Week 16

THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL:

LOS ANGELES RAMS (11-3) vs. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (11-3)

Thursday Dec. 18 @ 8:15 p.m. ET on Amazon Prime

We have ourselves one hell of a matchup on Thursday night. Two teams that are tied for first place in the division going head to head in a fight for the top spot. The Rams already clinched a playoff berth, while Seattle needs a win or a Lions loss to get their ticket. Whoever wins this game is going to be one step away from clinching the NFC West so this is “do or die” for both teams. 

Once again, for the Seahawks to win this game, they need Sam Darnold to not screw up at any point whatsoever. His last three matchups against the Rams defense have been absolutely abysmal. In Week 11 last month, he threw four interceptions and it cost them a chance to beat LA at So-Fi Stadium. That defense played well enough to win, but their offense only scored one touchdown and 12 of their 19 points came from the leg of Jason Myers. Five weeks later, Darnold gets this team again in his own house so if he cannot find a way to win this one, then Seattle is going to be a Wild Card team barring any unforeseen circumstances. We know what their defense can do to Matthew Stafford, who is the leading candidate for MVP this season. However, the offense has been extremely inconsistent and it cannot afford to stumble into another self-inflicted loss just four days after barely beating Philip Rivers and the Indianapolis Colts.

LA’s main objective is to just get enough points on the board. Their offense is unlikely to have Davante Adams on the field due to a hamstring injury, but they still have enough firepower to help Stafford out for 60 minutes. Kyren Williams and Blake Corum have emerged as a legitimate running back tandem, Puka Nacua is still one of the top five receivers in the league and the tight ends are always reliable security blankets. More importantly, the Rams have allowed the third fewest sacks in the league and didn’t allow Seattle to get home one time in their last matchup. Stafford only threw for 130 yards, but didn’t turn the ball over. As long as Los Angeles holds onto the ball and does not play overly aggressive, they should be fine. 

FINAL LOCK: This is going to be an outstanding grudge match for the ages because it’s not about strategy. Instead, this will come down to which team is mentally tougher and who will come through in the clutch. Although the Seahawks are the home team, I have more confidence in the Rams to not make any mistakes and more importantly, I will always take Matthew Stafford over Sam Darnold.

FINAL SCORE: LA 23-20

SATURDAY ACTION:

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (9-5) vs. WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (4-10)

Saturday Dec. 20 @ 5:00 p.m. ET on FOX

Any time a couple games get scheduled on a Saturday, there will always be one that doesn’t look great on the surface but it’s just an excuse to watch one team try to clinch a playoff spot. In this particular case, all the Eagles need is one more win and they will be the first team since 2004 to clinch the NFC East in back-to-back seasons. If not, then they need the Cowboys to lose one day later to the Chargers. After watching Philadelphia finally win a game last week, this better be a day where they take care of business.

To their credit, the Eagles didn’t fall into a humiliating trap and lose to the worst team in the league. In fact, they didn’t just win, they completely shut down the Raiders 31-0. Kenny Pickett only had 64 yards and nine of them were in the second half. Las Vegas couldn’t even reach 100 total yards of offense. Jalen Hurts, on the other hand, threw three touchdown passes and as many incompletions. This Philadelphia offense actually looked respectable for the first time in a while, so even if it was against the Raiders, they didn’t make this a frustrating game to watch. On paper, the Eagles should have another effective afternoon against one of the worst defenses in the league, but they get the Commanders twice in the final three weeks. One of these games might be closer than you think and the other will most likely be a blowout. Philly needs to ensure that this one falls into the latter.

If Jayden Daniels was healthy, then I would give Washington more of a chance to win. However, the team officially shut him down for the rest of the season due to a series of injuries, so Marcus Mariota will be the starter. Either way, this offense is going to run into a brick wall as they welcome the team that ruined their championship hopes last year. The Commanders can run the ball against an Eagles run defense that allows close to 126 yards per game, but how well Mariota can throw it will be the biggest X factor. Philadelphia has given up the second fewest touchdown passes, the third lowest passer rating and they are number one in completion percentage. Washington might have Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel, but the Eagles also have Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell. As we approach the final three weeks of the year, Philadelphia is going to move as far as their defense will take them, so all they need is for the offense to do enough to win.

