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Let’s take a look at the standings:
Reeb: 163-77 Screw: 158-82 Alx: 152-88 Pep: 149-91 Jemp: 146-94 Not a good week as we all let Reeb extend his lead. I acknowledged last week that it was probably a mistake to let him lone-wolf the Packers and Steelers, and it couldn’t have been more true. But, now we are on to the most important week of the pickem. So let’s pick some games. Dolphins at Bills: Jemp: Bills, Reeb: Bills, Pep: Bills, Screw: Dolphins I kind of like Ryan Fitzpatrick in this role of hero that has to save the Dolphins when they can’t do anything with Tua. However, I can’t help but think it might not be the most reliable strategy if your goal is to win games. And the Dolphins need this one to get in the playoffs. The Dolphins, Titans, Colts, Browns, and Ravens are all 10-5, and one of them is going to miss the playoffs. Why not let Fitzmagic make good on one of his fifty revenge games and take you there? Tua has been fine for a rookie, but Fitz can get this done. I’m taking the Dolphins anyway since who knows if the Bills will play their starters for the whole game, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Fitzmagic has to save the day again. Oh wait, now he has COVID. Prediction: Dolphins win 27-20 Ravens at Bengals: Jemp: Ravens, Reeb: Ravens, Pep: Ravens, Screw: Ravens Well the Bengals have done nothing to help their draft position over the past two weeks, but that all comes to an end here. The Ravens are playing as well as anyone right now and they strangely need this game to get into the playoffs. Prediction: Ravens win 34-14 Steelers at Browns: Jemp: Steelers, Reeb: Browns, Pep: Browns, Screw: Steelers Glad we get to see Mason Rudolph play against Myles Garrett again. I’m sure nothing could go wrong here. But let’s be real, Mason couldn’t even beat the Freddy Kitchens Browns, so I don’t like his chances against the Kevin Stefanski version. Prediction: Browns win 27-10 Vikings at Lions: Jemp: Lions, Reeb: Vikings, Pep: Vikings, Screw: Vikings We might as well pick preseason games if we are going to pick games like this in week 17. No Stafford, no Dalvin Cook, no Kenny Golladay, but I guess we’re used to that. Anyway, I think Alexander Mattison and Mike Boone can adequately replace Cook, but as we saw last week, Chase Daniel can’t do the same for Stafford. The Lions are already making offseason plans. So are the Vikings, but they can win this anyway. Prediction: Vikings win 28-17 Jets at Patriots: Jemp: Patriots, Reeb: Patriots, Pep: Patriots, Screw: Jets Monday Night might have been a low point for the Patriots. Patriots fans must have felt weird watching Tom Brady obliterate the Lions on Saturday, then watch their team on the receiving end of such a beatdown two days later. But, this team wasn’t going anywhere anyway, so it is as good a time as any for a rebuild. Let this loss to the Jets be a capper on a lost season for the Pats. Prediction: Jets win 24-21 Cowboys at Giants: Jemp: Cowboys, Reeb: Cowboys, Pep: Cowboys, Screw: Cowboys We seem to be going in circles with these NFC East teams. It was only a few weeks ago that everyone was picking the Giants to win the division, and now no one is even giving them a chance against the Cowboys. Granted, the Giants could easily win this game and be right in contention for winning the division with a quality 6-10 record. But I’ll stick with the Cowboys. It doesn’t really matter of course since the Football Team will of course take care of business on Sunday Night. Prediction: Cowboys win 27-24 Falcons at Buccaneers: Jemp: Bucs, Reeb: Bucs, Pep: Bucs, Screw: Falcons Well the Bucs have clinched a playoff spot, but Bruce Arians says they aren’t resting anyone and they are playing to win. Probably because they want to hang on to the 5-seed, as it will result in a matchup against the NFC East winner. Because of course they want to go home early with a loss to the Football Team. They have vacation plans. Prediction: Bucs win 31-24 Packers at Bears: Jemp: Bears, Reeb: Packers, Pep: Bears, Screw: Packers I love Pep’s confidence in the Bears. Granted, I’d love to see this team in the playoffs right now. They are certainly playing better than the Cardinals right now. But, I’m not quite sure they are playing better than the Packers, and I still have a hard time picking Mitchell Trubisky over Aaron Rodgers, no matter how many NFL execs believe in him. Prediction: Packers win 31-28 Raiders at Broncos: Jemp: Raiders, Reeb: Raiders, Pep: Raiders, Screw: Raiders Eh, I figure I’ll lone wolf the Broncos here, because why not? It’s a meaningless game featuring a floundering Raiders team that is probably ready to call it a season, especially after what happened to them last week. Personally, I would have liked them to go for the touchdown, mostly because I had Josh Jacobs on my fantasy team and that touchdown would have been clutch, but I’m not bitter or anything. Just because I had easily the best team and freaking Myles Gaskin and Ceedee Lamb went off against me, while Patrick Mahomes decided not to try for 3 and half quarters. Anyway let’s get back to real football. Not this game though because it’s meaningless. Prediction: Broncos win 27-24 Jaguars at Colts: Jemp: Colts, Reeb: Colts, Pep: Colts, Screw: Colts Congratulations to the Jaguars on successfully tanking for the number 1 pick. Mike Glennon should get to make an acceptance speech. The Colts can just sleepwalk through this one while desperately hoping the Bills, Bengals, Texans, or Steelers can find a way to win. Prediction: Colts win 33-10 Chargers at Chiefs: Jemp: Chiefs, Reeb: Chargers, Pep: Chargers, Screw: Chargers Only Jemp has any faith in Chad Henne? This is definitely the game I will be most tuned into. But no, I don’t think Chad Henne will win. Though it would be a pretty Chargers thing to do if they lost. Prediction: Chargers win 27-17 Cardinals at Rams: Jemp: Rams, Reeb: Rams, Pep: Cardinals, Screw: Rams It was a fun season by the Cardinals, or at least by Kyler Murray, but I think it’s about over. They took a beating from the 49ers, and Kyler is a little banged up now. The Rams have some issues of their own, but they look much more like a playoff team to me. Probably one with a first-round exit, but still. Prediction: Rams win 24-13 Seahawks at 49ers: Jemp: Seahawks, Reeb: Seahawks, Pep: Seahawks, Screw: Seahawks The Seahawks still have a chance for the 1 seed, so they will probably be trying in this game. That’s pretty much all I need to know to pick this one, despite a nice effort by the CJ Beathard led 49ers last week. Prediction: Seahawks win 28-20 Saints at Panthers: Jemp: Saints, Reeb: Saints, Pep: Saints, Screw: Saints Basically exactly what I wrote above, but replace Seahawks with Saints. Prediction: Saints wins 31-10 Titans at Texans: Jemp: Titans, Reeb: Titans, Pep: Titans, Screw: Titans Well, I can’t just keep talking about the dumpster fire that these Texans are, and how it really sucks for Deshaun Watson, so I’ll talk about the Titans. I think they probably get it done, and make the playoffs. But, maybe Deshaun will surprise me and take them down. But I think last week was more of a blip on the radar for the Titans, and they bounce back strong. Prediction: Titans win 38-34 Football Team at Eagles: Jemp: Football Team, Reeb: Football Team, Pep: Football Team, Screw: Eagles I feel like Washington is on Sunday Night Football in week 17 a lot. This week, we can all watch them throttle the Eagles and claim the coveted NFC East crown. Prediction: Football Team win 200-0 Let’s take a look at the standings:
Reeb: 151-73 Screw: 149-75 Alx: 144-80 Pep: 141-83 Jemp: 139-85 We’re going into the holidays, and all I want for Christmas is to take the lead in the picks. Not really, I’d rather have the Football Team win the NFC East and win all the fantasy championships I’m in. Also a new car might be nice if I’m being honest. But I’d still like to win this pick’em title, so let’s pick some games. Vikings at Saints: Jemp: Saints, Reeb: Saints, Pep: Saints, Screw: Saints You have to love an NFL Christmas special. I know it’s usually an NBA day, but the NBA regular season barely even matters. Besides, who would you rather watch, Lebron James, or the great Kirk Cousins? This is a huge game for the Saints who could officially end the Vikings playoff chances. That would cause a sigh of relief for Saints fans who remember a couple recent playoff losses to Mike Zimmer’s Vikings. Unfortunately for Kirk, the Saints are just the far superior team right now. We all like the Saints barring a Christmas miracle. Prediction: Saints win 27-20 Buccaneers at Lions: Jemp: Lions, Reeb: Bucs, Pep: Bucs, Screw: Bucs Anyone else hear about the Lions Special Teams Coordinator being fired for calling that fake punt last week without telling anyone? Definitely the most interesting thing to happen with the Lions in a while. Now he is fired, and the Lions are running short on coaches because Darrell Bevell is out for a COVID close-contact. You may have also heard about some guy with a pencil in his ear getting canned a few weeks ago. So Robert Prince will take over the head coaching duties for this game. But I don’t think any coach is winning this for the Lions. The Bucs can feel free to take the first half off again if they want. Prediction: Buccaneers win 34-24 49ers at Cardinals: Jemp: Cardinals, Reeb: Cardinals, Pep: Cardinals, Screw: Cardinals So we are just one injury to CJ Beathard away from the Josh Rosen revenge game. He could really make the Cardinals regret trading him away and going with Kyler Murray instead. One piece of good news for the 49ers is that they might get George Kittle back for this one. Plus, I’m not entirely sure Beathard isn’t an upgrade over Nick Mullens, so don’t count the 49ers out of this one. However, the Cardinals have looked pretty good as of late, so I’ll stick with the true home team. Prediction: Cardinals win 27-24 Dolphins at Raiders: Jemp: Dolphins, Reeb: Dolphins, Pep: Raiders, Screw: Dolphins Only Pep still believes in the Raiders at this point, probably due to his cosmic connection with Jon Gruden. The rest of us are much more impressed with the consistency of the Dolphins, who bring their A-game every week. The Raiders were the team in the early part of the season that won with great coaching and consistency, but that has fallen apart in the last month. The Dolphins were able to even keep it going against the Patriots, who have