Week 14 Preview and Picks

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Week 14

Game of the Week

Giants vs. Cowboys
The Giants are coming off a thrilling game against the Packers that they almost won.  They now play their biggest game of the year against the Cowboys.  A win for the Giants means they will hold the lead in the NFC East.  A win for the Cowboys pretty much ends the Giants season, as they will fall 2 games back.  They do have another matchup this year against each other, but a lot will have to happen for the Giants to lose this and still be in contention when they meet again.  Dallas is coming off a loss that they should have won in Arizona.  I think they respond well in this game against the Giants, but it will not be easy.  Both teams have electric offenses that can explode with one play.  With the Giants getting Bradshaw back last week, we saw Jacobs run the ball well again.  When he is used in a secondary role, Jacobs is very effective, and last week carried 8 times for 59 yards and a TD.  The Giants need to keep the pressure on the Dallas defense, the same way they did against the Packers.  If they play as well as they did against the Packers, then they will win.  They need to play with their A game for the second week in a row.  Dallas needs to get the loss out of their heads from last week and focus on this weeks game.  A win here gives them control of the division, and both teams have tremendous opportunities in front of them.  I have a feeling that the Giants win this game.  But both teams have something rare that we don't see with many teams...they each have three great wide receivers.  For the Giants, it looks like Manningham will play.  And for the Cowboys, it looks like Austin will play.  Nicks, Manningham, and Cruz on one side, and Austin, Bryant, and Robinson on the other?  That can only mean both QBs throwing over 300 yards and a high scoring game.  It is going to be a shootout, with the Cowboys utilizing Murray more this week than last, and finding Dez Bryant and using his height and physicality to pull in a few extra catches.  The Giants will mix it up with Bradshaw and Jacobs as well as the aerial attack.  This game might go back and forth a few times, but after 60 minutes, the Giants will come away as the leaders of the NFC East.
Giants (+3)

Vikings vs. Lions
The Vikings will be without Peterson.  Ponder is playing, but he is reportedly hobbling in the warmups.  I think it is going to be tough for him to have a good game, even he has said he probably won't be 100 percent.  The Lions have lost three of their last four and five of their last seven.  Detroit is 5th in the league in passing yards and Minnesota is 26th in passing yards allowed, so on paper, the Lions should win this game easily. Ponder has been utilizing Harvin very nicely lately.  Last week he had 156 yards with 2 TDs, and in the last 3 weeks has 4 TDs.  He has also had five rushing carries per game the last three week, adding to his total yards each week.  Stafford is turning the ball over at a ridiculous rate, 10 picks in his last 4 games.  He has to play a bit safer and not give the Vikings opportunities on defense.  I do not think the Ponder will be able to have a good game battling the injury, so I will take the Lions here.
Lions (-10)

                                                  Bears vs. Broncos

The Broncos are favored in this game by 3.5.  I think this is just about where this game is going to be.  I am taking Tebow again, of course, but I do think it will be close.  The Bears have a great defense so Tebow will have to find ways to pick it apart and confuse them.  If the Bears get to Tebow more often than he can escape them, then the Bears will win this game, but I think that Tebow will be able to make a few big plays and win this one.  It helps that Chicago is without a QB and without Forte.  Forte is a huge loss for them and without him, the rushing duties fall on Marion Barber.  He will have a good game, but not good enough to carry them to victory.  I think that the Broncos are going to have to start embracing that they are a good team, and they are going to start beating teams before they get to the fourth quarter.  This might be their chance to do that at home against the depleted Bears.  I think the Amazing Tebows do it again and grab a firm hold on the AFC West.
Broncos (-3.5)