FINAL LOCK: I was wrong about the Eagles possibly losing to the Raiders on Sunday, so I will eat my words and pick them to beat the Commanders on the road. I am hoping their offense does not revert back to what they looked like in their three game losing streak because if that is the case, then Marcus Mariota has a chance to somewhat play spoiler. However, I believe Philadelphia is the stronger team and they should be able to get a needed win on the road.

FINAL SCORE: PHI 27-17

GREEN BAY PACKERS (9-4-1) vs. CHICAGO BEARS (10-4)

Saturday Dec. 20 @ 8:20 p.m. ET on FOX

Two weeks ago, I said that Chicago’s game at Lambeau Field would be the biggest one of their lives. This time, both teams are in a “do or die” situation. Whoever wins on Saturday night will be in first place in the NFC North. If the Lions lose, that team will clinch a playoff spot. The Bears might have the chip on their shoulder, but the Packers season is on the line as well. Just like the last matchup, this game will be decided in the final two minutes and whichever team can make the most amount of plays in that span will hang on. 

I can literally just do a copy and paste from the last preview and it would just as strongly make my case. Fortunately, Chicago didn’t overlook the Cleveland Browns and beat them down 31-3 at Soldier Field. Caleb Williams was efficient, the defense forced three interceptions and the team finally made sure they didn’t let their opponent hang around for too long. We know how much this game means to them and what they need to do to win. However, Green Bay is in a different situation. They were up 23-14 against the Broncos at Mile High, until one interception thrown to Patrick Surtain allowed Denver to go on a 20-3 scoring run and win their eleventh straight game. Even worse, the Packers lost their best defensive player Micah Parsons to a torn ACL. Not only does Jordan Love have to step up after a forgettable performance last week, but a defense that allowed Bo Nix to throw four touchdown passes will have to make just enough plays against one of the most opportunistic offenses in the league.  

FINAL LOCK: Last time, I said that I trust Jordan Love more in the clutch than Caleb Williams and that was the basis I used to pick the Packers to beat the Bears in Lambeau. I still believe that is the case, but my gut is telling me that we might get a different outcome this time around. I want to see how that Green Bay pass rush will look without Parsons because if Williams has a clean pocket, then he can easily slice and dice the secondary with the talent he has at his disposal. When you can do that and have one of the best rushing attacks in the league, it is going to be extremely difficult to slow down. I think we will get another down-to-the-wire fight, but call me crazy, I like the Bears in this one.

FINAL SCORE: CHI 27-24

THE 1:00 SLATE:

NEW YORK JETS (3-11) vs. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (4-10)

I know this won’t be the most watched game on Sunday afternoon, but it will be at least somewhat interesting to see two rookie quarterbacks go head-to-head in the Superdome. However, despite what the record might tell you, it’s very clear that the Saints are the better team entering this matchup.

Brady Cook will make his second start of the season. So far, he only has one touchdown pass and five interceptions. Obviously, the struggles are not completely his fault because he just doesn’t have a good supporting cast around him, but it’s hard to credit him for anything positive that doesn’t take place in garbage time. Just like the Jaguars, this Saints defense is not great by any means necessary, but they’re somewhat decent. They might not be good enough to force a quarterback to throw three interceptions or get sacked five times, but it is a unit that has allowed the sixth fewest passing yards in the league. Besides Breece Hall, the Jets offense doesn’t have anybody that can take over the game and it’s something New Orleans can use to their advantage. It would be nice to see Cook play relatively well, but he won’t be the best quarterback on the field.

Tyler Shough is starting to grow on me. He still has a long way to go in terms of his development, but I am finally seeing the upside that a lot of draft scouts had in him. The minute you surround him with a legitimate supporting cast, I think the numbers will take a huge leap. My gut is telling me that this will be the best game he will have this year because this Jets defense not only fired their defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, but it has yet to record an interception this year, even when they had Sauce Gardner. What is also important is that New York has allowed the third most points in the NFL, trailing only the Cowboys and Bengals. However, the Saints won’t have Devin Neal or Alvin Kamara and the Jets are still 12th against the pass. If Shough can have a clean game and put together a couple of promising drives, it should be enough. Yet I am worried that this offense can be one-dimensional at the worst possible time and it could lead to another agonizing loss if they let Brady Cook hang around.

