There are two weeks remaining in the 2009 NFL season and while most of the playoff participants have been locked down, this is still going to be a very interesting post-season.
In fact, whenever people ask, for weeks I’ve been saying I like Indianapolis and New Orleans in the Super Bowl. And I still do. However, if it happened to be Green Bay and New England I wouldn’t be at all surprised. That’s the beauty of the NFL.
The post-season is going to be tremendous. But first, there is a lot of unfinished business, especially in the AFC.
Just two weeks to go. Let’s take a closer look at Week 16….
FRIDAY NIGHT
The Chargers have pretty much sealed up the second seed in the AFC. They have nothing to gain with a win here. Meanwhile, the Titans’ season is on the line. On a holiday weeknight, they’ll be playing in front of a raucous crowd and they’ll be able to feed off that energy.
Dr. Sports: Titans to win and cover.
The Coach: Titans to win and cover.
SUNDAY AFTERNOON
Buffalo Bills 5-9 at Atlanta Falcons 7-7 (-8.5)
The Bills lost what Chris Berman called their “Super Bowl.” Also, Brian Brohm is now in for Ryan Fitzpatrick. There’s a reason he was so willingly discarded by the Packers. Why would the Bills put in a lot of effort off a very emotional defeat for some guy they don’t even know?
Dr. Sports: Falcons to win and cover.
The Coach: Falcons to win and cover.
Kansas City Chiefs 3-11 at Cincinnati Bengals 9-5 (-13.5)
The Bengals will dedicate the rest of their season to Chris Henry, but they still had Henry’s funeral to attend to this week. Plus, it’s not like you have to get up for the lowly Chiefs.
Dr. Sports: Bengals will win but they won’t cover.
The Coach: Bengals will win and cover.
Oakland Raiders 5-9 at Cleveland Browns 3-11 (-3.5)
Derek Anderson will get the nod at Browns QB because Brady Quinn is done for the year. Anderson has the bigger arm and superior downfield accuracy, but he also forces in way too many unwarranted balls into double coverage. Since the beginning of the 2008 season, the Browns are 0-4 against the spread when favoured. However, thy have won two straight.
Dr. Sports: Raiders to win.
The Coach: Browns to win and cover.
Seattle Seahawks 5-9 at Green Bay Packers 9-5 (-13.5)
This has “blowout” written all over it. The Seahawks absolutely stink, especially on the road, while the Packers are one of the top teams in the league. The only thing that bothers me here is the fact that Green Bay is coming off an emotional loss at Pittsburgh. Still, even if the Packers are playing at 75-80 percent, there’s a good chance they’ll still cover this high number.
Dr. Sports: Packers to win and cover.
The Coach: Packers to win and cover.
Houston Texans 7-7 at Miami Dolphins 7-7 (-2.5)
It’s worth noting that Houston owns Miami; in the four meetings between these two teams, the Texans have won each one, oddly enough by three points or less each time.
Dr. Sports: Texans to win.
The Coach: Dolphins to win and cover.
Jacksonville Jaguars 7-7 at New England Patriots 9-5 (-7.5)
This is a case where the game means a ton to one team and very little to the other. The Patriots don’t really have anything to play for here, as they pretty much have the AFC East locked up. Meanwhile, the Jaguars must win to stay alive in the playoff hunt. That being said, whenever the Jaguars are favoured or expected to win, they really struggle. Conversely, when no one believes in them, they thrive. This will be a close one,
Dr. Sports: Patriots to win, but they won’t cover.
The Coach: Patriots to win and cover.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2-12 at New Orleans Saints 13-1 (-14.5)
I like the Buccaneers in this spot. The last two 13-0 teams that lost their 14th game of the year went on to lose the following contest as well. I don’t think the Saints will suffer a defeat to Tampa Bay, but I don’t like their chances of covering the spread in this meaningless game.
Dr. Sports: Saints to win, but not cover.
The Coach: Saints to win but not cover.
Carolina Panthers 6-8 at New York Giants 8-6 (-6.5)
New York is the one NFC team no one wants to face right now. They know how to win in the postseason and they completely dominated a Redskins squad that had been playing well in recent weeks. I think the Giants parlay that Monday night victory into several more and get on a roll. I’m confident they’ll get into the playoffs and upset at least one team in January.
Dr. Sports: Giants to win and cover.
The Coach: Giants to win and cover.
Denver Broncos 8-6 at Philadelphia Eagles 10-4 (-6.5)
Meaningless game for the Eagles. Even if they win here, they’ll still need to beat Dallas next week to win the NFC East. Also, the players will be too preoccupied with Brian Dawkins’ return.
Dr. Sports: Broncos to win.
The Coach: Eagles to win and cover.
Baltimore Ravens 8-6 at Pittsburgh Steelers 7-7 (-2.5)
I know the Ravens beat the Steelers last time, but Joe Flacco still hasn’t defeated Ben Roethlisberger. Though he’s a very cool quarterback under pressure, that has to weigh on his mind.
Dr. Sports: Steelers to win and cover.
The Coach: Ravens to win.
St. Louis Rams 1-13 at Arizona Cardinals 9-5 (-13.5)
A meaningless game for the Cardinals, but they’ve shown us in the past that they love to beat up on the Rams and Seahawks – even in late December.
Dr. Sports: Cardinals to win and cover.
The Coach: Cardinals to win and cover.
Detroit Lions 2-12 at San Francisco 49ers 6-8 (-11.5)
The 49ers are obviously the much better team, but I’m concerned with their mindset here. They had to beat the Eagles to stay alive for the divisional crown. Instead, they lost, which officially knocked them out of the playoff hunt. I’m not sure how San Francisco bounces back from that, especially against the lowly Lions. What’s their incentive here?
Dr. Sports: Lions to win.
The Coach: 49ers to win and cover.
New York Jets 7-7 at Indianapolis Colts 14-0 (-5.5)
The Jets are playing their Super Bowl here. Their season’s on the line. They’ll give the Colts their best shot…but it won’t be enough.
Dr. Sports: Colts to win and cover.
The Coach: Colts to win and cover.
SUNDAY NIGHT
Dallas Cowboys 9-5 at Washington Redskins 4-10 (+6.5)
Despite knocking off the Saints last week, Dr. Sports just doesn’t understand how this team is any different. They have the same idiot coach. They have the same quarterback who takes trips to Vegas before games. They have a malcontent receiver (Roy Williams). And they have the same prodding owner who makes “suggestions” each week. They are lucky to be playing the ‘Skins who officially quit on Jim Zorn Monday night.
Dr. Sports: Cowboys to win, but not cover.
The Coach: Cowboys to win and cover.
MONDAY NIGHT
Minnesota Vikings 11-3 at Chicago Bears 5-9 (+6.5)
This is just what the (Sports) Doctor ordered for the Vikings; the Bears. The Bears haven’t covered a single point spread since Nov. 1. Their offense stinks, their defence stinks, they’re dominated at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, and their quarterback just doesn’t seem to care anymore. We just watched the Redskins mail it in on Monday night. Now, it could be Chicago’s turn in what might just be Lovie Smith’s final game in the Windy City.
Dr. Sports: Vikings to win and cover.
The Coach: Vikings to win and cover.
The Doc shit the bed last week and is now 148-77 overall and 115-110 against the spread. The Coach is 139-86 straight up and 113-112 against the spread.