Chiefs vs. Jets
The Jets need to keep winning to keep their playoff chances alive.  Sanchez and the Jets were able to get through some rough spots in Washington last week, and hold on for the victory.  They seemed to start to click at the end of the game, so hopefully it carries over into this one.  The Jets however always make it interesting. But the Chiefs offense right now is so bad, that it is hard to think the Jets will not win by at least 10.  Sanchez is starting to find Holmes again, and this is pivotal to New York's success.  Greene returned to his playoff form last week, with 3 TDs.  If he has gotten his groove back then they Jets will win this game easily.  Greene and Sanchez seem to do better when the pressure is on, and at this point in the season, the pressure is certainly on.  Even if the Jets win out, they are not guaranteed a playoff spot, so it is essential that they win the games they need to win.  This one should allow them to figure some things out, but they have to stay focused, and not overlook this game, with a game in Philadelphia looming next weekend.
Jets (-11)

Colts vs. Ravens 
Ravens are 17 point favorites in this one.  The Colts won't win this game, but they won't lost by 17 either.  Flacco is not that explosive of a quarterback to make it a guaranteed blowout win.  The Ravens are playing to keep in front of the Steelers for the division.  A loss would put then behind them, and a win will match the Steelers 10-3 record, thus keeping the Ravens in first due to the tiebreaker.
Colts (+17)

Texans vs. Bengals
The Bengals are starting to tire out it seems.  They are a young team with Dalton at QB, and Green leading the way at WR.  The Texans are going to rely heavily on Foster and Tate in this one, and Foster will play a big role in the passing game as well.  As it stands now, both these teams would make the playoffs, but coming down the stretch, the Bengals really need wins.  They have 3 teams tied with them and as long as they keep winning, they will make it.  I think that Yates has been decent at QB for Houston, but I think he will check down to Foster a lot in this game, and they will be able to pull out the win.  I have been picking the Bengals all year, but I think they are showing signs of fatigue and the Texans have the running game to beat the Bengals on the road in this game.
Texans (+3)

Saints vs. Titans
The Titans are in the middle of a playoff race for the last spot in the AFC.  They currently sit in a 4 way tie with a 7-5 record, but are in 7th as of now, one spot out of the playoffs.  They sit behind the Bengals, who look a bit tired, and might give some ground here in the final few weeks.  The Titans have an easy schedule going forward, but they need to get this game at home.  Chris Johnson has suddenly found his form of a couple years ago the last couple weeks, and has made the Titans very relevant in playoff talks.  They even have an outside chance at their division if Houston loses some games down the stretch.  They have a real test this week with New Orleans coming in red hot.  They have won four in a row, and are staking their claim on the NFC South.  They are without Ingram this week, but they have Sproles.  Sproles plays a huge role in the backfield when it comes to making catches and will now get a few more carries in the rushing department.  The biggest advantage for the Saints?  Drew Brees.  In his last 3 games, he has put up 322, 363, and 343 yards starting three weeks ago in Atlanta.  He has 9 TDs during that stretch and no interceptions.  He is playing at a very high level and I think they he will be able to go to Tennessee and have another huge game.  I like the Saints because of the Brees factor.
Saints (-4)

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Eagles vs. Dolphins
Dolphins continue to play hard for Sparano, sensing his job is on the line.  The team is clicking and it is hard to pick against them.  They are the favorites in this one, as both teams enter with a 4-8 record.  The Eagles have extra rest this week, after their embarrassing loss to the Seahawks last week, but I think the Dolphins still have the advantage in this game.
Dolphins (-3)

Patriots vs. Redskins
I think this game will be closer than people think.  The Redskins are playing a lot better with Grossman at QB.  Moss is going to have a big game Sunday against the Patriots with Davis not playing while he is suspended.  The Patriots will win the AFC East, and Washington will not make the playoffs, but I do think the Redskins will play hard and put up a good amount of points against New England at home.  The Patriots have been playing great football and are due for a close game every now and then.  Redskins play them tough in this one, and keep it within 9.
Redskins (+9)

Falcons vs. Panthers
Falcons are coming off a loss in Houston, in a game that saw Matt Ryan have a very uncharacteristic game.  He started very slow which allowed them to fall behind and they couldn't recover.  Atlanta now sits in the last playoff spot in the NFC and will need to win these games coming up.  The Giants and Detroit are trying to claim a spot, so they need to keep up with their game.  The Panthers are coming off two straight road wins and Cam Newton is playing at a high level right now.  I think they play this game very close, maybe even can get a win here at home against Atlanta.  I think Newton has the tools to win, he will just need a little bit of help from the bad defense of the Panthers.
Panthers (+3)

