Here are the standings after the championship round season:

Alx: 177-99
Jemp: 176-100
Reeb the Unpaid Intern: 173-103
Screw: 171-105
Pep: 165-111

Well I guess Jemp made the right call by going with the Eagles as he was the only one to get both games right and now is within striking distance as it has become a two-man race.  Now let’s pick the Super Bowl.
 
Eagles vs. Patriots: 
Jemp: Eagles,  Reeb: Patriots,  Pep: Redskins,  Screw: Patriots
Pep is playing it smart by going with the Redskins, since he believes they won the week by trading for Alex Smith.  Of course, it’s a great decision to move away from a guy who has somehow managed to lead the Redskins to a winning record over his 3 years as a full-time starter despite having a bad defense and no running game, and this year we tacked on no receivers or offensive line either.  Alex Smith is a fine quarterback, but Kirk has been the lone bright spot of the team.  Anyway, let’s talk about the teams that are actually playing in this game.  The Eagles sure proved me wrong by dismantling a Vikings defense that completely fell apart.  Nick Foles benefitted from several complete breakdowns in coverage, but he was also dropping dimes and wasn’t flinching the few times he was under pressure.  However, trusting him to play that well again is a risky proposition.  And even if he does, we know Tom Brady can always come roaring back.  The Eagles defense is pretty good, but so was the Jaguars, but when it comes down to the wire Danny Amendola starts to look like Jerry Rice, which seem appropriate since he is getting paid like a receiver in the 80s.  Anyway, whether it’s Amendola or James White, or Phillip Dorsett, or even Kenny Britt, we all know someone will step up for the Patriots in crunch time if it gets to that point.  The other option is the bad Nick Foles shows up and the Patriots blow them out.  I know many of you are tired of the Patriots winning Super Bowls, but what does it really matter if they win 6 instead of 5?  This would mean so much more to Philadelphia and all Eagles fans, so why not root for their disappointment?
​
Prediction:  Patriots win 31-28

Here are the standings after the divisional round:

Alx: 175-97
Reeb the Unpaid Intern: 173-99
Jemp: 172-100
Screw: 169-103
Pep: 163-109
​
I extended my lead as Jemp fell behind Reeb, and Screw is nearly out of contention now.  Now the picks are mostly a matter of playing catch up, but we are all hoping for a good championship weekend.  Let’s pick some games.
 
Jaguars at Patriots: 
Jemp: Patriots,  Reeb: Jaguars,  Pep: Jaguars,  Screw: Jaguars
There is no way I’m picking against the Patriots in Foxboro, but that doesn’t mean I don’t think this Jaguars team has a chance.  While Big Ben sits at home running QB sneaks on Madden, Blake Bortles will be giving his all to take down the Patriots empire.  The Patriots are most likely losing both their coordinators this year to head coaching jobs, and the last time that happened to the Pats was back in 2004, and the Patriots didn’t win a Super Bowl for 10 years after that.  Patriots haters can take solace in the fact that this run might be nearing its end.  I am not one of those Patriots haters, as I have greatly enjoyed Tom and Bill rampaging over the league for so long, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it lasted several more years. However, I also love this Jaguars team, and wouldn’t be at all surprised if we got to see Jalen Ramsey run his mouth on Super Bowl media day.  Or I guess they call it Super Bowl Opening Night now, which makes no sense, but at least it helps out those struggling NFL owners.
Prediction:  Patriots win 28-27
 
Vikings at Eagles:
Jemp: Eagles,  Reeb: Vikings,  Pep: Eagles,  Screw: Eagles
Just so you guys know, Jemp is picking the Eagles here solely to gain a game on me, which is the same reason Reeb took the Jags.  I think Reeb made the better call, as I don’t see any way Nick Foles can take down these Vikings.  Both of these teams played close games last week that came down to the wire, as I expected from both of those games.  However, the Saints-Vikings game featured by far the best two teams from the NFC, and I knew the winner of that game would end up in the Super Bowl regardless of who won the other game, and nothing I saw from the Eagles last week caused me to change my mind.  Nick Foles can run all the RPOs he wants, he still did nothing last week to make me think he is close to Case Keenum’s level, and no I’m not being facetious there.  The Vikings have the better defense, the better receiving core, and most importantly, the far better quarterback, and I don’t see any way they lose this game.
Prediction:  Vikings win 31-10

Here are the standings after the wild card round:
Alx: 169-95
Jemp: 168-96
Reeb the Unpaid Intern: 167-97
Screw: 167-97
Pep: 157-107
Jemp made the push into second place as I am now alone at the top.  Fortunately, no one was stupid enough to take the Titans, because I don’t think I could have brought myself to give them points for that.  Anyway, onto my personal favorite round of the playoffs.  Let’s pick some games.
 
Falcons at Eagles: 
Jemp: Falcons,  Reeb: Falcons,  Pep: Eagles,  Screw: Falcons
It’s an exciting time to be an Eagles fan, as we fully expect them to have many opportunities to boo their own team on Saturday.  The Falcons defense has impressed down the stretch, and Nick Foles has not.  However, I wouldn’t completely discount an Eagles team that is as deep as any in the league.  Sure, their offense has been completely stagnant the past two weeks, but they didn’t have anything to play for in Week 17, so it was really just the one game against the Raiders that was the real disaster for their offense.  Yet, they won that game anyway.  The key for the Falcons in this game will be to get Julio going, because the Eagles have no one who can cover him.  The key for the Eagles is to hope the good version of Nick Foles shows up.
Prediction:  Falcons win 20-17
 
Titans at Patriots:
Jemp: Patriots,  Reeb: Patriots,  Pep: Patriots,  Screw: Patriots
You don’t want to play the Patriots after a full week of their organization being questioned by the media.  Actually, if you’re the Titans, you probably don’t want to play the Patriots anytime, because I think the Patriots could win this one with Alex Guerrero coaching the team.  This has to be one of the biggest mismatches in recent playoff history, as we have the best team in football playing a team that shouldn’t even be in the playoffs.  Sure, the Titans have played better the past few weeks, but it took a Travis Kelce injury, a few questionable calls, and a Marcus Mariota pass to himself to allow them to skate by an overrated Chiefs team.  I stand by my criticism of the Titans, but it might be too presumptuous to call the Patriots the best team in football.  They are still lacking in their front seven, they don’t have any reliable wide receivers, and they have a quarterback who hasn’t even gotten Patriot of the week all year.  Somehow, I still think they will be okay.
Prediction:  Patriots win 59-0
 
Jaguars at Steelers: 
Jemp: Steelers,  Reeb: Jaguars,  Pep: Jaguars,  Screw: Steelers
I’m very torn on this game.  On the one hand, I would like to see the Patriots-Steelers rematch in the AFC title game.  On the other hand, I would love to see the Jaguars stick it to the Steelers in this spot.  A lot of people didn’t like watching the Jags-Bills game, but it was my favorite game to watch last weekend before the Panthers played the Saints right after.  I can’t get enough of watching the Jaguars defense dominate.  And then when you have the Lebron James of football on the other side of the ball, how can you doubt this Jaguars team?  Just kidding, Blake.  If you didn’t hear, when Bortles was asked about the criticism he received, he said he knew his critics would probably never stop as “There’s people that think Lebron James sucks.”  This went from “Bortles accepts he will never be free from his critics” to “Blake Bortles is trying to say he is as good as Lebron James” the next day.  Yeah, I’m looking at you Bleacher Report.
Prediction:  Jaguars win 17-16
 
Saints at Vikings:
Jemp: Vikings,  Reeb: Vikings,  Pep: Saints,  Screw: Saints
There are some good games this week besides Titans-Patriots, but this one is by far the best.  The two best teams in the NFC square off here.  The Saints offense is so good that the Panthers essentially dared Drew Brees to beat them by throwing the ball downfield, which is like daring Steph Curry to beat you with the 3-point shot.  Yet, I can’t even blame the Panthers because the Saints running game has been that good.  However, the Vikings defense is better equipped to take on that Saints offense.  Xavier Rhodes didn’t shadow Michael Thomas in Week 1, but expect that to change this time around.  They won’t shut down the Saints, but they will limit them enough to allow Case Keenum to win them the game.  Though maybe if he loses Jeff Fisher can bring back some of his excuses.
Prediction:  Vikings win 27-24
​

Here are the standings after the regular season:

Alx: 165-91
Reeb the Unpaid Intern: 165-91
Screw: 163-93
Jemp: 162-94
Pep: 153-103
​
Reeb tied me up in the most meaningless week of football, so congrats to the unpaid intern.  Now we are onto the playoffs, where each game will be worth 2 in the standings.  Let’s pick some playoff games!
 
