NFL 2020 Week 13 Picks

 Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action is coming upon us soon. Last week was certainly a long week for everyone. Hopefully this week will be free of COVID positives for all 32 teams. The week features a few intriguing matchups. I'll be keeping an eye on the Browns-Titans, Rams-Cardinals and Broncos-Chiefs games. In this post I'll talk about: the latest playoff projection and my picks for the week's action. Let's get to work!

Playoff Picture: Week 13

Starting this season the NFL added an extra wild card team for both the NFC and AFC. So there'll be four division winners that will make up the top-4 seeds and then three wild cards. So in total there will be 14 teams that will be playing January football. Here's the latest playoff projection: 

AFC:

1st seed: Pittsburgh Steelers (11-0)
2nd seed: Kansas City Chiefs (10-1)
3rd seed: Tennessee Titans (8-3)
4th seed: Buffalo Bills (8-3)
5th seed: Cleveland Browns (8-3)
6th seed: Miami Dolphins (7-4)
7th seed: Indianapolis Colts (7-4)

Wild card:

Indianapolis @ Kansas City
Miami @ Tennessee
Cleveland @ Buffalo

I assume that the team that is the lowest seed would go onto play the Steelers in the divisional playoff. The major tiebreaker of note is that Tennessee is ahead of Buffalo based on their head-to-head (Tennessee beat Buffalo earlier in the season). 

NFC:

1st seed: New Orleans Saints (9-2)
2nd Seed: Seattle Seahawks (8-3)
3rd seed: Green Bay Packers (8-3)
4th seed: New York Giants (4-7)
5th seed: Los Angeles Rams (7-4)
6th seed: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-5)
7th seed: Arizona Cardinals (6-5)

Wild card:

Arizona @ Seattle
Tampa Bay @ Green Bay
Los Angeles Rams @ New York Giants

You read that right ladies and gentlemen a 4-7 football team could possibly host a playoff game and a team that has a better record will have to go on the road to beat them. An interesting tiebreaker is that the Seahawks is ahead of the Packers based on strength of victory. 

Week 13 Picks

Week 13 of the NFL's regular season features a 15-game slate. There will be no Thursday night game this week. The week features seven early games, four late games, a Sunday night game, two Monday games, and a Tuesday night game. CBS will have the doubleheader while FOX will have the single, regional game. Tampa Bay and Carolina are on a bye this week. Let's get to the picks!

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

Detroit (4-7) @ Chicago (5-6) (FOX): TW: Bears; CV: Lions  
Both teams lost last week as the Lions lost to the Texans and the Bears lost to the Packers. Matt Patricia is gone and the Lions future is unknown. I'm not sure how the Lions will respond. Typically teams that react to their head coach firing is in general good. I feel the Bears will win based on in general better running game and defense. This could be a close one and the sad thing is one of these teams is bound to win.

Cleveland (8-3) @ Tennessee (8-3) (CBS) TW: Titans; CV: Browns
Both teams won last week as the Browns beat the Jaguars and the Titans beat the Colts. Cleveland are at least guaranteed to finish at least at .500 which is certainly a long time coming for them. Unfortunately, they play next a Titans team that destroyed the Colts on the road. The way the Browns rush defense couldn't stop/slow down James Robinson of the Jaguars doesn't really convince me that the Brownies have the means to stop Derrick Henry or at least slow him down. I think the Titans are the better team in this matchup. 

Indianapolis (7-4) @ Houston (4-7) (CBS): TW: Colts; CV: Colts
The Colts lost to the Titans and the Texans beat the Lions last week. Momentum seems to be on the Texans side as they destroyed the Lions on Thanksgiving. Indy in general can play well when they don't shoot themselves in the foot via penalties or turnovers. In spite of last week's horrible loss, I do like the Colts in the matchup as they still have a formidable defense that can contain David Johnson enough to make the Texans go to DeShaun Watson more often for offense. 

Jacksonville (1-10) @ Minnesota (5-6) (CBS): TW: Vikings; CV: Vikings
The Jaguars lost to the Browns and the Vikings beat the Panthers last week. Jacksonville was close to getting a win last week against the Browns but nevertheless they will finish with double digit losses this season. Any chances of victory are slim but not impossible. Who am I kidding? It would take a terrible Kirk Cousins game for the Vikes to lose this one. 

New Orleans (9-2) @ Atlanta (4-7) (FOX): TW: Saints; CV: Saints
Both teams got wins last week as the Saints beat the Broncos and the Falcons beat the Raiders. Not gonna lie, I want to take the Falcons in this game. Taysom Hill's time at quarterback hasn't been exactly Drew Brees-esque (if that's a word) but I like the Saints running game and defense enough to lean toward to New Orleans. 

Las Vegas (6-5) @ NY Jets (0-11) (CBS): TW: Raiders; CV: Raiders
Both teams lost last week as the Raiders lost to the Falcons and the Jets lost to the Dolphins. Probably the shortest summary ever. If the Raiders lose to the Jets... just move back to Oakland. Seriously. 

Cincinnati (2-8-1) @ Miami (7-4) (CBS): TW: Dolphins; CV: Dolphins
The Bengals lost to the Giants and the Dolphins beat the Jets last week. It is possible that Tua Tagovailoa could return to the fray that is the Miami Dolphins offense. What he or Ryan Fitzpatrick will face is a Joe Burrow-less Bengals team that will likely start Brandon Allen who made the most of his situation. The Bungles will likely not have Joe Mixon back until next week. It seems wise to go with the Dolphins. 

NY Giants (4-7) @ Seattle (8-3) (FOX): TW: Seahawks; CV: Seahawks
Both teams got wins last week as the Giants beat the Bengals and the Seahawks beat the Eagles. While the 12th man might not be out in force in this game, the Seahawks should win this game based on their offense alone. The trio of Russell Wilson, Chris Carson, and DK Metcalf is hard to stop and I don't see the Giants putting a lid on it. Ironic that the Seahawks, who had in 2010 a 7-9 record and was in the playoffs, play the Giants a team that is currently leading their division with a 4-7 record. 

LA Rams (7-4) @ Arizona (6-5) (FOX): TW: Rams; CV: Cardinals
Both teams lost last week as the Rams lost to the 49ers and the Cardinals lost to the Patriots. Arizona's achilles heel is rearing its ugly head: overall defense. Arizona has lost 3 of its last 4 games. You could make a case that Kyler Murray deserves some of the blame. They're way too good on offense to not have at least 7 or 8 wins. Unfortunately, I feel the Rams seem to be the safer choice in this one as I don't know if they can be stopped with the Cardinals defense. Could be a close game though. NFC West matchups are interesting to watch. 

Philadelphia (3-7-1) @ Green Bay (8-3) (CBS): TW: Packers; CV: Packers
The Eagles lost to the Seahawks and the Packers beat the Bears last week. In spite of a 3-game losing streak, the Eagles still have somewhat of a shot to win their division. What stands in their way of a win is the Packers who seem to be a better built team on offense. Sure their defense is suspect but the Eagles offense is just as suspect. Seems like a tall mountain to climb for Carson Wentz and company but I'll take the Packers. 

New England (5-6) @ LA Chargers (3-8) (CBS): TW: Chargers; CV: Chargers
The Patriots beat the Cardinals and the Chargers lost to the Bills last week. Even Vegas isn't sure who is going to win this game. Justin Herbert has a been nice story for the Chargers who basically are a trainwreck without him. I think what makes this game intriguing is how well the Patriots pass defense handles him as Bill Belichek has made it a habit to giving rookie quarterbacks nightmares. It's a toss-up but I think the Chargers squeak out a win. 