Buccaneers vs. Jaguars
This is going to be a rough game to watch. The Bucs are the better team though, they just are not putting up the wins this year.  The Jags came out strong last week on Monday Night Football against the Chargers, but quickly lost the lead and got blown out.  They are not better than the Bucs, and I think the Bucs win this game on the road against Jacksonville.
Bucs (-3)

49ers vs. Cardinals
The Cardinals should have lost last week, but won in overtime against Dallas.  Arizona did play a great game to keep it manageable against Dallas, but I think the 49ers are playing on another level right now.  They are storming through the NFC, and I think they go into Arizona and win this one easily.
49ers (-4)

Raiders vs. Packers
The Packers are playing great and the Raiders are still without McFadden.  Moore and Ford are going to be out another week, so Palmer does not have many weapons once again.  The Packers are coming off the exhilarating win in the Meadowlands against the Giants and now return home to Lambeau in December.  This has all the makeup to be a blowout, even with the Packers being without Starks this week in practice.  The Packers are on their way to a perfect regular season, and this game won't have any hiccup potential for them.  Rodgers picks apart the Raiders in this one, and has another great game.
Packers (-13)

Bills vs. Chargers
The Bills continue to lose, as they have lost 5 straight games and 7 of their last 9.  They are going to San Diego to play a Chargers team that dismantled the Jags last week.  There might be a lot of points scored in this game, but with jobs on the line in San Diego, I think the Chargers finally put some heart into their game and win this one at home.  Rivers and Mathews were way too good on Monday night to think that they won't continue against a bad Bills defense.
Chargers (-7)

Check back for my Monday Night Football pick!

Week 13 Preview and Picks

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Week 13

Jets vs. Redskins
The Jets escaped again last week at home vs. Buffalo.  Now they travel to Washington, who has had a momentum boost with Grossman taking over at QB again.  Washington matches up really well against the Jets, because the Jets weakest link right now is their offensive line.  Sanchez has been getting hit far too much and therefore throwing more interceptions.  Besides that, Hall of the Redskins has spoken about Sanchez and his tendency to stare down the receiver he is going to right after the snap.  Teams are recognizing this, and this has also been resulting in more interceptions and pick sixes.  He needs to break this trend. He is giving the other teams a heads up as to who he is throwing to and very seldom does he go to his second or third options.  He needs to do this, and this week they are getting LT back, so he will be able to at least check down to LT if his first option is not there.  Sanchez is key to the Jets success.  In Jets wins this year, he has 13 TDs and 6 INTs.  In their losses, he has 5 TDs and 5 INTs.  He will need to take what his offensive line gives him, hopefully they step up, and he can buy some time to make big plays.  The Jets need this game if they want to stay in the playoff hunt.
Jets (-3) Win

Colts vs. Patriots
In 1992, the Buffalo Bills covered a 20 point spread twice.  That was the last time a team covered a 20+ spread.  The Colts are starting UCONN alum, Dan Orlovsky, and I just don't think they will be able to hang close, plus the Patriots love to keep scoring even when the game is out of reach.
Patriots (-21) Loss

Titans vs. Bills

Bills are reeling, even after almost pulling off a victory at the Meadowlands.  Stevie Johnson was fined for his endzone celebration and this guy lets things get to him.  I think he might not have a very productive day, and without him it is hard for the Bills to get the big plays.  Tennessee has a solid defense and maybe Chris Johnson has finally found his rhythm on offense.  If he did, he can have another huge game against a bad Bills defense.  I look for this game to be very close, but I think that Tennessee is playing with more confidence at this point in the season.