Titans at Chiefs: 
Jemp: Chiefs,  Reeb: Chiefs,  Pep: Chiefs,  Screw: Chiefs
I should have known the Titans would squeak their way into the playoffs.  Sure, they give up more points than they score, they gain less yards than they allow, and they have a negative turnover differential, but of course they are more deserving than the Ravens and Chargers.  Although the lone bright spot in this game is that we get to hear Jon Gruden commentate on all the guys he loves one last time, man.  Will it be weird to hear the coach of the Raiders complimenting Chiefs?  Absolutely.  But that type of awkwardness is what we live for at ProFootballJokes.  We will all miss Jon Gruden in the booth, especially Pep who enjoys nothing more than listening to Gruden’s incoherent commentary.
Prediction:  Chiefs win 35-0
 
Falcons at Rams:
Jemp: Falcons,  Reeb: Rams,  Pep: Falcons,  Screw: Rams
I find the split here a little surprising.  Sure, the Falcons beat an inconsistent Panthers bunch last week, but they haven’t been great all year, and their season last year was over-glorified as well.  The Falcons came into the playoffs last year smoking hot, and ripped apart some good teams in the playoffs which made everyone take notice of them.  However, they were 11-5 last year, and are only a game worse this year.  Unfortunately, they didn’t get the boost of playing a Jeff Fisher-led Rams team to boost their confidence coming into the playoffs this time around.  Instead, they have to play Sean McVay and the new Rams, who should take it to this Falcons team at home.  Let’s hope Sam Ficken can gain some confidence for them as well.
Prediction:  Rams win 31-20
 
Bills at Jaguars: 
Jemp: Jaguars,  Reeb: Bills,  Pep: Bills,  Screw: Jaguars
While I may have been annoyed that the Titans made the playoffs, I must admit I couldn’t help but smile when I watched Kyle Williams celebrate the Bengals win just after scoring his first career touchdown.  Sure, they have no chance of moving past the second round, but the world just makes a little more sense when the Browns have the longest active playoff drought.  However, while many people can’t help but root for the Bills, I can’t help but root for Blake Bortles.  The Bills are just happy to be here, but Blake Bortles is playing for his job.  He doesn’t care how many defensive players say he’s terrible, and now is his chance to end all that talk.  If he wins the Super Bowl, he is immune to criticism for at least 6 years, just ask Joe Flacco.
Prediction:  Jaguars win 24-13
 
Panthers at Saints:
Jemp: Saints,  Reeb: Saints,  Pep: Saints,  Screw: Saints
A clean sweep for the Saints, despite hosting the best road team in my opinion.  Even though the Panthers lost to the Falcons last week, I still believe they have the highest ceiling of any team playing this weekend, except for the one they are playing against.  The Saints offense is too good, and the Panthers offense is too reliant on Cam Newton.  Drew Brees is still the best the quarterback in this game, and yet, he doesn’t even need to be for his team to win.  However, when Cam is on point, he may be able to carry this team to a win, but I don’t trust that enough to pick the Panthers to win in the Superdome.  Yeah, I’m going all four home teams, but don’t blame me, blame the Titans and Bills for making the playoffs.
Prediction:  Saints win 24-21

Here are the standings after week 16:

Alx: 157-83
Reeb the Unpaid Intern: 155-85
Screw: 155-85
Jemp: 153-87
Pep: 144-96
​
Going into week 17, I maintain my lead in the standings.  Pep’s hopes of a late season push are dwindling, but maybe he can get back into it this week.  We’re heading into the most important week of NFL Football, so let’s pick some games.
 
Redskins at Giants: 
Jemp: Redskins,  Reeb: Redskins,  Pep: Redskins,  Screw: Redskins
The Redskins are making the late season push I predicted.  Traditional logic and math might indicate that they still won’t be in the playoffs, but I know they will make their usual Super Bowl run.
Prediction:  Redskins win 200-0
 
Jets at Patriots:
Jemp: Patriots,  Reeb: Patriots,  Pep: Patriots,  Screw: Patriots
The Patriots can wrap up home-field advantage with a win, but they will need to get through Bryce Petty and the Jets to do it.  However, if you are tired of calls going the Patriots way, the good news is that the Jets probably won’t have any TD catches for the refs to overturn.  As for Todd Bowles’ job, he got the Jets 5 wins, which is about 5 more than most people expected.  Then again, maybe they fire him for doing such a bad job of tanking.
Prediction:  Patriots win 31-10
 
Bears at Vikings: 
Jemp: Vikings,  Reeb: Vikings,  Pep: Vikings,  Screw: Vikings
Why even show up to this game if you’re John Fox?  He has been a dead man walking since week 1, and nothing short of an incredibly improbably playoff berth was going to change that.  I don’t even blame John Fox for playing Benny Cunningham over Jordan Howard in some random games.  Actually no, I still do.  On the other sideline, things are looking brighter, as the Vikings will get a bye with a win here, and may get home-field advantage in all their playoff games including the Super Bowl after the Eagles go one-and-done.
Prediction:  Vikings win 27-3
 
Packers at Lions:
Jemp: Lions,  Reeb: Lions,  Pep: Lions,  Screw: Lions
It was gracious of the Bengals to stop the Lions from being the new team that loses in the Wild-Card round of the playoffs every year.  Now there won’t be any focus on the Lions in January and they can go into the offseason lumped in with all of the other mediocre teams.  They can also feel a little better about themselves after they take care of business in this game and sweep the Packers for the first time since 1672, or sometime around then.  There is no way the Lions would lose to a Packers team with nothing to play for and their backup quarterback in Week 17, right?
Prediction:  Lions win 24-21
 
Texans at Colts: 
Jemp: Colts,  Reeb: Colts,  Pep: Colts,  Screw: Texans
It’s great that Texans-Colts in week 17 could be crucial to deciding who wins our pick’em.  The Colts gave it their best shot against the Ravens on Saturday afternoon, while the Texans looked like they broke into the eggnog early Christmas morning and only Nuk Hopkins woke up in time to make maybe the best garbage-time catches I’ve ever seen.  Unfortunately, he is unlikely to play in this game, as I guess the Texans want to help improve the draft picks they gave to the Browns.
Prediction:  Colts win 24-21
 
Browns at Steelers:
Jemp: Steelers,  Reeb: Steelers,  Pep: Steelers,  Screw: Steelers
Here it is Browns fans!  You may have thought you hit rock bottom last year, but Hue Jackson proved he can sink this team even lower.  However, he has one last chance to get a win in the year 2017.  All he has to do is win in Pittsburgh against an 11-3 division rival that just slaughtered the Texans on Christmas Day, and that still has a chance for the #1 seed in the AFC.  As Orlovksy and company anxiously root for a Steelers collapse, I think we are getting a new 0-16 team this year.  And then I think I know what the Browns’ New Year’s resolution should be: Fire Hue Jackson.  I would say “win a game”, but I want it to be a little more attainable.
Prediction:  Steelers win 28-10
 
Cowboys at Eagles: 
Jemp: Eagles,  Reeb: Eagles,  Pep: Eagles,  Screw: Cowboys
So maybe Nick Foles isn’t quite as good as Carson Wentz, as I learned the hard way in my fantasy championship.  Having he and Alshon Jeffery made me pretty sour on Christmas, but at least I didn’t start booing Santa.  I did boo Scott Linehan though when he decided not to run the ball with 1st and goal from inside the 5, as I also had Zeke on my team.  At least I can take solace that the Cowboys are out of the playoffs, and I can confidently say the Eagles won’t win the Super Bowl, so at least I’m happy as a Redskins fan.
Prediction:  Eagles win 23-20
 
49ers at Rams:
Jemp: Rams,  Reeb: 49ers,  Pep: 49ers,  Screw: Rams
Todd Gurley just had the highest scoring fantasy playoffs ever, but fantasy footballers everywhere will never leave you alone, Todd.  Sometimes, you have respect the owner of the team you’re on, even when you are on millions of fantasy teams.  Hmm, this is starting to sound kind of like slavery, so I may have to put this joke to bed.  However, I will say that for all the athletes that get annoyed by fantasy football, I get it.  You just want to focus on real football, but you know how many people watch you because you are on their fantasy team?  Fantasy football is directly contributing to you getting more money, so I think you can deal with a little twitter traffic.  And this has nothing to do with the fact that my undefeated fantasy team played against Todd Gurley in a 2-week fantasy championship where he put 80 f***ing points against me.  I’m not bitter about that at all.  Good thing Jimmy G is never going to lose a football game, so Gurley will get his.
Prediction:  49ers win 33-31
 
Raiders at Chargers: 
Jemp: Chargers,  Reeb: Chargers,  Pep: Chargers,  Screw: Chargers
So, for the Chargers to get into the playoffs, here is what needs to happen.  First, they have to win.  Second, they need the Titans to lose or tie.  Third, they need either the Ravens to win or tie, or they need the Bills to lose or tie.  It may sound complicated and improbable, but really, it’s not, as they should beat the Raiders, the Titans should lose to the Jaguars, and the Ravens should beat the Bengals.  If that all happens, the Chargers are in the playoffs with a matchup against Blake Bortles looming large.
Prediction:  Chargers win 24-10
 
Chiefs at Broncos:
Jemp: Chiefs,  Reeb: Chiefs,  Pep: Chiefs,  Screw: Chiefs
Tough game to pick as we don’t know if the Chiefs will rest their starters in this game, but if they do, we might get our first regular season glimpse of Patrick Mahomes.  I feel like he is becoming this sort of mythical figure with endless possibilities, especially after people saw what Jimmy Garoppolo can do.  That means Mahomes will work out just as well, even though he could not be more different from Jimmy G, right?
Prediction:  Chiefs win 17-10
 
Jaguars at Titans: 
Jemp: Jaguars,  Reeb: Jaguars,  Pep: Jaguars,  Screw: Jaguars
This is the most fascinating game of the week for me.  The Jags can almost surely end the Titans bid for the AFC playoffs, saving all NFL fans from having to watch this team play another game.  However, the Jags have nothing to play for in terms of seeding, and a loss to the Titans would mean that the Jaguars would essentially get a free win in a matchup with the Titans again next week, assuming the Ravens also win.  If they take beat the Titans here, they are rewarded by probably having to play the Chargers who are a much more formidable team.  The smart thing would be to lose this game for the Jags, but fortunately, I don’t think Doug Marrone is that clever.  He will stick to the old coaching mantra of “We compete to win every game, although sometimes Blake will disagree,” or something like that.
Prediction:  Jaguars win 24-0
 