Denver (4-7) @ Kansas City (10-1) (NBC): TW: Chiefs; CV: Chiefs
The Broncos lost to the Saints and the Chiefs beat the Buccaneers last week. Hopefully the Broncos have at least one of their quarterbacks in this one. Kendall Hinton could make another start if none of them are available due to COVID. Otherwise I think Drew Lock will start again for the Broncos. Chiefs will still win because of Patrick Mahomes doing Patrick Mahomes things. 

Washington (4-7) @ Pittsburgh (11-0) (FOX): TW: Steelers; CV: Steelers
Both teams won last week as the Football Team beat the Cowboys and the Steelers beat the Ravens. Washington will be riding high as they pretty much pillaged and burned the hopes of the Cowboys making a late run to the playoffs on Thanksgiving. What they face is a Steelers squad that didn't play well against the Ravens on Wednesday. It's to be expected since the game was pushed back so much and the play was pretty sloppy. I think the game will get the Steelers back to form. 

Buffalo (8-3) @ San Francisco (5-6) (ESPN): TW: Bills; CV: Bills 
Both teams won last week as the Bills beat the Chargers and the 49ers beat the Rams. Game won't be in Santa Clara due to Santa Clara county's ban on contact sports due to COVID. This game will be in Glendale, Arizona. So perhaps the 49ers should be called the Arizona 49ers? Jokes aside, the Monday night game is somewhat of a tantalizing matchup. I like the Bills based on their offense with the multi-talented Josh Allen at the helm. If Buffalo's defense can get into the game and make things happen via turnovers, I like Buffalo in the game. 

Dallas (3-8) @ Baltimore (6-5) (FOX/NFL Network): TW: Ravens; CV: Ravens
Both teams lost last week as the Cowboys lost to the Football Team and the Ravens lost to the Steelers. The game was originally supposed to happen tonight (writing this on Thursday night) and got moved to Tuesday because of the Ravens-Steelers contest that took place on Wednesday. Dallas might have some advantage because of the extra rest. Baltimore could see most of its starters return to action which doesn't bode well for the Cowboys who're still trying to get a playoff berth out of their ass. I don't see it happening. 

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

CBS Early:
Jacksonville @ Minnesota
Beth Mowins, Jay Feely

CBS Late:
Philadelphia @ Green Bay
Jim Nantz, Tony Romo

FOX Single:
Detroit @ Chicago
Kevin Kugler, Chris Spielman

Note: Washington @ Pittsburgh will be shown on FOX but my local market won't show it as it is exclusive to NFL Sunday Ticket. Bummer

For more information on which game is being shown in your area, check out: NFL Week 13 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
Week 12: 11-5
Total: 116-60-1

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
Total: 108-68-1

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 13 recap.

-Tom

NFL 2020 Week 12 Recap

 Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action has come and gone. The week that was featured some surprises. Such surprises including the comeback win for the Vikings, the Cowboys attempting to surprise the rest of America with a fake punt and hopefully some new Thanksgiving food to enjoy. I know cooked carrots are highly underrated. In this post, I'll do a recap of the week's action. Let's get to work!

Week 12 Recap

Houston 41, Detroit 25: TW: Texans; CV: Texans
From the Week 12 Picks post: "Detroit Lions: The hope that Matt Patricia could be fired." Well, Lions fans, it happened, Matt Patricia is gone. Unfortunately, you still lost. DeShaun Watson threw for 318 yards with four touchdowns and had no interceptions in the game. Houston's running game was reserved to a helper role as David Johnson rushed for 37 yards. Wil Fuller had a good day with 171 receiving yards with two touchdowns. Matthew Stafford threw for 295 yards with a touchdown pass but also threw an interception in the game. Adrian Peterson had a good game with his 55 yards with two touchdowns. Might as well bring back Jim Caldwell if you're Detroit. At least he brought you guys two playoff appearances. 