Titans (+1) Win

Chiefs vs. Bears
This is the matchup of injured QBs.  The Chiefs are going with Palko as their starter.  They have Orton on the bench who would be an immediate upgrade, but they are sticking with Palko.  The Bears are sending out Hanie again.  Last week they kept it close in Oakland.  They need to stick to the running game and not take away carries from Forte.  If Forte has another week sharing carries with Barber, then I expect him to start shutting it down and making a statement that he does not deserve to split carries.  I am taking Kansas City with the points, but I think Chicago will win if Forte doesn't have to share again.
Chiefs (+8) Win

Raiders vs. Dolphins
Raiders are traveling across the country, and Miami is well rested after their Thanksgiving nail biter.  Oakland has been playing good football as of late with Carson Palmer getting a grasp on the playbook.  McFadden will still be out, but Bush continues to carry the load well.  With Tebow coming up strong, Oakland has to keep their foot on the gas and not let the Broncos tie the division, but Moore and Ford are not going to be starting again, limiting what Palmer can do. I think it will be close, but I do not know if Oakland can win again without three starters on offense.  I think it will be close either way.  Heyward-Bey needs to have a more productive day than last week if they want to beat a hot Miami team on the road.  I like the Raiders getting 3 points in this one, even though they might lose by a point or two.
Raiders (+3) Loss

Bengals vs. Steelers
Here we go again, another test for the Bengals.  After keeping things close against the Steelers and Ravens in consecutive weeks, they put up a stinker against the Browns at home last week but still won.  They were lucky to win that game and now have to travel to Pittsburgh to face the Steelers again.  The Steelers almost let one slip away against the Chiefs last week in an ugly game.  I expect a playoff type battle in this one.  After the close games both these teams played last week, I expect another close one between these two teams.
Bengals (+7) Loss

Falcons vs. Texans
Falcons have been playing well, and White has been a reason for it.  In the last two weeks, he has put up numbers that we have come to expect in past seasons.  Two weeks ago, he had 7 catches for 147 yards.  Last week he caught 10 passes for 120 yards and a TD.  With this kind of production, the Falcons are a very dangerous team.  The Texans will be starting Yates again, so they will rely heavily on Foster and Tate and Atlanta will be able to stack the box.  I like Atlanta in this one.
Falcons (-1.5) Win
 
Panthers vs. Buccaneers
Both these teams are out of the playoff hunt.  The Bucs have lost 5 in a row and Freeman is not starting because of a shoulder injury.  Cam Newton on the other hand, is having a stellar season, but the rest of his team is not that good.  I would look for a huge game from Newton and Smith.  Carolina is ranked 6th in road passing, and 4th in road rushing.  This is up against Tampa's 29th home passing defense and 17th home rushing defense ranks.  I like Carolina to win this game.
Panthers (-2) Win

Broncos vs. Vikings
I believe in Tebow.  After last weeks comeback and overtime win, I can not do anything but believe in the Broncos and what Tebow has done for this team.  Earlier this week he was asked by head coach John Fox to give a speech to the team, and the team responded well.  This kid is getting it done and I will take him until he gives me a reason not to.
Broncos (even) Win

Packers vs. Giants
Giants look awful right now, but they need to put up a good game here to end all of the negative talk.  I think they keep it relatively close here.  With Bradshaw coming back, it might ignite the running game.  Eli continues to pile up yards as Cruz keeps putting up monster numbers.  Don't forget about Nicks on the other side of the hash marks.  The Giants have the weapons to keep it close, but do they have the heart?  The Packers are...well...the Packers.  They will probably put up 35 points in this one, it is just a matter of Eli keeping up.  They are the best team in the league, and if they are clicking on defense, then the Giants will get blown away.  But in a huge game before playing Dallas, I think the Giants put up a fight and build some momentum for next week. 
Giants (+7) Win

Ravens vs. Browns
Browns have Hillis back at running back, but I think the Ravens are a better team, but not as good as they believe they are.  But, if they are serious contenders in the AFC, then there is no reason they do not beat the Browns by more than a TD.
Ravens (-7) Win

Rams vs. 49ers
The Rams are not a good team this season and the 49ers are 7-0-1 against the spread in their last 8.  Got to keep it going this week.
49ers (-14) Win

