Seattle Seahawks

Subterms

    More stories

    • 113 Shares99 Views

      in Football

      NFL Playoff Predictions: Our Picks in the Wild-Card Round

      by

      AdvertisementContinue reading the main storySupported byContinue reading the main storyN.F.L. Playoff Predictions: Our Picks in the Wild-Card RoundAn expanded first round is highlighted by a few tough matchups, including Colts-Bills and Ravens-Titans.Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens has lost both of his career starts against the Tennessee Titans — once in last year’s playoffs and again in Week 11 of this season. Jackson is hoping to find playoff success after two seasons ended in disappointment.Credit…Nick Wass/Associated PressJan. 7, 2021, 12:01 a.m. ETThe N.F.L. got through all 256 games, no matter how tenuous, completing the regular season. Now, an expanded field of 14 teams enters the playoffs with a chance at qualifying for Super Bowl LV, which is scheduled to be held on Feb. 7 in Tampa, Fla. The format, conceived to balance out the pandemic-related issues of the season, resulted in six games slotted this weekend, rather than the usual four. It also left only two teams with first-round byes, which was terrible news for the Buffalo Bills and the New Orleans Saints, both of whom would have been able to sit out this round in a typical season.Here is a look at the wild-card round. Unlike in the regular season, these picks are not made against the spread.Saturday’s GamesStefon Diggs and Josh Allen have turned the Buffalo Bills into must-see TV.Credit…Maddie Malhotra/Getty ImagesIndianapolis Colts at Buffalo Bills, 1:05 p.m., CBSLine: Bills -6.5 | Total: 51One of these teams finished in the N.F.L.’s top 10 in offense and defense, and it wasn’t the Bills (13-3). The Colts (11-5) were wildly inconsistent, barely qualified for the playoffs (Buffalo’s blowout win over Miami in Week 17 helped considerably) and had a bad habit of wearing down as games went along. Despite that, they finished with the statistics of a solid contender and the franchise’s best record since 2014.That could fall apart quickly against Buffalo.The Bills’ success starts with quarterback Josh Allen, who progressed from a mistake-prone gunslinger to a legitimate candidate for the Most Valuable Player Award, leading Buffalo to its first division title since 1995. A fair amount of that improvement should be attributed to the arrival of wide receiver Stefon Diggs, whose presence opened the field for Cole Beasley and John Brown. Buffalo finished second in the N.F.L. in scoring, and closed the season with a six-game win streak in which the team averaged 38.2 points a game.The Bills’ defense didn’t rank nearly as high statistically, but cornerback Tre’Davious White and linebacker Tremaine Edmunds led a unit that tied for the third-most takeaways in the N.F.L. After a rocky start to the year, Buffalo’s defense was particularly impressive in late-season wins over the Chargers and the Steelers.The biggest factor in this game will probably be the weather. It is expected to be around 30 degrees in Orchard Park, N.Y., on Saturday afternoon, and Indianapolis’s quarterback, Philip Rivers, hasn’t won with a kickoff temperature below 35 degrees since Week 12 of the 2013 season. A creaky 39-year-old quarterback who has spent nearly his entire career playing in warm weather or domes is not a recipe for January success in western New York. Pick: BillsWhile John Wolford, right, performed admirably in his N.F.L. debut last week, the Los Angeles Rams are hoping Jared Goff, left, will be available this week.Credit…Harry How/Getty ImagesLos Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks, 4:40 p.m., FoxLine: Seahawks -4 | Total: 42.5That we are discussing whether quarterback Jared Goff can play is a testament to medical advances or his toughness, or both. Goff had surgery on the thumb of his throwing hand on Dec. 28 — that would allow for only 11 days of recovery and rehabilitation. Coach Sean McVay has said Goff is throwing in practice and “preparing himself