NFL 2018 Super Bowl LIII Post

Hello readers! The game that decides it all comes in a few days. The conference championships are done, the Pro Bowl is done, and the game of all games will be here before you know it! In the post I'll briefly talk about the conference championship games, how the two teams in the Super Bowl got there, some tidbits about the game itself, my record in the big game, as well as my pick to who wins it all. Let's get started!

Conference Championships

In the NFC Championship game, it pitted two great offenses in the Los Angeles Rams and the New Orleans Saints. The Rams would win the game in overtime 26-23 though there was controversy in the game. There was a pass interference penalty that was not called against the Rams and sadly it was a good game nonetheless. The Rams return to the Super Bowl for the first time since they were in Super Bowl XXXVI as the St. Louis Rams.

The AFC Championship game would be much of the same story. Two great offenses with two quarterbacks helming the ship. One is considered to be "The GOAT" and the other an up and comer who could take over when the great one retires. The Patriots and Chiefs duked it out for over 4 quarters and beyond but the Patriots would win the game 37-31 on a 2-yard Rex Burkhead rushing touchdown to seal the deal. It's the Patriots 3rd straight trip to the big game.

New England Patriots

Some had suspected that the Patriots would slow down a bit in 2018 and they certainly did during that time. The Pats would post an 11-5 record throughout the regular season, good enough for a 2nd seed in the playoffs. In the divisional round, the Patriots faced off against the Los Angeles Chargers. They won the game 41-28 based on Tom Brady's magnificent arm. In the AFC Championship game, they took on the #1 seed Kansas City Chiefs for the rights to go to the big dance. The Patriots would take it to overtime to win but they would get the result in their favor, with the score of 37-31. The Patriots are playing in their 11th Super Bowl in franchise history. They have played in Super Bowls XX, XXXI, XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX, XLII, XLVI, XLIX, LI, and LII. They will represent the AFC in the Super Bowl.

Los Angeles Rams

The Rams looked to build off what they had started in 2017. They already had their best season in over 10 years, dating back to their days in St. Louis (sorry had to mention it). In 2016, the Rams returned to Los Angeles after being gone from the city since 1994. In 1995, the Rams moved out of Los Angeles, their home since 1946, to St. Louis where they stayed for 20 seasons. Back to 2018. The Rams posted a 12-4 record, qualifying them to get the 2nd seed in the playoffs. In the Divisional round, the Rams took on the Dallas Cowboys. The Rams would win the game 30-22 on the power running tandem of CJ Anderson and Todd Gurley. The Rams would take on the Saints in the NFC Championship game. The Rams and Saints would take it to overtime to win it but they won the game 26-23 on a 57-yard field goal from Greg Zuerlein. They would be playing in their 4th Super Bowl in franchise history. They played in Super Bowl XIV as the Los Angeles Rams and Super Bowl XXXIV and XXXVI as the St. Louis Rams. They will represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.

Super Bowl LIII Tidbits

Super Bowl LIII will be held in Atlanta, Georgia. It would be the 3rd time that the city would host the big game as they hosted Super Bowls XXVIII and XXXIV. The two games were played in the old GeorgiaDome and Super Bowl LIII will be played in Mercedez-Benz Stadium. The stadium opened its doors in 2017 and is home to the Atlanta Falcons.

The Super Bowl Halftime show will be headlined by the American pop-act, Maroon 5. They will be with hip-hop stars, Travis Scott and Big Boi. This is the first time that Maroon 5 will headline the big game.

The cost to put an ad in the Super Bowl will cost you a hefty penny. A 30-second spot in the game would cost you roughly around $5 million. Anheuser-Busch will have the most spots during the game with eight. Certainly money that I don't have lying around.

Television

The network that gets to air the big game will be CBS. This will be the 20th Super Bowl that the network has called. They have called Super Bowls: I (with NBC), II, IV, VI, VII, X, XII, XIV, XVI, XVIII, XXI, XXIV, XXVI, XXXV, XXXVIII, XLI, XLIV, XLVII, and Super Bowl 50.

Doing the play-by-play will be Jim Nantz, who is calling his 5th Super Bowl with CBS. He has called Super Bowl's XLI, XLIV, XLVII, and Super Bowl 50. Prior to him, such names like Greg Gumbel and Pat Summerall had called Super Bowls for CBS during its run with the NFL.

Doing the color commentary will be Tony Romo. The former Cowboys quarterback will be calling his 1st Super Bowl with CBS. He had never played in a Super Bowl before so at least you could say he is finally in one as a commentator.

Super Bowl Record

Super Bowl LIII will be the 22rd Super Bowl that I've watched that I can remember. Let alone keep track of my record of who I picked in the big game. Let's just say its not that good. Let's take a look:

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)

All-time record: 8-12

Keys To The Game

Patriots:
Keep Tom Brady Upright: The Rams possess a stifling defensive line that can pressure even the best quarterbacks around. That means that the Pats O-line needs to be like a steel wall, giving Tom Brady a chance to do what he does best.
Stuff the Rams running attack: The tandem of Todd Gurley and CJ Anderson is versatile and both can get a ton of yards each. Forcing the Rams to go one-dimensional quickly will keep Jared Goff on edge constantly.
Do Your Job: each member of your team has a role to play. The O-line protecting the quarterback or giving holes to the running backs. The defense communicating well and reacting well to plays.

Rams:
Keep the offense going: you have a great tandem of running backs with CJ Anderson and Todd Gurley. With the passing weapons that Jared Goff has, the Rams look to provide a lot of spark in this game.
Take Risks: The Patriots will fight for every second in this game. Those 4th down situations will be key to deciding the game. Fortunately, Sean McVay is just as much a riverboat gambler as Doug Peterson in last year's Super Bowl. Use trickery.
Attack Tom Brady: The biggest decider in this game will be #12 of the New England Patriots. He is the GOAT for a reason. He always thrived in games like this and will not back down if the team is down by 25. The Giants had success against him because they got to his head and kept him running around as he is not a fast runner. Eventually, the hits start to come to haunt you.

The Pick

The pick is pretty hard to choose. You got a young and upcoming team in the Los Angeles Rams, and you have the New England Patriots. Both teams have great offenses and can do well on defense when given the opportunity. They will need to have their defenses in check for this one. It could be a high scoring affair between the two. As it is in a Dome stadium. Little to no wind will be in there. There can only be one who will win the ultimate prize. I choose...

The New England Patriots.

You will have to remember that Tom Brady put up nearly 500 passing yards last year and the defense was without Malcolm Butler. The Patriots are free of that distraction and can play whatever defense they want without the distraction of whatever took place last year. If Tom Brady wins the game he will get ring #6 and it would be cool to see him possibly ride off into the sunset with the most rings by a quarterback in NFL history. The Patriots are up for a big task against the Los Angeles Rams but if they can wade the storm and hang on they have a great shot to win. Best of luck!

Aftermath

Once the Super Bowl is over the blog will geta bit quieter since there is no football after this game. Let alone no football until August. Nevertheless, if something comes up between that time, I'll post it, football related or otherwise. Until then, enjoy the game, may the best team win.

-Tom

NFL 2018 Divisional Picks + Wild Card Recap

Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action has passed us by but another week is soon approaching us. The NFL is in its 2nd week of playoff competition with the winners of the Wild Card round moving on to the Divisional round of the playoffs. In the column, I'll talk about the Wild Card games and will give my picks to who wins the Divisonal round of games this weekend. Let's get to work!

Wild Card Recap:

Indianapolis 21, Houston 7: TW: Colts; CV: Texans
It was another chapter to the already great comeback story for Andrew Luck. At this time last year, Luck was nursing an injury. Luck would finish the game with 222 passing yards for two touchdowns while throwing an interception. Marlon Mack provided a great spark with 148 yards rushing for a touchdown as well. DeShaun Watson got the start for the Texans. Watson threw for 235 yards passing with a touchdown while throwing an interception. The Texans running game was once again dependent on Watson's legs as the quarterback ran for 76 yards, the 2nd closest was Lamar Miller's 18 rushing yards. The score shouldn't have been closer than the result shows. Indianapolis moves on to take on the Kansas City Chiefs.

TW: 1-0; CV: 0-1

Seattle 22, Dallas 24: TW: Cowboys; CV: Cowboys
The game was a close one, not compared to the previous meeting earlier in the season. You have to give a lot of credit to the Cowboys rush defense in stuffing the Seahawks running game. Russell Wilson had a good game with 233 yards passing for a touchdown. Wilson would also get a rushing touchdown as well. Rashad Penny could only muster 29 rushing yards. The Cowboys got a lot of production out of their running attack with Ezekiel Elliot's 137 rushing yards while scoring a touchdown. Dak Prescott got 226 passing yards with a touchdown and interception in the game. Prescott would also rush in for a touchdown too. Dallas will move on to Los Angeles to take on the Rams in the divisional round.

TW: 2-0; CV: 1-1

LA Chargers 23, Baltimore 17: TW: Ravens, CV: Chargers
In the first matchup, the Chargers couldn't contain Lamar Jackson. In the 2nd, they grounded him for most of the game. By the time the Ravens passing game got off the ground, the Ravens were staring at a depleting clock and a point deficit. Philip Rivers had an alright game tossing the ball for 160 yards for zero touchdowns. The only offensive touchdown came from Melvin Gordon, who had 40 rushing yards for the game. Michael Bagley of the Chargers did the rest. Lamar Jackson would end the game with 194 passing yards with two touchdowns and an interception. The Chargers did a better job with containing Jackson's legs as he would only get 54 rushing yards for the game. LA moves on to New England to take on the Patriots.

TW: 2-1; CV: 2-1

Philadelphia 16, Chicago 15: TW: Bears; CV: Bears
It is somewhat ironic for the Eagles to even be here. The Bears were the reason why they were there. By game time, the pleasantries ended. The Bears depended a lot on Cody Parkey's legs and his leg really depended on the outcome of the game. Nick Foles got a good game with 266 passing yards with two touchdowns while throwing two interceptions. The Eagles running game didn't get a lot going but Darren Sproles got 21 rushing yards on 13 carries. Mitchell Trubisky would finish the game with 303 passing yards with a touchdown. I feel the biggest factor for the Bears loss was their ineffective running attack as Jordan Howard got only 35 rushing yards. Philadelphia moves on to New Orleans.

