NFL 2015 Week 16 Predictions, Xmas Edition

Another good week. I lost the Thursday and Monday night games, and in between those two bookends I went 12-2. Merry Xmas to me.

 

The bad news is, it’s now mathematically impossible for me to beat my winning percentage last year, as the four losses means I eclipsed last year’s loss total for the year. Oh well. We’ll get ‘em next year.

 

This week’s picks:

 

Oakland 26, San Diego 13 – Most important part of this matchup: these two future stadium roommates hash out their locker room arrangements when they both move to Los Angeles.

 

Philadelphia 27, Washington 24 – A Redskin victory would clinch the high-school-melodramatic NFC East for Washington with a week to spare. So of course the Eagles will win.

 

Carolina 10, Atlanta 3 – Still not convinced Carolina is an undefeated-caliber team. Meanwhile I’m like 1-13 picking Falcons games this year. So of course Atlanta will win.

 

Pittsburgh 23, Baltimore 20 – THE BAD NEWS: Ryan Mallett expected to start at QB for the Ravens. THE GOOD NEWS: the game’s in Baltimore, so they don’t have to worry about him missing the team flight.

 

Buffalo 14, Dallas 3 – The only two teams to meet in back-to-back Super Bowls, except this year Troy Aikman and Jim Kelly aren’t walking through that door.

 

Detroit 20, San Francisco 6 – Hard to believe 49ers looked really good on Opening Night against a team that’s virtually a playoff lock.

 

Kansas City 41, Cleveland 34 – Memo to Johnny Manziel: when Terry Bradshaw’s tooling on you, it’s kinda sad.

 

Miami 20, Indianapolis 13 – Winning head coach keeps game film for his resume.

 

New England 17, N.Y. Jets 16 – Two weeks ago Jets were 8-5 and (if the season had ended then) would’ve been in the playoffs. They could conceivably win out and, because of crazy tiebreaker rules, finish 11-5 and not make the playoffs. This is the kind of thing that would only happen to the Jets.

 

Chicago 31, Tampa Bay 10 – Nobody cares.

 

Houston 27, Tennessee 24 – Ladies and gentlemen, your AFC South champion Houston Texans….

 

New Orleans 20, Jacksonville 19 – Twelve years ago this week Saints, trailing 20-13, scored on a play involving like 12 laterals as time expired – and then missed the extra point to lose. It’ been that kind of season for the Saints.

 

Arizona 26, Green Bay 17 – I’m surprised NBC isn’t flexing this game to Sunday night.

 

Seattle 30, St. Louis 10 – At least the Rams won’t be jet-lagged in Seattle anymore after they move to Los Angeles.

 

Minnesota 34, N.Y. Giants 17 – THIS WEEK’S NFL SUSPENSIONS: Odell Beckham Jr., 1 game for head-butting Josh Norman; Tom Coughlin, 2 games for coaching with his head up his ass in the final 1:45 of every 2015 Giants’ loss.

 

Denver 37, Cincinnati 28 – Last year this game was also on Week 16 Monday night and a Cincinnati win clinched home field throughout the playoffs for New England. Hopefully Patriots will home-field wrapped up by Sunday at 4.

 

 

LAST WEEK: 12-4

 

2015 TO DATE: 137-87

 

2014 AFTER WEEK 14: 151-73