NFL Week 16 - Preview and Predictions

New Orleans Saints (6-8) @ Dallas Cowboys (8-6)

The Saints and Cowboys go head to head in Dallas in what could be a big game in the NFC's playoff race.  The Saints are technically still alive although there is too long a list of things they need to go their way for their playoff chances to be seriously considered.  The Cowboys on the other hand, have a very good chance of a playoff spot.  They are part of a three way tie at the top of the NFC East, so they may even win the division.  As things stand they are outside the playoffs but two wins would most likely be good enough to see them into the playoffs.  Both sides will look to throw the ball on offense.  The Saints are 2nd in passing and the Cowboys are 4th.  The Cowboys are better in pass defense, ranking 14th compared to the Saints who are 31st.  Ultimately the game will be won by whichever quarterback does a better job of taking care of the football.  Tony Romo has 22 touchdown passes and 16 interceptions.  Drew Brees has 36 touchdowns and 18 interceptions.

Prediction - I can't side with Tony Romo against Drew Brees and think the Saints will win this one.


Tennessee Titans (5-9) @ Green Bay Packers (10-4)
This game won't have a huge impact on the season other than deciding what seed the Packers have in the NFC playoffs.  The Packers are just behind the San Francisco 49ers in the race for the number two seed.  The 49ers face a tough trip to Seattle this week and if they slip up, I expect the Packers to pounce and secure the first round bye.  The Titans have had a poor year and I expect we will see changes in the franchise before too long.  Green Bay had a bad start but they have come good and have won eight of their last nine games.  They clinched the division last week and they should be too strong for the Titans this week.  Green Bay will try to pass the ball and if the offensive line holds up, Aaron Rodgers can beat any team in the NFL.  The Packers offensive line has been the weakness all year and Rodgers has been sacked 45 times, which is more than any other NFL quarterback.  Chris Johnson has had a good year after a slow start and is now averaging 4.8 yards per carry.  If Johnson can get the running game going, he can trouble the Packers.

Prediction - The Packers should have enough to win this one.   


Indianapolis Colts (9-5) @ Kansas City Chiefs (2-12)       
The Colts can clinch a wildcard place with a win in Kansas City over the struggling Chiefs.  Kansas have had a bad season and are currently in position for the number one draft pick in 2013.  The number one pick will be between the Chiefs and the Jaguars who are both 2-12 at present.  The Chiefs strength of schedule is currently weaker and they will therefore get the first pick but it is very close and subject to change.  The Colts have got this far thanks to rookie quarterback, Andrew Luck, who has linked up very well with Reggie Wayne.  The Colts are 8th in passing but will need to be at their best as the Chiefs are good against the pass and rank 7th.  The Chiefs will look to win the game on the ground.  They rank 7th in rushing and should be able to get some joy against the Colts who are 23rd against the run. 

Prediction - The match ups in this one suit the Chiefs but I would think they are at the stage of the year were they want the number one pick.  If the Chiefs put 100% into this one they can win it but I expect they will be half hearted and the Colts will win.


Buffalo Bills (5-9) @ Miami Dolphins (6-8)
The Bills and Dolphins look to be battling it out with the New York Jets for the positions in the AFC East behind the New England Patriots.  The Dolphins still have an outside chance of the playoffs but it is a very long shot and I can't see it happening.  Miami have struggled with inconsistency this year.  They have had some big wins over good teams like the Seahawks and the Bengals.  The trouble is the defeats to the likes of the Jets, the Bills and the Titans.  A bit more consistency and the Dolphins could have been in the playoff mix.  Both sides will look to win the game on the ground.  The Bills are 6th in rushing and the Dolphins are 16th.  The Dolphins are better in defending the run and rank 8th.  The Bills have struggled against the run and rank 30th in the NFL.

Prediction - Miami should win this one. 


San Diego Chargers (5-9) @ New York Jets (6-8)
This game is a dead rubber between two teams who will have had high hopes at the start of the season but they have underachieved.  The Chargers are a bad team and they have not beat anyone with a winning record.  The best win they have had came against the Steelers who are 7-7 for the season.  The Jets have also had a bad year.  I've made no secret of the fact that I don't think Mark Sanchez is a good quarterback.  He has had a terrible season and Rex Ryan has finally decided to bench him.  However, he still hasn't got it right and for some reason he has decided to overlook Tim Tebow and pick Greg McElroy at quarterback.  I can't understand why Tebow is being treated this way.  He's not the conventional NFL quarterback but he could do a job for the Jets.  From what I can see, it appears that Rex Ryan has wasted draft picks on him as he hasn't used him and the media are reporting that he will be released at the end of the year. 