Saints at Buccaneers:
Jemp: Saints,  Reeb: Saints,  Pep: Saints,  Screw: Saints
It has been a good run by the Bucs to compete in every game down the stretch, while still managing to lose all these games.  Jameis is starving for a W, but he is only tantalized with a few licks, but never gets to enjoy a full meal of it, while his teammates look on in disgust and confusion.  The good news is that I don’t think this team even gets a whiff of a W in this game as the Saints look to clinch the NFC South.
Prediction:  Saints win 31-13
 
Bills at Dolphins:
Jemp: Bills,  Reeb: Bills,  Pep: Bills,  Screw: Dolphins
The Bills have a shot at their first playoff berth of the millennium, and all that stands in their way is Jay Cutler.  And then they need a few other games to break their way.  However, I have watched the Bills for too many years to think that they will actually win a game they need to have to get in the playoffs.  Sure, this game doesn’t matter at all to the Dolphins, but that is always true for Jay Cutler anyway, and I know the Bills will choke under the pressure.  Maybe this will give the Bills the excuse they have been looking for to ditch Tyrod though.
Prediction:  Dolphins win 23-20
 
Cardinals at Seahawks:
Jemp: Seahawks,  Reeb: Seahawks,  Pep: Seahawks,  Screw: Seahawks
The Seahawks had one of the ugliest wins of the season last week, and I watched the Titans beat the Browns in overtime.  The Seahawks had more penalty yardage than total offense, but took advantage of a Cowboys team itching to give the game away.  The win may not have been pretty, but while I trust the Bills to choke in a must-win game, I trust the Seahawks to get the job done.  The Cardinals may have taken advantage of a hapless Giants team, but I don’t see Drew Stanton being the one who puts the Seahawks away.
Prediction:  Seahawks win 20-17
 
Panthers at Falcons:
Jemp: Falcons,  Reeb: Falcons,  Pep: Panthers,  Screw: Falcons
Here come the Falcons with a chance to once again fall apart down the stretch.  A win at home against the Panthers would allow them to sneak into the playoffs as a team sure to lose in the first round.  However, the Panthers still have a chance at the division, and even could get a bye with a lot of help.  Personally, I would prefer to see the Seahawks in the playoffs than the Falcons.  I don’t even think the Seahawks are necessarily the better team, but at least we would get to watch some Russell Wilson heroics in a loss, rather than just a dud performance by the Falcons.
Prediction:  Panthers win 24-17
 
Bengals at Ravens:
Jemp: Ravens,  Reeb: Ravens,  Pep: Ravens,  Screw: Ravens
The Ravens have not quite wrapped up a playoff spot just yet.  If they were to lose, and the Titans and Bills were to win, the Ravens would be out of the playoffs.  However, even though Marvin Lewis may never die, this Bengals team will.  Despite taking out the Lions last week, I don’t think this team has much left in the tank, and they should fulfill Reeb’s prediction of a 6-win season.  Stay tuned for Reeb’s prediction of the Bengals win total next year.
Prediction:  Ravens win 30-6

Here are the standings after week 15:

Alx: 145-79
Screw: 143-81
Reeb the Unpaid Intern: 142-82
Jemp: 140-84
Pep: 132-92
​
Great job by Pep of taking over the pick’em last week, but it was me who took over the standings.  Unfortunately, it was not as great a week for my fantasy teams, as I was knocked out of the playoffs in 3 leagues, and am facing a 13.4-point deficit in the two-week championship matchup in another one.  Still, it feels good to be atop the pickem, so let’s pick some games.
 
Colts at Ravens: 
Jemp: Ravens,  Reeb: Ravens,  Pep: Ravens,  Screw: Ravens
I’m starting to like this Saturday afternoon football, and I genuinely feel the NFL chose the right games for this window.  None of us feel the need to pay attention to them, but it’s still nice to have football on in the background.  I’m sure we will also get a little pregame piece about the Colts leaving Baltimore, and watch that great footage of those trucks driving off in the middle of the night.  Fortunately for the few Baltimore fans that are still holding onto this grudge, the Ravens should take care of business and hand those Colts a better draft pick… I mean a loss.
Prediction:  Ravens win 30-10
 
Vikings at Packers:
Jemp: Vikings,  Reeb: Vikings,  Pep: VIkings,  Screw: Vikings
Well it was fun starting Aaron Rodgers in fantasy for that one week.  It’s the first I’ve ever started Rodgers in a fantasy football game and probably the last as well, but he put up a solid score for me.  Now, the Vikings are getting exactly what they wanted for Christmas, a matchup against Brett Hundley.  I doubt even he will be as generous as Andy Dalton was last week, but you never know.
Prediction:  Vikings win 34-3
 
Lions at Bengals: 
Jemp: Lions,  Reeb: Lions,  Pep: Lions,  Screw: Lions
I can’t wait for Marvin Lewis to win these last two games so he gets a contract extension.  How can they deny him when this organization is clearly headed in the right direction?  Of course, if they can get Hugh Jackson as their head coach, then they can’t pass up a chance to get a coach that has gone 1-29 over the past two years.  As for the Lions, they actually still have a good shot to make the playoffs, as their last two games are against the Bengals, and then the Hundley-led Packers.  All they need to do is win those, and have the Falcons lose to both the Panthers and Saints.  The Lions are known for their lucky breaks, so Jemp you have nothing to fear.
Prediction:  Lions win 24-10
 
Dolphins at Chiefs:
Jemp: Chiefs,  Reeb: Chiefs,  Pep: Chiefs,  Screw: Chiefs
Who would have thought Jay Cutler would have followed up his stellar Monday Night performance with an absolute stinker against the Bills?  Just because he did the exact same thing last year when he ripped apart the 5-1 Vikings on Monday Night Football, and then proceeded to make Christ Conte look like Ed Reed in his next game against the Bucs.  Actually, Jay Cutler has been weirdly good on Monday Night Football, as he has gone 10-4 since 2009.  That’s not actually relevant to this game (or probably any game) as it will be played on Sunday, so I’m going with the Chiefs.
Prediction:  Chiefs win 26-14
 
Bills at Patriots: 
Jemp: Patriots,  Reeb: Patriots,  Pep: Patriots,  Screw: Patriots
As predictable as it was that Jay Cutler would follow up his performance with a dud, it was just as predictable for the Patriots to follow up their miserable effort in Miami with a clutch win against what was the top team in the AFC.  Sure, they may have needed an injury to Antonio Brown and controversial rule to do it, but that’s life for the Patriots.  The Bills got lucky last week as well, by the fact that they got to play against Jay Cutler.  Unfortunately, barring any drastic mid-week quarterback trades with a sudden abolition of the trade deadline, they won’t be receiving that kind of luck again.
Prediction:  Patriots win 24-17
 
Browns at Bears:
Jemp: Bears,  Reeb: Bears,  Pep: Browns,  Screw: Bears
This is it!  Can the Browns receive a Christmas miracle for the second year in a row?  Strangely enough, 1 win could be enough to save Hue Jackson’s job, while John Fox is going to be out of Chicago regardless of what happens these last two games.  The Bears may as well just roll over and let the Browns have this one.  The Bears can have a better draft pick, and the Browns can finally have something to celebrate on Christmas.  Otherwise Josh Gordon might break into that eggnog.
Prediction:  Browns win 20-17
 
Buccaneers at Panthers: 
Jemp: Panthers,  Reeb: Panthers,  Pep: Panthers,  Screw: Panthers
It was a weird week for the Panthers.  From Cam Newton calling his shot against to Clay Matthews, to Diddy saying he would bring in Colin Kaepernick to compete for a starting spot.  Yeah, the Panthers are up for sale, and in the meantime Tina Becker has taken over day-to-day operations of the team, whatever that means.  Hopefully it doesn’t involve talking to Cam Newton about routes.  In the meantime, the Panthers have looked like a true Super Bowl contender the last couple weeks, and I don’t think they have any trouble with this Bucs team, despite the fact that the Bucs have been feistier as of late.
Prediction:  Panthers win 31-17
 
Falcons at Saints:
Jemp: Saints,  Reeb: Saints,  Pep: Saints,  Screw: Saints
Part of me was worried that the Saints didn’t dismantle the Jets more thoroughly, but taking a closer look at the game, it was mostly a few weird turnovers that kept the Jets in it.  The Saints running back tandem looked as dominant as ever, and I am appreciative that I wasn’t playing against Mark Ingram in fantasy.  However, the Falcon’s running back didn’t look too shabby either, gashing the Bucs for 193 total yards and what should have been two TDs (Just hang onto the ball Devonta!).  However, it is a bit concerning that despite Freeman’s big day, and a little luck to recover two fumbles, the Falcons would have gone to overtime against a bad Tampa team if they it was possible for to make kicks in a Buccaneers uniform.
Prediction:  Saints win 31-24
 
Broncos at Redskins: 
Jemp: Broncos,  Reeb: Redskins,  Pep: Broncos,  Screw: Redskins
How about Kapri Bibbs?  I will say he looked way better than Byron Marshall in that pass catching running back role for Washington.  That is pretty much all there is to talk about from the Redskins perspective, but the Broncos are back on the Brock Lobster train.  He pulled off some magic on a Thursday Night game no one was paying attention to, and will look to do something similar on Christmas Eve Day, if that’s a thing.  Too bad he has to play the Redskins.
Prediction:  Redskins win 100-0
 