probably the greatest coach of all time, so I think they can get it done against the Raiders. Prediction: Dolphins win 28-17 Falcons at Chiefs: Jemp: Chiefs, Reeb: Chiefs, Pep: Chiefs, Screw: Chiefs Patrick Mahomes can spot the Falcons 35 points here and I’d still be confident in picking the Chiefs. I think the Falcons would have to be up about 50 points in the fourth quarter for them to feel somewhat secure. Somehow I don’t see that happening for the Falcons, and expect the Chiefs to clinch the 1 seed. Prediction: Chiefs win 38-27 Browns at Jets: Jemp: Browns, Reeb: Browns, Pep: Browns, Screw: Browns Good for the Jets. Sure they may have lost out on Trevor Lawrence, but nothing can replace the rewards of a 1-15 season. Greg Camarillo would be proud. In all seriousness, I do think Jets fans should be happy about the win. Little moments of joy are all we fans of snakebitten teams have in this world, and we should enjoy them. Who knows if Trevor Lawrence will even be better than Justin Fields, or Sam Darnold for that matter? Plus, maybe Gardner Minshew steals a game for the Jags and you get the first pick anyway. Oh yeah, and in the meantime, the Browns could very easily win the AFC North. Prediction: Browns win 34-21 Colts at Steelers: Jemp: Colts, Reeb: Steelers, Pep: Colts, Screw: Colts Reeb is the only one who thinks the Steelers are getting back on track here. He’s seen the Steelers bounce back too many times before, and it haunts his nightmares. I don’t remember a slump like this during Big Ben’s time as the Steelers QB though. The offense has gone from limited to bad to completely dreadful. It’s so bad that this Christmas might be the time to call on Rudolph, which would just ring so true to the song, especially the part about laughing and calling him names. But obviously that’s not going to happen, and neither will the Steelers winning. Prediction: Colts win 24-10 Panthers at Football Team: Jemp: Football Team, Reeb: Panthers, Pep: Football Team, Screw: Panthers Too bad we didn’t get to do a podcast this week, because my overreaction would have been that Matt Rhule is the best coach in the NFL for his clock management against the Packers. I’ll get into that more on our next pod, so stay tuned. But it doesn’t matter for this one, because it’s obviously Ron Rivera who will cash in on the revenge game. Prediction: Football Team wins 100-0 Bears at Jaguars: Jemp: Bears, Reeb: Bears, Pep: Bears, Screw: Bears This would be incredible if the Bears actually made the playoffs. And there is no denying that Mitchell Trubisky has been the biggest catalyst for it. Sure, David Montgomery has come alive, but the team went from the worst offense I’ve ever seen to a pretty fun unit, averaging over 30 points per game since Mitch took back the starting job. I hope to god that doesn’t mean the Bears roll in Mitch for another year, but if he sneaks them into the playoffs, then it could be hard to move on without many other viable options. Then again, I wouldn’t be at all surprised is Trubisky imploded here and put the Jets back in the number 1 pick. Prediction: Bears win 34-17 Giants at Ravens: Jemp: Ravens, Reeb: Ravens, Pep: Ravens, Screw: Ravens Looks like this is the end of the Giants playoff hopes, as the Ravens have come alive again. The Ravens ran for over 150 yards again on Sunday, and their defense totally shut down the Jaguars. We’re still unsure if it will be Daniel Jones or Colt McCoy starting for the G-men, but we also don’t care. Neither of them has a chance in this one. Prediction: Ravens win 33-10 Bengals at Texans: Jemp: Texans, Reeb: Texans, Pep: Texans, Screw: Texans I don’t know what else to say about Deshaun Watson. I think the only person who really knew how he felt last week was watching from the opposite sideline. Maybe he can look forward to one day when he is 39 and finally has a good team around him. But we at least all think he can take care of the Bengals. Prediction: Texans win 27-17 Broncos at Chargers: Jemp: Chargers, Reeb: Chargers, Pep: Chargers, Screw: Chargers See, now everyone wants to jump on the Chargers bandwagon. Either that or just nobody believes in Drew Lock. I feel like this would be an excellent time for me to jump off the Chargers and trust they find a way to lose this game. The funny thing is, the Broncos have just as much talent as the Chargers if you don’t count the quarterback. They probably have more actually. However, I’m told that we probably should count the quarterback position, as it’s supposed to be important in football, so I’m sticking with the Chargers. Prediction: Chargers win 27-24 Eagles at Cowboys: Jemp: Eagles, Reeb: Eagles, Pep: Eagles, Screw: Eagles So… remember how I said Carson Wentz would still be the Eagles quarterback next year unless Jalen Hurts just lit it up? Well, I don’t think Wentz is going to be on the Eagles next year. But even with people fawning over Hurts, the Cowboys were the team that actually won last week, and both of these teams are in contention for the division. Not really, because they would need the Football Team to lose, which we all know is impossible, but they might delude themselves into believing that it could happen. Prediction: Eagles win 34-31 Rams at Seahawks: Jemp: Rams, Reeb: Seahawks, Pep: Seahawks, Screw: Rams This is the game I struggled with most. On the one hand, the Rams have been the better team for most of the season, and they match up very well against the Seahawks. On the other hand, they just lost… to the Jets. It was a pretty embarrassing performance by the offense. However, I think the Rams bounce back. McVay will draw up a nice gameplan and Goff will at least be average rather than terrible. Prediction: Rams wins 23-20 Titans at Packers: Jemp: Titans, Reeb: Packers, Pep: Titans, Screw: Titans We are really letting Reeb lone wolf the Packers and Steelers this week, huh? Well, part of it is because we all believe in Ryan Tannehill. The other part is that Derrick Henry against this Packers run defense is an absolute mismatch. Of course, the Titans pass rush against this Packers offensive line is as well, so Aaron Rodgers might just have all day to throw and carve up this Titans defense. I expect this to be a shootout where the Titans come out on top. Prediction: Titans win 38-34 Bills at Patriots: Jemp: Bills, Reeb: Bills, Pep: Bills, Screw: Bills Well, so much for the dominant run of the Patriots, especially against the Bills. Now it is the Bills time to win 6 super bowls. Alright, maybe that’s getting ahead of ourselves, but I think they can start by winning this game. Prediction: Bills win 34-10 Let’s take a look at the standings:
Reeb: 140-68 Screw: 137-71 Alx: 134-74 Jemp: 129-79 Pep: 129-79 Nice week for Pep and me. The unpaid intern’s lead is dwindling, and I’m feeling good about my chances to catch him. I just need the Football Team to help me out. So let’s pick some games. Chargers at Raiders: Jemp: Raiders, Reeb: Raiders, Pep: Raiders, Screw: Raiders Finally got that Chargers win last week! All it took were two interceptions by Matt Ryan in field goal range in the fourth quarter. I know I should take the win and cut my losses, but I’m staying on brand and taking the Chargers. Anthony Lynn couldn’t possibly screw this up. Prediction: Chargers win 34-27 Bills at Broncos: Jemp: Bills, Reeb: Bills, Pep: Bills, Screw: Bills These Bills are turning into a real contender. The defense has finally come together to pair with one of the best offenses in the NFL. Whether it’s Stefon Diggs or Cole Beasley, this passing game has reached a level of consistency that I never would have expected. But can they keep up with Drew Lock? That’s tough ask, but I think they can manage it. Prediction: Bills win 30-14 Panthers at Packers: Jemp: Packers, Reeb: Packers, Pep: Packers, Screw: Packers Aaron Rodgers is putting his foot on the gas pedal and these Packers are starting to roll. They might have had to worry about their lack of run defense if Christian McCaffrey was playing, but I’m not sure that’s ever happening again. No offense to Mike Davis, but I don’t think he alone can help the Panthers keep up here. Next week the Packers might have a problem though. Prediction: Packers win 38-20 Buccaneers at Falcons: Jemp: Bucs, Reeb: Bucs, Pep: Bucs, Screw: Bucs For a team with Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley, man are the Falcons boring to watch. Remember when Matt Ryan led the league’s best offense in 2016? That was a fun time. Then again, the Bucs have a plethora of weapons as well, and yet it’s Scotty Miller who is making the big plays. But at least the Bucs are good, even if they aren’t as explosive as they should be. We’re all in agreement that Brady gets another win on the road. Prediction: Bucs win 28-17 49ers at Cowboys: Jemp: 49ers, Reeb: 49ers, Pep: Cowboys, Screw: 49ers Is anyone going to be watching this game? I’m sure the pregame will talk about this long-standing rivalry from the 80s and 90s, which was also the last time these two teams were both good at the same time. That’s because there is nothing else to talk about in this game because these teams are officially irrelevant. Prediction: 49ers win 24-21 Lions at Titans: Jemp: Lions, Reeb: Titans, Pep: Titans, Screw: Titans Again, I’d really like to take the Lions here, but Kenny Golladay just can’t get back on the field, and the Lions just don’t have many weapons without him. They at least remained competitive against the Packers last week, and I think they do so again. But Derrick Henry could be a problem against this run defense, so I’ll play it safe and stick with the Titans. Prediction: Titans win 31-28 Texans at Colts: Jemp: Colts, Reeb: Colts, Pep: Colts, Screw: Colts Did I mention how sorry I feel for Deshaun Watson? I mean, he just got spanked by the Trubisky-led Bears, and lost his last remaining receiver in Brandin Cooks. Sure Keke Coutee is fine, and Chad Hansen is catching passes, but that’s probably just because Deshaun Watson knows how to make something out of nothing. But this is an all-time low for the Texans with Watson. This is like what David Carr went through. Prediction: Colts win 27-24 Patriots at Dolphins: Jemp: Dolphins, Reeb: Dolphins, Pep: Dolphins, Screw: Dolphins Are we really all picking a rookie quarterback to beat Bill Belichick again? I’m not falling into that trap again. I love Brian Flores and think he is a prime candidate for coach of the year, but I can’t expect him to win a coaching battle with his mentor. The