Prediction - This is a tough one to call but I'll side with the Chargers to win this one.


Washington Redskins (8-6) @ Philadelphia Eagles (4-10)
The Redskins need to win this one to keep their place at the top of the NFC East.  They should be boosted by the return of Robert Griffin III at quarterback.  He is listed as probable but the Redskins are saying that there is a very good chance he will play.  The Eagles have had a horrible year.  I am looking forward to this game though to see what way the Eagles line up.  Most of the players who have missed out in recent weeks are fit again so I am very interested in seeing how much action LeSean McCoy will see.  The Eagles have already made it clear that Michael Vick is third on the depth chart behind Nick Foles and Trent Edwards.  I think this will be Andy Reid's last game in charge of the Eagles in Philadelphia and I would like to see him receive a positive reception but I do hope that it isn't misinterpreted as a show of support for him getting another year.  As an Eagles fan, we have two games left and if I'm totally honest I wouldn't mind losing this one and winning next week to knock the Giants out of the playoffs.  Not all Eagles fans will agree but in my time following the NFL, the Redskins have had a bad side so I don't feel the same level of rivalry with them as I do wit the Giants and Cowboys. 

Prediction - If RG3 plays he'll have a big day and the Redskins will win.


Cincinnati Bengals (8-6) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (7-7)
This game is technically a playoff game as it is do or die time for both sides.  If the Bengals win, they are in the playoffs.  If the Steelers win this one, they will need to beat the Cleveland Browns next week to secure a playoff place.  The Steelers have been on a bad run and have won just one of their last five games.  The Bengals are in much better form and have won five of their last six games.  This will be the best game to watch in the early games and it should be a cracker.  The Steelers will be looking to pass the ball as they are 10th in passing and 26th in rushing.  The Bengals defense are 12th in pass defense and 9th against the run so they should be able to match the Steelers offense.  The Bengals have quite a balanced offense, ranking 17th in passing and 11th in rushing.  The Steelers have a good defense, ranking 1st against the pass and 4th against the run.  It looks like the game will be quite low scoring and in my opinion will come down to one play.  It could be a vital interception, a missed tackle etc.  The game is on a knife edge and every play could be the difference in winning and losing.

Prediction - They don't come any tighter than this.  My heart says Cincinnati but my head says Pittsburgh.  I'm going with my heart and will be rooting for the Bengals.


St Louis Rams (6-7-1) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-8)
These two face off in a game that won't effect playoff places.  The Rams are still alive but there are too many teams ahead of them in the race for a wildcard.  At one stage the Bucs looked likely to reach the playoffs but four straight defeats has killed off their playoff hopes.  Both of these franchises are stuck in the middle of the league in the bracket were they aren't quite good enough for the playoffs but they are too good to be getting an early draft pick.  There is potential in both franchises though and I have no doubt they will both be looking forward to next season with high ambitions. 

Prediction - The Bucs will officially end the Rams playoff hopes with a win.


Oakland Raiders (4-10) @ Carolina Panthers (5-9)
I would imagine the only people who care about this game are people in Fantasy leagues.  Neither side got close to the playoffs and both will have relatively early picks in the draft.  Oakland have gone backwards this year after consecutive 8-8 finishes.  The franchise has been giving away draft picks in recent years but they will have their first rounder this year so I am quite interested in seeing what they do with it.  I wouldn't be surprised if they decided to trade down to try and get a few extra picks.  The Panthers have been disappointing.  I expected more from them as they have some good talent on offense but it took them a while to click.  They have won three of their last four games and oddly the defeat came against the 2-12, Kansas City Chiefs. 

Prediction - The Panthers should have too much for the Raiders.


New England Patriots (10-4) @ Jacksonville Jaguars (2-12)
The Patriots travel to Jacksonville in the penultimate game of the regular season, needing a win to keep themselves in contention for a bye in the first round of the playoffs.  It doesn't look good for the Patriots as the Broncos and Texans have favourable schedules to get the job done but two wins from the Pats would at least put the pressure on them.  Jacksonville have had another bad year and are only playing for a draft pick now.  As things stand they would pick second as the Chiefs have had an easier schedule but it is tight and still subject to change.  The match ups are all favourable for New England and the only place Jacksonville could get some joy is against their pass defense.  Having said that I can't see the Jaguars passing game being good enough to trouble the Pats.  The Pats offense could win this one in the air or on the ground.  They are 3rd in passing and 8th in rushing.  The Jags defense are 24th against the pass and 32nd against the run so it's hard to see how they will stop New England.

