Thu, Dec 6
Denver Broncos (9-3) at Oakland Raiders (3-9) Winner: Denver Broncos
The Broncos beat the Raiders in Week 4 and are looking to finish off the season sweep in Oakland. The Broncos are on a roll and have won 7 straight games and already won the AFC West title. Look for Peyton Manning to have a big game against the Raiders defense who is struggling to stop anybody. The Broncos defense has been playing great and it will be a long day for Carson Palmer and the Raiders offense. The Raiders have been struggling and have lost 5 games in a row. Palmer will have to take care of the ball and have a big game. Darren McFadden might be back for this game and they will need him to break down the Broncos defense and take pressure off of Palmer. The Raiders defense hasn’t stopped anybody lately and will have problems slowing down the Broncos explosive offense.
Sun, Dec 9
Game of the Week
Baltimore Ravens (9-3) at Washington Redskins (6-6) Winner: Washington Redskins
The Redskins have won 3 games in a row and are looking to make the playoffs. Robert Griffin has been playing great and continues to get better as the season goes on. Look for RG3 to wear down the Ravens defense with his arm and legs. The Redskins defense has to stop Ray Rice and force Joe Flacco to beat them. The Ravens are coming off a big loss to the Steelers last week with 3rd string quarterback Charlie Batch playing. Joe Flacco has to step up and have a big game and get the ball to Torrey Smith and Anqan Boldin. Ray Rice has to get the ball more and break down the Redskins defense and keep RG3 off the field. The Ravens defense has to shut down the Redskins running game and not let RG3 beat them with his arm or legs.
St. Louis Rams (5-6-1) at Buffalo Bills (5-7) Winner: St. Louis Rams
The Rams are on a 2 game winning streak and fell that since they can beat the 49ers, they should be able to beat most teams. Look for Sam Bradford to have a big game against the struggling Bills defense. Stephen Jackson has to have a big game and take the pressure off of Bradford. The Rams defense has to shut down Fred Jackson and CJ Spiller and put pressure on Ryan Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick has to take care of the ball and have a big game and get the ball to his explosive playmakers Spiller, Jackson and Stevie Johnson. The Bills defense will have to step up and stop Stephen Jackson and put pressure on Bradford.
Dallas Cowboys (6-6) at Cincinnati Bengals (7-5) Winner: Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals are on a roll and have won 4 games in a row. Andy Dalton has been playing great and will need to continue to take care of the ball and get the ball to AJ Green who has looked unstoppable. The Bengals defense has been playing great too and will have to shut down Dez Bryant and force Tony Romo to throw the ball to somebody else. The Cowboys are in a must win situation and will have to play a perfect game. Romo will need to step up and get the running game going with DeMarco Murray and get the ball to Bryant, Miles Austin and Jason Witten. The Cowboys defense will need to shut down AJ Green and force Dalton to throw the ball to somebody else.
Kansas City Chiefs (2-10) at Cleveland Browns (4-8) Winner: Cleveland Browns
The Browns have won 2 games in a row and are looking to make it 3 straight wins. Rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden is playing better every game and will need to take care of the ball. Rookie running back Trent Richardson should have a big game against the Chiefs defense and take pressure off of Weeden. The Browns defense will have to shut down Jamal Charles and force Brady Quinn to beat them. The Chiefs won an emotional game last week and will have to carry that on this week. Quinn will need to have another big game and get the ball to Dwayne Bowe and let him break down the Browns defense. Jamal Charles will also need to have a big game and take pressure off of Quinn. The Chiefs defense will have to shut down Richardson and force rookie quarterback Weeden to beat them.
Philadelphia Eagles (3-9) at Tampa Bay Bucs (6-6) Winner: Tampa Bay Bucs
The Bucs have lost 2 games in a row and are in a must win situation if they want to keep their playoff hopes alive. Josh Freeman has been playing great and will need to get the ball to Vincent Jackson and Mike Williams. Doug Martin should have a big game running against the Eagles struggling defense. The Bucs defense will have to shut down the Eagles running game and force rookie quarterback Nick Foles to beat them. The Eagles are a big mess and have lost 8 games in a row. With a rookie quarterback and a rookie running back starting for them, I don’t see them ending this 8 game losing streak this week. The Eagles defense will have problems slowing down the explosive Bucs offense.
Atlanta Falcons (11-1) at Carolina Panthers (3-9) Winner: Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons beat the Panthers in Week 4 on a come from behind victory in the last minute. The Falcons have won 3 games in a row and Matt Ryan will need to have a big game against the Panthers defense. Ryan has to get the ball to his playmakers Roddy White, Julio Jones and Tony Gonzalez. The Falcons defense has to shut down Cam Newton and not let him beat them with his legs or arm. Cam Newton will need to have a big game and the Panthers will need to score a lot of points to keep up with the explosive Falcons offense. The Panthers defense has to put pressure on Ryan and force turnovers.
New York Jets (5-7) at Jacksonville Jaguars (2-10) Winner: New York Jets
This is the game that the Jets should start Tim Tebow since they are in his hometown of Jacksonville and Mark Sanchez is struggling. Too bad Tebow is injured. This should be Sanchez’s final test. If he doesn’t have a big game against the Jaguars defense he should not be starting the rest of the year. The Jets defense will have to put pressure on Chad Henne and try to force turnovers. The Jaguars have to shut down the Jets running game and force Sanchez to beat them. Henne has to have a big game and get the ball to Justin Blackmon and Cecil Shorts.