Dolphins are more talented than the Pats, but not by all that much. We’ve gone on at length about their lack of offensive weapons, and I can see Tua having a rough day. Then again, I feel like I get the Pats wrong every week, but I’m taking the lone-wolf here. Prediction: Patriots win 17-14 Bears at Vikings: Jemp: Vikings, Reeb: Vikings, Pep: Bears, Screw: Bears Mitch Trubisky is breathing life into this Bears offense. Suddenly they are watchable again, with Allen Robinson and David Montgomery producing each and every week. They should be able to put up some points again this week, because the Vikings defense can’t get any pressure right now. I’m taking the Vikings because I believe in Kirk, but I honestly don’t feel great about it. Prediction: Vikings win 27-20 Seahawks at Football Team: Jemp: Seahawks, Reeb: Seahawks, Pep: Football Team, Screw: Football Team Good bounce back game for Russell Wilson, but he’s no match for Dwayne Haskins and the Football Team! But please god let Alex Smith be healthy. Prediction: Football Team win 100-0 Jaguars at Ravens: Jemp: Ravens, Reeb: Ravens, Pep: Ravens, Screw: Ravens Are any of the people that picked Gardner Minshew in round 1 still alive in their fantasy leagues? Well, if you did so for the case of Bud Lite, kudos, and now you can start him in the fantasy semifinals. I’m certainly glad to get Gardner Minshew back in our lives, but somehow I doubt he’s going to upset the Ravens after their emotional Monday Night win. Prediction: Ravens win 33-27 Jets at Rams: Jemp: Rams, Reeb: Rams, Pep: Rams, Screw: Rams Is it just a forgone conclusion that the Jets are going 0-16 now? It doesn’t seem like anyone is even talking about it. As Jemp knows all too well, 0-16 used to really mean something, now it’s just a platform to get the number one pick. What a disgrace. Prediction: Rams win 31-0 Eagles at Cardinals: Jemp: Cardinals, Reeb: Cardinals, Pep: Cardinals, Screw: Cardinals I’ll admit, I’m a little worried about Jalen Hurts, but I’m not quite ready to say he’s better than Kyler Murray just yet. But there no doubt will be non-stop comparisons since they are two running quarterbacks who went to the same school. But I think the Eagles come back down to Earth after the initial surge of energy. Prediction: Cardinals win 27-24 Chiefs at Saints: Jemp: Chiefs, Reeb: Chiefs, Pep: Chiefs, Screw: Chiefs Here is the game of the week. I get that the Saints loss to the Eagles was discouraging, but I still think they are the second best team in the NFL. Unfortunately they are playing the best team in the NFL, and no way I’m picking Taysom Hill to outduel Patrick Mahomes. Prediction: Chiefs wins 28-23 Browns at Giants: Jemp: Browns, Reeb: Browns, Pep: Browns, Screw: Browns Baker Mayfield is finally starting to look like he’s back to his rookie form, which is a good thing in this situation. Kevin Stefanski has this offense gelling, but they need their defense to pick things up. You’d think with Myles Garrett getting sacks that this team would know how to get to the quarterback, but instead they are near the bottom of the league in pressure rate. However, Daniel Jones invites sacks, and we get the Olivier Vernon revenge game, so I think the Browns get this one easy. Prediction: Browns win 34-17 Steelers at Bengals: Jemp: Steelers, Reeb: Steelers, Pep: Steelers, Screw: Bengals Great, we get to end the week with another AFC North showdown. Somehow, I think this game might not measure up to the last one. This has to be a get-right game for the Steelers, right? For sure they win, because I’m skeptical that Brandon Allen can scrounge up any sort of points against this Steelers defense, but let’s see if the Steelers offense can get it together. They routed this Bengals defense last time around, but this looks like a different offense right now. Prediction: Steelers win 23-0 Let’s take a look at the standings:
Reeb: 130-62 Screw: 127-65 Alx: 122-70 Jemp: 121-71 Pep: 116-76 The NFL isn't wasting any time getting into Week 14, so neither will I. Let's pick some games. Patriots at Rams: Jemp: Rams, Reeb: Rams, Pep: Rams, Screw: Rams Great coaching matchup here, which last time was decidedly won by Bill Belichick. However, he might have to hold Sean McVay’s offense to 3 points again in order to win this one. The Patriots receivers vs. the Rams cornerbacks might be the most lopsided matchup here, but it doesn’t really matter since Cam has thrown for 159 yards in the last two games… combined. And the Patriots won both. I think Sean McVay is one of the best coaches in the league, but at the end of the day, I don’t think Jared Goff can beat this Bill Belichick defense which seems to have turned a corner. Prediction: Patriots win 17-10 Texans at Bears: Jemp: Texans, Reeb: Texans, Pep: Bears, Screw: Texans Typically I don’t feel too bad for guys making $40M per year, but I really feel bad for Deshaun Watson. He’s doing all he can to carry this Texans team, making stars out of guys like Keke Coutee and Chad Hansen. And then, just when it seems like he’s going to pull off the improbable victory, one of his teammates lets him down. But, I have to think they can get it done against the Bears. Mitch at least makes the Bears more watchable, but he is bound to give the game away at the end. Prediction: Texans win 30-27 Cowboys at Bengals: Jemp: Cowboys, Reeb: Cowboys, Pep: Cowboys, Screw: Cowboys Well, I was originally excited for the Andy Dalton revenge game, but it is far less interesting without Joe Burrow. However, it does give the red rifle a much better chance to win this game. Other than that, this game is completely irrelevant, so I think we can move on. Prediction: Cowboys win 34-20 Chiefs at Dolphins: Jemp: Chiefs, Reeb: Chiefs, Pep: Chiefs, Screw: Chiefs I’ve been very impressed with what Brian Flores has done in Miami, but I don’t see how the Dolphins can make up for the talent gap in this game. Their defense is solid, but still not able to match up against the Chiefs offense, because no defense is. Their offense is struggling to find any sort of cohesion, because they threw Tua in a situation where he has no playmakers around him. He’s throwing to Lynn Bowden Jr. for god’s sake. Fitz is the better option for this year, but I get that the Dolphins want to prepare for the future, because I doubt even Fitzmagic would be enough to beat the Chiefs. Prediction: Chiefs win 28-17 Cardinals at Giants: Jemp: Giants, Reeb: Giants, Pep: Cardinals, Screw: Giants A lot of love for the Giants right now, and I definitely understand why. The defense that was laughable last year has made leaps and bounds into a cohesive unit under Patrick Graham. Their offense could still use some work, but as long as they have Alfred Morris, I think they’ll be fine. However, I still trust Kyler Murray to get this one done. The Cardinals may be on a losing streak, but I think the way they have played has been pretty consistent all year. That is part of the problem actually, but I think it will be enough to get past the Colt McCoy led Giants. I know Daniel Jones said he’s optimistic he can return, but I think it’ll be another week for him, and even if he’s back, I’m not trusting a hobbled Daniel Jones. Prediction: Cardinals win 24-21 Vikings at Buccaneers: Jemp: Bucs, Reeb: Bucs, Pep: Bucs, Screw: Bucs This is tough. I’d love to pick the Vikings as they are getting right back in the playoff hunt, but I just can’t do it. Kirk has been impeccable in his last 3 starts, and yet they have lost to the Cowboys and just skated by the Jags and Panthers. They have a great group of offensive skill players, but there isn’t much else to like about the Vikings. The Bucs are a far more well-rounded roster coming off a bye, and I think they probably get the win at home. Prediction: Buccaneers win 31-28 Broncos at Panthers: Jemp: Panthers, Reeb: Panthers, Pep: Panthers, Screw: Panthers I’m surprised no one is taking the Broncos here, but I understand my coworkers’ decisions here. Despite the fact that the Broncos are the far more talented team, I trust the Panthers way more than the Broncos. AJ Bouye is now suspended as well, which could open things up for Robby Anderson. However, he may be the only Panthers wide receiver available, as DJ Moore and Curtis Samuel are still on the COVID list, and we don’t know if they’ll be available. Christian McCaffrey is also dealing with another injury, and his status is cloudy as well. This much uncertainty makes it hard for me to do any real analysis here, but I guess I’ll take a chance for a lone-wolf here. Maybe COVID can help me get back in this pick’em race. Prediction: Broncos win 27-24 Titans at Jaguars: Jemp: Titans, Reeb: Titans, Pep: Titans, Screw: Titans I can’t believe we aren’t getting our annual Titans Jags Thursday Night game. As if 2020 hadn’t already taken enough from us, it strips us of our favorite PFJ tradition. If it was on TNF, I’d take the Jags because that always spells chaos. Plus, the Jags have been frisky recently, and are so close to break their losing streak. However, I’m totally thrown by this being on Sunday, so I think I’ll go chalk and take the Titans. Derrick Henry will probably just go off anyway and this won’t be close. Prediction: Titans win 34-24 Colts at Raiders: Jemp: Colts, Reeb: Colts, Pep: Colts, Screw: Colts Remember when Derek Carr said the Raiders weren’t going to collapse like they did last year? It looked like he had jinxed himself after getting demolished by the Falcons, and then looking as if they were going to lose to the Jets. Fortunately, they narrowly avoided the latter embarrassment, but it isn’t the best sign for the team going forward. Especially against a Colts team that brings a tough game every single week. Prediction: Colts win 27-20 Jets at Seahawks: Jemp: Seahawks, Reeb: Seahawks, Pep: Seahawks, Screw: Seahawks It was a tough end to the Gregg Williams era in New Jersey, and maybe the end of Gregg Williams as a DC altogether. I’ve always been a Gregg Williams fan, bounties and all, but there is no better play for him to go out on. To be fair, if Lamar Jackson just doesn’t bite on the Henry Ruggs double move, then the Jets win the game and the play call works. Then again, he probably should have accounted for the fact that an undrafted rookie might make a mistake when left on an island against a first round draft pick known for his blazing speed. But Jets fans have been clamoring for a coaching change, and I’m sure this is what they had in mind. Prediction: Seahawks win 