Allow me to slide into your Decembers.
- New England (10-2)
- Philadelphia (10-2)
- Minnesota (10-2)
- L.A. Rams (9-3)
- New Orleans (9-3)
- Pittsburgh (10-2)
- Carolina (8-4)
- Jacksonville (8-4)
I’m not gonna drop the Eagles down further just because they lost a tough road game they were probably due to lose. I still think they’re pretty great, and pretty complete, and could beat the Vikings and everyone else below them on a neutral field. That having been said, the turnaround for the Pats after the first month of the season is astonishing. Their defense really looked dead in the water; they were grasping for Cassius Marsh straws for crying out loud! Also, it’s time to stop taking the Steelers so seriously; they’ve looked bad against too many bad teams – 10-2 record be damned – so they’re knocked down a peg. Not for nothing, but there are too many talented NFC teams; I’m not sure I shouldn’t have the Panthers above the Steelers to boot! Finally, my money is on the Jags beating the Seahawks this week, hence their Top 8 status.
- Atlanta (7-5)
- Seattle (8-4)
- L.A. Chargers (6-6)
- Baltimore (7-5)
- Tennessee (8-4)
- Detroit (6-6)
- Dallas (6-6)
- Green Bay (6-6)
I’ll start to change my tune about the Seahawks if they decide they want to beat a team they probably shouldn’t beat. Until then, I still have the Falcons ahead of them. Gotta like that Baltimore defense. Can’t quite write off the Cowboys just yet. And, I’m making Green Bay my huge gainer, because I think it’s pretty obvious that they’re going to keep beating enough bad teams to give Aaron Rodgers a chance to come back and sneak them into the playoffs. It’s so obvious it makes me want to puke.
- Buffalo (6-6)
- Kansas City (6-6)
- Oakland (6-6)
- N.Y. Jets (5-7)
- Washington (5-7)
- Cincinnati (5-7)
- Arizona (5-7)
- Miami (5-7)
You want a gambling Lock of the Week? Take the OVER on the Kansas City/Oakland game. I don’t care what it is, no number is too high! Those two defenses are the worst I’ve ever seen! This year. Well, over the last couple months anyway. Hold on, the over/under is only 47.5?!?! Dude, jump on that NOW! Also, while I’m looking at it, take the UNDER in the New Orleans/Atlanta game. Thursday Night, no way it goes over 53.5. Finally, I’d take a look at some of these home dogs, like Carolina +3 over Minnesota, Cleveland +3.5 over Green Bay, Arizona +3 over Tennessee, and the Giants +5 over the Cowboys.
- Tampa Bay (4-8)
- Houston (4-8)
- San Francisco (2-10)
- Denver (3-9)
- Indianapolis (3-9)
- Chicago (3-9)
- N.Y. Giants (2-10)
- Cleveland (0-12)
I like that Jimmy Garoppolo kid, I tell you what. Those 49ers are doing some fine things down there in Santa Clara! Good for the Giants to ditch that head coach and GM; bad on ownership to listen to them and bench Eli in the first place. Can the Browns do the unthinkable and finish 0-16? Honestly, their best chance to win is probably this week, as they host the Rodgers-less Packers. If they blow that opportunity, their home finale is next week against the Ravens; that feels like a pretty easy loss. Their next-best chance to win is at Chicago the following week, but the Bears’ defense is pretty good, particularly at home. Then, in Week 17, they go to Pittsburgh, who at that point might be locked into the 2-seed and playing for nothing. Even still, hard not to like the Steelers’ reserves over the Browns’ starters.