Football is finally back, but more importantly, so is the ProFootballJokes pickem.  A lot of people are saying the 2017 season is already decided with one team far better than the rest.  But we can still enjoy the games even if we know the outcome of the Super Bowl.  But I will preemptively congratulate the Redskins for winning the Lombardi.  Now let’s pick some games.
 
Chiefs at Patriots: 
Jemp: Patriots,  Reeb: Patriots,  Pep: Patriots,  Screw: Patriots
The Chiefs didn’t change their roster too much during the offseason, but their big move was trading up to take Patrick Mahomes.  Chiefs fans are tired of watching Alex Smith playing it safe.  They want the upside of a quarterback that can roll right, throw off his back foot while getting hit, and deliver a dime 40 yards downfield, just like Mahomes did in his last preseason game.  They don’t want to settle for the dink and dunk strategy that they have been employing with Alex Smith because it is far too conservative.  Sure, the Patriots have won 5 rings using that strategy, but how often does Tom Brady make the Sportscenter Top 10?  Fortunately, the Chiefs also fired their GM after the draft, so if Mahomes doesn’t work out, they preemptively set him up as the scapegoat.  Unfortunately, I think the Chiefs are now the fourth best team in their division, and a Week 1 matchup against the Patriots won’t help matters.
Prediction:  Patriots win 31-20
 
Jets at Bills:
Jemp: Bills,  Reeb: Bills,  Pep: Bills,  Screw: Bills
The Jets may have showed their hand a little too early this offseason, making it obvious to everyone that they were looking to tank the season.  But we all know the NFL is a copycat league, and the Bills knew a good strategy when they saw it.  While most of the NFL will be competing for the Lombardi in February, these teams are looking for the Darnold in April.  Then he will decide to go back to school or just end up as a bust, but at least he gives Jets and Bills fans something to cheer for.
Prediction:  Jets win 10-6
 
Eagles at Redskins: 
Jemp: Redskins,  Reeb: Eagles,  Pep: Redskins,  Screw: Eagles
Eagles fans may have enjoyed the best offseason of anyone this year, and not just because they got to practice their favorite hobby when they hosted the draft.  The Eagles stacked their roster, adding Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith to turn their receiving corps into a strength.  They also added LeGarrette Blount giving them that short yardage/goal-line back that they have been missing to play behind a pretty good offensive line.  Then they added Timmy Jernigan to an already ferocious front seven, and traded for Ronald Darby to allow their cornerback group to be almost passable.  But of course, they have no chance against the Redskins.
Prediction:  Redskins win 100-0
 
Raiders at Titans:
Jemp: Raiders,  Reeb: Raiders,  Pep: Raiders,  Screw: Raiders
In case you guys haven’t heard, BeastMode has unretired and joined the Raiders.  Did you know he’s from Oakland?  He is also playing behind one of the best offensive lines in the league, as are the pair of backs on the other team.  The Titans are relying on their exotic smashmouth to win this game, but unless they get Steve Harwell to lead them, then I don’t think it will be enough to take down the Raiders.  Everyone at PFJ believes in the Raiders this year.
Prediction:  Raiders win 31-28
 
Buccaneers at Dolphins: 
Jemp: Hurricane Irma,  Reeb: Bucs,  Pep: Bucs,  Screw: Bucs
I had some good jokes about this game, and then I get the news that it's being moved just as I finished writing.  Just trust me, and assume it would have been good.  Now I am tempted to agree with Jemp and pick the Hurricane, while counting this as a loss for Reeb, Pep, and Screw.  Or I could just hold them to their picks when this game takes place in week 11.  Tweet us @profootballjoke to tell us what you think their punishment should be.  I can almost guarantee that if you tweet us, it will be the deciding vote on the punishment.
Prediction:  Differ to Week 11
 
Jaguars at Texans:
Jemp: Texans,  Reeb: Texans,  Pep: Texans,  Screw: Texans
JJ Watt has done a great job helping Houston recover from Hurricane Harvey, but I don’t think anyone on the Jags can repair the damage that Hurricane Bortles has done to their team.  Both of these teams have loaded defenses, porous offensive lines, and some talented offensive skill players.  And yet, the Texans are viewed as perhaps the division favorite while the Jaguars are figured to finish in last yet again.  Can Bortles really be that much worse than Tom Savage?  The guy whose biggest accomplishment is targeting DeAndre Hopkins 17 times? (even though Nuk finished just 8 grabs for 87 yards and no touchdowns).  If that is really the case, then we at ProFootballJokes implore the Jaguars to go with Chad Henne, the motherf***ing joke himself.  But since that isn’t happening this week, I’m going with the Texans.
Prediction:  Texans win 16-13
 
Cardinals at Lions: 
Jemp: Lions,  Reeb: Lions,  Pep: Cardinals,  Screw: Cardinals
The Lions primary focus this offseason was to upgrade their offensive line, and they seemed to nail it with the additions of TJ Lang and Ricky Wagner.  However, all their hard work was undone with an injury to their budding young left tackle, leaving Greg Robinson to take his place.  Now Greg gets to try to block Chandler Jones and Markus Golden, the best sacking duo in the NFL last year.  Although the Cardinals lost Calais Campbell, they drafted two talented and versatile defenders in Haason Reddick and Budda Baker.  I think Bruce Arians is such a proponent of versatility that he tries to cut up his dinner with swiss army knife.  I’ll have to check with my sources to be sure.
Prediction:  Cardinals win 30-17
 
Falcons at Bears:
Jemp: Falcons,  Reeb: Falcons,  Pep: Falcons,  Screw: Falcons
The fantasy critics have shouted down Jordan Howard, quick to compare him to Todd Gurley, as if Todd Gurley is the lone example of a good running back playing on a bad offense.  Also, in case you were wondering, the Bears offense was ranked 15th last year, so it isn’t as if they are the historically bad offense that the Rams were last year.  The Bears may have lost some receivers, but their offensive line is arguably top 10 in the league and it is now healthy unlike last year.  People need to stop besmirching Jordan Howard’s good name, as I suspect he will go off in this one as the Bears get blown out.  Garbage time points still count in fantasy.
Prediction:  Falcons win 38-21
 
Ravens at Bengals: 
Jemp: Bengals,  Reeb: Ravens,  Pep: Ravens,  Screw: Ravens
I was looking forward to this Ravens defense returning to dominance this year, and they didn’t disappoint in the preseason.  But as much as I love the Ravens defense, there is no way this team can win without Joe Flacco.  Did I say without Joe Flacco?  I meant with Ryan Mallett.  However, the Ravens seem confident that Flacco will be back for this game, so it will be up to the Bengals to show what they can do.  They added some talented skill players, but on paper they have the worst offensive line in football after losing Andrew Whitworth and Kevin Zeitler.  Yet, if Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Fisher somehow turn a corner, and Andre Smith is rejuvenated by his return to Cincy and his move to guard, then we could have a real battle on that side of the ball.  Unfortunately for Reeb, I don’t see that happening, so I’m taking the Ravens.
Prediction:  Ravens win 17-14
 
Steelers at Browns:
Jemp: Steelers,  Reeb: Steelers,  Pep: Steelers,  Screw: Steelers
There may be some bad blood between these teams right now.  Joe Haden was cut by the Browns, but it was not long before he decided to join the Steelers.  But the real intrigue in this one is the Sammie Coates revenge game.  Can he take advantage of the new pieces in the Steelers secondary?  Can he form a connection with his new quarterback?  Can he catch the ball if it hits him in the hands?  So many unanswered questions when it comes to Coates.  Oh yeah, and we have Lev Bell returning from his holdout and a bunch of rookies making their NFL debuts.  I think the Steelers overlook this young Browns team, and the Browns manage to take this one in Cleveland.
Prediction:  Browns win 23-20
 
Colts at Rams: 
Jemp: Rams,  Reeb: Rams,  Pep: Colts,  Screw: Colts
The Aaron Donald holdout may be the strangest holdout I’ve seen in a while.  When Kam Chancellor held out into the season a few years ago, it at least made some sense since the Seahawks needed to keep up in the playoff race.  And it still didn’t work.  Here, the Rams aren’t making the playoffs, so why would they care if they lose a few games while waiting for Aaron Donald to return?  Anyway, Aaron Donald might not play, but Andrew Luck definitely won’t.  Scott Tolzien might break out his signature spin move, but I don’t think it will be enough to beat the Rams, or probably any other team in the NFL.  At least the ones that are still trying to win games.
Prediction:  Rams win 20-10
 
Seahawks at Packers:
Jemp: Packers,  Reeb: Packers,  Pep: Seahawks,  Screw: Packers
I’m surprised so many of us are taking the Packers.  The fact that this game is in Lambeau is huge, but the Seahawks are the far better team to me.  The Packers defense is still questionable, while the Seahawks may have the best defense in the league, especially with the addition of Sheldon Richardson.  The Packers have the better offense, but there are questions there too.  Jordy Nelson is 32, the offensive line lost some pieces, and the best thing people can say about Ty Montgomery is “he looks like a real running back.”  However, the Packers did add my favorite running back in this year’s draft, Jamaal Williams.  Every time he carries the ball, he hits the right hole, and gets all the yardage you want out of the run.  Unfortunately, I don’t know if the Packers will give up on Ty Montgomery just yet, so I’m taking the Seahawks.
Prediction:  Seahawks win 24-17
 
