Week 17 Game Notes

Eagles over Redskins

• The Redskins need: offensive playmakers, a quarterback, an eventual replacement for London Fletcher...
• They need a lot.
• The Eagles finally figured out just how talented they are, finishing the year with 4-straight wins. Every team in the playoffs is happy the Eagles’ strong finish was too little too late.
• Can Michael Vick be a true franchise quarterback? As a 32-year-old next season, I’m not sure he can ever stay healthy for 14-16 games per year.

Packers over Lions

• With a huge performance Matthew Stafford finishes the season with 5,038 passing yards and 41 touchdowns-to-16 picks.
• Calvin Johnson had 11 catches for 244 yards in this game to finish just under 1,700 receiving yards. He also notched 16 receiving scores.
• Stafford is 23. Johnson is 26. My gosh, how good is tandem going to be for the next 5-7 years?
• In a losing effort the Lions proved that they are still an immature team, but they also proved why they should scare everyone in the playoffs. They are incredibly explosive.
• Matt Flynn breaks Packer single game records for passing yards and passing touchdowns in his lone start of the year, not too shabby for the franchise of Bart Starr, Brett Favre, and Aaron Rodgers.
  15-1.
• Say what you want about the defense, but 15 wins in 16 games is proof of a great team. It's not perfection, but 15 wins doesn't happen often.

Dolphins over Jets

• Another ugly game for the Jets.
• Shut up, Rex.

Saints over Panthers

• The Panthers established a pattern this year of playing a really good half or three quarters of football and then falling apart. They need to address their defense this offseason in a major way.
• I can't wait to see what Cam Newton can do with a full offseason and a year of experience under his belt.
• The Saints are an absolute machine at home. With an unblemished home record, New Orleans averaged over 40 points per game in the Superdome.
• On the road, however, the Saints were 5-3 and averaged just 26 points.
• Lions at Saints should be a really fun shootout of a Wild Card game.

49ers over Rams

• The game looked out of sight when the Niners went up 34-13 in the fourth quarter.
• Give the Rams credit for rallying and almost coming back, ultimately though they finish at a dismal 2-14 and don't even get the reward of the #1 overall pick.
• Alex Smith's season numbers—3,150 passing yards, 61% completions, 17 touchdowns, 5 interceptions, 91 passer rating—not glamorous, but damn solid and good enough to help guide his team to a 13-3 record.
• The Niners blew the defensive scoring title by allowing the Rams to rally. Pittsburgh ended the year with 2 less points allowed than San Fran.
• Coming into 2011, nobody would have believed the 49ers would be the NFC's two seed, and you can't just chalk it up to a bad division. San Francisco was 8-2 outside of the NFC West.

Bears over Vikings

• The Vikings are just beginning what should be a major rebuilding process.
• The Bears have to feel cheated. After losing Jay Cutler and Matt Forte for the season, they just didn't have a chance.

Titans over Texans

• The Titans were the most enigmatic team in the league this year in my opinion. I could never figure out if they were any good. They finish 9-7 and just out of the playoffs.
• The Texans lose three-straight heading into their first ever playoff game; that doesn't seem like a good sign.
• Another bad sign: third stringer and rookie TJ Yates sustained an injury, which forced Jake Delhomme out of the witness protection program and into the game. Even if Yates can play next week, Houston is still relying on a backup's backup and a rookie to win in the postseason.

Jaguars over Colts

• Well, here we go. Andrew Luck is the Colts property if they want him, and then what to do with Peyton Manning?
• Might Indy consider trading the pick for a treasure chest of assets in return, hoping to surround Manning for one more title run? I doubt it.
• Might Peyton Manning get traded, and to whom? That I think is the more pertinent question.
• The Jaguars need to build something around Maurice Jones-Drew before they waste his golden years. He's a monster, leading the league with 1,600 rushing yards this year.

Patriots over Bills

• First quarter: Bills 21 – Patriots 0
• Next three quarters: Patriots 49 – Bills 0
• New England clinches home field throughout the playoffs.
• The Bills, after showing real signs of life to start the year, end 6-10 and still have a long way to go in making themselves into a contender. I'm not sure Ryan Fitzpatrick is the guy, too bad they gave him a 6-year deal worth nearly $60 million.

