As we close out another football season, which feels like it just started, several teams are still alive and well in the hunt for the post-season. The mighty Colts fell to the ranks of teams with a loss due to Jim Caldwell pulling all his starters and the Saints looked human for the second straight week. The Steelers are finally looking like defending champions but need some serious help to get in the dance this year. With this many important games there’s no way you should miss any games this week.

Indianapolis Colts at Buffalo Bills

The Colts starters were benched for protection purposes in the third quarter against the Jets last week. If their starters play that deep into Sunday’s game against the Bills, they will be leaving with a hefty lead. The Bills have been awful all year since blowing a two touchdown sure fire win in their opener to the Patriots. Marshawn Lynch never really showed up and poor quarterback play has been overshadowed by the dismal performance of Terrell Owens. The Colts will roll into their playoff bye with a throttling of Buffalo.

Prediction: 31 – 17 Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars at Cleveland Browns

The Jaguars were sitting pretty and in control of their own playoff destiny just a few weeks ago. Now they need a win and just about everybody in the AFC race to fall to make it this year. David Garrard has had a productive year but struggled in several games. Maurice Jones-Drew has carried the Jags most of the year and was rewarded as the only Jag Pro Bowler. Jerome Harrison has been playing like a Pro Bowler the past few weeks and should have another big game this week, but the lack of a passing game will be the Browns’ downfall on Sunday.

Prediction: 34 – 21 Jaguars

Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions

Jay Cutler and the Bears offense shocked everyone by dropping the Vikings on Monday Night. The Bears offense should keep rolling into the off-season as they get the poor Lions defense. Cutler had time and made precision throws much like he did in Denver. Look for him and the Bears to bounce back in 2010. The Lions were bad but a lot better than last season as Matthew Stafford seems to have sparked the offense finding Calvin Johnson and Brandon Pettigrew before injuries did them in. Bears win big over Detroit.

Prediction: 38 – 20 Bears

San Francisco 49ers at St. Louis Rams

Frank Gore and the 49ers may not have finished as well as they started but have built a path for success for years to come. Alex Smith seemed to have finally grabbed hold of playing quarterback in the NFL and youngsters Vernon Davis and Michael Crabtree have emerged as stars. Patrick Willis leads a young defense and he made his first Pro Bowl. The Rams were awful even before Steven Jackson and Marc Bulger suffered injuries. The 49ers take this matchup of two franchises headed in different directions.

Prediction: 27 – 17 49ers

Pittsburgh Steelers at Miami Dolphins

The past few weeks the Steelers have looked deserving of a playoff spot but that doesn’t excuse what they did the previous five. The defending champs put themselves in a spot where they need a win and at least three other teams to fall in order to return to late January football. The Dolphins aren’t exactly out of the picture either although they need a win and more than three factors to happen. Chad Henne and Ricky Williams have held down the fort well since losing Ronnie Brown for the year. The Dolphins fall on Sunday but are set up for potential playoff runs in the future.

Prediction: 31 – 21 Steelers

New York Giants at Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings have slowed here late in the season and look as beatable as any playoff team. The Giants don’t appear to be a team to beat them however as they have stumbled down the stretch themselves. Eli Manning has a few very talented young receivers but the lack of a solid offensive line and running game hasn’t helped their rhythm. Brett Favre has had one his best statistical seasons ever but a few untimely fumbles from Adrian Peterson have cost the Vikings a few games. The Vikings squeak this one out late.

Prediction: 35 – 31 Vikings

Atlanta Falcons at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Injuries have cost the Falcons their shot at a return trip to the postseason but Matt Ryan has been out to prove that the Falcons are still a very good team. The Bucs have improved since the opening week and even upset the Saints last week. Tampa has also had several injuries but lacked the talent in depth to stay competitive without the starters. Rookie Josh Freeman started out promising but has been brutal since then but is getting valuable experience under center. Falcons roll the Bucs in Tampa.

Prediction: 27 – 10 Falcons

New Orleans Saints at Carolina Panthers

The Saints have tumbled the past two games and are not looking any better than the other playoff squads. The Panthers took the Saints to the brink in their first meeting with a late DeAngelo Williams fumble separating the two. The Panthers have rolled two of the top NFC teams the past few weeks but won’t get it done against the Saints. Drew Brees is poised and determined to head into January with a full head of steam. The Saints go on the road for a tough win at Carolina.

Prediction: 34 – 24 Saints

New England Patriots at Houston Texans

The Patriots are headed back to the playoffs with Tom Brady at the helm. Brady has had another monster year and is again a Pro Bowler. The Pats may not play Brady and the other starters the full game due to having nothing to play for. The Texans have everything to play for. The Texans are looking for their first winning season and first playoff trip in franchise history. One win and some help could make that happen. Matt Schaub was snubbed for the Pro Bowl so look for a statement game from him as the Texans make a late run.

Prediction: 34 – 28 Texans

Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys are coming off two very big December wins unlike in past seasons. These two teams met earlier in the year for a great game in which the Cowboys came out victorious in Philly. This time around a healthier Cowboys team gets the red hot Eagles at home. Donovan McNabb found Jeremy Maclin late against the Broncos to pull out a win and has been using his young receivers well all season. If things fall as expected across the NFC, these two teams will meet again next week as well.

