2019 NFL Week 16 Picks

Here are my picks for week sixteen of the 2019 NFL Season.

Saturday, December 21st
Houston Texans (8-5) vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-7)- 1:00, NFLN: The Texans are coming off a huge road win in Nashville against the Titans. The Buccaneers are coming off a road win in Detroit against the Lions. The Texans can clinch the division here with a win and with the Bucs missing both Mike Evans and Chris Godwin for the season, I don't see how they can match the Texans score to score. Houston won't have a problem as they'll clinch their fourth division title in five seasons.
Prediction: Houston 33, Tampa Bay 20.

Buffalo Bills (10-3) vs New England Patriots (10-3)- 4:30, NFLN: It's been a very long time where the AFC East division has not been clinched this late in the season. The Bills are coming off a big time road win in Pittsburgh against the Steelers. The Pats are coming off a road win in Cincinnati against the Bengals. All the pressure is on the Pats to put together a good effort against the upstart Bills to get the win to clinch the division and I think they'll get it done courtesy of their defense.
Prediction: New England 16, Buffalo 13.

Los Angeles Rams (8-6) vs San Francisco 49ers (12-2)- 8:30, NFLN: The Rams are coming off a disastrous road loss in Arlington against the Cowboys. The 49ers are coming off a heartbreaking home loss against the suddenly frisky Atlanta Falcons. The Rams are eliminated from playoff contention with a loss here and the Niners are playing for a division crown next week when they go to Seattle, but they also could have home field advantage if they win out. This will be a much closer and competitive game then the first time these two met and I think the Niners win a high scoring affair.
Prediction: San Francisco 27, LA Rams 24.

Sunday, December 22nd
Jacksonville Jaguars (5-9) vs Atlanta Falcons (5-9)- 1:00, FOX: The Jaguars are coming off a comeback road win in Oakland against the Raiders to spoil the Silver And Black's final home game at The Coliseum. The Falcons are coming off a great road win in Santa Clara against the 49ers. The Falcons are playing very good football right now and there is a lot of drama going on with the Jags so give me the Red Birds to win comfortably.
Prediction: Atlanta 37, Jacksonville 16.

Baltimore Ravens (12-2) vs Cleveland Browns (6-8)- 1:00, CBS: The Ravens are coming off a dominant Thursday night home win over the New York Jets. The Browns are coming off a bad loss in Glendale against the Cardinals. The Ravens are still playing for AFC home field advantage and don't forget the last team to defeat the Ravens was this Browns team so don't underestimate the revenge angle here too. Ravens win it and eliminate the Browns from playoff contention.
Prediction: Baltimore 34, Cleveland 23.

New Orleans Saints (11-3) vs Tennessee Titans (8-6)- 1:00, FOX: The Saints are coming off a dominant Monday night home win over the Indianapolis Colts as Drew Brees made history by taking the lead all time touchdown passes in league history. The Titans are coming off a tough home loss against the Houston Texans which will likely cost them a division title. The Titans are still playing for a wild card berth though and I think they get it done in an entertaining game at home.
Prediction: Tennessee 30, New Orleans 27.

Carolina Panthers (5-9) vs Indianapolis Colts (6-8)- 1:00, FOX: The Panthers are coming off a home loss against the Seattle Seahawks. The Colts are coming off a disastrous Monday night road loss in New Orleans against the Saints. By mostly all accounts this is a meaningless game, but Will Grier will make his first career start for the Panthers so that should be interesting. That said, I don't think the Colts defense is as bad as it looked because the Saints offense is really awesome and I think the Colts get it done at home to at least avoid a double digit loss season.
Prediction: Indianapolis 20, Carolina 16.

Cincinnati Bengals (1-13) vs Miami Dolphins (3-11)- 1:00, CBS: Here we have a Tank-A-Thon! The Bengals are coming off a home loss against the New England Patriots. The Dolphins are coming off a road loss in East Rutherford against the Giants. This is among the worst games on paper all season and I'll just pick the home team led by Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Prediction: Miami 26, Cincinnati 24.