34-17 Packers at Lions: Jemp: Lions, Reeb: Packers, Pep: Packers, Screw: Packers I’d actually be tempted to take the Lions here if I knew D’Andre Swift and Kenny Golladay were going to be back. It seems like Swift is trending towards playing and Golladay will remain out, but neither is certain at this point. And while the Lions offense seemed to be somewhat unleashed with Patricia out, I’m not going to get overly excited about a 4 point win against the Bears. They did give up 30 points to Mitchell Trubisky, and I think Aaron Rodgers is slightly better than Mitch. Prediction: Packers win 38-31 Saints at Eagles: Jemp: Saints, Reeb: Saints, Pep: Saints, Screw: Saints Remember at the beginning of the season how the Eagles said they were going to use Jalen Hurts like Taysom Hill? Well, they didn’t lie, because with Taysom Hill thrust in as a starter, the Eagles have done the same with Hurts. The only difference is that Taysom Hill is behind a really good offensive line with an All-Pro running back and receiver, and one of the best defenses in the league. Other than that, these two are on equal footing. Prediction: Saints win 31-10 Falcons at Chargers: Jemp: Falcons, Reeb: Falcons, Pep: Chargers, Screw: Falcons I don’t need you guys telling me that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. It isn’t even the definition anyway, it’s just a quote that can’t even verifiably be attributed to anyone. So get off my back. I knew picking the Chargers was a horrible mistake last week, but this week I feel slightly better about it. The Falcons have been decent under Raheem Morris, but I don’t think he has quite the track record against rookie quarterbacks as Bill Belichick. I’m expecting Herbert to bounce back. However, the Chargers should watch out for the Younghoe Koo revenge game, who is having a pro bowl year. His disastrous time on the Chargers is probably more attributable to the fact that they are cursed to have atrocious special teams units for the rest of eternity. Prediction: Chargers win 34-30 Football Team at 49ers: Jemp: Football Team, Reeb: Football Team, Pep: Football Team, Screw: Football Team Of course everyone is taking the Football Team in the Alex Smith revenge game. Easy win for the Football Team. Prediction: Football Team wins 100-0 Steelers at Bills: Jemp: Steelers, Reeb: Steelers, Pep: Bills, Screw: Steelers This one is interesting. On the one hand, the Bills really look great right now, and the Steelers have only looked okay for a few weeks now. On the other hand, Josh Allen tends to be either really good or really bad, and this Steelers defense doesn’t bode well for the first outcome. However, Brian Daboll has done such a good job, and I think his scheme can get Allen comfortable enough for him to continue to show off his talent. I’ll take the Bills at home. Prediction: Bills win 34-31 Ravens at Browns: Jemp: Browns, Reeb: Ravens, Pep: Browns, Screw: Ravens I have been prepared since Week 1 to take the Ravens in this matchup. I told myself there was no way I was picking the Browns again when they come against their stiff division rivals, if you can even call them that. Then last week happened, and the Browns showed up in a big way against the 8-3 Titans. I don’t expect Baker to be able to have another one of those days against this staunch Ravens defense, but I don’t trust the Ravens offense either. Sure, they took advantage of the Cowboys, but even if they get everyone back from the COVID list, I think the Browns are the better team. I am ready to be heartily proven wrong when the Browns lose by 30, but I’m sticking out my neck for Cleveland. Prediction: Browns win 23-20 Let’s take a look at the standings:
Reeb: 120-57 Screw: 117-60 Alx: 110-67 Jemp: 109-68 Pep: 107-70 Sorry for the delay in getting the picks up, but a Wednesday game is going to mess with schedules. However, I’m sure we won’t have to deal with any more scheduling issues, so let’s pick some games. Saints at Falcons: Jemp: Saints, Reeb: Falcons, Pep: Falcons, Screw: Saints So who saw that one coming from the Falcons? Probably only some deluded fan who thinks his team is going to win 100-0 every week. But maybe Raheem Morris has got something here. I can see why Reeb and Pep are picking the upset. The Falcons are on the rise, it’s a division game, and I don’t think any of us are sure about this Taysom Hill thing. However, the Saints offense has been fine, and Taysom brings a lot to the running game. I still think the Saints are easily the best team in the NFC, so I’m sticking with them on the road. Prediction: Saints win 27-20 Lions at Bears: Jemp: Lions, Reeb: Lions, Pep: Bears, Screw: Bears This has to be a low point for the Lions. Pep said just a few weeks ago that he didn’t think the Bears would win another game, and now he picks them to beat the Lions. Probably because they are up against their kryptonite. Mitchell Trubisky is back and ready to carve up the Lions once again. However, I think they respond to their coaching change, and put the clamps down against the Bears incredible aerial attack. A lot also hinges on the health of D’Andre Swift and Kenny Golladay, but still I’m going with the Lions. Prediction: Lions win 16-10 Browns at Titans: Jemp: Titans, Reeb: Titans, Pep: Titans, Screw: Titans I remember the good old days when the Browns were better than their awful record, and I would try and lone wolf them. Now they are 8-3 and none of us really even considered taking them against the Titans. Granted, the Titans are a good team, but not so good that they can’t be beaten. I mean, even the Bengals beat them. Yet, the Browns are the most downtrodden 8-3 I can remember, and I expect them to move to 8-4 after this week. Prediction: Titans win 34-20 Bengals at Dolphins: Jemp: Dolphins, Reeb: Dolphins, Pep: Dolphins, Screw: Dolphins Well, Brandon Allen was at least better than Ryan Finley, so I guess that’s something. However, he’s not quite as good as Joe Burrow, and I doubt the Bengals would have won this game even with Burrow in the lineup. It would have been fun to see Burrow vs. Tua, but looks like Tua will be a game-time call anyway. I think we all know the Dolphins are better with Fitz anyway, but it won’t matter for this game. Prediction: Dolphins win 28-14 Jaguars at Vikings: Jemp: Vikings, Reeb: Vikings, Pep: Vikings, Screw: Vikings What a performance by Kirk Cousins. I know no one cares because it was a 1pm game against the Panthers, but he carried this Vikings offense. Dalvin Cook couldn’t get much going on the ground, and he basically only had one legitimate receiver, but he still got it done. The good part that his one receiver is really freaking good. It was also nice to see Adam Thielen celebrate at home with his kids, genuinely ecstatic to see his team win without him. Somehow I don’t think Stefon Diggs would have had the same reaction when he was on this team. Prediction: Vikings win 34-17 Raiders at Jets: Jemp: Raiders, Reeb: Raiders, Pep: Raiders, Screw: Raiders Well, Sam Darnold is making his farewell tour in New York, just trying to avoid 0-16. Not a great sign that he looks significantly worse than Joe Flacco in this offense, although I guess it’s tough to live up to such an elite quarterback. None of us think the Raiders have another let down like last week. Prediction: Raiders win 24-10 Colts at Texans: Jemp: Colts, Reeb: Colts, Pep: Colts, Screw: Colts Well the Texans lost their best receiver and their best corner to suspensions, but don’t worry, because David Johnson is coming back. I would love to see Deshaun Watson carry this Texans team to a win here, but it seems like too tall a task. Glad they can make this draft pick better for the Dolphins. Prediction: Colts win 27-24 Rams at Cardinals: Jemp: Rams, Reeb: Cardinals, Pep: Cardinals, Screw: Rams Both of these teams suffered tough losses last week, but the Cardinals loss was much more concerning to me. Again, we saw Kyler Murray bottled up on the ground, which is the only thing that makes this team special. I’m not sure if it has just been two great gameplans against Kyler, or if his shoulder injury is somehow preventing him from running effectively, but either way, it spells trouble for the Cards. We all know that Jared Goff is the biggest issue for the Rams, but fortunately, he doesn’t need to be special for the Rams to win, he just needs to not be a total disaster. Prediction: Rams win 24-17 Giants at Seahawks: Jemp: Seahawks, Reeb: Seahawks, Pep: Seahawks, Screw: Seahawks I love me some Colt McCoy as much as the next guy, but somehow I agree with my colleagues that the Seahawks might squeak this one out. The Seahawks defense is playing better, but the offense has stopped letting Russ cook. However, beating the Giants right now is akin to microwaving a pizza, so I think the Seahawks got this Prediction: Seahawks win 27-10 Eagles at Packers: Jemp: Packers, Reeb: Packers, Pep: Packers, Screw: Packers God it is hard to watch the Eagles right now. Wentz’s accuracy is nearing Trubisky levels, and the offensive line is a mess. I’m also not sure why Alshon Jeffery is out there. Maybe Pederson thinks defenses have to respect him, but trust me, they don’t. Sorry Alshon, because you were a really good receiver at one point, and helped me win a fantasy championship in your breakout year, but your time is about done. Anyway, we obviously are all taking the Packers here. Prediction: Packers win 31-14 Patriots at Chargers: Jemp: Patriots, Reeb: Patriots, Pep: Patriots, Screw: Chargers I hate myself every time I pick the Chargers. I know it’s a bad idea every time, yet I do it anyway. I can’t quit them. Justin Herbert finally showed some weaknesses last week, but fortunately this week he won’t play against anyone who will know how to exploit those. He certainly has the potential to smash this Pats defense no matter what Belichick throws at him, because the Chargers are so much more talented on offense than the Pats are on defense. Sure, the Pats still have great corners, but their front seven is among the worst in the league, and Austin Ekeler is back to feast here. Again, I know this is a horrible, horrible mistake, but I’m taking the Chargers. Prediction: Chargers win 27-20 Broncos at Chiefs: Jemp: Chiefs, Reeb: Chiefs, Pep: Chiefs, Screw: Chiefs Tough game for the Broncos. That Saints Broncos game had a total of 75 passing yards between both teams. Tyreek Hill had 200 receiving yards himself… in the first quarter. I know Broncos fans are upset that the