NFL 2010 Week 16 Picks

Christmas shopping, TV reruns and my general laziness have recently kept me from writing in my blog as often as I’d like to.

(Maybe I’ll have my “Black Swan” and “True Grit” reviews in by 2011, maybe I won’t. Maybe I’ll do a Top 10 list of the Best Movies and TV shows of the year, but I probably won’t.)

Still, I’ve managed to sneak my musings on the NFL season every Thursday and this week is no different. Maybe I should be paying more attention to that as well, since I had a pretty sad week (7-9 week, 110-84 season).

Starting tonight, there will be NFL games on four of the next five nights, so let’s jump right in:

CAROLINA @ PITTSBURGH
Carolina showed spunk I didn’t think they had last week in winning their second game of the season, but I don’t like their chances at all against a (depleted) Steelers team looking to bounce back from that tough loss against the Jets.

DALLAS @ ARIZONA
I know they’ve looked slightly better in recent weeks, but I’m not rushing out to buy a John Skelton jersey just yet. (Or any other jersey for that matter…those things cost like $70!)

WASHINGTON @ JACKSONVILLE
I’m in the title game for my fantasy football league. If I win, I get $300. We play a two-QB format, and Drew Brees is locked in as one of my quarterbacks. For the second spot, I’m trying to decide between Eli Manning at Green Bay (in what will probably be a frigid, low-scoring game), Sam Bradford (who’s been brutal lately) at home against the Niners or…wait for it…Rex Grossman (pictured, left)!

In a related story, (though I like the Jags to win the game) I’m leaning toward Grossman against the Jags bad pass defense. Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit…

DETROIT @ MIAMI
Detroit just won its first road game since 2007! (In Tampa…Blech!) There’s no limit to what they can do!

SAN FRANCISCO @ ST. LOUIS
We all want the winner of the NFC West to finish with a losing record because it’s never happened (and so we can REALLY complain about how bad that division is), but I have a feeling one of these teams is going to rally and finish 8-8.

TENNESSEE @ KANSAS CITY
I thought the Titans had quit on their season until they blew out Houston last week. Can I please get that same exact effort this week, since my fantasy appointment has Jamaal Charles going? Thanks!

N.Y. JETS @ CHICAGO
Is there a team more reliant on confidence and swagger than the Jets? I think they got some of that back last week, and I also like the way they play on the road. (When they don’t do well at home, the crowd becomes anxious and things get awkward in a hurry.)

NEW ENGLAND @ BUFFALO
I feel like this game will be a lot closer than people expect, but it’s pretty apparent that no one is beating the Patriots at this point. (They beat Green Bay with their C+ game last week.)

BALTIMORE @ CLEVELAND
Even though they’ve been a letdown these past few weeks, I feel like the Browns (and especially their fans) will get up for this game against division rival Baltimore. (AKA the artists formerly known as the Cleveland Browns.)

HOUSTON @ DENVER
Sorry for being “Guy Who Won’t Stop Talking About His Fantasy Team”, but both of these teams are out of it, and neither coach will be back next year. I’ve got two or three guys going in this game (if Knowshon Moreno recovers in time), so I hope there are 100 points scored in this thing.

SAN DIEGO @ CINCINNATI
When your best player is also the guy who’s been trying the hardest all year, and you lose that guy for the season, you’re in trouble. When that guy is Terrell Owens, you’re REALLY in terrible shape.

INDIANAPOLIS @ OAKLAND
This feels like one of those games where the Raiders control the clock for 35-40 minutes, but Peyton Manning wins the games with a few strategically-placed, quick-strike touchdowns.

N.Y. GIANTS @ GREEN BAY
The Giants just suffered one of the most heartbreaking losses in recent memory, but a lot of people expect them to bounce back. I don’t. I think Tom Coughlin runts of chances this year. (Especially since Bill Cowher is publicly campaigning for his job.)

SEATTLE @ TAMPA BAY
The Bucs will win this one because the Seahawks are kind of a disaster, but it’ll be too little, too late.

MINNESOTA @ PHILADELPHIA
So, basically Joe Webb is a terrible version of Tarvaris Jackson (who is a terrible version of a good NFL quarterback).

NEW ORLEANS @ ATLANTA
Drew Brees…I’ve had you as my fantasy QB for the past three seasons. You brought New Orleans a title earlier this year, and I expect you to do the same for me.