FINAL LOCK: Because this game will be played in the Superdome, I will give the Saints the benefit of the doubt and say the defense will lead the way to victory. I have faith Shough can have an outstanding performance, but I am hoping the rest of his teammates will help him out rather than leave him behind. 

FINAL SCORE: NO 26-13 

BUFFALO BILLS (10-4) vs. CLEVELAND BROWNS (3-11)

The Bills got the job done last week by beating the Patriots to stay in the race for another AFC East crown. On Sunday, they need a win plus either a Colts loss or a Texans loss to officially clinch a playoff spot. Buffalo should be able to complete the first part of the equation as they will go on the road to play the three-win Cleveland Browns. However, this cannot be the week where they stumble into a trap game.

This Browns defense can never be completely underestimated, especially when Myles Garrett is on the other side of the line. He has 21.5 sacks this year and only needs one and a half more to officially break TJ Watt’s record for a single single season. For the Bills to keep him neutralized, they will need to implement a ground and pound gameplan with James Cook. They did a good job throwing the ball against the Patriots in the second half, but Cleveland’s defense is just as strong and lethal. The only thing they haven’t done particularly well is slow down the run, while Buffalo has the best rushing attack in the league. If they can take the pressure off of Josh Allen and create as many rushing lanes and gaps as possible, they will easily dominate the time of possession because the Browns offense is essentially non-existent.

Shadeur Sanders has been okay as a starter. That’s the only good thing I will say. He’s not horrible, but he’s nowhere near being a great quarterback. He has five touchdown passes and six interceptions. Not all of the struggles are his fault, yet he has a long way to go with his development. It’s been clear and obvious to figure out how to shut down this Cleveland offense: you take away the run and they go nowhere. The Bills might have one of the worst rushing defenses in the league, but they are also number one against the pass. As long as they take Quinshon Judkins out of the gameplan, Buffalo can hold the Browns to three points just like the Bears did last week.

FINAL LOCK: I don’t see Josh Allen having a perfect game, but he is by far the better quarterback and the Bills have a way better football team. As long as the offense doesn’t shoot themselves in the foot constantly, they should win easily. 

FINAL SCORE: BUF 30-6

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (6-8) vs. TENNESSEE TITANS (2-12)

We’re really living in a season where the Kansas City Chiefs, after three straight Super Bowl appearances, are eliminated from the playoffs. If you’re anybody in that locker room, you just want to close the season strong in the final three weeks, but it’s hard to feel positive when you know that Patrick Mahomes is out for the rest of the season with a torn ACL. 

Gardner Minshew will be the quarterback through the final three weeks and to be quite honest, I don’t have a lot of faith. I know the preseason doesn’t mean a lot to casual NFL fans, but over the last two years, they have been 0-6 and it is because their backups and third-string players have been underwhelming. This season, it feels like the starters have caught that bug because not only have they lost three straight, they dropped five out of their last six. They can’t run the football, the offensive line is a complete mess and there have been several occasions where the defense has just imploded at the worst possible moments. If Kansas City can’t do anything against a hapless Titans defense, then they deserve to have a losing season. 

On paper, the Chiefs defense should crush this Tennessee offense and I believe they will. However, Cam Ward didn’t look too bad against the 49ers last week in Santa Clara. The only problem is that when your defense can’t get a stop and you punt the ball a couple times, you are more than likely to lose by double digits. It hasn’t been too long since Kansas City won a game in Tennessee, so I won’t use any historical evidence as a basis for my prediction. However, this is still considered a trap game for the Chiefs. Most of them might not know what it’s like to miss the playoffs after experiencing tons of success, so let’s see how the players approach this game mentally.

FINAL LOCK: I’m going to go on a wild hot take here, but I can see the Titans pulling off this upset. Obviously, I was seriously wrong about the Eagles losing to the Raiders, so it won’t be my first time going off the deep end. However, Mahomes is gone and the offense is spiraling out of control. As likeable of a guy Gardner Minshew is, he’s a backup for a reason and I think this is a game where we see Cam Ward come through in the clutch.