TW: 2-2; CV: 2-2

Divisional Round Picks: 
The 2nd week of NFL playoff competition is called the Divisional round. It is personally my favorite out of the whole entire playoffs. A sort of David vs Goliath. A team with a lot of wins having a bye week last week, while the other team scratched, clawed, and teethed their way into the postseason. NBC will get the weekend started with the Colts and Chiefs in Arrowhead Stadium. FOX will show the Cowboys vs Rams game in Los Angeles. On Sunday, CBS will show the Chargers vs Patriots game and FOX will show the Eagles vs Saints playoff game in the afternoon slot. Let's get to the picks!

Indianapolis (11-6) @ Kansas City (12-4) (NBC): TW: Colts; CV: Colts
The Colts beat the Texans in the Wild Card game and the Chiefs were a bye last week. The game will greatly depend on how well the Colts play on offense. If they stick to the formula that won them the Wild Card game, they should win. Taking risks, sustaining drives, wearing out the opposing defense will be the keys for the Colts to win. The Chiefs need to get a great game from their running game as I feel that is their one weakness since they released Kareem Hunt earlier this season. It's not like the Chiefs have won a playoff game at home since 1993. I don't like their chances.

Dallas (11-6) @ LA Rams (13-3) (FOX): TW: Rams; CV: Rams
The Cowboys defeated the Seahawks in the Wild Card game and the Rams were on a bye week. The key matchup will be Dak Prescott vs the Rams pass defense. A lot of the game will depend on how well Dak Prescott throws the ball, runs the ball, and how he coordinates the offense. For the Rams, if Todd Gurley plays in the game he will be a big help in what they do offensively. I feel the Rams have the better offense and a better defense than the Cowboys but how well the Rams play on defense will be key.

LA Chargers (13-4) @ New England (11-5) (CBS): TW: Patriots; CV: Patriots
The Chargers beat the Ravens in the Wild Card game and the Patriots had the bye last week. The game will more likely be of a shootout between Philip Rivers and Tom Brady. Both quarterbacks love to throw the ball, certainly, age will be a factor for Tom Brady but I don't know how much of a factor it will. The Patriots defense has played well in the last few weeks prior to this game, I feel they should stay on the same level. If the Chargers can get any chance to win the game, it will greatly depend on better offensive production from their passing and running games. It's a tall task but I like the Patriots at home.

Philadelphia (10-7) @ New Orleans (13-3) (FOX): TW: Saints; CV: Saints
The Eagles beat the Bears in the Wild Card game and the Saints were on a bye last week. The game pretty much looks like a dominant game on paper for the Saints. I don't think that it will be a blowout when it came to the last time these two teams played each other. It will come down to the Eagles getting a rhythm on the passing game and getting good runs from their running game. Keeping Drew Brees and the Saints off the field will be key to victory for the Eagles. The Saints will score points in the game, that is for certain as the Eagles defense is depleted with key injuries to their regular players. I hate to say it but I don't see the Eagles moving past this weekend. The Saints look way too good to give up on an opportunity to get Drew Brees ring #2.

Much like this week, I'll be doing a Divisional recap and a pick 'em for the Conference Championship games next week. Look out for that sometime on Wednesday or Thursday of next week. Until then, enjoy the games, have a good weekend.

-Tom

NFL 2018 Week 17 Picks

Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action is soon upon us once more. The NFL is entering its 17th and final week of regular season competition. The final week of the season means most teams will try to play spoiler to those who are seeking playoff aspirations while the rest look to get into the postseason or rather get better seeding. In the column, I'll talk about the latest playoff picture, a cool video of the week and the picks for the week's games!

Playoff Picture: Week 17

AFC:

1st seed: Kansas City Chiefs (11-4)
2nd seed: New England Patriots (10-5)
3rd seed: Houston Texans (10-5)
4th seed: Baltimore Ravens (9-6)
5th seed: Los Angeles Chargers (11-4)
6th seed: Indianapolis Colts (9-6)

Wildcard:
Indianapolis @ Houston
LA Chargers @ Baltimore

Still alive:
Tennessee (9-6), Pittsburgh (8-6-1)

Eliminated:
Cleveland (7-7-1), Miami (7-8), Denver (6-9), Cincinnati (6-9), Buffalo (5-10), Jacksonville (5-10), NY Jets (4-11), Oakland (4-11)

The AFC playoffs are pretty much a wild bunch. You have Kansas City, New England and even Houston to contend for that Homefield advantage, 1st round bye spot. Baltimore can clinch the AFC North with a win and a Steeler loss or both teams taking the tie. Indianapolis could clinch a playoff berth with a win, a Baltimore loss + Indianapolis tie, or an Indy tie + Steelers loss or tie. A lot of scenarios to look out for.

NFC:

1st seed: New Orleans Saints (13-2)
2nd seed: LA Rams (12-3)
3rd seed: Chicago Bears (11-4)
4th seed: Dallas Cowboys (9-6)
5th seed: Seattle Seahawks (9-6)
6th seed: Minnesota Vikings (8-6-1)

Wildcard:
Minnesota @ Chicago
Seattle @ Dallas

Still alive:
Philadelphia (8-7)

Eliminated:
Washington (7-8), Green Bay (6-8-1), Atlanta (6-9), Carolina (6-9), NY Giants (5-10), Tampa Bay (5-10), Detroit (5-10), San Francisco (4-11), Arizona (3-12)

The NFC playoffs are a bit more defined. Homefield advantage went to the Saints while the division winners are in. The Seahawks are in the playoffs. It comes down to the Vikings and Eagles. The Vikings can clinch the playoffs with a win or tie or an Eagles loss or tie. Philadelphia would have to win and hope for a Vikings loss since the Vikings hold the tiebreaker.

Cool video of the week

While the video is a best-of Midseason video (I couldn't find a full season highlight video), it should still send the message of what was a great and memorable season in the NFL. While there is one more week to go in the season, its fun to look back and see the highlights of what was this season. Enjoy. 

Week 17 Picks!

Week 17 is the only week out of the season where both CBS and FOX will have both the early and late game slots. There will be seven early games, eight late games, and a Sunday night game. No teams are on a bye week, obviously. All the games are division games. Let's get to the picks!

Dallas (9-6) @ NY Giants (5-10) (FOX): TW: Cowboys, CV: Cowboys
The Cowboys got a win against the Buccaneers and the Giants lost to the Colts last week. It would seem fit to pick the Cowboys in the game as they do have a better defense this season and a great running game. I would suspect that Dak Prescott would have to have a great game this week to get to that 10-win mark.

Carolina (6-9) @ New Orleans (13-2) (FOX): TW: Saints, CV: Saints
The Panthers lost to the Falcons and the Saints beat the Steelers last week. The game will have Taylor Heinecke in at quarterback for the Panthers. The Superdome will be a loud environment and communication will be key for the Panthers to win. I don't like their chances to win as the Saints have a great running back tandem, a good pass attack and it doesn't spell well for the Panthers.

Atlanta (6-9) @ Tampa Bay (5-10) (FOX): TW: Falcons, CV: Falcons
The Falcons beat the Panthers and the Buccaneers lost to the Cowboys last week. The two teams look to avoid being in a possible last place in the division. The two teams possess two great pass offenses that use a lot of wide receivers. I feel it will be a shootout. I feel the Falcons will win based on that they have the momentum of a 2-game winning streak going for them.

Detroit (5-10) @ Green Bay (6-8-1) (FOX): TW: Packers, CV: Lions
The Lions lost to the Vikings and the Packers beat the Jets last week. The two teams won't be sniffing the playoffs but the rivalry still exists. The victor will need to control the ball well, not turn it over, and have balance in the offense. If the Packers defense can cause Matthew Stafford to be uncomfortable, they have a shot.

Jacksonville (5-10) @ Houston (10-5) (CBS): TW: Texans, CV: Texans
The Jaguars got a win against the Dolphins and the Texans lost to the Eagles. The Jaguars were a contender in the playoffs come the start of the season but have fallen off the earth. The Texans look legit as a playoff contender. I like the Texans in the game as they do have a solid offense that can put up a lot of yardage and a defense to match any in the NFL. Give me Houston!

NY Jets (4-11) @ New England (10-5) (CBS): TW: Patriots, CV: Patriots
The Jets lost to the Packers and the Patriots beat the Bills last week. The Jets still could play spoiler to a possible 1st round bye that the Patriots are looking for. The idea seems a bit farfetched but it could happen. I feel Bill Belichick will have his guys ready to do battle and be a focused group. A chance to get a bye would mean wonders. Overall I like New England as Tom Brady still is the quarterback and Sony Michel can still put up great numbers.

Miami (7-8) @ Buffalo (5-10) (CBS): TW: Bills, CV: Dolphins
The two teams took losses last week as the Dolphins lost to the Jaguars and the Bills lost to the Patriots. The game will be in Buffalo where the weather could be a factor to the warm weather Dolphins. Football wise, I like Buffalo's running game with Josh Allen playing both a passer and a runner. Bills have a good defense as well. I can't trust the Dolphins enough.

San Francisco (4-11) @ LA Rams (12-3) (FOX): TW: Rams, CV: Rams
The 49ers got a loss against the Bears and the Rams got a win against the Cardinals last week. The Rams have been the golden child of the league this season putting up numbers like crazy while stopping some great offenses as well. The Niners could get a win if the Rams rested their starters but I don't feel that will be the case. An undefeated division record would be a good mark for the Rams this season.

Philadelphia (8-7) @ Washington (7-8) (FOX): TW: Eagles, CV: Eagles
The Eagles got a win against the Texans and the Redskins lost to the Titans last week. The defending champs probably won't sniff the playoffs this season but I feel they will get a winning record after this game is done. Washington hasn't had a lot of success with the quarterback and Josh Johnson will have to have a great game against a banged-up Eagles defense. The Eagles are defending champs and you can never defy the heart of a champion.

Chicago (11-4) @ Minnesota (8-6-1) (FOX): TW: Vikings, CV: Vikings
The two teams got a win last week as the Bears beat the Niners and the Vikings beat the Lions. The game will be a loud one in the Twin Cities. The Bears have not had a lot of luck in Minnesota in recent years and I don't think that will change. Minnesota could have another opportunity to knock off the Bears next week in the Wild Card weekend game. If the Vikings can find success in the running game, they have a great shot to win.