Steelers over Browns

• It was ugly and ultimately not worth the pain that it took to win as Baltimore sewed up the #2 seed.
• Ben Roethlisberger probably could have used this week off as well, but now he'll head to Denver next week to kick off the playoffs.
• I'm confident the Steelers’ defense will be plenty good enough to ensure a win in Denver, but I worry that Big Ben just won't be healthy enough for them to make a return Super Bowl trip.
• Rashard Mendenhall is done for the playoffs with a torn ACL. With a banged up Roethlisberger and a missing Mendenhall, the Steelers are really limping into the playoffs.

Chiefs over Broncos

• Good for Kyle Orton, though victory would have been even sweeter if it would have held Denver out of the playoffs.
• Final AFC West Standings: Denver: 8-8, San Diego: 8-8, Oakland: 8-8, Kansas City: 7-9. It was competitive at least.
• Tim Tebow: 6-22 passing for 60 yards, the Steelers are licking their chops.
• Jamaal Charles, Eric Berry, and Tony Moeaki are all going to be back for Kansas City next year. That's like adding three Pro Bowl-level players for free. If they find the right coach, draft well, and sign some good free agents, the Chiefs could easily compete for the playoffs next year.

Ravens over Bengals

• The Bengals went 0-4 against Pittsburgh and Baltimore. They're good, but they haven't arrived yet.
  Cam Cameron, give Ray Rice the ball: 24 carries for 191 yards against a good Bengals defense.
• Joe Flacco and Alex Smith face the same question: can they stay out of the way well enough for their excellent teams to win a Super Bowl?
• I kid, sort of, I think both Flacco and Smith are capable of playing at a high level, but both will have to prove it on the big stages.

Cardinals over Seahawks

• Two teams fighting for respectability and both are better than anyone thought they'd be a few weeks into the season.
• With these two teams reaching the level of "average" and the 49ers ascending to elite, the NFC West is no longer the worst division in football. I submit the AFC South and AFC West as nice replacement candidates.

Falcons over Buccaneers

• That’s all for now Raheem Morris.
• The Falcons love beating up on bad teams, but they need to prove it against some of the NFL's big boys. Bring on the Giants.

Chargers over Raiders

• Oakland had their chances, and the man they gave up a fortune to get, Carson Palmer, couldn't deliver a playoff birth.
• It's time to cut Norv Turner loose San Diego.
• It's time to bring Turner in as an offensive coordinator for the Jets.

Giants over Cowboys

• Why the hell did I pick the Cowboys? What a bad year for Dallas, blowing multiple big leads in the fourth quarter.
• Tony Romo played at a high level this year but will be 32 next season and doesn't seem to have that leadership ability that other top quarterbacks have.
• Maybe that's not the case, but it sure seems like the Cowboys consistently lack focus, and that has to fall on Romo and head coach Jason Garrett.
• The Cowboys are a strange team to evaluate. Are they a few pieces away from being a legit contender, or do they need to start rebuiliding? DeMarcus Ware, Romo, Jay Ratliff, Miles Austin, and Jason Witten are all good players to build around, but none are spring chickens.
• The Giants have to scare everyone.
• Eli Manning showed that he can score with the Packers, and with Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz, he has plenty of weaponry to light up the scoreboard.

--from @AdamHocking

Week 17 Pick-Down

Matchup	Adam's Pick	Eric's Pick
Redskins at Eagles	Eagles	Eagles
Lions at Packers	Lions	Packers
Jets at Dolphins	Dolphins	Dolphins
Panthers at Saints	Saints	Saints
49ers at Rams	49ers	49ers
Bears at Vikings	Vikings	Vikings
Titans at Texans	Titans	Titans
Colts at Jaguars	Colts	Jaguars
Bills at Patriots	Patriots	Patriots
Steelers at Browns	Steelers	Steelers
Chiefs at Broncos	Chiefs	Chiefs
Ravens at Bengals	Ravens	Ravens
Seahawks at Cardinals	Cardinals	Seahawks
Buccaneers at Falcons	Falcons	Falcons
Chargers at Raiders	Raiders	Chargers
Cowboys at Giants	Cowboys	Cowboys
	Adam	Eric
Week 16 Record	11-5	11-5
Season Standings	147-93	167-73

To see how the "Experts" stack up: http://espn.go.com/nfl/picks

The predictions here come from Adam and correspond to his picks.

Washington Redskins at Philadelphia Eagles 

Both teams are out of contention, but the Eagles have a much easier time putting up points than Washington.