FINAL SCORE: TEN 17-14

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (10-4) vs. DALLAS COWBOYS (6-7-1)

The Cowboys had two prime time games against the Lions and Vikings they needed to win and in typical fashion, they choked. Now the Eagles only need one more win to clinch the AFC East and officially eliminate Dallas from playoff contention. Meanwhile, the Chargers need a win plus either a Colts loss or Texans loss to officially earn their ticket. Will LA take care of business on the road and give the Cowboys their third loss in a row? How much fight does Dallas have left? We’ll find out on Sunday.

Just when we thought this Cowboys defense got tremendously better after the trade deadline, they reverted back to the dumpster fire they were throughout the majority of the season. In their last two games, they allowed 44 points to Detroit and 34 to Minnesota. They just made JJ McCarthy look like Tom Brady and now they get to go up against Justin Herbert. If Dallas cannot find a way to generate pressure against one of the most battered offensive lines in the league, then they don’t deserve to win this game. That’s the only way they have a chance of making this competitive because if Herbert has all the time in the world to throw, he is going to carve this defense up on almost every single possession. 

Dak Prescott wasn’t horrible on Sunday night but the two biggest reasons why they lost were because of how they did in the red zone and on third down. We knew Minnesota’s defense was going to present a huge challenge, but they did a great job of failing to break any time they bent. The Chargers defense is a much stronger unit with plenty of playmakers on all three levels. They are second in total yards allowed, third against the pass, 11th against the run, ninth in points, seventh in takeaways and they are tied for fifth in sacks. The margin for error is incredibly small for Dallas’ offense. George Pickens has not been explosive in the last two weeks, which might create opportunities for guys like CeeDee Lamb and Jake Ferguson, but it has resulted in two losses. This team’s playoff hopes might be dead in the water. However, this offense has to show some pride and fight.

FINAL LOCK: The Cowboys have done well against the Chargers in their last two matchups, but the only difference this time around is that Jim Harbaugh is the head coach. Dallas doesn’t get the benefit of having Brandon Staley on the other sideline, so I feel like we are going to get a different outcome that will put LA in the Wild Card for a second year in a row.

FINAL SCORE: LA 28-21

MINNESOTA VIKINGS (6-8) vs. NEW YORK GIANTS (2-12)

Minnesota might be eliminated from playoff contention, but they are finally looking like the team I thought they could be at the start of the season. JJ McCarthy has played exceptionally well in the last two games and I believe this upcoming road matchup against the Giants will be a third because they just cannot find a way to win.

Knowing the amount of talent the Vikings offense has at their disposal, they can do just about anything against one of the worst defenses in the league. One thing I believe Minnesota can particularly lean on is their running game. Jordan Mason and Aaron Jones couldn’t do much against the Cowboys last week, but McCarthy absolutely balled out. This week, I think Kevin O’Connell can go back to the ground-and-pound approach just to take some pressure off the quarterback. New York allows 154 rushing yards per game, which is the second worst in the NFL behind the Cincinnati Bengals. Nobody has to be the hero for the Vikings to win. As long as they control the ball, they should be fine because that defense will turn it up another notch.

The only reason why the Giants are even close to being competitive is their quarterback Jaxson Dart. You could say his style of play is reckless, but he continuously gives this team a spark. With that being said, he is going to struggle mightily against Brian Flores’ defense. We all know the Vikings have one of the most aggressive defensive coordinators in the league and he will do whatever it takes to make sure Dart stays in the pocket for as long as possible. Unfortunately, Minnesota just lost one of its best pass rushers Jonathan Greenard for the rest of the season, but they still have a good amount of depth that can slow down guys like Tyrone Tracy and Wandale Robinson. Dart essentially needs to have one of his cleanest and smartest games of the season because one lost fumble or mistake could give the Vikings all of the momentum they need to win.