Prediction: 28 – 24 Cowboys

Green Bay Packers at Arizona Cardinals

Aaron Rodgers has had a tremendous year and for the first time is a Pro Bowler. The Packers have won with both strong offensive and defensive play. Several teams have tried to run the ball against the Pack but came up short. The Cardinals however will try to pass against the Packers. Kurt Warner has another solid year under his belt and is throwing to Pro Bowler Larry Fitzgerald. The Cardinals have a shot at the 2 seed with help from the Giants and Cowboys but if they fall short on Sunday then they might be facing the Packers again next week. The Packers steal this one late.

Prediction: 31 – 24 Packers

Washington Redskins at San Diego Chargers

The Chargers continue to play like the team most eager to grab a Super Bowl title. Phillip Rivers and the Bolts showed that will a shellacking of the Titans on Christmas Day. Vincent Jackson has emerged as a star receiver in the league and Antonio Gates had another monster year for the Chargers. The Redskins looked dismal once again Sunday night when they were shut out by the quick and dominating Dallas defense. The Redskins may again see a big zero on the scoreboard at the end of this one.

Prediction: 31 – 0 Chargers

Tennessee Titans at Seattle Seahawks

Vince Young has proven he can win games as a quarterback in the NFL. Young has led the Titans to a 7 and 2 record since taking over after a 0 and 6 start. The Titans will surely be a team to look out for in 2010 with Young leading the team. Chris Johnson will be back next year most likely coming off a 2,000 yard season as he needs just over 100 yards to reach the mark. Seattle is certainly rebuilding as Matt Hasselbeck has had a decent year with Justin Forsett emerging but getting his carries cut by the very average Julius Jones. The Titans will steamroll the Seahawks.

Prediction: 41 – 10 Titans

Baltimore Ravens at Oakland Raiders

The Ravens need a win and they are in. The Raiders have been knocking off playoff teams all year. Joe Flacco and Pro Bowl back Ray Rice look to put an end to the Raiders upset wins over top teams. Ray Lewis looks to lead the Ravens defense and shut down the Raiders shaky offense. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Raiders take yet another one and help put the Steelers that much closer to the playoffs. Ravens pull this one out with a late field goal.

Prediction: 27 – 24 Ravens

Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos

The Broncos opened the year with six consecutive wins before losing a game and now need a win and some help to make the playoffs. The Eagles broke their heart last week with the late win and the Colts didn’t help them out by allowing the Jets to sneak by. Kyle Orton has found Brandon Marshall all year long and will find him again Sunday. Jamaal Charles has turned into a monster on offense and has helped open up the Chiefs passing game. Matt Cassel has played well recently but the Chiefs have been let down by his defense late in games. Broncos survive a scare and take down the Chiefs.

Prediction: 24 – 21 Broncos

Cincinnati Bengals at New York Jets

The Bengals have been atop the AFC all season long but were completely snubbed and have no Pro Bowlers, but will take that if they can win a Super Bowl. Cedric Benson may not have made the Pro Bowl but certainly has a leg up for Comeback Player of the Year. The Jets had a playoff spot gift wrapped to them by the Colts. The Jets could see the same this week as the Bengals have nothing more to play for other than keeping momentum. Mark Sanchez will struggle and the Jets will fall short of the post-season.

Prediction: 24 – 14 Bengals

Last week: 10-6
Overall: 59-37

Thanks for reading and Happy New Year!

Oakland! Why, oh why, do I insist on continuing to pick against the Oakland Raiders this season? Well, because in the grand scheme of things, they suck. They haven’t got a QB or WR worth a damn, and they are horrible stopping the run. They’ve lost by 20 or more points, five times this year.

Ah, but they are becoming upset specialists. As we know, they knocked off the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 6, the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 11 and the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 13. But surely, with playoff hopes on the line for the Denver Broncos, in Denver, the Raiders were not going to pull off yet another upset.

They did. And I wasn’t the only one picking against them, but so did five in our original survivor pool – cneilson, eaglesrule15, gvn2fly, Inkstain, jsimpson – plus fadeleyp picking the Seattle Seahawks to drop the near winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers (nope), cutting the alive entries in that pool in half. We had 11 alive going into Week 15, and now we have just 5 alive for the $1,634.

Over in the second half survivor, bquinless and DrZaius7 got caught in the Raiders web and got the boot from the pool, leaving just 6 alive with two regular season weeks to go. The second half survivor prize is $627.

The way the holidays have played out for me (Merry Christmas, by the way), I won’t be writing my normal top 3 picks for the week. However, a quick scan of the schedule has me predicting the popular picks this week will be Green Bay Packers over Seattle Seahawks, Bengals over Kansas City Chiefs, New Orleans Saints over Buccaneers, Arizona Cardinals over St. Louis Rams and New York Giants over Carolina Panthers.

Still a bunch of valid choices this week. It wouldn’t surprise me if both of our pools go into the playoffs. Remember you don’t have to save teams for the playoffs though. We start with a clean slate if and when the pool gets to that stage.

If you are still alive, then make sure to get your pick in for Week 16 before the 1:00 Eastern deadline on Sunday. Good luck! For those not alive, look forward to the NFL Playoffs pool I hope to roll out this week. Enjoy the games!

The Cowboys ended the unbeaten run of the Saints and the Colts survived late to remain unbeaten in the star to a crazy fifteenth week of the year. The Steelers bounced back into the playoff picture with an amazing final drive and two Browns offensive players had monster days to cap the weekend. The NFC playoffs are all but set with only 3 teams vying for the 2 final spots. The AFC on the other hand is wide open with 8 teams still with a chance to get in.

