THE LATEST THINKING
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Santa Comes In Second
Posted on December 17, 2019 13:12
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Few NFL fans will be Christmas shopping this Saturday or Sunday, because the NFL playoff picture is complicated enough to have millions parked in front of their TVs for most of the weekend.
The holiday NFL fireworks start on Saturday (and ratings should be through the roof). I am going with the Buccaneers Saturday to scramble the AFC South race. If the Bucs win, then the Week 17 meeting of the Titans and Texans could decide the division winner in the AFC South.
The Titans would need to win out in order to make the playoffs, and that means they must pull of a road win in New Orleans. Absolutely nothing is certain in that division, but I think the Saints will knock out the Titans Sunday, regardless of who wins on Saturday.
Also on Saturday, the Patriots and Bills will likely decide the AFC East title. The Bills already own at least a wild card spot, and the Steelers are very likely to get the other one.
The Ravens and Forty Niners have the simplest playoff pictures. The Ravens need to win just one game, because they hold a tiebreaker over the Patriots for seeding.
The Niners have the simplest path to the number one seed in the NFC (but not the easiest): win both games against their tough division rivals. The Niners host the Rams Saturday, and then the Seahawks and Niners clash in Week 17 (December 29) in Seattle. I will likely go with the Niners to win both games (barring injuries).
Even if the Saints win out (and I think they will), remember that the Niners hold the tiebreaker for seeding. But if the Rams or Seahawks were to prevail, remember that the Saints hold a tiebreaker over the Seahawks.
The Vikings still have a chance to overtake the Packers in the NFC North, and those two teams meet this Monday night in Minnesota. My bet is on the Vikings in yet another match that will affect seeding in the NFC.
Meanwhile, while the Eagles host the Cowboys Sunday, likely deciding the NFC East.
The AFC West is already won by the Chiefs, whose seeding will depend heavily on wins and losses by other AFC teams, especially that match between the Patriots and Bills.
Although I did not foresee that Falcons upset of the Forty Niners Sunday, my picks last weekend went 12-4. Here are the weekend's matches and my picks:
Visitor Home My Pick
1. Texans Buccaneers Buccaneers
2. Bills Patriots Patriots
3. Rams 49ers 49ers
4. Steelers Jets Jets
5. Saints Titans Saints
6. Panthers Colts Colts
7. Bengals Dolphins Dolphins
8. Ravens Browns Ravens
9. Jaguars Falcons Falcons
10. Giants Redskins Redskins
11. Lions Broncos Broncos
12. Raiders Chargers Chargers
13. Cardinals Seahawks Seahawks
14. Cowboys Eagles Cowboys
15. Chiefs Bears Chiefs
16. Packers Vikings Vikings
So, dear fan, it would behoove you to make your list, check it twice, and do your holiday shopping on Friday. Saturday, Sunday and Monday night should all be spent huddling with beer (and/or eggnog) in front of the TV — or in a sports bar. PS: don't forget the antacids!
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