FINAL LOCK: I don’t want this game to be a blowout the way it was in the opening week of the 2024 season between Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones, but I still believe the Vikings have the stronger team nonetheless. They are better coached, their offense has more dynamic pieces and the defense is ten times stronger. It’s just a bad mismatch and I’m worried that things could get ugly in the second half.

FINAL SCORE: MIN 31-10

CINCINNATI BENGALS (4-10) vs. MIAMI DOLPHINS (6-8)

It’s official. Tua Tagovailoa has officially been benched for the rest of the season in favor of seventh round rookie Quinn Ewers. The former Texas Longhorn will make the first start of his career against Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals, giving the Miami Dolphins a chance to evaluate where to move forward next season.

Mike McDaniel knew he had to make this decision because he’s just trying to keep his job. Unfortunately, they are going to have an incredibly bleak offseason. Tua is most likely gone, Tyreek Hill is definitely gone and more are probably to come. This game against the Bengals is a chance to see what the Dolphins have in Ewers and if he could be the guy leading the way next year. Like every rookie or first-time starting quarterback, we have to take a “wait and see” approach. Ewers shouldn’t have to do too much against a hapless Bengals squad, so my best guess is that McDaniel will give De’von Achane a big workload against the worst run defense in the league. If Miami likes what they see, then they don’t have to panic looking for a quarterback. If not, who knows who will help them get over the hump?

I get that Joe Burrow wants to finish the rest of the season, but to be quite honest, I am demanding a trade after the season. The Bengals are completely wasting his career and they keep throwing him into a raging mess year after year. Everybody knows he doesn’t deserve this. I get that he has Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, but the defense is atrocious and their head coach has lost his touch in the locker room. They are now officially eliminated from playoff contention after getting shut out by the Ravens at home, so if they find a way to wet the bed against Miami, then Cincinnati needs to start cleaning house. It’s the only way they’re going to keep their franchise cornerstones happy.

FINAL LOCK: I’m only picking the Bengals because I trust Joe Burrow to have a better afternoon than a rookie quarterback making his first start in the NFL, but I don’t see this as a blowout whatsoever. I expect Ewers to have a decent day, but we’re going to see what he is made of in this league.

FINAL SCORE: CIN 27-22

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (7-7) vs. CAROLINA PANTHERS (7-7)

This head-to-head series is going to be really captivating over the next three weeks. I won’t say it’s “must watch” television because I feel that whoever wins the NFC South is not going to have a long road in the playoffs, but Carolina is in perfect position to knock Tampa Bay off the throne and win their first division title since 2015. However, after both teams choked away winnable games against inferior division rivals, who knows what will happen?

Ever since Todd Bowles has been the head coach, the Bucs have always won the NFC South at the last second. Even when they have an amazing record to start the season, they always stall out in the middle of the year and then turn it on in the final few weeks. They have nobody else to blame but themselves for being in this exact position and if they didn’t choke to Atlanta on Thursday Night Football, one more win might have given them the division for good. Instead, their defense is absolutely horrific and the offensive production is starting to take a dip. This is not what you want when you have to go on the road and play the team that is hoping to knock you out of the playoffs. Carolina might not have a great defense, but they are a hell of a lot better than they were last  year and it’s the type of group that can ruffle a couple of feathers. Just ask the Falcons how it worked for them last week.

The Panthers don’t get a slap on the wrist either because they have been an incredibly frustrating team all year. Any time you think they will win, they lose. When you don’t think they have a shot, they surprise everybody and pull off an upset. One week, they are capable of beating the Rams of all teams, only to blow a 10 point lead to the Saints afterwards! It’s like no matter what you think will happen, Carolina does the exact opposite. Right now, they have to stop playing around. These are going to be the biggest three games of their lives and if they can’t find a way to beat Tampa at home, then you can most likely kiss their playoff hopes goodbye because the Bucs get to play Miami the following week while the Panthers have to take on the Seahawks. 

FINAL LOCK: Bryce Young has yet to beat the Buccaneers in his career but this is the best chance he will have to get his first win. Tampa’s defense allows the third most passing yards in the league, but are strong against the run, so this has to be a game where Young is the best player on the field. The Bucs should have the better football team, but they have been absolutely awful since the bye week and if they miss the playoffs, Todd Bowles can kiss his job goodbye.