NFL made them play without any of their quarterbacks, but it was probably a smart move by Drew Lock to take his mask off with the quarterbacks. He wouldn’t have looked much better than Kendall Hinton against that Saints defense. Come back here and look good by comparison. Well, at least to Hinton, nothing you can do about Patrick Mahomes. Prediction: Chiefs win 41-17 Football Team at Steelers: Jemp: Steelers, Reeb: Steelers, Pep: Football Team, Screw: Steelers Sorry Steelers, your undefeated season ends here. Prediction: Football Team wins 100-0 Bills at 49ers: Jemp: Bills, Reeb: Bills, Pep: Bills, Screw: Bills I’m a little surprised no one picked the 49ers upset, but I have to agree with the crew. The Bills defense has been much improved, and I don’t think Nick Mullens will be able to muster much against them right now. However, he may finally have Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, and Raheem Mostert to help him out. Still no Kittle of course, but maybe this offense looks different with at least some healthy weapons. Prediction: Bills win 23-20 Cowboys at Ravens: Jemp: Ravens, Reeb: Ravens, Pep: Cowboys, Screw: Ravens I have to say, I really enjoy these mid-week games. I’d probably enjoy them more if they were better games, but beggars can’t be choosers. Hoping Lamar Jackson is back for this one, or at least RGIII, but I wouldn’t even count out the Ravens if Trace McSorley has to go. The Cowboys aren’t quite the dumpster fire they were a few weeks ago, but they still are nowhere close the Ravens. Prediction: Ravens win 23-10 Let’s take a look at the standings:
Reeb: 108-53 Screw: 104-57 Alx: 99-62 Jemp: 98-63 Pep: 94-67 Appreciate Pep for taking over the pick’em last week, and he and I both moved up a little bit after last week. But now I’m back for the best holiday of the year. Nothing better than food and football, all while listening to some Scott Messina. Now let’s pick some games. Texans at Lions: Jemp: Lions, Reeb: Texans, Pep: Texans, Screw: Texans Jemp, you better eat early before the Lions make you lose your appetite. The Panthers defense that had failed to stop anyone managed to shut out this Lions offense. I know they were without Kenny Golladay and D’Andre Swift, but that just shouldn’t happen. Not even the Bears offense gets shut out in today’s NFL. They get another easy defense on Thanksgiving, but unless they get some sort of weird confidence boost from playing on Thanksgiving, I don’t see them keeping up with Deshaun Watson. Prediction: Texans win 31-20 Football Team at Cowboys: Jemp: Football Team, Reeb: Football Team, Pep: Football Team, Screw: Football Team First place in the NFC East is on the line, and the Football Team is ready to dominate dem Cowboys. Great way to cap off Thanksgiving. Prediction: Football Team wins 200-0 Ravens at Steelers: Jemp: Steelers, Reeb: Steelers, Pep: Steelers, Screw: Steelers Well, the good news is that if the tryptophan puts you to sleep early, you won’t miss any football, because this game is moved to Sunday. The Steelers players aren’t too happy about it because they live for showing off in the spotlight. I know Reeb’s Thanksgiving won’t be the same without that. Anyway, regardless of when this game is played, I like the Steelers. This matchup may have been circled a few weeks ago as a game they might drop, but when Dez Bryant becomes a feature part of the Ravens offense, you know things are bad for them. Prediction: Steelers win 20-10 Raiders at Falcons: Jemp: Raiders, Reeb: Raiders, Pep: Raiders, Screw: Raiders Unfortunate loss for the Raiders on SNF, even if we all saw it coming a mile away. However, you have to be impressed with the fight in them. They couldn’t stop the Chiefs, but they kept up with them score for score. Unless they used up all their firepower in that matchup, I don’t think they should have a problem outpacing the Falcons. The Falcons defense isn’t quite as bad as it started out, but the offense is far worse. Matt Ryan had one of the worst games I’ve seen from him in a while against the Saints. He might bounce back to some extent this week, but not enough to get a win. Prediction: Raiders win 28-24 Chargers at Bills: Jemp: Bills, Reeb: Bills, Pep: Bills, Screw: Bills The staff is in lockstep for most of these games, but this is my chance to get a lone wolf. Sure, Justin Herbert’s only wins are against the Jaguars and Jets, but he is bound to steal a game from a contender sooner or later. This offense has been too good, and there is even a chance that Austin Ekeler returns this week. I’m guessing he will probably need another week at least, but screw it, I’ve got to get one of these Chargers lone-wolfs eventually, right? Prediction: Chargers win 34-31 Giants at Bengals: Jemp: Giants, Reeb: Giants, Pep: Giants, Screw: Giants Didn’t think we would be unanimously picking the Giants at any point this year, but that’s what happens when Ryan Finley enters the lineup. The Bengals didn’t have much going for them outside of their passing game, and Finley pretty much sinks that ship. The Giants have at least looked competent as of late, and this could be their first win outside of the NFC East. Prediction: Giants win 24-0 Titans at Colts: Jemp: Colts, Reeb: Colts, Pep: Titans, Screw: Titans I feel like I pick the Colts every week as an indictment of the team they are planning. The Colts aren’t perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but nearly every team has shown some vulnerability at this point in the season. The Colts are at least consistent each and every week. Well, other than that loss in week 1 to the Jags, but that looks like an aberration at this point. The Titans clearly have the better offense, but the Colts defense is for real, and their offense is no pushover. I’ll take the Colts since they are the more complete team. Prediction: Colts win 27-24 Panthers at Vikings: Jemp: Vikings, Reeb: Vikings, Pep: Vikings, Screw: Vikings Rough loss for the Vikings despite a great game by Kirk Cousins. The drop by Justin Jefferson on the final drive was a killer. However, Teddy should be returning for the Panthers this week, just in time for a sweet revenge game. I think he comes up short though, and the Vikings get somewhat back on track. Prediction: Vikings win 31-24 Cardinals at Patriots: Jemp: Cardinals, Reeb: Cardinals, Pep: Cardinals, Screw: Cardinals This was the only other spot I considered a lone-wolf. I feel like if there is a game the Patriots can win with scheme, it’s this game here. The Seahawks showed the blueprint last week. If you can contain Kyler on the ground, the offense isn’t special. For the sake of my fantasy teams, I hope the Patriots aren’t able to do that. They also typically struggle against mobile quarterbacks, but they did just beat Lamar Jackson. Ultimately, I’ll ride with the Cardinals because I don’t think the Pats have the players to contain him like the Seahawks did. Prediction: Cardinals win 27-20 Dolphins at Jets: Jemp: Dolphins, Reeb: Dolphins, Pep: Dolphins, Screw: Dolphins Could we see a Ryan Fitzpatrick revenge game here? I know Tua is still starting, but Brian Flores showed he isn’t afraid to pull the plug on Tua if things look rocky. I wanted Fitz to orchestrate that comeback last week, but he couldn’t quite manage it. But let’s be real, the Jets might look better as of late, but the Dolphins probably won’t need a comeback to win this one. Prediction: Dolphins win 34-28 Browns at Jaguars: Jemp: Browns, Reeb: Browns, Pep: Browns, Screw: Browns I don’t know what to make of the Browns. Baker Mayfield was once the audacious centerpiece of a loaded quarterback class. Now he is totally irrelevant to the league in general. I see him more often on shi**y Progressive commercials than on Redzone. You don’t even see any debates or hot takes about Baker anymore because nobody cares. But I guess the Browns can get another win here in a game no one will be watching. Prediction: Browns win 6-3 Saints at Broncos: Jemp: Saints, Reeb: Saints, Pep: Saints, Screw: Saints The Saints look like the class of the NFC right now. Sure, there offense seems like they are running a gadget play every down, but I’ve always said teams don’t run enough trick plays. However, their defense has been absolutely dominant as of late. Now we will see if they can handle Drew Lock. Prediction: Saints win 24-7 49ers at Rams: Jemp: Rams, Reeb: Rams, Pep: Rams, Screw: Rams Remember when we all lauded Sean McVay as the greatest coach of all time? It seems like we’ve all forgotten about that, but he has this Rams team right in contention again. Even last year he was able to lead them to a winning record despite a hobbled Todd Gurley and a struggling Jared Goff. Of course, he goes against another great head coach in Kyle Shanahan. However, he is blessed with the better squad this year, so I think the Rams continue their winning streak. Prediction: Rams win 23-13 Chiefs at Buccaneers: Jemp: Chiefs, Reeb: Chiefs, Pep: Chiefs, Screw: Chiefs I remember when it was Tom Brady that I picked every week regardless of the matchup. Now that honor belongs to Patrick Mahomes. It’s almost hard to imagine the Chiefs not repeating as Super Bowl champions right now. I know their game against the Raiders was close on paper, but it felt like there was no doubt who was going to win the whole time. The problem with slowing down the game against the Chiefs, is that the game is going to come down to a final drive, and if you leave anything more than 30 seconds, it’s too much time for Patrick Mahomes. That being said, I still think this Bucs team is pretty good, and this would be a perfect way for them to get back on track. With a little luck, they can get this one if they play their best, but smart money is always on the Chiefs. Prediction: Chiefs win 31-27 Bears at Packers: Jemp: Packers, Reeb: Packers, Pep: Packers, Screw: Packers I like how Matt Nagy is waiting to make the announcement as to which quarterback is going to start this game like it’s some big reveal. Nobody cares Matt, not even the Packers. They will get a good laugh in either way. Unfortunately, we will all be subject to the consequences of his choice, because this is the Sunday Night game, and we have to watch the Bears miserable offense try to find some sort of life. What a way to end our Thanksgiving weekend. Prediction: Packer win 28-0 Seahawks at Eagles: Jemp: Seahawks, Reeb: Seahawks, Pep: Seahawks, Screw: Seahawks Good god, can one these primetime teams get COVID so we can move a better game into one of these slots? I guess we can pay attention to Russ and A-Rod making their cases for MVP during these games, while maybe grabbing some leftovers when the other team has the ball. This Eagles offense might be even worse than the Bears as of late. Alright, that was obviously hyperbole, but still, it’s been pretty bad. However, maybe Carson Wentz can pull himself together and make this a game. But somehow, I think I’ll stick with Russell Wilson. Prediction: Seahawks win 38-31 Let’s take a look at the standings:
Reeb: 100-47 Screw: 96-51 Jemp: 90-57 Alx: 89-58 Pep: 85-62 Pep here, now 15 games back from first place in our standings. “But Pep, why are you writing the Pickem? You’re in last place!” One reason: Alx is too busy doing fake work. It’s happened to us all many times, and it’s quite tragic. So you’re stuck with me. The season is still young, though. Maybe I can gain some ground and credibility back here. Let’s get to it. Cardinals at Seahawks: Jemp: Cardinals, Reeb: Cardinals, Alx: Seahawks, Screw: Seahawks I remember the days when only bad games were reserved for Thursday nights. It was like Thursdays were reserved for the entire AFC South of the last decade only. Well, times have changed. The Cardinals are coming in hot off of the miracle catch of the year by DeAndre Hopkins. The Seahawks look a little humbled coming into this one. Last week they showed just what they can be when Russ can’t get the job done. The offensive line has been bad for about a decade now, but the defense has been shockingly bad this year and they can’t generate a pass rush or defend the pass. With all of that being said, it’s a primetime game and I think Russ can bounce back and carry the team yet again with the help of DK Metcalf. The defense will have to defend a hail mary though. Prediction: Seahawks win 30-26 Eagles at Browns: Jemp: Browns, Reeb: Browns, Alx: Browns, Screw: Browns The Browns just won a game 10-7. In today’s NFL it’s impressive to see a score that low. But what’s even more impressive? Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt combined for 230 yards rushing. How does that even happen? The Eagles on the other hand allowed Daniel Jones to become a rushing highlight of his own and keep the NFC East embarrassingly close. I’m just going to go ahead and predict that the Browns don’t run a single passing play and push on with Chubb and Hunt. Prediction: Browns win 11-3 Falcons at Saints: Jemp: Saints, Reeb: Falcons, Alx: Saints, Screw: Saints And here we go. Jameis Winston is back out on the field facing a familiar division rival. I’m sure the Saints will sprinkle in some Taysom Hill for the good old draw play that nobody ever seems to prepare for, but I think Jameis will let it rip and these wide receivers will feast. Don’t forget his eyesight improved during the offseason. So he can truly see that W he’s about to eat. UPDATE: Taysom Hill will be starting for the Saints. Enjoy a lot of draw plays while your fantasy teams suffer. Perhaps he'll just figure out ways to pass the ball to himself. Prediction: Saints win 36-21 Bengals at Football Team: Jemp: Football Team, Reeb: Football Team, Alx: Football Team, Screw: Bengals Tough outings for both teams last week, with the Bengals getting blown out and the Football Team losing on a heartbreaking field goal. There was promise there, though. Alex Smith led the league in passing yards and Antonio Gibson had a pair of touchdowns. Chase Young deserves a little slap on the wrist but hey, he can make up for his penalty this week facing a Cincinnati offensive line that seems to be a group of invisible men most of the time. We usually predict the Football Team’s score to be a lot higher, but I’ll be realistic this time around. If we were playing in London I’d call this a tie football game. It’s in the past now. Prediction: Football Team wins 99-3 Lions at Panthers: Jemp: Lions, Reeb: Panthers, Alx: Panthers, Screw: Panthers Last week was what you call a little bit of a blowout for the Panthers. Everybody has those days. The Panthers have played far better than what their record shows in most games. Teddy is playing hard and Matt Rhule hasn’t been doing any bad coaching himself. The Lions are looking pretty good too after hanging on to beat the best team in the league last week. DeAndre Swift and that offense were just too much for their opponent to handle. But they let opponents hang around too long in games, and I think Teddy and the Panthers will come up with a win here for that exact reason. Prediction: Panthers win 20-17 Steelers at Jaguars: Jemp: Steelers, Reeb: Steelers, Alx: Steelers, Screw: Steelers Not much to say here in this one. Pretty sad matchup and the undefeated Steelers should keep it that way. Good on the Jags for keeping up with the Packers last week. Prediction: Steelers win 34-14 Titans at Ravens: Jemp: Ravens, Reeb: Ravens, Alx: Ravens, Screw: Ravens Here’s 2 good teams that have been struggling as of recent. The Titans are now fighting with the Colts for first place in the AFC South, and the Ravens are trying to keep it close with the Steelers in the AFC North. Anyway, yes this is the rematch of the AFC Championship game and I expect Derrick Henry to make it happen for the Titans again. Prediction: Titans win 28-21 Patriots at Texans: Jemp: Patriots, Reeb: Texans, Alx: Texans, Screw: Patriots Okay, Patriots. You guys have some fight in you! Putting struggling Baltimore in check on Sunday Night Football is no easy task, but the Patriots keep converting on 3rd down with Cam Newton power plays, and no defense ever expects it. It’s like they just delete any tape of Cam Newton running the ball. Jakobi Meyers (323 yards on the season) is having an impressive year himself with numbers that are pretty good for Patriots wide receiver standards. Onto the Texans, who allowed 7 points and 230 yards rushing to the Browns next week. It’s not totally Romeo Crennel’s fault, but after last week you’ve got to wonder how badly Deshaun Watson wants DeAndre Hopkins back and draft picks to look forward to in the future. Hang in there, Deshaun. Throw it to Will Fuller again I guess. Prediction: Patriots win 23-13 Dolphins at Broncos: Jemp: Dolphins, Reeb: Dolphins, Alx: Dolphins, Screw: Dolphins The Bears are lucky they’re on a bye week because it’s time to have a talk about the Denver Broncos offense. They just bore the hell out of you. Drew Lock is bad, Melvin Gordon is an underachiver, Philip Lindsay has a carry here and there. You never see them on Red Zone unless they’re turning the ball over. Drew Lock is out, which probably might help them get on the big screen. The Dolphins, as scrappy as ever, should handle this team with ease and we might get to see a few more Broncos turnovers on Red Zone. Prediction: Dolphins win 27-10 Jets at Chargers: Jemp: Chargers, Reeb: Chargers, Alx: Chargers, Screw: Chargers If there’s one team the Jets can beat, it’s the Chargers. The Chargers might go full Charger and I think the whole staff is worried here. Joe Flacco has another shot to show his eliteness. Prediction: Jets win 34-28 Packers at Colts: Jemp: Colts, Reeb: Packers, Alx: Colts, Screw: Packers I like the Colts here. A dominant primetime win and a nice rotation going on at RB with the occasional Jonathan Taylor sighting. The Packers just made the Jaguars look competitive last week and that’s enough for me. This will be a tough matchup, but I like the Colts just a little more in this game. Prediction: Colts win 23-21 Cowboys at Vikings: Jemp: Vikings, Reeb: Vikings, Alx: Vikings, Screw: Vikings Good on Kirk last week. The Vikings didn’t have to ride Dalvin Cook all game and he commanded the offense well. He also got his first MNF win! Great win against...the Bears. I’ll spare you the rest. It doesn’t matter who’s starting at quarterback for the Cowboys right now, they are just not good. It could’ve been an Everson Griffen revenge game but the Cowboys gave him away to an elite team. Prediction: Vikings win 31-9 Chiefs at Raiders: Jemp: Chiefs, Reeb: Chiefs, Alx: Chiefs, Screw: Chiefs Well it looks like just about everybody on the Raiders defense is on the Covid-19/Reserve list at the moment. That doesn’t help when you’re playing a Chiefs team coming off a bye. I don’t expect this to be a blowout, though. I expect Jon Gruden to ride Josh Jacobs until Mahomes starts tossing up bombs. Prediction: Chiefs win 32-18 Rams at Buccaneers: Jemp: Rams, Reeb: Rams, Alx: Bucs, Screw: Rams This might be the toughest matchup for me to predict this week. I don’t expect the Rams defense to make Ronald Jones look like Garrison Hearst again, but I wonder how the Rams offense will run against a stout rushing defense. Regardless, I’m just happy to see two good teams on MNF again and it should be competitive. Prediction: Rams win 18-17 Let’s take a look at the standings:
Reeb: 89-44 Screw: 87-46 Alx: 81-52 Jemp: 80-53 Pep: 78-55 Well Reeb and Screw pulled further ahead last week. Also for record keeping, I had a typo last week where I picked the Packers in the Panthers Chiefs game, but obviously I was picking the Chiefs. Anyway, let’s pick some games. Colts at Titans: Jemp: Colts, Reeb: Colts, Pep: Titans, Screw: Titans I can’t believe we aren’t getting Titans Jags on TNF this year. I guess the Titans are too good for that now. Instead we get this garbage between two teams that are actually competing for this division. However, I’m not sold on the Titans. Most of their wins have been by the skin of their teeth. Their defense has been awful, despite shutting down the Bears. Then again, I don’t really think all that much of the Colts either, but I think they have enough to get this win on TNF. Prediction: Colts win 23-17 Texans at Browns: Jemp: Browns, Reeb: Browns, Pep: Browns, Screw: Browns The Romeo Crennel revenge game here. Baker was briefly on the COVID list, but he seems back on track to play now. However, I’m not sure if that’s a good thing for the Browns anymore. Their offense scored 6 points against a very lackluster Raiders defense. Granted, there were weather issues that caused both offenses to struggle, and this Texans defense is even worse. Nick Chubb could also return for the Browns, which could spell trouble for an abysmal Texans run defense. Still, I think it’s about time for Deshaun Watson to steal a game here. I’m picking the upset here. Prediction: Texans win 31-30 Football Team at Lions: Jemp: Lions, Reeb: Lions, Pep: Football Team, Screw: Lions Alex Smith