Prediction - The Patriots should be too good.


Minnesota Vikings (8-6) @ Houston Texans (12-2)
On paper this looks like another very good game.  The Vikings need the win to keep their playoff hopes alive.  It doesn't get much tougher than going to Houston to face the Texans who need the win to secure the top seed in the AFC.  The Texans are very good on the ground and rank 5th in the NFL.  As good as the Texans running game is, they aren't as good as the Vikings who have been led by Adrian Peterson.  Peterson has a chance of breaking the single season rushing yards record.  He needs 294 yards in his last two games to break the record but he won't get it easy as the Texans are 5th against the run.  We have already saw Calvin Johnson break the receiving yards record but for me, this record would be more impressive.  The league has moved more towards a passing league which accommodates receivers but there has never been a tougher time to run the ball than now.  Defenses are bigger, stronger and faster than they ever were but this hasn't stopped Peterson and he has took it in his stride and I for one would love to see him break the record. 

Prediction - Peterson to get less than 100 yards and the Texans to win easily. 


Cleveland Browns (5-9) @ Denver Broncos (11-3)
The Browns travel to Denver to take on Peyton Manning's Broncos in their penultimate game of the season.  It has been another mixed year for the Browns.  They are 5-9 and won't be in the playoffs but there has been some positives.  They picked up good wins against divisional rivals, the Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers.  Rookie running-back, Trent Richardson has also had a good year.  He needs just 103 yards to get 1000 yards in his rookie season and he has 11 touchdowns which is a good return.  The Broncos have built on last year's divisional win and with Peyton Manning at quarterback, the franchise has gone from strength to strength.  If they win their last two games they will get a bye in the first round of the playoffs and will host a game in the divisional round of the playoffs. 

Prediction - The Broncos should have too much on offense for the Browns and will go a step closer to that playoff bye.


Chicago Bears (8-6) @ Arizona Cardinals (5-9)
These two both started well but have since suffered huge collapses.  The Cardinals were 4-0 but lost nine in a row before beating the Detroit Lions last week.  The Bears were 7-1 but have lost five of their last six to drop to 8-6 and as things stand they are outside the wildcard spots.  The Bears have a lot of talent but they have been very poor recently and they need a quick turnaround or they will miss the playoffs which seems remarkable after such a good start.  The Bears will aim to run the ball with Matt Forte and Michael Bush sharing the load.  The Cardinals are very poor against the run so the Bears should be able to have some success in that area.  The Bears will also be hoping that receiver, Brandon Marshall is fit to play.  He has been struggling with a hamstring injury but they will need to be at full strength in what is a must win game.

Prediction - The Bears will win this one.


New York Giants (8-6) @ Baltimore Ravens (9-5)

Just like the Bears and Cardinals game, this game is also between two teams who have suffered a collapse in form.  The Giants were cruising towards another NFC East title at 6-2 but they have gone 2-4 in their last six and the Redskins and the Cowboys have put together winning runs to reach 8-6.  The Giants are currently outside the playoff places and this game is must win for them.  The Ravens have hit their own slump and have lost their last three in a row.  Luckily for them, they had already done enough to guarantee a playoff spot but they are now in serious danger of losing the divisional title and therefore having to start their playoff campaign on the road.  I've made no secret of the fact I don't really fancy this Ravens team and think they are not using Ray Rice to his full potential.  If they give Rice 20-25 carries a game, he could win them games but it's almost as if Coach Harbaugh is scared to play him and wants to keep him under wraps for the playoffs. 

Prediction - It all depends on Harbaugh, if he gives Rice the ball, he will put up big numbers and win the game.  If not, Eli will throw the deep bomb and Victor Cruz will catch enough of them to win the game for the Giants.  I'm going with the latter and a Giants win.