Cowboys vs. Cardinals
I think the Cowboys blow the Cardinals away in this one.  They are without Austin again, but Laurent Robinson has stepped in and put up huge numbers.  He has scored at least one TD in five straight games, and in those five games, he has a total of 7 TDs.  There is no reason to expect anything different this week.  Murray is still running with the top backs in the league and Romo is in the zone lately.  Dallas wins this game easily.
Cowboys (-4.5) Loss

Lions vs. Saints
The Saints are starting to destroy teams again at home.  This game worries me if I am Detroit.  After all the publicity with the Suh stomping incident and now a car crash, it is going to be interesting to see how they respond.  Stafford has been turning the ball over like crazy since week 8, when he fractured his index finger.  He has thrown 9 interceptions in 3 weeks.  If he continues this, then look for another bad loss for Detroit.  New Orleans has been utilizing Jimmy Graham perfectly.  He had 5 catches for 84 yards and 2 TDs.  He is unstoppable, and Brees is even better.  He had a historic game last week and is on fire, but I think Stafford finds Calvin Johnson in this game and they have a big day, good enough to keep it close.
Lions (+9) Loss

Monday Night Football

Chargers vs. Jaguars
I don't see any way that the Chargers don't win this game.  Yes they have lost six in a row, but they have a lot more skill than the Jags, so it will be hard to understand if they lose this one.  They need to pull off a win here to not be completely embarrassed.  The Jaguars are bad and if the Chargers don't show up tonight, then they probably won't show up for the rest of their games.  Rivers needs to prove he has some fight in him.  I am going to think that the Chargers will show minimal effort, and that should be enough to win.
Chargers (-3) Win

TNF: Seattle (+3) Won

Check my post for thoughts on this weeks games here...
http://nargonsports.blogspot.com/2011/12/week-13-review.html

Week 12 Review

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Giants vs. Saints
The Giants could not get to Brees, and therefore did not stand a chance in this one.  Brees tied the NFL record for most 350+ yard games in an NFL season at 6 as he put up 363 yards.  He also became the first QB ever with 4 TD's, no picks, 350+ yards, 60% completion, and a rushing TD in the same game.  Eli put up 406 yards, but most of these yards were coming from behind, when they were playing catch up.  Cruz had 9 catches for 157 and 2 TDs for the Giants.  Graham led the Saints with 84 yards and 2 TDs, and survived a crushing hit.  It looked bad, but he got up from it thankfully.  The Giants need to straighten themselves out if they have any hopes of the playoffs.  They face the Packers next week...good luck. 
Giants (+7.5) Loss

Bills vs. Jets

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Jets needed a win to stay in the playoff hunt and they needed to dig deep a few times to get it.  I thought that they would destroy Buffalo this week, because in the last year they have been able to put away teams they should...but not in this one.  I kept thinking of the game against the Jags this year that they won 32-3, and really believed it would be a game like that.  It wasn't however.  The Jets did do exactly what I predicted they would need to for a victory however.  They went back to using the Mark Sanchez safety blanket from last year: Dustin Keller.  The first two passes of the game were intended for Keller.  You could tell Sanchez wanted to get back to that game plan.  After the Jets fell behind 7-0, Sanchez found Keller in the endzone for the Jets first score of the game.  The game was tied 14-14 at halftime, and after the Bills punted in the first drive of the second half, Sanchez and the Jets took the field.  The Jets ran the ball the first four plays, before Sanchez hit Keller for a 22 yard completion.  Two plays later, he connected with Keller again for an 18 yard touchdown.  The Jets would go on to lose the lead and fall behind 28-24.  The Jets final drive started with under six minutes remaining in the game.  They converted a 3rd and 8 to keep the drive going and then had to convert a 3rd and 11 at the Bills 36 yard line.  Sanchez connected with Burress for 18 yards before ending the drive in the endzone on a 16 yard touchdown to Santonio Holmes with 61 seconds left.  The defense allowed the Bills to drive to the 27 yard line.  A three yard pass brought them to the 24 yard line, where they had three chances and 15 seconds to win the game.  After blown coverage and a bad throw to a wide open receiver in the endzone, the Jets were able to hold on to win in game they needed.  This game was not pretty, but it might propel them to another streak to end the season.  They are currently in 8th place in the AFC standings, and have very winnable games to end the season (@Wash,KC,@Philly,Giants,@Miami).  If this team believes they are a playoff team, then they must win every game, seeing as their only challenge should be the Giants in a split Meadowlands.
Jets (-9.5) Loss