is back, and the Football Team is ready to take it to this Lions team. Sorry Jemp, but your team just isn’t ready for this. Prediction: Football Team wins 100-0 Jaguars at Packers: Jemp: Packers, Reeb: Packers, Pep: Packers, Screw: Packers Not a bad debut for Jake Luton, but not quite good enough. Not that anyone thought it would be, because this team has very little going for it. The Packers should roll once again this week, especially Davante Adams and Aaron Rodgers, who seem to have an unstoppable connection. It doesn’t seem to matter that MVS can’t catch a football to save his life, because Adams gets enough production for the both of them. Prediction: Packers win 38-17 Eagles at Giants: Jemp: Eagles, Reeb: Eagles, Pep: Eagles, Screw: Eagles I thought about lone-wolfing the Giants this week, but then I came to my senses. Don’t get me wrong, the Giants could easily win this, because the Eagles are incredibly inconsistent. Carson Wentz has been extremely erratic, but so has Daniel Jones. Ultimately, the Eagles best is enough to beat the Giants, and the fact that the Giants almost beat them last time only makes me feel better about the Eagles winning this one a little more handily. Still not by much, but I think they probably control this game all the way through. Prediction: Eagles win 24-20 Buccaneers at Panthers: Jemp: Bucs, Reeb: Bucs, Pep: Bucs, Screw: Bucs So, remember how everyone expected the Panthers to have the worst defense in the NFL? Well, they are getting there, as they haven’t forced a punt in the last two games. That isn’t ideal, especially when they are playing Patrick Mahomes this week. Only Robby Anderson can save the Panthers now. Otherwise, this could be a bloodbath. Prediction: Bucs win 41-21 Broncos at Raiders: Jemp: Raiders, Reeb: Raiders, Pep: Raiders, Screw: Raiders Alright Broncos, you aren’t playing the Chargers or the Falcons this week, so falling behind by three scores probably isn’t a good idea in this one. Drew Lock is surrounded by talented weapons, and the nice thing about his game is that he is aggressive and gives them chances to make plays. The bad thing about his game is that he isn’t very good. So that’s a problem. Prediction: Raiders win 27-24 Chargers at Dolphins: Jemp: Dolphins, Reeb: Dolphins, Pep: Chargers, Screw: Dolphins Alright, the Chargers have to win one of these games eventually, right? However, the Dolphins are almost the opposite of the Chargers, in that they just find ways to win games, even if the lower parts of the box score would make you think otherwise. Tua certainly bounced back nicely from an uninspired debut, and ended up out-dueling Kyler Murray. However, I just can’t quit the Chargers, especially with this rookie quarterback of their own. Prediction: Chargers win 34-27 Bills at Cardinals: Jemp: Bills, Reeb: Cardinals, Pep: Bills, Screw: Bills Which Bills team is going to show up this week? The offense seemingly regressed after its hot start, but then, out of nowhere, they exploded against that Seahawks defense. Granted, the Seahawks defense is terrible, but I still didn’t see that coming. Maybe it was the full return of John Brown, who gets to play in a revenge game this week. However, the Cardinals have looked a little better as a passing offense recently, even with a quiet day from DeAndre Hopkins, at least in the box score. He did draw a few PI calls, so he still made his impact, and I expect him to do so again. Prediction: Cardinals win 31-27 Seahawks at Rams: Jemp: Seahawks, Reeb: Seahawks, Pep: Rams, Screw: Seahawks I feel like this is a dangerous matchup for the Seahawks. The Rams defense is tough to bully, but the Seahawks defense bends over to opposing offenses. The only problem is that their main weakness is through the air, and I’m not sure how much the Rams trust Jared Goff to beat them that way. The Rams have been more reliant on the ground game, but we’ve seen in the past that Sean McVay isn’t afraid to completely abandon the run when the game dictates. Normally I always trust Russ to eke out a victory, but I like the Rams here. Prediction: Rams win 34-28 49ers at Saints: Jemp: Saints, Reeb: Saints, Pep: Saints, Screw: Saints Well the Saints might have dispatched Tom Brady, but now they have to worry about Nick Mullens coming to town. And when he’s got weapons like Richie James and Ross Dwelley, there is no stopping him. At least it looks like Deebo and Brandon Aiyuk will be back for this one, but somehow I still don’t think it’s quite enough to topple the Saints. Prediction: Saints win 27-10 Bengals at Steelers: Jemp: Steelers, Reeb: Steelers, Pep: Bengals, Screw: Steelers The Steelers have been flirting with disaster and just like Big Ben, disaster eventually won’t take no for an answer. Obviously the Steelers are the better team, but I think this is the week that they drop a game. The Bengals have been jumping on teams early, which I think they can continue this week. I’m a little more worried about their ability to hold on, but they finally did it in their win against the Titans, so I think they can do it again. Prediction: Bengals win 27-24 Ravens at Patriots: Jemp: Ravens, Reeb: Ravens, Pep: Ravens, Screw: Ravens Well, I think this is just the reality for the Patriots now. They aren’t good, they aren’t even average, they are just plain bad. But I guess the silver lining for Pats fans is that they might finally get a top 10-15 pick, something they haven’t had since Jerod Mayo in 2008. The Ravens have some issues, but this is a game they should win easily. Prediction: Ravens win 27-10 Vikings at Bears: Jemp: Vikings, Reeb: Vikings, Pep: Vikings, Screw: Vikings What cruel person decided to make us watch the Bears offense in primetime? Maybe I’ll catch a movie instead. It’s worth getting COVID just to avoid this. But I guess I get to watch Dalvin Cook and my boy Kirk hopefully not blow it on Monday Night Football. That would be really nice. Prediction: Vikings win 23-10 Let’s take a look at the standings:
Reeb: 78-41 Screw: 76-43 Alx: 74-45 Jemp: 72-47 Pep: 71-48 It feels good to claw my way back to the middle of the pack. Jemp fell a little closer to the bottom. Hopefully he doesn’t sue me for a recount. Anyway, let’s get to some happier thoughts and pick some games. Packers at 49ers: Jemp: Packers, Reeb: Packers, Pep: Packers, Screw: Packers A rematch of the NFC championship where Raheem Mostert gashed the Packers terrible run defense, yet Mike Pettine has remained steadfast in his defensive gameplan. Dalvin Cook exploded against them last week, resulting in the Vikings upset win. You would think that Pettine might change his strategy, at least for one week, given that running the ball is what the 49ers do best, and nearly all their pass-catchers are hurt, not to mention their quarterback. The good news is that they still have Kyle Juszczyk, which is all they need on offense. Oh wait, just got the update that Brandon Aiyuk and Trent Williams are out too. Looking like this game might not even happen, but to be safe, I’ll take the Packers. Prediction: Packers win 23-17 Broncos at Falcons: Jemp: Broncos, Reeb: Falcons, Pep: Broncos, Screw: Falcons This is a game where I feel like both teams are better than people think, but I don’t trust either to win on any given week. Whatever team I pick, I’m not going to feel good about it. The Falcons defense proved once again that they are no longer complete pushovers, but the Broncos have quite a few young talented weapons on offense. The only question is whether their quarterback is the right guy to unlock their potential (pardon the pun). He was dreadful through three quarters last week, but then got hot at the end. Maybe that was just due to the Chargers pulling one of their classic collapses. Good thing the team he plays this week would never do something like that. Prediction: Broncos win 31-24 Seahawks at Bills: Jemp: Seahawks, Reeb: Bills, Pep: Seahawks, Screw: Seahawks Really not sure why Reeb is taking the Bills. This is why he isn’t paid. The Bills have been awful the past four games, and even if they manage to make it close, I trust Russell Wilson a little more than Josh Allen in crunch time. Prediction: Seahawks win 35-24 Bears at Titans: Jemp: Titans, Reeb: Titans, Pep: Titans, Screw: Titans I kind of feel this would be an ideal time to lone-wolf, because the Bears somehow keep games close, even when it feels like they have the worst offense in the league. And the Titans have been relatively unimpressive, especially where they couldn’t get a sack against a pickup football offensive line. Remember when Jadeveon Clowney was drafted ahead of Khalil Mack? I guess it doesn’t matter now since neither is on the team that drafted them. Although the Raiders got slightly higher value when they traded away Mack. Then again, Bill O’Brien probably would have traded away Khalil Mack for Jimmy Graham and a conditional fifth round pick. Prediction: Bears win 24-21 Ravens at Colts: Jemp: Ravens, Reeb: Ravens, Pep: Ravens, Screw: Ravens I thought last week was actually encouraging for the Ravens. Lamar didn’t play well as a passer, but the running game was on point and they moved the ball well. I don’t expect Lamar to ever become Dan Marino as a passer, but this Ravens rushing attack looks back on track. Probably just a coincidence that this happened when Mark Ingram went out of the lineup. The Marlon Humphrey COVID situation is a little concerning, but I still think the defense gets a pick or two against Philip Rivers, and the Ravens get back on track. Prediction: Ravens win 24-10 Panthers at Chiefs: Jemp: Chiefs, Reeb: Chiefs, Pep: Chiefs, Screw: Chiefs So, remember how everyone expected the Panthers to have the worst defense in the NFL? Well, they are getting there, as they haven’t forced a punt in the last two games. That isn’t ideal, especially when they are playing Patrick Mahomes this week. Only Robby Anderson can save the Panthers now. Otherwise, this could be a bloodbath. Prediction: Chiefs win 34-30 Lions at Vikings: Jemp: Lions, Reeb: Vikings, Pep: Vikings, Screw: Vikings Well I was having trouble deciding who to pick here, because I like both of these teams right now. But, COVID made my pick a lot easier when it took out Matthew Stafford, meaning Chase Daniel will be starting for the Lions. Thanks COVID. Prediction: Vikings win 27-13 Giants at Football Team: Jemp: Football Team, Reeb: Football Team, Pep: Football Team, Screw: Giants The league was safe last week with the Football Team on a