Next week:
Houston: vs Indianapolis; Detroit: @ Chicago

TW: 1-0; CV: 1-0

Washington 41, Dallas 16: TW: Cowboys; CV: Football Team
I guess this is what I get for going back on my "Never gonna pick the Cowboys for the rest of the season" vow. Alex Smith threw for 149 yards with a touchdown pass and had an interception. Antonio Gibson would carry the Football Team's offense with 115 yards with three touchdowns. Washington's defense would get some offense with a Montez Sweat pick six. Andy Dalton would return for the Cowboys with 215 yards passing with a touchdown and an interception. Ezekiel Elliot wouldn't get much going from the ground in this one as he racked up 32 yards. Credit to the Football Team's defense in this one. Shoutout to Alex Smith's first win in nearly two years. 

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

TW: 1-1; CV: 2-0

Las Vegas 6, Atlanta 43: TW: Raiders; CV: Raiders
Who would've thought this game would be a blowout, let alone be a Falcons blowout. Derek Carr threw for 215 yards and threw an interception in the game. The interception ended up being a pick-six. Josh Jacobs wouldn't get a lot of rushing yards in the game with 27 yards. The game was also out of reach so its perhaps that they stopped going to him. Matt Ryan threw for 185 yards with two touchdowns and had an interception in the game. Atlanta's running game showed up in this one as Ito Smith rushed for 65 yards with a touchdown and Brian Hill rushed for 55 yards. Atlanta's defense, the butt of all jokes for most of the season, had their best day of the season. They sacked Derek Carr five times, forced four fumbles and had one interception that was a 67-yard pick six by Deion Jones. How about Raheem Morris having a 4-2 record since Atlanta fired Dan Quinn?

Next week:
Las Vegas: @ NY Jets; Atlanta: vs New Orleans

TW: 1-2; CV: 2-1

LA Chargers 17, Buffalo 27: TW: Bills; CV: Bills
Buffalo looked a bit off but a win is a win. Justin Herbert had another stellar day with 316 yards passing with a touchdown pass. His lone blemish would be an interception that he had. Austin Ekeler had 44 rushing yards and Joshua Kelley had 35 rushing yards of his own with a touchdown run. The Chargers defense made it a close game with three consecutive turnovers by the Bills offense. Josh Allen threw for 157 yards with a touchdown pass but also threw an interception. Allen also rushed for 32 yards with a touchdown. Cole Beasley would have a passing touchdown to his resume with a 20-yard pass to Gabriel Davis. Devin Singletary had a good game for Buffalo with his 82 rushing yards. 

Next week:
LA Chargers: vs New England; Buffalo: @ San Francisco

TW: 2-2; CV: 3-1

Miami 20, NY Jets 3: TW: Dolphins; CV: Dolphins
The winless season continues with no end in sight. Ryan Fitzpatrick would start in place of the rookie Tua Tagovailoa. Fitzpatrick wouldn't miss a beat as he threw for 257 yards with two touchdown passes. DeAndre Washington was the leading rusher for the Dolphins with 49 yards. Matt Breida had 36 yards. Sam Darnold was the complete opposite of Fitzpatrick in this one as he threw for 197 yards with two interceptions. Frank Gore had a reasonable 74 yards rushing in the game. One bright spot for the Jets was that they had two forced fumbles that were recovered. They just weren't converted into points. New York's 11-game skid is the 2nd longest in team history. The longest is a 12-game losing streak that was held by Rich Kotite's Jets during the mid-1990's.

Next week:
Miami: vs Cincinnati; NY Jets: vs Las Vegas

TW: 3-2; CV: 4-1

Tennessee 45, Indianapolis 26: TW: Colts; CV: Colts
Tennessee got its revenge on the Colts. Ryan Tannehill threw for 221 yards with a touchdown pass. Derrick Henry once again proved that he's the best running back in the game with his 178 rushing yards with three touchdowns. The Titans defense would prove to be the better defense as they held the Colts to 26 points with an interception by Breon Borders. Philip Rivers threw for 295 yards with two passing touchdowns but also threw an interception. Nyheim Hines ran for 29 yards in the game. Colts backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett rushed for three yards with two touchdowns. Tennessee proved me and Cardinal Viking wrong somehow. 