to play,” but should he be ruled out, the Rams (10-6) would turn again to John Wolford, the pride and joy of the Alliance of American Football and the surprise winner of his first N.F.L. start, which came in Week 17.Be it Wolford or a limited version of Goff, the Rams should be underdogs against the Seahawks (12-4). Seattle’s offense was never in question — Russell Wilson is a threat to throw a touchdown pass to Tyler Lockett or D.K. Metcalf on almost every play — but after a brutal start to the season, the Seahawks’ defense improved considerably. The only solace for Los Angeles is that Seattle may be without safety Jamal Adams and defensive tackle Jarran Reed, which would significantly weaken the Seahawks’ pass rush.At full strength, this would probably have been a terrific game between N.F.C. West heavyweights. And you can’t count out the Rams as long as defensive tackle Aaron Donald — one of the best players in the N.F.L. at any position — is around. But when taken in its diminished form, this game tilts in Seattle’s direction. Pick: SeahawksThe Washington Football Team isn’t quite ready for prime time — and still needs a name — but opponents have become painfully aware of how much damage the rookie defensive end Chase Young, center, can do in any game. Credit…Patrick Smith/Getty ImagesTampa Bay Buccaneers at Washington Football Team, 8:15 p.m., NBCLine: Buccaneers -8 | Total: 45Winning your division is important. The Footballers (7-9) have the worst record of any playoff team — they tied the 2010 Seattle Seahawks for the worst record for a playoff team in N.F.L. history — but they get to host a game against the Buccaneers (11-5) by way of Tampa Bay’s being a wild-card entrant. It may seem unfair, but it wasn’t Washington’s fault that the Buccaneers lost both of their games against division rival New Orleans (by a combined score of 72-26).Home field advantage shouldn’t be ignored, and Washington’s defense should give it a bright future, but Tampa Bay is expected to win easily. Tom Brady and the Bucs’ offense got into a groove, ending the season with a four-game streak in which they averaged 37 points a game. And Tampa Bay’s defense, which specializes in getting to the quarterback, should have a field day thanks to the limited mobility of Alex Smith, who is not 100 percent after a calf injury to the same leg that nearly ended his career.If there is a path to victory for the Footballers it would start with turnovers caused by Chase Young and Washington’s upstart defense. Young, a rookie defensive end, appears to have skipped right from promising player to superstar. His day for playoff success will most likely come, but not this week. Pick: BuccaneersSunday’s GamesDerrick Henry of the Tennessee Titans rumbled for 195 yards against the Baltimore Ravens in the divisional round of the playoffs last season. Can he repeat that success?Credit…Rob Carr/Getty ImagesBaltimore Ravens at Tennessee Titans, 1:05 p.m., ABC and ESPNLine: Ravens -3 | Total: 55Only two road teams are favored this weekend, and while Tampa Bay got that distinction thanks to Washington’s ineptitude, the Ravens (11-5) got there by looking nearly unbeatable over the season’s final five weeks.Somewhat written off after a midseason lull, Baltimore took advantage of a soft schedule to get things right, winning five consecutive games with an aggregate score of 186-89. The formula was familiar, with the Ravens rushing for more than 230 yards in four of the five games, but it was clear that a fire had been set under quarterback Lamar Jackson, who largely recaptured the form that made him the N.F.L.’s most valuable player in 2019.Tennessee’s offense is just as intimidating thanks to a formula not all that different from Baltimore’s. Running back Derrick Henry is a nearly unstoppable force — he became just the eighth N.F.L. player to rush for 2,000 yards in a season — and quarterback Ryan Tannehill makes teams pay for stacking the box with deep strikes to wide receiver A.J. Brown.The Titans (11-5) are nowhere near as capable as Baltimore