San Diego Chargers at Tennessee Titans

The Chargers continue to impress and look like a team capable of winning the Bowl. Phillip Rivers has been finding Vincent Jackson and Antonio Gates with regularity while LaDanian Tomlinson finds big running lanes up front. The Chargers defense has been playing just as well to win 9 straight. The Titans are trying to pull off the improbable of making the playoffs after the brutal 0 and 6 start. Vince Young will play well but the Chargers are too much for the Titans playoff hopes.

Prediction: 27 – 17 Chargers

Fantasy Player to Watch: Vincent Jackson – 100+ yards, TD

Buffalo Bills at Atlanta Falcons

Matt Ryan came back to lead the Falcons down the field and a game winning drive against the Jets last week. Michael Turner continues to have ankle problems but Jason Snelling has thrived with his chance. The Falcons defense is playing as well as they have all year. Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Bills offense seems to have slowed recently and Terrell Owens looks on the verge to another blowup. Atlanta takes this one.

Prediction: 28 – 14 Falcons

FPTW: Roddy White – 100+ yards, TD

Kansas City Chiefs at Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals played with heavy hearts and it was obvious as their offense slowed late against the Chargers. Chad Ochocinco had a fantastic game and should play well for Chris Henry the remainder of the year. Cedric Benson may have got back on track so look for a big game from his as last week Jerome Harrison got loose for 287 yards against the poor Chief defense. Chiefs keep it close in this one.

Prediction: 24 – 13 Bengals

FPTW: Cedric Benson – 100+ yards, 2 TD

Oakland Raiders at Cleveland Browns

This may in fact be a great game. The Raiders seem to be unbeatable when they face playoff caliber teams but struggle mightily when they play weak teams. The Browns are riding high off the tremendous games from Harrison and Josh Cribbs but will be playing without Brady Quinn. JaMarcus Russell returned to the field and led the Raiders to a game winning drive a week ago. Raiders win in Cleveland.

Prediction: 24 – 17 Raiders

FPTW: Take your pick. Your guess is as good as mine.

Seattle Seahawks at Green Bay Packers

The Packers played poorly on defense and it cost them as they never could quite figure out the Steelers passing game. Aaron Rodgers and Ryan Grant had big days and you can expect more of the same this week against the Seahawk lackluster defense. Matt Hasselbeck was awful in the loss to Tampa and doesn’t have a favorable matchup this week at Lambeau. The Packers roll the Seahawks.

Prediction: 41 – 14 Packers

FPTW: Aaron Rodgers – 300+ yards, 3 TD

Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers came back in a big way last week with close to 600 yards total offense. It took a diving, toe tapping, final second touchdown catch to pull out of the losing streak but it could spark a playoff run late in the year. We have seen Pittsburgh do it before and I expect them to do it again. The Ravens currently hold the final playoff spot and need this game to help put them closer. This one is a cant miss.

Prediction: 27 – 21 Steelers

FPTW: Ben Roethlisberger – 300+ yards, 2 TD

Houston Texans at Miami Dolphins

The Texans are coming off a poor performance against the Rams but still managed to grab a win. Houston is playoff hungry and need a win right now to stay in the hunt and knock out another hopeful. Chad Henne and Ricky Williams are trying their best to score points and help out the defense but points have been scarce recently. Texans win in a great defensive game.

Prediction: 24 – 21 Texans

FPTW: Andre Johnson – 150+ yards, TD

Jacksonville Jaguars at New England Patriots

The Jaguars proved last Thursday night that they can play like a playoff team. The problem seems to be playing that way every week. The Patriots have won their last two despite never looking like the dominant team of past years. David Garrard will take the Jags into New England and grab a coveted win in the AFC playoff race.

Prediction: 31 – 21 Jaguars

FPTW: Maurice Jones-Drew – 100+ yards, TD

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints

The Saints won’t finish this year undefeated, but can still win fifteen games and the one seed. Drew Brees helped mount a massive fourth quarter comeback that fell just short but will not need to even be playing in the final quarter this week. The Bucs are coming off a great win against a lousy Seattle team but will hit a wall this week. Look for Darren Sharper to make a couple of picks on Josh Freeman. Saints dominate the Bucs this week.

Prediction: 45 – 10 Saints

FPTW: Drew Brees – 300+ yards, 4 TD

Carolina Panthers at New York Giants

Both the Panthers and Giants played extremely well a week ago and won decisively. The Panthers surprised everyone by shutting down Brett Favre and the Vikes and managed to move the ball soundly against them. The Giants went up against a lesser opponent and stayed in the playoff race. Another decisive win and the Giants will be right there for the final week.

Prediction: 27 – 14 Giants

FPTW: Eli Manning – 260+ yards, 2 TD

St. Louis Rams at Arizona Cardinals

The Rams have tanked and are leading the race for the number 1 pick in the 2010 draft. The Cardinals are continuing another run to the playoffs with a prolific passing game and a surprise running game. Beanie Wells has given the Cards the running game they’ve never had. An improved defense and the Cardinals are poised for another deep run in January.

Prediction: 38 – 14 Cardinals

FPTW: Beanie Wells – 100+ yards, TD

Detroit Lions at San Francisco 49ers

The Lions kept pace with the Cardinals due to a few big plays. The 49ers don’t allow big plays. Frank Gore and Alex Smith will be too much for the weak Lions defense to stop. The Lions have been able to move the ball with more consistency this year but haven’t been as consistent on defense. San Fran takes this one comfortably.