Arizona (3-12) @ Seattle (9-6) (FOX): TW: Seahawks, CV: Seahawks
The Cardinals lost to the Rams and the Seahawks got a win against the Chiefs. The game will depend on if the Cardinals offense can stay on the field as the Seahawks have a legit offense. I can't trust the Cardinals enough to keep up with the Seahawks and to keep the ball safe. The Cardinals could still accidentally win the game.

Cincinnati (6-9) @ Pittsburgh (8-6-1) (CBS): TW: Steelers, CV: Steelers
The two teams lost last week as the Bengals lost to the Browns and the Steelers lost to the Saints. The Steelers are looking to get into the playoffs, the Bengals look to play spoiler to that plan. The Steelers still look like a legit playoff contender with Ben Roethlisberger and his group of wide receivers. The Steelers run game, their bread, and butter of old will need to get a good game as the Bengals will want to play spoiler.

Cleveland (7-7-1) @ Baltimore (9-6) (CBS): TW: Ravens, CV: Ravens
The Browns got a win against the Bengals and the Ravens got a win against the Chargers last week. The game will be a good one. Both teams have quite the good matchup at quarterback. They also have legit offenses. The Ravens defense is still better than the Browns I feel but it will be a close game. I like the Ravens in this one.

Oakland (4-11) @ Kansas City (11-4) (CBS): TW: Chiefs, CV: Chiefs
The Raiders got a win against the Broncos and the Chiefs lost to the Seahawks last week. The Chiefs still have a legit pass offense with Patrick Mahomes. The real question is how well of an effective running game will the Chiefs get this week and beyond. The Chiefs need to get momentum back on their side. The Raiders could play spoiler in the game but I like the Chiefs in the matchup.

LA Chargers (11-4) @ Denver (6-9) (CBS): TW: Chargers, CV: Chargers
The two teams lost last week as the Chargers lost to the Ravens and the Broncos lost to the Raiders. The game will be a huge momentum boost for the Chargers if they win. They will more than likely have to play on the road the rest of the season should they stay at the #5 spot in the AFC playoffs. The Chargers have a good offense, a balanced offense on run and pass. I feel it will depend on how well the Chargers defense can react to the running attack of the Broncos.

Indianapolis (9-6) @ Tennessee (9-6) (NBC): TW: Titans, CV: Colts
The two teams got a win last week as the Colts beat the Giants and the Titans beat the Redskins. The two teams are at 9-6. The winner will get the AFC South title, the loser may possibly make the playoffs but it will depend on the results of the early/late games. The Titans have quite an offensive repertoire that involves running plays from Derrick Henry, Marcus Mariota and Dion Lewis. As well as some pass weapons. It could have an impact if Blaine Gabbert is the starter. Its a toss-up game.

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

CBS Early:
NY Jets @ New England
Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts

CBS Late:
Cleveland @ Baltimore
Jim Nantz, Tony Romo

FOX Early:
Detroit @ Green Bay
Justin Kutcher, Robert Smith, Pat McAfee

FOX Late:
Chicago @ Minnesota
Joe Buck, Troy Aikman

See you guys on Tuesday for the recap of the week's games. Have a happy new year!
-Tom

NFL 2018 Week 16 Recap

Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action has passed us by. The holiday rush is over, the gift unwrapping is over, the carolers are silent, and Santa can sleep easy again for another year. In this column, I'll be recapping the week's action. Let's get to work!

Washington 16, Tennessee 25: TW: Titans, CV: Titans
The game was somewhat a duel between Adrian Peterson and Derrick Henry. It was still a pass offense-happy game though. Peterson did run for 119 yards for 0 touchdowns, a respectable effort. Henry would run for 84 yards with a touchdown. Obviously, Washington's defense would try to contain Henry as Henry's longest run was for 18 yards. Josh Johnson threw for 153 yards for a touchdown while throwing two interceptions. Marcus Mariota would throw the ball for 110 yards before getting injured. Blaine Gabbert would carry the load while throwing 101 yards for a touchdown. The Titans playoff hopes are still alive.

Week 17: Washington: vs Philadelphia; Tennessee: vs Indianapolis

TW: 1-0; CV: 1-0

Baltimore 22, LA Chargers 10: TW: Chargers, CV: Chargers
It was a game that the Ravens needed to win to stay alive. They answered the call. The Ravens defense would hold the Chargers for 198 total yards. Lamar Jackson would throw for 204 yards for a touchdown. The Ravens leading rusher was Gus Edwards for 92 yards. Philip Rivers would throw the ball for 181 yards while throwing two interceptions. Melvin Gordon would run the ball for 41 yards while scoring the only touchdown for the Chargers in that game. Tough go-around for the Chargers.

Week 17: Baltimore: vs Cleveland; LA Chargers: @ Denver

TW: 1-1; CV: 1-1

Jacksonville 17, Miami 7: TW: Dolphins, CV: Dolphins
It was a bit of redemption for Blake Bortles in this game. To a degree. Cody Kessler would start the game with 106 yards in the effort with zero touchdowns. Bortles would throw for 39 yards while scoring no touchdowns. Carlos Hyde and Leonard Fournette would give the Jaguars rushing attack some help with 47 and 43 yards respectively. Fournette would score a touchdown as well. Ryan Tannehill threw for 146 yards with a touchdown and an interception. The Dolphins rushing game would get not a lot of help in the game as Kenyan Drake would run for 23 yards on six carries. Not the effort that Dolphins fans had hoped.

Week 17: Jacksonville: @ Houston; Miami: @ Buffalo

TW: 1-2; CV: 1-2

Houston 30, Philadelphia 32: TW: Texans, CV: Texans
The game ended up being a shootout. A really good game nonetheless. Deshaun Watson threw the ball for 339 yards while putting up two touchdowns. The Texans running game didn't get a lot going as Watson ran for 49 yards, while Alfred Blue put up only 14. Nick Foles was vintage Nick Foles throwing the ball for 471 yards while putting up four touchdowns and an interception. Darren Sproles would give the Eagles some help with 32 rushing yards on nine carries. The 471 yards by Foles was a new franchise record for passing yards in a game. Insane!

Week 17: Houston: vs Jacksonville; Philadelphia: @ Washington

TW: 1-3; CV: 1-3

Minnesota 27, Detroit 9: TW: Vikings, CV: Vikings
The Vikings needed a win to stay in the wild card hunt and they stepped up in a desperation game. Kirk Cousins threw the ball for 253 yards with three touchdowns. Dalvin Cook would run the ball for 73 yards, giving the Vikings some help in an already balanced attack. It was a lackluster effort on offense for the Lions. Matthew Stafford would only throw the ball for 116 yards and zero touchdowns. Zach Zenner was the Lions leading rusher with 45 yards on eight carries.

Week 17: Minnesota: vs Chicago; Detroit: @ Green Bay

TW: 2-3; CV: 2-3

Tampa Bay 20, Dallas 27: TW: Cowboys, CV: Cowboys
The Cowboys would lock up the NFC East, a nice prize after a hectic season. Jameis Winston threw for 336 yards with a touchdown in the game. Peyton Barber was the Buccaneers leading rusher with 43 yards with zero touchdowns. Jaquizz Rodgers did score a touchdown in the game while putting up two yards. Dak Prescott threw the pigskin for 161 yards and a touchdown pass of his own. He would also score a rushing touchdown as well. Ezekiel Elliot was the leading rusher for the Boys with 85 yards. Dallas will host a playoff game in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.

Week 17: Tampa Bay: vs Atlanta; Dallas: @ NY Giants

TW: 3-3; CV: 3-3

Green Bay 44, NY Jets 38 (F/OT): TW: Packers, CV: Jets
The game was a wild one. It was a game that I had some doubt that the Packers could win but nevertheless, they did. Aaron Rodgers would throw the ball for 444 yards with two touchdowns. Rodgers would score two rushing touchdowns as well. The Packers leading rusher was Jamaal Williams with 95 yards with a touchdown. The Jets got a great effort from Sam Darnold who threw for 341 yards with three touchdowns. Elijah McGuire had 35 yards with a touchdown. The win was the Packers first road win dating back to last season.

Week 17: Green Bay: vs Detroit; NY Jets: @ New England

TW: 4-3; CV: 3-4

NY Giants 27, Indianapolis 28: TW: Colts, CV: Colts
The game was a great one as Andrew Luck willed his team to a possible playoff berth. Andrew Luck got 357 yards for two touchdowns while throwing the ball. He did throw an interception in the game. Marlon Mack got 34 yards rushing with a touchdown in the game. Eli Manning had 309 yards with a touchdown and an interception in the game for the Giants. Saquon Barkley would run the ball for 43 yards for a touchdown. Barkley would out-gain Mack in the game.

Week 17: NY Giants: vs Dallas; Indianapolis: @ Tennessee

TW: 5-3; CV: 4-4

Cincinnati 18, Cleveland 26: TW: Browns, CV: Browns
The Browns would sweep their neighbors to the south of Ohio for the first time since 2002. The Bengals got some help in the passing game from Jake Driskell. Driskell would throw the ball for 133 yards and two touchdowns. Joe Mixon would run the ball for 68 yards. Baker Mayfield threw the ball for 284 yards on three touchdowns. Nick Chubb ran the ball for 112 yards with zero touchdowns. It was a far cry from the time two years ago when the Browns got their first win on Christmas Eve against the Chargers.

Week 17: Cincinnati: @ Pittsburgh; Cleveland: @ Baltimore

TW: 6-3; CV: 5-4

Atlanta 24, Carolina 10: TW: Falcons, CV: Falcons
There was a time when the Panthers were 6-2, after this game it would be their 7th straight loss. The Falcons got a great effort from Matt Ryan who threw the ball for 239 yards on three touchdowns. The Falcons got a great boost on the running game with Brian Hill running the ball for 115 yards. The Panthers started Taylor Heineke at quarterback. The QB threw for 274 yards with a touchdown pass. He threw three interceptions in the game. Christian McCaffrey got the Panthers help while running the ball for 101 yards on 21 carries. Both teams are now at 6-9, how crazy.

Week 17: Atlanta: @ Tampa Bay; Carolina: @ New Orleans

TW: 7-3; CV: 6-4

Buffalo 12, New England 24: TW: Patriots, CV: Patriots
The Patriots would get their 10th straight AFC East title after this game. Josh Allen had 217 yards passing the ball with a touchdown pass and throwing two interceptions. Keith Ford would run the ball for 33 yards with zero touchdowns. Tom Brady had an off game while throwing the ball for 126 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. Sony Michel would help pick up the slack for the Pats with his 116 yards while compiling a touchdown of his own. It was more of a defensive effort for the Patriots than the usual offensive game. Then again Buffalo isn't that great.