on defense, but making them underdogs at home ignores the fact that the Ravens haven’t had anything resembling a dominant win over a good team since Week 9. It is possible Baltimore would have had similar late-season success against any opponent, but running up the score against teams like Jacksonville and Cincinnati isn’t enough to support such a bold pick. Pick: TitansChicago Bears at New Orleans Saints, 4:40 p.m., CBS, Nickelodeon and Prime VideoLine: Saints -10 | Total: 47The most interesting part of this game is that Nickelodeon will be doing a broadcast of it for children. There will be animated graphics, guest reporters, filters on the screen and, of course, slime.They couldn’t have picked a better game in which to inject some distraction, as the Bears (8-8) have little business being in the playoffs, let alone playing the Saints (12-4), who were among the N.F.L.’s five best teams this season.Chicago started the season with a 5-1 record, then looked so bad in a six-game losing streak that Coach Matt Nagy’s job appeared to be on the line, and then surprised everyone with three wins to get back in the playoff race. On the season’s final day, the Bears were blown out by Green Bay, but backed into the playoffs because of Arizona’s loss to the Rams.It is hard to imagine quarterback Mitchell Trubisky of the Bears winning a playoff game, but the Saints, who can dominate on both sides of the ball, have repeatedly reminded us that absolutely anything can happen in the playoffs. The Vikings shocked New Orleans in the divisional round of the 2017 season with a Stefon Diggs touchdown catch that will live forever. The Rams got away with an undeserved win in the N.F.C. championship game of the 2018 season thanks to one of the most brutal cases of uncalled pass interference you’ll find. And Minnesota ruined the Saints’ season yet again last year, with Kirk Cousins marching his team 75 yards on nine plays in overtime, throwing a walk-off touchdown pass to Kyle Rudolph before Drew Brees could even touch the ball. Pick: SaintsThe Pittsburgh Steelers have frustrated many with a dink-and-dunk approach to offense this season. If they decide to be more aggressive this week, wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster is more than up for the challenge.Credit…Scott Galvin/USA Today Sports, via ReutersCleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers, 8:15 p.m., NBCLine: Steelers -6 | Total: 47.5Only 11 teams in the 16-game era have started a season 11-0, and none of the others finished with a record as bad as this season’s Steelers (12-4), who were 1-4 down the stretch. Several factors contributed to Pittsburgh’s collapse, including the team having played the season without a real bye week, injuries to crucial defenders and the decision to rest quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and multiple defensive starters in Week 17. But it is also worth wondering if the Steelers were never as good as their franchise-best start suggested.This is a rematch of the teams’ game in Week 17, which the Browns (11-5) won, 24-22. But the close result had to be disturbing for Cleveland given Mason Rudolph’s starting for Pittsburgh in place of Roethlisberger. Cleveland’s defensive struggles can largely be attributed to three of the team’s four starting defensive backs being out because of coronavirus protocols, but the game was still far more competitive than it should have been.Pittsburgh will have players like T.J. Watt, Cameron Heyward and Roethlisberger back this weekend, and while the Browns should get their secondary restored, they will be weakened considerably by having their head coach, Kevin Stefanski, out after he tested positive for the coronavirus. Defensive end Olivier Vernon will be out as well after sustaining a season-ending injury in last week’s win. Of all the games this weekend, this one seems to be the most unpredictable one, but a narrow Pittsburgh victory is the most likely outcome. Pick: Steelers.All times are Eastern.AdvertisementContinue reading the main story More

