NFL 2020 Super Bowl LV Pick Post

Hello readers! The big game is almost a week away (writing this on a Sunday and possibly part of Monday) and the anticipation of it is intense. In a week's time the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs will be set to do battle for the Lombardi Trophy. In this post i'll talk about: a recap of both team's seasons, who'll be the Super Bowl broadcaster on television, an NFL Throwback, my keys to the game and my pick to who will win it all. This post will be probably lengthy so be prepared. Let's get to work!

Team Recaps: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Prior to the 2020 season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were stuck in a mess. Jameis Winston looked like another quarterback that turned into a bust for a team that made it a career black hole where NFL careers would go to die. All that would change in March 2020. 

For the first 20 years of his career, Tom Brady was a New England Patriot. After 20 years of playing on one of the greatest dynasties in the National Football League history, he became a free agent. It would not take him long to sign with a new team. In an instant, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers became a legit contender for the Super Bowl. 

Jameis Winston would get traded to New Orleans. The team then added veteran players like Rob Gronkowski who had been retired for two years as well as Leonard Fournette. To shore up the defense the Buccaneers drafted Antoine Winfield Jr and Tristan Wirfs to help provide some protection to Tom Brady. 

The new collusion of players would need time to gel and with no offseason program to help gel them together, the Buccaneers got off to a rough start. The Bucs would win three of their first five games by close margins. There was no panic mode however. The leadership of Tom Brady would help guide the Buccaneers through the rough patches. 

Tampa Bay would go on to have a three-game winning streak that included blowout wins against Green Bay and Las Vegas. They would win a close game against the Giants on the road. It looked like things were back in order for them until the Saints came to town. 

New Orleans would prove to be a versatile adversary for Tampa. Tampa lost to them on the road in Week 1 by a fair margin. When the experts and America were on the Buccaneers side, the Saints proved to use the underdog card to their advantage. The Saints would win matchup #2 by a 38-3 margin. 

Much was talked about after their blowout loss to the Saints. Such talk was that the Buccaneers were disintegrating from within, Tom Brady and Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians at odds with each other. It was a media circus with the team. The team would go on to beat the Panthers in a rebound win but they would lose again. They would lose to the Rams and the Chiefs by close margins but losses matter in this league. Tampa would head into their bye week with a 7-5 record. They would not lose another game for the rest of the regular season. 

The Buccaneers last four games were good wins. They beat the Vikings 26-14 in an effort to keep up with the Saints in the division and stay in the playoffs. Tampa won a close game against the Falcons. Their playoff drought was ended when they blew out the Detroit Lions 47-7 to get their first playoff berth since 2007. They finished the regular season with a win against the Falcons at home with a record of 11-5. 

Their playoff prospects were somewhat rosy. Tampa would have to go on the road for all of their games. In the Wild Card round game, they would rack up 500+ offensive yards against the Washington Football Team in a 31-23 win. That seemed simple for the Bucs but the true test was coming up. 

The Buccaneers had lost to the Saints twice in the regular season. Both games were 10+ point losses and each time it looked like Tom Brady played like he was a rookie still. Tampa's defense would have to step up to the challenge to thwart Drew Brees from him getting another ring. Led by linebacker Devin White who had 10 tackles, 1 forced fumble and an interception as well as two Tom Brady passing touchdowns, the Bucs would exact some measure of revenge in a 30-20 win. The Buccaneers were one game away from a trip back home to the Super Bowl.

Standing in the Buccaneers way of a Super Bowl berth was the Green Bay Packers. The Buccaneers soundly beaten the Packers 38-10 at home. The conditions were much colder in Green Bay. Tampa's offense was playing stellar in the 1st half and then things turn for the worst when Tom Brady threw three interceptions. Fortunately, the Buccaneers defense would come to the offense's aid as the Packers would not get much points out of the opportunities. In a much closer game, the Buccaneers would hold off Green Bay in a 31-26 win. 

Tampa Bay will make their 2nd Super Bowl appearance in team history in Super Bowl LV. Their first appearance was in Super Bowl XXXVII when they defeated the Oakland Raiders 48-21 to win their 1st Super Bowl championship. We will have to see if they can win their 2nd this upcoming Sunday. 

Team Recaps: Kansas City Chiefs

On February 2nd, 2020 the Kansas City Chiefs erased five decades worth of championship drought, playoff exits, and losing seasons. They won their first Super Bowl championship since Super Bowl IV. The moment was truly bittersweet but like most champions, the Chiefs were hungry for more. 

The prospects for a Chiefs return to the Super Bowl were pristine as many starters from the 2019 team would return. One of the weaker spots of the team was the lack of a good running game. The answer for the problem came in the draft as the Chiefs drafted Clyde Edwards-Helaire in the 1st round of the 2020 draft. 

Clyde Edwards-Helaire didn't take long to prove that the Chiefs made the right decision as he racked up 138 yards rushing with two touchdowns in the Chiefs Week 1 victory over Houston. He would finish the season with 803 yards rushing with four touchdowns. Safe to say it was a good choice. 

Kansas City would start the season winning their first four games by fairly reasonable margins. Their closest game to a possible loss was an overtime win against the Chargers. That game would feature the debut of Justin Herbert. 

If there was a wakeup call for the Chiefs in 2020 it was when the Las Vegas Raiders came to town. The game was a reminiscent of the old Raiders-Chiefs matchups as both teams traded punches. Ultimately it came down to a failed Chiefs comeback to give the Chiefs their first loss since November 10th, 2019 to the Titans. The Chiefs would not lose another game until Week 17. 

After a 4-1 start they would win their next four games before their bye week. Such wins against the Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos, New York Jets, and Carolina Panthers. They would reach their bye week with a 8-1 record. 

The rematch against the Las Vegas Raiders provided some exciting drama as the Chiefs would score a touchdown with less than a minute to go. Las Vegas had scored a touchdown prior to that. It seemed that the Raiders left too much time for the Chiefs to go down and score a touchdown to win the game. 

The next game would provide some additional drama as the Chiefs traveled to Tampa Bay. The game was a no contest in the 1st half as Tyreek Hill ran over the Buccaneers defense. Kansas City was up 20-7 by halftime. Tampa Bay would comeback in the 2nd half but the Chiefs would hold on to beat them 27-24. 

The rest of the regular season didn't provide a lot of drama for the Chiefs. Kansas City would win a 1st round bye in the playoffs, their 5th consecutive division title, and a 14-1 record into Week 17. Head coach Andy Reid decided to rest his starters against the Los Angeles Chargers. Justin Herbert exacted some revenge over the Chiefs as he helped beat the Chiefs 38-21. Granted he was facing off against Chad Henne. 

With a 1st round bye the Chiefs would not play in the Wild Card round. They would need the extra rest as the challenge of repeating a Super Bowl title is tough enough. The Road to the AFC playoffs would go through Kansas City as they were the #1 seed. 

Their opponent in the Divisional round would be the Cleveland Browns, a team that had beaten rival Pittsburgh in the Wild Card round. Kansas City would jump out to a 16-3 lead heading into halftime. Virtually the Chiefs offense was unstoppable as Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce would provide the power. These Cleveland Browns were not your father's Cleveland Browns though as they came back to a 5-point lead heading into the late 4th quarter. They would get to Patrick Mahomes and injure him with a concussion (it would be later be diagnosed as a pinched nerve). Chad Henne would come in and help get the needed first downs for the Chiefs to win. Kansas City would survive with a 22-17 victory. 

The Chiefs last opponent from a Super Bowl berth was the Buffalo Bills. Both teams had meet earlier in the regular season as the Chiefs would beat the Bills 26-17 on the road in Orchard Park. The game was reminiscent of some of the playoff games that the 2019 Chiefs had dealt with as the Bills would go up 9-0 at the end of the 1st quarter. Kansas City would answer back with 21 points scored in the 2nd quarter. Instead of touchdowns, the Bills would resort to field goals. They couldn't stop the Chiefs machine. Kansas City would not let Buffalo back in the game as they would win 38-24 enroute to their 2nd straight Super Bowl. 

