Editor Matt Loede’s NFL Week 14 Picks

Last Week: 13-3
Season: 114-75

Thursday:

Indianapolis at Tennessee – Peyton Manning is in one of those funks. The Colts have no run game, are banged up all over the place, and can’t find a rhythm on either side of the ball. The Titans are on their last leg, losing at home last week scoring 6 points and two weeks ago getting shut out. Two desperate teams ready to start the week out. Here’s thinking the Colts have one more bullet left in their gun. Indianapolis 23 Tennessee 10

Sunday:

Tampa Bay at Washington – Last week the Bucs showed they could hang with one of the best in the league with the Falcons, but in the end, they just couldn’t finish. This week they take on a distracted Redskins team that is again filled with off the field issues. Albert Haynesworth won’t play, not that it matters, but the Redskins are falling on hard times, and while Donovan McNabb and the offense is fading fast, the defense will probably keep them in it for about a half till the Bucs impose their will. Tampa Bay 27 Washington 14

Cleveland at Buffalo – Ugh. The Bills were showing some signs of life till last week when they were crushed in Minnesota. The Browns are 5-7, but played a snoozer in Miami, winning 13-10. The Browns are playing well on both sides of the ball, and finally it looks like Eric Mangini is on the verge of making sure he sticks around for 2011. The Browns can’t afford a slip up, and will find a way to win again – ugly. Cleveland 17 Buffalo 14

New York Giants at Minnesota – Don’t believe the hype, Brett Favre will play. Not that it matters, as the Vikings seemed to have more life with Tarvaris Jackson last week in their win over the Bills. They just seemed to have a better tempo, while Favre’s age seems to show. The Giants will rush Favre all day, and look for the pass rush to do enough to get a win and stay tied for first with the Eagles. New York Giants 21 Minnesota 13

Green Bay at Detroit – Drew Stanton kept the Lions in the game last week vs the Bears, and he’ll get a shot this week against another tough NFC North team, the Pack. Charles Woodson likely won’t play, meaning that Stanton should have some success throwing. As for Aaron Rodgers, he will pick on the Lions pass defense all day, meaning it should be somewhat of a shootout in Motown, but Rodgers is too good to lose this one. Green Bay 34 Detroit 24

Oakland at Jacksonville -Can the Jags actually pull off the upset of rising from the dead to win the AFC South? It seems like it, as they are playing the best ball of the division. Now it’s the Raiders in town, a team that last week came out of nowhere to beat the Chargers on the road. Look for Oakland to give David Garrard and the Jags all they can handle, but in the end, Maurice Jones-Drew will do enough against the Raiders run D to get it done again for Jacksonville. Jacksonville 20 Oakland 17

Cincinnati at Pittsburgh – What a difference a year makes. The Bengals were 6-0 in the division last year, but this year are in a serious funk, losing their last 9 after starting out 2-1. They play a beat up Steelers team coming off a huge 13-10 win in Baltimore that looks like it will wrap up the division. The Steelers will be without TE Heath Miller and OL Flozell Adams, but it shouldn’t stop the black and gold from running on the Bengals, and for Ben Roethlisberger to do enough to get the Steelers to 10-3. Pittsburgh 31 Cincinnati 14

Atlanta at Carolina – There’s not much these days that seem to be stopping the Falcons, as they are playing very good football, as shown last week with the comeback win over the Bucs. This week should be a cakewalk over a Panthers team that started strong vs the Hawks, but like they have done a couple times this awful year, they made way too many mistakes, and paid for it. Look for the Falcons to have a lot of smiles by the time the fourth quarter starts. Atlanta 31 Carolina 10

Seattle at San Francisco – The 49’ers still actually have a shot in the division, but they have to win here over the Hawks, or they are cooked. They are going back to Alex Smith, as Troy Smith didn’t do enough to keep the starting job. Seattle is 6-6, and is tied with the Rams for first in the very average NFC West. Pete Carroll has shown signs of getting his team to play well at home, but they are 2-4 on the road, and the Niners have one more shot to right the ship. With Alex Smith back in, they find a way late to win it. San Francisco 21 Seattle 17

St.Louis at New Orleans – St.Louis is riding high after a big win in Arizona last week, but won’t find it so easy this week vs Drew Brees and the Saints. New Orleans hung in and eventually pulled out a tough win in Cincy last week, winning with less than a minute left. Look for the Saints to have way too much firepower for the Rams, who if they are going to win need to keep this game in the last teens or early 20’s. Won’t happen. New Orleans 34 St.Louis 20

New England at Chicago – A great game between two teams that have visions of a Super Bowl XX rematch in early February. The Pats put the Jets in a stranglehold Monday night, crushing them 45-3. As for the Bears, they had a tough time, but overcame a tough Lions team to pull out a win. The Pats always seem to get up for tough games on the road, more so late in the year. Hard to see them having a letdown, even after a Monday night game in which they played near perfect. New England 28 Chicago 27

Denver at Arizona – About the only storyline in this stinker is if the Broncos will come out for their new coach after Josh McDaniels was canned on Monday. The Cards are in a funk after another home loss last week, and while the Broncos are 3-9, here’s thinking they come out and play a little inspired against a team that has dropped seven in a row. Denver 20 Arizona 13

Miami at New York Jets – Who could have seen that one coming for the Jets Monday night vs the Pats? They were beaten as badly as any team has been beaten this year, and now they have to rally and come out vs a Dolphins team that plays better on the road than at home. Last week they lost to the Browns at home, and now they have to travel to the hornets nest that is the new Meadowlands. The Jets have to get back on track, and can’t afford to let last week linger. New York Jets 23 Miami 21

Kansas City at San Diego – Matt Cassel not playing in this one changes the dynamics for the Chiefs, who have a two game lead with four games left in the division. The Chargers are not a happy crew after losing to the Raiders, and they will come out and take it out on Brodie Croyle and the Chiefs this week, getting that two game lead down to one with three weeks left. San Diego 27 Kansas City 7

Philadelphia at Dallas – Can the Cowboys stay hot another week? They are 3-1 under Jason Garrett, and should have been 4-0 if it were not a Roy Williams fumble. Now they play the Eagles, a team that seems to have found its future with Mike Vick running the show at QB. The Eagles need to win to stay tied for first with the Giants, but playing the Cowboys, who have visions of keeping Garrett around, will again find a way to pull it out late. Dallas 30 Philadelphia 27

Monday Night:

Baltimore at Houston – Last week the Ravens had the Steelers on the ropes, but couldn’t finish, and now find themselves needing to keep winning to get a wild card spot. They play a Texans team that has been up and down all season, and come in 5-7, 3-3 at home. The Texans still have weapons on offense, but the Ravens are not a happy crew after losing to the Steelers at home. Baltimore will find a way to win it, as their defense will make enough plays to stop Matt Schaub and company. Baltimore 24 Houston 17