Week 17: Buffalo: vs Miami; New England: vs NY Jets

TW: 8-3; CV: 7-4

Chicago 14, San Francisco 9: TW: Bears, CV: Bears
It was more of a defensive game than the one that some expected to see. The Bears defense kept the 49ers at bay while the Bears offense gave them enough points to win. Mitchell Trubisky threw the ball 246 yards with a touchdown pass. The Bears leading rusher was Jordan Howard with 53 yards with a touchdown of his own. The Niners quarterback Nick Mullens had a similar game with 241 yards passing with an interception. Jeff Wilson was the 49ers leading man in rushing with 27 yards. The Bears would be the 3rd seed in the NFC playoffs.

Week 17: Chicago: @ Minnesota; San Francisco: @ LA Rams

TW: 9-3; CV: 8-4

LA Rams 31, Arizona 9: TW: Rams, CV: Rams
It was a game that most people would expect to turn in the Rams favor. Jared Goff threw the ball for 216 yards with a touchdown in the game. CJ Anderson would start the game for the Rams in place of the injured Todd Gurley and Anderson didn't lose a step in the game. He racked up 167 yards with a touchdown. Robert Woods and Goff would also score a rushing touchdown for the Rams. The Cardinals had trouble finding stability at quarterback as Josh Rosen threw the ball for 87 yards, Mike Glennon threw for 63 yards and Larry Fitzgerald would see some time throwing the ball, scoring the only touchdown for the Cardinals on a 32-yard pass to David Johnson. One more week to go Arizona!

Week 17: LA Rams: vs San Francisco; Arizona: @ Seattle

TW: 10-3; CV: 9-4

Pittsburgh 28, New Orleans 31: TW: Saints, CV: Saints
The game that a lot of people had their eye on. Some wanted the Steelers to win, some wanted the Saints to win. Ben Roethlisberger attempted to throw the ball for nearly 50 times while compiling 380 yards passing on three touchdowns. The Steelers running game wasn't too much of a factor as Jaylen Samuels only ran for 53 yards. Drew Brees had a good day throwing the ball for 326 yards with a touchdown. The Saints running back duo in Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram ran the ball for 35 and 23 yards respectively. Ingram scored a touchdown while Kamara scored two. The Saints locked up the #1 seed in the NFC playoffs.

Week 17: Pittsburgh: vs Cincinnati; New Orleans: vs Carolina

TW: 11-3; CV: 10-4

Kansas City 31, Seattle 38: TW: Chiefs, CV: Chiefs
Defensive troubles continue to haunt the Chiefs in a time when momentum is huge going into the playoffs. The Chiefs got a great game offensively. Patrick Mahomes had 273 yards passing the ball for three touchdowns. Damien Williams had 103 yards rushing on 13 carries. Russell Wilson threw for 271 yards on three touchdowns of his own with zero interceptions. Chris Carson ran the ball for 116 yards with two touchdowns against the Chiefs. The Seahawks locked up a playoff spot as they will most likely play Dallas in the Wild Card game in a few weeks.

Week 17: Kansas City: vs Oakland; Seattle: vs Arizona

TW: 11-4; CV: 10-5

Denver 14, Oakland 27: TW: Broncos, CV: Broncos
With the possibility of playing in Oakland for the last time, the Raiders gave their fans something to celebrate. The Broncos passing game comprised of Case Keenum throwing the ball for 202 yards with two touchdowns while throwing two interceptions. Philip Lindsey would run the ball for 46 yards with zero touchdowns. Derek Carr threw the ball for 167 yards for zero touchdowns. The Raiders running game was led by Doug Martin running the ball for 107 yards with a touchdown. Jalen Richard would also score a touchdown in the game for the Black & Silver. Richard ran the ball for 11 yards.

Week 17: Denver: vs LA Chargers; Oakland: @ Kansas City

TW: 11-5; CV: 10-6

Records:

Tom (me)
2018:
Week 1: 10-5-1
Week 2: 6-9-1
Week 3: 8-8
Week 4: 12-3
Week 5: 6-9
Week 6: 10-5
Week 7: 10-4
Week 8: 11-3
Week 9: 9-4
Week 10: 7-7
Week 11: 8-5
Week 12: 11-4
Week 13: 10-6
Week 14: 7-9
Week 15: 8-8
Week 16: 11-5
Overall: 144-94-2

Cardinal Viking
2018:
Week 1: 8-7-1
Week 2: 9-6-1
Week 3: 5-11
Week 4: 9-6
Week 5: 9-6
Week 6: 6-9
Week 7: 12-2
Week 8: 10-4
Week 9: 8-5
Week 10: 9-5
Week 11: 7-6
Week 12: 13-2
Week 13: 11-5
Week 14: 7-9
Week 15: 10-6
Week 16: 10-6
Overall: 143-95-2

I'll see you guys on Friday for the Week 17 picks column! See you guys in a few days. 
-Tom

NFL 2018 Week 16 Picks

Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action is upon us yet again! The league is entering its 16th week of competition. In the column, I'll discuss the latest playoff picture, an NFL edition of what 32 teams will be getting this holiday, a cool video of the week, and of course, the picks! Let's get to work!

Playoff Picture: Week 16

AFC:

1st seed: Kansas City Chiefs (11-3)
2nd seed: Houston Texans (10-4)
3rd seed: New England Patriots (9-5)
4th seed: Pittsburgh Steelers (8-5-1)
5th seed: Los Angeles Chargers (11-3)
6th seed: Baltimore Ravens (8-6)

Wild Card:
Baltimore @ New England
LA Chargers @ Pittsburgh

Still alive:
Indianapolis (8-6), Tennessee (8-6), Miami (7-7), Cleveland (6-7-1)

Eliminated:
Denver (6-8), Cincinnati (6-8), Buffalo (5-9), Jacksonville (4-10), NY Jets (4-10), Oakland (3-11)

NFC:

1st seed: New Orleans Saints (12-2)
2nd seed: Los Angeles Rams (11-3)
3rd seed: Chicago Bears (10-4)
4th seed: Dallas Cowboys (8-6)
5th seed: Seattle Seahawks (8-6)
6th seed: Minnesota Vikings (7-6-1)

Wild card:
Minnesota @ Chicago
Seattle @ Dallas

Still alive:
Philadelphia (7-7), Washington (7-7), Carolina (6-8)

Eliminated:
Green Bay (5-8-1), Atlanta (5-9), Tampa Bay (5-9), NY Giants (5-9), Detroit (5-9), San Francisco (4-10), Arizona (3-11)

The Kansas City Chiefs and LA Chargers both clinched playoff berths. Two of the six teams in the AFC are in the dance. New Orleans, LA Rams, and Chicago both clinched their divisions assuring that they won't fall below the 4th seed in the playoffs. Maybe not a lot of teams still not in the hunt but there's still seeding to consider.

Secret Santa: What the 32 Teams Will Get This Year

This was something that I did last year as a kind of gag. A gag in that I predicted that what each team would get for the holidays. Like most of my predictions, it won't come true, its more of a joke. Just imagine if there were 32 people getting something for the holidays like a gift.

Arizona Cardinals: A younger version of Larry Fitzgerald.

Atlanta Falcons: Tickets to the Super Bowl since your stadium is hosting it this year but you won't play in it because... well you aren't even in the playoffs.

Baltimore Ravens: You get whatever you get out of a possible Joe Flacco trade. Think of it as a surprise.

Buffalo Bills: You're not in the playoffs this year, but don't feel down. You get snowblowers because of the Buffalo winters. A decent draft pick would be good too.

Carolina Panthers: A defensive unit that won't choke.

Chicago Bears: A DVD collection of past Bears team's not getting to the Super Bowl!

Cincinnati Bengals: Maybe a Marvin Lewis resignation letter, which is a stretch. You'll just get tinker toys.

Cleveland Browns: A better season than what you have had the past two seasons. Six wins is a great gift.

Dallas Cowboys: A GM that will be the mitigator between Jerry Jones and Jason Garrett. You need it, badly.

Denver Broncos: A John Elway-esque quarterback that can throw for more than 200 yards a game.

Detroit Lions: The next Calvin Johnson.

Green Bay Packers: A head coach that knows how to play a balanced offensive game.

Houston Texans: A fighting chance to beat either the Steelers or the Patriots.

Indianapolis Colts: Better offensive linemen

Jacksonville Jaguars: A brand new head coach, or just maybe Tom Coughlin.

Kansas City Chiefs: A playoff win.

Los Angeles Chargers: A chance to go back to San Diego so that I don't have to catch myself twice before saying your name.

Los Angeles Rams: A no-choker label come playoff time.

Miami Dolphins: Shiny reminder that the 1972 Dolphins went undefeated for an entire season. Perhaps a trophy.

Minnesota Vikings: See Los Angeles Rams. Congrats.

New England Patriots: Tom Brady's clone.

New Orleans Saints: Some delicious gumbo and shrimp. You don't need anything special.

New York Giants: Eli Manning's younger self. Like when he used to ball out for 300+ yards.

New York Jets: Signs for the Jets wide receivers to hold that says "Pass to me" or "don't pass to me"

Oakland Raiders: A lump of coal for making me think you were legit championship contenders. I won't forget that.

Philadelphia Eagles: A free pass to boo Santa Claus now that you won a championship last year.

Pittsburgh Steelers: A defensive unit that doesn't shit the bed against sub-par teams.

San Francisco 49ers: A truck to move Levi's Stadium to San Francisco. Santa Clara, really?

Seattle Seahawks: A rebuilding season? A playoff contender? You really don't need anything.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Stability at quarterback.

Tennessee Titans: A Derrick Henry bobblehead.

Washington Redskins: A Dan Snyder resignation letter. Or just some tinker toys.

Cool Video of the Week:

Christmas, a time for giving gifts, eating delicious food, spending time with friends and family. There are people out there in the world that sadly don't get to experience the spirit of the holiday. As you spend time with those you care about, remember of those who are less fortunate and perhaps give a little bit. Here's a video of one of my favorite Christmas songs. Enjoy!

Week 16 Picks!