Super Bowl LV will be the Kansas City Chiefs' 4th Super Bowl Appearance in their history. The Chiefs would lose in Super Bowl I to the Green Bay Packers. They would win their 1st Super Bowl in Super Bowl IV against the Minnesota Vikings. Their championship drought would end as they would beat the San Francisco 49ers to win their 2nd Super Bowl in Super Bowl LIV. 

Super Bowl LV Broadcaster

The television broadcaster for Super Bowl LV will be CBS. This will be CBS's 22nd Super Bowl (including Super Bowls: I (with NBC), II, IV, VI, VII, X, XII, XIV, XVI XVIII, XXI, XXIV, XXVI, XXXV, XXXVIII, XLI, XLIV, XLVII, 50, and LIII). Doing the play-by-play commentary will be Jim Nantz who will be calling his 6th Super Bowl for CBS. His color commentator will be Tony Romo who will be calling his 2nd Super Bowl for the network. 

NFL Throwback

When I had to dig through the annals of NFL history between the matchups of the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, they weren't great. For most of their history, both teams had either been terrible or just had plain bad luck. However, one matchup in 1979 seemed to be just about as interesting as any. 

This 1979 meeting between both teams was held in Week 16 of the regular season. The setting was in Tampa Stadium. One team looked like it was going in a positive direction and the other was just trying to look for a direction.

Kansas City was looking for its first non-losing season since 1973. Marv Levy was in his 2nd year at the helm for KC. This season would mark an improvement for the Chiefs as they had went 4-12 in 1978. Unlike the Chiefs of today, the 1979 Chiefs had one of the most inept passing games in the NFL that season with a droopy 103.8 passing yards/game. 

Tampa Bay was in the midst of a playoff berth, a winning season, and a division title. It would be a season of firsts for the franchise that had just won only seven games from 1976 to 1978. You have to remember that this team started 0-26 in 1976 and well into 1977. The team was coached by former USC head coach John McKay who was entering his fourth season at Tampa. 

Both teams would be greeted but not just each other but mother nature herself. During the duration of the game the weather would be drenching as rain fell like cats and dogs on both teams. The play on the field was pitiful as the Buccaneers gave up seven turnovers. The Chiefs would not capitalize on them. If you stepped on the field it felt like slosh all over. 

To add to the conditions, the scoring would be at a premium as the only score was a Neil Donoughue field goal that would give the Buccaneers a 3-0 victory. It would be the Buccaneers first shutout in their history. The game helped clinched Tampa Bay's first NFC Central division title. 

In the end, the Chiefs would rebound in 1980 to post their first non-losing season since 1973 and would have a 9-7 record in 1981. The success would not last as 1982 would be Marv Levy's last season as head coach, finishing with a 3-6 record. The Chiefs would not make it back to the playoffs until 1986.

For the Buccaneers the 1979 season marked a great success. They would go on to win their first playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles 24-17. Their run of luck would end in the NFC Championship Game where they were held to 9-0 against the Los Angeles Rams. The Bucs would continue to have some playoff success in 1981 but would lose badly to the Dallas Cowboys 38-0. They would not make it back to the playoffs until 1997.

It seems interesting to me that this game would be held in Tampa. Perhaps it is even more interesting to see how bad these two teams played that day and how their fortunes have changed since then. Such is life in the NFL as you can be bad one year and then great the next. 

Super Bowl LV: Keys to the Game

The Super Bowl is really and truly a game of matchups. A sort of chess match to decide who wins it all. Fortunately both teams had played each other once already this season. The 27-24 win for the Chiefs can be a bit telling. It could be a game where it could play the same result. I would like to beg to differ. It feels like you can benefit from having played a team already to correct what you did wrong. Here's my keys to the game for both teams.

Kansas City:

Get everyone else involved other than Tyreek Hill: The Buccaneers might trying to cover Tyreek Hill who had ran over the Bucs in their regular season matchup. Travis Kelce could be a big factor in this game. 

Pressure Tom Brady often: Tom Brady is only Tom Brady when you give him time in the pocket. Pressuring him will make him break eventually. Just check how the Giants pressured and sacked him in those Super Bowls. 

Keep Patrick Mahomes upright: kind of the same as key #2 except for your side. 

Tampa Bay: 

Protect the Football: Tampa's last game against the Packers was kind of a wakeup call as Tom Brady had thrown the football to the opposition. Green Bay didn't take advantage of the opportunities. Kansas City will not. 

Keep Patrick Mahomes off the field: Your offense will have great luck if they can stay on the field for every second it can. That means running the football and passing the football as well. 

Keep an eye on Tyreek Hill at all times: double team him, triple team him, do whatever you can. Don't let him beat you, make Sammy Watkins beat you.

Super Bowl Pick

Super Bowl LV seems to be a matchup of two great quarterbacks with their supporting casts. Both teams have great offenses that seem to be well rounded. What I question is how good can either team's defense be in this game. Anything can really happen in this game but I feel it will come down to the defense. So my pick for the Super Bowl winner is...

Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Tampa Bay will be playing at home for a Super Bowl for the first time in the history of the Super Bowl. I feel that they will take advantage of it being at Raymond James Stadium. They possess the offense that can keep the Chiefs off the field. Tom Brady is the only quarterback to have beaten Patrick Mahomes in the playoffs. You'd have to remember that Brady beat him in the 2018 AFC Championship Game. I do like the Bucs defense a bit more than the Chiefs. Will they win? hard to say but hopefully it will be a game for the ages. 

Super Bowl Record: 

Super Bowl XXXII: Packers vs Broncos (lost)
Super Bowl XXXIII: Broncos vs Falcons (won)
Super Bowl XXXIV: Rams vs Titans (won)
Super Bowl XXXV: Ravens vs Giants (lost)
Super Bowl XXXVI: Rams vs Patriots (lost)
Super Bowl XXXVII: Raiders vs Buccaneers (lost)
Super Bowl XXXVIII: Panthers vs Patriots (won)
Super Bowl XXXIX: Patriots vs Eagles (won)
Super Bowl XL: Steelers vs Seahawks (lost)
Super Bowl XLI: Colts vs Bears (won)
Super Bowl XLII: Giants vs Patriots (lost)
Super Bowl XLIII: Steelers vs Cardinals (lost)
Super Bowl XLIV: Saints vs Colts (won)
Super Bowl XLV: Steelers vs Packers (won)
Super Bowl XLVI: Giants vs Patriots (lost)
Super Bowl XLVII: Ravens vs 49ers (lost)
Super Bowl XLVIII: Seahawks vs Broncos (lost)
Super Bowl XLIX: Patriots vs Seahawks (lost)
Super Bowl 50: Panthers vs Broncos (lost)
Super Bowl LI: Patriots vs Falcons (won)
Super Bowl LII: Eagles vs Patriots (lost)
Super Bowl LIII: Rams vs Patriots (won)
Super Bowl LIV: 49ers vs Chiefs (lost)

All-time record: 9-13

2020 Week by Week Record: 

TW's record:

Week 1: 8-8
Week 2: 15-1
Week 3: 9-6-1
Week 4: 11-4
Week 5: 9-5
Week 6: 7-7
Week 7: 12-2
Week 8: 7-7
Week 9: 10-4
Week 10: 10-4
Week 11: 7-7
Week 12: 11-5
Week 13: 10-5
Week 14: 7-9
Week 15: 12-4
Week 16: 8-8
Week 17: 14-2
Total: 167-88-1

Cardinal Viking's record:

Week 1: 10-6
Week 2: 11-5
Week 3: 8-7-1
Week 4: 7-8
Week 5: 8-6
Week 6: 9-5
Week 7: 11-3
Week 8: 7-7
Week 9: 9-5
Week 10: 11-3
Week 11: 8-6
Week 12: 9-7
Week 13: 11-4
Week 14: 11-5
Week 15: 13-3
Week 16: 9-7
Week 17: 11-5
Total: 163-92-1

Previous Picking Records:

Cardinal Viking:

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

My record: 

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 156-98-2

2019: 161-94-1

I'll see you guys on Tuesday/Wednesday for the Super Bowl LV recap post. Enjoy the game!