Rams at Titans:
Jemp: Rams,  Reeb: Rams,  Pep: Rams,  Screw: Rams
I would like to thank the Cardinals and 49ers for pushing the Titans out of the playoffs.  I mean, technically they are in right now, but after they inevitably lose to the Rams and Jaguars, they will be right where they belong at 8-8, and I think I’m being generous there.  I’m not sure why I’m so hard on the Titans, they just seem to be that team for me this year.  It was the Texans last year and the Dolphins the year before, but at least I know this team will be out of my life in two weeks.  And good job Rams of smashing the Seahawks, but did you really need to score that fourth touchdown, Todd?
Prediction:  Rams win 56-0
 
Chargers at Jets: 
Jemp: Chargers,  Reeb: Chargers,  Pep: Chargers,  Screw: Jets
Well, Bryce Petty definitely could have looked worse.  In fact, I think most of us expected him to, but watching him I remembered one thing.  He isn’t Christian Hackenberg.  No doubt that the Jets are still bad, and the Chargers should easily rip them to shreds, but then we have to remember that the Chargers can lose to anyone at any time.  It was this time last year that they lost to the Browns, so I never feel too safe about picking the Chargers.  However, I still think they probably sneak into the playoffs, and they need a win here to stay alive.
Prediction:  Chargers win 28-10
 
Jaguars at 49ers:
Jemp: Jaguars,  Reeb: Jaguars,  Pep: Jaguars,  Screw: Jaguars
If there is one man I trust to hand Jimmy Garoppolo his first loss, it’s Blake Bortles.  Jadeveon Clowney says Bortles is still trash, and he’s probably right, but Blake responded saying that if this is what playing like trash looks like, he’s fine with being trash.  I must admit I love this side of Blake Bortles, and I watched him drop some dimes to guys like Keelan Cole and Jaydon Mickens.  However, it will be interesting to see what Jimmy G can do when playing in an offense that is utterly overmatched against this Jags D.  If he can somehow pull out a win, I might start to believe he’ll never lose a game.
Prediction:  Jaguars win 20-6
 
Seahawks at Cowboys:
Jemp: Seahawks,  Reeb: Cowboys,  Pep: Seahawks,  Screw: Cowboys
So, the Seahawks got their asses handed to them by the Rams.  Yet, the fact that the Cowboys needed a strange touchback and an index card to beat the Raiders is just as concerning to me.  As an aside, why are people so outraged by the fact that the ref used an index card?  Every other ref in history has just eyeballed it which is obviously even less precise than an index card and no one has ever cared.  Now Al Riveron actually had to tell refs that they aren’t allowed to use index cards to measure first downs just to stop all the jokes.  You’d think they would have used that same logic to change the catch rule, but I guess they have to take care of the important things first.
Prediction:  Seahawks win 27-24
 
Giants at Cardinals:
Jemp: Cardinals,  Reeb: Cardinals,  Pep: Cardinals,  Screw: Cardinals
So much for the Blaine Gabbert experiment.  Drew Stanton is now back at quarterback for the Cardinals in the most uneventful QB change since Brock Osweiler was benched for Paxton Lynch. As for the Giants quarterback change, Eli Manning finally showed some signs of being an actually good quarterback last week.  I’m not sure if he can do that again, but I’ll take my chances against the Cardinals headlined by Drew Stanton and Kerwynn Williams.
Prediction:  Giants win 17-16
 
Steelers at Texans:
Jemp: Steelers,  Reeb: Steelers,  Pep: Steelers,  Screw: Steelers
So, I’ve made a few jokes about the catch rule, but honestly Jesse James has only himself to blame for the play.  It feels like it’s come up like 75 times in the last few years, so he has to know the rule.  Some people say players shouldn’t be punished for trying to make spectacular plays, but why should the NFL make it easy for players to make spectacular plays?  Jesse James can either secure the catch and take the ball down at the one, or try to make the extra play and reach across the goal line.  All that it requires for him to do the latter is to hold onto the ball the whole way through.  Is that such an unreasonable request to score a touchdown in the NFL?  And yeah, obviously the Steelers will beat the Texans.
Prediction:  Steelers win 30-17
 
Raiders at Eagles:
Jemp: Eagles,  Reeb: Eagles,  Pep: Eagles,  Screw: Eagles
So, Carson Wentz plays offense, right?  Because it was the defense that seemed to struggle with him out of the lineup.  Sure, sometimes when a quarterback goes down, it affects the defense because the offense can’t possess the football, or it is just putting the defense in bad field position.  However, this offense didn’t skip a beat with Nick Foles under center, but the secondary looked a lot like what I expected at the beginning of the year.  As bad as the defense looked last week, the Raiders defense is still worse, and their offense isn’t anything to be proud of either.  And I’m guessing my fantasy championship is going to come down to Nick Foles and Alshon Jeffery in this game, so please guys, give me this one Christmas gift.
Prediction:  Eagles win 34-21

Here are the standings after week 14:

Pep: 119-89
Jemp: 126-82
Alx: 131-77
Reeb the Unpaid Intern: 131-77
Screw: 132-76

It feels good to be back and writing a piece for PFJ again. True fans will remember that I haven’t published an article on this site since my piece on Gus Bradley and the 2016 Jags a year ago…my, how things have changed since then.
 
So after week 14 I’m sitting at dead last. By a lot. Maybe it was all those times I believed in Brian Hoyer to get the job done for the 49ers, or all the times I picked the Redskins. I even picked the Bears to win over the Eagles. Regardless, here we are. Last week everyone went 9-7 or 8-8 with their picks except for me, as I went 6-10. I guess it goes without saying…but after a lot of thought and prayer the ProFootballJokes team sat down and unanimously agreed that I was best equipped to write the pickems from now on, which is why my name is at the top now.
 
Broncos at Colts:  
Jemp: Broncos,  Reeb: Broncos,  Alx: Broncos,  Screw: Colts
It’s about time we got another thriller on Thursday Night Football. The Broncos are coming into this game red hot after an impressive win over the now 5-8 Jets. Meanwhile, the Colts are coming into this game pumped up after an unforgettable 7-13 loss in Buffalo. While I call this one a toss up, I’m going to lean with the Broncos. All they need to do is have someone play quarterback and score 10 points. The Colts are a year removed from Ryan Grigson, but his magic is still being felt as I can only name 7 players on this team.
Prediction:  Broncos win 10-3
 
Bears at Lions:
Jemp: Lions,  Reeb: Bears,  Alx: Lions,  Screw: Bears
Well look what happens when you run the ball with Jordan Howard. You win sometimes. The Bears are 2-2 this year when Jordan Howard rushes for over 100 yards, so look for them not to do that this week because the Bears don’t really like to win football games. If Matt Stafford is healthy look for the Lions to secure a 16 point deficit until the 4th quarter when their offense comes to life and squeaks one past the Bears. I’ll also make a bold prediction and say the Lions rush for over 40 yards in this contest. John Fox will chew his gum aggressively.
Prediction:  Lions win 17-16
 
Chargers at Chiefs:  
Jemp: Chargers,  Reeb: Chargers,  Alx: Chargers,  Screw: Chargers
Wow. How do you even predict this one? 2 teams with highly erratic play going at it for a chance to win their once gargantuan division. Do the Chargers unnecessarily lose this one in the last 2 minutes or do the Chiefs decide to stop being good at football for another week? It’s a total toss up. But I’m going to pick the Chiefs in this one. Alex Smith gets a lot of criticism but he rarely turns the ball over. The Chargers, on the other hand, almost gave the game to the Redskins last week when Kellen Clemens threw a pick six to Bashaud Breeland in the last 3 minutes of the game. They only won 30-13 which is pretty embarrassing. I think Andy Reid will say enough is enough and call a passing play that goes for over 10 yards in this contest.
Prediction:  Chiefs win 23-19
 
Texans at Jaguars:
Jemp: Jags,  Reeb: Jags,  Alx: Jags,  Screw: Jags
It seems like all that money spent on Jacksonville’s defense finally paid off. They’re straight up suffocating opponents. But the real story here is Blake Bortles. He’s been playing arguably the best football of his career, emulating a poor man’s Trent Dilfer. Don’t do much and let that defense and running game do the work for you. The patented Blake Bortles garbage time days appear to be over…for now. Also, is Doug Marrone in the running for coach of the year? What a weird sentence to type.
Prediction:  Jaguars win 29-15
 
Ravens at Browns:  
Jemp: Ravens,  Reeb: Ravens,  Alx: Ravens,  Screw: Ravens
They may have lost the game against the Steelers last week but the Ravens offense is heating up. It seems that they’ve found some success in using Alex Collins, and Mike Wallace even does stuff for them every now and then. They’ve also got the Browns this week, who just blew a 2 touchdown lead to Brett Hundley and the Packers. Fortunately for Browns fans, they get to watch Josh Gordon and Corey Coleman put on shades which will tighten up these losses by just a little bit. I do believe that the Browns will get that 1 win this season, but not this week.
Prediction:  Ravens win 20-8
 
Packers at Panthers:
Jemp: Panthers,  Reeb: Panthers,  Alx: Panthers,  Screw: Packers
Aaron Rodgers is back. The Packers are gearing up to salvage what was once a lost season against the 9-4 Panthers. The Panthers have certainly redeemed themselves this season and there wouldn’t be anything better than seeing them crush the Packers. But I just don’t think that’s the case. We’ve all seen how these late season heroics go.
Prediction:  Packers win 29-27
 
