NFL Week 15

12/17/09

Matt Driffill

    Sometimes I get all worked up.  Thinking about how the football season will be over.  The draft is nice, and then preseason is okay, but there’s only two things that matter over an eight month span.  We watch Sportscenter longing for the days of spectacular catches in the endzone, not the outfield.  So let’s enjoy these last few weeks of football because we could really be in for a treat.

    In the NFC, I think there’s five teams that can legitimately make the Super Bowl.  The Saints, Vikings, Eagles, Cowboys, and Cardinals.  A lot of you are probably reading this and saying, “Packers?”  No, not the Packers.  As tough as they may be, they’re 0-2 against the Vikings this season and wouldn’t have the luxury of having a postseason game in Lambeau.

    The AFC isn’t as deep this year.  You look at the Patriots and see their troubles.  You look at the Steelers and just have to drop an ol’ “WTF.”  The Bengals have overachieved this season, and the loss of Chris Henry likely won’t help them much.  The Broncos, as much as I love them, aren’t that good and really aren’t a threat to make a deep playoff run this season.  I see three teams in the AFC that can do it, and one of them isn’t even in the playoffs.  That team would be the Ravens.  Their defense and running game make them the type of team that can really compete in January.  And if you don’t believe me, look at last year’s postseason when they lasted further than most thought they would.

    That leaves us the Colts and the Chargers.  The Chargers have been the best team in the league for the past two months and the Colts are undefeated and have Peyton Manning.  These are the two teams likely to make it out of the AFC.  That said, I don’t care what has happened this season, I’m not counting out Brady and the Patriots in the postseason.  No way no how.

    I’m super excited about the next month of footybally and you really should be too.\

Last week (10-6-0)

Season (109-97-2)

Home team in bold...

Indianapolis (-3) over Jacksonville

It is well documented that the Jaguars always play the Colts tough.  Even this season was a 3 point squeaker in week one for the Colts.  However, it is also well documented that the Colts are 13-0 and playing for home-field advantage.  But that’s just an added bonus.  People think Peyton Manning is this goofy guy that everybody loves, but deep down inside he knows his bitter rival, the guy who he’s compared to the most, has an undefeated regular season under his belt.  And Manning figures that if he can guide through the regular season untarnished and win the Super Bowl, the arguments would be put to rest.

Dallas (+7) over New Orleans

Maybe the Saints squeak out a close one this weekend.  They definitely are one of the toughest home teams in the league, and I’m sure when “America’s Team” comes into town that the Superdome will be going nuts.  The Cowboys however need a win in a bad way.  A loss this weekend could drop them out of the playoff race and into a week of pointed fingers and turmoil.  I’m bi-curious to see how this one turns out.

Pittsburgh (-2) over Green Bay

The Steelers are in absolute desperation mode.  A loss at home to the Packers this late in the year would all but eliminate them from playoff contention.  I thought the Steelers were going be in the 12-4 or 14-2 region, not 8-8.  These are the defending champs?

Miami (+3) over Tennessee

Both teams fighting for a playoff spot, but Miami handled another AFC south playoff contender last week, and will likely do the same this week when they dispatch the Titans with their high-powered rushing offense.  I don’t really care if the Titans make the playoffs are not, but I am watching Chris Johnson closely to see if he’ll break the 2000 yard plateau.  My twin brother Shane figured out why we like Chris Johnson; he looks like Lil’ Wayne.  After a screen pass and he breaks it wide open, can’t you hear him, “MARK JACOB GOGGLES!” ?  We can.

New England (-7) over Buffalo

I hope Wes Welker plays his little heart out this week.  He’s a blue collar guy that people in Buffalo can really rally around in the troubled times.  The Bills and their fans always like to root for the “little guy.”  The fact that he plays for the other team should be a nonfactor.

Arizona (-12) over Detroit

Detroit won a couple of games, a tremendous improvement from last season.  But it’s time for them to mail it in and get ready for their postseason, the draft.  And if the draft was the postseason then the Lions have had home field advantage every year since Joey Harrington but only won a couple of games.