Prediction: Eagles 27 – Redskins 16

Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers 

The Packers have literally nothing to play for as they’ve secured homefield advantage throughout the playoffs.  The Lions have a little more at stake as they jockey with Atlanta over which team secures the fifth and sixth seeds.  The goal in securing the fifth seed is not so much so down the road the Lions could host the NFC title game against Atlanta.  It has more to do with who they would play in the first round.  The 5 seed will travel to whoever wins the Giants-Cowboys clash in the first round of the playoffs, while the 6 seed will have to likely travel to New Orleans or possibly San Francisco for their wild card matchup.  Any team, given the option, should prefer to play either of those NFC East teams as opposed to the Niners or Saints.  Given that motivation, the high level of play Matthew Stafford has exhibited lately, and the fact that Green Bay will likely play a lot of backups, I’ll take the Lions in this game.

Prediction: Lions 31 – Packers 23

New York Jets at Miami Dolphins

I’ll make this short and sweet.  I think the Dolphins are playing pretty good ball down the stretch, and I think the Jets are ready for this year to be over.  Even with a win the Jets need help to reach the postseason, and I don’t see Mark Sanchez doing enough against a pretty good Dolphins defense.

Prediction: Dolphins 20 – Jets 17

Carolina Panthers at New Orleans Saints 

I love everything about Cam Newton, but the Saints need this game badly, and they look like a focused machine in their last few outings.  I expect a high-scoring affair, but the superior team with more on the line will triumph.

Prediction: Saints 41 – Panthers 28

San Francisco 49ers at St. Louis Rams

Both teams have something to play for in a sense.  The Niners need to win in order to ensure a first round bye, and a Rams loss could secure them the top pick in next year’s draft.  A first-round bye would be huge for San Francisco, and there’s little chance of them overlooking the Rams since it is the last game of the year, and there’s no opponent per se to look forward to, since that is yet to be determined.  This will be a nice test for the 49ers: not playing a great team, but a game they absolutely have to win, on the road, in the division, against a team with nothing to lose.  Still, I think the 49ers with their solid formula will have enough to separate from the Rams over the course of the game.  Patrick Willis should be back as well, which will be a huge lift for San Francisco.

Prediction: 49ers 23 – Rams 10

Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings

A really hard game to pick, neither team has anything on the line save for draft positioning.  I don’t think the Bears will have enough without Jay Cutler, Matt Forte, and Johnny Knox to win the game.  It could be the Joe Webb show if Christian Ponder can’t play, but whoever lines up under center will be handing to Toby Gerhart and looking for Percy Harvin early and often.  I’ll take the Vikings at home.

Prediction: Vikings 20 – Bears 16

Tennessee Titans at Houston Texans 

The Texans are locked into the #3 seed in the AFC, so they have little to play for, save for maybe building some rhythm for the playoffs.  The Titans meanwhile have everything to play for with slim playoff hopes still alive.  There are a number of scenarios in which Tennessee could make the playoffs, and that will be enough to spur them to victory.

Prediction: Titans 27 – Texans 20

Indianapolis Colts at Jacksonville Jaguars

After losing thirteen in a row to start the year the Colts could potentially win three-straight to finish.  Though that would likely put them out of the running for Andrew Luck, the Colts aren’t going to just mail it in.  Dan Orlovsky right now is a better player than Blaine Gabbert, and Dwight Freeney/Robert Mathis should make things difficult for Jacksonville’s already anemic passing attack.  I’ll take the Colts.

Prediction: Colts 24 – Jaguars 20

Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots

Tom Brady knows how much his team needs homefield throughout the playoffs.  New England is bad defensively and doesn’t have a particularly powerful running game, so they need every advantage they can get.  That’s why I expect the Patriots to come out sharp, and while the defense will bend, it won’t break in terms of allowing points.

Prediction: Patriots 34 – Bills 23

Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns 

I don’t know if Ben Roethlisberger will play, but I know that since the Ravens will be playing at the same time as the Steelers, Pittsburgh will go all out to win.  That means against the lowly Browns, no matter who starts at quarterback, the Steelers will win.

Prediction: Steelers 19 – Browns 9

Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos 

Mile High will be going crazy in this game, but I refuse to drink the Tim Tebow sacramental wine.  Fight the power Kyle Orton!