Prediction: 31 – 17 49ers

FPTW: Frank Gore – 100+ yards, TD

Denver Broncos at Philadelphia Eagles

The Broncos were riding high as a lock to make the postseason and then were derailed by the Raiders last week. Kyle Orton and Brandon Marshall should bounce back this week and keep pace with Donovan McNabb and the soaring Eagles. Desean Jackson continues to have monster game after monster game by getting behind defenses. Eagles top the Broncos on a late field goal.

Prediction: 27 – 24 Eagles

FPTW: Desean Jackson – 100+ yards, TD

New York Jets at Indianapolis Colts

The Colts look to remain unbeaten as the slumping Jets roll into Indy. Peyton Manning may not see the field for the entirety but will make the most of his time in the game. Mark Sanchez returned from injury a week ago but was unable to lead his team to victory. The Jets keep it interesting for a while but then mistakes late will cost them.

Prediction: 30 – 20 Colts

FPTW: Pierre Garcon – 70+ yards, TD

Dallas Cowboys at Washington Redskins

The Cowboys are coming off a thrilling December upset of the unbeaten Saints and look to continue rolling into the playoffs. Earlier in the year these two teams played an offenseless battle in Dallas with the Cowboys coming out on top by 1. Tony Romo and the Cowboys offense should explode this time around as everyone has been rolling through Washington.

Prediction: 34 – 14 Cowboys

FPTW: Jason Witten – 100+ yards, TD

Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears

The Bears lousy season continues as Jay Cutler never has really got into a rhythm with any of his offensive mates. Earl Bennett contributes last week with a kickoff return touchdown but they will need more than that to topple the Vikings. Adrian Peterson looks to bounce back this week with a monster game and seal the deal on a two seed for the Vikes.

Prediction: 31 – 10 Vikings

FPTW: Adrian Peterson – 100+ yards, 2 TD

Last week: 8-8
Overall: 49-31

Thanks for reading and Merry Christmas!

We may never close out these survivor pools. That is what I’m thinking at this point. Just three weeks to go people! Well, that and playoffs of course should that be necessary.

We did lose one entry last week in the original survivor pool, cbob9999, who figured the Pittsburgh Steelers couldn’t screw him over two weeks in a row. He got knocked out of the second half survivor pool the week before, when Pitt lost to the Oakland Raiders. Surely they would beat the Cleveland Browns in primetime though? Surely – not.

So this week looks like a relatively easy week in its own right. I’m recommending the Houston Texans over the sadsack St. Louis Rams, the Denver Broncos over the Oakland Raiders (don’t fool me a fourth time) and Arizona Cardinals over the Detroit Lions. You can read the reasons behind the picks over at BleacherReport.

I think we’re all aware at this point the survivor pool picking has had a lot to do this year with picking against teams like the Rams, Lions, Browns, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, etc. Maybe next year we should switch things up and go with a loser pool. If your teams loses, then you move on. If they win or tie, then you’re out. You can only pick against a team once all year. How does that idea grab you?

Note about the upcoming NFL playoffs pool. It is not ready yet but I will be working on it soon. If you have a suggested format change, speak now or forever hold your peace (or at least until next year at this time).

Try Fantasy Throwdown for free and send me your feedback.

Also, have you tried Fantasy Throwdown yet? This is a new concept fantasy football game I’ve developed with my good buddy Matt Waldman. It is a one-on-one, one week FF game. You challenge a friend, they accept, the two of you have a quick draft and see who’s team scores the most fantasy points in the upcoming week. If you’re both online you can do the draft in 15 minutes or less.

We are is beta mode right now, testing and collecting feedback to see if people like the game and what we can improve upon for next season. I think the game is great. We still have a number of bells and whistles to add to the website, but everything that is there now should work. Give it a try and let me know what you think. Oh, I should note it is free to sign up and try out.

And if you are still alive in the pool, don’t forget to make your pick and enjoy the games this weekend. Remember it is Christmas next weekend, so it might be prudent to make your Week 16 pick now while you’re thinking about it. Good luck!

Another sharp week in the survivor pool that saw none of our remaining competitors eliminated. The Washington Capitals are the obvious safe pick this weekend matching up against the woeful Edmonton Oilers. Unfortunately, our three finalists have already used the Caps, and will really need to do their research this week. Here are my top three survivor picks for this Saturday:

New Jersey Devils at Atlanta Thrashers (Saturday at 7:00 PM) – The Devils are red hot – pun fully intended. Martin Brodeur is showing that age is not a factor, winning six of his last seven starts, while Swedish rookie Niclas Bergfors now finds himself ranked second among first year players in both goals and points (only wunderkind John Tavares has more). They’re 11-2-1 on the road this season, and should only better that record Saturday night against a Thrashers team averaging 3.7 goals against over their last 7 games. Look for Zach Parise to break an 8 game goalless drought.

Prediction: New Jersey wins 4-2

Detroit Red Wings at Dallas Stars (Saturday at 3:00 PM) – The injury-plagued Red Wings are finally stringing some wins together, and owe a large portion of their recent success to the play of goaltender Jimmy Howard, who’s allowed two or fewer goals in five of his last six starts. The Red Wings’ Todd Bertuzzi has 5 goals over their current four game win streak. Conversely, the Stars have lost five of six, struggling to keep the puck out of their net during that stretch (23 goals allowed).