Panthers at 49ers:
Jemp: Panthers,  Reeb: Panthers,  Pep: Panthers,  Screw: Panthers
Can Kyle Shanahan salvage some Hoyer freakin’ magic?  Even Pep doesn’t think so this week.  We all agree that the 49ers are heading in the right direction, but they still have a lackluster offense and the worst cornerback group in the NFL, despite Elvis Dumervil saying Rashard Robinson can be the best cornerback in the NFC West.  Unless Elvis Dumervil is going to have Richard Sherman and Patrick Peterson killed, then I don’t think that is going to happen.  On the Panthers side of things, I am looking forward to seeing if their offense changes, but even if it doesn’t, I still think they handle the niners.
Prediction:  Panthers win 24-16
 
Giants at Cowboys:
Jemp: Cowboys,  Reeb: Cowboys,  Pep: Giants,  Screw: Cowboys
This game is looking a lot different than it was a few weeks ago.  Now we know Zeke is going to play in this one, but we can’t say the same about Odell Beckham Jr.  It’s only week 1, and fantasy owners are left in a bind, having to wait until Sunday Night Football to find out if OBJ will play.  Still, the Giants are in the conversation when talking about the best defense in football, while the Cowboys are in the conversation for the worst.  I think Odell will play in this one and the Giants win in Jerry World.
Prediction:  Giants win 24-20
 
Saints at Vikings:
Jemp: Saints,  Reeb: Saints,  Pep: Vikings,  Screw: Saints
Bad stat for Adrian Peterson in this one: He has averaged less than 2.2 yards per carry in US Bank Stadium.  Fortunately for him, the Saints just resigned the greatest fullback to ever play the game to block for him.  Okay maybe he’s not the greatest but fans love to chant his name for some reason.  Anyway, this looks to be a competitive matchup on both sides of the ball for very different reasons.  However, the biggest reason I have to go with the Vikings is that the Saints will be without one of my favorite fantasy bargains, Willie Snead.
Prediction:  Vikings win 27-24
 
Chargers at Broncos:
Jemp: Broncos,  Reeb: Broncos,  Pep: Chargers,  Screw: Broncos
This game was tough for me to pick, because my love for Philip Rivers is well-documented.  He was my first fantasy quarterback, and has been on many of my fantasy teams since.  Finally, he has a team around him that can compete with anyone.  On defense, the Chargers have one of the best cornerback tandems, and one of the best pass-rushing duos.  On offense, they are loaded with receivers and have a good, young running back.  The only problem is that Russell Okung and Joe Barksdale will have to attempt to block Von Miller.  The Chargers will bounce back strong, but I think the Broncos win the late game at home.
Prediction:  Broncos win 23-20

Finally we have made it to the Super Bowl.  Here are the standings:
​
Jemp: 186-94
Reeb: 174-106
Pep: 172-108
Screw: 168-112
Alx: 163-117

Despite the Super Bowl being worth 8 full games, Jemp has already wrapped up the pick’em title.  However, I have a chance to finish fourth, so let’s pick our last game of the season.
 
Patriots vs Falcons: 
Jemp: Patriots,  Reeb: Patriots,  Pep: Patriots,  Screw: Falcons
​
Surprise, surprise, the Patriots made it to the Super Bowl.  We all saw Martellus Bennett’s tweet about how he was so excited when the Pats won the AFC championship game, and looked around to see his teammates about as excited as I am when I win a game of Madden.

  I’m paraphrasing, but I don’t think Marty B would disagree.  The Patriots have the advantage of knowing how to prepare for the Super Bowl, starting with the mysterious disappearance of Kyle Shanahan’s playbook. 

  Clever tactics, Bill.  Kyle Shanahan on the other hand should be especially motivated to win this game, because it is probably the best chance he has for a win until he is inevitably fired from the 49ers at the end of next season. 
  
  Just kidding Kyle, I’m sure you will turn that team around.  Anyway, the Falcons have played with a chip on their shoulder all season.  They became a running joke to us last year when they started 5-0 and then couldn’t beat even the worst of teams going forward.  We wanted the joke to continue into this season, and we all held our breaths for the collapse to begin, but it never came, not counting the stumble against Philly. 

  Clearly these are not the same Falcons, but as the Panthers proved last season, it is never too late for the media to call it a collapse.  So for jokes, I am kind of hoping for a Falcons flop.  But in reality, I expect it to be a good game, and I think the Falcons actually have the better team, but I can’t pick against the clutch-factor of Brady and Belichick.

Prediction:  Patriots win 34-31

Here are the standings after the divisional round:

Jemp: 178-94
Pep: 168-104
Screw: 168-104
Reeb: 166-106
Alx: 155-117
​
This week it was Screw who went perfect, tying up Pep for second place, since the rest of us went 2-2.  We finally had some good playoff games last Sunday, and I think we are in for a couple more this week.  Defense has been winning championships the past few years, but it’s all about the offense this year.  We have four of the best offenses in the league squaring off this week, so let’s get to picking the games.
 
Packers at Falcons: 
Jemp: Falcons,  Reeb: Packers,  Pep: Falcons,  Screw: Packers
The NFC championship game is a rematch of one of the best regular season games of the year that no one remembers.  Aaron Rodgers turned his season around in the first meeting between these two teams with his best game of the season up to that point.  Yet, it was the Falcons that got the win, which began the Packers’ four-game losing streak.  It was the Packers defense that improved after that to help them during their winning streak, but the Cowboys were still able to expose some holes last week.  All the Falcons have to do to win this game is to take away the easy plays for Aaron Rodgers.  He will make a few big plays where he scrambles around and finds a man late, but the Falcons can deal with that.  They have the highest scoring offense in football, and they just need to stop the plays where Aaron Rodgers throws it quick to his receivers to get an easy 8 yards.  For the Packers to win, they need their defense to make some key stops.  If they can at least tighten up in the redzone, it will give the Packers a chance to outscore the Falcons.  However, with Jordy Nelson, Davante Adams, and even Geronimo Allison all game-time decisions, I’m sticking with the Falcons to win the last game in the Georgia Dome.
Prediction:  Falcons win 41-35
 
Steelers at Patriots:
Jemp: Patriots,  Reeb: Patriots,  Pep: Patriots,  Screw: Steelers
This is another rematch of a regular season game that no one watched, but that was probably because Landry Jones was starting for the Steelers.  Now the Steelers come in guns blazing, with Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown at the top of their game.  However, we all know Bill Belichick wants to take the most important player out of your offense, and I think he takes Antonio Brown out of this one.  Le’Veon Bell is too hard to eliminate from the gameplan because of how versatile he is.  Also, if they take out Antonio Brown, Big Ben will struggle, since he has no other wide receivers to throw to.  Le’Veon can go crazy like he did last week, where the Steelers only scored 18 points.  Tom Brady isn’t going to throw two interceptions again, and he sure as hell is going to put up more than 18 points.  Only Screw believes his Steelers have what it takes to make it back to the Super Bowl.
Prediction:  Patriots win 34-19

Here are the standings after the regular season:

Jemp: 174-90
Pep: 164-100
Reeb: 162-102
Screw: 160-104
Alx: 151-113
​
Reeb was perfect in the wild card round, while the rest of us went 2-2, or 4-4 according to the standings.  This week, games are still worth 2 each, so everybody is still in the hunt.  We expect this week to have better games than last week, so let’s get to the picking.
 
Seahawks at Falcons: 
Jemp: Falcons,  Reeb: Falcons,  Pep: Seahawks,  Screw: Falcons
Here is an interesting matchup.  We have a team that is famous for choking in the playoffs vs. a team that plays its best football in January.  That being said, the Falcons are the better team, and Matt Ryan’s only playoff win came against the Seahawks.  However, the Falcons nearly choked in that matchup in 2012.  The Falcons led by 20 in the 4th quarter, and then Russell Wilson led the comeback and gave the Seahawks the lead with 30 seconds left.  Fortunately, Matty Ice was able to get the Falcons into field goal range and sent them into the NFC championship where they gave up another three-possession lead and this time lost to the 49ers.  However, these aren’t the Falcons of old as we learned while we were waiting for them to collapse in the regular season.  These Seahawks also aren’t as good as they once were, so I’m going with the Falcons at home.
Prediction:  Falcons win 30-24
 
Texans at Patriots:
Jemp: Patriots,  Reeb: Patriots,  Pep: Patriots,  Screw: Patriots
The rivalry between Tom Brady and Brock Osweiler continues, with Osweiler now in Houston.  Brock won the first matchup with the perfect pitch to CJ Anderson for the walkoff touchdown in overtime.  However, this time Brock will have to go into Gillette, and he hasn’t been as good on the road this season, which is saying a lot, since he isn’t that great at home either.  This, coupled with the fact that the Patriots are way better than the Texans, makes me inclined to pick the Patriots in this game.  However, I think the Texans will score more points than they did last time they played the Patriots, so take the moral victory Texans fans.
Prediction:  Patriots win 31-3
 
