Last week my picks finished 3-2-1. Minnesota, Los Angeles and Chicago all covered, Philadelphia finished in a push, while Jacksonville and Atlanta chalked up my two losses. Entering the final week of the regular season my record is now 46-50-3 on the year. With only six games left for me in the regular season, I’ll need to knock it out of the park to finish above .500. Here are the games I’m favouring on Sunday.
SILVER PREDICTIONS
CLEVELAND BROWNS VS PITTSBURGH STEELERS (-6)
Cleveland is looking to finish the season with at least one win. It is easy to see there is more at stake for the Browns than the Steelers in this matchup. Nobody wants to finish with a 0-16 stain in team history. Coach Mike Tomlin has already come out saying he will likely sit much of the first team starters, but does that mean Cleveland is a lock to keep this game close? I don’t think so. Playing in Pittsburgh is always difficult, coupled with the freezing December temperatures, I think Pittsburgh could still walk away with this game. There will be plenty of scoreboard watching as this game progresses. If New England loses against the Jets then Pittsburgh would leapfrog the Patriots becoming the #1 seed in the AFC and earn home field advantage throughout. I’ll be riding the Steelers backups versus one of the worst teams in league history.
FINAL SCORE – BROWNS 13 – STEELERS 24
WASHINGTON REDSKINS (-3) VS NEW YORK GIANTS
This is one of the few games on the docket that is meaningless for the playoffs. Washington has shot themselves in the foot all season long while the Giants are easily the biggest disappointment all season after finishing last season 11-5. I’m happy to lay the points with Washington in this game because of the locker room drama in New York. They have been plagued by injuries and seem to be at the forefront of news almost every week. This past week Landon Collins came out and said cornerback Eli Apple is cancer to this team. Clearly things aren’t going smooth in the big apple and for that reason I’ll gladly take Washington this weekend by a field goal.
FINAL SCORE – REDSKINS 24 – GIANTS 14
GOLD PREDICTIONS
DALLAS COWBOYS (-2.5) VS PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
Doug Peterson came out early this week saying he wants all of his starters to play this week and doesn’t have any restriction on them despite the Eagles already locking down the #1 seed in the NFC. With the Cowboys losing last weekend against Seattle this game is meaningless for playoff implications. I just don’t see how Peterson can play his starters for more than half this game. The Eagles shellacked the Cowboys earlier in the season but it was one of the games that Elliot missed. I’m looking for Elliot to have a huge presence in this game and for Dallas to get revenge on an Eagles team that actually rests important starters.
FINAL SCORE – COWBOYS 17 – EAGLES 13
CHICAGO BEARS VS MINNESOTA VIKINGS (-11)
The Bears are 2-5 on the road this season. They have surpassed many peoples expectations and could compete with Minnesota if Mike Zimmer decides to sit the starters. I just don’t see how Zimmer does that until Minnesota opens a big league. The Vikings still don’t have the #2 seed in the NFC completely locked up, and you can bet they want to do that with Philadelphia limping into the post-season as the #1 seed. If Minnesota was to lose this game; Carolina defeated Atlanta, and both New Orleans and the Rams lose, Carolina would earn that #2 seed in the NFC. Pushing Minnesota back to the #5 seed. The road to the Super Bowl will begin and end in Minnesota – look for the Vikings defense to step up and force multiple turnovers in this one while the starters lay the groundwork for Teddy Bridgewater to step into this game.
FINAL SCORE – BEARS 9 – VIKINGS 23
PLATINUM PREDICTIONS
ARIZONA CARDINALS VS SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (-8.5)
At first glance I thought this way to many points for Seattle to be laying at home – but then I discovered Russell Wilson’s magical numbers in week seventeen of the regular season. Since 2012, and taking over as the Seahawks starting quarterback Wilson is a league best 5-0, has the second best average passer rating at 106.9, and has only one give away (tied for first). He has absolutely put this entire team on his back this season and I think the same thing is going to happen come Sunday. To squeak into the playoffs Seattle has to win this game and Atlanta has to lose at home to Carolina, two things that could very well happen. Look for an explosive performance out of the Seahawks offense with their backs against the wall and their final home game at CenturyLink this season.
FINAL SCORE – CARDINALS 6 – SEAHAWKS 26
CAROLINA PANTHERS (-4) VS ATLANTA FALCONS
This is easily the most important game of the entire weekend. If Atlanta secures victory they will be the final Wild-card team in the NFC and knock off the Seahawks. If Atlanta and Seattle both lose, the Falcons would still earn the final spot via tiebreaker. But Carolina can make the most of this game, as I already touched on they could earn the #2 seed if Minnesota, New Orleans and the Rams all lose. The reason I think this game won’t matter and Atlanta will cover is because Minnesota and New Orleans are going to win their games, which means come this afternoon game it won’t mean anything to the Panthers. They will already be locked into the #5 seed and have nowhere to go so sitting their starters is going to be priority. Allowing Atlanta to take off with this game and earn the final playoff spot in the NFC.