Some big questions remain as we close in on the halfway point in the season. Can the Cowboys continue their solid play in a Monday night rivalry matchup with the Redskins? Are the Seahawks still in contention to win a second consecutive Super Bowl? Will the Broncos continue to roll behind Peyton Manning's record setting pace? And can Oakland go on the road and get their first win? I guess we'll see!
Last Week: 10 - 5
Overall: 70 - 37 - 1
San Diego (5 - 2) 24 @ Denver (5 - 1) 31: I just can't go against a touchdown passing machine that now has a defense to go with it. The Broncos are my clear pick to get the Super Bowl again, as long as they can stay healthy.
Detroit (5 - 2) 28 @ Atlanta (2 - 5) 24: It looks like the Lions are starting to round into form. The defense is possibly playing as well as any in the league. If Megatron gets back in the lineup, the banged up Falcons will have a tough time. But this game is in London, so it may be a bit unpredictable.
St. Louis (2 - 4) 20 @ Kansas City (3 - 3) 24: Both teams are coming off surprising victories. I like the Chiefs at home in this I-70 rivalry game, but they'll need to overcome a tough Ram defense.
Houston (3 - 4) 27 @ Tennessee (2 - 5) 20: The Texans imploded with turnovers at the end of the first half against the Steelers, so they should come into Nashville with a chip on their shoulder. The Titans have shown a couple of glimpses of improving, but not enough to take down the Texans.
Minnesota (2 - 5) 30 @ Tampa Bay (1 - 5) 24: I think the Vikings will come together against the Bucs, who got a week off after a 48 - 17 drubbing by the Ravens. Neither team will be in the playoff hunt this season, so they'll be playing for pride the rest of the way.
Seattle (3 - 3) 23 @ Carolina (3 - 3) 27: The Seahawks go east for the second week in a row, hoping to avoid a three game losing streak. A lot of analysts seem to think Seattle is still an elite team, but you can't lose at home and then to St. Louis and be that good. The gig's up for this season.
Baltimore (5 - 2) 28 @ Cincinnati (3 - 2 - 1) 24: The Ravens look a lot like a team that can make a deep run in the playoffs. They have come up with an explosive offense to complement a shut down defense. The Bengals are struggling a bit and I just don't see them prevailing if Baltimore plays like they have been.
Miami (3 - 3) 20 @ Jacksonville (1 - 6) 17: The Dolphins stuffed the Bears and the Jags surprised the Browns, with both teams playing solid defense. Miami is almost a touchdown favorite, which seems like a lot considering the way Jacksonville is stopping their opponents.
Chicago (3 - 4) 21@ New England (5 - 2) 27: The Patriots will finally have Rob Gronkowski at almost full strength, not a good thing for opposing teams. The Bears seem to be in a bit of disarray with the inconsistent play of QB Jay Cutler. Don't look now, but New England is poised to make a run in the second half of the season.
Buffalo (4 - 3) 17 @ New York Jets (1 - 6) 19: This is one of those picks where I have no rationale except that it's the NFL and I don't think the Jets are as bad as their 1 - 6 record would indicate. All I can say is that I think they're due for a win.
Philadelphia (5 - 1) 27 @ Arizona (5 - 1) 30: This is the game of the week, with the winner getting themselves in position to contend for home-filed advantage in the playoffs. I don't like the Eagles' inconsistency on defense, despite their beat down of the Giants prior to the bye week.
Oakland (0 - 6) 23 @ Cleveland (3 - 3) 28: The Browns were a fashionable pick last week, and then laid an egg in Jacksonville. They need a win to keep pace in their division. The Raiders are the lone winless team, and I think they'll stay that way for another week.
Indianapolis (5 - 2) 31 @ Pittsburgh (4 - 3) 24: Pittsburgh turned a couple of minutes of opportune events into a win last week against Houston. But the Colts are on a five game winning streak after back to back opening losses. I just don't think the Steelers are solid enough to hold off Andrew Luck and company.
Green Bay (5 - 2) 34 @ New Orleans (2 - 4) 28: The Saints need something to breathe life into the season, and a big win over Aaron Rodgers and the Packers would certainly do that. However, I haven't seen much from New Orleans that would indicate they can overcome Green Bay, even if the game is in the Superdome.
Washington (2 - 5) 28 @ Dallas (6 - 1) 27: So the Cowboys are suddenly America's Team again, the Redskins are struggling and will start a third string QB who played his college ball at the University of Texas. Dallas is a ten point favorite, seemingly on their way to a Super Bowl matchup against the Broncos. Really?
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