San Francisco 49ers (10-3-1) @ Seattle Seahawks (9-5)
This game had the potential to be a cracker and it still might be but a little of the edge was taken out of it with the 49ers win in New England last week.  It now means that the 49ers can afford to lose this game and as long as they win next week at home to the Cardinals they will win the division.  Seattle have been one of the surprises of the season.  When they signed free agent quarterback, Matt Flynn from Green Bay, I didn't know what to expect.  He had done well in his few appearances in Green Bay but so had Kevin Kolb for Philadelphia and he is far from a good quarterback.  I didn't expect the rookie, Russell Wilson to step in and take the starting job and actually do a very good job of it.  Wilson has been very good and obviously time will tell how good he really is but he has certainly shown all the signs of being a top player.  San Francisco have their own issues at quarterback.  I still don't think they have done the right thing by benching Alex Smith in favour of Colin Kaepernick.  Smith isn't a great quarterback but he is a better fit than Kaepernick in the 49ers offense.  Kaepernick is a totally different style of player and he changes the identity of the team.  The 49ers were doing well with Smith and I don't think it was a good idea to change the team's identity midway through the season.

Prediction - I'm going with Russell Wilson and the Seahawks to get the win here. 

     

NFL Power Rankings - Week 16

1 (2) Denver Broncos (11-3) - The Denver Broncos have now won nine in a row to put themselves at 11-3 and as things stand in position for a first round bye in the playoffs.  Their last two games are at home to the Browns and the Chiefs so it looks likely that they will secure the number two seed in the AFC.  Peyton Manning has done great things in Denver and the team have come a long way since that 2-3 start when Manning was being written off as finished.  On Sunday, Peyton Manning threw for 204 yards and a touchdown.  Eric Decker led the receivers with 8 catches for 133 yards and a touchdown.  Knowshon Moreno had a good day on the ground, rushing for 118 yards and a touchdown.

2 (5) San Francisco 49ers (10-3-1) - The 49ers picked up a huge win in New England on Sunday night and in my opinion, that win will secure the NFC West title for them.  A defeat in Foxboro would have turned next weeks trip to Seattle into a must win game but the win gives them some wiggle room and I expect they will do enough to win the division.  They almost threw the game away in the fourth quarter, allowing a 21 point lead to slip away but they responded well with 10 quick points of their own to secure a massive victory.  Colin Kaepernick threw for 216 yards, 4 touchdowns and an interception.  Michael Crabtree caught 7 passes for 107 yards and 2 touchdowns.  Frank Gore ran for 83 yards.

3 (3) Houston Texans (12-2) - Houston sealed the AFC South title on Sunday with a victory over divisional rivals, the Indianapolis Colts.  With the division in the bag, the Texans know they will host a game in the playoffs but one more win would guarantee them the number one seed and home field advantage throughout the playoffs.  The Texans have had a few blips through the season but they were impressive on Sunday and their offense picked up 417 yards.  Matt Schaub threw for 261 yards and a touchdown.  Andre Johnson was the best receiver with 11 catches for 151 yards and a touchdown.  Arian Foster was also back on form and ran for 165 yards at 6.1 yards per carry.        

4 (4) Green Bay Packers (10-4) - Green Bay secured their second NFC North title in a row with a win over divisional rivals, the Chicago Bears.  Green Bay now have the luxury of knowing that they will host a playoff game but I would imagine they will continue to play hard and try to earn the first round bye.  A lot of people don't fancy this Green Bay team this year but I think they will be very tough to beat and right now, they'd be my pick to represent the NFC in the Superbowl.  Aaron Rodgers threw for 291 yards and 3 touchdowns.  The leading receiver was Randall Cobb who caught 6 passes for 115 yards.

5 (6) Atlanta Falcons (12-2) - Anyone else woke up and realised that the Falcons are 12-2 and pretty much everyone is still writing them off as also rans?  The NFC side of the playoffs is going through Atlanta and the Falcons are 7-0 at home.  Nobody is going to go to Atlanta and get it easy.  They have had a soft schedule but they are 4-0 against teams with winning records.  Why is nobody taking this team seriously?  They have a quarterback with over 4000 yards and two receivers with over 1000 receiving yards.  Things like that don't just happen by accident and I am slowly coming round to the fact that this Atlanta team, might just be the real deal.  Matt Ryan threw for 270 yards and 3 touchdowns.  Julio Jones had a good game, catching 6 passes for 74 yards and 2 touchdowns.  Michael Turner ran for 52 yards and a touchdown.