-Tom

NFL 2020 Conference Championship Recap

 Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action has come and gone. The final four teams that came into Sunday are now down to two as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Kansas City Chiefs will play for the ultimate in North American team sports: the Super Bowl. In this post, I'll talk about the two games. Let's get to work!

Tampa Bay 31, Green Bay 26: TW: Buccaneers; CV: Buccaneers
Well, it wasn't a blowout but it wasn't a win either for the Packers. Tom Brady played well enough to win as he threw for 280 yards with three touchdown passes and had three interceptions that would lead to Packers points. Leonard Fournette ran the ball with efficiency as he rushed for 55 yards with a touchdown. Aaron Rodgers threw for 346 yards with three touchdowns and had an interception in the game. His protection was broken down fairly often as Rodgers was sacked six times. Aaron Jones wouldn't get too much going in the running game as he rushed for 27 yards. Jamaal Williams rushed for 23 yards. One call during the 4th quarter really stuck out to the rest of America: Why didn't Packers head coach Matt LeFleur go for it on 4th down instead of getting the three points? You have one of the greatest quarterbacks in a generation in Aaron Rodgers and you don't give him the task to convert a first down. C'mon man. Maybe his reasoning was that maybe the defense could get a turnover as Tampa had been struggling with turnovers during the 2nd half. Either way, give confidence to your quarterback that he can do it. Doesn't really matter now. For the Packers, its another season without a Super Bowl appearance. The window is starting to close even tighter. It'll be a long year for Packerland. 

Next week:
Tampa Bay: vs Kansas City 
Green Bay: eat cheese or something

Buffalo 24, Kansas City 38: TW: Chiefs; CV: Bills
The Chiefs were down 9-0 after the 1st quarter. Kansas City would go on a 38-15 run after the 1st quarter. Josh Allen threw for 287 yards with two touchdowns but also threw an interception in the game. Once again the Buffalo Bills would have to rely on the legs of Josh Allen as he rushed for 88 yards in the game. Devin Singletary would get 17 yards in the game. Buffalo would have to settle for field goals instead of touchdowns in this one but Tyler Bass would go 4/4 in field goals but 0/1 in PAT's. Patrick Mahomes was magical once again as he threw for 325 yards with three touchdowns. Kansas City's running game was just as stellar as the team combined for 114 yards rushing. Damien Williams rushed for 52 yards with a touchdown, Mecole Hardman rushed for 50 on one carry, and Clyde Edwards-Helaire rushed for seven yards with a touchdown run. For the Bills, it caps off one of their best seasons in two decades. If they can pick up a running back early in the draft, they could be a scary team to watch next season. For the Chiefs, they move on to the Super Bowl to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Next week:
Buffalo: fix broken tables
Kansas City: vs Tampa Bay

2020 Week by Week Record: 

TW's record:

Week 1: 8-8
Week 2: 15-1
Week 3: 9-6-1
Week 4: 11-4
Week 5: 9-5
Week 6: 7-7
Week 7: 12-2
Week 8: 7-7
Week 9: 10-4
Week 10: 10-4
Week 11: 7-7
Week 12: 11-5
Week 13: 10-5
Week 14: 7-9
Week 15: 12-4
Week 16: 8-8
Week 17: 14-2
Total: 167-88-1

Cardinal Viking's record:

Week 1: 10-6
Week 2: 11-5
Week 3: 8-7-1
Week 4: 7-8
Week 5: 8-6
Week 6: 9-5
Week 7: 11-3
Week 8: 7-7
Week 9: 9-5
Week 10: 11-3
Week 11: 8-6
Week 12: 9-7
Week 13: 11-4
Week 14: 11-5
Week 15: 13-3
Week 16: 9-7
Week 17: 11-5
Total: 163-92-1

Previous Picking Records:

Cardinal Viking:

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

My record: 

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 156-98-2

2019: 161-94-1

Will make the Super Bowl LV post sometime late this week or early next week. See you then!

-Tom

NFL 2020 Divisional Recap

Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action has come and gone. The best weekend in the NFL slate is over and the eight teams that started this weekend is now down to the Final Four, NFL style. Only the Green Bay Packers, Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers remain after this weekend. We'll recap the four games in this post, let's get to work!

Divisional Recap

LA Rams 18, Green Bay 32: TW: Packers; CV: Rams
There were at least 9,000 fans in Lambeau Field but it certainly felt there was at least 90,000 in it. Jared Goff would start again as John Wolford was still out with a neck injury. Goff played well enough despite all the injuries that were inflicted on him. He threw for 174 yards with a touchdown pass. You could question his ability but you can't question his heart. Cam Akers was good in this game as he rushed for 90 yards on 18 carries. Aaron Rodgers proved to be dominant in this game as he threw for 296 yards with two touchdown passes. Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams were masterful in the ground attack as both rushed for 99 and 65 yards respectively. Jones rushed for a touchdown. For the Rams, it was an end to a remarkable season that you could certainly build upon. The core is still there for a run but health is a question for this team going into the offseason. Green Bay lives to fight another day. 

Next week:
LA Rams: idk go star in a Hollywood movie or something
Green Bay: vs Tampa Bay

Baltimore 3, Buffalo 17: TW: Ravens; CV: Bills
Well this turned into a bruiser than a shootout. Lamar Jackson threw for 162 yards in the game with an interception. He would leave the game with an injury that would send Tyler Huntley into the fray. He finished the game with 60 yards. Baltimore's running game was modest as JK Dobbins rushed for 42 yards, Gus Edwards rushed for 42 yards, and Lamar Jackson rushed for 34 yards. Josh Allen threw for 206 yards with a touchdown pass. Devin Singletary rushed for 25 yards in the game. The star of the show was cornerback Taron Johnson who intercepted a Lamar Jackson pass in the redzone that went for a 101-yard touchdown. It was a game-changing play. For the Ravens, it ends a hopeful season that Ravens had hoped meant them hoisting a Lombardi trophy. Lamar Jackson has the playoff win but now comes his biggest challenge, reaching a Super Bowl. Buffalo fights on and goes to Kansas City.

Next week:
Baltimore: put Lamar Jackson in a bubble
Buffalo: @ Kansas City

Cleveland 17, Kansas City 22: TW: Chiefs; CV: Chiefs
It looked bleak for the Browns but an injury to Mahomes and a near failed 4th down conversion almost made it a Cleveland-Buffalo AFC Championship game. Baker Mayfield threw for 204 yards with a touchdown pass but also threw an interception. Nick Chubb rushed for 69 yards and Kareem Hunt rushed for 32 yards with a touchdown run. Patrick Mahomes started for the Chiefs and threw for 255 yards with a touchdown pass. He would leave the game in the 3rd quarter due to a possible concussion or nerve injury. Chad Henne would come into his stead and throw for 66 yards with an interception in the game. He would also run for a near first down and then throw on an agressive 4th down and inches pass play that sealed the deal for the Chiefs. Cleveland shouldn't need to hang their heads on low after this season. This Browns team is not the "Same Old Browns" that I grew up. Next season will tell how well they can build off what they learn. That no-call on the helmet-to-helmet hit towards the end of the 1st half though. 

Next week:
Cleveland: live at FirstEnergy Stadium like Baker Mayfield
Kansas City: vs Buffalo

Tampa Bay 30, New Orleans 20: TW: Buccaneers; CV: Buccaneers
Third time's the charm. Tom Brady threw for 199 yards with two touchdowns in the game. He also showcased his running ability as he rushed for a touchdown as well. Leonard Fournette and Ronald Jones rushed for 63 and 62 yards respectively. Drew Brees started for the Saints and had 134 yards passing with a touchdown but also threw three interceptions in the game. He would leave the game to let backup Jameis Winston play in the game. Winston threw a pass for a 56-yard touchdown. Alvin Kamara was good in the game as he rushed for 85 yards in the game. A lot of questions surround the Saints after another season not reaching a Super Bowl. Will Drew Brees retire? Time will tell. Tom Brady and the Buccaneers move on to play in their first NFC Championship game since 2002. 