    • 113 Shares149 Views

      in Football

      NFL Week 17 Predictions: Our Picks Against the Spread

      by

      AdvertisementContinue reading the main storySupported byContinue reading the main storyN.F.L. Week 17 Predictions: Our Picks Against the SpreadTen teams will be fighting for seven playoff spots on a final regular-season Sunday when numerous playoff seedings can change.Stefon Diggs, center, and Josh Allen, right, led the Buffalo Bills to the team’s first A.F.C. East title since 1995. They go into Week 17 with a chance at locking up the No. 2 seed in their conference.Credit…Adam Glanzman/Getty ImagesDec. 31, 2020, 12:01 a.m. ETHeading into the final Sunday of the regular season, seven teams have secured playoff spots and 10 others are in contention for seven positions. The key battles will come in the A.FC. South and the N.F.C. East and for the wild-card spots in both conferences, with plenty of seeding yet to be decided as well.Here is a look at Week 17, with all picks made against the spread.Last week’s record: 6-9-1Overall record: 116-116-8A look ahead at Week 17:The A.F.C. Wild CardsThe A.F.C. SouthThe N.F.C. EastThe N.F.C. Wild CardsThe Seeding GamesThe Irrelevant GamesHow Betting Lines WorkThe A.F.C. Wild CardsThe battle for the three wild-card spots in the A.F.C. has come down to Miami, Baltimore, Cleveland and whichever team doesn’t win the A.F.C. South, Tennessee or Indianapolis.Tua Tagovailoa, not pictured, is expected to start at quarterback for Miami, but if the team needs a spark, the Dolphins will turn to Ryan Fitzpatrick, center, whom the team used as the football equivalent of a relief pitcher last week.Credit…David Becker/Associated PressMiami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills, 1 p.m. CBSLine: Bills -1 | Total: 44.5For the last 20 years, the Dolphins (10-5) and the Bills (12-3) have lived in the mighty shadow of the New England Patriots. Thanks to the fall of the New England dynasty, Buffalo has won its first division title since 1995 and Miami is on the verge of its first playoff appearance since 2016 (and just its third since 2001). But in a cruel joke by the scheduling gods, they face off in Week 17, and a loss may come with significant consequences.For Buffalo, the No. 2 seed in the A.F.C. playoffs is at stake. While that distinction doesn’t come with a bye this season, it still offers home-field advantage — not a small thing when you play your games in Orchard Park, N.Y. The Bills will clinch the spot with a win, but would drop to No. 3 if they were to lose in concert with a Pittsburgh victory. That should be enough to keep Buffalo’s starters in for most of the game — with the nice side effect that Josh Allen will be given one more game to bolster his credentials for the Most Valuable Player Award.For Miami, a wild-card spot is within reach. A win will be enough, but if the Dolphins lose, they will need a loss by Baltimore, Cleveland or Indianapolis. There are also several unlikely scenarios that involve multiple teams tying.If both teams go all-out, this game favors Buffalo. The Bills have the N.F.L.’s fourth-ranked offense and 10th-ranked defense, and the conditions at Bills Stadium should be fairly hostile for a visiting team: around 37 degrees with a chance of rain and snow. But the Dolphins shouldn’t be written off. Their run-heavy offense is suited to poor conditions and their defense has generated an N.F.L.-leading 27 turnovers, which could be extremely relevant if Allen gives in to his worst tendencies at exactly the wrong time. Pick: Bills -1Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals, 1 p.m., CBSLine: Ravens -13 | Total: 44.5The Ravens (10-5) have righted the ship in recent weeks, but their midseason lull means their playoff chances are coming down to the season’s final day. Considering that in the past two seasons, Lamar Jackson’s team dominated the regular season before falling apart in the postseason, perhaps a fight to the finish will be good for Baltimore — provided it makes the playoffs.A win is enough to get the Ravens a wild-card spot — a loss by Cleveland or Indianapolis would also get Baltimore in — and while the Bengals (4-10-1) may not seem to be much of an obstacle, it is worth remembering that Cincinnati is coming off a pair of impressive wins over Pittsburgh and Houston. There’s no question that a motivated Ravens team is far better than the Bengals, but Cincinnati’s recent play is enough to throw some cold water on a 13-point spread. Pick: Bengals +13Jarvis Landry’s return from the Covid-19 reserve list should give a huge boost to Cleveland’s offense.Credit…Sam Greenwood/Getty ImagesPittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns, 1 p.m., CBSLine: Browns -10 | Total: 42After Week 12, Pittsburgh was 11-0 and Cleveland