Dolphins at Bills:  
Jemp: Bills,  Reeb: Bills,  Alx: Bills,  Screw: Bills
Is it the 90s? The Dolphins and Bills are battling to stay alive in the AFC playoff hunt. Both teams are coming off of great wins, with the Dolphins taking care of the Patriots and the Bills beating the 3-10 Colts in the snow. It’s weird looking at 2 perpetual 6-10 teams and realizing that they are both very much alive in this wild AFC playoff picture. This is a pretty big game and I think the Dolphins know they have to give their guy Jarvis Landry 12 receptions for 46 yards and 2 touchdowns to get it done. I think the Bills will give their fans more reasons to jump on burning grills this week.
Prediction:  Dolphins win 20-17
 
Bengals at Vikings:
Jemp: Vikings,  Reeb: Vikings,  Alx: Vikings,  Screw: Vikings
So the Bengals just put the 9th overall pick of the 2017 draft on IR for a shoulder injury and then speculated that they should move him wide receiver to cornerback. So that’s how their season is going. The Vikings on the other hand have had tremendous depth at every position and continue to be pretty good with Case Keenum at the helm, which is weird to say. I wish this was Jerome Simpson’s revenge game, but I think he’s been out of the league for 3 years now.
Prediction:  Vikings win 27-9
 
Cardinals at Redskins:  
Jemp: Cardinals,  Reeb: Cardinals,  Alx: Redskins 3220-0,  Screw: Redskins
This should be an easy one for the Redskins right? Since you’re not going to make the playoffs, why not go out there, let loose, and eat a W. Let the fans enjoy a few more games with Kirk Cousins until they set him free and let him go to a better place. Something tells me Blaine Gabbert eats the W at Fedex Field even though I have no good arguments to make here. Oh yeah, the Redskins shouldn’t have fired Scot McCloughan. Moving on.
Prediction:  Cardinals win 27-14
 
Eagles at Giants:
Jemp: Eagles,  Reeb: Eagles,  Alx: Eagles,  Screw: Eagles
Wow, so Wentz goes down and suddenly everyone thinks the season is over. This team still has depth at every position, even quarterback. Nick Foles has been serviceable in the NFL and has what it takes to lead this team to a loss in the first round of the playoffs. Meanwhile, Giants fans gave Eli Manning a standing ovation in a game that was lost 30-10, but will undoubtedly be included in Eli Manning’s A Football Life 10 years from now. Getting rid of Ben McAdoo and his haircut was a win for the Giants, but they won’t be able to keep up with the “Texas Tough” Nick Foles, man.
Prediction:  Eagles win 35-17
 
Jets at Saints:  
Jemp: Saints,  Reeb: Saints,  Alx: Saints,  Screw: Saints
At the beginning of the season I had an article ready to be published about Josh McCown’s injury history, and how he’d probably get injured in the first quarter of week 1. Well he made it to week 15, and he took what was thought to be a intentionally tanking team and made them competitive in most of the games they played this season. With that being said, Josh McCown has just been placed on IR. So now it’s up to Bryce Petty to take care of the Saints on the road. Have fun doing that.
Prediction:  Saints win 44-0
 
Rams at Seahawks:
Jemp: Rams,  Reeb: Seahawks,  Alx: Seahawks,  Screw: Rams
It’s been a terrible season for injuries and that couldn’t be more noticeable than when you watch the Seahawks defense. The cornerbacks are all shadows of Richard Sherman that keep getting exposed. The Rams just came off a competitive loss against the top team in the NFC and I think they keep that high scoring offense up at Quest Field. And I think Greg the Leg kicks a few field goals in this one.
Prediction:  Rams win 35-31
 
Titans at 49ers: 
Jemp: 49ers,  Reeb: Titans,  Alx: 49ers,  Screw: 49ers
The Titans have enjoyed a season similar to the 2016 Dolphins. They’ve had an unbelievably easy schedule while playing in a bad division, minus the Jaguars. So far, the Jimmy G trade has been working out nicely for the 49ers so I expect them to take care of this overrated exotic smashmouth team.
Prediction:  49ers win 30-24
 
Patriots at Steelers: 
Jemp: Patriots,  Reeb: Patriots,  Alx: Patriots,  Screw: Steelers
This is most likely going to be a preview of the AFC championship game. Last week the Patriots struggled to throw the ball to wide receivers and their offensive line struggled against the Dolphins pass rush. But that happens to the Patriots sometimes when they travel to Miami. Remember that night courage wore orange in 2004? It happened kind of like that…except Jay Cutler was starting at QB and not Jay Fiedler. Last week the Steelers hand took care of a tough Ravens defense and put up an impressive amount of offense. I think the Steelers are a top 5 celebration team but I don’t think they get it done against the Pats.
Prediction:  Patriots win 34-32
 
Cowboys at Raiders: 
Jemp: Cowboys,  Reeb: Cowboys,  Alx: Cowboys,  Screw: Cowboys
The last time these 2 times played was Thanksgiving 2013, when Matt McGloin started and gave America a reason to actually turn Thanksgiving football off and have a nice family meal. Their best wide receiver was Rod Streater. As of lately, the Raiders have been emulating that style of play, struggling to get any kind of offense going. Their tight end, Jared Cook, averages more drops a game than Amari Cooper, which is actually pretty impressive. The Cowboys have found some success in the running game with Alfred Morris and Rod Smith, further proving that Ezekiel Elliott is overrated and bad at football. It hurts to say this but I think the cowboys are the better team and will crush Oakland’s playoff hopes this year.
Prediction:  Cowboys win 23-12
 
Falcons at Bucaneers: 
Jemp: Falcons,  Reeb: Falcons,  Alx: Falcons,  Screw: Falcons
Ever since Jameis ate that W, the Bucs have gone 2-4. I don’t think they’ll eat a W on Monday night. And I have no clue who will be starting at running back for them. The only person worthy of being talked about on this team is whoever decides to make a tackle worthy of praise from Jon Gruden. Chris Conte could very well be deemed the leader of this defense on Monday night…maybe Vernon Hargreaves…who knows. But the Falcons take this one.
Prediction:  Falcons win 38-12

Here are the standings after week 13:

Screw: 124-68
Reeb the Unpaid Intern: 122-70
Alx: 122-70
Jemp: 117-75
Pep: 113-79
​
I know you guys have been waiting to hear all week, so here it is.  I beat Reeb in both our fantasy matchups after a heroic performance from Jamaal Williams, kicking him out of the playoff hunt.  In one of the games it looked like Reeb would pull out the win as AJ Green’s monster first half put him only 4 points behind with my entire team done for the week.  But then AJ Green crumbled in the second half, just like the Bengals did, with no questionable calls whatsoever.  Good times.  Oh yeah, and the standings changed in our pick’em.  Now let’s pick some games.
 
Saints at Falcons: 
Jemp: Saints,  Reeb: Saints,  Pep: Saints,  Screw: Saints
You know it’s a strange year when the TNF matchups are better than the one on Sunday Night, other than last week when Sunday Night Football was great an I don’t remember anything happening on Thursday.  This Thursday game should be great, but the Falcons are practically in a must-win situation.  If they win this game, then they are still in contention for the NFC South, but if they lose, their playoff chances are looking murky.  The Falcons would probably be the 3rd best team in the AFC, but they rank #7 in the NFC for me, which means I think they lose this game and miss out on the playoffs.
Prediction:  Saints win 31-28
 
Colts at Bills:
Jemp: Bills,  Reeb: Colts,  Pep: Colts,  Screw: Bills
Nathan Peterman could get a little redemption here, although Tyrod Taylor still has a chance to play.  Pep and Reeb think he won’t, and they are feeding into the thought that Peterman is the worst quarterback alive.  Maybe that’s true, but I’m of the thought that maybe he learned something from his loss to the Chargers.  Like not to throw the ball to the other team.  Also remember, that first pick was off his own player, and clearly wasn’t his fault.  That may have rattled him against a tough Chargers defense.  Now I think he will be a little more settled with an easier matchup, and the Bills defense will be tough as it always is at home (minus that Saints game).  I believe Nate can get the win here… but if you feel up to playing Tyrod, I certainly wouldn’t advise against it.
Prediction:  Bills win 20-10
 
Cowboys at Giants: 
Jemp: Cowboys,  Reeb: Cowboys,  Pep: Giants,  Screw: Cowboys
Good job Giants, way to ruin Eli’s streak and then decide you were just kidding the next week and fire the coach and gm instead.  John Mara claimed there was some kind of miscommunication with Ben McAdoo about benching Eli.  Damn you, autocorrect.  Anyway, I think Alfred Morris is playing well now, so good for him.  However, the passing game of the Cowboys still struggled for most of the game, but thanks to some big mistakes by… their opponent, they got out to a bid lead and were able to get the run game going.  I think Eli gets off to a hot start in his return to the lineup, which will ruin the Cowboys winning formula, and get the upset for the Giants.
Prediction:  Giants win 21-17
 
Lions at Buccaneers:
Jemp: Lions,  Reeb: Lions,  Pep: Lions,  Screw: Bucs
Well if Jake Rudock has to start for the Lions, then they might be in trouble.  I tried to defend Rudock last week, and he responded by immediately throwing a pick six.  Sure, I was completely joking when I said he could be good, but he could have at least pretended to go along with it for a little bit.  Personally, I doubt Stafford misses this game though.  It isn’t a serious injury, but since it’s his throwing hand it obviously could impact his accuracy.  Fortunately, I doubt it will be any worse than Jameis’s accuracy, so I’m sticking with the Lions.
Prediction:  Lions win 23-20
 