Week 16 in the NFL's regular season will start in Nashville, Tennessee and ends in Oakland, California. The week will have two Saturday games, nine early games, three late games, a Sunday night game, and a Monday night game. No teams will be on a bye week. CBS will have the doubleheader and FOX will have the single, regional game. Let's get to the picks!

Washington (7-7) @ Tennessee (8-6) (NFL Network): TW: Titans, CV: Titans
Both teams got a win last week as the Redskins beat the Jaguars and the Titans beat the Giants. The game will be a showdown between the old, hardy veteran running back in Adrian Peterson to the younger running back in Derrick Henry. I have been doubting the Titans a lot this season, and I feel that this will come down to which running back can give their teams a lift. I trust in you Tennessee

Baltimore (8-6) @ LA Chargers (11-3) (NFL Network): TW: Chargers, CV: Chargers
Both teams got a win last week as the Ravens beat the Buccaneers and the Chargers beat the Chiefs. The game will come down to which side of the ball really controls the game. Whether it will be the Ravens staunch defense or the powerful Charger offensive attack. Time for me to be a little skeptical of Baltimore this week. If they can keep up with the Chargers it will be a possible victory for them.

Jacksonville (4-10) @ Miami (7-7) (CBS): TW: Dolphins, CV: Dolphins
Both teams got losses last week as the Jaguars lost to the Redskins and the Dolphins to the Vikings. The battle for Florida will be intense. Both teams have shown some lackluster play throughout the season. I tend to like the Dolphins in the matchup as they do have some stability at quarterback and good offensive pieces that can sustain drives. I just can't pick the Jaguars again.

Houston (10-4) @ Philadelphia (7-7) (CBS): TW: Texans, CV: Texans
Both teams got a win last week as the Texans beat the Jets and the Eagles beat the Rams. I don't know how to feel about this game. The two teams have had the capability to do good things on offense but on defense, I would certainly say that Houston still has the advantage with JJ Watt on the field. Nick Foles will still be starting. I feel it will depend on how well the Texans run game can get going. I like the Texans on both sides.

Minnesota (7-6-1) @ Detroit (5-9) (FOX): TW: Vikings, CV: Vikings
The Vikings beat the Dolphins and the Lions lost to the Bills last week respectively. The Vikings run game came to play last week and I feel will have a repeat performance. The Vikings will need it to get going against a Lions team that has seen some success in pass defense. As far as the two defenses, I still have the Vikings defense over the edge against the Lions.

Tampa Bay (5-9) @ Dallas (8-6) (FOX): TW: Cowboys, CV: Cowboys
Both teams took losses last week as the Buccaneers lost to the Ravens and the Cowboys to the Colts. I have to feel that the shutout loss against Indy last week will put the Cowboys in a foul mood and will have a rebound game. The Cowboys defense needs to come through in the clutch as well as the Bucs pass offense is pretty good and will need to give their offense a chance to put points on the board.

Green Bay (5-8-1) @ NY Jets (4-10) (FOX): TW: Packers, CV: Jets
Both teams took losses last week as the Packers lost to the Bears and the Jets to the Texans. I feel this is one of the games that the Packers are capable of winning but also prone to losing due to how bad the offense is compared to the past seasons in the Aaron Rodgers era. If the Packers can sustain drives by being balanced and keeping Sam Darnold off-key during the game on defense will be a result in the Packers in a victory.

NY Giants (5-9) @ Indianapolis (8-6) (CBS): TW: Colts, CV: Colts
The Giants lost to the Titans and the Colts beat the Cowboys last week. The game will have two great running games in Saquon Barkley in the Giants and Marlon Mack of the Colts. Barkley didn't quite show up to the game that I had expected him to. It was a relative surprise. I feel the game will come down to how well the rest of the Colts will play. If the Colts defense can get a few stops early it will be a Colt victory.

Cincinnati (6-8) @ Cleveland (6-7-1) (CBS): TW: Browns, CV: Browns
Both teams got a win last week as the Bengals beat the Raiders and the Browns beat the Broncos. The battle for Ohio recommences for the last time this season. The two teams still have some meaning to their seasons. I feel the Browns will win if they can stick to the winning formula and play some tight defense. Keeping Joe Mixon off-key will be huge as he is the Bengals big weapon.

Atlanta (5-9) @ Carolina (6-8) (FOX): TW: Falcons, CV: Falcons
The Falcons beat the Cardinals and the Panthers lost to the Saints last week. The Panthers will be without Cam Newton in the game. The Falcons still have a lot of offensive talent to account for. The combo of Matt Ryan to Julio Jones will be a huge part of this game. The Falcons defense will keep staying on focus as they will have to plan against Taylor Heinicke. Christian McCaffrey will probably see a huger workload.

Buffalo (5-9) @ New England (9-5) (CBS): TW: Patriots, CV: Patriots
The Bills got a win against the Lions and the Patriots lost to the Steelers last week. The Patriots will need to get a win to remain in the hunt for a 1st round bye. I feel a trouncing of the Bills will keep the Patriot faithful happy. The key in the game is how well Josh Allen will be against a Patriots defense that has shown some lackluster play against the run.

Chicago (10-4) @ San Francisco (4-10) (FOX): TW: Bears, CV: Bears
The Bears beat the Packers and the 49ers beat the Seahawks last week. The game will come down to who will play better in the passing game. Both teams have solid players at running back and can come up clutch on defense. I like the Bears in the game as they have offensive players that can make drives long and can keep Nick Mullens off his game.

LA Rams (11-3) @ Arizona (3-11) (FOX): TW: Rams, CV: Rams
The two teams took losses last week as the Rams lost to the Eagles and the Cardinals to the Falcons. The game really looks like a mismatch on paper but the Rams have shown some signs of slowing down. The key to the game will depend on which Rams team shows up to play. I can't trust the Cardinals enough to pull off one of the huger upsets this week. Go Rams!

Pittsburgh (8-5-1) @ New Orleans (12-2) (CBS): TW: Saints, CV: Saints
The two teams got a win last week as the Steelers beat the Patriots and the Saints beat the Panthers. The marquee game of the week will be the Steelers visiting the Big Easy against the Saints. The game will come down to if how well the Steelers offense can keep the Saints defense on the field. That will mean how well the pass and run game can keep them on the field. Jaylen Samuels will need to play well to give his team a chance to win. The Superdome crowd will be pretty loud and hostile as well. I can't trust the Steelers to get a win in there.

Kansas City (11-3) @ Seattle (8-6) (NBC): TW: Chiefs, CV: Chiefs
Both teams took a loss last week as the Chiefs lost to the Chargers and the Seahawks lost to the 49ers. The game will depend on if the Chiefs can hold a lead as well as keeping their foot on the gas. The Seahawks are still a possible playoff team and will need to maintain their focus. I still like the Chiefs in that they have a good offense and can put up points quite easily.

Denver (6-8) @ Oakland (3-11) (ESPN): TW: Broncos, CV: Broncos
Both teams took losses last week as the Broncos lost to the Browns and the Raiders to the Bengals. The game will depend on how well the passing game of the Broncos will be. The Broncos running attack will have a good day, I feel. The Broncos could win as they still have a solid play on defense. I can't trust the Raiders to pick them after all the pain they've caused me all season. Could also be the last game played in Oakland.

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

CBS Early:
Houston @ Philadelphia
Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts

CBS Late:
Pittsburgh @ New Orleans
Jim Nantz, Tony Romo

FOX Single:
Minnesota @ Detroit
Chris Myers, Daryl Johnston

For more info on which game is being played in your area, check out: NFL 2018: Week 16 Maps

Records:

Tom (me)
2018:
Week 1: 10-5-1
Week 2: 6-9-1
Week 3: 8-8
Week 4: 12-3
Week 5: 6-9
Week 6: 10-5
Week 7: 10-4
Week 8: 11-3
Week 9: 9-4
Week 10: 7-7
Week 11: 8-5
Week 12: 11-4
Week 13: 10-6
Week 14: 7-9
Week 15: 8-8
Overall: 133-89-2

Cardinal Viking
2018:
Week 1: 8-7-1
Week 2: 9-6-1
Week 3: 5-11
Week 4: 9-6
Week 5: 9-6
Week 6: 6-9
Week 7: 12-2
Week 8: 10-4
Week 9: 8-5
Week 10: 9-5
Week 11: 7-6
Week 12: 13-2
Week 13: 11-5
Week 14: 7-9
Week 15: 10-6
Overall: 133-89-2

Sorry for the late post, I had planned on putting this up earlier in the week but I realized the games were on Saturday. I'll see you guys on Wednesday for the recap column as the Christmas holiday will surely be busy. 

-Tom

NFL 2018 Week 14 Recap

Hello readers! Another week in the National Football League is finished. The week that was brought us some blowouts, some close games, and a game that ended on the final play. The column will have a recap of the week's games and a look ahead of the current record of me and Cardinal Viking (my roommate). Let's get to work.

Jacksonville 9, Tennessee 30: TW: Titans, CV: Titans
I'll be honest, I thought the game would be closer than what the final score would be. Derrick Henry ultimately changed that thinking fairly quickly. The Titans running back would steamroll the Jaguars defense, gaining 238 rushing yards with four touchdowns. Marcus Mariota had 162 passing yards with an interception. The Jaguars started Cody Kessler for the game, throwing the ball for 240 yards and a touchdown (the only touchdown the Jaguars would get in the game). The running game of the Jaguars didn't provide the same offense with Leonard Fournette getting only 36 yards. It was the Derrick Henry Show.

Week 15: Jacksonville: vs Washington; Tennessee: @ NY Giants

TW: 1-0, CV: 1-0

Indianapolis 24, Houston 21: TW: Texans, CV: Texans
It was a game that Andrew Luck had to carry his team to victory. Luck had 399 yards passing on two touchdowns and an interception. His running game couldn't get a lot going with Melvin Mack rushing for 33 yards. The Texans running game was productive as Lamar Miller and Alfred Blue got a touchdown each while Deshaun Watson was the leading rusher. Watson did throw for 267 yards and a touchdown in the game. The Texans win streak ends at nine.

