Posted
on 12/14/2007 9:50 AM
By: CappersPicks.com NFL Football Handicapping
Staff
The NFL Double Take
With just three weeks remaining, the
weekend schedule is full of big games.
The race to the postseason is heating up
and there are lots of games with playoff
implications this Sunday.
We’ve
had our guys break down four of the big
ones.
Arizona Cardinals @ New Orleans Saints
Mike: This
is suddenly a very interesting game as
two 6-7 teams are playoff contenders
in the pathetic NFC. The Saints return
home after a blowout win against a dysfunctional
Falcons team. New Orleans running back
Reggie Bush is out for the season and that
means the underrated Aaron Stecker gets
most of the carries. Both quarterbacks,
Drew Brees and Kurt Warner, are likely
to be throwing the ball early and often
this week, but I’m taking the points
in this battle of two very streaky teams.
Prediction:
Cardinals +3½
Cras: The
Arizona Cardinals have blown several
great chances to move into a prime position
to challenge for a NFC Wild Card spot.
This is their last chance or it’s
likely the end of the season. With an identical
6-7 record, the Saints are also in a must-win
situation if they want to continue their
drive to the postseason. As bad as Arizona
looked last week, I think they’ll
recover nicely this week and continue the
Cardinals’ trend of never knowing
what to expect from them every Sunday.
Prediction:
Cardinals +3 ½
Buffalo Bills @ Cleveland Browns
Mike: Cleveland
(8-5) leads the chase for the second
AFC Wild Card, with Buffalo just one
game behind at 7-6. Browns’ quarterback
Derek Anderson only threw for 185 yards
at the Jets last week, but he is usually
good for at least 250 passing yards at
home. Buffalo coach Dick Jauron is being
mentioned as a Coach of the Year candidate,
and for good reason. That said, I don’t
think his offense matches up at all in
this game, and I’m willing to lay
just under seven points to prove it.
Prediction:
Browns -5½
Cras: The
Buffalo Bills get one crack at the Cleveland
Browns and it’s
their last crack at the playoffs too. The
Bills are one game back of the Browns with
dates with the New York Giants and Philadelphia
Eagles looming so Buffalo needs to win
this weekend or their playoff hopes end
abruptly. After this weekend, Cleveland
has the easier road to the postseason with
games against Cincinnati and San Francisco
in the final two weeks. The Browns have
the inside track at the postseason but
the Bills give’em a heck of a game
this weekend.
Prediction:
Bills +5½
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Pittsburgh Steelers
Mike: This
is the best game on the Week 15 schedule
as both teams play a knockdown, drag
out style of football. Each of these
squads is 9-4, but Pittsburgh needs to
keep winning to secure the AFC North while
Jacksonville is pretty much locked into
one of the AFC Wild Cards. The Steelers
couldn’t back up their trash taking
in New England last Sunday, but they come
back home here and will be able to contain
the Jaguars running game on their way to
a touchdown win.
Prediction:
Steelers -3 ½
Cras: Pittsburgh
and Jacksonville meet in what could be
a possible Wild Card Weekend playoff
match next month. It will be interesting
to see how the Jaguars approach the Steelers
defense. Will running backs Fred Taylor
and Maurice Jones-Drew be able to run against
one of the league’s best? New England
didn’t even try running last week
and opted to pass, pass and pass some more.
The Jags don’t have the receivers,
or quarterback, to mimic that style and
that’s why I think Pittsburgh takes
them out this weekend.
Prediction:
Steelers -3½
Washington Redskins @ New York Giants
Mike: This
is the Sunday night game and a win for
the Giants will wrap up a Wild Card spot,
although they should make the playoffs
even with a loss. New York has not played
great at home this year at 3-3, and they’ve had trouble with turnovers
lately. For Washington, career backup quarterback,
Todd Collins is getting the nod, and he
has the ability to play steady football.
Still, this is not a big spread to give
when you’re dealing with a superior
team playing at home.
Prediction:
Giants -4½
Cras: The
Washington Redskins somehow managed to
escape from last week’s
injury-filled game against Chicago with
a victory. They enter this weekend’s
game with Todd Collins at quarterback and
playoff hopes hinged squarely on his shoulders.
At 6-7, Washington is part of the five
team logjam of NFC teams hovering around
the .500 mark. Meanwhile the Giants can
lock up a playoff berth with a victory
on Sunday and that’s exactly what
they’ll do.
Prediction:
Giants -4½
NOTE:
All picks based on Sportsbook.com opening
odds
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