Next week:
Tampa Bay: @ Green Bay
New Orleans: idk eat gumbo or something.

2020 Week by Week Record: 

TW's record:

Week 1: 8-8
Week 2: 15-1
Week 3: 9-6-1
Week 4: 11-4
Week 5: 9-5
Week 6: 7-7
Week 7: 12-2
Week 8: 7-7
Week 9: 10-4
Week 10: 10-4
Week 11: 7-7
Week 12: 11-5
Week 13: 10-5
Week 14: 7-9
Week 15: 12-4
Week 16: 8-8
Week 17: 14-2
Total: 167-88-1

Cardinal Viking's record:

Week 1: 10-6
Week 2: 11-5
Week 3: 8-7-1
Week 4: 7-8
Week 5: 8-6
Week 6: 9-5
Week 7: 11-3
Week 8: 7-7
Week 9: 9-5
Week 10: 11-3
Week 11: 8-6
Week 12: 9-7
Week 13: 11-4
Week 14: 11-5
Week 15: 13-3
Week 16: 9-7
Week 17: 11-5
Total: 163-92-1

Previous Picking Records:

Cardinal Viking:

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

My record: 

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 156-98-2

2019: 161-94-1

I'll see you guys for the Conference Championship picks post on Thursday/Friday.

-Tom

NFL 2020 Divisonal Picks

 Hello readers! Another weekend of National Football League action is coming upon us yet again. The Wild Card round is over and the winners of that weekend will take on the big dogs. Such big dogs like the Green Bay Packers and the Kansas City Chiefs. In this post, I'll talk about my picks for the Divisional round games. Let's get to work!

Divisional Round Picks

LA Rams (10-6) @ Green Bay (13-3) (FOX): TW: Packers; CV: Rams
The Rams beat the Seahawks and the Packers were on a bye last week. It feels like the classic powerful offense vs powerful defense game. The Rams should be feeling pretty good against their upset win against Seattle. Their defense carried them to it as well as Cam Akers. Both seem to be devastating for the Packers as Aaron Rodgers is as vulnerable to pass rush as any quarterback. Green Bay's run defense hasn't been stellar. Ultimately, if Green Bay wants to win and make it closer to a possible Super Bowl berth, they will need to keep Aaron Rodgers protected, make Jared Goff beat you by containing the Rams rush offense. If you're as good as you say you are, prove it. I'll take the Packers. 

Baltimore (11-5) @ Buffalo (13-3) (NBC): TW: Ravens; CV: Bills
The Ravens beat the Titans and the Bills beat the Colts last week. Both teams come into this matchup with somewhat of a chip on their shoulder. The Ravens got their first playoff win for Lamar Jackson and Buffalo got their first playoff win since 1995. I've been harping on and on about how Buffalo needs to get some help for Josh Allen as he is currently their leading rusher in the playoffs at this moment. Downside for Baltimore is that Lamar Jackson isn't quite the passer as Josh Allen. I think it'll be a battle but I feel upset win for the Ravens. 

Cleveland (11-5) @ Kansas City (14-2) (CBS): TW: Chiefs; CV: Chiefs
The Browns beat the Steelers and the Chiefs were on a bye last week. Who would've thought that the Browns would be here? Cleveland comes into this game with some luck on their side and the underdog card to their advantage. To take on the defending champs would be a tall task to have indeed. Cleveland's offense somewhat matches up well against the Chiefs defense. I just question on how emotional will Cleveland will be and if they can control the ball. They can possibly win if they do that. Sorry Cleveland, but I'm taking the defending champs. 

Tampa Bay (11-5) @ New Orleans (12-4) (FOX): TW: Buccaneers; CV: Buccaneers
The Buccaneers beat the Football Team and the Saints beat the Bears last week. Brady-Brees III. What a finish to the weekend as this one should be an entertaining one. At least for a quarter or so. The last time these two met, Tampa got blown out at home. Tampa is going to need to play their best game of football this season and protect Tom Brady as much as possible. New Orleans poses a great defense that has also picked off Tom Brady multiple times in the two games this season. It's the rubber match and I think third time's the charm for the Bucs. 

2020 Week by Week Record: 

TW's record:

Week 1: 8-8
Week 2: 15-1
Week 3: 9-6-1
Week 4: 11-4
Week 5: 9-5
Week 6: 7-7
Week 7: 12-2
Week 8: 7-7
Week 9: 10-4
Week 10: 10-4
Week 11: 7-7
Week 12: 11-5
Week 13: 10-5
Week 14: 7-9
Week 15: 12-4
Week 16: 8-8
Week 17: 14-2
Total: 167-88-1

Cardinal Viking's record:

Week 1: 10-6
Week 2: 11-5
Week 3: 8-7-1
Week 4: 7-8
Week 5: 8-6
Week 6: 9-5
Week 7: 11-3
Week 8: 7-7
Week 9: 9-5
Week 10: 11-3
Week 11: 8-6
Week 12: 9-7
Week 13: 11-4
Week 14: 11-5
Week 15: 13-3
Week 16: 9-7
Week 17: 11-5
Total: 163-92-1

Previous Picking Records:

Cardinal Viking:

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

My record: 

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 156-98-2

2019: 161-94-1

I'll see you guys on Monday for the Divisonal Round recap. Enjoy the games!

NFL 2020 Week 15 Picks

 Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action is soon upon us yet again. The week features some intriguing matchups that will sure to please any casual fan. I'll be keeping a close eye on the Seahawks-Football Team, Chiefs-Saints, and Browns-Giants games this week. In this post, I'll talk about the latest playoff picture and my picks for the week's games. Let's get to work!

Playoff Picture:

Let's start with the AFC...

Seedings:

1st seed: Kansas City Chiefs (12-1) (clinched AFC West)
2nd seed: Pittsburgh Steelers (11-2) (clinched playoff spot)
3rd seed: Buffalo Bills (10-3) 
4th seed: Tennessee Titans (9-4)
5th seed: Cleveland Browns (9-4)
6th seed: Indianapolis Colts (9-4)
7th seed: Miami Dolphins (8-5)

Wild card matchups:
Miami @ Pittsburgh
Indianapolis @ Buffalo
Cleveland @ Tennessee

Cleveland is ahead of the Colts in terms of head-to-head (1-0 advantage to the Browns). Tennessee is ahead of the Colts based off of division record. 

To the NFC...

Seedings:

1st seed: Green Bay Packers (10-3) (clinched NFC North)
2nd seed: New Orleans Saints (10-3) (clinched playoff spot)
3rd seed: Los Angeles Rams (9-4)
4th seed: Washington Football Team (6-7)
5th seed: Seattle Seahawks (9-4)
6th seed: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-5)
7th seed: Arizona Cardinals (7-6)

Wild card matchups:
Arizona @ New Orleans
Tampa Bay @ LA Rams
Seattle @ Washington

Green Bay is ahead of New Orleans based off of head-to-head record. LA Rams are ahead of Seattle based off of head-to-head record as well. 

Week 15 Picks

The 15th week of the National Football League's regular season starts in Paradise, Nevada and finishes in Cincinnati, Ohio. The week features a 16-game slate. It features a Thursday night game, two Saturday games, eight early games, three late games, a Sunday night game and a Monday night game. CBS will have the double-header while FOX will have the single, regional game. No teams are on a bye this week. Let's get to the picks!

Note: TW is me, and CV is Cardinal Viking my former roommate.

LA Chargers (4-9) @ Las Vegas (7-6) (FOX/NFL Network): TW: Chargers; CV: Chargers
The Chargers beat the Falcons and the Raiders lost to the Colts last week. Las Vegas has been grinding to a halt and has been on a downward spiral lately. Justin Herbert has been a nice story for the Chargers and while I think they could use some help on defense with a decent draft pick, I like the matchup in that Herbert and Austin Ekeler can run over the Raiders defense. I'll play the upset card in this one. 