Week 15: Indianapolis: vs Dallas; Houston: @ NY Jets

TW: 1-1; CV: 1-1

Carolina 20, Cleveland 26: TW: Panthers, CV: Browns
If there was any doubt of either Carolina becoming a threat in the NFC or the Browns staying as a cellar-dweller changed at the end of this game. Baker Mayfield had a good day with 238 yards passing with a touchdown. Nick Chubb and Jarvis Landry had decent days on the ground with both getting 66 and 54 rushing yards respectively. The ground game was good for Carolina with Christian McCaffrey running for 63 yards and two touchdowns. Cam Newton had 265 yards passing with an interception. The Browns had two turnovers in the game with two fumbles, Carolina couldn't capitalize on the mistakes, however.

Week 15: Carolina: vs New Orleans; Cleveland: @ Denver (Saturday)

TW: 1-2; CV: 2-1

New England 33, Miami 34: TW: Patriots, CV: Patriots
It was a game that the Patriots really let slip away. Tom Brady threw for 358 yards on three touchdowns with a running game that was provided by Sony Michel for 57 yards, James Develin had a rushing touchdown. Ryan Tannehill of the Dolphins had 265 yards passing with three touchdowns to his name as well. The Dolphins running game of Frank Gore torched the Pats with 92 yards and Brandon Bolden had 60 yards with two touchdowns. The final play of the game was a 69-yard pass play from Ryan Tannehill and eventually let to Kenyan Drake scoring the touchdown. After a few legal lateral passes of course.

Week 15: New England: @ Pittsburgh; Miami: @ Minnesota

TW: 1-3; CV: 2-2

NY Giants 40, Washington 16: TW: Giants, CV: Redskins
The season went from bad to worse for the Redskins at the end of this game. A possible playoff contender in Washington now looks to stay competitive. The Giants offense was jumpstarted by Saquon Barkley's 170 yards with a touchdown. Eli Manning had 197 yards passing with three touchdowns. Mark Sanchez was quickly replaced after he threw two interceptions in the game and Josh Johnson would provide the only two touchdowns in the game for Washington, both a passing and a rushing touchdown. It would seem that Josh Johnson would be the best bet for them for the rest of the season.

Week 15: NY Giants: vs Tennessee; Washington: @ Jacksonville

TW: 2-3; CV: 2-3

NY Jets 27, Buffalo 23: TW: Bills, CV: Jets
The rare time I pick the Bills and they screw it up. Such my luck. Sam Darnold would return to start for the Jets in the game racking up 170 yards passing with a touchdown and a pick. The Jets running game had a decent game with Elijah McGuire picking up 60 yards. The Bills would ultimately rely on the arm and legs of Josh Allen. Allen threw for 206 yards and two interceptions while running for 101 yards and a touchdown. The Bills had three turnovers in the game, the Jets had two. First comeback victory for Darnold.

Week 15: NY Jets: vs Houston; Buffalo: vs Detroit

TW: 2-4; CV: 3-3

Baltimore 24, Kansas City 27 (F/OT): TW: Ravens, CV: Chiefs
The game was about as low scoring as I had thought though Patrick Mahomes did put up stellar numbers in the game. It was Spencer Ware that provided the needed rush offense for the Chiefs. Ware had 75 yards on the ground while Mahomes threw for 377 yards passing on two touchdowns and a pick. Lamar Jackson was both the passer and the runner in the game getting 218 all-purpose yards while compiling two passing touchdowns. Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker would kick the game-winning 35-yard field goal to give the Chiefs the victory. Rough one for Baltimore.

Week 15: Baltimore: vs Tampa Bay; Kansas City: vs LA Chargers (Thursday night)

TW: 2-5; CV: 4-3

New Orleans 28, Tampa Bay 14: TW: Saints, CV: Saints
It wasn't quite the shootout that I had hoped it would be, let alone from the first matchup for both teams in week 1. Drew Brees threw for 201 yards with a touchdown and a pick in the game. Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram racked up 103 rushing yards combined with a touchdown for Ingram. Jameis Winston would throw the ball for 213 yards with two touchdowns and a pick. Winston was the leading rusher with 47 yards from the ground. New Orleans locked up the division with a repeat division title.

Week 15: New Orleans: @ Carolina; Tampa Bay: @ Baltimore

TW: 3-5; CV: 5-3

Atlanta 20, Green Bay 34: TW: Packers, CV: Falcons
The game was quite entertaining for those who like Green Bay. Aaron Rodgers would throw the ball for 196 yards on two touchdowns. Aaron Jones gave the Packers running attack with 71 yards and a touchdown as well. Matt Ryan had 262 yards passing with three touchdowns and a pick. Ito Smith had 60 yards on the ground for the Falcons. It was the first win for interim head coach Joe Philbin.

Week 15: Atlanta: vs Arizona; Green Bay: @ Chicago

TW: 4-5; CV: 5-4

Cincinnati 21, LA Chargers 26: TW: Chargers, CV: Chargers
It was a game that looked to be a blowout on paper, but a close one on the field. Jake Driskell had 170 yards passing with a touchdown for the Bengals. Joe Mixon had a great day on the ground with 111 yards rushing and a touchdown of his own. Phillip Rivers had 220 yards passing with a touchdown. Austin Ekeler had 66 yards rushing with a touchdown in this game for the Chargers. Keenan Allen had 78 yards receiving on five catches for a touchdown. Tough luck Cincy.

Week 15: Cincinnati: vs Oakland; LA Chargers: @ Kansas City (Thursday)

TW: 5-5; CV: 6-4

Denver 14, San Francisco 20: TW: Broncos, CV: Broncos
San Francisco's quarterback Nick Mullens would end the game with 332 passing yards, 210 of that was from tight end George Kittle. Mullens would finish the day with two touchdowns and a pick. Jeff Wilson had a good day on the ground running the ball over Denver for 90 yards, longest for 11 yards. Case Keenum had 186 yards passing with a touchdown and zero interceptions. The Broncos running game didn't quite get a lot going with Royce Freeman getting 36 yards and Phillip Lindsey getting 30 yards and a touchdown. Kittle would also score an 85-yard touchdown for the Niners.

Week 15: Denver: vs Cleveland (Saturday); San Francisco: vs Seattle

TW: 5-6; CV: 6-5

Detroit 17, Arizona 3: TW: Cardinals, CV: Cardinals
Zach Zenner would provide the only offensive touchdown for the Lions in the game while racking up 54 rushing yards. Matthew Stafford threw for only 101 yards in the game. Josh Rosen threw the ball for 240 yards and an interception that would get picked off by Darius Slay for a pick-six. David Johnson had only 49 yards rushing for the Cardinals. I should've picked Detroit in the game. BAH!

Week 15: Detroit: @ Buffalo; Arizona: @ Atlanta

TW: 5-7; CV: 6-6

Philadelphia 23, Dallas 29 (F/OT): TW: Cowboys, CV: Cowboys
It was a game that perhaps means the return of a great rivalry. Both Dak Prescott and Carson Wentz had three touchdowns each. Wentz had 455 yards passing with two interceptions, however. Dak Prescott had 228 yards passing for Dallas. Ezekiel Elliot had 113 yards rushing for zero touchdowns. Josh Adams had only 36 yards rushing for the Eagles, the rushing leader for them in the game. Any hope for the defending champs to return to the playoffs is starting to slip.

Week 15: @ LA Rams; Dallas: @ Indianapolis

TW: 6-7; CV: 7-6

Pittsburgh 21, Oakland 24: TW: Steelers, CV: Steelers
Ben Roethlisberger would throw the ball for 282 yards and two touchdowns before getting injured and returning later on in the game. Jaylen Samuels would only run the ball for 28 yards. Stevan Ridley would score a touchdown for Pittsburgh in the game. Derek Carr would throw for 322 yards and two touchdowns while Doug Martin would run for 32 yards and a touchdown of his own. It was a sense of joy for Oakland in a season where there was not much to celebrate. The light of the tunnel is near.

Week 15: vs New England; Oakland: @ Cincinnati

TW: 6-8; CV: 7-7

LA Rams 6, Chicago 15: TW: Rams, CV: Rams
It was a game that featured two good defenses, the Bears defense would ultimately prevail. Jared Goff was off all game with 180 yards passing and 4 interceptions. Todd Gurley would only get 28 yards rushing in the game. Mitchell Trubisky had 110 yards passing with a touchdown and three interceptions. The Bears running game of Jordan Howard had 101 yards on the ground. Not quite the offensive game that some people are accustomed to in either team.

Week 15: LA Rams: vs Philadelphia; Chicago: vs Green Bay

TW: 6-9; CV: 7-8

Minnesota 7, Seattle 21: TW: Seahawks, CV: Vikings
The game was a quiet one until things got going in the 4th quarter. Russell Wilson had 72 yards passing with zero touchdowns and an interception. Chris Carson had 90 yards on the ground with a touchdown, the only offensive touchdown for the Seahawks. Minnesota had the better passing attack with 208 yards and a touchdown. Dalvin Cook had 55 yards rushing with zero touchdowns.

Week 15: Minnesota: vs Miami; Seattle: @ San Francisco

TW: 7-9; CV: 7-9

Records:

Tom (me)
2018:
Week 1: 10-5-1
Week 2: 6-9-1
Week 3: 8-8
Week 4: 12-3
Week 5: 6-9
Week 6: 10-5
Week 7: 10-4
Week 8: 11-3
Week 9: 9-4
Week 10: 7-7
Week 11: 8-5
Week 12: 11-4
Week 13: 10-6
Week 14: 7-9
Overall: 125-81-2

Cardinal Viking
2018:
Week 1: 8-7-1
Week 2: 9-6-1
Week 3: 5-11
Week 4: 9-6
Week 5: 9-6
Week 6: 6-9
Week 7: 12-2
Week 8: 10-4
Week 9: 8-5
Week 10: 9-5
Week 11: 7-6
Week 12: 13-2
Week 13: 11-5
Week 14: 7-9
Overall: 123-83-2

See you guys on Thursday for the Week 15 Picks column! 

-Tom

NFL 2018 Week 13 Picks

Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action is soon upon us. The league is entering into its 13th week of competition in the 2018 regular season. There is only five more weeks left in the season and there are still division races to be won, wild cards to be gained and teams that won't play past January. In the column I'll talk about the latest playoff picture, a cool video of the week and of course the picks! Let's get to work!