Prediction: Detroit wins 3-1

Minnesota Wild at Ottawa Senators (Saturday at 7:00 PM) – Not that he’s been a significant factor for the Senators so far this season, but the loss of Jason Spezza for a couple months with an MCL tear is a definite blow. Mike Fisher will take over the first line centre role, and though he’s performed admirably so far this year, things are about to get more difficult for him matchup-wise. The Wilds’ stud netminder Niklas Backstrom shouldn’t have too much trouble fending off the Senators’ few remaining healthy scoring threats.

Prediction: Minnesota wins 2-0

Here we are 15 weeks in and two teams just refuse to lose a game. The Colts and Saints continue their pursuit at perfection in front of national crowds this weekend, both Thursday and Saturday nights. Once again the Pittsburgh Steelers played miserable and fell for the fifth consecutive week and it won’t get any easier this week against the Green Bay Packers. Playoff races heat up this week and a few of the games are must see TV.

Indianapolis Colts at Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars were in control of their own destiny and then struggled enormously in a loss to the Dolphins. Their road to the post-season will take another big hit this week as they meet the undefeated Colts. The Colts might not play all of their guys but shouldn’t need to be full strength to take care of the roller coaster that is the Jaguar offense. Peyton Manning will have a huge night on Thursday.

Prediction: 35 – 21 Colts.

Fantasy Player to Watch: Pierre Garcon – 100+ yards, TD

Dallas Cowboys at New Orleans Saints

The Cowboys have played well although losing two more games in December. It’s going to take more than playing well to beat the unblemished Saints Saturday night. The Saints have had their share of luck this year and continue to pull out wins. The Cowboys will be fired up and ready to play, but another missed field goal and a late interception will do them in this week.

Prediction: 28 – 24 Saints.

FPTW: Marques Colston – 100+ yards, TD

New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills

The Patriots have had a lot of drama around the locker room recently but overcame that to put away the Panthers last week. Randy Moss showed flashes of the Moss who played in Oakland but maybe he was just proving a point. Tom Brady should get Moss back together with a huge day this week against the Bills. Fellow headache wideout Terrell Owens will also have a big day to give Buffalo a shot to win.

Prediction: 30 – 21 Patriots.

FPTW: Randy Moss / Terrell Owens – 100+ yards, TD

Arizona Cardinals at Detroit Lions

The Cardinals have looked like two different teams recently, while the Lions always look the same. The Lions were torched on the ground by Ray Rice and the Ravens last week, and the Cards backs couldn’t keep the ball in their grasp. Tim Hightower and Beanie Wells are going to have big games in the Dome in Detroit. Either back could take it to the house on any given carry, thus opening some passing lanes for Kurt Warner.

Prediction: 41 – 10 Cardinals.

FPTW: Tim Hightower / Beanie Wells – 100+ yards, TD

Miami Dolphins at Tennessee Titans

The Titans and Chris Johnson have been playing well at home and the Dolphins come visiting this Sunday. Vince Young was forced to exit early against the Rams with an apparent hamstring injury. Kerry Collins doesn’t seem like the player of old and I don’t think the Titans can win with him at the helm. Chad Henne appears to be thriving leading the Fins as they make another move towards the AFC playoffs.

Prediction: 27 – 17 Dolphins.

FPTW: Ricky Williams – 100+ yards, TD

Cleveland Browns at Kansas City Chiefs

Jamaal Charles is turning into a superstar for the Chiefs. Charles had another breakout game last week and looks to run wild this week against the Browns. The Browns are coming off a huge emotional win in their own Super Bowl against Pittsburgh. I think the Browns will fall apart this week and the Chiefs will be there to capitalize.

Prediction: 31 – 14 Chiefs.

FPTW: Jamaal Charles – 120+ yards, TD

Houston Texans at St. Louis Rams

Matt Schaub found Andre Johnson in a big way to continue the great season he and the Texans are having. The lack of a running game will be more apparent in the last two weeks as the Rams have been brutal on defense this year. Keith Null was the best the Rams could put out there on Sunday and they clearly are the front runners to draft a franchise quarterback, but then again Michael Vick has looked good in a limited role for Philly.

Prediction: 37 – 13 Texans.

FPTW: Matt Schaub – 300+ yards, 3 TD

Atlanta Falcons at New York Jets

Chris Redman looked very good as he passed for over 300 yards against the tough Saints defense. Whether Matt Ryan returns or not, the Falcons have found all the right pieces for succeeding in the next several years. Kellen Clemens stepped in for Mark Sanchez and managed a nice game with help from Thomas Jones. The Jets running game will have a harder time finding holes to run against the Falcon defense.

Prediction: 28 – 21 Falcons.

FPTW: Tony Gonzalez – 60+ yards, 2 TD

San Francisco 49ers at Philadelphia Eagles

The 49ers finally got back to the power running game and solid defense as they dominated the Cardinals on MNF. Frank Gore pounded out tough yards and showed he is still a prominent back. The Eagles showed just how explosive their offense is but also had their defense exposed a bit. Alex Smith has the weapons at his disposal to take down Philly but I believe Donovan McNabb will have the last laugh.

Prediction: 31 – 27 Eagles.

FPTW: DeSean Jackson – 100+ yards, TD

Chicago Bears at Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens absolutely destroyed the Lions last week. Ray Rice has been on fire all year and is that spark the Ravens have needed for years. Jay Cutler continues to make bad decisions with the ball and will be pressured into making more this week. Matt Forte is the key to the Bears offense in this game. If Forte can hit some gaps and get out of the backfield on passes, the Bears may be able to get the win.

Prediction: 27 – 20 Ravens.