Buffalo (10-3) @ Denver (5-8) (NFL Network): TW: Bills; CV: Bills
Both teams got wins as the Bills beat the Steelers and the Broncos beat the Panthers last week. Definitely hard pressed to pick the Broncos despite them playing probably their best game last week against Carolina. I think the Bills are riding on a high getting a huge win against Pittsburgh, arguably the best team in the AFC. I'd take the Bills. 

Carolina (4-9) @ Green Bay (10-3) (NFL Network): TW: Packers; CV: Packers
The Panthers lost to the Broncos and the Packers beat the Lions last week. Not likely for Carolina to see Christian McCaffrey back in action. At least until next week. Mike Davis has been a nice substitute for the Panthers and he will need to have a great game and beat out the Packers rush defense to win. Aaron Rodgers is having one of his best seasons ever and has a great running game to help him out. Safe to say, I'll take the Pack. 

New England (6-7) @ Miami (8-5) (CBS): TW: Dolphins; CV: Dolphins
Both teams lost last week as the Patriots lost to the Rams and the Dolphins lost to the Chiefs. You have to remember that both of these teams last met in Week 1. A lot has changed since then. New England is possibly on the verge of not having a 9+ win season since 2000. Granted that 2000 Patriots team finished with a 5-11 record. Miami might not have the great running game of the Rams but Tua Tagovailoa has proven to play well in his young career. I feel Miami in this one. 

Seattle (9-4) @ Washington (6-7) (FOX): TW: Seahawks; CV: Seahawks
Both teams won last week as the Seahawks beat the Jets and the Football Team beat the 49ers. Jet lag might be a factor in this one as the Seahawks haven't played spectacular but reasonable on the East coast. If the Seahawks offense gets hot, it'll be tough for the Football Team to keep up. Chase Young is a nice story but I don't know if they have enough weapons to keep up with Seattle. 

San Francisco (5-8) @ Dallas (4-9) (CBS): TW: 49ers; CV: 49ers
The 49ers lost to the Football Team and the Cowboys beat the Bengals last week. Classic NFC matchup on CBS. San Francisco would like nothing more to have this season behind them. Injuries ravaged them, Santa Clara County forcing them to play elsewhere, and a Super Bowl hangover. Nick Mullens doesn't necessarily have to play superb but if he can protect the football and make wise reads while getting his running game going. Dallas going into this game is running on a somewhat high after a win against the Bungles. I'll take the 49ers. 

Tampa Bay (8-5) @ Atlanta (4-9) (FOX): TW: Buccaneers; CV: Buccaneers
The Buccaneers beat the Vikings and the Falcons lost to the Chargers last week. Tampa got a much needed win against Minnesota and they look poised to try and make a run in January football. Tom Brady and company look to be too much for the Falcons defense. Matt Ryan might try to make this a duel and a shootout but I tend to like the Bucs defense in the matchup. 

Jacksonville (1-12) @ Baltimore (8-5) (CBS): TW: Ravens; CV: Ravens 
The Jaguars lost to the Titans and the Ravens beat the Browns last week. A bit of a shorter week for the Ravens who won a slugfest against their rival Cleveland. Fortunately for them, they play a Jaguars team that isn't stellar on defense but okay on offense at times. Unfortunately for Jacksonville, if they want to beat Baltimore, they would have to play great on defense so much that they would have to pull Lamar Jackson for Robert Griffin III. Likely not going to happen.

Houston (4-9) @ Indianapolis (9-4) (CBS): TW: Colts; CV: Colts
The Texans lost to the Bears and the Colts beat the Raiders last week. Tough loss against the Bears last week for Houston. They were outplayed in every way possible. The Colts finally look like the team that everyone expected coming into this season. Jonathan Taylor could possibly have a huge game in this one if the Texans defense laxes like it did in Chicago. No brainer in taking the Colts.

Chicago (6-7) @ Minnesota (6-7) (FOX): TW: Vikings; CV: Bears
The Bears beat the Texans and the Vikings lost to the Buccaneers. One would hope that Dan Bailey figures himself out in this one. In spite of the kicking woes, the Vikings played pretty well against the Buccaneers. With Mitch Trubisky playing better, the Vikings defense will have a big test against him, and David Montgomery. I'll take the home team. 

Detroit (5-8) @ Tennessee (9-4) (CBS): TW: Titans; CV: Titans
The Lions lost to the Packers and the Titans beat the Jaguars last week. Detroit played fairly well against the Packers in spite of the refs. What they face against is Derrick Henry who had more rushing yards than what the entire Jaguars offense had at one point last week. Its a tall task for the Lions but I think the Titans will get a win. They'll need to keep off of the Colts out of the division race. 

NY Jets (0-13) @ LA Rams (9-4) (FOX): TW: Rams; CV: Rams
The Jets lost to the Seahawks and the Rams beat the Patriots last week. Jared Goff and company would have to fall to the winless Jets. Sure the Jets running game and overall offense has been terrible but this could be an opportunity to shock the world. Or they could just fall to earth and go 0-14. 

Philadelphia (4-8-1) @ Arizona (7-6) (FOX): TW: Cardinals; CV: Cardinals
The Eagles beat the Saints and the Cardinals beat the Giants last week. Jalen Hurts has given the Eagles offense some new life. Miles Sanders has been a nice story as well has he had a great game against New Orleans. Any chance of the Eagles to make a playoff run is somewhat unlikely as they face off against a Cardinals squad that won a huge game against the Giants. If the Cards defense can keep the Eagles at bay enough to give their offense some looks, I like the Cardinals in this one. 

Kansas City (12-1) @ New Orleans (10-3) (CBS): TW: Chiefs; CV: Chiefs 
The Chiefs beat the Dolphins and the Saints lost to the Eagles last week. Marquee game of the week. The first and probably only time you'll see Patrick Mahomes vs Drew Brees. That'll be assuming that Drew Brees plays. He was designated to return but he did experience pain in throwing today. If he isn't good to go, then its Taysom Hill's time to usurp the defending champs. I'll take the Chiefs if that's the case. 

Cleveland (9-4) @ NY Giants (5-8) (NBC): TW: Browns; CV: Browns
The Browns lost to the Ravens and the Giants lost to the Cardinals last week. Cleveland almost pulled off a win against their rival Baltimore. The game proved that they are legit playoff contenders and they can certainly do it against an average Giants team. New York could make it an interesting game but I don't think they have the ability to sustain drives enough to keep the Browns off the field. 

Pittsburgh (11-2) @ Cincinnati (2-10-1) (ESPN): TW: Steelers; CV: Steelers
The Steelers lost to the Bills and the Bengals lost to the Cowboys. Seems like a mismatch but the Steelers did have hit a slump this late in the season. If Joe Burrow was still around I think this game could be a bit closer than possible but Brandon Allen isn't exactly Joe Burrow. I think the Steelers get back on track in this one. 

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

CBS Early:
San Francisco @ Dallas
Kevin Harlan, Trent Green

CBS Late:
Kansas City @ New Orleans
Jim Nantz, Tony Romo

FOX Single:
Chicago @ Minnesota
Chris Myers, Greg Jennings

For more information on what's being shown in your area check out: NFL Maps: Week 15

2020 Week by Week Record: 

TW's record:

Week 1: 8-8
Week 2: 15-1
Week 3: 9-6-1
Week 4: 11-4
Week 5: 9-5
Week 6: 7-7
Week 7: 12-2
Week 8: 7-7
Week 9: 10-4
Week 10: 10-4
Week 11: 7-7
Week 12: 11-5
Week 13: 10-5
Week 14: 7-9
Total: 133-74-1

Cardinal Viking's record:

Week 1: 10-6
Week 2: 11-5
Week 3: 8-7-1
Week 4: 7-8
Week 5: 8-6
Week 6: 9-5
Week 7: 11-3
Week 8: 7-7
Week 9: 9-5
Week 10: 11-3
Week 11: 8-6
Week 12: 9-7
Week 13: 11-4
Week 14: 11-5
Total: 130-77-1

Previous Picking Records:

Cardinal Viking:

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

My record: 

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 156-98-2

2019: 161-94-1

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

-Tom

NFL 2020 Week 13 Recap

 Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action has come and gone. The week's slate didn't look appetizing at first but it did offer some surprises. Such surprises like: a near upset in Minnesota, a winning season for Cleveland and a shutout in Los Angeles. In this post, I'll recap the week's action. 

