Here are my picks for week sixteen of the 2017 NFL season.
Saturday, December 23rd
Indianapolis Colts (3-11) vs Baltimore Ravens (8-6)- 4:30, NFLN: Indianapolis is coming off a Thursday night home loss against the Broncos. Baltimore is coming off a divisional road win in Cleveland against the Browns. The Ravens defense is great, especially at home and I like them here to shut down a bad Colts offense and have a great game all around considering the Colts defense is bad too.
Prediction: Baltimore 30, Indianapolis 13.
Minnesota Vikings (11-3) vs Green Bay Packers (7-7)- 8:30, NBC: Minnesota is coming off a dominant home win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Green Bay is coming off a road loss in Charlotte against the Panthers. The Packers shut down Aaron Rodgers for the season after being eliminated from playoff contention after bringing him back last week. I like the Vikings here to inch closer to a first-round bye with a narrow road win.
Prediction: Minnesota 24, Green Bay 20.
Sunday, December 24th
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-10) vs Carolina Panthers (10-4)- 1:00, FOX: Tampa Bay is coming off a brutal Monday night divisional home loss against the Atlanta Falcons. Carolina is coming off a big home win over the Green Bay Packers. The Panthers can clinch a playoff berth with a win here and I believe they'll get the job done.
Prediction: Carolina 30, Tampa Bay 17.
Cleveland Browns (0-14) vs Chicago Bears (4-10)- 1:00, CBS: Cleveland is coming off a divisional home loss against the Baltimore Ravens. Chicago is coming off a Saturday afternoon divisional road loss in Detroit against the Lions. A Browns win here cannot be ruled out, but I just don't like them on the road against a Bears defense that isn't really that bad.
Prediction: Chicago 20, Cleveland 13.
Detroit Lions (8-6) vs Cincinnati Bengals (5-9)- 1:00, FOX: Detroit is coming off a Saturday afternoon divisional home win over the Chicago Bears. Cincinnati is coming off a disastrous road loss in Minneapolis against the Vikings. This screams "trap" for the Lions, who still have a shot at making the playoffs, but the Bengals are a complete mess right now so give me the Lions on the road to keep their playoff hopes alive and stave off elimination.
Prediction: Detroit 30, Cincinnati 20.
Miami Dolphins (6-8) vs Kansas City Chiefs (8-6)- 1:00, CBS: Miami is coming off a divisional road loss in Orchard Park against the Bills. Kansas City is coming off a huge Saturday night divisional home win over the Los Angeles Chargers. The Chiefs are looking like the team that started 5-0 again and can clinch the AFC West with a win here and I believe they'll get it done and that said, they're my lock of the week.
Prediction: Kansas City 34, Miami 16.
Buffalo Bills (8-6) vs New England Patriots (11-3)- 1:00, CBS: Buffalo is coming off a big home win over the Miami Dolphins to keep their playoff hopes alive. New England is coming off a big time road win in Pittsburgh against the Steelers in which they got lucky in due to the fact Antonio Brown got hurt and the touchdown catch that got overturned that shouldn't have been overturned. That said, the Pats are looking to wrap up home field advantage in the AFC and I believe get the win and possibly a bye wrapped up here.
Prediction: New England 30, Buffalo 16.
Atlanta Falcons (9-5) vs New Orleans Saints (10-4)- 1:00, FOX: This is an amazing game that could likely determine the NFC South winner. Atlanta is coming off a Monday night divisional road win in Tampa Bay against the Buccaneers. New Orleans is coming off a home win over the New York Jets. The Saints can at least clinch a playoff berth with a win here and I believe they'll get it done at home.
Prediction: New Orleans 30, Atlanta 27.
Los Angeles Chargers (7-7) vs New York Jets (5-9)- 1:00, CBS: Los Angeles is coming off a bad Saturday night divisional road loss in Kansas City against the Chiefs. New York is coming off a road loss in New Orleans against the Saints. This screams "trap" for the Chargers against a bad Jet team, but Josh McCown is out for the season for the Jets and if McCown was healthy, I'd take the Jets. Give me the Bolts in a close one.
Prediction: Los Angeles 23, New York 16.
Los Angeles Rams (10-4) vs Tennessee Titans (8-6)- 1:00, FOX: Los Angeles is coming off an absolute dominant divisional road win in Seattle against the Seahawks. Tennessee is coming off a brutal road loss in Santa Clara against the rejuvenated 49ers. The Rams lost their kicker Greg Zuerlin for the season, which will hurt them down the road, but I like them here to wrap up NFC West against a free-falling Titans team.
Prediction: Los Angeles 30, Tennessee 16.
Denver Broncos (5-9) vs Washington Redskins (6-8)- 1:00, CBS: Denver is coming off a Thursday night road win against the Indianapolis Colts. Washington is coming off a home win over the Arizona Cardinals. This game is meaningless by all accounts, but give me Kirk Cousins and the Redskins to win again at home for the second straight week.
Prediction: Washington 24, Denver 23.
Jacksonville Jaguars (10-4) vs San Francisco 49ers (4-10)- 4:05, CBS: Jacksonville is coming off a divisional home win over the Houston Texans. San Francisco is coming off a home win over the Tennessee Titans which was their third win in a row. Jimmy Garrapolo has been amazing in this streak and I believe they'll knock off the Jaguars here at home.
Prediction: San Francisco 27, Jacksonville 23.
New York Giants (2-12) vs Arizona Cardinals (6-8)- 4:25, FOX: New York is coming off a divisional home loss against the Philadelphia Eagles in a game they should have won. Arizona is coming off a road loss in Landover against the Redskins. This is another meaningless game by all accounts and I like the Cardinals at home despite Drew Stanton starting for them.
Prediction: Arizona 27, New York 20.
Seattle Seahawks (8-6) vs Dallas Cowboys (8-6)- 4:25, FOX: Seattle is coming off a disastrous divisional home loss against the Los Angeles Rams. Dallas is coming off a Sunday night road win in Oakland against the Raiders in which they got lucky in. The winner of this game is still alive in the playoff and the loser is eliminated so this is basically a "loser leaves town match". Give me the Cowboys here at home with Ezekiel Elliott returning to their lineup.
Prediction: Dallas 34, Seattle 23.
Monday, December 25th
Pittsburgh Steelers (11-3) vs Houston Texans (4-10)- 4:30, NBC: Pittsburgh is coming off a brutal home loss against the New England Patriots in which they were unlucky in with the controversial call and Antonio Brown getting hurt. Houston is coming off a divisional road loss in Jacksonville against the Jaguars. Give me the Steelers in a game that will be closer than the experts think now that Brown is out until the playoffs.
Prediction: Pittsburgh 27, Houston 20.
Oakland Raiders (6-8) vs Philadelphia Eagles (12-2)- 8:30, ESPN: Oakland is coming off a Sunday night home loss against the Dallas Cowboys in which Derek Carr fumbled at the goal line at the end of the game. Philadelphia is coming off a narrow divisional road win in East Rutherford against the Giants. The Eagles have caught some breaks with their schedule in wake of this Carson Wentz injury and Nick Foles hasn't been bad for them although their defense has been shaky. I like them to wrap up NFC home field advantage here with a win.
Prediction: Philadelphia 34, Oakland 20.
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