Next week:
Tennessee: vs Cleveland; Indianapolis: @ Houston

TW: 3-3; CV: 4-2

Cleveland 27, Jacksonville 25: TW: Browns; CV: Browns
It wasn't pretty but the Browns will have their first non-losing season since 2007. Baker Mayfield played well in this game, throwing for 258 yards with two touchdowns. Jarvis Landry accounted for 143 yards with a touchdown. Nick Chubb rushed for 144 yards with a touchdown and Kareem Hunt rushed for 62 yards. Mike Glennon would get the start for the Jaguars in this game. Glennon finished with 235 yards with two touchdowns. Cleveland's rush defense would have hard time figuring out how to slow down James Robinson as Robinson rushed for 128 yards with a touchdown run. We shall see if Cleveland will get win #9 for this season. 

Next week:
Cleveland: @ Tennessee; Jacksonville: @ Minnesota

TW: 4-3; CV: 5-2

NY Giants 19, Cincinnati 17: TW: Giants; CV: Bengals
New York would lose Daniel Jones in this one but the G-men did win. Jones threw for 213 yards in this one before getting injured during the 2nd half with a hamstring injury. Colt McCoy would come in and threw for 31 yards in this game. Wayne Gallman would provide the only offensive touchdown for the Giants with his 94 yards rushing in the game. Giants kicker Graham Gano would hit all four of his field goals including a 49-yard field goal. Brandon Allen would get the start for the Bengals in place of Joe Burrow. Allen threw for 136 yards with a touchdown but also threw an interception in the game. Giovanni Bernard would get 32 yards rushing in the game. Cincinnati got a boost on special teams with Brandon Wilson's 103-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. New York is now in 1st place of the NFC East, assuming the Eagles lose on Monday night. 

Next week:
NY Giants: @ Seattle; Cincinnati: @ Miami

TW: 5-3: CV: 5-3

Carolina 27, Minnesota 28: TW: Vikings; CV: Vikings
Carolina forced three Viking turnovers and somehow lost. Teddy Bridgewater threw for 267 yards with a touchdown but also threw an interception in the game. Mike Davis rushed for 55 yards in the game. The Panther defense scored two touchdowns on two fumbles. Jeremy Chinn would recover two fumbles and would score on a 17-yard and 28-yard touchdown. Good day for him. Kirk Cousins would carry the Vikings back to victory with his 307 yards passing with three touchdowns. Dalvin Cook would rush for 61 yards. The game tying touchdown was a Cousins pass to Chad Beebe with 46 seconds left in the game. Dan Bailey would hit the point after that would give the Vikes a 28-27 edge. 

Next week:
Carolina: Bye; Minnesota: vs Jacksonville

TW: 6-3; CV: 6-3

Arizona 17, New England 20: TW: Cardinals; CV: Cardinals
The Pats aren't dead quite yet. Kyler Murray threw for 170 yards and threw an interception in the game. Kenyan Drake rushed for 78 yards and scored the only two touchdowns that the Cards would put up in this game. Cam Newton wouldn't get quite a lot of yards in this one as he threw for only 84 yards and had two passes intercepted. Damien Harris ran for 47 yards, Cam Newton rushed for 46 and James White rushed for 18 yards and scored the two touchdowns for the Patriots. Patriots kicker Nick Folk hit a 50-yard field goal to give the Patriots the edge as time expired. 