Week 13 Recap

Note: TW is me, the writer, and CV is Cardinal Viking my former roommate. 

Detroit 34, Chicago 30: TW: Bears; CV: Lions
Darrell Bevell got his first win as a head coach. Matthew Stafford threw for 402 yards with three touchdowns but also threw an interception. Adrian Peterson was key to the Lions in their win as he rushed for 57 yards with two touchdowns runs. One of the runs was the game-winning touchdown with less than two minutes in the game. Mitchell Trubisky started again for the Bears. Trubisky threw for 267 yards with a touchdown pass. David Montgomery rushed for 72 yards with two touchdown runs. Cordarelle Patterson rushed for 59 yards with a touchdown. 

Next week:
Detroit: vs Green Bay; Chicago: vs Houston

TW: 0-1; CV: 1-0

Cleveland 41, Tennessee 35: TW: Titans; CV: Browns
Well, I didn't think they could do it but they did it. Baker Mayfield threw for 334 yards with four touchdown passes. Most of the offense was during the first half when the Browns hung 38 points. Nick Chubb ran for 80 yards with a touchdown run. Ryan Tannehill threw for 389 yards with three touchdowns with an interception. The key to the Browns victory was slowing down Derrick Henry and the great running back was held to 60 yards from the ground. Cleveland clinched its first winning season since 2007. Long time coming and hopefully they can keep it going. 

Next week:
Cleveland: vs Baltimore; Tennessee: @ Jacksonville

TW: 0-2; CV: 2-0

Indianapolis 26, Houston 20: TW: Colts; CV: Colts 
Big win for the Colts. Philip Rivers threw for 285 yards with two touchdown passes and didn't throw an interception for once. Jonathan Taylor had a better game for the Colts with 91 yards. Nyheim Hines ran for 10 yards with a touchdown. Justin Houston of the Colts would provide some offense as he sacked DeShaun Watson in the endzone for a safety. DeShaun Watson threw for 341 yards with an interception thrown. Watson also had 38 yards rushing with a touchdown run. David Johnson had some decent runs but he finished with 44 yards with a touchdown run of his own. 

Next week:
Indianapolis: @ Las Vegas; Houston: @ Chicago

TW: 1-2; CV: 3-0

Jacksonville 24, Minnesota 27 (F/OT): TW: Vikings; CV: Vikings 
The Vikings seem to like playing it close to the collar. Mike Glennon started again for the Jaguars. Glennon threw for 280 yards with a touchdown pass but also threw two interceptions. The touchdown pass was off of a deflection that was caught by Laviska Shenault Jr. James Robinson had a decent day running the ball against the Vikings defense with 78 yards rushing. Kirk Cousins had a good day throwing the pigskin as he had 305 yards with three touchdowns but also threw an interception that ended up being a pick-six. Dalvin Cook once again did Dalvin Cook things and rushed for 120 yards. Vikings kicker hit the game-winning field goal from 23 yards. The Vikings are back in the .500 column after a horrid 1-5 start. That seemed so long ago. 

Next week:
Jacksonville: vs Tennessee; Minnesota: @ Tampa Bay

TW: 2-2; CV: 4-0

New Orleans 21, Atlanta 16: TW: Saints; CV: Saints
Taysom Hill finally threw a touchdown, that's cool I guess. Hill threw for 232 yards with two touchdown passes. He sadly didn't get a touchdown run. Alvin Kamara rushed for 88 yards with a touchdown run. Matt Ryan threw for 273 yards with a touchdown pass. Falcons running back Ito Smith wouldn't get much from the ground but would get 36 yards. New Orleans clinched a playoff berth, that's also kind of cool I guess. 

Next week: 
New Orleans: @ Philadelphia; Atlanta: @ LA Chargers

TW: 3-2; CV: 5-0

Las Vegas 31, NY Jets 28: TW: Raiders; CV: Raiders
Holy shit the Jets almost won a game but Derek Carr and a busted coverage kept the Jets winless. Derek Carr threw for 381 yards with three touchdown passes but also threw an interception. Carr also ran for five yards with a touchdown run. Devontae Booker rushed for 50 yards for the Raiders. Henry Ruggs III would make the catch that would stab the hearts of Jets fans everywhere as he easily outran his man for an easy touchdown. Sam Darnold threw for 186 yards with two touchdowns and had one interception in the game. Frank Gore would leave the game early with a concussion and the role was given to Ty Johnson. Johnson rushed for 104 yards with a touchdown. You almost had it Jets but hey at least you guys got rid of that Adam Gase guy... oh you got rid of Gregg Williams... sigh. 

Next week:
Las Vegas: vs Indianapolis; NY Jets: @ Seattle

TW: 4-2; CV: 6-0

Cincinnati 7, Miami 19: TW: Dolphins; CV: Dolphins
Safe to say even if Dan Marino came out of retirement, the Bengals would still lose. Brandon Allen threw for 153 yards with a touchdown but also threw an interception. Ryan Finley would see some action in this game as he threw for 40 yards. Cincy's running game would struggle to find anything open as Giovanni Bernard rushed for 30 yards. Tua Tagovailoa would return to the fray instead of Ryan Fitzpatrick. Tagovailoa threw for 296 yards with a touchdown. Myles Gaskin rushed for 90 yards. The game also see five ejections as DeVante Parker, Mack Hollins and Xavien Howard of the Dolphins were ejected. The Bengals Mike Thomas and Shawn Williams were ejected as well. 

Next week:
Cincinnati: vs Dallas; Miami: vs Kansas City

TW: 5-2; CV: 7-0

NY Giants 17, Seattle 12: TW: Seahawks; CV: Seahawks
Wait... what? Colt McCoy threw for 105 yards with a touchdown and had an interception in the game. Wayne Gallman would carry the Giants offense again as the runner rushed for 135 yards. Alfred Morris rushed for 39 yards with a touchdown. Russell Wilson threw for 263 yards with a touchdown pass but also threw an interception. Chris Carson would only get 65 yards in this game. The Seahawks defense would get a blocked punt during the 2nd quarter that resulted in a safety. Weird game, weird score, weird all around. Kudos to the Giants though. 

Next week:
NY Giants: vs Arizona; Seattle: vs NY Jets

TW: 5-3; CV: 7-1

LA Rams 38, Arizona 28: TW: Rams; CV: Cardinals
Rams are now 1st in the NFC West. Jared Goff threw for 351 yards with a touchdown pass. He took his coaches criticism over his play last week to heart obviously. Cam Akers, Darrell Henderson and Jared Goff would rushed for a rushing touchdown each while gaining 72, 49, and one yard respectively. Kyler Murray threw for 173 yards with three touchdown passes but also threw an interception. The interception would end up being a pick-six that would cause a 14-point swing. Kenyan Drake ran for 49 yards with a touchdown run. Cardinals are on the outside of the playoff picture looking in. 

Next week:
LA Rams: vs New England Patriots; Arizona: @ NY Giants

TW: 6-3; CV: 7-2

Philadelphia 16, Green Bay 30: TW: Packers; CV: Packers
At one point I actually thought the Packers would blow this game, that's how bad Green Bay's defense and special teams is. Carson Wentz started the game for the Eagles and had 79 yards before getting benched for Jalen Hurts. Hurts would throw for 109 yards with a touchdown but also threw an interception. Philly's running game wouldn't get a lot of yardage from their running backs as Miles Sanders would put up 31 yards, Jalen Hurts would get 29 yards. Aaron Rodgers was masterful as he threw for 295 yards with three touchdowns. Aaron Jones would have a big day on the ground with 130 yards with a touchdown run. His longest was from 77 yards for a touchdown that would give the Packers a 30-16 cushion late in the 4th quarter. Not sure how long Carson Wentz will last in Philadelphia now. 