was 8-3, both rocketing their way toward the playoffs. Over the next four games, the Steelers went 1-3, and were very nearly 0-4 if not for a huge second-half comeback last week. The Browns went 2-2, losing to the lowly Jets last week partially because the team had four wide receivers on the Covid-19 reserve list.The downturn has led to Pittsburgh’s dropping to the No. 3 seed in the A.F.C. playoffs and Cleveland’s needing a win, or some help, to get a wild-card spot.Because the Steelers (12-3) would need both a win in their game and a loss by Buffalo to overtake the Bills for the No. 2 seed, Coach Mike Tomlin has declared that Mason Rudolph will start in place of Ben Roethlisberger at quarterback. That most likely means that Pittsburgh’s other star players on offense, like wide receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster and Chase Claypool, will also be limited or sit out as well.The Browns (10-5) should get their wide receivers back, which ought to be enough to get them a win at home, even though safeties Karl Joseph and Andrew Sendejo have replaced the receivers on the Covid-19 reserve list. Should Cleveland lose, the Browns could still qualify for the playoffs if Indianapolis loses or if a few other complex scenarios involving losses and ties come to be. Is that enough motivation to justify a 10-point spread against the Steelers’ backups? That’s debatable. Pick: Steelers +10Jacksonville Jaguars at Indianapolis Colts, 4:25 p.m., CBSLine: Colts -14 | Total: 50The Colts (10-5) have a good chance of being the best team in the N.F.L. that doesn’t make the playoffs this season. A solid team with an above-average offense and a spectacular defense, Indianapolis collapsed against Pittsburgh last week and now not only needs to win to get a wild-card spot, but also needs Baltimore, Cleveland or Miami to lose or to tie. Otherwise the Colts will be the No. 8 seed in a seven-team playoff structure.Because each of the three other wild-card pursuers plays at 1 p.m., the Colts will go into this game knowing if they have a chance at one. But even without a shot at one of those three spots, Indianapolis has motivation: A win or a tie, combined with a Tennessee loss, would hand the Colts the A.F.C. South title.For Indianapolis, winning should be easy. The Jaguars (1-14) no longer have direct motivation to lose, as the top pick in next year’s draft is secured, but they don’t have any motivation to win, either. A two-touchdown spread is risky no matter the motivation, but the Colts can cover if they want to. Pick: Colts -14The A.F.C. SouthTennessee owns a tiebreaker over Indianapolis, so if the teams finish with the same record, the Titans will win the division.Tennessee’s Derrick Henry is leading the N.F.L. with 1,777 yards rushing. Considering how poorly Houston defends the run, Henry has an outside chance of getting the 223 yards he needs for 2,000.Credit…Wade Payne/Associated PressTennessee Titans at Houston Texans, 4:25 p.m., CBSLine: Titans -7.5 | Total: 56.5The Titans (10-5) could have clinched the A.F.C. South with a win over Green Bay, but a blowout loss has left Tennessee with an outside chance of missing the playoffs entirely. To secure a division title, the Titans need a win or an Indianapolis loss, or for both teams to tie. Should Tennessee be overtaken by the Colts, the Titans could still get a wild card provided Baltimore or Miami loses.Let’s not pretend this game is in doubt, though. The Titans have Derrick Henry, the game’s most explosive running back, and Houston has the N.F.L.’s second-worst run defense. Tennessee could probably win this game without attempting a pass. Pick: Titans -7.5The N.F.C. EastThree of the East’s four teams remained alive heading into the final week.Michael Gallup and the Cowboys showed drastic improvement last week. A Dallas win or tie, combined with a Washington loss, will put the Cowboys in the playoffs.Credit…Ron Jenkins/Associated PressDallas Cowboys at Giants, 1 p.m., FoxLine: Cowboys -3 | Total: 44.5Washington Football Team at Philadelphia Eagles, 8:20 p.m., NBCLine: Footballers -1.5 | Total: 43.5None of the teams in the N.F.C. East have been good enough to warrant individual game entries going into Week 17. The division has three teams vying for its title on the final day of the season, but the best record any of them can attain is 7-9, and there’s a nonzero chance of a 6-10 team hosting a first-round playoff game.When healthy, the Footballers (6-9) are the most complete team in the East, with a decent offense and a defense that has shown drastic improvement. But quarterback Alex Smith is still not 100 percent and wide receiver Terry McLaurin is unlikely to play as a result of an ankle injury. That lessens Washington’s advantage over the Eagles (4-10-1) while also making a case that