Prediction: Chiefs 20 – Broncos 19

Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals

If the Ravens win, they clinch a first-round bye, and with an added New England loss they would be the AFC’s top seed.  If the Bengals win, they assure themselves of getting into the playoffs.  The Ravens have been a bad road team, and I thought Cincy would go at least 1-3 against the AFC North big brothers of Pittsburgh and Baltimore, but the more I look at this game, the more I see Baltimore coming out on top.  It’s a playoff-type atmosphere, and Baltimore is going to want homefield badly, especially if they had to play Pittsburgh again in the playoffs.  I’ll take the Ravens in what should be a great game.

Prediction: Ravens 24 – Bengals 17

Seattle Seahawks at Arizona Cardinals 

Give me Arizona because they’ll be at home, and Seattle is coming of an emotional letdown, an incredibly physical game against San Francisco.

Prediction: Cardinals 17 – Seahawks 13

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Atlanta Falcons

Since the Lions play three hours earlier, the Falcons will likely know whether or not they have anything to play for in terms of seeding.  I’m assuming the Lions win early, meaning the Falcons could not improve their seed, but I still think Atlanta plays this game like it’s meaningful after getting beaten like a drum last week against the Saints.

Prediction: Falcons 27 – Buccaneers 13

San Diego Chargers at Oakland Raiders

Because there is nothing on the line, this is exactly the type of game San Diego usually wins, but I’m going in a different direction.  The Raiders’ defense will play well, Michael Bush will grind out yards, and Sebastian Janikowski will nail a game-winning kick.

Prediction: Raiders 23 – Chargers 20

Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants

This is just perfect. The game got flexed to Sunday night, and it’s the biggest game of the weekend. The winner claims the NFC East.  The loser is out on its collective ass.  Normally I would take Eli Manning in a big spot over Tony Romo, especially at home, but I think Romo is ready to shed the choke artist label and will connect with Miles Austin and Jason Witten early and often while DeMarcus Ware terrorizes Manning.  I can’t believe I’m saying it, but I’ll take Dallas in a clutch spot.

Prediction: Cowboys 27 – Giants 24

NFL Week 17 Game Notes

Patriots over Dolphins

Adam: -Nice showing, Miami.  Tony Sparano's seat is warm, though I think he's a solid coach.
-36 touchdowns and 4 interceptions for Tom Brady on the year is absolutely amazing.  This team is the odds on Super Bowl favorite.

Eric: -The Patriots beat the Dolphins by a combined score of 79-21 this year.  So much for having nothing to play for and resting their guys.

Ravens over Bengals

A: -The Ravens have another great season at 12-4 yet fair no better than the five seed due to the Steelers' greatness.

E: -The Ravens did what they had to to aim for a two seed and a bye, but the Brownies didn't hold up their end of the bargain.  They end up with the easier environment for a Wild Card game though, going to Kansas City to face a young team that floundered in its season closer.

Falcons over Panthers

A: -The Falcons came out and took care of business to lock up the top seed.  Now they kick their feet up and wait to see who they face in two weeks.

E: -Had the Falcons lost this game, things could have looked completely different in the NFC playoff picture, but alas, they did what we all thought they'd do: blow out the Panthers.

Steelers over Browns

A: -For the Steelers, hello two seed.  For the Browns, bye-bye Eric Mangini.

E: -So long Manginius.  Is it Mike Holmgren's turn now?

Lions over Vikings

A: -The Motor City Kitties end on a high note, four in a row.

E: -The Lions get a huge confidence boost going into the offseason, ending on a four-game winning streak. There's nowhere to go but up for this franchise as long as Matthew Stafford stays healthy.
-This is the Vikings' second loss at Ford Field this year.

Raiders over Chiefs

A: -The Chiefs missed a chance to lock up the three seed, but that won't be relevant unless they play the Colts in the AFC title game.  What a great bounce back year for KC.
-The Raiders make it to.500 and go undefeated in the division.

E: -I wonder how much confidence the Chiefs have right now after getting blown out by division rival Oakland and with the mighty Ravens coming to town this weekend for Round 1.

Jets over Bills

A: -After a handful of uninspiring performances, this is the way the Jets wanted to enter the playoffs.
-The Bills competed in most games this year, but they are still a long way from being a good team.

E: -Mark Brunell FTW!

Buccaneers over Saints

A: -The Bucs finally beat an above .500 team, but it was too little too late.  Still, it was a great year for the Bucs.
-The Saints get a bye (they play Seattle in the first round).