Packers at Cowboys: 
Jemp: Cowboys,  Reeb: Cowboys,  Pep: Packers,  Screw: Packers
Another strange matchup in the NFC.  The Cowboys are better all around, but the Packers are red hot, while the Cowboys haven’t played a meaningful game in a month.  However, the Packers offense got off to a slow start last week against the Giants, but the Giants offense couldn’t do anything, and the Packers eventually got things going.  The Pack won’t get that many chances against the Cowboys, because if Dallas can do one thing, it’s possess the football.  Granted, their defense also isn’t close to as good as the Giants’, so the Packers could easily get off to hot start in this game.  However, I think what we all want is for Dak to struggle early so we can get some Tony Homo chants.  Maybe he even gets in the game and leads the Cowboys comeback.
Prediction:  Cowboys win 31-24
 
Steelers at Chiefs:
Jemp: Chiefs,  Reeb: Chiefs,  Pep: Chiefs,  Screw: Steelers
This last game might be the most fun to watch of the week.  People have criticized the Chiefs in recent years for being a dink-and-dunk team, and we love to call Alex Smith a game-manager.  However, the Chiefs have had some of the most exciting games of the year, and I love watching them play on both sides of the ball.  Then we have the Killer B’s on the other side of the ball, so I’m hoping this game won’t go the same way the first meeting between these two teams went.  The Steelers were coming off an embarrassing loss in that game, and they came out on fire.  I think this time, the Chiefs will be the one with revenge on their minds, and I think they get the win.  I’m going all home teams this week, as are Reeb and Jemp.
Prediction:  Chiefs win 30-27

Here are the standings after the regular season:

Jemp: 170-86
Pep: 160-96
Screw: 156-100
Reeb: 154-102
Alx: 147-109
​
In an effort to value playoff games more than regular season games, and for some of us to catch up to Jemp, we have decided to value playoff games as multiple games.  Each round from here on out will be worth 8 games, so this week, each game will be worth 2 games in the standings.  Now let’s pick the playoffs.
 
Raiders at Texans: 
Jemp: Raiders,  Reeb: Texans,  Pep: Raiders,  Screw: Texans
I’m glad that the NFL scheduled the best game of week first.  The Raiders are down to their third string quarterback, but at least they don’t have to start Brock Osweiler.  That misfortune would go to the Texans, while the Raiders will have to find some motivation to beat the Texans.  They were on track to fight for a Super Bowl, and now all they can do is struggle for one playoff victory against the Texans.  The Texans finished the year with the top overall defense, despite not having JJ Watt.  I have to admit, the Texans’ defense has impressed me all year, but there is still no way I am picking Brock Osweiler in this one.  I’d take Connor Cook over Brock anyday, even though Osweiler’s salary is literally 24 times as much as Cook’s.  The Raiders at least deserve this one playoff win, while the Texans shouldn’t even be here.
Prediction:  Raiders win 16-13
 
Lions at Seahawks:
Jemp: Lions,  Reeb: Seahawks,  Pep: Seahawks,  Screw: Seahawks
Congratulations to the Lions for making the playoffs, despite their best efforts to get their vacation time.  Instead, they are forced to go to Seattle, where Pete Carroll and Russell Wilson don’t lose.  The Seahawks certainly aren’t the force that they have been in the past, but only Jemp thinks that his wounded Lions team can beat them with the twelves at their side.  Don’t worry Lions, your vacation is coming soon.
Prediction:  Seahawks win 24-17
 
Dolphins at Steelers: 
Jemp: Steelers,  Reeb: Steelers,  Pep: Steelers,  Screw: Dolphins
I must give credit to Adam Gase for turning this team around after starting as one of the worst teams in the league.  They began their winning streak by leaning on the running game, and then getting their passing game going.  They still may not be a fantastic team, but that only makes his coaching job more impressive.  Screw is worried the Steelers will blow this game like they did against the Tim Tebow led Broncos back in 2011.  Fortunately for the Steelers, this Dolphins team isn’t led by Tebow, and even though I have been on the Matt Moore bandwagon, I don’t think the Fins have enough to win in Pittsburgh.  I don’t think the Steelers have any chance of going to the Super Bowl, but they will beat the Dolphins at home.
Prediction:  Steelers win 35-20
 
Giants at Packers:
Jemp: Packers,  Reeb: Packers,  Pep: Giants,  Screw: Giants
Most people think this is the best game of the week, and I wouldn’t disagree, but it is also the game where I am most confident in my pick.  The Packers often get these win streaks to put them in the playoffs, but they don’t end up doing much when they get there.  Other than the one season where they won the Super Bowl, but that was six years ago, when they had to play Michael Vick, Matt Ryan, and Jay Cutler in the playoffs.  I’m not going to get into the whole deal with Eli Manning in the playoffs, even though it is entirely possible for him to turn it on in the playoffs.  But Eli has been awful all year, so I’m certainly not counting on him to lead the Giants to a win.  However, I trust this Giants defense to hold the Packers down, and for OBJ to make a couple big plays, despite obviously being hungover from partying with Justin Bieber a week ago.  I think Eli gets his 3rd playoff win in Lambeau before Aaron Rodgers does.
Prediction:  Giants win 23-16

Here are the standings after 16 weeks:

Jemp: 158-82
Pep: 150-90
Screw: 145-95
Reeb: 141-99
Alx: 137-103
​
Nobody had a great week of picking last week, and now we get to pick a week where more than half the league has nothing to play for.  I will give as much effort in my analysis as teams will give this week.  Time to play team psychologist and pick some games.
 
Bills at Jets: 
Jemp: Bills,  Reeb: Bills,  Pep: Jets,  Screw: Bills
I know that when a team fires their head coach, it often motivates the team, but how much motivation can this Bills team have?  It’s week 17, and the Bills are starting EJ Manuel at quarterback, so I think this team is probably just going to pack it in.  Granted, the Jets probably packed it in weeks ago, so this game has more of a preseason feel to it.  I’m still clinging to hope that I can claim first place in the pick’em, so I’m going against Jemp.
Prediction:  Jets win 20-17
 
Browns at Steelers:
Jemp: Steelers,  Reeb: Steelers,  Pep: Steelers,  Screw: Steelers
Dan Orlovsky and the ’08 Lions can finally pop the champagne bottle, because these Browns are no longer winless.  The best part about it was that the 49ers won shortly afterward, so the Browns are still in control of the number 1 overall pick.  Now it is up to the Steelers to end the winning streak.  The Steelers will probably be playing a lot of their backups, but I believe that the Browns can hold onto the top pick in the draft anyway.
Prediction:  Steelers win 24-17
 
Panthers at Buccaneers: 
Jemp: Bucs,  Reeb: Bucs,  Pep: Bucs,  Screw: Panthers
This may be bold, but I don’t think the Bucs will make it into the playoffs.  The hot streak is over, and the team can’t seem to get a win.  The Panthers also struggled last week, but the Falcons are a pretty good team.  But for all the talk about Cam Newton not handling losing well, he always tends to finish the season strong.  I’m taking the Panthers in this one.
Prediction:  Panthers win 28-21
 
Texans at Titans:
Jemp: Texans,  Reeb: Texans,  Pep: Texans,  Screw: Titans
I am disappointed that we don’t get to watch the least exciting game for a division title ever, but now at least we get to watch Matt Cassel take on a Texans team that might be resting for the playoffs.  Yeah, I know, the Texans are in the playoffs by default, just like they were last year.  Now, if only they could get a quarterback.  However, I think Cassel will be more motivated than the Texans, so I guess I’ll go with the Titans.
Prediction:  Titans win 23-22
 
Bears at Vikings: 
Jemp: Vikings,  Reeb: Vikings,  Pep: Bears,  Screw: Vikings
I wonder what gameplan Terrance Newman will come up with to defend against the Bears offense.  Matt Barkley showed he will occasionally throw the ball to the defensive backs, so I think the gameplan should be for them to catch those balls, but maybe the players will disagree.  Mike Zimmer is coming off eye surgery, so what does he know?  This has been an impressive collapse by the Vikings, and I think the Bears add insult to injury in the last game of the season.
Prediction:  Bears win 27-20
 
Cowboys at Eagles:
Jemp: Eagles,  Reeb: Cowboys,  Pep: Eagles,  Screw: Cowboys
I know the Cowboys will be playing a lot of their backups, but that doesn’t mean they are worse than the Eagles starters.  More importantly, they will probably be a lot more motivated than the Eagles.  The Eagles don’t even have anything to ruin for the Cowboys.  At least Darren McFadden and Mark Sanchez will want to show the league that they can still play, and Tony Romo will definitely want to prove that if he gets in the game.  Don’t forget that Matt Flynn got a couple of nice contracts with a good Week 17 performance.
Prediction:  Cowboys win 30-20
 
Patriots at Dolphins: 
Jemp: Patriots,  Reeb: Patriots,  Pep: Patriots,  Screw: Patriots
At least this game has two teams that will be playing for seeding.  And did you know the Patriots have lost 3 straight games in Miami?  But it’s Tom Brady playing against Matt Moore.  Congratulations to the Patriots for being AFC champs!
Prediction:  Patriots win 33-20
 