Vikings vs. Falcons
Atlanta handled a Peterson-less Vikings team at home fairly easily 24-14.  Matt Ryan threw for 262 yards, 3 TDs and 0 picks.  Roddy White caught 10 passes for 120 yards and a touchdown.  Tony Gonzalez also had a big game, 9 for 69 yards.  Atlanta currently holds the last playoff spot in the NFC.  They are a half game behind New Orleans for the NFC South.  They lost to the Saints the first time they played this year 26-23, after going for a fourth down in their half of the field.  They meet again in week 16.
Falcons (-9.5) Win

Browns at Bengals
The Bengals had to rally from 20-10 down late in the 3rd quarter to pull this one out, 23-20.  Far too close of a game after losing by only a touchdown against Pittsburgh and Baltimore back to back on the road.   A.J. Green returned with a solid game, 3 catches for 110 yards and Cedric Benson had a nice day rushing, 21 attempts for 106 and a touchdown.  Just enough for the Bengals to win, but not to cover. 
Bengals (-7) Loss

Bucs vs. Titans
This game was tied 10-10 at halftime.  The Bucs had the lead going into the 4th quarter, but Tennessee scored 13 unanswered points to win the game.  Tampa Bay was only 2 for 10 on 3rd downs.  Tampa utilized Blount in the passing game early, with 3 catches for 56 yards.  However, after losing a fumble, he wasn't thrown to again.  If he is lucky he catches one a game, so three was a lot for him.  He did have a solid game, adding 103 yards on 20 touches in the rushing game, but it wasn't enough to hold on in the 4th quarter, as Chris Johnson had a huge game.  In what has been a complete bust of a season for Johnson, he broke out, 23 carries for 190 yards.  Considering Hasselback'sBucs continue to slide, losing 5 in a row, while Tennessee continues to stay in contention for a wild card spot or the division, should Houston falter down the stretch. 
Bucs (+3) Loss

Panthers vs. Colts
Cam Newton claimed his first road win against a winless Colts team.  When the Panthers had a 45 yard field goal blocked at the end of the first half, I felt it might turn into another case of the Panthers giving away a game they should win.  The Panthers came out and stopped the Colts on the first play of the second half, and Newton led them down field in a drive that ended with a DeAngelo Williams 25 yard TD run.  Carolina never looked back and they held on for the 27-19 win. 
Panthers (-3.5) Win

Cardinals vs. Rams
In a battle of bad teams, the Cardinals used a 17 point 3rd quarter to beat the Rams 23-20.  I keep believing that Bradford will turn it around, but I think it is evident that this is not his year.  He did not have a terrible game, but he could not get the win in this one.  He went 17/31 with 203 yards and a TD.  Bradford did not have much help from Steven Jackson in the running game today.  Jackson carried 17 times for 64 yards.  On the other side of the ball, Beanie Wells broke out for 228 yards and a TD.  He had a 71 yard run where he was tripped up 11 yards short of the endzone.  It was a good day for Wells, another bad day for Skelton, 114 yards and 2 picks, but the Cardinals won behind Beanie's huge day.
Rams (-2.5) Loss

