The Buck List NFL Pick Off: Week 14

New Orleans (-10.5) at Atlanta  [New Orleans 26, Atlanta 23]

John: Atlanta (1)

Ryan: New Orleans (2)

Kevin: New Orleans (1)

Brilliant Prediction (Ryan):  The hook makes it tough to take the visiting Saints to cover, but all signs point to this game being anything but competitive. The Saints will be ready to go after the Redskins threatened to end their perfect season last Sunday in D.C. These two teams played a close game back in November, but this time the Falcons will have to line up without Matt Ryan under center and Michael Turner in the backfield. New Orleans wins by a few scores.

Detroit (+13) at Baltimore   [Detroit 3, Baltimore 48]   

John: Baltimore (1)

Ryan: Baltimore (3)

Kevin: Baltimore (1)

Brilliant Prediction (John): When the lions aren't accidentally beating Cleveland or Washington this year, they're losing by more than a touchdown.  Only two of their ten losses have been by less than ten points (by seven to the Rams and eight to Pittsburgh, both at home).

Green Bay (-3) at Chicago  [Green Bay 21, Chicago 14]

John: Green Bay (3)

Ryan: Green Bay (4)

Kevin: Green Bay (6)

Brilliant Prediction (Kevin): The Bears do not beat good football teams.  Outside of a week 2 victory over Pittsburgh (which doesn't look all that impressive now), Chicago's wins have come at the expense of some of the league's worst teams: Seattle, Detroit, Cleveland, and St. Louis.

Seattle (+6) at Houston  [Seattle 7, Houston 34]

John: Houston (1)

Ryan: Houston (4)

Kevin: Houston (1)

Brilliant Prediction (Ryan): Do you really need any sort of statistical analysis to pick this game? Despite their two game winning streak (against the Rams and Niners) the Seahawks are absolutely dreadful. Their win against the Rams in Week 12 is their only win on the road this season. I look for Matt Schaub and the Texans to snap their 4 game losing skid in convincing fashion. How can you pick against Ryan Moats?

Denver (+7) at Indianapolis  [Denver 16, Indianapolis 28]

John: Indianapolis (2)

Ryan: Denver (2)

Kevin: Indianapolis (1)

Brilliant Prediction (John): Denver is once again surging, with a burgeoning ground attack to boot. But the Bronco's defense remains the key to their success, and while they're certainly good,  I am a total sucker for Peyton Manning and the Colts, who I think are in a class of their own.

Miami (+2) at Jacksonville  [Miami 14, Jacksonville 10]

John: Miami (3)

Ryan: Miami (3)

Kevin: Miami (3)

Brilliant Prediction (Kevin): The Dolphins looked very good against the Patriots last week, while the Jaguars tried their best to throw the game away in the second half in their close victory over the Texans.

Buffalo (-1) at Kansas City  [Buffalo 16, Kansas City 10]

John: Kansas City (3)

Ryan: Kansas City (1)

Kevin: Kansas City (1)

Brilliant Prediction (Ryan): It's nice that Roger Goodell is still letting these two teams play this weekend. I have no real insight into the strengths and weaknesses of the Bills and the Chiefs, but there should be more Chiefs fans than Bills fans in the stands and that will prove to be the difference (or not). Chiefs 2 Bills 0.

Cincinnati (+6) at Minnesota  [Cincinnati 10, Minnesota 30]

John: Cincinnati (1)

Ryan: Minnesota (2)

Kevin: Minnesota (1)

Brilliant Prediction (John): Favre threw 45 passes in a loss to the Cardinals last weekend, and you have to expect that he has is getting at least somewhat tired.  I'd expect the Vikings to come out with a much stronger emphasis on Adrian Peterson.  Cincy's top-notch run defense should keep this one within a score. 

Carolina (+13) at New England  [Carolina 10, New England 20]

John: New England (1)

Ryan: Carolina (1)

Kevin: Carolina (1)

Brilliant Prediction (Kevin): Carolina started the year 0-3, but the Panthers cleaned up their act after their week 4 bye.  Since then, the Panthers have gone 5-4 and have not lost by more than eleven points.

NY Jets (-4.5) at Tampa Bay  [New York 26, Tampa Bay 3]

John: NY Jets (1)

Ryan: NY Jets (2)

Kevin: NY Jets (1)

Brilliant Prediction (Ryan): Picks like these probably explain why I was net -24 units last week. Betting on a team laying points on the road with Kellen Clemens under center is probably some sort of unofficial no-no, but the Bucs boast one of the worst run defenses in the league. That's great news for Rex Ryan, who will try his best to keep the ball out of Clemens' hands. Look for Thomas Jones and Shonn Greene to have monster days in Tampa.

St. Louis (+13) at Tennessee  [St. Louis 7, Tennessee 47]

John: St. Louis (1)

Ryan: Tennessee (1)

Kevin: St. Louis (1)

Brilliant Prediction (John): Vince Young wins as a starting quarterback.  A lot.  But the games always seem to be nailbiters; while I don't expect St. Louis to have a legitimate shot of winning this, I'm not so sure about 13 points for VY and the gang.

Washintgon (-1) at Oakland  [Washington 34, Oakland 13]

John: Washinton (1)

Ryan: Washington (2)

Kevin: Washington (4)

Brilliant Prediction (Kevin): Despite a record of 1-3, Jason Campbell and the Redskins have played very good football over the last four weeks.  The Skins have lost very close games to Dallas, Philly, and New Orleans.  Oakland is not exactly in the same class as those teams.

San Diego (+3) at Dallas  [San Diego 20, Dallas 17]

John: San Diego (5)

Ryan: Dallas (1)

Kevin: San Diego (6)

Brilliant Prediction (Ryan): The way people are talking, you would think that Dallas has already been eliminated from the playoffs with their loss at the Meadowlands last weekend. I think they're better than that. The Chargers will be a tough test with Philip Rivers throwing the ball as well as anybody right now, but the Cowboys power running game will prove too much for the Chargers' undermanned defensive line.

Philadelphia (+1) at NY Giants  [Philadelphia 45, New York 38]

John: Philadelphia (3)

Ryan: NY Giants (1)

Kevin: Philadelphia (1)

Brilliant Prediction (John): The Giants had a nice win against the Cowboys last week, but I think it spoke more to the Cowboys shortcomings than a New York resurgence.  Philly looks like the class of a weak NFC east right now.

Arizona (-3.5) at San Francisco  [Arizona 9, San Francisco 24]

John: Arizona (3)
Ryan: Arizona (1)
Kevin: Arizona (1)

Brilliant Prediction (Kevin): San Francisco's pass defense is ranked 26th in the NFL.  Warner, Fitzgerald, and Boldin should shine on Monday night.