Next week:
Philadelphia: vs New Orleans; Green Bay: @ Detroit

TW: 7-3; CV: 8-2

New England 45, LA Chargers 0: TW: Chargers; CV: Chargers
Well me and Cardinal Viking fucked up with this pick. Cam Newton threw for 69 yards with a touchdown. Jarrett Stidham would get some throws in as he threw for 61 yards with a touchdown as well. Damien Harris rushed for 80 yards and Cam Newton rushed for 48 yards with two touchdown runs. New England's special teams accounted for two touchdowns in the game. One of them was off a blocked field goal that was recovered by Devin McCourty and a punt-six by Gunner Olszewski. Justin Herbert would finish with one of his lower passing days in his young career with 209 yards with two interceptions. The Chargers running attack wouldn't get much as Austin Ekeler would get 36 yards and Kalen Ballage would get 34 yards. If the Patriots somehow make the playoffs, Bill Belichek should get some votes for Coach of the Year. 

Next week:
New England: @ LA Rams; LA Chargers: vs Atlanta

TW: 7-4; CV: 8-3

Denver 16, Kansas City 22: TW: Chiefs; CV: Chiefs
The defending champs may have not played their best but they found a way to win. Drew Lock would return as starter for Denver after missing last week due to COVID protocol. Lock threw for 151 yards with two touchdown passes but also threw two interceptions. The x-factor for the Broncos was running back Melvin Gordon who ran over the Chiefs rush defense with 131 yards. Patrick Mahomes did Patrick Mahomes things as he threw for 318 yards with a touchdown. Le'Veon Bell would get most of the snaps for the Chiefs ground game as he rushed for 40 yards with 11 carries. 

Next week:
Denver: @ Carolina; Kansas City: @ Miami

TW: 8-4; CV: 9-3

Washington 23, Pittsburgh 17: TW: Steelers; CV: Steelers
The ghosts of the 1972 Miami Dolphins can rest in peace for another year. Alex Smith threw for 296 yards with a touchdown throw. Peyton Barber rushed for 23 yards with a touchdown run. Ben Roethlisberger would throw for over 50 times in this game as he threw for 305 yards with two touchdowns and an interception thrown. Pittsburgh's running game, their renowned bread and butter, was ineffective against the Football team in this one as Anthony McFarland rushed for 15 yards, Benny Snell got five yards. I knew the Steelers would finally lose a game but I didn't think it would've been Washington.

Next week:
Washington: @ San Francisco; Pittsburgh: @ Buffalo

TW: 8-5; CV: 9-4

Buffalo 34, San Francisco 24: TW: Bills; CV: Bills
Josh Allen is pretty good at this football thing. Allen threw for 375 yards for four touchdowns. Of the 375 yards, 236 of them came in the first half. Devin Singletary provided some help as he rushed for 61 yards in the game. Cole Beasley of the Bills had nine catches for 130 yards with a touchdown. Nick Mullens would start again for the 49ers. Mullens threw for 316 yards with three touchdowns with two interceptions thrown. Jeff Wilson and Raheem Mostert provided some running support as Wilson rushed for 47 yards and Mostert rushed for 42 yards. First time Buffalo won on Monday Night Football since 1999. 

Next week:
Buffalo: vs Pittsburgh; San Francisco: vs Washington

TW: 9-5; CV: 10-4

Dallas 17, Baltimore 34: TW: Ravens; CV: Ravens
Like ravens in the wild nature, the Baltimore Ravens ran wild over the Dallas Cowboys. Andy Dalton threw for 285 yards with two touchdowns and had an interception. Ezekiel Elliot put up some good numbers against the vaunted Ravens defense and finished with 77 yards. Tony Pollard was somewhat of a factor in the run game as well, contributing with 22 yards. Pollard's biggest contribution was a 66-yard kickoff return that almost resulted in a touchdown for Dallas. Lamar Jackson returned to the fold for this game after being out last week due to COVID protocol. Jackson finished with 107 yards passing with two touchdowns and had an interception. Baltimore's run game feasted on the terrible Cowboys rush defense as Gus Edwards rushed for 101 yards while Lamar Jackson had 94 yards and JK Dobbins had 71 yards. Both Jackson and Dobbins scored touchdowns. Big win for Baltimore and a guaranteed losing season for Dallas. I'm cool with it. 

Next week:
Dallas: @ Cincinnati; Baltimore: vs Cleveland

TW: 10-5; CV: 11-4

2020 Week by Week Record: 

TW's record:

Week 1: 8-8
Week 2: 15-1
Week 3: 9-6-1
Week 4: 11-4
Week 5: 9-5
Week 6: 7-7
Week 7: 12-2
Week 8: 7-7
Week 9: 10-4
Week 10: 10-4
Week 11: 7-7
Week 12: 11-5
Week 13: 10-5
Total: 126-65-1

Cardinal Viking's record:

Week 1: 10-6
Week 2: 11-5
Week 3: 8-7-1
Week 4: 7-8
Week 5: 8-6
Week 6: 9-5
Week 7: 11-3
Week 8: 7-7
Week 9: 9-5
Week 10: 11-3
Week 11: 8-6
Week 12: 9-7
Week 13: 11-4
Total: 119-72-1

Previous Picking Records:

Cardinal Viking:

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

My record: 

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 156-98-2

2019: 161-94-1

I'll see you guys on Wednesday for the Week 14 Picks post! 

-Tom

NFL 2020 Week 12 Picks

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

A Thankful Take: 2020 Edition

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

Arizona Cardinals: DeAndre Hopkins' hands. 

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

Baltimore Ravens: that third wild card spot

Buffalo Bills: Tom Brady no longer in your division. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Green Bay Packers: Aaron Rodgers.

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

Indianapolis Colts: DeForest Buckner. That defense is legit.

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

Kansas City Chiefs: Patrick Mahomes. 'Nuff said. 

Las Vegas Raiders: Nice stadium. 

Los Angeles Chargers: Justin Herbert's arm. 

Los Angeles Rams: Your team is back to relevance. 

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

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

New England Patriots: The bandwagon fans are gone.

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

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

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

Philadelphia Eagles: see Dallas Cowboys

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

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

Seattle Seahawks: Russell Wilson. 

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

Tennessee Titans: Derrick Henry's legs. 

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

Week 12 Picks

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

CBS Early:
Tennessee @ Indianapolis
Ian Eagle, Charles Davis

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

FOX Single:
Carolina @ Minnesota
Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma

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

2020 Week by Week Record: 

TW's record:

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

Cardinal Viking's record:

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

Previous Picking Records:

Cardinal Viking:

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

My record: 

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 156-98-2

2019: 161-94-1

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

-Tom

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

NFL 2020 Week 4 Picks

 Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action is soon coming to a living room near you. Last week brought me and Cardinal Viking a rougher time on picks but hopefully a rebound is soon upon us this week. A 9-6-1 finish last week could be better but it could've been a lot worse as well. In this post I'll talk about my picks for the week's upcoming games.

Week 4 Picks

Week 4 in the National Football League's regular season will start in East Rutherford, New Jersey and finishes up in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The week includes a 15-game (formerly 16-game, more on that later) slate. There will be a Thursday night game, nine early games, three late games, a Sunday night game, and a Monday night game. CBS will have the doubleheader, and FOX will have single, regional game coverage this week. No teams are on a bye this week. Let's get to the picks!