6 (1) New England Patriots (10-4) - The Patriots seven game winning streak came to an end on Sunday night when they lost in a thriller to the San Francisco 49ers.  The Pats looked well beat and were 31-10 down as the fourth quarter started but they fought back to 31-31 midway through the quarter.  The 49ers responded well though and scored ten points to seal the win.  The Patriots offense had 520 yards but they had four costly turnovers that swung the game in the 49ers favour.  Tom Brady threw for 443 yards, a touchdown and 2 interceptions.  Brandon Lloyd had a huge game, catching 10 passes for 190 yards.  Danny Woodhead led the running game, rushing for 61 yards and 2 touchdowns.

7 (10) Seattle Seahawks (9-5) - Seattle kept their playoff march going on Sunday with a dominant display over the Buffalo Bills in Toronto.  The Seahawks appear to have hit form at just the right time although they still have work to do to even secure a playoff place.  Next week they face the San Francisco 49ers in a big clash in the NFC West.  This game had the potential to be one of the games of the year but the 49ers win last week takes a little of the edge from it.  If the 49ers had lost to New England this game would have decided who wins the NFC West but as it is, the 49ers can afford to lose in Seattle and a win at home to the Cardinals would win the division.  I expect Seattle and San Francisco to both win their games in week 17 so this week is probably a bigger game for the Seahawks as 11-5 would guarantee a playoff but 10-6 could put them out of the wildcard places.  On Sunday, Russell Wilson had a fantastic game.  He threw for 205 yards and a touchdown but it was his running that gave the Bills the most problems.  He picked up 92 yards and 3 touchdowns from 9 carries and if he keeps that up he might just hijack the RG3/Andrew Luck battle for Rookie of the Year.  Marshawn Lynch also had a good day on the ground, running for 113 yards and a touchdown.

8 (7) Baltimore Ravens (9-5) - The Ravens have now lost three in a row after a defeat at home to the Denver Broncos.  I've made no secret of the fact that I don't really like this Baltimore team and at 9-2 I felt their record didn't reflect the team’s performances.  Baltimore are 9-5 now and although they are guaranteed a playoff place, they still haven't secured the divisional title.  They have two tough games remaining against the Giants and the Bengals so there is every chance they may have to rely on a wildcard.  Joe Flacco threw for 254 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception.  Dennis Pitta led the receivers with 7 catches for 125 yards and 2 touchdowns.

9 (9) Indianapolis Colts (9-5) - The Colts lost on Sunday to kill off their hopes of winning the AFC South but they are still in pole position to reach the playoffs as a wildcard.  They face a trip to Kansas City this week and a win would guarantee them a playoff place.  The Colts have been one of the surprise packages of the season and it has been a remarkable turnaround from being the worst team in the NFL last season.  Andrew Luck threw for 186 yards and 2 touchdowns.  TY Hilton was the leading receiver, catching 3 passes for 78 yards and a touchdown.  Vick Ballard had a good day on the ground, rushing for 105 yards.

10 (8) New York Giants (8-6) - The Giants must be the most inconsistent team in the NFL.  I've never saw a team who jump from a good performance to a bad performance and vice versa, as often as the New York Giants do.  Right now, they need to take a long hard look at themselves because they are no longer a playoff team.  As things stand, they are 8-6 but the Washington Redskins are leading the NFC East and the wildcard places belong to Seattle and Minnesota.  I have to be honest and say I did not expect this to happen but with their remaining games, a trip to Baltimore and home to Philadelphia, I genuinely don't think the Giants will make the playoffs.  Eli Manning threw for 161 yards and 2 interceptions.  Domenik Hixon caught 5 passes for 80 yards.  David Wilson led the rushers with 55 yards.

11 (12) Washington Redskins (8-6) - The Redskins have now won five in a row and this week they done it without RG3.  Kirk Cousins stepped into the void left by RG3 and there was no knock on effect.  The Redskins are now top of the NFC East with an 8-6 record and currently hold the tie breaker with the Cowboys and the Giants.  They have a huge chance of winning the division and if they win their last two against Philadelphia and Dallas they will be NFC East winners for the first time since 1999.  Cousins threw for 329 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception.  Alfred Morris led the running game, picking up 87 yards and 2 touchdowns.   

12 (13) Minnesota Vikings (8-6) - The Vikings picked up a good win in St Louis to keep their playoff hopes alive.  The Vikings are currently in the sixth seed in the NFC playoff race but it is very tight and one mistake could change everything.  If the Vikings make the playoffs, they will have to do it the hard way.  Their last two games are a trip to Houston and then they host the Packers in week 17.  The Texans and Packers have both secured their respective divisions but they do still need wins to secure first round byes in the playoffs so I can't see them doing the Vikings any favours.  The main man for the Vikings was once again running-back, Adrian Peterson.  He picked up another 212 yards and a touchdown, to take him just 294 yards short of Eric Dickerson's single season rushing record.  If anyone can do it, Peterson can but 294 yards is a big ask against Green Bay and Houston. 