bye, but now the Giants get to feel their wrath. Kyle Allen gets his redemption here. Prediction: Football Team wins 100-0 Texans at Jaguars: Jemp: Texans, Reeb: Texans, Pep: Texans, Screw: Texans Well, Jake Luton is going to start for the Jaguars this week, so… yeah. Maybe he will be the next Gardner Minshew? Or he could be the next Ben Dinucci. That’s a pretty wide range of outcomes, yet I think all of them result in a loss for the Jaguars. Prediction: Texans win 35-14 Raiders at Chargers: Jemp: Raiders, Reeb: Raiders, Pep: Raiders, Screw: Raiders Oh, hell yeah, I’m definitely lone-wolfing the Chargers here. Feels like old times, and the Chargers will probably let me down like they have so many times before. However, they should be the better team here. The Raiders have played really well, and have an efficient offense, but their defense is bad, despite a strong showing last week against the Browns. Also, while they do have a good offense, the Chargers offense is better. They have become much more consistent, and they still have the ability to explode at any moment. But of course, they are the Chargers, so they’ll probably find a way to lose. Prediction: Chargers win 34-28 Steelers at Cowboys: Jemp: Steelers, Reeb: Steelers, Pep: Steelers, Screw: Steelers I love how Mike McCarthy announced that Ben Dinucci was going to be benched for either Cooper Rush or Garrett Gilbert. He basically just said he’ll take anyone other than Ben Dinucci. We still don’t even know which of them will start, but does it really matter? We will probably see both of them because TJ Watt and company are going to feast against this offensive line. Prediction: Steelers win 27-0 Dolphins at Cardinals: Jemp: Cardinals, Reeb: Cardinals, Pep: Cardinals, Screw: Cardinals Well, Tua won his first start, which I guess is all that matters. He did a great job of firing up his defense and special teams at least. However, I don’t know if 12/22 for 93 yards is going to get it done against the Cardinals. Too bad we don’t get to see the Kenyan Drake revenge game. Did I say “too bad”, I meant “praise the good lord because Chase Edmonds is so much better, plus he’s on my fantasy team”. Prediction: Cardinals win 27-17 Saints at Buccaneers: Jemp: Bucs, Reeb: Bucs, Pep: Saints, Screw: Bucs I love this Sunday Night matchup. These two teams had their struggles early on, but they seem to have regained their stride. Michael Thomas might even return for this game, as might another former All-Pro receiver. Also it will be fun if Brady and Brees go back and forth for the touchdown record in the middle of this game. Prediction: Bucs win 27-24 Patriots at Jets: Jemp: Patriots, Reeb: Patriots, Pep: Jets, Screw: Patriots Pep is lone-wolfing the Jets against the Patriots. Bold move, but is it even that crazy? Has any team looked worse than the Patriots over the past 3 weeks? Well, other than the Jets. And the Cowboys. And maybe the Jaguars. But definitely the Jets, so I’m taking the Patriots. Prediction: Patriots win 20-13 Let’s take a look at the standings:
Reeb: 71-34 Screw: 69-36 Jemp: 66-39 Alx: 66-39 Pep: 64-41 Tough week for Pep, but a great week for all the paid staff’s teams. But the Football Team is on a bye this week, which means I can just enjoy some good football this week and relax. So let's pick some games. Falcons at Panthers: Jemp: Panthers, Reeb: Panthers, Pep: Panthers, Screw: Panthers Well, the Falcons might not know how to win, but I do think this team has found a groove, of sorts. They certainly aren’t a playoff team, but their defense has gone from garbage to below average. I know three weeks ago these two teams played and I was all over the Panthers, but they have been unsurprisingly underwhelming these past two weeks, and I think the Falcons are ready to make a little run to finish with 6-7 wins. Prediction: Falcons win 34-30 Patriots at Bills: Jemp: Bills, Reeb: Patriots, Pep: Bills, Screw: Bills We’re on to Buffalo. The classic Patriots line doesn’t even seem to come up this week, because this has a different feel. While I think these might not be the same old Patriots, I think these might be the same old Bills. After a hot start from Josh Allen, they were pretty much manhandles by the Titans and Chiefs, and even more embarrassingly, they only beat the Jets by one score. I’m gonna take the chance that Belichick and Cam at least somewhat get the Pats back on track here. Prediction: Patriots win 20-17 Titans at Bengals: Jemp: Titans, Reeb: Titans, Pep: Titans, Screw: Titans Burrow has bounced back well after that disaster against Baltimore, but he seems to have forgotten about the part where you win the game. However, the Bengals have been more than competitive against two pretty solid teams, and their offense especially has thrived. However, now they have three starting linemen out, and I’m not sure trading for BJ Finney is going to save them. Prediction: Titans win 35-24 Raiders at Browns: Jemp: Raiders, Reeb: Browns, Pep: Raiders, Screw: Raiders Baker must be thanking god that OBJ is done for the year. Baker apparently prefers to throw to guys like Breshad Perriman and now Donovan Peoples-Jones. And he likes guys nicknamed Hollywood. But apparently OBJ just made him bad. However, I still don’t think this Stefanski offense is good for him, but the Raiders offense is perfect for Derek Carr. It’s weird, it’s kind of old school, and it features Nelson Agholor, but somehow it works, and I like this Raiders team. Prediction: Raiders win 31-27 Colts at Lions: Jemp: Lions, Reeb: Colts, Pep: Colts, Screw: Lions Man did the Lions get a gift from Todd Gurley, but that shouldn’t take away from the drive by Matthew Stafford. Truthfully, I don’t think there are many quarterbacks I would take over Stafford in that situation. Then again, it’s the Falcons, so even Nick Foles was able to do it. However, I don’t know that Philip Rivers could do it at this point, so I’m taking the Lions. Prediction: Lions win 24-20 Vikings at Packers: Jemp: Packers, Reeb: Packers, Pep: Packers, Screw: Packers I know I need to stop doing this, but I think the Vikings are due for a win. They almost had the Seahawks and Titans, then caught the Falcons on a bad week. Okay, so maybe they just aren’t very good. I like the offense, but the defense has nothing going for it other than some solid safeties and linebackers. I’m going to wise up and stick with the Packers Prediction: Packers win 34-30 Jets at Chiefs: Jemp: Chiefs, Reeb: Chiefs, Pep: Chiefs, Screw: Chiefs Lev Bell revenge game I guess? Well it is if he feels he needs revenge for stealing the Jets money and having them trade him to the super bowl favorites. It’s a rough life he lives. Prediction: Chiefs win 54-0 Rams at Dolphins: Jemp: Rams, Reeb: Rams, Pep: Rams, Screw: Rams I definitely would have gone with the Dolphins if Ryan Fitzpatrick was playing in his most under the radar revenge game. He probably barely even remembers playing on the Rams. As for Tua, this probably isn’t the ideal defense to play in your first start. The Rams defense has been great this year, and no quarterback wants to get sacked by Aaron Donald. But I’m sure Ereck Flowers can take care of him. Prediction: Rams win 24-10 Steelers at Ravens: Jemp: Ravens, Reeb: Steelers, Pep: Ravens, Screw: Steelers This rivalry might be back in full swing this year, and the defenses are headlining once again. As good as the Steelers pass rush is, I think the Ravens defense is even better overall. The problem is that I don’t trust the Ravens offense at all. Only the Jets pass for fewer yards per game, and the running game isn’t making up for the lack of passing yards this year. They are 27th in total offense. I think the Steelers stay undefeated in a slugfest. Prediction: Steelers win 19-17 Chargers at Broncos: Jemp: Chargers, Reeb: Chargers, Pep: Chargers, Screw: Chargers So this Justin Herbert kid might be pretty good, huh? Sure the Broncos defense might be a little tougher than the Jaguars defense, but Herbert just connects on these big plays each and every week. I don’t expect another offensive explosion by the Chargers, but I think a couple big plays are enough to outscore the Broncos offense. Prediction: Chargers win 24-13 Saints at Bears: Jemp: Saints, Reeb: Saints, Pep: Saints, Screw: Saints Is there any offense harder to watch than the Bears? It’s just sad watching any of their quarterbacks try to move the football. I also have no idea what’s going on with Michael Thomas. The Saints really need him back. Not against the Bears obviously, but for when they play some real contenders, because I don’t know if Marquez Callaway and Deonte Harris are going to get it done forever. Prediction: Saints win 24-17 49ers at Seahawks: Jemp: 49ers, Reeb: Seahawks, Pep: 49ers, Screw: 49ers You have to give Kyle Shanahan a lot of credit for getting his team through all these injuries. At least now they seem to be through the worst of it. However, I never count out Russell Wilson and the Seahawks. Sure, their defense is pretty bad, but overall I think they are a better roster than last year, and Russ carried them to 12 wins in 2019. I like what the 49ers are doing, but I almost always lean Seahawks in close ones. Prediction: Seahawks win 31-28 Cowboys at Eagles: Jemp: Eagles, Reeb: Eagles, Pep: Eagles, Screw: Eagles I think I predicted the score right of the Cowboys game last week. Or at least it felt like 999-0. This team just seems to have nothing going for it. With the improvement to the Falcons D, the Cowboys have taken over as the worst defense in football. The offensive line might be the worst in football too with all the injuries they’ve suffered. Other than some good WRs, they have nothing to hang their hats on. Even Zeke hasn’t been good. The Eagles might have some problems, but they seem to thrive in the face of adversity, while the Cowboys don’t . Prediction: Eagles win 34-14 Buccaneers at Giants: Jemp: Bucs, Reeb: Bucs, Pep: Bucs, Screw: Bucs Is this the best team in the NFC? No, I’m not talking about the Giants. I mean this Bucs team has arguably the best defense in the conference, and their offense has truly soared recently. And I heard that they signed a new receiver as well. Regardless of whether or not that works out, Tom has been terrific, and he has plenty of weapons around him. This team throttled the Packers and are much more balanced than the Seahawks, so the NFC better watch out. Prediction: Bucs win 31-13 |
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