Denver (0-3) @ NY Jets (0-3) (NFL Network): TW: Broncos; CV: Broncos
Both teams lost last week as the Broncos lost to the Buccaneers and the Jets lost to the Colts. The week starts off with another snoozer most likely. Both teams are train wrecks but I feel the Broncos are due for a win and Jeff Driskel will get them to that destination. I can't trust the Jets offense to get anything to run, not even a blender. 

LA Chargers (1-2) @ Tampa Bay (2-1) (CBS): TW: Buccaneers; CV: Chargers
The Chargers lost to the Panthers and the Buccaneers beat the Broncos last week. The game intrigues me, not going to lie. The Rookie vs the Hardy Veteran in Tom Brady. It features two great defenses. I think what it will come down to is whoever can sustain drives and break the opposing defense. Hard to not take Tampa in this one... sorry Chargers. 

Jacksonville (1-2) @ Cincinnati (0-2-1) (CBS): TW: Bengals; CV: Jaguars
The Jaguars lost to the Dolphins and the Bengals tied against the Eagles. Alright Cincy, you've been so close to winning so many times this season, the time has finally come for you to get your first dub. Joe Mixon has been relatively quiet so far this season in running the ball and I would like to see him get more of it against this relatively mediocre Jaguars defense. Joe Burrow can't do it all alone. Get it done Bungles.

Minnesota (0-3) @ Houston (0-3) (FOX): TW: Texans; CV: Texans
Both teams lost last week as the Vikings lost to the Titans and the Texans lost to the Steelers. If you asked me that both teams would be 0-3 to start the season, I'd tell you're crazy. I can't keep trusting Kirk Cousins to make the right decisions anymore after this horrid of a start to a season after signing an extension. If Ryan Tannehill on an average day can best this defense then so can DeShaun Watson. At least give Bill O'Brien some hope. Hopefully this game won't get postponed either. 

Pittsburgh (3-0) @ Tennessee (3-0) (CBS): (Game Postponed) TW: Steelers; CV: Steelers
So the news came down this week that the Titans players and staff tested positive for Coronavirus and thus this game would get postponed until a later time. Only a matter of time before this had to happen. If it happens this week then I'll more than likely take the Steelers based on their offense and punishing defense  

Seattle (3-0) @ Miami (1-2) (FOX): TW: Seahawks; CV: Seahawks
Both teams took the dub last week as the Seahawks beat the Cowboys and the Dolphins beat the Jaguars. Russell Wilson has been a beast so far this season with 14 touchdown passes. With the loss to Chris Carson at running back, it will come down to Carlos Hyde and Travis Homer to get rush yardage for the Hawks in this one. Miami might make it a contest but I wouldn't be surprised if Wilson throws for five more touchdowns in this one. 

Indianapolis (2-1) @ Chicago (3-0) (CBS): TW: Colts; CV: Bears
Both teams got wins last week as the Colts beat the Jets and the Bears beat the Falcons. Nick Foles likely earned the starting role for this game instead of Mitchell Trubisky. Chicago has been very lucky so far this season and one would assume that their luck would run out in this one. If Philip Rivers throws interceptions then this one is over. Please Rivers don't be that guy. 

New Orleans (1-2) @ Detroit (1-2) (FOX): TW: Saints; CV: Saints
The Saints lost to the Packers and the Lions beat the Cardinals last week. Detroit surprised quite a few in beating the Cards last week, granted Arizona shot themselves in the foot a lot. Drew Brees may throw a pass for less than 10 yards but at least he can control the ball. Both running games have been quite good to watch. I'll take the Saints overall because of more offensive firepower. 

Cleveland (2-1) @ Dallas (1-2) (FOX): TW: Browns; CV: Cowboys
The Browns beat the Football Team and the Cowboys lost to the Seahawks last week. The game looks good than in previous match ups that usually end up in Dallas favor. Russell Wilson exposed the Cowboys secondary badly last week and I'm sure Baker Mayfield and Odell Beckham Jr. are salivating at the fact. Dallas is 23rd in stopping the run and that bodes well for the tandem in Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt. I'll take the Brownies in this one. 

Baltimore (2-1) @ Washington (1-2) (CBS): TW: Ravens; CV: Ravens
Both teams lost last week as the Ravens lost to the Chiefs and the Football team lost to the Browns. Last week wasn't a good one if you were a Ravens fan. Patrick Mahomes made you his property, ravaged the countryside, salted the earth, etc. Fortunately you're playing a Washington team that won't likely have Chase Young in the defensive lineup. I can't see the Football team pulling off this one off. 

Arizona (2-1) @ Carolina (1-2) (FOX): TW: Cardinals; CV: Cardinals
The Cardinals lost to the Lions and the Panthers beat the Chargers last week. It would be more of an even matchup if Christian McCaffrey was back from injury but if Kyler Murray has a repeat performance from last week then this game could go in Carolina's favor. I personally don't see it as the Murray-Drake-Hopkins trio will likely reek havoc on an improving but mistake prone Panthers defense. 

NY Giants (0-3) @ LA Rams (2-1) (FOX): TW: Rams; CV: Rams
Both teams lost last week as the Giants lost to the 49ers and the Rams lost to the Bills. The Giants will be making their return to LA to take on the Rams for the first time since 1994. New York is a trainwreck of a team with a meager offense and a defense that ain't that much better. The Rams look like the polar opposite of the Giants in every way. I would say that the Rams will beat them by more than 10 points and if its less than that I'd be shocked. 

Buffalo (3-0) @ Las Vegas (2-1) (CBS): TW: Raiders; CV: Raiders
The Bills beat the Rams and the Raiders lost to the Patriots last week. Bills Mafia probably will hate me for saying this but you got lucky last week. Josh Allen literally saved you from going 2-1. Las Vegas has the means to really take this one out of the Bills defense with a balanced attack from the passing arm of Derek Carr and the legs of Josh Jacobs. Assuming the Raiders don't fumble the ball a lot, I think they have a legit shot at winning this one. 

New England (2-1) @ Kansas City (3-0) (CBS): TW: Chiefs; CV: Chiefs
Both teams got wins last week as the Patriots beat the Raiders and the Chiefs beat the Ravens. It seems like whenever these two teams play each other, its always a good game. I don't see this one being a blowout either. Both quarterbacks have speed and a plethora of weapons to go to if they need help. The game will probably come down to who can slow down the opposing offense more effective. I think the Chiefs have a better defense than the Pats but not by much I think.

Philadelphia (0-2-1) @ San Francisco (3-0) (NBC): TW: 49ers; CV: 49ers
The Eagles tied against the Bengals and the 49ers beat the Giants. San Francisco literally manhandled the Giants with their backup quarterback Nick Mullens. Mullens will likely get another start in this one. I would pull for the local boy Carson Wentz but Philly is a mess of a team and I can't trust him to throw no picks in a game at this point. 

Atlanta (0-3) @ Green Bay (3-0) (EPSN): TW: Packers; CV: Packers
The Falcons lost to the Bears and the Packers beat the Saints last week. Green Bay has been stellar this season so far. Aaron Rodgers hasn't thrown a pick so far *knocks on wood* this season. If Atlanta's defense shows up the way that it did against the Bears and Cowboys in the 2nd half, I feel the Packers have this one in the bag. 

Local TV Schedule:

CBS Early
Indianapolis @ Chicago
Greg Gumbel, Rich Gannon

CBS Late
New England @ Kansas City
Jim Nantz, Tony Romo

FOX Single
Minnesota @ Houston
Chris Myers, Brock Huard, Greg Jennings

2020 Week by Week Record: 

TW's record:

Week 1: 8-8
Week 2: 15-1
Week 3: 9-6-1
Total: 32-15-1

Cardinal Viking's record:

Week 1: 10-6
Week 2: 11-5
Week 3: 8-7-1
Total: 29-18-1

Previous Picking Records:

Cardinal Viking:

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

My record: 

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 156-98-2

2019: 161-94-1

I'll see you guys on Monday for the Week 4 recap post! Enjoy the games.

Tom

Update #1 (6:51 p.m. 10/03/2020): Changed CV's pick from Patriots to Chiefs.