Week 14 NFL Picks. This gets harder every week.
The Denver Broncos are the poster child of the 2008 National Football League season.
One week, they go into Atlanta and whip a very good Falcons team. The next week, they get clubbed by the sad-sack Oakland Raiders — at home, no less — and then, the next week, they go into the Meadowlands and blow away the New York Jets. Confused yet? I’ve been freakin’ confused all season.
And it’s not like the Broncos are alone.
Every team in this league has done something crazy this season. Buffalo scores 54 points on the road in Kansas City one week, then returns home to put up three in a 10-3 loss to San Francisco. Miami covers in Denver and then comes home to barely beat Seattle and Oakland. And the Jets… don’t get me started on the Jets.
It has been an up-and-down season for just about everybody except the Giants and Titans (and Lions, one supposes) so now we’re into Week 14. Only four weeks left in the season and this week, we’re off to Toronto for a Miami “at” Buffalo game.
It’s a crazy league and its almost finished for another year. And just to let our 92-CITI listeners know, we’ll be off to Minnesota for the Vikings-Giants season-ending war at the Dome. In the meantime, let’s take a closer look at Week 14…
THURSDAY
Oakland Raiders (3-9) at San Diego Chargers (4-8)
Zzzzzzz… The coach in Oakland who started the season was fired and if San Diego loses this one, the coach of the Chargers should go, too. When they made up the schedule, somebody must have thought this would be a good game.
Take San Diego
SUNDAY AFTERNOON
Houston Texans (5-7) at Green Bay Packers (5-7)
With a win this week, the Packers and Texans stay alive. Should be an offensive show.
Take Green Bay
Jacksonville Jaguars (4-8) at Chicago Bears (6-6)
Big game for the Bears. A win and they keep pace with Minnesota. If the Jaguars really, truly like head Jack del Rio, they’d better prove it and win this week.
Take Chicago
Cleveland Browns (4-8) at Tennessee Titans (11-1)
Please keep away from small children. Ken Dorsey starts at QB for the Browns.
Take Tennessee
Cincinnati Bengals (1-10-1) at Indianapolis Colts (8-4)
Peyton Manning will run to the sideline complaining, “Oh, damn, I got Bengal on my shoe again.”
Take Indianapolis
Minnesota Vikings (7-5) at Detroit Lions (0-12)
The biggest game of the year for the Vikings. Win and they control every tiebreaker with the Bears. Lose and they won’t make the playoffs. Daunte Culpepper will be playing against his old team and as bad as the Lions are, Culpepper will want to prove something. This game will be closer than people think, especially if Pat and Kevin Williams don’t play.
Take Minnesota
Atlanta Falcons (8-4) at New Orleans Saints (6-6)
Should be a good football game. Atlanta’s Matt Ryan can lay claim to the offensive rookie of the year award right here.
Take Atlanta
Philadelphia Eagles (6-5-1) at New York Giants (11-1)
The Giants have that Plaxico Burress gun deal to distract them, but it won’t. Most of them are just as happy that crazy ol’ Plax is gone. The Giants go to 12-1.
Take the Giants
Miami Dolphins (7-5) at Buffalo Bills (6-6) at Toronto
Buffalo fans are whining that by playing indoors, the Bills won’t get the advantage of an outdoor game in Buffalo. So what? The Bills lost to San Francisco at home last week, 10-3. Miami won 25-16 against the Bills in Miami in Week 8 and with Ricky Williams going home to Argoland on Sunday, this should be a Miami romp.
Take Miami
New York Jets (8-4) at San Francisco 49ers (4-8)
Because the Jets are 8-4 and the Niners are 4-8, you have to take the Jets seriously, but New York was drilled at home last week by Denver while the Niners beat Buffalo on the road. Go figure.
Take the Jets (and hold your nose)
Kansas City Chiefs (2-10) at Denver Broncos (7-5)
I can’t figure out the Broncos, but I’m going to take them this week.
Take Denver
New England Patriots (7-5) at Seattle Seahawks (2-10)
The Pats are a team ripe for the picking, it’s just that Seattle doesn’t have the personnel to pick themselves up off the turf.
Take New England
Dallas Cowboys (8-4) at Pittsburgh Steelers (9-3)
Game of the week and maybe the game of the year. Pittsburgh’s defence is the best in football and should carry the day, unless, of course, Tony and T.O. are magicians.
Take Pittsburgh
St. Louis Rams (2-10) at Arizona Cardinals (7-5)
Kurt Warner should pass for 500 yards, at home, against his former team. And it’s a very bad former team.
Take Arizona
SUNDAY NIGHT
Washington Redskins (7-5) at Baltimore Ravens (8-4)
Baltimore could win by four touchdowns. This is Joe Flacco’s response to the Matt Ryan rookie-of-the-year crowd.
Take Baltimore
MONDAY NIGHT
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-3) at Carolina Panthers (9-3)
Should be a great game with two veteran quarterbacks leading 9-3 teams. I just think that as a 6-0 team at home, the Panthers have the edge.
Take Carolina
Last week: 9-7
Season: 111-80-1
Related posts: