New York Giants (6-3) @ Cincinnati Bengals (3-5)
The New York Giants have slowed down in recent weeks and look like a team in need of the bye week. I've no doubt that the Giants are a better team than the Bengals but I think the timing of this game could suit the Bengals. New York's offense has been poor in the last few games and they face a few tough match ups in this game. They aren't great in pass defense, ranking 26th in the league. The last thing they want to see ,when they are struggling, is AJ Green. I think he can hurt the Giants and make this game interesting. Eli Manning has struggled in recent weeks. In the last three games, he has thrown one touchdown and four interceptions. That's nowhere near good enough. I am well aware he is capable of better and I expect we will see the best of Eli Manning after the bye week.
Prediction - AJ Green to rip up the Giants defense and end the Bengals losing streak.
Tennessee Titans (3-6) @ Miami Dolphins (4-4)
The Titans travel to Miami, hoping to bounce back after a humiliating defeat to the Chicago Bears. The Dolphins will be hoping to do a bit of bouncing back themselves, after losing to the Colts. The Dolphins still have a chance of reaching the playoffs and no disrespect to the Titans, but the Dolphins need to win these games, if they want to reach the post season. The Dolphins will need a big game from Reggie Bush. He hasn't been great in recent weeks but up against the 30th ranked pass defense in the league, I'd expect him to do well. Chris Johnson has improved in recent weeks and he will be met with another difficult task, when he goes up against the 3rd ranked run defense in the NFL. The Titans should also have Jake Locker back from injury, although I don't know how much of a boost that is, considering Matt Hasselbeck was under center for two of their three victories.
Prediction - The Dolphins need the win and I think they will get it.
Detroit Lions (4-4) @ Minnesota Vikings (5-4)
At the start of the season, I'd have predicted a Lions win in this one. A few weeks ago, I'd have been predicting a Vikings win. Now, I'm not sure. The Lions seem to be on an upward curve, while the Vikings have started to struggle in recent weeks. The match ups look quite tight and it should result in a tough game. The Lions are a pass heavy offense and lead the NFL in passing but the Vikings are 9th in pass defense, so the Lions won't have it all their own way. The Vikings strength is their running game and particularly, Adrian Peterson. They rank 5th in the NFL and the Lions run defense is 14th. With the Bears and Packers doing so well, this becomes a must win game for both sides.
Prediction - I like the Vikings in this one and think they will extend their home record to 5-1.
Buffalo Bills (3-5) @ New England Patriots (5-3)
It's hard to forget what happened earlier in the season when these two met in Buffalo. The Bills got into a lead and then the Pats blew them away with an explosive second half. From looking at this game, I think the Pats will have a lot of success on the ground. The Pats are 4th in rushing and the Bills are 31st in run defense. Stevan Ridley has had a good season so far and this looks like a great opportunity for him to add to his already impressive numbers. If the Pats can't win it on the ground, they also have the tools to win it in the air. They are 5th in passing and the Bills are 24th in pass defense. Both sides have long injury lists and there are a lot of potentially big fantasy players who could miss the game. Ultimately, I can't see how the Bills can win this one but the way this season has played out, a shock is always a possibility.
Prediction - No shock here, the Pats will win this one comfortably.
Atlanta Falcons (8-0) @ New Orleans Saints (3-5)
I am really looking forward to this one. These are two of the most explosive offenses in the league. The Saints are pass heavy and rank 2nd in the league. They will score points against anybody but the issue is the defense. They are giving up 472 yards per game and against a team with as many options as the Atlanta Falcons, they are going to struggle. The Falcons are 7th in passing and although they are 25th in rushing, it is more because of how good their passing is. Matt Ryan has completed 68.9% of his passes and is third in the league in that category. He has three, great targets and for the most part has done a good job in finding them. This game looks like being a high scoring affair and could come down to one mistake or who has the ball when time expires.
Prediction - I am going to side with the Saints to end Atlanta's perfect run.
San Diego Chargers (4-4) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-4)
This looks like being a tight game between two evenly matched teams. Both sides have good run defenses. The Chargers are 4th in run defense and the Bucs are 1st. Doug Martin had a career day for the Bucs last week but the Chargers are considerably better than the Raiders in run defense and he won't have it as easy this week. In my opinion this game comes down to a battle between Josh Freeman and Philip Rivers. Both quarterbacks are similar in the fact they have struggled with inconsistency throughout their careers. At present, Josh Freeman looks like the man in better form and he has improved hugely as the season has gone on. In the first four games he threw for 790 yards, 5 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. In the last four, he has thrown for 1257 yards, 11 touchdowns and 1 interception. In those last four games he has been as good as any quarterback in the NFL and only time will tell if he can keep it up.
Prediction - I'm going with Josh Freeman to lead the Bucs to 5-4.