FPTW: Ray Rice – 160+ combined yards, 2 TD

Cincinnati Bengals at San Diego Chargers

The Chargers are emerging as one of the best teams in the league. Phillip Rivers has been dynamic all year and LaDainian Tomlinson is getting his stride back. The Bolts defense has been getting after the quarterback but still can’t figure out how to stop the run. Carson Palmer has struggled recently and the Bengals seem to have lost some of their luster. This could be the best game of the week.

Prediction: 31 – 24 Chargers.

FPTW: Vincent Jackson – 100+ yards, TD

Oakland Raiders at Denver Broncos

The Raiders have lost Bruce Gradkowski for the time being and JaMarcus Russell still looked awful. Russell will have major fits trying to figure out the Broncos defense. Champ Bailey should have an interception or two this week if Russell even dares to throw to that side of the field. Brandon Marshall will have another explosive game but not quite 21 catches again. Broncos get that elusive ninth win.

Prediction: 24 – 0 Broncos.

FPTW: Brandon Marshall – 100+ yards, TD

Green Bay Packers at Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers have completely fallen off the map with five consecutive losses but still have an outside shot at the playoffs. The Packers have looked like a contender with a great defense and explosive offense. The Steelers couldn’t get the ground game going against the weak Browns rush defense and shouldn’t get it going against the very tough 3-4 scheme of Green Bay. Can the Steelers lose six straight?

Prediction: 24 – 14 Packers.

FPTW: Aaron Rodgers – 260+ yards, 2 TD

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks have been inconsistent at best on offense. Julius Jones continues to get the bulk of the carries while doing nothing with them, as Justin Forsett has shown to be explosive. The Bucs have been improving in every facet except for quarterback play, where Josh Freeman is taking his lumps. The Bucs will not give up but it won’t have enough in the end.

Prediction: 31 – 17 Seahawks.

FPTW: Justin Forsett – 100+ total yards, TD

Minnesota Vikings at Carolina Panthers

Adrian Peterson and the Vikings bounced back in a big way by putting down the Bengals with ease. Brett Favre continues to spread the ball around and energize the Purple and Gold. The Panthers struggled with an average Patriots squad on a bad day. Matt Moore doesn’t seem to be the answer at quarterback. Vikings will handle the Panthers Sunday night.

Prediction: 34 – 14 Vikings.

FPTW: Adrian Peterson – 100+ yards, TD

New York Giants at Washington Redskins

The Redskins have vastly improved on the offensive side of the ball since Sherman Lewis returned to take over the play calling. Jason Campbell seems to have taken control of the new offense with the help of Quinton Ganther and Rock Cartwright. The Giants fell just short against the Eagles but were exposed for the weak defense they have. The Redskins will halt the Giants playoff plans.

Prediction: 24 – 20 Redskins.

FPTW: Fred Davis – 70+ yards, TD

Last Week: 10 – 6
Overall: 41 – 23

It is only Friday and we’ve already lost cbob9999 in the original survivor pool after he took the Pittsburgh Steelers to defeat the Cleveland Browns last night. It didn’t happen. I’m not sure who was wearing black and gold but that wasn’t yours or your father’s Pittsburgh Steelers.

Now if I was a betting man (I mean serious, not recreational), I would have bet more of you would have taken Pitt last night. Come on, admit it, you forgot about the Thursday game, didn’t you? Good thing, because I’m sure a longshot pick on the Browns – who absolutely everyone has available in both pools, shocking I know – was not on your minds.

I guess before I get into my recommended picks for this week, we still have last week’s recap to mention. Another baffling loss by the Steelers! That cost buddy basommerville and DrZaius7 in the original pool and cbob9999 (lightning can strike twice apparently), jaywinters and lyonn in the second half pool.

Everyone else made it through Week 13 with a variety of picks, most notably the New Orleans Saints and Cincinnati Bengals. The Saints were a hope and prayer away from getting dumped by the Washington Redskins.

Are they a team of destiny? I think not. In fact, mark me down right now in saying the Saints will not win the Super Bowl. I have my doubts they will even make it to the big game. The defense relied on a lot of turnovers early on but has been quite a bit more pedestrian in recent weeks. They are going to be exposed and stumble on their way through the playoffs, so all this “two undefeated teams in the Super Bowl” talk is just plain silly. That is my two cents.

Want another two? Okay, how about my recommended picks for this week. The Tennessee Titans, the Baltimore Ravens and, begrudgingly because I committed myself to making three picks each week, the New England Patriots. Read the writeup over a BleacherReport, and you can see why what once looked like a slam dunk Pats over Panthers pick this week, maybe is not so slam dunk.

Of course if you are stuck having already used the Titans and Ravens, there aren’t really any other picks standing out to me. Maybe the Saints, but I did just knock them down a bit. Maybe the Packers, but unfortunately I’m on “fool me three times…” with them and can’t trust them for the balance of the 2009 season.

If you are still alive, get your pick in before the deadline at 1:00 Eastern on Sunday, and good luck!

This actually looks like one of the better matchup weeks this season to survive in Hockey Survivor II as far as I’m concerned. Sidney Crosby’s apparently decided he wants to add a Rocket Richard trophy to his collection, Alexander Ovechkin loves the big-stage Saturday night games, and somebody has got to remind those Coyotes that they are not cup contenders.

Florida Panthers at Pittsburgh Penguins (Saturday at 7:30 PM) – The Panthers have won just once in their last 10, while the Penguins have won 6 times in that span. Sidney Crosby has also apparently decided that he is sick of all the attention Ovechkin is getting. He’s shooting the puck more, and is on pace to beat his career for goals in a season by a whopping 15. Add to that the fact that Marc-Andre Fleury’s game is starting to round into shape, and this should be an easy Pens win.