Raiders at Chiefs: 
Jemp: Chiefs,  Reeb: Chiefs,  Pep: Raiders,  Screw: Chiefs
Ugh, do I have to pick this game?  I know this is for a share of first place in the AFC West, but neither of these teams is very good.  The Chiefs finally got some of those explosive plays again, but then we watch their defense give up 38 points to the Jets.  Their defense bad, and their offense is inconsistent.  I would say the same about the Raiders, but their offense may have moved from inconsistent to bad.  I guess it’s unfair to say that after a game where they were missing their top two receivers, but it’s not exactly like those guys have been lighting it up anyway.  However, Marshawn Lynch is starting to get it going, so maybe this team does have some life.  This one is a toss up for me, but I will at least say that I would take both these teams in the playoffs over the Titans.
Prediction:  Chiefs win 24-21
 
49ers at Texans:
Jemp: 49ers,  Reeb: 49ers,  Pep: 49ers,  Screw: 49ers
Jimmy Garoppolo is helping the Brown to clinch that number one overall draft pick, not that they were planning on winning a game anyway.  The 49ers on the other hand, may have a couple more wins in their sights, with some weak opponents and a quarterback that has given this team some juice.  I’m not crowning Garoppolo as the savior of the franchise, but he is an upgrade over CJ Beathard, and the Texans are pretty bad too.  I like Jimmy G to keep his undefeated record.
Prediction:  49ers win 23-17
 
Packers at Browns: 
Jemp: Browns,  Reeb: Packers,  Pep: Packers,  Screw: Packers
Yeah, I’ve got a breakfast date at 9, and I’m seeing a movie at 6.  Oh yeah, and I’m playing in an NFL game in between.  That’s how Josh Gordon’s Sunday goes now, with the time he spends smoking weed left out.  He just nonchalantly had 85 yards against one of the league’s best corners, as the Browns put up a solid 10 points, but at least they only lost by 9.  They get Brett Hundley this week, so maybe they will lose by even less this week!
Prediction:  Packers win 20-17
 
Bears at Bengals:
Jemp: Bengals,  Reeb: Bears,  Pep: Bengals,  Screw: Bengals
It looks like the Bears are who we thought they were (sorry I couldn’t resist, RIP Denny Green).  After a few impressive early wins over good teams, the Bears now can’t buy a win.  Maybe that’s because they haven’t been giving the ball to Jordan Howard enough, as my fantasy team can attest to.  However, the Bears always tend to course-correct whenever we start to doubt JoHo, and I think they do that here against the Bengals.  The Bengals have been playing well lately, but this is more about what the Bears can do when they execute their gameplan.
Prediction:  Bears win 24-17
 
Vikings at Panthers: 
Jemp: Vikings,  Reeb: Vikings,  Pep: Vikings,  Screw: Vikings
How about these Vikings?  I have been an advocate of this team for a while, and they now have proven me right as they currently hold the number 1 seed in the NFC.  I knew they were a better team than the Rams and Falcons, and they are better than the Panthers as well.  However, that doesn’t mean they are going to win again.  I think this Panthers team can give the Vikings some problems, and I think Case Keenum might have a lackluster game this week.  Not because he’s Case Keenum, but just because all quarterbacks have some bad games.  However, the best chance for the Vikings is to get Stefon Diggs going.  We saw Robby Anderson have a big game against the Panthers a couple weeks ago, who is a very similar player to Diggs.  I think the Panthers get the upset this week, but the Vikings will be fine.
Prediction:  Panthers win 17-16
 
Redskins at Chargers:
Jemp: Chargers,  Reeb: Chargers,  Pep: Redskins,  Screw: Chargers
Some people think it might be a longshot for the Redskins to make the playoffs, but they just wanted to make things interesting.  Now they are going to start their roll, as all the other NFC teams collapse.  Don’t worry though, the Chargers will still make the playoffs after this loss.
Prediction:  Redskins win 100-0
 
Jets at Broncos: 
Jemp: Jets,  Reeb: Jets,  Pep: Jets,  Screw: Jets
Josh McCown is just 4 games away from making it through a whole season, and a damn good season at that.  He lit up the Chiefs, and this Broncos teams is in even steeper freefall.  They just beat out the Dolphins for saddest team outside of Cleveland.  Remember when we all expected the Jets to be that team at the beginning of the year?  Now they may actually have a chance for a playoff spot.  Probably not, but I think they get this win.
Prediction:  Jets win 28-13
 
Titans at Cardinals:
Jemp: Cardinals,  Reeb: Titans,  Pep: Cardinals,  Screw: Titans
Could this be the week one of these bad teams takes down the Titans?  Please, let it be so.  Blaine Gabbert may have thrown some bad interceptions, but he also made some plays.  He was also playing a way better team than the Titans, like I can’t stress enough how much better.  The Cardinals running game also started to come alive, as seems to happen when Adrian Peterson goes out of your lineup.  In all seriousness though, it was the run blocking that looked especially good, which bodes well for AD if he comes back this week.  Please Cardinals, I believe in you to get this win.
Prediction:  Cardinals win 28-14
 
Eagles at Rams:
Jemp: Rams,  Reeb: Eagles,  Pep: Rams,  Screw: Rams
The Eagles get their second straight tough game on the road.  They couldn’t handle the twelfth man last week, and now they get the Rams who may pose an even greater challenge.  The Rams are much more battle-tested than the Eagles, and I expect Sean McVay to find some holes in the Eagles defense.  They have a great defensive line, and the rest of their defense has played well, but they haven’t been challenged all that much.  This is practically a playoff week for the NFC teams, so let’s find out if the Eagles can bounce back like the Rams did a couple week ago.
Prediction:  Rams win 30-24
 
Seahawks at Jaguars:
Jemp: Jaguars,  Reeb: Seahawks,  Pep: Jaguars,  Screw: Jaguars
Russell Wilson is making his case for MVP, and now he gets to show what he can do against the best defense in football.  Sure, the Jags defensive line is comparable to what the Seahawks faced last week, but the Eagles didn’t have Jalen Ramsey and AJ Bouye waiting on the backend.  However, the Seahawks defense proved they still have some juice without Sherman and Chancellor, and if they can contain Wentz, then they can probably stop Blake Bortles.  That combined with a couple big plays Russ will undoubtedly make will be enough to get them the win even on the road.
Prediction:  Seahawks win 13-10
 
Ravens at Steelers:
Jemp: Steelers,  Reeb: Steelers,  Pep: Steelers,  Screw: Steelers
We get some more AFC North Football on display in primetime.  The Steelers escaped their Monday Night tilt with a win, but did lose a key piece of their defense.  Don’t worry though, JuJu made sure the Bengals lost a linebacker as well, which only seems fair, at least according to Antonio Brown.  Fortunately, it sounds like both Burfict will be fine, and Shazier is showing some good signs, although he’s still in the hospital.  Anyway, the Ravens also played a football game last weekend, and they dominated the Lions.  I still think the Steelers get this win, but I expect a good hard-fought game with only a couple personal fouls and egregiously dirty hit.
Prediction:  Steelers win 23-20
 
Patriots at Dolphins:
Jemp: Patriots,  Reeb: Patriots,  Pep: Patriots,  Screw: Patriots
It has been a tough 3 weeks, but finally, the Dolphins are back in primetime.  And they are coming off a big win against a Patriots team that will be without Gronk for what seemed like a dirty hit until Monday Night Football made it seem playful.  I think the Patriots will probably be okay in this game anyway though.
Prediction:  Patriots win 34-14

Here are the standings after week 12:

Reeb the Unpaid Intern: 113-63
Screw: 111-65
Alx: 110-66
Jemp: 105-71
Pep: 100-76
​
It was a great Thanksgiving.  The Redskins won, the Cowboys lost, and I stuffed my face without doing anything active.  I also was the only one to get all the Thanksgiving Day games right, but I still ended up losing a game on Reeb and Screw for the week.  Pep may have dug himself a hole that he can’t get out of, and I’m not talking about his drinking problem.  But he’s still competing, so let’s pick some games.
 
Redskins at Cowboys: 
Jemp: Redskins,  Reeb: Redskins,  Pep: Redskins,  Screw: Redskins
Here comes the Redskins classic playoff run.  Dak’s struggles have pleased all the Cowboys hates including myself, but it might be a little early to bury him as an NFL quarterback.  He still has time to grow, but those who thought he was an elite quarterback already were clearly mistaken.  Of course, he also had no chance to take down the Redskins anyway, no matter how good he is.
Prediction:  Redskins win 200-0
 
Vikings at Falcons:
Jemp: Falcons,  Reeb: Falcons,  Pep: Vikings,  Screw: Vikings
The Falcons are heating up at the right time, but unfortunately so is there schedule.  Well, it’s unfortunate for them at least.  I agree with most people that the Eagles are the most complete team in the league, but the Vikings aren’t far behind.  They have perhaps the best receiving duo in the NFL and a great running back tandem as well.  Their offensive line is playing well, and they have the best defense in the NFC.  Also, I hope to god that they are the All or Nothing team so we can continue Case Keenum’s story into this season.
Prediction:  Vikings win 30-24
 
Texans at Titans: 
Jemp: Titans,  Reeb: Titans,  Pep: Titans,  Screw: Titans
Alright, I’m done picking against the Titans when they play these terrible teams… at least for this week.  They keep managing to squeak by against terrible opponents.  The Texans still qualify as a terrible team, even though Tom Savage has started to look like he isn’t a complete train wreck, and the defense is starting to get healthier.  I’m still picking the Titans, but won’t be remotely surprised if they lose.  In fact, I’ll be relieved, because I don’t want them in the playoffs.
Prediction:  Titans win 17-14
 