Denver Broncos (5-3) @ Carolina Panthers (2-6)
I don't think many people would argue when I say, Peyton Manning is back. He is the most accurate quarterback, has the best quarterback rating, he's third in touchdown passes. In most categories, Peyton Manning is near the top and as it stands, he is right in the MVP conversation. The Panthers got a win last week in Washington and they had their running game to think. I expected big things from the Panthers runners this year but they have been disappointing. They got it right last week though so we can make a better judgement after we see how they perform this week. The difference in this game is likely to be the match up of the Broncos passing, against the Panthers pass defense. The Broncos are 4th in passing and the Panthers are 12th in pass defense. Peyton Manning is more than capable of picking apart the best defenses and shouldn't have much trouble against a middle ranking pass defense.
Prediction - Peyton to get it done and lead the Broncos to 6-3.
Oakland Raiders (3-5) @ Baltimore Ravens (6-2)
Oakland head to Baltimore with a long list of injuries and it makes a difficult task, an almost impossible one. Having said that, the Ravens will most likely do everything they can to make sure it's a tight game, as they have a habit of making things difficult for themselves. The Raiders need to put the ball in Carson Palmer's hands and let him throw the ball. The Ravens are 22nd in pass defense and the Raiders are 4th in passing so that is a favourable match up for Oakland. The Ravens are poor in run defense too, ranking 28th but with Darren McFadden out, it's hard to see the Raiders make an impact on the ground. The Ravens offense will most likely concentrate on passing and give Ray Rice the least amount of carries they can get away with. Rice isn't seeing a lot of the ball but ranks 11th in rushing yards. Of the ten players above him, only Frank Gore has had less carries. I suspect John Harbaugh has a plan but they definitely aren't using him as well as they could be.
Prediction - The match ups suggest a tight game but Oakland's injury list suggests a Ravens win.
New York Jets (3-5) @ Seattle Seahawks (5-4)
The Jets are having a bad year and a trip to Seattle to face the Seahawks who are 4-0 at home isn't what they need right now. I can't believe Mark Sanchez is still the starting quarterback for the Jets. His 52.9% completion rate is embarrassing and the worst in the NFL among starting quarterbacks. Tebow isn't the most accurate, but he's better than Sanchez. The Seahawks have quarterback issues of their own and I'm not totally convinced by Russell Wilson but the Seahawks have a game plan and he is used to manage the game and with the team at 5-4, it's obviously working. In this game, both sides struggle at passing the ball and both have good pass defenses so it should come down to whoever runs the ball better. The Seahawks are 7th in rushing and the Jets are 29th in run defense. The Jets are 14th in rushing and the Seahawks are 11th in run defense. It would suggest that there will only be one winner.
Prediction - The Seahawks perfect run at home to continue with a win.
Dallas Cowboys (3-5) @ Philadelphia Eagles (3-5)
Both of these sides are 3-5 and in my opinion it's not a fair reflection on either team. The Eagles are 3-5 but they could and probably should have lost in all three of their wins. 3-5 is very generous for them and they look like a very bad team and I would be very surprised if they are better than 5-11 at the end of the year. The Cowboys are a better team than their record suggests. They have played a few good teams and ran them close but came out with defeats. The Eagles are a team the Cowboys can and should beat. Both sides are prone to turnovers though and ultimately it could come down to who makes the fewest mistakes. The Cowboys strength is passing the ball and they will put the ball in Tony Romo's hands. The Eagles strength is LeSean McCoy so I fully expect to see Mike Vick throw the ball at least 40 times.
Prediction - I can't pick the Eagles on current form, Cowboys win.
St Louis Rams (3-5) @ San Francisco 49ers (6-2)
A big clash in the NFC West and a game the Rams have to win if they want to push for the playoffs. They 49ers need the win too as the Seahawks are hot on their tails. The 49ers look to be the best team in the NFC West but we have saw flashes from the other three to suggest they all have their good points too. The 49ers lead the league in rushing but Alex Smith is also doing a good job at quarterback of controlling the clock. Once the offense scores, the defense takes over and this 49ers defense don't give much away. They are giving up just 271 yards a game and there is six teams in the league who are giving up more than that in passing alone. The Rams will struggle to score against this 49ers team and their best chance is, if their defense can stop the 49ers and make it a low scoring game.
Prediction - The 49ers will be too strong and will take the win.
Houston Texans (7-1) @ Chicago Bears (7-1)
This looks like being an absolute cracker between two very good sides and is maybe even a preview of the Superbowl. I think the Texans are a better team than the Bears but the Bears defense are capable of winning games on their own. The Texans are giving up 286 yards per game. The Bears are giving up 319 yards but forcing turnovers is their main strength. They have forced 28 turnovers this season, compared to the Texans 14. 28 turnovers in 8 games is a remarkable number and the Texans will have to worry, first and foremost, about protecting the ball before they do anything else. The Texans are better in every department but home advantage and the Bears ability to get something from nothing, makes this a very intriguing match up.
Prediction - I believe the Texans would win in a Superbowl but they have a few injuries and I think the Bears win this one.
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