Jaguars at Colts:
Jemp: Colts,  Reeb: Colts,  Pep: Colts,  Screw: Colts
Great job by the Jaguars to get the win for Gus.  Too bad they couldn’t do that when they could have actually saved his job, but it was nice all the same.  Gus should be able to appreciate being nice without getting the desired results.  The Colts no longer have anything to play for, and again I’m just going against Jemp to try to catch up.
Prediction:  Jaguars win 30-27
 
Ravens at Bengals: 
Jemp: Ravens,  Reeb: Bengals,  Pep: Ravens,  Screw: Ravens
The Ravens might be looking to clinch a playoff spot if they could just tackle Antonio Brown when he is in the fetal positions wrapped up by two guys.  However, I trust John Harbaugh to get his team ready even for a meaningless game.  Although, maybe it would be smart to throw the game to try to get the Bengals to keep Marvin Lewis.  At least the Bengals defense has been playing well, I’ll take the Bengals at home.
Prediction:  Bengals win 23-20
 
Chiefs at Chargers:
Jemp: Chiefs,  Reeb: Chiefs,  Pep: Chiefs,  Screw: Chiefs
The Chargers just lost to the Browns.
Prediction:  Chiefs win 24-20
 
Seahawks at 49ers: 
Jemp: Seahawks,  Reeb: Seahawks,  Pep: Seahawks,  Screw: Seahawks
The Seahawks are still playing for seeding, but I think they would have to completely rearrange their roster to lose to the 49ers anyway.  At least the 49ers can hope to play on Monday Night in Week 1 of 2017, where they can win next year.
Prediction:  Seahawks win 24-13
 
Cardinals at Rams:
Jemp: Cardinals,  Reeb: Cardinals,  Pep: Cardinals,  Screw: Cardinals
I considered picking the Rams in this one to try to gain a game in the standings, but I just can’t.  I’ve seen the Rams play under John Fassel and it doesn’t look any better than under Jeff Fisher.  I wonder if people in St. Louis take pleasure in watching this team fail.  At least a loss here will help get them a high draft pick next year.  Oh right, they traded it away.  If that’s not karma, I don’t know what is.
Prediction:  Cardinals win 17-6
 
Raiders at Broncos:
Jemp: Broncos,  Reeb: Broncos,  Pep: Broncos,  Screw: Broncos
Matt McGloin has become the third backup quarterback that will have to lead an AFC playoff team.  This is also a huge game for him, because they need this to get a first round bye.  Not that it really matters in the long run, because this team has no shot to beat the Patriots without Derek Carr.  Carr has been one of my favorite players to watch all season, and it is tough to see it end like this for him.  Still, I think McGloin can beat a defeated Broncos team this week.
Prediction:  Raiders win 20-17
 
Saints at Falcons:
Jemp: Falcons,  Reeb: Falcons,  Pep: Saints,  Screw: Falcons
The Falcons are peaking at the right time.  Their offense has been great all season, but their defense has really stepped it up as of late.  I don’t know if any team in the NFC scares me more than the Falcons.  When they are at their best, they are close to unbeatable, but I still don’t trust them to play at that level consistently in the playoffs.
Prediction:  Falcons win 34-30
 
Giants at Redskins:
Jemp: Giants,  Reeb: Giants,  Pep: Redskins,  Screw: Giants
Alright guys, enough with these jokes.  We all know the Redskins will dominate the Giants.  They already beat them in the Meadowlands, and this time they play them at FedEx with everything on the line.  Besides, the Redskins don’t lose win-and-in games.  When they are over 6-10, they know how to get into the playoffs.
Prediction:  Redskins win 200-0
 
Packers at Lions:
Jemp: Lions,  Reeb: Packers,  Pep: Tie,  Screw: Lions
Speaking of win-and-in games, the Packers are pretty good at them too.  I think the Lions can pull this one out, but I can’t pick them in good conscience.  However, Matthew Stafford has been clutch all season, so here is when his team needs him the most.  Time is winding down for his season, and this is when he need to pull out a final drive.  But I need the game on Jemp, so I’m going with the Pack.  However, knowing the Redskins luck, Pep will be right, and I will break everything in sight.
Prediction:  Packers win 30-27

Here are the standings after 15 weeks:

Jemp: 150-74
Pep: 141-83
Screw: 135-89
Reeb: 134-90
Alx: 129-95
​
Yeah, I’m back firmly in last place in the pick’em and I also lost in fantasy to Jemp thanks to Kirk Cousins and Jordan Reed.  The saddest part is knowing that I would have won if I played RGIII over Kirk.  I won’t be able to get my fourth straight fantasy championship in our league, but I am in six other championship games.  I am also fighting to make sure I don’t finish in last place in our pick’em so let’s get to it.
 
Giants at Eagles: 
Jemp: Giants,  Reeb: Giants,  Pep: Giants,  Screw: Giants
The Giants have a chance to punch their ticket to the playoffs, and all they need to do is beat the 5-9 Eagles.  What could possibly go wrong?  Still, I think I owe an apology to the Giants defense.  I doubted them coming into the season, and they played well from week 1.  Then I admitted they were impressive, but not a top 5 defense.  Now, they are playing like the best defense in the league.  They have shut down the Cowboys and the Lions the last two weeks, so they should have no problems against the Eagles offense.  The only thing they have to worry about is Eli Manning throwing touchdowns to the Eagles defense.
Prediction:  Giants win 17-7
 
Vikings at Packers:
Jemp: Vikings,  Reeb: Packers,  Pep: Packers,  Screw: Packers
Jemp is the only one taking the Vikings in this one, probably because he desperately hopes he doesn’t have to watch his Lions play the Packers for the NFC North.  However, the Vikings were already in the giving spirit against the Colts last week, gifting touchdowns to Robert Turbin, Phillip Dorsett, and Erik Swoope.  My guess is that this week won’t be any different, although we would all love to see Adrian Peterson run the Vikings to a win here. 
Prediction:  Packers win 24-10
 
Titans at Jaguars: 
Jemp: Titans,  Reeb: Titans,  Pep: Titans,  Screw: Titans
I picked the Jaguars to win last week, and it looked like they were going to get it done.  They led for most the game, and they kept getting stops against the Texans defense, and they had the kickoff return TD when the Texans got close.  The Texans just inched their way back into the game, and it didn’t seem like the Jaguars offense even took the field in the second half.  Now they have dumped the coach that brought out their spirit.  Maybe they wanted a coach that could bring out their talent instead.  However, none of us think Doug Marrone is that coach.
Prediction:  Titans win 28-21
 
Chargers at Browns:
Jemp: Chargers,  Reeb: Chargers,  Pep: Browns,  Screw: Chargers
It’s coming down to the home stretch for the Browns, just two losses away from the elusive 0-16.  However, they may face their toughest test yet, as they are playing the Chargers at home, and nobody know how to lose like the Chargers.  Sure, the Browns are more consistent, but the Chargers have so much more style.  This is the true test of the Chargers’ ability to lose.  Jemp, Reeb, and Screw trust the champs to keep losing, but Pep and I know the Chargers have what it takes to pull this off.
Prediction:  Browns win 23-22
 
Jets at Patriots: 
Jemp: Patriots,  Reeb: Patriots,  Pep: Patriots,  Screw: Patriots
For all the talk about the Browns and Chargers, the Jets are also becoming one of the best losers in the league.  They seemed like they could compete with the Dolphins for a minute there, and then they just gave the Dolphins a few touchdowns and it became a blowout.  Now they have to play the Patriots who can just gear up for the playoffs.
Prediction:  Patriots win 42-17
 
Redskins at Bears:
Jemp: Redskins,  Reeb: Bears,  Pep: Bears,  Screw: Redskins
The Bears put up a nice fight against the Packers last week, but they did what they always do against the Packers, and lost the game in heart-wrenching fashion.  Don’t worry Bears fans, this week there won’t be any suspense.  The Redskins will lock this game up early.
Prediction:  Redskins win 200-0
 
Dolphins at Bills: 
Jemp: Dolphins,  Reeb: Dolphins,  Pep: Bills,  Screw: Dolphins
I told you Matt Moore would do well filling in for Ryan Tannehill.  I know he was playing the Jets, but throwing four touchdowns is still impressive for a guy who hasn’t played in five years.  However, the Dolphins running game has almost completely disappeared, and their defense has been inconsistent, even if Bryce Petty made them look good.  The Bills have been running the ball as well as anyone, with Shady McCoy leading the way.  The Bills may need a miracle to get into the playoffs, but I think they do their best to win this one for Rex.
Prediction:  Bills win 31-24
 
Falcons at Panthers:
Jemp: Falcons,  Reeb: Falcons,  Pep: Falcons,  Screw: Falcons
I know everyone wants to get on the Redskins for losing to the Panthers on Monday Night Football, but the Panthers have been playing well for a few weeks now.  The Falcons have clearly been hot as well, but games against the Rams and 49ers may have spoiled them.  When they aren’t up 21-0 in the first quarter, they might get confused in this one, and the Panthers will take advantage.  The Panthers also might get Luke Kuechly back for this one, so I’m taking the Panthers.
Prediction:  Panthers win 30-27
 