Playoff Picture: Week 13

AFC:
1st seed: Kansas City (9-2)
2nd seed: New England (8-3)
3rd seed: Houston (8-3)
4th seed: Pittsburgh (7-3-1)
5th seed: LA Chargers (8-3)
6th seed: Baltimore (6-5)

Wild Card:
Baltimore @ Houston
LA Chargers @ Pittsburgh

Still alive:
Indianapolis (6-5), Miami (5-6), Cincinnati (5-6), Denver (5-6), Tennessee (5-6), Cleveland (4-6-1), Buffalo (4-7), Jacksonville (3-8), NY Jets (3-8), Oakland (2-9)

NFC:

1st seed: New Orleans (10-1)
2nd seed: LA Rams (10-1)
3rd seed: Chicago (8-3)
4th seed: Dallas (6-5)
5th seed: Minnesota (6-4-1)
6th seed: Washington (6-5)

Wild card:
Washington @ Chicago
Minnesota @ Dallas

Still alive:
Seattle (6-5), Carolina (6-5), Philadelphia (5-6), Green Bay (4-6-1), Atlanta (4-7), Tampa Bay (4-7), Detroit (4-7), NY Giants (3-8), Arizona (2-9), San Francisco (2-9)

Cool video of the week:

One of the more interesting viral videos of the week is a cow. A big, tall cow. A cow that is just as tall to the true GOAT, Michael Jordan. Why is this the cool video of the week? Why not? Enjoy.

Week 13 Picks:

Week 13 of the National Football League starts in Arlington, Texas and ends in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. No teams are on a bye this week. There are 16 games on the slate. The week will have a Thursday night game, nine early games, four late games, a Sunday night game, and a Monday night game. FOX will have the doubleheader and CBS will have the single, regional game. On to the picks!

New Orleans (10-1) @ Dallas (6-5) (FOX/NFL Network): TW: Saints, CV: Saints
Both teams got a win last week as the Saints beat the Falcons and the Cowboys beat the Redskins. An enticing matchup to be sure, the Saints are going on a 10-game winning streak, the longest streak of the NFL this season. I don't know if the Saints running game can be stopped in the game, I feel this is the key to the game for the Cowboys. If they can cause the Saints to be one dimensional and sustain drives of their own, they got a chance to win. I don't know if Dallas can.

Denver (5-6) @ Cincinnati (5-6) (CBS): TW: Broncos, CV: Broncos
The Broncos got a win against the Steelers and the Bengals lost to the Browns. The Broncos defense pulled up the stops against Pittsburgh last week and I feel they got a chance to do the same for Cincinnati. I feel the Broncos have an advantage on offense as well. Better running attack. When you lose to the Browns, you gotta lose a bit of credibility. I'll take my chances with the Broncos.

Chicago (8-3) @ NY Giants (3-8) (FOX): TW: Bears, CV: Bears
The Bears got a win against the Lions and the Giants lost to the Eagles last week. It's possible to not see Mitchell Trubisky in this game as he is recovering from injury so Chase Daniel might get the start again. The Bears defense could give the Giants a bit of a fit but I think they can get it done against the Giants.

Carolina (6-5) @ Tampa Bay (4-7) (FOX): TW: Panthers, CV: Panthers
The Panthers lost to the Seahawks and the Buccaneers got a win against the 49ers. The game will be a high-scoring, offensive game. The two teams are great on both run and pass offense. I like the Panthers because of their better defense than the Buccaneers (14th in overall defense, to the Bucs 27th).

Cleveland (4-6-1) @ Houston (8-3) (CBS): TW: Texans, CV: Texans
Both teams got a win last week as the Browns beat the Bengals and the Texans beat the Titans. The Browns have been quite a nice story for the NFL when they win, the underdogs of the world win as well. This week, however, not so much. The Texans are riding on an 8-game winning streak, 2nd longest in the NFL this season. Sorry, Cleveland but Houston is a bit better on defense as long as JJ Watt is on the field.

LA Rams (10-1) @ Detroit (4-7) (FOX): TW: Rams, CV: Rams
The Rams were on a bye week and the Lions lost to the Bears on Thanksgiving. The Rams are coming off a bye week and should be refreshed to finish off the season. The defense alone could keep the Lions pinned down enough to give them a win. Rams on offense are rock solid with Todd Gurley and Jared Goff as the quarterback. Could be a trap game though, be careful Los Angeles.

Buffalo (4-7) @ Miami (5-6) (CBS): TW: Dolphins, CV: Dolphins
The Bills got a win against the Jaguars and the Dolphins lost to the Colts last week. The matchup could be a dumpster fire but I like the Dolphins. The quarterback play of the Bills has been lackluster for the better part of the season and the Dolphins have shown some semblance of a quarterback that can lead an offense. Could be a dumpster of a game.

Indianapolis (6-5) @ Jacksonville (3-8) (CBS): TW: Colts, CV: Colts
The Colts got a win against the Dolphins and the Jaguars lost to the Bills. The Jaguars for the better part of the season have let me down. A lot. The last straw was last week. After last week, I'm not going to pick them for the rest of the season. That and I like the Colts on offense, and their defense can keep Blake Bortles at bay. That will be the key.

Baltimore (6-5) @ Atlanta (4-7) (CBS): TW: Ravens, CV: Ravens
The Ravens got a win last week as they beat the Raiders and the Falcons lost to the Saints. The game is a classic defense vs offense game. The Ravens are great on defense, and the Falcons are good on offense. The Ravens have a bit of an edge on the game as they have an offense that can run and pass the ball well. The key will be whether or not the Falcons defense can keep their opponents off the field.

Arizona (2-9) @ Green Bay (4-6-1) (FOX): TW: Packers, CV: Packers
Both teams got a loss last week as the Cardinals lost to the Chargers and the Packers to the Vikings. The Packers need to get a win to even stay in the talk of being in the NFC playoff race. I'm still holding out hope that Mike McCarthy can get it together to get a win before reality sets in. The reality that he might be fired at the end of the season. Go Pack Go!

NY Jets (3-8) @ Tennessee (5-6) (CBS): TW: Titans, CV: Titans
Both teams took losses last week as the Jets lost to the Patriots and the Titans lost to the Texans. The game comes down to if Sam Darnold will regain the starting position or if Josh McCown will stay in as the starter. The Jets nonetheless just might lose this game still as the running game hasn't gotten going for a while. I like the Titans in the game as they have a pretty potent offense that features both the feet and arm of Marcus Mariota. I'll take Tennessee.

Kansas City (9-2) @ Oakland (2-9) (CBS): TW: Chiefs, CV: Chiefs
The Chiefs were on a bye week and the Raiders lost to the Ravens last week. I'll be honest, the Raiders were somewhat a leading candidate in one thing going into this game. A high draft choice. I'll take the Chiefs because of Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs defense could cause issues.

San Francisco (2-9) @ Seattle (6-5) (FOX): TW: Seahawks, CV: Seahawks
The 49ers lost to the Buccaneers and the Seahawks beat the Panthers last week. The game could be a close one but its possible that it won't be as well. I like the Seahawks at home as the atmosphere is hopeful for a playoff berth. I don't trust the 49ers offense enough to give them an edge to the Seahawks.

Minnesota (6-4-1) @ New England (8-3) (FOX): TW: Patriots, CV: Patriots
Both teams got a win last week as the Vikings beat the Packers and the Patriots beat the Jets. The game will greatly depend on if the Vikings running game can keep the Patriots defense on the field and keep Tom Brady on the sideline. As it is the formula to beat him and to take risks against the Patriots. Brady is proven to be a winner and just in general trust the Pats in the matchup.

LA Chargers (8-3) @ Pittsburgh (7-3-1) (NBC): TW: Steelers, CV: Chargers
The Chargers beat the Cardinals and the Steelers lost to the Broncos last week. The game is an AFC matchup on NBC, like old school AFC matchup. The Steelers running game was hit into a wall last week but I feel James Conner can get the ball back in the game and have a good day on the ground, the Steelers will need it.

Washington (6-5) @ Philadelphia (5-6) (ESPN): TW: Eagles, CV: Eagles
The Redskins lost to the Cowboys and the Eagles beat the Giants last week. The week finishes off with a classic NFC East matchup. Washington's quarterback problem will be lessened in this game if Colt McCoy can have an improved game than what he did against Dallas last week. I like the Eagles in the game as they still have Carson Wentz and the offense is still good enough to get points.

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

CBS Single:
Denver @ Cincinnati
Spero Dedes, Adam Archuleta

FOX Early:
Chicago @ NY Giants
Kevin Burkhardt, Charles Davis

FOX Late:
Minnesota @ New England
Joe Buck, Troy Aikman

For more information on which game is played in your area, check out: NFL 2018: Week 13 Maps

Records:

Tom (me)
2018:
Week 1: 10-5-1
Week 2: 6-9-1
Week 3: 8-8
Week 4: 12-3
Week 5: 6-9
Week 6: 10-5
Week 7: 10-4
Week 8: 11-3
Week 9: 9-4
Week 10: 7-7
Week 11: 8-5
Week 12: 11-4
Overall: 108-66-2

Cardinal Viking
2018:
Week 1: 8-7-1
Week 2: 9-6-1
Week 3: 5-11
Week 4: 9-6
Week 5: 9-6
Week 6: 6-9
Week 7: 12-2
Week 8: 10-4
Week 9: 8-5
Week 10: 9-5
Week 11: 7-6
Week 12: 13-2
Overall: 105-69-2

See you guys on Monday for the week's recap, enjoy the games!
-Tom

Edit #1: Included Cardinal Viking's picks. 

NFL Week 12 Picks

Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action is upon us. The week that offers us the opportunity to give thanks, go nuts on Black Friday deals and be among family/friends. The column this week will feature all 32 teams on what they can be thankful for this season. There will be also a cool video of the week, playoff picture and of course the picks! Let's get to work.

Be Thankful: What the 32 teams can be thankful for

So this was something that I did last season as a sort of joke on which team can be thankful for this season. As far as confirmation on what each team is actually thankful for, I have no comment. Nonetheless here's the list.

Arizona Cardinals: You have a chance to get a top 5 pick in the draft, other than that your team is shit.

Atlanta Falcons: The 28-3 memes have died down quite a bit. At least until I mentioned it.

Baltimore Ravens: You have two potential starting quarterbacks and a great defense. And still might make the playoffs.

Buffalo Bills: You don't have Nathan Peterman on your team anymore.

Carolina Panthers: Cam Newton

Chicago Bears: Monsters Of The Midway are back and you have a QB that isn't Jay Cutler.

Cincinnati Bengals: You started off well enough to be this far. You still have AJ Green on the team.

Cleveland Browns: You're not the butt of all NFL jokes anymore.