Prediction: Pittsburgh wins 5-1

Washington Capitals at Toronto Maple Leafs (Saturday at 7 PM) – I’m not necessarily a fan of picking the Maple Leafs to lose right now, as they’ve been playing some inspired hockey of late, but I’d pick the Caps to beat just about anyone on a Saturday night right now. Ovie’s suspensions and minor injuries haven’t hampered his play in the least when he’s been in the lineup, and he seems to love the atmosphere of Saturday night games in Original Six buildings. Look for Ovechkin and Co. to fill the score sheet in this high-scoring affair.

Prediction: Washington wins 6-3

San Jose Sharks at Phoenix Coyotes (Saturday at 8:00 PM): – The Coyotes are red-hot, and have won 5 straight leading into Thursday night’s game against the Kings. The Sharks on the other hand, are mired in a 3 game losing streak. The Sharks are, however, way too good to lose like this, and the Coyotes can’t keep this up forever. Look for the Sharks to snap the ‘Yotes’ winning streak if the Kings don’t beat them to it tonight.

Prediction: San Jose wins 3-2

Week 13 proved to everyone why the NFL is the most popular sport going right now. It is completely unpredictable. We witnessed a beat up Kurt Warner take on the aggressive Vikings defense and come away victorious and unscathed. The Saints and Colts remain undefeated but New Orleans survived an unheard of scare from the Redskins. The Raiders continue to knock off top teams as they ruffled the Steelers playoff chances. There is certainly no reason to miss any of this week’s games.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns

The Steelers certainly are not playing like the team who is coming off a Super Bowl win. The injury bug has played a huge role in the Steelers fall but I believe they would need a few more to stumble Thursday night against the Browns. Brady Quinn has the Browns offense playing better but without a reasonably good running game the Steelers defense will be too much to get win number 2. Expect Ben Roethlisberger to have a big night to get back on track.

Prediction: 34-10 Steelers

Fantasy Player to Watch: Rashard Mendenhall – 100+ yards, TD

New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons

You heard it here first, I picked the Falcons. When these two teams met on Monday Night Football in Week 8, I saw that the Falcons could move the ball with relatively ease on the Saints and if not for a fourth down drop the Falcons tie the game up late. The Saints survived a certain defeat against Washington and have been merely escaping in many of their games. I think the Falcons are resilient and will not crumble under pressure. The Saints undefeated run will end this Sunday.

Prediction: 28-27 Falcons

FPTW: Michael Turner – 100+ yards, TD

Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears

The Packers looked impressive on MNF as they worked over the Ravens defense. The Packers defense looked even stronger then the offense as they completely shut down the explosive Ray Rice. Matt Forte is a similar player but has yet to get anything going on the ground. Jay Cutler will be expected to throw and we all know what happens when he is forced to throw. I think the Pack will roll the Bears at Soldier Field.

Prediction: 34-17 Packers

FPTW: Aaron Rodgers – 300+ yards, 3 TD

Denver Broncos at Indianapolis Colts

The Colts continue full steam on a runaway train to the Super Bowl. They met the red hot Titans and rolled right through them. Denver comes into this game hungry and fired up looking for a playoff spot. Peyton Manning is having a career year, one even better than the three in which he won MVPs. Manning has a lot of faith in his young receivers, going to them when teams decide to double Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark. I don’t see any team on the schedule threatening the Colts until the Colts decide to put their game into neutral and coast into the playoffs.

Prediction: 31-21 Colts

FPTW: Peyton Manning – 270+ yards, 3 TD

Buffalo Bills at Kansas City Chiefs

Matt Cassell and the Chiefs have played pretty well with the exception of last week. The Bills have also played well even despite a loss to the Jets in Toronto last week. This game in my opinion is harder to pick than any other game this week. Both of these teams are inconsistent and have shown no pattern on when they will play well. If both teams show up Sunday I think the Chiefs will take a close low scoring affair. Jamaal Charles will be the difference.

Prediction: 20-13 Chiefs

FPTW: Jammaal Charles – 70+ yards, TD

New York Jets at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Mark Sanchez will not play due to the knee injuries from failing to slide. Kellen Clemens will start and should manage the game and not make mistakes. The Bucs have looked better but still are not a team capable of competing week in and week out in the NFL. Josh Freeman is taking his lumps in stride and should develop into a nice play caller for the Bucs, but not this week. The Jets defense will stymie the young quarterback and all but win the game themselves.

Prediction: 24-6 Jets

FPTW: Thomas Jones / Shonn Greene – 70+ yards each

Miami Dolphins at Jacksonville Jaguars

Chad Henne looked like a seasoned vet when he led the Fins past the Patriots last week. Henne hit Greg Camarillo, Davone Bess, and Ted Ginn en route to an upset victory to keep them in the playoff hunt. The Dolphins could use another big win this week to take another step closer. The Jaguars continue to make a run but face a tough stretch that could decide their fate. A loss for either team just might seal the deal as far as the playoffs are concerned.

Prediction: 24-21 Dolphins

FPTW: Ricky Williams – 100+ yards, TD

Detroit Lions at Baltimore Ravens

The Lions have had trouble attempting to stop the run this year. Ray Rice will be their opponent this week and has been explosive, gashing defenses all season long. Joe Flacco struggled on Monday Night but should get back on track this week. Matthew Stafford is out and Daunte Culpepper will start in his place, so I wouldn’t expect the Lions to get much on the scoreboard. Ravens take this one big.