13 (15) Dallas Cowboys (8-6) - Dallas kept themselves in the mix for a playoff spot with a hard earned win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.  Both sides needed the win to boost their playoff chances and it was Dallas who dug that little bit deeper to earn an overtime victory.  The Cowboys face the Saints at home this week and a win would set up a potential winner takes all showdown with the Washington Redskins.  Tony Romo threw for 341 yards and 2 touchdowns.  DeMarco Murray led the ground game, rushing for 81 yards and a touchdown.  Miles Austin had a good game, catching 7 passes for 79 yards.

14 (11) Chicago Bears (8-6) - This Chicago Bears team are right in the middle of one of the biggest collapses in recent seasons.  The Bears were playoff bound and it looked like they were simply playing for a first round bye but five defeats in their last six games has them outside the playoff places and in a dog fight to try to earn a wildcard.  In the Bears defence, the schedule has been hard on them and each of their last six games has been against teams with winning records but if the Bears want to be in a Superbowl, then they have to beat winning teams and right now, a Superbowl is miles off.  Their last two games are trips to Arizona and Detroit.  They are both winnable games but the Bears won't get it easy as the players will be low in confidence and it's hard to win on the road in this league.  On Sunday, Jay Cutler threw for 135 yards, a touchdown and an interception.  Brandon Marshall caught 6 passes for 56 yards and a touchdown but Chicago's best player was Matt Forte.  Forte picked up 133 yards from scrimmage but it wasn't enough to stop the Packers picking up the NFC North title.

15 (16) Cincinnati Bengals (8-6) - The Bengals picked up a comfortable win in Philadelphia on Sunday night to take pole position in the race for the sixth AFC playoff spot.  Pittsburgh lost to the Cowboys on Sunday and this week's game, between the Steelers and the Bengals will go a long way to deciding who gets the final playoff place.  A Steelers win would have the team’s level at 8-7 and Pittsburgh would hold the tie breaker courtesy of the head to head record.  A Bengals win would secure a playoff place for Cincinnati.  Andy Dalton threw for 127 yards and a touchdown.  BenJarvus Green-Ellis had another good day on the ground, running for 106 yards and a touchdown.

16 (14) Pittsburgh Steelers (7-7) - The Steelers have slipped out of the AFC playoff spots after Sundays overtime defeat to the Dallas Cowboys.  The Steelers now must beat the Cincinnati Bengals this week, if they are to reach the playoffs.  If the Steelers can beat the Bengals, they will then have to beat the Cleveland Browns to secure a wildcard.  Pittsburgh had a fourth quarter lead in this game but the Cowboys levelled midway through the fourth and the game went to overtime.  On the second play of overtime, Ben Roethlisberger was intercepted and the Cowboys were able to kick the game winning field goal from the 3 yard line.  Roethlisberger ended the game with 339 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception.  Mike Wallace, Heath Miller and Antonio Brown all had big receiving days.   Wallace caught 4 passes for 95 yards and Miller had 7 catches for 92 yards and a touchdown.  Brown caught 8 passes for 76 yards and a touchdown.

17 (21) New Orleans Saints (6-8) - The New Orleans Saints bounced back from their defeat to the Giants last week with a dominant victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  Statistically, the game was tight enough, although the Saints had the edge in most key areas but not by a margin of 41-0.  The key difference was turnovers and the Saints defense forced five, and the offense managed to take care of the football and not give any away.  Those turnovers led to 3 touchdowns and 2 field goals for the Saints and it made the game look more one sided than it actually was.  Drew Brees threw for 307 yards and 4 touchdowns.  Mark Ingram also had a good game, rushing for 90 yards and a touchdown.    

18 (17) St Louis Rams (6-7-1) - The Rams are technically still alive at 6-7-1 but their defeat to the Minnesota Vikings has killed off any realistic chance they had of a playoff place.  The Rams like so many before them were unable to come up with a response to Adrian Peterson and he almost single handedly beat the Rams.  Peterson ran for over 200 yards and the Rams defense had no answers.  The Rams offense had a decent game and picked up over 400 yards.  They had two costly turnovers which resulted in the Vikings getting ten points and if they had avoided those, the final outcome may well have been different.  Sam Bradford threw for 377 yards, 3 touchdowns and an interception.  Brandon Gibson was his leading receiver, catching 6 passes for 76 yards.  Steven Jackson also had a good game and picked up 146 yards from scrimmage.