Chiefs at Jets:
Jemp: Jets,  Reeb: Chiefs,  Pep: Chiefs,  Screw: Jets
The day after I wrote the pick’em last week, I started to regret picking the Chiefs.  There are plenty of people blaming Andy Reid for the struggles of the offense, but I have to go the other way.  I think Andy Reid deserves a ton of credit for masquerading this offense as one that is explosive and full of playmakers for the start of the season.  However, the offense has a good tight end and running back, and only one usable receiver, who is mostly a gadget a player.  That might be a little unfair to Tyreek Hill, because he has done a nice job as a real receiver, but he is at best a low-end number one receiver, and they have no real depth behind him.  The Chiefs have a few playmakers, but no reliable method of consistently moving the ball.  Anyway, enough about the Chiefs, let’s give some love to Robby Anderson in a losing effort.  Last year I said funneling the ball to Robby was no way to run an offense, but I’m saying funnel away.  The whole ProFootballJokes staff is behind you Robby, so go get this win.
Prediction:  Jets win 27-13
 
Broncos at Dolphins: 
Jemp: Dolphins,  Reeb: Broncos,  Pep: Broncos,  Screw: Broncos
Sometimes there is a game between two teams that are rolling, and I have a tough time picking against either team.  This game is the opposite of that.  Over the last 5 or 6 weeks, these might be the worst two teams in the league, and I’m including the Browns.  A small spark of hope came in last week for the Broncos though, and his name is Trevor Siemian.  He might not be great, and clearly crumbles down the stretch, but at least he has the ability to be a competent NFL quarterback.  The Broncos shouldn’t need more than that to beat the Dolphins.
Prediction:  Broncos win 20-7
 
Colts at Jaguars:
Jemp: Jaguars,  Reeb: Jaguars,  Pep: Jaguars,  Screw: Jaguars
Jaguars fans got a little nostalgic in week 12, as they watched Blaine Gabbert disappoint them one last time.  But never fear Jags fans, Blake Bortles has plenty of disappointments left in him for you.  However, I don’t think this will be one of them, as the Colts failed to score last time they played this defense.  The Colts have also disappointed their fans plenty of times this season, including Marlon Mack fumbling the Titans back into the game last week and ruining my lone wolf pick.  Not that I’m bitter or anything.
Prediction:  Jaguars win 23-13
 
Buccaneers at Packers: 
Jemp: Packers,  Reeb: Packers,  Pep: Packers,  Screw: Packers
So, I’m playing Reeb in two fantasy leagues this week.  I, of course, have already punched my ticket to the playoffs in both leagues, but Reeb is on the brink, and I can knock him out in both with a win.  And the man I’m counting on to do that for me is Jamaal Williams.  Oh, how Reeb mocked me for my fantasy sleeper pick this year as Jamaal sat behind Ty Montgomery and Aaron Jones.  But like a phoenix from the ashes, Jamaal Williams has risen to dash the unpaid intern’s fantasy aspirations.  The movie writes itself.
Prediction:  Packers win 24-20
 
Lions at Ravens:
Jemp: Lions,  Reeb: Lions,  Pep: Ravens,  Screw: Ravens
I would like the Ravens to win this one to help out my Redskins, but Joe Flacco has been so bad.  Still, Flacco is always a different quarterback in the playoffs, not just in the 2012 Super Bowl run.  People talk about Eli Manning stepping up his game in the playoffs, but he had one great full season in 2011, and one great drive in 2007.  Flacco is always good in the playoffs, not that I completely understand why.  They are at least a little intriguing as a playoff team, as supposed to the Titans who have no identity whatsoever.  Sorry, I’m back to being mad at the Titans for winning while being bad.  Anyway, the Ravens can only seem to win against bad offenses, and the Lions aren’t quite bad enough for them to beat.  At least in the regular season.
Prediction:  Lions win 23-16
 
Patriots at Bills: 
Jemp: Patriots,  Reeb: Patriots,  Pep: Patriots,  Screw: Patriots
Just when the Bills seemed to get some momentum back on their side, they get the Patriots coming to their building.  I said the Eagles and Vikings are the most complete teams in the league, but the Patriots are still the best… other than the Redskins of course.  Maybe this defense has returned to form and can make this a game, but even if they do, I trust Tom Brady to get it done in the end.
Prediction:  Patriots win 34-21
 
49ers at Bears:
Jemp: 49ers,  Reeb: Bears,  Pep: 49ers,  Screw: 49ers
Jimmy G should be playing the first full NFL game since week 1 of 2016 against the Cardinals, assuming he doesn’t get hurt.  By the way, does anyone think that Jimmy Graham was insulted that he scored his eighth touchdown in the last seven weeks, but whenever someone mentioned Jimmy G in the highlights of that game, Garoppolo was the only one that came to mind?  Honestly, I think Garoppolo should just retire right now, and he may make it into the hall of fame.  In all seriousness though, I have liked what I’ve seen from Jimmy, and I think he is at least good enough to beat the Bears
Prediction:  49ers win 20-17
 
Browns at Chargers: 
Jemp: Chargers,  Reeb: Chargers,  Pep: Chargers,  Screw: Chargers
The Chargers are starting to heat up.  People can say that the Chargers didn’t deserve to start 0-4, they just had their classic meltdowns, but they were still just an average team at best.  Now, their offense is becoming what we all thought it could be with their plethora of weapons.  If it can keep it up, paired with their stout defense led by the edge rushers, then this team can be really dangerous.  That being said, it would be the most Chargers thing of all time to lose to the winless Browns.  Oh right, that’s because they did it last year.
Prediction:  Chargers win 30-13
 
Giants at Raiders:
Jemp: Raiders,  Reeb: Raiders,  Pep: Raiders,  Screw: Raiders
I was actually planning to take the Giants in this game, but then we got the news that it will be some combination of Geno Smith and Davis Webb for the Giants.  Maybe the Giants are just going for the all-out tank?  Look, I don’t mind the Giants moving on from Eli, because he isn’t very good anymore.  However, he is still far better than Geno Smith or Davis Webb.  I know, I haven’t seen Davis Webb play in a real NFL game, but he couldn’t beat out Geno Smith for the backup job, so I’m pretty confident he’s not the answer.  Also, the idea to continue to start Eli to keep his streak alive would have just been embarrassing for everyone.  If I were Eli, I would have taken Ben McAdoo up on that offer, and then when I went in on the first play I would throw it straight to the other team.  To me, this should ensure that Ben McAdoo gets fired at the end of the season, if that wasn’t decided already.
Prediction:  Raiders win 20-0
 
Panthers at Saints:
Jemp: Saints,  Reeb: Saints,  Pep: Saints,  Screw: Saints
 Now I feel like I have to take the Panthers just to show them some respect.  These two teams are tied at the top of the NFC South, yet everyone is taking the Saints coming off a tough loss to the Rams.  Alvin Kamara is starting to run away with offensive rookie of the year, with Leonard Fournette and Kareem Hunt stuck in the mud.  But watch out Alvin, Jamaal Williams is coming for you.  However, the Panthers defense doesn’t get enough love as a top 5 unit, and Cam always makes the offense threatening, even if it lacks consistency.  However, I’m still sticking with the Saints at home, but this is a good game that could go either way.
Prediction:  Saints win 24-21
 
Rams at Cardinals:
Jemp: Rams,  Reeb: Rams,  Pep: Rams,  Screw: Rams
Blaine Gabbert has taken control of the starting job in Arizona, and proved he is more than a preseason darling when he took down his former team.  It must irk him that the Jags gave up him halfway through his second year, but Bortles has nearly made it through 4 seasons now without sniffing the bench.  He must wonder what it would have been like if he had a coach like Bruce Arians or Sean McVay, rather than a coach that just admired his spirit.  Sorry Pep, I know you miss your Gus Bradley press conferences.  As for the Rams, they proved they can do more than whip up on inferior competition.  Son of Bum has this defense playing up to snuff to go along with this explosive offense.
Prediction:  Rams win 37-14
 
Eagles at Seahawks:
Jemp: Eagles,  Reeb: Eagles,  Pep: Seahawks,  Screw: Eagles
The Seahawks got the win over the 49ers as we all knew they would, but this team just isn’t the same without the LOB intact.  Russell Wilson has carried this team on his back, and I think he deserves MVP consideration more than Carson Wentz does.  Carson Wentz makes some magical plays just like Russell Wilson, but he does it with a far better offensive line and running game, and his receiving group is about equal to Seattle’s.  The Eagles also have a better defense now, so I don’t see the Seahawks pulling this one out, even with the help of the twelves.
Prediction:  Eagles win 31-28
 
Steelers at Bengals:
Jemp: Steelers,  Reeb: Steelers,  Pep: Steelers,  Screw: Steelers
The Steelers offense has started to come alive, but that top 5 defense Screw keeps bragging about has shown some holes the past couple weeks without Joe Haden.  For the record, I never believed the Steelers had a top-5 defense.  The top 5 would be the Jags, Vikings, Panthers, Ravens, Broncos, come at me twitter (@ProFootballJoke).  Oh right, no one cares.  Anyway, the Steelers might not have a top-5 defense in my book, but the Bengals do have a bottom-5 offense.  In fact, they are ranked dead last.  Though I guess if I went by overall defense rankings, the Steelers would have a top-5 defense which kind of destroys my narrative.  Ah well, the point is the Bengals are bad and the Steelers aren’t so I’m taking the Steelers.
Prediction:  Steelers win 24-20

Here are the standings after week 11:

Reeb the Unpaid Intern: 101-59
Alx: 98-62
Screw: 98-62
Jemp: 93-67
Pep: 90-70
​
I didn’t have my best week as one of the teams I picked in the early games somehow lost a 15-point lead in the last 3 minutes.  I can’t remember which team, so let’s just move past that.  Screw came up and tied me for second place, while Jemp creeped up just a bit on the rest of the competition.  Pep is still struggling, but he looks to bounce back this week.  Let’s pick some games.
 