Philadelphia (-8.5) over San Francisco

The Eagles are dirt nasty at the right time.  The 49ers were amped up last week and were playing above their means when they upset the Cardinals.  I seriously doubt it will happen again in Philly this weekend.  The Eagles are looking to lock up the division in these next two weeks and will stop at nothing to destroy!!!  But on a serious note, I’m thinking of changing my fantasy team’s name from “BIG DOGS!” to “Ballpark Frank and the Beans” in support of my key player, Ballpark Frank Gore.

Atlanta (+5) over New York Jets

Chris Redman has what it takes to upset Mark Sanchez.  You don’t have to be an early 1st round pick to be a star in this league!!  Prove ‘em wrong Redman!!!  In other news, I was very, very wrong about the Jets.  After their surprise 3-0 start followed by a midseason collapse, I figured the Jets would be in the ballpark of 4-6 wins for the whole season.  But they’re 7-6 and in the hunt for a playoff spot.  That really is an accomplishment by itself for a team that’s rebuilding and behind a rookie quarterback.  The Jets will be real tough in a season or two.

Chicago (+11) over Baltimore

I got a feeling that Gay Butler is going to go for 350 yds and 4 TD.  Might just have one of those, “We’re out of the playoffs, but I’m Gay Butler!!! And Gay Butler doesn’t get pushed around!!!” type of games.  That said, I still think the Ravens will come out on top, just that 11 points for a homosexual house servant seems a little steep, no?

Kansas City (-2) over Cleveland

This should be a great game.  A classic battle of two once-proud franchises.  A real coming of age tale with the Chiefs and Browns.  Matt Cassell is coming off a 4 INT performance (against the Bills?!?) while the Browns are coming off of an entire decade of continued stench.  It would actually be a fun game to watch if teams would admit they were jockeying for position in the draft.  Like they went back and forth putting it on first down, they go for safeties when they fear the other team won’t score, and they start guys like Brady Quinn and Matt Cassell at QB.  Hilarious right?

Houston (-10.5) over St. Louis

I can’t put my finger on the Texans.  I knew they wouldn’t be playoff good this year, because they’re the Texans, but I figured they would be right there.  I just feel like this team will never go to the playoffs.  I know they have only been around seven years now, but in a division with Indy, Jacksonville, and Tennessee, I feel like they are, at best, going to be the third best team in their division.  At least until Peyton Manning retires that is, then the AFC South will be ruled by Schaub.

San Diego (-6.5) over Cincinnati

Don’t look now, but Norv Turner and the Super-Chargers have looked like the best team in the league since that Monday night loss to Denver.  But they always do this, so don’t worry.  Unless you are a Chargers fan and have seen them choke in the postseason every year since the turn of the millennium.  Then I would advise you to worry, but you support a team with Norv Turner as the head coach.  He’s won as many meaningful games as Matt Stafford (1, maybe 2?)

Denver (-14) over Oakland

Oakland is starting Charlie Fyre at QB this weekend, but the recent acquisition of future Hall-of-Famer, John Losman says his position may not be guaranteed for long.  The least significant factor here is Jamarcus Russell, who has been able to put a new description on first round bust.  You look at guys like David Carr, Ryan Leaf, Tim Couch, and Joey Harrington, and you can’t think but smile for them that there’s a new guy in their crew.  Except for the obvious fact that none of those guys would probably ever hang out with Jamarcus.  Maybe Harrington,

Tampa Bay (+6.5) over Seattle

Kind of like the Kansas City-Cleveland game, this should be an excellent example for good teams on “what not to do” or “how to lose football games instead of win them.”  Either one of these soft squads could teach a clinic on these things.  Even the fans will be teaching other fans, “How to suffer through an awful season.”  Should be riveting stuff.

Minnesota (-9) over Carolina

Love hearin’ the NBC promos for this game.  “Come join Chris Collinsworth and Al Michaels as Adrian Peterson and the mighty Vikings travel to Carolina to take on.... uhhh..... Is Julius Peppers still there?  Julius Peppers and the Panthers!!  Brett Favre too!”  That’s a can’t miss game if I’ve ever seen one.

New York Giants (-3) over Washington

Finally some TV time for the ugly stepchild of the NFC East.  Every week you can catch a Eagles-Giants game or Dallas-Eagles, of Giants-Dallas.  Something other than the Redskins this week; possibly because there play-caller was a bingo-caller.  Can’t be a good recipe for success.  Unless of course you like Bingo, then I see no better guy for the job.