Chargers-Broncos

• Showdown Sunday…Both must win…Denver (10-3) wants to keep pace with New England for home field advantage for entire AFC-playoffs…Chargers (8-5) need win to stay in mix for wildcard playoff spot….QB-Peyton Manning coming off two substandard games (173-179) yards passing….Injuries have robbed Manning of firepower around him….RBs-Montee Ball-Ronnie Hillman-CJ Anderson all banged up….TE-Julius Thomas been out 3-weeks-hopes to play this weekend….Manning (3910P-36TD)….Last six games (8-interceptions-6QBX)….Broncos averaging (405YPG)-4th in NFL….Denver 33TD-Red Zone-2nd in NFL….WRs-Demariuys Thomas-Emmanuel Sanders both (14YPC)…Wes Welker production spotty (9YPC)….Broncos defense 38-QBX….allowing just 37% conversion on 3rd downs…allowing just (311YPG)….QB-Philip Rivers (3401P-26TD)….Rivers QB rating has plunged..was as high as 118-midseason-now down to 100-rating…RB-Ryan Mathews may not play-on going ankle problems-would miss 18th game of his career in San Diego in 4-and-half years…TE-LeDarius Green out likely with concussion…Matt McBriar debuts as punter-spent 9-years with Cowboys-2X-Pro Bowler…..Chargers defense will blitz and with healthy Melvin Ingram and Jerry Attaochu and relentless Dwight Freeney-coupled with Manning’s banged up skill group, pick San Diego to pull off huge upset.

Steelers-Atlanta

• Pittsburgh is in the group of (8-5) teams fighting for playoff spot…Steelers still have giant shot to also finish lst in AFC-North….RB-Le’Veon Bell having amazing season as is WR-Antonio Brown….Roethlisberger (4,055Y-29TD)…Bell (1231Y) rushing…Falcons running ball better with Steven Jackson but WR-Julio Jones ailing with hip issue after (259Y) pass catching day last weekend…Atlanta not enough defense…QB-Matt Ryan will attack Steelers shaky secondary…will be big plays…picking Pittsburgh.

Green Bay-Buffalo

• Bills having superior defensive season-here comes superior QB-Aaron Rodgers (35TD)..RB-Eddie Lacy banged up…Packers defense will choke off Kyle Orton and run game…Green Bay to win.

Cincinnati-Cleveland

• Johnny Manziel debut at quarterback…will they run some read option…will they roll him out…huge challenge for troubled Bengals defense now without LB-Vontaze Burfect….Andy Dalton-AJ Green passing combo will be huge challenge for Browns CB-Joe Haden…Bengals need win to stay in first place…think they survive Johnny Football-now Johnny starter…Bengals just (5-4-1) after strong start.

49ers-Seahawks

• San Francisco falling apart…Seahawks starting to jell again…Colin Kaeperneck coming off two terrible outings…Russell Wilson carrying Seattle…Seahawks defense will slow down Niners who do not have much team speed at WR now…Jim Harbaugh headaches continue as they probably get knocked out of the playoffs with a loss…Niners lost 3-in row in Seattle…Seattle sends them home a loser.

Dallas-Philadelphia

• NFC-East grudge match…Both (9-4)…both chasing Arizona for top spot in so tough NFC-East….Tony Romo (2923P-25TD)…DeMarco Murray (1606R) against Mark Sanchez and a fiesty LeSean McCoy…..Can Eagles WRs get open against Dallas secondary which looks shaky….Bet this is high scoring…picking Cowboys to win though.

Giants-Redskins

• Colt McCoy will start at QB…Eli Manning only credible thing for Giants(3340Y-23TD)….Both teams in state of collapse…rumblings now that Jay Gruden (3-10) is in over his head as head coach…Giants get it done.

Miami-New England

• Dolphins probably fall out of playoff race……Tom Brady on a mission as Patriots shoot for (11-3) record by Sunday night in battle with Denver for top AFC playoff spot…Brady (30TD)…Patriots (52-9) in December under Belicheck….(59-6) at Gillette Stadium since 2006..LeGarrette Blount has made huge impact to run game with Jonas Gray…Patriots pound them.

Raiders-Chiefs

• QB-Derek Carr coming off huge upset win against Niners…won’t get it done against KC defense in Arrowhead…Chiefs facing desperation game-inability to throw down field killing Chiefs offense….Game 14 of season and WRs have yet to catch a TD pass-blame the organization for not getting help for Alex Smith…teams loading the box to slow down Jamal Charles…..KC pass rush will choke off Carr…Raiders (3-20) on road last 3-years.. .Chiefs win but damage to playoff hopes already done.

Texans-Colts

• Andrew Luck-vs-JJ Watt and Texans pass rush….Luck has magical statistical season (4305P-36TD)…Watt is superman…think Colts win.

Jaguars-Ravens

• Baltimore need to get 9th win in wildcard race….Jacksonville just cannot stop making mistakes on offense…defense cannot carry team every weekend….Baltimore beats them-but still behind in tiebreakers..

Tampa Bay-Carolina

• Bucs woeful (2-11) won’t have to contend with QB-Cam Newton, out with auto accident injuries…Derek Anderson can throw long ball, so Panthers win again, maybe saving Ron Rivera’s job in disappointing season.

Jets-Tennessee

• They are both (2-11)…both have QB problems…Geno Smith starts again…Jake Locker has to play because of Zach Mettenberger injury….Jets will win this one as Titans misery continues.

Vikings-Lions

• Detroit and Green Bay in war to see who wins NFC-North…Matthew Stafford and company light up scoreboard at home against Vikings team with so many injuries..

Saints-Bears

• Both are (5-8)…Drew Brees not putting up big numbers any longer…Jay Cutler not trustworthy nor dangerous on a week-to-week basis….Starting lineup shakeup in New Orleans, a prelude to probably assistant coaching shakeup at end of year….Saints win, but so what.

– Thursday Night Football –

Arizona-W-St. Louis (12-6)

• Defense isn’t pretty and this wasn’t….Cardinals defense held Rams 21-minutes without first down…St. Louis had 16-yards in 15-snaps-went 5-straight series 3-and-out…Rams lost QB-Drew Stanton with knee injury….Game 6-field goals…16-punts and two teams had around 280-yards offense…Arizona-huge win on road..now (11-3)…but loss of Carson Palmer and Drew Stanton could be catastrophic….Ryan Lindley (0TD-7 picks) in career would be starter.

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