Vikings at Lions: 
Jemp: Lions,  Reeb: Vikings,  Pep: Vikings,  Screw: Lions
Case Keenum is riding high after taking down his former team, but he now has a quick turnaround on a trip to Detroit.  The Lions squeaked by the Bears last week, but I don’t know if they can take down this Vikings team.  We should also take a moment in this game to appreciate the job Tony Romo has done as a broadcaster this season, before he ultimately chokes in December and January.  Thanksgiving Day is usually when he peaks though.
Prediction:  Vikings win 31-16
 
Chargers at Cowboys:
Jemp: Chargers,  Reeb: Cowboys,  Pep: Cowboys,  Screw: Chargers
Dak Prescott is seeing how the other half lives, and is realizing it’s a little harder to play without an All-Pro left tackle and running back.  Alright, last week was probably a little extreme for Dak, and I wouldn’t expect him to play better in this one.  However, even if Tyron Smith plays, I don’t expect him to be 100%, and he can’t block Bosa and Ingram at the same time.  The Chargers are heating up and coming after that last AFC playoff spot, and possibly even the division if the Chiefs keep this up.
Prediction:  Chargers win 30-17
 
Giants at Redskins: 
Jemp: Redskins,  Reeb: Redskins,  Pep: Giants,  Screw: Redskins
Congratulation to the Giants for actually trying last week, and beating the freefalling Chiefs.  Now it is time for them to come back to reality as the Redskins destroy them on Thanksgiving Night.
Prediction:  Redskins win 100-0
 
Bills at Chiefs:
Jemp: Chiefs,  Reeb: Chiefs,  Pep: Chiefs,  Screw: Bills
Yeah, the Chiefs have been struggling of late, and it hit a low point when they lost to the previously 1-9 Giants.  They have now lost 4 of their last 5, and their offense doesn’t look nearly as explosive as it did early in the year.  Fortunately, they now go up against a team that has completely imploded.  They are allowing 45 points per game over their last three games.  That’s over three times as many points as the Jaguars give up (14.1 ppg).  If the Chiefs blow this one, they may not win another game all year.
Prediction:  Chiefs win 26-24
 
Titans at Colts: 
Jemp: Titans,  Reeb: Titans,  Pep: Titans,  Screw: Titans
The Titans finally lost a game when they have to play a real team, but now they are back to their cupcake of a schedule.  However, maybe Jacoby Brissett can give them a run for their money coming off his bye.  He played the Steelers much closer than the Titans did, although maybe he doesn’t deserve all the credit there.  Still, I’m picking him to even things out and get a win over a reeling Titans team.
Prediction:  Colts win 30-27
 
Browns at Bengals:
Jemp: Bengals,  Reeb: Bengals,  Pep: Bengals,  Screw: Bengals
The Bengals beating the Broncos last week was a perfect example of how bad the AFC is right now.  However, the Browns stand head and shoulders below all of the other trash in the conference.  They have put up a little bit of a fight the last two weeks, making me think they could get a win this year.  It could be this week against the Bengals, but just pure probability won’t allow me to pick the Browns again for at least this year.
Prediction:  Bengals win 20-17
 
Buccaneers at Falcons: 
Jemp: Falcons,  Reeb: Falcons,  Pep: Falcons,  Screw: Falcons
All of a sudden, the Falcons are back to the same team they were last year.  No, their offense isn’t as good, but it’s not like they had some crazy dominant team last year.  They started out 6-4 last year, and they are 6-4 now.  Their defense has started to make plays, and their offense still has talent.  They have to host to the red-hot Bucs now, but I think they are up to the task.
Prediction:  Falcons win 34-17
 
Dolphins at Patriots:
Jemp: Patriots,  Reeb: Patriots,  Pep: Patriots,  Screw: Patriots
This one might get ugly.  I don’t know if Jay Cutler will be healthy for this one, but I also don’t care.  The Dolphins can’t beat anyone right now, and Gillette is the last place that you want to go if you’re desperate for a win.  Actually, the Patriots proved that even if you run to Mexico it won’t help you beat them.  They look back in form, and may have a clear path to the Super Bowl.
Prediction:  Patriots win 35-7
 
Bears at Eagles: 
Jemp: Eagles,  Reeb: Eagles,  Pep: Bears,  Screw: Eagles
Speaking of Super Bowl team, the Eagles look just as dominant as the Pats.  However, the road in the NFC is much more daunting, with the Saints, Vikings, Panthers, and Falcons all looking dangerous in Week 11, and the Rams and Seahawks are always dangerous as well.  Of course, we all know it will be the Redskins who beat them all in the end, but let’s get back to this game.  Oh right, it’s just the Bears, so I stand by my decision to ignore this game.
Prediction:  Eagles win 27-10
 
Panthers at Jets:
Jemp: Panthers,  Reeb: Panthers,  Pep: Panthers,  Screw: Panthers
The Panthers gained some momentum going into their bye, but I am a little worried about their offense moving forward.  Curtis Samuel started to look good, but then they lost him for the year in the second half against the Fins.  Of course, they still dominated, as we all know Cam can do, but it’s hard to expect any consistency with his lack of help.  However, the Jets are trending in the wrong direction, and the Panthers defense has been as consistent as any unit in the league, so it’s easy to pick them to win this one.
Prediction:  Panthers win 28-6
 
Seahawks at 49ers: 
Jemp: Seahawks,  Reeb: Seahawks,  Pep: Seahawks,  Screw: Seahawks
Pete Carroll could call a fake punt on the first play of this game, and just tell the media that it would look genius if it would have worked.  Yeah sure Pete, if you score a touchdown on a play call then we won’t question it, but when you don’t come close and there was nothing else to be gained from it, then it was a bad play call.  More importantly, will we see Jimmy G in this game?  We haven’t gotten word as I write this, but maybe that could make the 49ers somewhat competitive in this one.  Either that, or he will be a disaster.
Prediction:  Seahawks win 31-21
 
Saints at Rams:
Jemp: Saints,  Reeb: Saints,  Pep: Saints,  Screw: Saints
Great game right here, but I’m glad we get to watch Brett Hundley on Sunday Night Football instead.  Anyway, the Rams got a cold, hard taste of reality last week, as the Vikings cleaned their clocks.  That explosive offense they boasted couldn’t get anything done against the stout Minnesota defense.  I think the Rams will get back on track eventually, but the Saints might be the best team in the NFC.  It’s crucial that they got Marshon Lattimore back if they want to make a Super Bowl run, but they are good enough to win this game even if he misses this one.
Prediction:  Saints win 34-31
 
Jaguars at Cardinals:
Jemp: Jaguars,  Reeb: Jaguars,  Pep: Jaguars,  Screw: Jaguars
The Jaguars defense is getting plenty of opportunities to flex its muscles against the offenses they have been playing recently.  Then again, this is the Blaine Gabbert revenge game, and Gabbert looked pretty good last week even in a loss.  However, the Jaguars defense is far too good to be had by Gabbert, and the Cardinals defense isn’t anything special at this point, so expect the Jaguars to cruise to another easy win.
Prediction:  Jaguars win 20-6
 
Broncos at Raiders:
Jemp: Raiders,  Reeb: Raiders,  Pep: Raiders,  Screw: Raiders
Remember last year when the Broncos v. Raiders was a game we all got excited about?  Well, not the second matchup where Matt McGloin was starting for the Raiders.  But the first game was the Raiders coming out party, where the ran the ball right down the throats of the defending champs.  Now the Broncos are trying out their third quarterback of the year and the Raiders are trying to find something that they do well.  At least they are stable at quarterback, which is why we are all picking them in this game, but I certainly don’t trust them to make the playoffs, even in a god-awful AFC.
Prediction:  Raiders win 20-17
 
Packers at Steelers:
Jemp: Steelers,  Reeb: Steelers,  Pep: Steelers,  Screw: Steelers
I guess the NFL wanted to make it easy on anyone traveling back home after a Thanksgiving weekend, so they don’t feel like they are missing anything on Sunday Night Football.  In fact, the schedule-makers might think people have been doing a lot of Sunday night traveling this year.  Look, I know this looked like a good game at the beginning of the season, but the league could have flexed out of it once Rodgers got hurt and we all got to see that Brett Hundley was terrible.  Maybe the Packers should get Brett Favre out of retirement.  At least that would be entertaining.
Prediction:  Steelers win 27-7
 
Texans at Ravens:
Jemp: Ravens,  Reeb: Ravens,  Pep: Ravens,  Screw: Ravens
If you thought the Sunday Night Football matchup was bad, I already took hold of Jon Gruden’s beer.  The Ravens offense might be garbage, but their defense knows how to take advantage of bad quarterbacks.  Even though Tom Savage looked like he could run a functional offense last week, I don’t expect him to repeat that performance.  I fell for that with Brett Hundley against the Ravens, and I’ve learned my lesson.  The Ravens still have one of the best defenses in the league, which is why they may hold onto this last AFC playoff spot.  That, plus their soft schedule and did I mention that the AFC sucks?
Prediction:  Ravens win 24-6