Prediction: 35-14 Ravens

FPTW: Ray Rice – 100+ yards, 2 TD

Seattle Seahawks at Houston Texans

The Texans fell short last week and need a springboard to boost their final 4 game run. Well, they get a shot in the arm with the Seahawks visiting this weekend. Matt Schaub showed great poise last week by playing through an injury and he will need to show more if the Texans are planning on making the playoffs. The Texans were hit hard with the news of Steve Slaton going on IR so Ryan Moats should be a huge factor the remainder of the year. The Texans will be too much for Seattle.

Prediction: 31-21 Texans

FPTW: Andre Johnson – 100+ yards, TD

Cincinnati Bengals at Minnesota Vikings

The Bengals have been the surprise of the year by turning in nine wins to this point. I think they will receive a reality check this week when they pay visit to Brett Favre and the Vikings. Favre had his string of passes without an interception snapped but will settle down when Adrian Peterson gets back running this week. The Vikings were shut down last week for a rare occurrence but should have a strong game to get to win number eleven.

Prediction: 28-17 Vikings

FPTW: Sidney Rice – 100+ yards, TD

Carolina Panthers at New England Patriots

The Patriots could use a win right now to allow some breathing room with the Dolphins and Jets knocking on the back door for the division lead. The Pats haven’t looked like the same team that has dominated the past few years. The Panthers got back to the winning ways with Matt Moore at the helm last week against Tampa. DeAngelo Williams may be back this week and could give the Pats fits in this game. I don’t think the Patriots would lose three in a row but anything can happen in this game.

Prediction: 31-20 Patriots

FPTW: Tom Brady – 300+ yards, 3 TD

St. Louis Rams at Tennessee Titans

The Titans finally felt defeat with Vince Young at the reigns. The Titans have played great defense and Young continues to grow as a passer. Chris Johnson is having a monster year to add for the Titans. The Rams may allow 200 yards on the ground to Johnson if they don’t find a plan to contain him. Young should be able to take advantage of the stacked boxes to find receivers downfield. The Rams need Steven Jackson to go off just to keep this one from getting out of hand.

Prediction: 34-14 Titans

FPTW: Chris Johnson – 150+ yards, 2 TD

Washington Redskins at Oakland Raiders

The Raiders have upset the Steelers, Eagles, and Bengals this year. It seems like the weaker opponents that the Raiders cannot seem to beat. The Redskins were a 23 yard field goal away from upsetting the Saints last week but just like their season it went by the wayside. Jason Campbell looked impressive until late and Bruce Gradkowski has looked great for Oakland. Does anybody remember that JaMarcus Russell once started for this team?

Prediction: 24-14 Raiders

FPTW: Zach Miller – 50+ yards, TD

San Diego Chargers at Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys stumbled on the road last week due to a few untimely mistakes. A fumble here and a few missed tackles here and the Giants were suddenly on top. Tony Romo played really well as did the Cowboy defense. Phillip Rivers and the Chargers have been rolling through their schedule to this point. I think the Cowboys defense will control Rivers and LaDanian Tomlinson to give them a shot to win this one.

Prediction: 31-24 Cowboys

FPTW: Jason Witten – 70+ yards, TD

Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants

The Eagles are hoping a big road division win and a Cowboys loss to put them back in first place in the NFC East. Donovan McNabb will look to push the pace with his strong passing attack against the weak Giant passing defense. The Eagles may not have enough of a running game to completely run away with this one and the Giants playing at home keeps the game close. Eli Manning needs to step up for the Giants to have a shot at the division title.

Prediction: 34-28 Eagles

FPTW: Donovan McNabb – 300+ yards, 3 TD

Arizona Cardinals at San Francisco 49ers

The Cardinals proved on Monday that they are planning on making a run back to the Super Bowl. Kurt Warner came off a concussion to dazzle the Vikings strong defense with three touchdown passes. Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin are clearly the best 1-2 punch in the NFL. The 49ers don’t have the offense to keep pace in this game although Alex Smith seems to be growing in front of our eyes. He has finally felt comfortable throwing the ball downfield. Michael Crabtree and Frank Gore might have something to do with that. The Cards should put away the 49ers by a hefty margin in this game.

Prediction: 35-17 Cardinals

FPTW: Tim Hightower – 80+ yards, TD

Last Week : 9 – 7
Overall: 31 – 17

We had zero casualties last week in both the original and second half survivor pools. Heck, we even had zero casualties in the hockey survivor pool last week. Weird week.

Now I have no one to bash for taking some crazy pick and unceremoniously getting dumped from one or more of the pools. Of course who am I to talk, since I’ve already got dumped from both pools eons ago? Still, that doesn’t stop me from making recommendations on who you should consider each week.

Last week I was 2-0 with the Philadelphia Eagles and Cincinnati Bengals. This week there are some big favourites, and I don’t see any compelling reason to not recommend the San Diego Chargers, Bengals (again) and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Well, the Steelers one is a little more sketchy, but I needed a third choice and I’m sure many of you original guys are running out of good options. Could the Oakland Raiders strike again and pull a big upset? Anything is possible.

You can check out the reasons behind each of those picks.

We are on Week 13 this week, so there aren’t many weeks left until we take this into the NFL playoffs to decide things. If you guys could finish this up sooner than later so we can all focus on the playoffs pool that would be great.

Get your picks in before the deadline, and good luck this week.