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

TW: 6-4; CV: 6-4

San Francisco 23, LA Rams 20: TW: Rams; CV: Rams
Looks like the 49ers won't be playing in Santa Clara anytime soon. Nick Mullens had a better game as he threw for 252 yards but also threw an interception in the game. Jeff Wilson and Raheem Mostert rushed for 43 yards respectively. Mostert would score the only offensive touchdown for the 49ers. San Francisco's defense would help their offense out with a pick-six by defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw. Robbie Gould would hit 3 of 4 field goals in the victory. Jared Goff threw for 198 yards with two interceptions, one of the interceptions was the said pick-six. Cam Akers rushed for 84 yards with the only offensive touchdown for the Rams. Los Angeles also had some offense on defense from a Raheem Mostert fumble that would be recovered by cornerback Troy Hill. 

Next week:
San Francisco: vs Buffalo; LA Rams: @ Arizona

TW: 6-5; CV: 6-5

New Orleans 31, Denver 3: TW: Saints; CV: Saints
Imagine having four quarterbacks on your roster and have all four of them be put into COVID protocol. Taysom Hill threw for 78 yards with an interception. The turnover didn't really hurt New Orleans for obvious reasons. Hill also rushed for 44 yards with two touchdown runs. Latavius Murray rushed for 124 yards with two touchdowns as well. A month ago, Kendall Hinton was working in sales. Prior to Sunday, Hinton was a practice squad wide receiver for the Broncos. On Sunday, he would get his first NFL start. Hinton didn't look impressive as he threw for 13 yards while throwing two interceptions. It was a paltry performance but given the situation, it could've been a lot worse for Hinton. Royce Freeman was the leading rusher for the Broncos as he rushed for only 50 yards. 

Next week:
New Orleans: @ Atlanta; Denver: @ Kansas City

TW: 7-5; CV: 7-5

Kansas City 27, Tampa Bay 24: TW: Chiefs; CV: Chiefs
Tampa's comeback almost overshadowed Tyreek Hill's first quarter performance. Patrick Mahomes threw for 462 yards with three touchdowns. Clyde Edwards-Helaire rushed for 37 yards. The star in the game was Tyreek Hill who had 203 receiving yards by the end of the 1st quarter. He finished the game with 269 yards. Tom Brady threw for 345 yards with three touchdown passes and threw two interceptions in the game. Ronald Jones had 66 yards rushing in the game, his longest was from 34 yards. Rob Gronkowski had 106 receiving yards. What's happening in Tampa? Sheesh.

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

TW: 8-5; CV: 8-5

Chicago 25, Green Bay 41: TW: Packers; CV: Bears
Remember when Chicago was 5-1? Good times. Mitchell Trubisky threw for 242 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. David Montgomery had a better game on the ground with 103 yards rushing. Aaron Rodgers threw for 211 yards with four touchdown passes. Rodgers also surpasses 50,000 career passing yards during the game. Aaron Jones rushed for 90 yards in the game. Jamaal Williams rushed for 73 yards with a touchdown run. 

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

TW: 9-5; CV: 8-6

Seattle 23, Philadelphia 17: TW: Seahawks; CV: Eagles
DK Metcalf was unstoppable in this one. Russell Wilson threw for 230 yards with a touchdown pass. Chris Carson rushed for 41 yards with a touchdown run. DK Metcalf had 177 receiving yards in the game. Carson Wentz threw for 215 yards with two touchdowns but also threw an interception in the game. At least he had lesser interceptions than touchdowns. Jalen Hurts would see some action in the game but he only threw once for six yards. Wentz also rushed for 42 yards, perhaps further proving that he needs help via offensive line. At least you won't possibly have to play in the playoffs with a 3-7-1 record. 

Next week:
Seattle: vs NY Giants; Philadelphia: @ Green Bay

TW: 10-5; CV: 8-7

Baltimore 14, Pittsburgh 19: TW: Steelers; CV: Steelers
It took them nearly six days but this game happened. Robert Griffin III started for Baltimore. RGIII would put up 33 yards with an interception. Trace McSorley would replace RGIII and put up 77 yards with a touchdown pass. The leading rusher in the game was RGIII with 68 yards rushing. Gus Edwards rushed for 10 yards with a touchdown run. Marquise Brown had 85 yards receiving and a touchdown. Ben Roethlisberger threw for 266 yards with a touchdown and had an interception in the game. Benny Snell rushed for 60 yards in the game. 

