Minnesota Vikings @ Chicago Bears
The Bears will be getting Jay Cutler back from a concussion, and will be eager to get the sour taste from a 32-7 loss out of their mouth. For Minnesota, wide receiver Percy Harvin will miss the game, putting more pressure on Adrian Peterson to have a big day.
Prediction: Bears 23, Vikings 14.
Oakland Raiders @ Cincinnati Bengals
The Raiders have played woefully bad football the past two weeks, losing by a combined 56 points in games against the Ravens and Saints. Cincinnati has some tough games ahead, and should get a big game out of quarterback Andy Dalton against a bad Oakland pass defense.
Prediction: Bengals 31, Raiders 17.
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cleveland Browns
Third-string quarterback Charlie Batch will be starting for the Steelers, and starter Ben Roethlisberger (ribs) and backup Byron Leftwich (ribs) are both out for this week's game. Cleveland gave Dallas all it could handle last week before losing in overtime. This game will come down to taking care of the football, as Brandon Weeden has struggled with late-game decision making.
Prediction: Steelers 20, Browns 16.
Buffalo Bills @ Indianapolis Colts
The Bills kept their playoff hopes alive with a big win over the Dolphins last Thursday, but will need to convert their red-zone opportunities into touchdowns, as they had to settle for four Rian Lindell field goals against Miami. The Colts were walloped by the Patriots last week, as Andrew Luck struggled under the pressure of New England's front four. I'm going with Buffalo, as their defense has played better the past couple of weeks.
UPSET OF THE WEEK!!!!!! Bills 30, Colts 24.
Denver Broncos @ Kansas City Chiefs
The Broncos haven't lost since October 7th, and Peyton Manning has the team on track to win the AFC West. The Chiefs have been downright awful this season, but have occasionally played tough games against good teams (3 point losses to Baltimore and Pittsburgh). The Chiefs will be competitive for a while, but that's about it.
Prediction: Broncos 28, Chiefs 13.
Seattle Seahawks @ Miami Dolphins
The Seahawks are coming off a bye, and need to win more on the road to solidify a playoff berth. Rookie quarterback Russell Wilson has been electric at home, but needs to play better on the road if Seattle wants to be taken seriously. Miami will need to get more production out of the running game, as a shaky Bills run defense surrendered just 60 yards on 24 carries. Despite his struggles, I still trust Wilson more than Miami rookie Ryan Tannehill.
Prediction: Seattle 17, Dolphins 16.
Atlanta Falcons @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Despite a 9-1 record, the Falcons haven't particularly looked like a team on pace for a first-round bye in the playoffs. The team was able to overcome five Matt Ryan interceptions largely due to the incompetence of Arizona's offense, but have to play better to have a chance to reach win a playoff game, something the team hasn't done under head coach Mike Smith. The Buccaneers may still end up on the outside of this year's playoffs, but the team has completely turned around under rookie head coach Greg Schiano. Tampa was able to overcome an 11-point fourth quarter deficit to beat the Panthers in overtime, and the offense has been nearly unstoppable in recent weeks.
Prediction: Falcons 28, Buccaneers 23.
Tennessee Titans @ Jacksonville Jaguars
In a matchup of two of the worst defenses in the league, it'll likely come down which quarterback plays better: Jake Locker or Chad Henne. I'll take Locker, as well as his supporting cast over the Jaguars, despite the team putting up huge numbers against the Texans last week.
Prediction: Titans 27, Jaguars 22.
Baltimore Ravens @ San Diego Chargers
This game will come down to the play of each team's offensive lines, as both quarterbacks make questionable decisions when under pressure. I'm going to take the Ravens, as there is more talent on both sides of the ball, and the Chargers' only wins this season have come against tremendously poor defenses (Oakland, Tennessee, Kansas City).
Prediction: Ravens 21, Chargers 17.
San Francisco 49ers @ New Orleans Saints
Apparently 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh has handed the keys to the offense to second-year quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who was stellar in his first career start against a strong Bears defense. This is a risky move, as Alex Smith led the team to the NFC Championship game last season, and if they don't at least reach it this year, the move will have been the wrong one. The Saints' upcoming three game stretch will likely decide their playoff fate (49ers, @Falcons, @Giants), and will need to be able to run the ball to keep pressure off Drew Brees. In a potential revenge game, the Saints will come up just short.
Prediction: 49ers 27, Saints 24.
St. Louis Rams @ Arizona Cardinals
Neither team does a particularly great job of protecting the quarterback, which has led to spotty play from that position. While Sam Bradford has yet to make marked improvement in his third year, he's a more viable option than rookie Ryan Lindley, who replaced the ineffective John Skelton in last week's game against the Falcons. Still, the return of Beanie Wells for Arizona and the injury to Rams wideout Danny Amendola swings the momentum in Arizona's favor.
Prediction: Cardinals 16, Rams 13.
Green Bay Packers @ New York Giants
The Packers haven't missed a beat despite injuries to their top two wideouts (Jordy Nelson and Greg Jennings), as Randall Cobb and James Jones have stepped up. The Giants pass rush hasn't lived up to its reputation this season, but could pose some big problems for the Packers offensive line, which will now be without Brian Bulaga, who is out for the season. Eli Manning has thrown just one touchdown (with six interceptions) in the team's past four games, and will need to perform better if New York is to avoid another November skid.
Prediction: Packers 24, Giants 21.
Carolina Panthers @ Philadelphia Eagles
While Carolina just can't seem to get over the hump in close games (including losing despite an 11-point fourth quarter lead against the Bucs), the team is relatively healthy on offense. The same cannot be said for the Eagles, who will be without both Michael Vick and LeSean McCoy this week. Rookie Nic Foles had his moments, but the Eagles offensive line will have a hard time blocking the Panthers defensive line, which has generated a really solid pass rush.
Prediction: Panthers 20, Eagles 17.
Last Week: 9-4 (.692)
Season: 94-54 (.635)
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