FINAL SCORE: CAR 26-23

THE 4:05/4:25 WINDOW:

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (10-4) vs. DENVER BRONCOS (12-2)

I really wish this was America’s Game of the Week in the late afternoon window because there are a ton of playoff implications at stake. The Broncos can clinch the AFC West with a win plus a Chargers loss. If the Patriots and Bills lose as well, then the number one seed is firmly in their control. However, the Jaguars need a win plus a Texans or Colts loss to clinch a playoff berth and have an upper leg in the AFC South. Both teams are on impressive winning streaks but one of them will end on Sunday.

Ever since their loss to the Texans last month, Jacksonville has been absolutely amazing in their last five games. However, this will be their first test in a long time as they have to go to Mile High and play a Broncos team that has won 11 straight. The biggest reason why is because of their star-studded defense. They lead the league in sacks, they’re third in points allowed, second against the run and 11th against the pass. Trevor Lawrence needs to have a big game on Sunday afternoon for the Jaguars to win because if they lose this game, then Houston is going to sneak up from behind and steal the AFC South for the third straight year. 

Normally, I would say that Bo Nix is going to be the biggest X factor for the Broncos but we all know he will do what it takes to win on Sunday. Just last week, he threw four touchdown passes against a really strong Packers defense. All he has to do this week is not turn the ball over because the Jaguars are second in takeaways. However, they only have 28 sacks and they give up a lot of yards through the air, so there’s no excuse for Nix to not have a strong afternoon. Then again, I said the same thing about Justin Herbert and it didn’t work out so well. If Nix can pick up where they left off, then Denver can continue their win streak. They just cannot play over their heads the way they tried to near the end of the game last Sunday.

FINAL LOCK: It doesn’t look like the Broncos are going to lose another game any time soon and I feel like that will continue at home. I have more faith in their defense, but most importantly, I believe Bo Nix is going to have a better afternoon than Trevor Lawrence. This game is going to be decided by which team will better handle the trenches and it’s hard for me to think that Jacksonville will be more dominant than Denver in that regard.

FINAL SCORE: DEN 24-17

ATLANTA FALCONS (5-9) vs. ARIZONA CARDINALS (3-11)

Casual fans are not going to care about what happens in this game because neither team will make the playoffs, but I’m one of the only few that is excited to see how things will play out. Both teams are in despair, yet they are desperate to end the season strong to prevent any drastic changes, so we might get an interesting grudge match that will come down to the wire.

I don’t know what it is with Kirk Cousins absolutely balling out against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but he succeeded his role as the spoiler by overcoming a 15 point deficit on Thursday Night Football to put their playoff hopes in jeopardy. It might not have been as good as what he did in 2015 to that same team, but it was still a solid win nonetheless. Entering this game, I expect this Falcons offense to pick up exactly where they left off. Drake London was back in practice after missing the last four games to a knee injury so if they can get their best receiver back, the rest of this offense can open up. More importantly, if they don’t commit as many penalties as they did the previous week, Atlanta might not have to rely on another late comeback to win this time.

At this point, there’s not a lot of hope left for the Arizona Cardinals. Since Jacoby Brissett has been the starting quarterback, they started out scrappy and lost a few close games that were certainly winnable, but they’ve been blown out four times in the last six weeks and the only positives were that they put up a lot of yards in garbage time. Once again, I’m scared Brissett is not going to have a clean pocket because the Falcons are second in sacks, while he has been taken down 31 times in nine games played. There’s no question he will have a lot of passing yards because Trey McBride is a stud and Michael Wilson can be a number one option in the right situation, but any time they turn the ball over, the game gets completely out of hand. It will take a near-flawless performance for Arizona to win and while it might not mean much in the grand scheme of things, another victory could at least give the team some of their dignity back.

FINAL LOCK: If the Falcons can beat the Bucs, they should absolutely beat the Cardinals. I don’t know why there’s a thought telling me to pick Arizona to pull off the upset and I’m honestly tempted to do that, but I will give Atlanta the benefit of the doubt and say they are slightly stronger on both sides of the ball.