the Cowboys (6-9) have become the division’s best team, at least temporarily, at exactly the right time.A Dallas loss at 1 p.m. would not lessen Washington’s motivation, as the Giants, somehow, some way, have not been eliminated, and the combination of a Giants win and a Footballers loss would hand Big Blue one of the more baffling division titles in years. But the most likely scenario of the day is for Dallas and Washington to both win, sending the Footballers limping into the playoffs. Picks: Cowboys -3; Footballers -1.5The N.F.C. Wild CardsTampa Bay has clinched one of the three wild-card spots in the N.F.C., but the fight for the two others has come down to Chicago, Arizona and Los Angeles.Chicago’s Roquan Smith had two interceptions in last week’s win. The Bears can secure a wild-card spot with a win over Green Bay.Credit…Stephen B. Morton/Associated PressGreen Bay Packers at Chicago Bears, 4:25 p.m., FoxLine: Packers -5.5 | Total: 51.5In his long and decorated career, Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers is 19-5 against Chicago. He has won seven of his last eight starts against the division rival. Throw in Rodgers’s being in the top tier of M.V.P. candidates, the Packers’ being able to secure a first-round bye in the playoffs with a win and the fact that a Chicago loss would eliminate the Bears (8-7) from the playoffs, and you’re looking at a full bingo card of Rodgers’s motivation. The only thing tempering all of that is the site: Chicago’s Soldier Field. But that shouldn’t trick you into thinking the Bears stand a chance against Green Bay (12-3). Pick: Packers -5.5Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Rams, 4:25 p.m., CBSLine: Rams -1 | Total: 39.5This result might not matter, but the players won’t know it at the time. Should Chicago lose to Green Bay, both the Cardinals (8-7) and the Rams (9-6) would earn wild-card spots. But the two games will be played simultaneously, giving Arizona and Los Angeles motivation to beat each other. A Bears win, unlikely as one is, would mean only one of these N.F.C. West teams would qualify.Los Angeles is somehow favored in this one despite quarterback Jared Goff’s being out after surgery on his dislocated right thumb. John Wolford, who went undrafted out of Wake Forest in 2018 and has never thrown a pass in an N.F.L. game, will start in his place. That’s probably not going to cut it against Kyler Murray of the Cardinals, but this game is a nice rags-to-riches story for a player from the short-lived Alliance of American Football, which gave Wolford a chance to prove himself. Pick: Cardinals +1The Seeding GamesTampa Bay, Seattle and New Orleans have clinched playoff spots, but their seedings can be affected by this week’s results.Rob Gronkowski has been the recipient of six of Tom Brady’s franchise-record 36 touchdown passes for the Buccaneers this season. Brady holds the single-season touchdown mark for both Tampa Bay and New England. He leads Drew Brees on the N.F.L.’s career list as well.Credit…Rick Osentoski/Associated PressAtlanta Falcons at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1 p.m., FoxLine: Buccaneers -6.5 | Total: 50.5The Buccaneers (10-5) have more than proved themselves in recent weeks, winning three games in a row, including one on the road against the Falcons (4-11). They can secure the No. 5 seed in the N.F.C. with a win, and after contemplating resting his starters, Coach Bruce Arians said, “We’re going to play to win.” Arians called the push for an 11th win a “pride thing.” For Tom Brady, who has set a franchise record for single-season passing touchdowns (36), the start also means a chance to extend his lead over Drew Brees atop the N.F.L.’s career passing touchdowns list. Brady’s big season and Brees’s injury-related absence have led to Brady’s having a nine-touchdown lead in what had been a seesaw battle.Atlanta is better than the team’s record indicates, and the likelihood that numerous Buccaneers players sit out the second half makes this point spread a touch too large. Pick: Falcons +6.5Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers, 4:25 p.m., FoxLine: Seahawks -5.5 | Total: 46The Seahawks (11-4) captured their first N.F.C. West crown since 2016 with last week’s win over the Rams, and they go into the season’s final day with a chance at overtaking New Orleans for the No. 2 seed in the N.F.C. While the 49ers (6-9) would undoubtedly love to play a spoiler role of sorts — and they did just that by beating Arizona last week — you have to assume that if Seattle wants to win this game, it will do so handily. Pick: Seahawks -5.5New Orleans Saints at Carolina Panthers, 4:25 p.m., FoxLine: Saints -6.5 | Total: 47.5Going into Week 16, the Saints (11-4) had been sluggish on offense. A 52-point game in which Alvin Kamara