Colts at Raiders: 
Jemp: Raiders,  Reeb: Raiders,  Pep: Raiders,  Screw: Raiders
I really wanted to take the Colts in this one, because the Raiders offense hasn’t looked the same since that Thursday Night game in Kansas City.  Maybe it’s the pinky, maybe it’s something else.  Also, the Colts looked like they could beat anyone after embarrassing the Vikings last week.  However, while the Raiders offense has cooled off, their defense has turned it up, and I think Derek Carr can turn the offense around.  They may have clinched a playoff berth, but they need this one to stay on top of the division.
Prediction:  Raiders win 23-20
 
Cardinals at Seahawks:
Jemp: Seahawks,  Reeb: Seahawks,  Pep: Seahawks,  Screw: Seahawks
The Cardinals are officially out of the playoffs, and now they have to go to Seattle with nothing to play for.  They can’t even play spoiler for the Seahawks, since the Seahawks have already clinched the division.  I guess they can hurt their chances for a bye, but that’s not much of a motivating factor.  I wouldn’t expect the Cardinals to win at Centurylink anyway, so we are all taking the Seahawks.
Prediction:  Seahawks win 17-13
 
49ers at Rams: 
Jemp: Rams,  Reeb: Rams,  Pep: 49ers,  Screw: 49ers
I honestly can’t wait to watch the Rams offense against the 49ers defense.  Which is worse?  I guess we will find out on Saturday.  The 49ers did shut down the Rams in Week 1, but that was when their defense was fully healthy, and we all know the 49ers randomly play well in that late Monday Nighter.  Since then, they have lost 13 straight, and I think that streak continues.  Maybe Todd Gurley can actually get 100 yards rushing in this game.  The 49ers give up an average of over 176 rushing yards per game, so you would think he could do it this week.  I do have Todd Gurley in one of my fantasy championship games, and I’m starting him, tentatively.
Prediction:  Rams win 24-13
 
Buccaneers at Saints:
Jemp: Bucs,  Reeb: Bucs,  Pep: Bucs,  Screw: Bucs
Didn’t I tell you Drew Brees would bounce back?  Okay, I predicted that the week before as well, and I only predicted the Saints to put up 21 points in this one, but either way I picked the game correctly.  I love going lone wolf on the Saints, and I think I will do it again this week.  With Brees going home, I think he lights up the Bucs defense that couldn’t do much to stop Dallas last week.  They had been playing out of their minds, but I think they have come back down to Earth.  Plus, the Bucs need to lose one for the Redskins to make the playoffs.
Prediction:  Saints win 34-23
 
Bengals at Texans:
Jemp: Texans,  Reeb: Bengals,  Pep: Texans,  Screw: Texans
I was the only one to pick the Bengals last week, and it was incredibly frustrating to watch both them and the Jaguars slowly give away their leads.  The Texans finally benched Brock Osweiler last week, and it gave me way too much pleasure to watch the Texans fans erupt in cheers when Savage came out.  Still, did they have to bench him the week I picked against the Texans?  Oh wait, that’s every week.  Even with Osweiler benched, I’m still going with the Bengals.  Their defense has been playing well, and their offense gets AJ Green back this week, just in time for them to miss the playoffs.  At least they don’t have to worry about going one and done in the playoffs.  Instead, they are just done.
Prediction:  Bengals win 20-17
 
Ravens at Steelers:
Jemp: Steelers,  Reeb: Steelers,  Pep: Ravens,  Screw: Steelers
I don’t know that a Ravens vs. Steelers game is really appropriate for Christmas day, but I’m not complaining.  It may not be the rivalry it once was, but it’s still two tough teams battling for the lead in the AFC North.  The Ravens have won 4 straight against black and gold, but the Steelers play this one at home with all their weapons intact.  The Ravens don’t have quite enough to compete with the Steelers offense.  They will need their defense to come up big in this one to have a chance, but I don’t think they get it done.
Prediction:  Steelers win 24-20
 
Broncos at Chiefs:
Jemp: Chiefs,  Reeb: Broncos,  Pep: Chiefs,  Screw: Chiefs
The Chiefs lost in Arrowhead to the Titans last week, even though it looked like they had the game firmly in hand.  I can’t see them losing another one at home this week, especially against a division opponent.  KC just knows how to win these games, as they are 4-0 in division this year.  The Broncos predictably lost to the Patriots last week, but they fact that their offense only put up 3 points was the bigger problem.  Devontae Booker has been absolutely horrendous, as he is now losing touches to Justin Forsett.  Trevor Siemian deserves some credit for carrying this offense at times, but you can’t expect him to lead a top passing attack as a 7th round draft pick playing in his first season.
Prediction:  Chiefs win 23-16
 
Lions at Cowboys:
Jemp: Lions,  Reeb: Cowboys,  Pep: Cowboys,  Screw: Lions
I picked against the Cowboys last week, and they got the win, but I’m going against them again.  Matthew Stafford always seems to get miraculous wins against the Cowboys.  Remember the game where the Cowboys were up 24 and then Tony Romo threw two pick-sixes, and then Stafford led the Lions to win it.  Or what about the game where Calvin Johnson went for 329 yards, and Matthew Stafford led the game winning drive with just over a minute to play and no timeouts, capped off with the fake spike QB sneak play to win the game.  I say they get another crazy win in this one.
Prediction:  Lions win 30-27

Here are the standings after 14 weeks:
​
Jemp: 139-69
Pep: 130-78
Screw: 124-84
Alx: 120-88
Reeb: 120-88

Well I’ve dropped to the bottom again, and Jemp looks like he is going to run away with this one.  However, in our fantasy league, Jemp and I are playing each other in the playoffs, while Pep takes on Screw’s brother.  I’m looking forward to the fantasy championship, but before we get there, let’s pick this week’s games.
 
Rams at Seahawks: 
Jemp: Seahawks,  Reeb: Seahawks,  Pep: Seahawks,  Screw: Seahawks
Too bad for Jeff Fisher that the Rams fired him right before he played the one team he can beat.  They could have at least let him get the record for most losses before they dumped him midseason.  Now John Fassel gets the enjoyable task of preparing his team for a pissed off Seattle team on a short week.  But don’t worry Rams fans, I’m sure Pete Carroll will leave Seattle to come to LA.  Sure, he may have won a super bowl with the Seahawks, and still has a fairly loaded roster that he treats like family, but he coached at USC, so he must want to coach the Rams.  I think he shows the Rams his affection this Thursday by pummeling them in neon green on Thursday Night Football.
Prediction:  Seahawks win 27-3
 
Dolphins at Jets:
Jemp: Dolphins,  Reeb: Dolphins,  Pep: Dolphins,  Screw: Dolphins
I could easily make fun of the matchup between Bryce Petty and Matt Moore, but I don’t think Matt Moore deserves that.  He has always done a good job stepping in for mediocre quarterbacks, which explains why he was able to lead the Dolphins to a win last Sunday.  I doubt the Dolphins skip a beat with Matt Moore at QB, especially against the Jets.  Bryce Petty’s quarterbacking strategy seems to be to force the ball to his favorite receiver, which might make sense if his favorite receiver was Antonio Brown or Julio Jones, or maybe even Brandon Marshall.  But his go-to-guy is Robbie Anderson, so it hasn’t worked out all that well.
Prediction:  Dolphins win 28-13
 
Colts at Vikings: 
Jemp: Vikings,  Reeb: Colts,  Pep: Vikings,  Screw: Vikings
The Colts had the chance to take control of the AFC South last week, and all they had to do was beat Brock Osweiler.  The Vikings managed to hold off Jacksonville, so I guess that’s an achievement.  My guess is that Andrew Luck has a tough time pushing the ball downfield against this Vikings defense, and I would expect the Vikings offense to do about as well as the Texans offense did.  That was enough to win, so I’m taking the Vikings at home.
Prediction:  Vikings win 20-13
 
Steelers at Bengals:
Jemp: Steelers,  Reeb: Steelers,  Pep: Steelers,  Screw: Steelers
Well, I was right that Big Ben would struggle against the Bills, but I didn’t expect Le’Veon Bell to have quite the day he had.  Andy Dalton and the Bengals continued their success sans AJ Green, albeit against the Cleveland Browns.  However, I think the Bengals catch their rivals off-guard this week, and try to play spoiler in the AFC North.  Technically, the Bengals are still alive in the playoff race, so there is still some hope Reeb!
Prediction:  Bengals win 24-21
 
Jaguars at Texans: 
Jemp: Texans,  Reeb: Texans,  Pep: Texans,  Screw: Texans
Alright, I know this sounds dumb, but I’m going to take the Jaguars in this one.  Is it because I love to pick against the Texans?  Maybe.  But it’s not that farfetched.  The Jaguars actually have the 5th ranked overall defense, so I don’t expect the Texans to do much on offense.  The Texans defense has played very well all season, especially at home, but Blake Bortles has at least been able to move the ball as of late.  If he can avoid throwing a pick six, then I think the Jaguars win the game.  He probably will end up throwing at least one to the defense but here’s to hoping the defender trips on his way to the end zone.
Prediction:  Jaguars win 17-13
 
Lions at Giants:
Jemp: Lions,  Reeb: Giants,  Pep: Lions,  Screw: Lions
The Giants defense apparently saw me call them out for not being a top tier defense, and responded by shutting down one of the best offenses in football last week.  The offense didn’t respond quite as well to my criticism.  At this point, the Giants might as well just throw to OBJ on every play, since they only seem to score when he makes a big play.  I expect the Giants defense to play well again this week, but I don’t expect the Giants offense to run away with it, which will leave Stafford in position to win it in the end.
Prediction:  Lions win 20-17
 