FINAL SCORE: ATL 27-24

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (2-12) vs. HOUSTON TEXANS (9-5)

I never thought there would be a team in the league worse than the Tennessee Titans this year, but the Raiders have officially taken the mantle. The fact that the Giants are the ones with the number one overall pick is mind boggling, yet something tells me that the scales will tip in the next few weeks. Let’s not try to dance around this game: it’s a horrible mismatch.

The Texans offense finally looked like the promising group I thought they would be after CJ Stroud’s rookie season after scoring 40 points against the Arizona Cardinals. I expect them to have another strong afternoon at home against a Raiders team that just looks absolutely lifeless on both sides of the ball. Stroud doesn’t even have to do too much to win this game, but as long as he doesn’t turn it over, it should be the bare minimum to win by double digits because we know this defense is not going to make this a fair fight.

I truly thought the Raiders would pull off an upset against a fraudulent playoff contender. I was grossly mistaken. Their offense was absolutely trash and the defense just flat out quit against the Philadelphia Eagles last Sunday. Now they get to go on the road and take on the best defense in football! Enjoy getting blown out by 30 points again. I don’t even care that Geno Smith is coming back. They are horrible at running the ball, their only good receiver is Brock Bowers and the offensive line is a garbage heap. The fact that Mark Davis is still counting on Pete Carroll and Smith to finish out the season together is absolutely damning. Keep in mind that Tom Brady actually invested in an archaic franchise that has no vision for success whatsoever. It’s like Michael Jordan in Charlotte all over again.

FINAL LOCK: Yeah this is not going to be close at all. The Texans might not need another win to clinch a playoff berth, but they are in position to win their third straight AFC South title and will put Jacksonville on their heels if they get their sixth consecutive victory. They better take care of business because if this turns into a close game, then there are legitimate reasons to be concerned in the final two weeks of the year.

FINAL SCORE: HOU 38-6

PITTSBURGH STEELERS (8-6) vs. DETROIT LIONS (8-6)

Both teams have a lot on the line entering Sunday afternoon. For the Steelers, another win would not only keep them in first place in the AFC North ahead of the Ravens, but it would ensure Mike Tomlin has a winning season for the 19th straight year. However, the Lions cannot afford to lose another game or else they can kiss their playoff hopes goodbye. The Bears and Packers are ahead of them in the division and the final Wild Card spot is awarded to the 49ers because the NFC West is incredibly stacked as well. Only one of them is going to have their wishes come true.

The Lions have won 15 consecutive games after a loss and they’re trying to make it a 16th at home. Last week, they were in perfect position to play spoiler against the Rams with a seven point lead at halftime. Unfortunately, their offense fell into quicksand and the defense struggled to force a stop when it mattered most. At this point in the season, there is no more “room for improvement.” It’s going to take all hands on deck for them to win this game and it is not going to be easy. For Detroit’s offense, they need to have a better afternoon running the football. Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery were held in check by LA last week and I think Dan Campbell will implement a “ground and pound” gameplan to get the win this time. Any time that the Lions have lost a game this year, they always resort to that strategy and it usually pays off. Pittsburgh’s defense hasn’t been great against the run all season long, so my guess is that Detroit’s offense will look incredibly balanced on Sunday afternoon.

However, Aaron Rodgers has had plenty of positive moments in Ford Field throughout his entire career and based on how the Steelers offense has performed in the last couple of weeks, he might be set up for another strong afternoon. More importantly, the Lions defense has started to regress towards the second half of the season. They give up the ninth most passing yards and tenth most points, so there is no excuse for Rodgers to stumble into an ugly defeat. I believe Pittsburgh is perfectly capable of stealing a game on the road, but they need to make sure their quarterback has the ball in his hands in the final minutes for that vision to become reality.

FINAL LOCK: The most intriguing statistic of this matchup is that both the Steelers and Lions are two of the top five teams in turnover differential. Pittsburgh is a +10, but Detroit is not far behind at +9. Not only will this come down to which quarterback will show up in the clutch, but which defense can get that momentum swinging stop or takeaway. Because the Lions are at home and they respond well after a loss, I have to pick with them for the time being, but this is going to be a great game to watch.

FINAL SCORE: DET 30-28