff chances alive. 

Next week: 
Washington: vs San Francisco
NY Jets: @ Cleveland (Thursday night)

TW: 5-4; CV: 6-3

Jacksonville 12, Tampa Bay 30: TW: Buccaneers; CV: Buccaneers

A rough loss for the Jaguars. Trevor Lawrence hit 17 of 29 passes for a touchdown but tossed two interceptions. He would get replaced by CJ Beathard and hit 11 for 15 passes for 94 yards with a touchdown. Calvin Ridley caught the pass from Lawrence for 18 yards. Ridley would catch the 2nd pass from Beathard for a 1-yard play. Lawrence was the leading rusher for the Jaguars with 29 yards. Jacksonville would get 305 total yards in the game. Baker Mayfield had a solid day at quarterback. He hit 26 of 35 passes for 283 yards with two touchdowns to his favorite target, Mike Evans. Evans' touchdowns were from 3 and 22 yard plays. Rashaad White got 39 yards rushing on 20 carries with a touchdown. Tampa Bay had 335 total yards in the game. Not that much more than the Jaguars but the turnovers really killed the Jags chances in this game. For the Jaguars, they drop their 4th straight game and that solid 8-3 record now stands at 8-7. For the Buccaneers, they improve to 8-7 and get above .500 for the first time since Week 6. 

Next week:
Jacksonville: vs Carolina

Tampa Bay: vs New Orleans

TW: 6-4; CV: 7-3

Arizona 16, Chicago 27: TW: Bears; CV: Cardinals

Chicago takes care of business at home. Kyler Murray hit 24 of 38 passes for 230 yards with two touchdowns. The pair of touchdowns went to James Conner for a 16-yard score and to Greg Dortch for a big play of 38 yards. James Conner had 45 yards rushing on 12 carries while catching five passes for 67 yards. Arizona had 306 total yards in the game. Justin Fields the passer hit 15 of 27 passes for 170 yards with a touchdown pass to Marcedes Lewis for a 1-yard short pass. Fields did toss an interception in the game. Justin Fields the runner got 97 yards rushing with a 3-yard touchdown run. Khalil Herbert got 20 carries for 112 yards rushing with a 11-yard touchdown run. Cole Kmet had four catches for 107 yards. Chicago finished the game with 420 yards in total offense. For the Cardinals, they drop to 3-12 with increasing chances of winning the top 5 pick in next spring's draft. For the Bears, they improve to 6-9 on the season. 

Next week:
Arizona: @ Philadelphia
Chicago: vs Atlanta

TW: 7-4; CV: 7-4

Dallas 20, Miami 22: TW: Dolphins; CV: Dolphins

The Dolphins sneak past the Cowboys on Christmas Eve. Dak Prescott hit 20 of 32 passes for 253 yards with two touchdowns. The first came to CeeDee Lamb for a 49-yard big play that gave the Cowboys a lead in the 1st quarter. The second came to Brandin Cooks for a 8-yard play. CeeDee Lamb had six catches for 118 yards. Tony Pollard got 38 yards rushing on 12 carries. He had a chance to put it into the endzone but he fumbled on a bad transfer from Prescott to Pollard. Dallas got 339 total yards of offense. Tua Tagovailoa had 24 of 37 passes for 293 yards with a touchdown pass to Raheem Mostert for a 4-yard play. Raheem Mostert got 11 carries for 46 yards. Tyreek Hill had nine catches for 99 yards. Jason Sanders was hopping and kicking well in the game with five field goals. The last field goal came on a 29-yard field goal with time expiring. Miami had 375 total yards of offense in the game. For the Cowboys, they drop to 10-5 on the season. For the Dolphins, they move up to 11-4 and get their first win against a winning team on the year. 

Next week:
Dallas: vs Detroit (Saturday night)
Miami: @ Baltimore

TW: 8-4; CV: 8-4

New England 26, Denver 23: TW: Broncos; CV: Broncos

Chad Ryland dashes the hopes of a Broncos playoffs. Bailey Zappe hit 25 of 33 passes for 256 yards with two touchdowns. The first came to Ezekiel Elliott for a 15-yard play that gave the Patriots a lead. The second came to Mike Gesicki on a 11-yard redzone touchdown. Ezekiel Elliott got 27 yards rushing on 12 carries. New England's special teams, a bane on their existence this season, got a fumble six on a Marvin Mims double muff on a kickoff. It was recovered by Cody Davis. At one point the game had a 23-7 advantage for the Patriots. New England had 289 total yards in the game. Russell Wilson had 25 of 37 passes for 238 yards with two touchdown passes. The first came to Lucas Krull on a 3-yard play. The second touchdown came to Brandon Johnson on a 21-yard play. Javonte Williams had 24 yards in the game with a touchdown run on the Broncos 1st touchdown in the game. Jaleel McLaughlin had 37 yards rushing in the game. With seven seconds left in the game Chad Ryland hit one of the biggest kicks in his career on a 56-yard field goal that gave the Patriots the upset win. For the Patriots, they improve to 4-11 with not much else to play for but pride. For the Broncos, they drop to 7-8 with their playoff hopes slipping away. 