Dallas Cowboys: You still have fans that go wild after beating a team that has a sub-par record. And Ezekiel Elliot

Denver Broncos: You have a team that is good on defense and a mess at quarterback.

Detroit Lions: You might not finish in last place in the division this year.

Green Bay Packers: You still have Aaron Rodgers on the team and that Mike McCarthy might not be there anymore.

Houston Texans: You've won seven straight games.

Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck is having a good season and is upright.

Jacksonville Jaguars: Not a lot to be thankful for, you have potential to do a full rebuild.

Kansas City Chiefs: Patrick Mahomes, that's about it.

Los Angeles Chargers: The Chargers are doing good so far this season, despite having shit attendance.

Los Angeles Rams: Your team is pretty good, don't need to say much.

Miami Dolphins: You could make the playoffs and Jay Cutler isn't on the team.

Minnesota Vikings: The defense is still good and Kirk Cousins is having a great season, running game not so much.

New England Patriots: Tom Brady.

New Orleans Saints: Drew Brees is having a god-mode of a season. Probably a Super Bowl contender.

New York Giants: You have a star running back in Saquon Barkley, not much else to say. Been playing better than earlier this season.

New York Jets: You're still rebuilding and you can get better at offense.

Oakland Raiders: You're the Browns and at least this guy picked you to be in the Super Bowl before the season started, never gonna let that go.

Philadelphia Eagles: The Eagles have a championship instead of being miserable.

Pittsburgh Steelers: James Conner is a better and younger running back than Le'veon Bell

San Francisco 49ers: Nick Mullens is keeping you competitive in games.

Seattle Seahawks: You're in a rebuilding season and you could be in the playoffs.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Fitzmagic.

Tennessee Titans: Marcus Mariota is still at quarterback and you beat the Patriots this season.

Washington Redskins: You could still be in the playoffs.

Playoff Picture: Week 12

AFC:

#1: Kansas City Chiefs
#2: Pittsburgh Steelers
#3: New England Patriots
#4: Houston Texans
#5: Los Angeles Chargers
#6: Baltimore Ravens

Wild Card:

Baltimore @ New England
LA Chargers @ Houston Texans

Still alive:
Cincinnati (5-5), Miami (5-5), Indianapolis (5-5), Tennessee (5-5), Denver (4-6), Cleveland (3-6-1), Buffalo (3-7), Jacksonville (3-7), NY Jets (3-7), Oakland (2-8)

NFC:

#1: Los Angeles Rams
#2: New Orleans Saints
#3: Chicago Bears
#4: Washington Redskins
#5: Carolina Panthers
#6: Minnesota Vikings

Wild Card:

Minnesota @ Chicago
Carolina @ Washington

Still Alive:
Seattle (5-5), Dallas (5-5), Green Bay (4-5-1), Atlanta (4-6), Detroit (4-6), Philadelphia (4-6), NY Giants (3-7), Tampa Bay (3-7), Arizona (2-8), San Francisco (2-8)

Cool  video of the week:

The cool video of the week is a reminder for Thanksgiving. The season is to remind us to be thankful for what you have, your health, and your family. This clip is from an Americana classic, The Peanuts Thanksgiving Special. Enjoy.

The Picks!

Week 12 will start in Detroit, Michigan and ends in Houston, Texas. There are two teams on a bye this week, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Los Angeles Rams. After this week, there will be no teams on a bye week. There will be three Thursday games, seven early games, three late games, a Sunday night game, and a Monday night game. CBS will have the doubleheader and FOX will have the single, regional game. To the picks!

Chicago (7-3) @ Detroit (4-6) (CBS): TW: Bears, CV:  Bears
Both teams picked up a win last week as the Bears beat the Vikings and the Lions beat the Panthers. The two teams could make the game interesting as an early Thanksgiving game but I feel the Bears will win off of their defense. I could go with the home team though but I can't trust the Lions enough to give them the upset to beat the Bears.

Washington (6-4) @ Dallas (5-5) (FOX): TW: Cowboys, CV: Cowboys
The Redskins lost to the Texans and the Cowboys beat the Falcons last week. The game will probably be a snooze as the Redskins lost Alex Smith to injury last week and I don't think that the Redskins can rely on their defense in this one to stay close with them. I trust the Cowboys offense in this one. Probably a good game to take a snooze while the tryptophan is coursing through the system.

Atlanta (4-6) @ New Orleans (9-1) (NBC): TW: Saints, CV: Saints
The Falcons lost to the Cowboys and the Saints beat the Eagles last week. While the shoppers are out shopping and breaking the bank, the primetime game features a decent matchup with two offenses with loaded talent. Could be a shootout but I have to go with the Saints as the hot team and they're at home.

Cleveland (3-6-1) @ Cincinnati (5-5) (CBS): TW: Browns, CV: Browns
The Browns were on a bye and the Bengals lost to the Ravens last week. The game is the battle of Ohio. The Browns are coming off a bye and should be well rested (let alone beating the Falcons the week before). Should be a close game but I like the Browns in this one if they can do damage on defense.

Seattle (5-5) @ Carolina (6-4) (FOX): TW: Panthers, CV: Panthers
The Seahawks beat the Packers and the Panthers lost to the Lions last week. The game should be entertaining as both teams have solid offenses and can be good at times on defense. The game could be close. I like the Panthers in the matchup as they can both run and pass the ball well with personnel that can do the job.

San Francisco (2-8) @ Tampa Bay (3-7) (FOX): TW: Buccaneers, CV: Buccaneers
The 49ers were on a bye and the Buccaneers lost to the Giants last week. The game could come down to whoever starts for Tampa in the game. I feel Ryan Fitzpatrick has done enough to earn the starting spot for the game but I don't trust Jameis Winston to give his team the victory. Nonetheless, I don't trust the 49ers enough to keep up with the #1 passing offense in the NFL.

Oakland (2-8) @ Baltimore (5-5) (CBS): TW: Ravens, CV: Ravens
Both teams got a win last week as the Raiders beat the Cardinals and the Ravens beat the Bengals. I don't trust the Raiders enough to give them the pick this week as they're not good on either offense or defense. The Ravens have a better defense and that alone should give them a win this week.

NY Giants (3-7) @ Philadelphia (4-6) (FOX): TW: Eagles, CV: Eagles
The Giants got a win against the Buccaneers and the Eagles lost to the Saints last week. It's a divisional rivalry game, it's a huge game if the Eagles want to get back into playoff contention. Must-win rather. The Giants could very well beat them this week but I can't trust the Giants this week. Should be a lot closer than what Vegas thinks.

New England (7-3) @ NY Jets (3-7) (CBS): TW: Patriots, CV: Patriots
The two teams were on a bye last week. The Patriots are well built than the Jets, on offense they still have Tom Brady and the Jets still have a learner in Sam Darnold. I don't trust the Jets and the Patriots should get back in the winning column after this week.

Jacksonville (3-7) @ Buffalo (3-7) (CBS): TW: Jaguars, CV: Bills
The Jaguars lost to the Steelers and the Bills were on a bye week last week. The game is a rematch of the AFC Wild Card game last year and boy did these two teams fall off the earth. I like the Jaguars in the game as the Bills are just a trainwreck.

Arizona (2-8) @ LA Chargers (7-3) (FOX): TW: Chargers, CV: Chargers
The two teams took a loss last week as the Cardinals lost to the Raiders and the Chargers to the Broncos. The Chargers on offense is better since Phillip Rivers is at quarterback for them and Melvin Gordon can get great runs. The Cardinals can at times look decent but the season has been bad for them. Larry Fitzgerald deserves better.

Miami (5-5) @ Indianapolis (5-5) (CBS): TW: Colts, CV: Colts
The Dolphins were on a bye and the Colts beat the Titans last week. I like the Colts in the game as they have a more solid offense and momentum is on their side. The Colts defense can dominate games when they can but I like the Colts in this one. Miami could make it interesting.

Pittsburgh (7-2-1) @ Denver (4-6) (CBS): TW: Steelers, CV: Steelers
Both teams got a win with the Steelers beat the Jaguars and the Broncos beat the Chargers. The late game that should garner interest is this one. The two teams have solid running games and can do well enough on defense. The Steelers pass offense should dominate the Broncos in the game but it could stay interesting.

Green Bay (4-5-1) @ Minnesota (5-4-1) (NBC): TW: Packers, CV: Vikings
Both teams took losses last week as the Packers lost to the Seahawks and the Vikings to the Bears. I would pick the Vikings in the game but I don't want to give any credit to the opposition. If the Vikings to win the game, I hope it gives reason to question Mike McCarthy and convince ownership to remove him from head coach. It could be Packer victory and I'll be happy with it. It's not like Aaron Rodgers has won in U.S. Bank Stadium ever.

Tennessee (5-5) @ Houston (7-3) (ESPN): TW: Texans, CV: Texans
The Titans lost to the Colts and the Texans beat the Redskins. The week finishes up with a decent matchup on Monday Night Football. The Titans could pull off an upset but I like the Texans still with their running game, their pass offense, and great defense. Could make Marcus Mariota's night a nightmare. Hopefully, the Texans win streak can continue.

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

FOX Single:
NY Giants @ Philadelphia:
Thom Brennaman, Chris Spielman

CBS Early:
New England @ NY Jets
Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts

CBS Late:
Pittsburgh @ Denver
Jim Nantz, Tony Romo

For more info on which game is being played in your area, check out NFL Week 12 Maps

Records:

Tom (me)
2018:
Week 1: 10-5-1
Week 2: 6-9-1
Week 3: 8-8
Week 4: 12-3
Week 5: 6-9
Week 6: 10-5
Week 7: 10-4
Week 8: 11-3
Week 9: 9-4
Week 10: 7-7
Week 11: 8-5
Overall: 97-62-2

Cardinal Viking
2018:
Week 1: 8-7-1
Week 2: 9-6-1
Week 3: 5-11
Week 4: 9-6
Week 5: 9-6
Week 6: 6-9
Week 7: 12-2
Week 8: 10-4
Week 9: 8-5
Week 10: 9-5
Week 11: 7-6
Overall: 92-67-2

Enjoy your Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and the rest of the weekend. I'll be posting a recap column on Monday. Until then, see you guys!
-Tom

Edit #1: Included Cardinal Viking's picks and changed the Chargers record from 3-7 to 7-3, sorry Chargers fans. :(