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Patriots vs. Eagles
The Patriots fell behind early before coming back to blow out the Eagles 38-20.  Vince Young (26/48, 400 yards) started the game with a 22 yard completion, followed by a 58 yard strike to Riley Cooper.  McCoy would run it in for the TD.  Young started the next drive much like the first one, with a deep pass of 44 yards, but the Eagles would settle for a field goal on that drive, and this seemed to slow them down and allow for Brady and the Law Firm to get it going.  They would score a TD behind Green-Ellis, force the Eagles to punt, and then Brady did his thing again.  A 63 yard pass and catch for Branch to the 1 yard line, followed by a 1 yard TD by BGE, and the rout was beginning.  When Young began the next drive with an interception, it was all but over.  Brady found Welker for a 41 yard TD two drives later.   Brady went 24/34, for 361 yards, 3 TDs, and 0 INTs.  Welker (8/115, 2 TDs) and Branch (6/125) looked great in this one, as Gronkowski was held in check (4/59, 1 TD).  Hernandez had more catches and was targeted more by Brady (6/62) in this one.  The Patriots are in first in the AFC East and are currently in second overall in the AFC.   
Eagles (+3.5) Loss

Texans vs. Jaguars
Houston is still atop the AFC standings after beating the Jags.  In a terrible turn of events however, they are not only without Schaub, but now without Leinart who broke his collarbone, and is potentially done for the season.  The QB duties now fall on North Carolina alum, T.J Yates.  Leinart was 10 for 13 for 57 yards and a TD before leaving the game.  Yates entered going 8 for 15 for 70 yards.  This week should be interesting, as we watch to see if Yates will be joined by a veteran free agent in practice or if the Texans trust the rookie to lead them into the playoffs.  They might let Yates stay behind center because of the amount of talent they have at running back, and the weapon that Andre Johnson is downfield.  If Yates can air it out, he might connect with Johnson for some big plays, although Johnson was held to only 2 catches for 22 yards in his return.  It still might be a good idea to bring in someone for insurance to install more fear in defenses against their passing game.  Foster only went 22 for 65 yards rushing today and Tate only had 5 carries, but racked up 26 yards.  It is going to be interesting going forward, but they got the job done in this one, and are one step closer to winning the division.
Texans (-6.5) Win

Bears vs. Raiders
Janikowski kicked the Raiders to the 25-20 win in this one.  He kicked two field goals in each of the first three quarters (40,47,42,19,37,44), and Michael Bush sealed the game with a 3 yard TD run in the 4th. Palmer threw for 301 yards with one interception.  Matt Forte had a subpar game, only getting 12 carries for 59 yards and 6 receptions for 25.  Marion Barber saw 10 carries for 63 yards.  Forte was not able to put up huge numbers because of the split with Barber.  Hanie, Cutler's replacement, went 18/36 for 254 yards, 2 TDs and 3 INTs.  He also ran 5 times for 50 yards.  It was not a terrible game, and with another week of practice, I expect the Bears to continue to keep games close. Oakland has to keep the foot on the gas, with Tebow only one game behind them for the AFC West title.
Raiders (-3) Win

Redskins vs. Seahawks
Washington put up 16 points in the 4th quarter to come back and beat Seattle 23-17.  I felt that Grossman would air it out in this one, and he did, completing 26 of 35 passes for 314 yards, 2 TDs, and 2 picks.  Helu had a great game in the backfield as well, 23 carries for 108 yards and a TD.  For Seattle, Lynch continued a 4 game stretch in which he has averaged almost 111 rushing yards a game.  It was not enough in this one though as the Redskins came back for the win.
Redskins (+3) Win