19 (18) New York Jets (6-8) - The Jets playoff hopes were finished on Monday Night Football after a performance from Mark Sanchez that was bad even by his standards.  Sanchez was responsible for five turnovers in the game and I can't understand how Rex Ryan let it get this far.  I know Ryan is a defensive coach but surely he can see how bad Sanchez is and I can only imagine it is a pride thing and he didn't want to admit he had got it wrong by drafting up to take Sanchez in the 2009 draft.  Sanchez ended the game with 131 yards, a touchdown and 4 interceptions.  Shonn Greene ran for 68 yards and Jeff Cumberland led the receivers with 4 catches for 53 yards and a touchdown.  

20 (26) Miami Dolphins (6-8) - The Dolphins beat the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday to reach 6-8 for the year.  Miami aren't quite dead yet but it would take a lot of results going their way for the Dolphins to reach the playoffs.  The most unlikely would be the Dolphins going to the Patriots and winning.  On Sunday, Ryan Tannehill had a good game, throwing for 220 yards and 2 touchdowns.  Brian Hartline led the receivers with 5 catches for 77 yards.  Reggie Bush had a good day on the ground, rushing for 104 yards.

21 (19) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-8) - The Bucs dropped to 6-8 for the year after a heavy defeat to the New Orleans Saints.  The Bucs turned the ball over five times in the game, which led to 27 points for New Orleans.  When your offense plays as badly as that, there's very little chance of winning a game and the Bucs were unable to get anything going and the game ended 41-0.  The Bucs can take a lot of positives from this season and if they can hang on to their key players, I expect a push for the playoffs next season.  Josh Freeman threw for 279 yards and 4 interceptions.  Vincent Jackson was the leading receiver, catching 6 passes for 81 yards.  The Bucs struggled to get their running game going and Doug Martin ended up with 16 yards from 9 runs.   

22 (25) Carolina Panthers (5-9) - The Panthers got their second win in a row with a blow out victory over the Chargers in San Diego.  I expected a bit more from the Panthers this year but they got a bad start and only now are they starting to enjoy the sort of success I anticipated from their running game.  On Sunday, Cam Newton had a good game in the air, throwing for 231 yards and 2 touchdowns.  The running game was very effective and picked up 155 yards on the ground.  DeAngelo Williams led them with 93 yards on the ground and also caught 2 passes for 51 yards and a touchdown.  Former Charger, Mike Tolbert also done well, running for 40 yards and 2 touchdowns.

23 (20) San Diego Chargers (5-9) - After a big win over the playoff chasing Pittsburgh Steelers, the Chargers responded in a fashion that only they can, a heavy home defeat to a team who came into the game with a 4-9 record.  The Chargers have suffered with inconsistency in recent years and this year’s team are embracing that.  There's a lot of talent in San Diego but something’s not quite right in the franchise and in my opinion it's the head coach, Norv Turner.  Turner's job has been under threat for a few years now and I think this will be the year they finally get rid of him.  In the game, Philip Rivers threw for 121 yards and a touchdown.  Curtis Brinkley led the running game with 42 yards.

24 (23) Cleveland Browns (5-9) - The Browns winning run came to an end with a defeat to the Washington Redskins.  The Browns have shown some good signs of progress this year and if they can continue to go in the right direction, I can see a playoff place in the near future.  There is some good talent in Cleveland and another strong draft could have them pushing for a wildcard place next year.  Brandon Weeden threw for 244 yards, a touchdown and 2 interceptions.  The Redskins done a good job on Trent Richardson, restricted him to 2.5 yards per carry.  Greg Little caught 5 passes for 74 yards.           

25 (22) Detroit Lions (4-10) - The Lions are 4-10 now after a heavy defeat at the hands of the Arizona Cardinals.  The Lions created a lot of their own problems by turning the ball over four times which led to 28 points for the Cardinals.  The Lions have been a huge disappointment this year.  I expected a lot more from them but it hasn't been a good year and it's maybe time for a change in the franchise.  Matthew Stafford threw for 246 yards and 3 interceptions.  Calvin Johnson caught 10 passes for 121 yards.  Mikel Leshoure ran for 55 yards and a touchdown.   