Titans at Chiefs: 
Jemp: Chiefs,  Reeb: Chiefs,  Pep: Chiefs,  Screw: Chiefs
Hey I got my Titans pick right last week, but this week the Titans are travelling to Kansas City to play a Chiefs team that has been on fire lately.  The defense finally has all its playmakers back healthy, and they have been terrorizing offenses as of late.  They didn’t lose to the Broncos, the Falcons, or the Raiders, so I don’t see them losing to the Titans in Arrowhead.  But hopefully there isn’t a lot of Spencer Ware in this game since he is on Jemp’s fantasy team.
Prediction:  Chiefs win 34-21
 
Browns at Bills:
Jemp: Bills,  Reeb: Bills,  Pep: Bills,  Screw: Bills
Alright, so maybe RGIII wasn’t quite as good as a I hoped he would be last week, but he was rusty.  At least his signature deep ball that everyone praises was back.  He was back to overthrowing receivers downfield by 5 yards, but at least he can throw it far.  That’s really all that matters with the deep ball right?  Anyway, on the other side is a mobile quarterback who actually does throw a nice deep ball, but has been hampered this year from his top receivers being Robert Woods and Justin Hunter.  Now the Bills seem non-committal to Tyrod, even for the rest of this season.  I think if the Bills would start Cardale Jones in this game, then the Browns would get their first win.  Unfortunately, I think the Bills stick with Tyrod, at least for this game, and they get the win.  Still pulling for RGIII though.
Prediction:  Bills win 28-20
 
Packers at Bears: 
Jemp: Packers,  Reeb: Packers,  Pep: Packers,  Screw: Packers
The Bears played a nice game against the Lions last week, but the Packers absolutely demolished the Seahawks in Lambeau.  Matt Barkley might not throw five picks, but that doesn’t mean he can keep up with Aaron Rodgers.  Good thing he has Jordan Howard to help him out, so I think that levels the playing field.  Both of the defense are much improved, and I actually believe the Bears can keep this one competitive.  Well, at least more competitive than the Seahawks did on Sunday.
Prediction:  Packers win 24-21
 
Eagles at Ravens:
Jemp: Ravens,  Reeb: Ravens,  Pep: Ravens,  Screw: Ravens
Both of these teams were just outmatched by the two best teams in the league last week.  The Eagles are pretty much out of the playoff race now, but the Ravens are still very much alive.  Also, Justin Tucker got robbed of his perfect season last week when Shea Mcclellin leaped over the long snapper and blocked his kick.  He should have stopped or maybe dived over the ball to avoid actually kicking it.  Anyway, I’m taking the Ravens at home, since I doubt Carson Wentz will have quite the day Tom Brady did against this defense.
Prediction:  Ravens win 23-6
 
49ers at Falcons: 
Jemp: Falcons,  Reeb: Falcons,  Pep: Falcons,  Screw: Falcons
The Falcons might need to put up 50 points and 600 yards of offense in order to satisfy what the fantasy owners of all the Falcons players in this one.  That being said, it’s entirely possible that they get to those numbers.  Colin Kaepernick might get some good garbage time points in this one though.  The problem last week was that the Jets weren’t good enough to get a lead against the niners, so of course Kaep had no chance to score a lot of fantasy points.  I trust Kaep in fantasy this week, but not in reality.  Well, I guess I trust him to lose.
Prediction:  Falcons win 38-20
 
Saints at Cardinals:
Jemp: Cardinals,  Reeb: Cardinals,  Pep: Cardinals,  Screw: Cardinals
Drew Brees struggled again last week, and I want to say he will bounce back this week, but it will be tough against the Cardinals defense.  If he was going back to the Superdome then I would like his chances, but it’s hard to pick the Saints to go to the desert and win.  Maybe they can win a defensive battle, since their defense has been playing well lately.  You know, I just changed my own mind, I think Brees has to break out of this slump eventually, even against this good defense.  If Reeb had Brees in the playoffs, he might bench him for Carson Palmer, but I’m the guy who is sticking with Brees.  Plus, the Cardinals cut Michael Floyd, so how can they produce without him?
Prediction:  Saints win 21-20
 
Raiders at Chargers:
Jemp: Raiders,  Reeb: Raiders,  Pep: Raiders,  Screw: Raiders
I think Philip Rivers is just fed up with what has happened to his team, and he has just decided to just force the ball wherever now.  Derek Carr also seemed to forget how to throw the football last week, but hopefully his pinky is feeling better after the long week.  My piece of advice for him this week is that if the game is on the line, maybe don’t try to throw it up to Andre Holmes and Seth Roberts on back to back plays.  I don’t think he even gets to that point in this game, so I think the Raiders are fine.
Prediction:  Raiders win 30-20
 
Patriots at Broncos:
Jemp: Patriots,  Reeb: Patriots,  Pep: Patriots,  Screw: Patriots
Tom Brady is 2-7 in Mile High, but the Broncos come in having lost in Tennessee.  The Chiefs have also recently beat the Broncos in Denver, so it’s not like they are unbeatable at home.  The Broncos defense is still one of the best in the league, but I don’t expect Von Miller to be able to get to Brady in under 1 second like he did last year.  The Patriots are better than they were last year, and the Broncos are worse.  I know, the Broncos won with Brock Osweiler last year, and he makes Trevor Siemian look like Peyton Manning, and not last year’s version.  Still, the Broncos have no running game this time around, and their defense isn’t quite as dominant.  We all like the Pats in this one.
Prediction:  Patriots win 31-20
 
Buccaneers at Cowboys:
Jemp: Cowboys,  Reeb: Cowboys,  Pep: Cowboys,  Screw: Cowboys
I keep picking against the Bucs even though I know better.  Well, now I’m all in.  They have the hottest defense in football, and as Jameis puts it, he loves alphabet soup and wants to keep eating up W’s.  The Cowboys have struggled on offense the past couple of weeks.  Dak forgot that in the NFL, your season continues into December.  Granted, the Vikings and Giants have pretty good defenses, but so do the Bucs, and I think they limit the Cowboys again.  The Cowboys offense seemed unstoppable just a few weeks ago, but now I would be surprised if they cracked 20 points against the Bucs.
Prediction:  Buccaneers win 23-17
 
Panthers at Redskins:
Jemp: Redskins,  Reeb: Panthers,  Pep: Redskins,  Screw: Redskins
Cam Newton has had 4 straight weeks with a completion rate of under 50%.  Now he gets to play against his former teammate, and I think he won’t be able to help himself and will test Josh Norman.  Josh will get his revenge and the Redskins will dominate on Monday Night.
Prediction:  Redskins win 100-0

Here are the standings after 13 weeks:

Jemp: 128-64
Pep: 121-71
Screw: 114-78
Alx: 113-79
Reeb: 112-80
​
Jemp extended his lead last week, but more importantly, he is the only one in our fantasy league to have clinched a playoff spot.  Pep is almost assured a spot, and Screw and I have win-and-in scenarios.  Reeb needs a win and some help to get in, despite having scored nearly 200 more points than anyone else.  Okay, enough laughing at Reeb, let’s pick some games.
 
Raiders at Chiefs: 
Jemp: Chiefs,  Reeb: Chiefs,  Pep: Raiders,  Screw: Raiders
It only took 13 weeks to get a good Thursday Night game, which is pretty good time for the NFL.  This game should be huge though, as the AFC West is on the line.  Both these teams have been fantastic as of late.  I always bring up how clutch Derek Carr is, but I don’t think the Chiefs defense get enough credit for being clutch as well.  They aren’t going to shut down an offense, but whenever they need to make a play, they do.  I really hope this comes down to a Derek Carr drive against that Chiefs defense, because that will be something to watch.  In the end, I’m still going with Carr.
Prediction:  Raiders win 27-24
 
Vikings at Jaguars:
Jemp: Vikings,  Reeb: Vikings,  Pep: Vikings,  Screw: Vikings
Who will Blake Bortles throw a touchdown to this week?  Xavier Rhodes?  Harrison Smith?  Maybe he gets the old man Terrance Newman involved?  Allen Robinson is pretty low on the list of options, but who knows?  DeAndre Hopkins did score a garbage time touchdown against the Vikings so I guess anything is possible.  We all think the Jaguars show a lot of spirit in another loss.
Prediction:  Vikings win 20-17
 
Redskins at Eagles: 
Jemp: Redskins,  Reeb: Eagles,  Pep: Redskins,  Screw: Redskins
I think people are finally starting to believe me when I said the Eagles suck, including the Eagles.  Okay, their defense was playing extremely well early on, and it still isn’t bad.  But it’s not a top 5 defense and Carson Wentz is no longer playing well, which isn’t entirely his fault considering his top weapons are Dorial Green-Beckham and Wendell Smallwood.  Now their hopes will be dashed even further since they have to take on the Redskins.
Prediction:  Redskins win 200-0
 