Next week:
Baltimore: vs Dallas; Pittsburgh: vs Washington

TW: 11-5; CV: 9-7

2020 Week by Week Record: 

TW's record:

Week 1: 8-8
Week 2: 15-1
Week 3: 9-6-1
Week 4: 11-4
Week 5: 9-5
Week 6: 7-7
Week 7: 12-2
Week 8: 7-7
Week 9: 10-4
Week 10: 10-4
Week 11: 7-7
Week 12: 11-5
Total: 116-60-1

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
Total: 108-68-1

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 Thursday for the Week 13 picks.

-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 11 Recap

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

Week 11 Recap

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

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

TW: 0-1; CV: 0-1

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

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

TW: 0-2; CV: 0-2

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

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

TW: 1-2; CV: 0-3

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

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

TW: 2-2; CV: 1-3

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

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

TW: 3-2; CV: 2-3

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

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

TW: 3-3; CV: 3-3

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

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

TW: 4-3; CV: 4-3

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

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

TW: 5-3; CV: 4-4

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

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

TW: 6-3; CV: 5-4

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

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

TW: 6-4; CV: 5-5

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

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

TW: 6-5; CV: 5-6

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

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

TW: 6-6; CV: 6-6

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

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

TW: 7-6; CV: 7-6

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

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

TW: 7-7; CV: 8-6

2020 Week by Week Record: 

TW's record:

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

Cardinal Viking's record:

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

Previous Picking Records:

Cardinal Viking:

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

My record: 

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 156-98-2

2019: 161-94-1

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

-Tom

NFL 2020 Week 11 Picks

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

Week 11 Picks

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

CBS Single
Tennessee @ Baltimore
Jim Nantz, Tony Romo

FOX Early
Philadelphia @ Cleveland
Adam Amin, Mark Schlereth

FOX Late
Dallas @ Minnesota
Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma

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

2020 Week by Week Record: 

TW's record:

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

Cardinal Viking's record:

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

Previous Picking Records:

Cardinal Viking:

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

My record: 

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 156-98-2

2019: 161-94-1

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

-Tom 

NFL Week 10 Recap

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

Week 10 Recap

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

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

TW: 0-1; CV: 0-1

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

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

TW: 1-1; CV: 1-1

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

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

TW: 2-1; CV: 2-1

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

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

TW: 2-2; CV: 2-2

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

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

TW: 3-2: CV: 3-2

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

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

TW: 4-2; CV: 4-2

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

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

TW: 5-2; CV: 5-2

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

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

TW: 6-2; CV: 6-2

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

Next week:
Buffalo: Bye; Arizona: @ Seattle

TW: 7-2; CV: 7-2

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

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

TW: 8-2; CV: 8-2

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

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

TW: 8-3; CV: 9-2

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

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

TW: 9-3; CV: 10-2

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

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

TW: 9-4; CV: 10-3

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

Next week:
Minnesota: vs Dallas; Chicago: Bye

TW: 10-4; CV: 11-3

2020 Week by Week Record: 

TW's record:

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

Cardinal Viking's record:

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

Previous Picking Records:

Cardinal Viking:

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

My record: 

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 156-98-2

2019: 161-94-1

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

-Tom

NFL 2020 Week 10 Picks

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

Week 10 Picks

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Local TV Schedule:

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

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

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

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

2020 Week by Week Record: 

TW's record:

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

Cardinal Viking's record:

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

Previous Picking Records:

Cardinal Viking:

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

My record: 

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 156-98-2

2019: 161-94-1

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

-Tom