Tennessee Titans (4-8) at Indianapolis Colts (8-4) Winner: Indianapolis Colts
The Colts beat the Titans in Week 8 and will look to get the season series sweep against their division rival. The Colts have won 2 games in a row and rookie quarterback Andrew Luck has them believing they can make the playoffs. Luck should have a big game against the Titans defense. The Colts defense has to step up and shut down Chris Johnson and force Jake Locker to beat them. The Titans have lost 2 games in a row and will need to have a big game to avenge the lost to the Colts from earlier in the season. Johnson will need to have a big game and break down the Colts defense. The Titans defense has to put pressure on rookie quarterback Luck and try to force some turnovers.
Chicago Bears (8-4) at Minnesota Vikings (6-6) Winner: Chicago Bears
The Bears beat the Vikings a few weeks ago in Week 12 and are looking to get the season sweep against their division rivals. Jay Cutler will have to take care of the ball and get the ball to his favorite target Brandon Marshall. The Bears also have to get their running game going with Matt Forte and Michael Bush and let them break down the Vikings defense. The Bears defense has to shut down Adrian Peterson and force Christian Ponder to beat them. The Vikings are in a must win situation and have lost 2 games in a row. Somebody on the Vikings needs to step up besides AP. Ponder will need to have a big game against the Bears aggressive defense. The Vikings defense has to shut down Marshall and force Cutler to throw the ball to somebody else.
San Diego Chargers (4-8) at Pittsburgh Steelers (7-5) Winner: Pittsburgh Steelers
Ben Roethlisberger should be back for this game and they will need him. Big Ben will need to take care of the ball and let the running game break down the Chargers defense. The Steelers defense will have to shut down the Chargers running game and put pressure on Philip Rivers. The Chargers have lost 4 games in a row and are looking like a big mess. Rivers will need to take care of the ball and have a big game. The Chargers defense has to shut down the Steelers running game and stop Mike Wallace from getting the ball.
Miami Dolphins (5-7) at San Francisco 49ers (8-3-1) Winner: San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers defense should dominate the Dolphins offense this week. The 49ers defense has to shut down Reggie Bush and put pressure on rookie quarterback Ryan Tannehill. Colin Kaepernick should get the ball to Vernon Davis, Michael Crabtree and Randy Moss. Frank Gore should have a big game breaking down the Dolphins defense. Bush will need to have a big game and take pressure off of his rookie quarterback Tannehill. Tannehill has to step up and have a big game and avoid the 49ers defense, or it will be a long day for him and the Dolphins offense. The Dolphins defense has to shut down Gore and force Kaepernick to beat them.
Arizona Cardinals (4-8) at Seattle Seahawks (7-5) Winner: Seattle Seahawks
The Cardinals beat the Seahawks in Week 1 of the season and the Seahawks are looking to even up the season series. The Seahawks are undefeated at home and rookie quarterback Russell Wilson has been playing great. Wilson should have a big game and get the ball to Golden Tate and Sidney Rice. Marshawn Lynch should have a big game running against the Cardinals defense. The Seahawks defense should have a big game as long as they shut down Larry Fitzgerald. The Cardinals are a mess and have lost 8 games in a row. It doesn’t matter who starts at quarterback for them, they just have to get the ball to Fitzgerald and let him break down the Seahawks defense. The Cardinals defense has to shut down Lynch and force rookie quarterback Russell Wilson to beat them.
New Orleans Saints (5-7) at New York Giants (7-5) Winner: New York Giants
This should be a fun matchup watching Eli Manning vs Drew Brees. The Giants need to win this game and not let their division slip out of their hands. Manning should have a big game against the Saints defense and get the ball to Hakim Nicks and Victor Cruz. Ahmad Bradshaw should have a big game too. The Giants defense has to put pressure on Drew Brees. The Saints are in a must win situation if they still want any chance at the playoffs. Bress will have to take care of the ball and have a big game against the Giants defense. The Saints defense will have to step up and slow down the Giants explosive offense.
Detroit Lions (4-8) at Green Bay Packers (8-4) Winner: Green Bay Packers
The Packers beat the Lions in Week 11 and will be looking for the season series sweep against their division rival. Aaron Rodgers should have a big game against the Lions defense and he should get the ball to his weapons Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb. The Packers defense has been injured and will have to put pressure on Matthew Stafford and shut down Calvin Johnson. The Lions have lost 4 games in a row and Stafford has to take care of the ball and take advantage of the Packers injured defense. Stafford has to get Calvin Johnson the ball. The Lions defense has to put pressure on Rodgers and slow down the Packers explosive offense.
Houston Texans (11-1) at New England Patriots (9-3) Winner: New England Patriots
This is going to be a great game and a possible playoff preview. The Patriots have won 6 games in a row and Tom Brady has been playing great. Brady has to get the ball to Wes Welker, Aaron Hernandez and Brandon Lloyd and let them break down the Texans defense. The Patriots defense has to shut down Arian Foster and Andre Johnson. The Texans also have won 6 straight games and will be looking to make a statement in New England. Foster has to have a big game and break down the Patriots defense. Matt Schaub has to take care of the ball and get the ball to his playmakers Johnson and Owen Daniels. The game will be decided by if the Texans defense can put pressure on Brady and slow down the Patriots explosive offense.