Broncos at Titans:
Jemp: Broncos,  Reeb: Broncos,  Pep: Broncos,  Screw: Broncos
No one seems to think exotic smashmouth against the questionable Broncos run defense will translate to a Titans win.  However, the Titans do have a few things that could work in their favor.  First, they are coming off their bye, which may have given Demarco Murray the chance to get fully healthy.  Also, Trevor Siemian isn’t a lock to suit up in this one, and Paxton Lynch didn’t exactly light up the scoreboard against the Jaguars.  Although, since he won, maybe some team will pay him $72 million to be their franchise quarterback.  The Broncos defense has also made a living off of turnovers in the past few years, but Marcus Mariota takes care of the football.  You know, I’ve now talked myself into taking the Titans, even though it’s probably a mistake.
Prediction:  Titans win 21-17
 
Texans at Colts: 
Jemp: Colts,  Reeb: Colts,  Pep: Colts,  Screw: Colts
In this matchup, the Texans are better than the Colts at almost every position, except the most important one.  Nick Novak just can’t compare to Adam Vinatieri, and we know kicking has now become the most important part of the NFL, which is what we all have always wanted.  Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating, but I think we can all agree that Andrew Luck is a little better than Brock Osweiler.  Brock is taller though, so the Texans can always hold onto that.
Prediction:  Colts win 31-17
 
Cardinals at Dolphins:
Jemp: Dolphins,  Reeb: Cardinals,  Pep: Dolphins,  Screw: Dolphins
Well that Dolphins defense really fell apart last week, even though I admit lots of teams would have trouble stopping that Joe Flacco to Dennis Pitta combination.  Jay Ajayi can’t seem to get going anymore, and Ryan Tannehill is as average as ever.  The Cardinals, on the other hand, had a very good week, leaning on David Johnson for their entire offense, but their defense played much better.  They have gotten back to their zero blitzes that made Todd Bowles so successful when he was their DC.  That will make things tough for the Dolphins run game, and I don’t trust Ryan Tannehill to beat the blitz.
Prediction:  Cardinals win 24-17
 
Bears at Lions: 
Jemp: Lions,  Reeb: Lions,  Pep: Lions,  Screw: Lions
Matt Barkley may not have looked particularly impressive last week, but compared to the 49ers quarterbacks, he looked like Dan Marino slinging the rock.  The Lions finally had a game where they never trailed in the 4th quarter.  Matthew Stafford looked confused late in the game when the Lions had the lead.  He probably wanted to run the hurry up and Jim Bob Cooter had to let him know that he could actually just let the clock run down.  I think the Lions might make it two in row where they lead for the entire 4th quarter.  That’s my bold prediction for the week.
Prediction:  Lions win 23-14
 
Chargers at Panthers:
Jemp: Panthers,  Reeb: Chargers,  Pep: Chargers,  Screw: Chargers
Philip Rivers had another rough game last week, but at least he always remembers his bolo tie.  It’s too bad, because I would have loved to watch Kellen Clemens start the game for the Chargers.  As for Cam, I wonder if he wishes Ron Rivera just benched him for the whole game last week.  Fortunately, the Chargers aren’t quite as good as the Seahawks, but the Panthers seem to be in disarray right now.  Ted Ginn seems to be the only one who can make a play, and the defense without Luke Kuechly isn’t very good.
Prediction:  Chargers win 27-24
 
Steelers at Bills: 
Jemp: Steelers,  Reeb: Steelers,  Pep: Steelers,  Screw: Steelers
The Bills weren’t bad last week against the Raiders, but the Raiders just made too many plays down the stretch.  The Steelers have the ability to do the same thing, but Big Ben tends to suck against average teams on the road.  Tyrod Taylor has been very impressive this year despite not having much help.  Shady continues to be one of the best backs in the league, and hopefully Sammy Watkins can get back to being a number one receiver in this game.  I say the Bills win this one at home.
Prediction:  Bills win 31-20
 
Bengals at Browns:
Jemp: Bengals,  Reeb: Browns,  Pep: Bengals,  Screw: Bengals
RGIII is back!  If he wins this game for the Browns, I don’t think there is any doubt that he should be league MVP.  Maybe they should just induct him in the Hall of Fame on the spot.  He can prepare a speech for after the game.  Reeb is ready for his Bengals to blow this game, but Andy Dalton played well last week, like I said he would the week before.  I guess he just wanted to make sure I would be wrong so he waited a week.  I think he plays well again this week, but not as well as Sir Robert Griffin III.  Get ready for the Browns to finally win a game!
Prediction:  Browns win 29-28
 
Jets at 49ers: 
Jemp: Jets,  Reeb: Jets,  Pep: 49ers,  Screw: Jets
Both these teams benched their starting quarterback last week, and while the 49ers are going back to Kaepernick, the Jets are sticking with Petty.  Now, I know Kaepernick sucks, but I thought benching him after only letting him throw 5 passes was a little unfair.  Then again, most people probably can’t blame Todd Bowles for benching Fitzpatrick, and all he did was throw one interception, and he was able to muster up 81 passing yards, which over 16 times more than Kaep threw for.  Oh well, it’s not like it really matters who starts for either of these teams, but at least the Jets defense has had some games where they have played well.  Last week certainly wasn’t one of those, but the 49ers defense has been terrible after week 1.
Prediction:  Jets win 16-14
 
Falcons at Rams:
Jemp: Falcons,  Reeb: Falcons,  Pep: Falcons,  Screw: Falcons
The Falcons played well last week, but suffered a tough loss to a good team.  Yes, that was a horrible decision on the two point try by Matt Ryan that lost the Falcons the game.  Still, they aren’t quite the Falcons of 2015.  I wouldn’t say they are Super Bowl contenders, but they are a solid football team, and still a very dangerous offense.  The Rams also have a dangerous offense because of what people do when they have to watch it.  Jeff Fisher apparently pissed off the GM by complaining about the personnel.  But come on, how can he complain when he has been provided the first round talent of players like Jared Goff and Tavon Austin?
Prediction:  Falcons win 27-13
 
Seahawks at Packers:
Jemp: Seahawks,  Reeb: Seahawks,  Pep: Seahawks,  Screw: Seahawks
Aaron Rodgers finally beat Russell Wilson last year, but that was in week 2 when the Seahawks tend not to be playing their best.  This year, the Seahawks are by far the better team, even if their offense does tend to struggle with consistency.  Still, I trust the Seahawks in December, and I haven’t been too impressed with the Packers beating the Eagles and Texans.
Prediction:  Seahawks win 30-20
 
Saints at Buccaneers:
Jemp: Saints,  Reeb: Buccaneers,  Pep: Saints,  Screw: Buccaneers
I’m not sure why we keep doubting the Bucs, but I feel like there is no way Drew Brees has two bad games in a row.  The Bucs have been winning lately with their defense, since their offense is limited to just throwing to Mike Evans.  I think this is a week where the Saints offense lights it up, even though they are on the road, and they didn’t play well last week.  The Bucs won’t be able to keep up with their scoring.  Of course, maybe the Bucs defense helps out with the scoring since they have been making tons of plays over this winning streak.
Prediction:  Saints win 35-24
 
Cowboys at Giants:
Jemp: Cowboys,  Reeb: Cowboys,  Pep: Giants,  Screw: Cowboys
The Giants finally ended that winning streak that came from playing a bunch of bad teams in a row.  They couldn’t beat the Steelers in Pittsburgh, and I don’t expect them to beat the Cowboys at home.  Once Eli makes it into the playoffs, we know he can beat anyone even if they have the better team, but he does his best work when his back is up against a wall.  Right now, they are well in control of a playoff spot, so I don’t expect him to light up the Cowboys on Sunday Night.  While the Giants defense has been better than I expected, I think the bad offenses they have faced has inflated their stats.  Adding on injuries, there shouldn’t be any fireworks over this defense.
Prediction:  Cowboys win 26-21
 
Ravens at Patriots:
Jemp: Patriots,  Reeb: Patriots,  Pep: Patriots,  Screw: Patriots
Great win by the Ravens last week, but none of us think that Joe Flacco will throw four touchdowns again.  Tom Brady at home in primetime is usually a recipe for a blowout, even though they lost to the Seahawks the last time that happened.  However, this makes it even more probable that the Patriots come out and embarrass the Ravens.
Prediction:  Patriots win 38-17

Here are the standings after 12 weeks:

Jemp: 116-61
Pep: 112-65
Alx: 105-72
Screw: 104-73
Reeb: 101-76
​
Pep is gaining on Jemp after going 13-3 last week, and I overtook Screw for third place.  We enjoyed stuffing our faces and not doing anything active on Thanksgiving, but we are probably just going to ignore the games on that day, at least one of them.  Now let’s move onto week 13.
 
Cowboys at Vikings: 
Jemp: Cowboys,  Reeb: Cowboys,  Pep: Cowboys,  Screw: Cowboys
This probably seemed like it was going to be a really good Thursday Night game a few weeks ago.  Unfortunately, then the Vikings stopped having any semblance of an offense, and their defense softened up as well.  They have had their offensive coordinator resign, and have had numerous injuries on offense leading to their place as the worst offense in the league.  If that wasn’t enough, they won’t even have Mike Zimmer to coach in this game because he had to have emergency eye surgery, probably due to him being forced to watch his offense.  Maybe this will be a “win one for coach” type of game, but we all doubt it.
Prediction:  Cowboys win 27-17
 
Broncos at Jaguars:
Jemp: Broncos,  Reeb: Broncos,  Pep: Broncos,  Screw: Broncos
This would probably be a pretty competitive game if it the Broncos offense just agreed to punt as soon as it got the football.  I don’t think the Jaguars will be able to convince them to do that though.  Especially since Trevor Siemian may have played his best game of the season last week against the Chiefs.  None of us really believe Siemian will continue to play that well, but the Broncos still have the best defense in the league, and this is the perfect opportunity for them to get back to getting some defensive scores.  Blake Bortles tends to help defenses out with that.
Prediction:  Broncos win 27-14
 
Lions at Saints: 
Jemp: Lions,  Reeb: Saints,  Pep: Lions,  Screw: Lions
Matthew Stafford has done an amazing job this year of making incredible comebacks, and somehow has his team at 7-4.  Still, I can’t imagine Stafford being able to win a shootout with Drew Brees in the Superdome.  Many people praise the Lions offense, but in reality, they are 19th in the league in points per game, and 26th in yards per game.  If this is a close game in the fourth quarter, then maybe the Lions pull it out, but I think Drew Brees scores a little too much for them.
Prediction:  Saints win 38-24
 
Texans at Packers:
Jemp: Packers,  Reeb: Packers,  Pep: Packers,  Screw: Packers
This was a tough game for me to pick.  The Texans defense have had a pretty solid pass defense all year, despite Philip Rivers having a pretty good game last week.  That was with the threat of Melvin Gordon though, and the Packers have no threat of a running game to force the Texans to sell out to help their mediocre run defense.  On the other side of the ball, DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller against that Packers secondary should be such a huge mismatch that even Brock Osweiler couldn’t screw it up… could he?  Okay, maybe he could.  Yeah, he probably will.  I’m taking the Packers.
Prediction:  Packers win 24-20
 
Rams at Patriots: 
Jemp: Patriots,  Reeb: Patriots,  Pep: Patriots,  Screw: Patriots
It was fun watching Bill Belichick talk about what he has to prepare for when taking on the Rams.  The first thing he mentioned was preparing for Johnny Hekker, the Rams punter.  Hekker is probably the best punter in the league, and Belichick went as far to call him a “weapon.”  The Rams seem to agree and they do a good job of using him as much as possible.  Try not to lose too much sleep Pats fans, your team is working tirelessly to prepare for the all-pro punter.
Prediction:  Patriots win 30-13
 
Chiefs at Falcons:
Jemp: Chiefs,  Reeb: Chiefs,  Pep: Falcons,  Screw: Chiefs
Okay Falcons, maybe I jumped the gun on assuming you would completely fall apart this season.  The Falcons have played pretty well overall, but their defense took a major hit last week with Desmond Trufant going on IR.  The Chiefs on the other hand looked to have Justin Houston fully healthy, and back to being one of the best pass rushers in the NFL.  He had three sacks including a safety in the first half.  Unfortunately, the defense went on to allow Trevor Siemian to throw for 368 yards.  I expect Matt Ryan to have similar success with his best receiver, Taylor Gabriel, leading the way.
Prediction:  Falcons win 34-27
 
Dolphins at Ravens: 
Jemp: Ravens,  Reeb: Dolphins,  Pep: Ravens,  Screw: Dolphins
The Dolphins now have six game winning streak, but they didn’t look all that impressive against the 49ers.  With their offensive line banged up, they didn’t have their dominant running game, even against the league’s worst run defense.  Brandon Albert and Laremy Tunsil have a chance to return this week, so maybe the Dolphins can get back to letting Jay Ajayi wear down the defense.  However, having multiple lineman playing at less than 100% against this Ravens front isn’t exactly a recipe for success.  I also don’t believe in Tannehill, so I’m taking the Ravens.
Prediction:  Ravens win 16-14
 
49ers at Bears:
Jemp: Bears,  Reeb: Bears,  Pep: 49ers,  Screw: Bears
Everybody on staff is hyped for this game.  Matt Barkley played surprisingly well last week, but maybe he puts some kind of weird spin on the ball that makes it impossible to catch.  Colin Kaepernick doesn’t even bother throwing passes downfield anymore, and just dumps the ball on crossing routes or takes off and runs.  In fact, Kaep has averaged more rushing yards per game than Todd Gurley.  The 49ers also haven’t won since they played against Gurley in week 1, but I think that changes this week.
Prediction:  49ers win 28-24
 
Eagles at Bengals: 
Jemp: Eagles,  Reeb: Eagles,  Pep: Eagles,  Screw: Eagles
Yeah, I picked the Bengals to win last week, hoping their offense wouldn’t be a total train-wreck.  I wasn’t that far off though.  If Andy Dalton had been able to get a score on that last possession, and Mike Nugent hadn’t missed that extra point, I would have gotten the score right on the money.  It’s too bad that didn’t happen, so it makes it hard for me to take the Bengals this week.  Then again, the Eagles offense didn’t look much better when Jordan Matthews left the game.  Matthews says he is good to go for Sunday, so I guess that should help the Eagles a little.  Anyway, I just need to stop picking the Bengals, so I’m going with the Eagles.
Prediction:  Eagles win 16-13
 
Bills at Raiders:
Jemp: Raiders,  Reeb: Raiders,  Pep: Raiders,  Screw: Raiders
Don’t discount the Bills in this game, as Tyrod Taylor and Shady McCoy are doing everything they can to carry this team to the playoffs.  I doubt they will succeed, but it is a valiant effort nevertheless.  But I still think Derek Carr is the MVP of the league and I it’s hard for me to imagine the Bills beating him in the black hole.  Not to mention, Khalil Mack has been absolutely dominant recently, and this entire defense has responded to his play.  Granted, they did allow the Panthers to put up 32 points last week, but there were a couple turnovers and an injury to Derek Carr that gave the Panther momentum into that scoring burst.  The Raiders are still one of the most dangerous teams in the league.
Prediction:  Raiders win 31-24
 
Redskins at Cardinals: 
Jemp: Redskins,  Reeb: Cardinals,  Pep: Redskins,  Screw: Redskins
The Cardinals performance against the Falcons may have been their worst of the season in my opinion.  Not because the Falcons aren’t a good team, but to only put up 19 points against that Falcons defense and just let the offense walk all over them without even getting Julio Jones involved was embarrassing.  Now they get the Redskins, so we might as well just give them another L right now.
Prediction:  Redskins win 100-0
 
Buccaneers at Chargers:
Jemp: Chargers,  Reeb: Chargers,  Pep: Chargers,  Screw: Chargers
The Bucs have knocked off the Chiefs and Seahawks in back to back weeks, and yet everyone is picking the Chargers.  Tampa’s defense had been pretty bad for the first half of the season, capping off that streak by allowing the Falcons to put up 43 points on Thursday Night Football.  However, they seemed to figure something out after the long week, and have allowed less than 11 points per game over their last 3 games.  I wanted to pick Tampa just to give them some respect, but then I realized they might be without their best defensive player, Chris Conte.  Oh yeah, and Gerald McCoy is hurt too, so I’m taking the Chargers.
Prediction:  Chargers win 23-20
 
Giants at Steelers:
Jemp: Steelers,  Reeb: Steelers,  Pep: Steelers,  Screw: Steelers
Not one of us thinks the Giants are going to go into Pittsburgh and get the win, despite winning six in a row.  Even though we were all impressed by Janoris Jenkins holding Terrelle Pryor to just 131 yards, we were less impressed with the Giants beating the Browns.  I was most upset with Robbie Gould for missing that PAT, because if he had made it, I would have predicted the score of that game correctly.  Anyway, it is tough to stop the Steelers offense at home, because Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown are kind of good.  So is OBJ, and Eli can steal games at any time, but I doubt he gets this one.
Prediction:  Steelers win 31-28
 
Panthers at Seahawks:
Jemp: Seahawks,  Reeb: Seahawks,  Pep: Seahawks,  Screw: Seahawks
There should be a lot of competitive games this week, and I think this should be one of them.  I was impressed at how Cam and company bounced back after that first half deficit.  The offense showed some of those explosive plays that they were so good at last year.  I can’t believe I’m saying this seriously, but I think Ted Ginn is the key to success for this offense.  The constant threat of him beating you deep allows this ground game to get going, and if you don’t respect him, then he beats you for an 88-yd touchdown.  The Seahawks struggled last week against the Bucs, and it is hard for me to imagine them losing again, especially at home.  However, I like the matchup for the Panthers, and I’m going to pick them to win this game.
Prediction:  Panthers win 21-17
 
Colts at Jets:
Jemp: Colts,  Reeb: Colts,  Pep: Jets,  Screw: Jets
I was tempted to pick the Jets in this one, but I think I’m going to stick with the Colts.  The Jets defense has played well as of late, and Ryan Fitzpatrick is no longer the disaster that he was earlier in the year.  He is now back to being mediocre, and I never have any idea what goes on with that running game.  Andrew Luck will be back for this one, and hopefully he will remind his receivers that they should catch the football when he throws it to them.  I think they remember, and the Colts edge out the Jets.
Prediction:  Colts win 23-20