E: -I guarantee, looking at that Falcons-Panthers matchup, the Saints knew they'd have nothing to play for in this one, so all week they studied Seahawks and Rams film instead of really preparing to go out and beat the Bucs.

Giants over Redskins

A: -The Giants get to 10-6, but it wasn't enough.  What could the Giants have been without 42 turnovers this year?

E: -For a while there the Giants were right in line for a Wild Card, but Green Bay's comeback victory over Chicago made Big Blue's win moot.

Cowboys over Eagles

A: -The Cowboys have played well under Jason Garrett and he likely will keep his job.
-The Eagles rested in this game and are getting ready for a huge matchup with the Pack.  The Packers and Eagles are likely the two teams that nobody wants to see in the NFC.

E: -Going into this game, the Eagles knew they were locked in as the three seed, so they took the opportunity to rest most of their starters, including Michael Vick who is recovering from an injured quad.  Kevin Kolb saw his first action since Week 7; he was rusty and without weapons.

49ers over Cardinals

A: -Thanks Niners for saving your best game for when it didn't matter.

E: -Coming into the season, this was supposed to be the matchup that Seahawks-Rams turned out to be: basically a playoff game for the NFC West title and a postseason berth. What happened?

-And why were the Niners still in playoff contention as recent as last week?

Chargers over Broncos

A: -The Chargers concluded a very up and down season with a victory over Denver.
-Tim Tebow ran for 94 yards and was decent throwing the ball.

E: -Tebow and the Broncos made things interesting with a late comeback attempt, but it ultimately came up short and the Chargers escaped with the win.

Texans over Jaguars

A: -You have to wonder what could've been in this game had David Garrard and Maurice Jones-Drew been healthy.  You also have to wonder how an underachiever like Gary Kubiak gets to keep his job.

E: -The Jaguars had a real shot at making the playoffs with the Titans giving the Colts all they could handle, but Trent Edwards was just not the man for the job.

Packers over Bears

A: -There were a lot of positives to take away from this game for the Pack.  First, the Bears played their starters the whole game and played to win.  That gave the Packers a challenge in a win-or-go-home situation against one of the best teams in the NFC.  That should get them ready for the postseason.  Second, the defense won this game for the Packers while Aaron Rodgers and the offense struggled.  Third, Rodgers didn't play great, but he rarely has two bad games in a row so he should be sharp next week.
-The Packers really can't run the ball, which is a bad sign, but if they can survive Philly, they will likely be playing in domes all the way to the Super Bowl, all the better so their passing game can click.
-I'm not sure why the Bears played their starters, but they got away with it.  With no major injuries, they keep themselves sharp and now have a bye.

E: -It wasn't easy, but this win sends the Packers to the playoffs.  Green Bay's defense put the clamps on Chicago's lackluster receiving corps and after a strong first half, shut down Matt Forte in the second, which allowed just enough breathing room for a tense Packer offense to eke out a decisive touchdown.

Colts over Titans

A: -It hasn't been easy all year for the Colts, and Sunday was no different.  Still, we again see the familiar sight of Peyton Manning in the playoffs.

E: -If the Titans hadn't fumbled the center-quarterback exchange with a minute left, this game easily could have gone the other way.
-With this win and the Chiefs' loss, the Colts moved up to the #3 playoff seed, which means they get the Jets in the first round rather than playing the AFC's "team no one wants to face," the Baltimore Ravens.

Seahawks over Rams

A: -Sorry, I just threw up in my mouth a little bit.  A 7-9 team in the playoffs, yuck.

E: -Can anybody make a play for Sam Bradford?

Week 17 Pick-Down

Matchup	Adam's Pick	Eric's Pick
Dolphins at Patriots	Dolphins	Dolphins
Bengals at Ravens	Ravens	Ravens
Panthers at Falcons	Falcons	Falcons
Steelers at Browns	Steelers	Browns
Vikings at Lions	Lions	Lions
Raiders at Chiefs	Chiefs	Chiefs
Bills at Jets	Bills	Jets
Buccaneers at Saints	Saints	Saints
Giants at Redskins	Giants	Giants
Cowboys at Eagles	Cowboys	Cowboys
Cardinals at 49ers	49ers	Cardinals
Chargers at Broncos	Broncos	Chargers
Jaguars at Texans	Texans	Texans
Bears at Packers	Packers	Packers
Titans at Colts	Colts	Colts
Rams at Seahawks	Rams	Rams
	Adam	Eric
Week 15 Record	8-8	9-7
Season Standings	138-102	141-99

To see how the "Experts" stack up: http://espn.go.com/nfl/picks

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The predictions here come from Adam and correspond to his picks.

Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots
I just can't see the Patriots playing their starters in this game with nothing to play for.  We saw what happened to Wes Welker in last year's regular season finale, and the Patriots know it just takes one play to end Tom Brady's season as well.  With that, I'll take the Dolphins, who love playing on the road anyway.
Prediction: Dolphins 23 – Patriots 14


Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens
The Bengals have a bit of momentum, but Baltimore wants this game, especially if the Steelers lose to Cleveland.  I'll take Ray Lewis and company.
Prediction: Ravens 24 – Bengals 13


Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons
The only way Carolina would have a shot in this one is if Atlanta had nothing to play for...but...Atlanta clinches the NFC's top seed with this win.  And they're at home.
Prediction: Falcons 24 – Panthers 10


Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns
The Steelers need to win this game to stay in contention for the two seed and hold Baltimore off from taking the division.  It won't be easy in Cleveland, who is a good team to play spoiler.  Additionally, the Browns hate Pittsburgh and the Steelers are entirely capable of throwing in a stinker game.  Still, I think Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers defense will do enough to hold off the feisty Browns.
Prediction: Steelers 23 – Browns 20


Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions
Brett Favre likely will not play, and while Joe Webb had a nice game last week against Philly, he is not a starting level quarterback right now.  Enter Ndamukong Suh.  The Lions will end the season on the first four game win streak I can remember in a long time.
Prediction: Lions 17 – Vikings 13


Oakland Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs can't secure the two seed no matter what, but they could potentially fall to the four seed, so I think they will play their starters in this one.  These are always the hardest games to pick when you're not sure who will be in the game, but ultimately I'll take the Chiefs at home.
Prediction: Chiefs 20 – Raiders 14


Buffalo Bills at New York Jets
The Jets may rest a lot of starters with nothing to play for, but Rex Ryan has been tight lipped about who will start and who will sit.  The Bills are just plain bad, and I'm not sure they want to win if they can secure a higher draft pick with a loss.  I'll go Bills starters over Jets backups.
Prediction: Bills 20 – Jets 10


Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints
This is  big game with the Saints still having a shot to win their division and take the number one seed.  The Bucs also have an outside shot at a playoff berth.  I like the Saints who are starting to get their ground game rolling to complement that dynamic passing game.
Prediction: Saints 31 – Buccaneers 23


New York Giants at Washington Redskins
I don't know.  The Redskins are starting Rex Grossman which would usually prohibit me from picking them, but New York has been awful lately.  I guess the Giants win.
Prediction: Giants 20 – Redskins 17


Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles
Michael Vick won't play in this game, and many others may rest for Philly too.  Kevin Kolb is a really good backup, so he should keep this close, but I'll take Dallas who has been playing for pride and their interim head coach for a while now.
Prediction: Cowboys 26 – Eagles 20


Arizona Cardinals at San Francisco 49ers
I hope the 49ers lose (draft pick baby) but the Cardinals are the only team in football that the Niners seem to own.  Alex Smith is playing his last game for the Niners and he is auditioning for his career.  I'll take my boys.
Prediction: 49ers 27 – Cardinals 17


San Diego Chargers at Denver Broncos
Denver has been a bottom feeder all year so their used to these meaningless games.  San Diego just got ousted from contention last week, so they may come out flat for this one.  I'll give this game to Tebow.
Prediction: Broncos 22 – Chargers 16


Jacksonville Jaguars at Houston Texans
The Jags are without David Garrard for this one.  Trent Edwards = Jags loss.
Prediction: Texans 30 – Jaguars 23


Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers
It's possible the Bears could have nothing to play for in this game, or they could be playing for the NFC's top seed.  I hope it's the former.  Either way, the Packers, with the playoffs on the line and playing at home, will win this game.
Prediction: Pack 28 – Bears 23


Tennessee Titans at Indianapolis Colts
A win and you're in situation for Peyton Manning against a bad opponent: Gimme Peyton.
Prediction: Colts 27 – Titans 14


St. Louis Rams at Seattle Seahawks
Please God, let the Rams win so we don't have a 7-9 team in the postseason.  I'll take Sam Bradford over Charlie Whitehurst.
Prediction: Rams 21 – Seahawks 16