26 (27) Tennessee Titans (5-9) - The Titans picked up the win on Monday Night Football over a poor New York Jets team.  For as long as the Jets have Mark Sanchez at quarterback, they'd be as well playing with seven players on offense.  Credit to the Titans, they had a lot of luck but they took the chances that were presented to them and they got another notch in their win column.  Jake Locker threw for 149 yards.  Nate Washington caught 4 passes for 62 yards.  Chris Johnson led the rushers, picking up 122 yards and a touchdown.

27 (24) Buffalo Bills (5-9) - The Bills are the latest team to suffer a heavy defeat to the Seattle Seahawks, after Sunday's 50-17 defeat in Toronto.  The Seahawks raced into a 31-7 lead but the Bills got it back to 31-17 before half-time.  Unfortunately for the Bills that was as close as they got and Seattle scored 19 unanswered points in the second half.  Bills quarterback, Ryan Fitzpatrick, had another poor day, throwing for 217 yards, a touchdown and 2 interceptions.  He also fumbled the ball and his turnovers led to Seattle getting 17 points.  Yet again the only positives for Buffalo were the performances of Steve Johnson and CJ Spiller.  Johnson caught 8 passes for 115 yards and a touchdown.  Spiller ran for 103 yards and a touchdown.

28 (32) Arizona Cardinals (5-9) - The Cardinals finally ended their nine game losing streak with a blow out victory over the Detroit Lions.  The game was won mainly because of errors from the Lions.  The Lions turned the ball over four times and each turnover led to an Arizona touchdown.  Credit to Arizona though as they took the opportunities presented to them and got the win.  Ryan Lindley threw for 104 yards and an interception.  The Cardinals best player was Beanie Wells who ran for 67 yards and 3 touchdowns.

29 (31) Oakland Raiders (4-10) - The Raiders got their fourth win of the season on Sunday against divisional rivals, the Kansas City Chiefs.  It was the Raiders second win over the Chiefs this season, having already beaten them in week 8.  Neither side managed a touchdown on this occasion and Raiders kicker, Sebastian Janikowski, was the difference between the sides.  Janikowski kicked five field goals, one of which was a 57 yarder to hand the Raiders a 15-0 win.  Carson Palmer threw for 182 yards.  Rod Streater was the leading receiver, catching 5 passes for 62 yards.  The Raiders had a good day on the ground, rushing for 203 yards.  Darren McFadden had 110 yards and backup, Mike Goodson had 89 yards.

30 (28) Philadelphia Eagles (4-10) - The Eagles got back to their usual form on Thursday with a sloppy display and heavy defeat to the Cincinnati Bengals.  I feel like I've said all I can about the Eagles this year.  It’s time to draw a line under this year and start fresh next season.  On Thursday the Eagles turned the ball over five times and they pretty much summarised the whole year in that one game.  Nick Foles threw for 182 yards, a touchdown and an interception.  Jeremy Maclin led the receivers with 4 catches for 73 yards.  The running game had a bad day and picked up just 42 yards from 19 attempts. 

31 (30) Jacksonville Jaguars (2-12) - The Jags lost again, this time in a one sided game against the Dolphins in Miami.  The Jags are 2-12 and with New England at home and Tennessee away still to play, I can't see them getting any more wins on the board.  The number one draft pick will be between themselves and the Chiefs, should both teams records remain the same and as things stand the Chiefs are just in pole position courtesy of strength of schedule.  Chad Henne threw for 221 yards.  His leading receivers were Cecil Shorts III and Justin Blackmon.  They both caught 6 passes, Shorts III for 101 yards and Blackmon for 93 yards.

32 (29) Kansas City Chiefs (2-12) - The Chiefs lost again on Sunday, this time to the Oakland Raiders.  The Chiefs are now 2-12 for the season and they looked every bit as bad as their record suggests on Sunday.  The Raiders are far from a good side but they shut down the Chiefs and restricted them to 119 yards of offense.  Brady Quinn threw for 135 yards and an interception.  Dexter McCluster was his leading receiver, catching 7 passes for 59 yards.  The most disappointing thing for the Chiefs was their running game.  The Chiefs have done well on the ground this year but they managed just 10 yards from 10 runs.  I can't see any more wins for the Chiefs so it looks like they will have the number one draft pick in 2013 as they currently lead the Jaguars on strength of schedule.