Broncos vs. Chargers
TEBOW TIME.  Read my article about Tebow to see how I feel about this guy.  In short, he is awesome.  Just keeps impressing everyone and pushing towards the playoffs.  He is 5-1 this year now as a starter with a 16-13 win in San Diego.  He started the game 0 for 4, before going 9 for his next 14.  He led the Broncos to another 4th quarter comeback, and an overtime victory.  He set a record for most QB rushes by a QB since 1970 with 22.  The Broncos were down 10-0 before Tebow connected with Decker for an 18 yard TD in the 2nd quarter.  In the 4th quarter, while trailing 13-10, with just over 5 minutes left (again), it was Tebow time.  Looking at a 3rd and 11 on their own 25, he hit Decker for a 39 yard gain.  Two plays later, he would hit Rosario for 23 yards and take the ball to the San Diego 12 yard line.  They would get a field goal to tie the game, and hold off San Diego to get to overtime.  The Tebows, I mean Broncos, won the toss, and went three and out.  But not before a tough decision by John Fox.  The Broncos had a 4th and 1 on the 45, and they elected to punt it, instead of letting Tebow go for a yard.  It turned out to be a good call, as they forced the Chargers to go three and out.  After Tebow looked to have enough for a first down on a 3rd and 11 pass, replay would overturn it, and once again force the punt on 4th and 1.  The Chargers drove down field, and on a 3rd and 6, lost four yards, to set up a 53 yard attempt by Novak.  The attempt was blocked, but the Broncos called a timeout, therefore giving San Diego another chance.  The kick went wide right, as Tebow was on the sidelines, head down, on one knee.  Tebow took over and ran for 12 yards, followed by a 4 yard run.  This opened up a running lane in the middle for McGahee (23/117) and he gained 24 yards.  Tebow would take the next snap and center it for a game winning 37 yard field goal by Prater with 29 seconds left in overtime.  Another game, another comeback, and another thrilling win for Tim Tebow.
Broncos (+6) Win


Steelers vs. Chiefs
The Chiefs would not go away in this one, as it came down to the final seconds of this one.  The Steelers would win 13-9, but the Chiefs had the ball with under one minute left in the game, and Palko was intercepted to end it.  The Steelers sit in 5th place in the AFC playoff standings, but can win the division should they win one more than the Ravens down the stretch. 
Steelers (-10.5) Loss


My Sunday record: 6-6
Thursday and Monday record: 0-4
Week 12: 6-10

MNF Halftime Summary

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk170/ilovemyG_23/Drew_Brees.jpg

Halftime in New Orleans and the Saints have a 21-3 lead

     If the Giants want to come back they will need to do a better job stopping the Saints offense.  Brees had a suburb first half, throwing for 265 yards and 3 TDs.  He ended the half with an 88 yard drive in 34 seconds which resulted in a 10 yard TD to Lance Moore.  Moore finished the half with 5 catches for 54 yards and 2 TDs.  Graham is having a great game with 4 receptions for 55 yards and a TD.  The rushing game of Sproles (5 for 35), Thomas (4 for 30), and Ingram (3 for 15) have been a nice compliment to the passing game. Neither team has a sack but the Giants desperately need to get to Brees to shake things up if they want to get back in the game.  The Giants running game continues to struggle, as they have a combined 29 yards, Jacobs has 7 carries for 20 yards.  This will not win any games and Jacobs is going to have to get it going in the second half unfortunately there may not be enough time for the running game at this point.  Manning is 14 for 24 at the half, with 171 yards and an interception.  Cruz (4 for 57) and Nicks (5 for 63) are leading the team in receptions.  Nicks looked to get banged up on his last catch of the half, so it's something to keep an eye on with Manningham not being active for the game, they can't afford another WR injury.  Look for the Giants to change their defense strategy in the second half against Brees.  They'll need to tweak coverage since in Man, Brees is going to Graham, and in Zone he is beating them with Moore.

UPADTE:  Giants Lose in a Blowout, 49-24
Giants continued to struggle after opening the half with a Jacobs TD.  They did not have enough to keep up with the Saints though, and turnovers did not help.   The Giants could not get to Brees, and therefore did not stand a chance in this one.  Brees tied the NFL record for most 350+ yard games in an NFL season at 6 as he put up 363 yards.  He also became the first QB ever with 4 TD's, no picks, 350+ yards, 60% completion, and a rushing TD in the same game.  Eli put up 406 yards, but most of these yards were coming from behind, when they were playing catch up. Cruz had 9 catches for 157 and 2 TDs for the Giants and Graham led the Saints with 84 yards and 2 TDs. The Giants need to straighten themselves out if they have any hopes of the playoffs...the face the Packers next week...good luck.