Pittsburgh Steelers (8-6) vs New York Jets (5-9)- 1:00, CBS: The Steelers are coming off a tough Sunday night home loss against the Buffalo Bills. The Jets are coming off a Thursday night road loss in Baltimore against the Ravens. I expect both teams to perform better than they did a week ago although Dalvin Hodges does not look to be the answer for the Steelers. That said, the Steelers defense is the best unit on the field and I expect them to pick off Sam Darnold a time or two as that will be the difference.
Prediction: Pittsburgh 24, NY Jets 20.

New York Giants (3-11) vs Washington Redskins (3-11)- 1:00, FOX: Here's another somewhat Tank-A-Thon game, except these two teams want their rookie quarterbacks to perform well. The Giants are coming off a home win over the Miami Dolphins as Eli Manning had his swan song. The Redskins are coming off a divisional home loss against the Philadelphia Eagles. Dwayne Haskins played perhaps his best game a week ago and Daniel Jones returns from his ankle injury. I expect both young quarterbacks to play well and I think the Giants skill position guys are better and that's three difference.
Prediction: NY Giants 30, Washington 26.

Detroit Lions (3-10-1) vs Denver Broncos (5-9)- 4:05, CBS: The Lions are coming off a home loss against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Broncos are coming off a bad divisional road loss in Kansas City against the Chiefs in the snow. I think Drew Lock and the Broncos offense bounces back here against a bad Lions defense and get the win.
Prediction: Denver 26, Detroit 13.

Oakland Raiders (6-8) vs Los Angeles Chargers (5-9)- 4:05, CBS: The Raiders are coming off a tough home loss against the Jacksonville Jaguars in The Coliseum finale. The Chargers are coming off a disastrous home loss against the Minnesota Vikings. I think points will come at plenty here and I think Phillip Rivers and the offense bounces back against a much weaker Raiders defense.
Prediction: LA Chargers 37, Oakland 24.

Dallas Cowboys (7-7) vs Philadelphia Eagles (7-7)- 4:25, FOX: This is certainly the biggest game on the Sunday slate as the NFC East is pretty much at stake here. The Cowboys are coming off a huge home win over the Los Angeles Rams. The Eagles are coming off a big divisional road win in Landover against the Redskins. The Eagles are still shorthanded all around so that gives the Cowboys a nice edge here as the NFC East finally has a back to back champion for the first time in a long time.
Prediction: Dallas 27, Philadelphia 20.

Arizona Cardinals (4-9-1) vs Seattle Seahawks (11-3)- 4:25, FOX: The Cardinals are coming off a home win over the Cleveland Browns. The Seahawks are coming off a road win in Charlotte against the Panthers. I can see this being a much closer game than people expect because the Seahawks host the 49ers next week, but I do expect the Seahawks to get the win.
Prediction: Seattle 31, Arizona 26.

Kansas City Chiefs (10-4) vs Chicago Bears (7-7)- 8:20, NBC: The Chiefs are coming off a dominant divisional home win over the Denver Broncos. The Bears are coming off a tough divisional road loss in Green Bay against the Packers in which they nearly pulled off a lateral touchdown which could have tied the game with a two-point conversion. The Chiefs are still playing for a possible bye in the AFC playoffs and I think they get it done on the road in a close one.
Prediction: Kansas City 26, Chicago 23.

Monday, December 23rd
Green Bay Packers (11-3) vs Minnesota Vikings (10-4)- 8:15, ESPN: This is a humongous game in the NFC North. The Packers are coming off a divisional home win over the Chicago Bears. The Vikings are coming off a dominant road win in Los Angeles against the Chargers. The Packers can clinch the division with a win here and the Vikings win the division if they win out. The Vikings are missing Dalvin Cook, but I don't think they'll miss him as they have the depth to replace him and I think Kirk Cousins finally gets a win on Monday Night Football.
Prediction: Minnesota 34, Green Bay 26.