Next week:
New England: @ Buffalo
Denver: vs LA Chargers

TW: 8-5; CV: 8-5

Las Vegas 20, Kansas City 14: TW: Chiefs; CV: Chiefs

Two defensive touchdowns doom the Chiefs at home on Christmas Day. Aidan O'Connell hit 9 of 21 passes for 62 yards in the game. It's not a typo. Zamir White rushed 22 times for 145 yards in the game, including a 43-yard play. It was a quiet day on offense with 205 total yards in the game. As I said before, the Raiders got two touchdowns on defense. The first came on a direct snap play to Isiah Pacheco that was recovered and scored by Bilal Nichols for an 8-yard fumble six. The 2nd defensive touchdown came on a Patrick Mahomes interception to Jack Jones for a 33-yard score. Daniel Carlson hit two field goals in the game. Patrick Mahomes didn't have the best of games in this one. He hit 27 of 44 passes for 235 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Justin Watson was the recipient of the touchdown pass that happened in the 4th quarter. It would cut the lead down to 20-14. Patrick Mahomes was the leading rusher for the Chiefs with 10 carries with 53 yards rushing. Isiah Pacheco had a rushing touchdown on the game on a direct snap play for the Chiefs first touchdown. The 2nd time that Pacheco had a direct snap to him didn't yield a touchdown. Kansas City outgained Las Vegas in the offensive yardage in the game as they got 308 total yards. The two defensive touchdowns doomed the Chiefs in the game. For the Raiders, they improve to 7-8 and keep the race for the AFC West a bit closer. For the Chiefs, they drop to 9-6 on the season. 

Next week: 
Las Vegas: @ Indianapolis

Kansas City: vs Cincinnati

TW: 8-6; CV: 8-6

NY Giants 25, Philadelphia 33: TW: Eagles; CV: Eagles

The Giants kept it close but not close enough in Philly. Tommy DeVito started for the Giants. He wouldn't generate a lot of offense as he hit 9 of 16 passes for 55 yards. Tyrod Taylor came off the bench and hit 7 of 16 passes for 133 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Darius Slayton was the recipient of the present from Taylor as he went to the house for a 69-yard play (heheh nice). Slayton caught three passes for 90 yards. The interception came on the last play of the game. Saquon Barkley rushed for 80 yards with a touchdown in the game. The Giants had 292 total yards in the game. Jalen Hurts hit 24 of his 38 passes for 301 yards with a touchdown and an interception. The present went to Devonta Smith for a 36-yard play for six points. The Eagles running game had success running on the Giants. D'Andre Swift was the leading rusher and carrier with 92 yards on 20 carries with a touchdown. Kenneth Gainwell had 41 yards rushing on six carries. Jalen Hurts saw the endzone with 34 yards rushing on eight carries. Philadelphia had 465 total yards in the game. Certainly a step back in the right direction for the Eagles. They weren't without mistakes as they had an interception as well as had lost a fumble of four fumbles that they had. In general, the Eagles had to punt just two times in the game. From the yardage standpoint, the Eagles looked like they whooped the Giants. Just goes to show that Jalen Hurts is probably the MVP of this Eagles team. For the Giants, they drop to 5-10 on the season. For the Eagles, they improve to 11-4 and regain 1st place in the NFC East. 

Next week: 
NY Giants: vs LA Rams
Philadelphia: vs Arizona

TW: 9-6; CV: 9-6

Baltimore 33, San Francisco 19: TW: 49ers; CV: Ravens

Five interceptions doom the 49ers on Monday Night Football. Lamar Jackson looked superb as he hit 23 of 35 passes for 252 yards with two touchdowns and had 45 yards rushing. The first touchdown came to Nelson Agholor for a 6-yard play. The second touchdown came just less than a minute later as Jackson hit Zay Flowers for a 9-yard play. Gus Edwards had 31 yards rushing with a touchdown that came on the first touchdown for the Ravens. Baltimore had 343 yards in offense for the game. There was some controversy as the Ravens were hit by an intentional grounding penalty that resulted in a safety. Lamar Jackson ran into an official on the play that resulted in the play. Brock Purdy would have a game to forget as he hit 18 of 32 passes for 255 yards with four interceptions. It was an oddity as he had never hit four interceptions at any point in his career, including college. He would see some bench time as Sam Darnold came in relief and hit 8 of 14 passes for 81 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Ronnie Bell was the player that caught the touchdown pass. It would be the the 49ers 2nd touchdown in the game. Christian McCaffrey scored the first touchdown on a 9-yard play that made it a 13-12 Ravens lead. McCaffrey finished with 103 yards rushing on 14 carries. San Francisco would outgain Baltimore with 429 yards in total offense. Just shows that turnovers really kill your chances. For the Ravens, they improve to 12-3 on the season and have a shot to win the #1 seed in the AFC playoffs next week. For the 49ers, they drop to 11-4 with the NFC's #1 seed wide open. 

Next week: 
Baltimore: vs Miami
San Francisco: @ Washington

TW: 9-7; CV: 10-6

Records

Cardinal Viking:

2023: 
Week 1: 10-6

Week 2: 10-6

Week 3: 8-8

Week 4: 13-3
Week 5: 6-8

Week 6: 9-6

Week 7: 4-9

Week 8: 10-6

Week 9: 8-6
Week 10: 6-8

Week 11: 7-7

Week 12: 9-7

Week 13: 9-4

Week 14: 5-10

Week 15: 10-6

Week 16: 10-6

Total: 134-106

2017: 167-89
2018: 156-98-2
2019: 151-104-1
2020: 163-92-1
2021: 167-104-1
2022: 157-112-2

My record: 

2023:
Week 1: 9-7

Week 2: 11-5
Week 3: 11-5

Week 4: 14-2

Week 5: 7-7

Week 6: 8-7

Week 7: 5-8

Week 8: 10-6

Week 9: 9-5
Week 10: 7-7

Week 11: 11-3

Week 12: 8-8

Week 13: 9-4

Week 14: 4-11

Week 15: 10-6

Week 16: 9-7

Total: 142-98

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 

2021: 173-98-1
2022: 166-103-2

See you all on Wednesday/Thursday for the Week 16 Picks post! Enjoy your week!

-Tom