tied an N.F.L. record with six rushing touchdowns went a long way toward reconfirming New Orleans’s status as a team that can score in bunches. A win would guarantee the Saints the No. 2 seed in the N.F.C. while keeping alive the possibility of a first-round bye, provided Green Bay loses. That should lead to the team’s taking no chances and keeping its starters in the game for a matchup in which the Panthers (5-10) are at a talent disadvantage: Pick: Saints -6.5The Irrelevant GamesThese four games have no relevance to the playoff picture.Since Kansas City has clinched a first-round bye, Chad Henne is expected to start in place of Patrick Mahomes at quarterback. Henne has seen limited action this season, but he scored a rushing touchdown in Week 7.Credit…Ron Chenoy/USA Today Sports, via ReutersLos Angeles Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs, 4:25 p.m., FoxLine: Chargers -3.5 | Total: 44The Chiefs (14-1) clinched the top seed in the A.F.C. and a first-round bye with last week’s win, taking any excitement out of this game. Chad Henne is likely to start in place of Patrick Mahomes at quarterback, and most of Kansas City’s other starters are likely to sit as well — which would rob Travis Kelce of his shot at being the first tight end to have a 1,500-yard receiving season. As a result of Kansas City’s going full “preseason” mode, the Chargers (6-9) are favored. Justin Herbert, the Chargers’ rookie quarterback, should relish his chance to get a win at Arrowhead Stadium, as he might not win there again for some time. Pick: Chargers -3.5Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions, 1 p.m. FoxLine: Vikings -7 | Total: 54.5Had the Vikings (6-9) not started the year so poorly, they might be in the hunt for a wild-card spot. As it stands, they have a fairly entertaining offense and a defense bad enough that none of their scoring matters. The Lions (5-10) are expected to limp into this game with several players out — including quarterback Matthew Stafford — which means the most interesting subplot of this game will be whether Minnesota’s Adam Thielen can get the 132 yards receiving he needs to reach 1,000 for the season. Even with running back Dalvin Cook out after the death of his father, Minnesota should win easily. Pick: Vikings -7Las Vegas Raiders at Denver Broncos, 4:25 p.m., CBSLine: Raiders -2.5 | Total: 50.5The Raiders (7-8) and the Broncos (5-10) had moments of relevance in 2020, but it was a lost season for both franchises. With the Chiefs expected to dominate the A.F.C. West for years to come and the Chargers building something special, there may be several lost seasons in their futures as well. Pick: Broncos +2.5Jets at New England Patriots, 1 p.m., CBSLine: Patriots -3 | Total: 40Frank Gore will miss this game after sustaining a lung contusion last week, but he reached 16,000 yards rushing for his career before being removed, which is about the best thing anyone can say about this season for the Jets (2-13). Similarly, the Patriots (6-9) are an irrelevant team that will most likely undergo huge off-season renovations, with the only notable part of their year being Cam Newton’s tying the franchise record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in a season (12), which Steve Grogan set in 1976. Despite Newton’s horrific passing in recent games, he is likely to start this game, giving him an outside chance of matching his own N.F.L. record of 14 rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in a single season. Pick: Patriots -3How Betting Lines WorkA quick primer for those who are not familiar with betting lines: Favorites are listed next to a negative number that represents how many points they must win by to cover the spread. Titans -7.5, for example, means that Tennessee must beat Houston by at least 8 points for its backers to win their bet. Gamblers can also bet on the total score, or whether the teams’ combined score in the game is over or under a preselected number of points.All times are Eastern.AdvertisementContinue reading the main story More

    • 113 Shares179 Views

      in Football

      Seahawks Defense Is an Asset Again in Division-Clinching Win

      by

      AdvertisementContinue reading the main storySupported byContinue reading the main storySeahawks 20, Rams 9Seahawks Defense Is an Asset Again in Division-Clinching WinSeattle’s much-maligned defense held Los Angeles to field goals as the two N.F.C. West teams streak in opposite directions to end the regular season.Seahawks safety Jamal Adams chased down Rams running back Darrell Henderson to save a touchdown in the third quarter of Seattle’s win on Sunday to clinch the N.F.C. West division.Credit…Abbie Parr/Getty ImagesDec. 27, 2020, 9:26 p.m. ETThe corner of the end zone beckoned for Rams running back Darrell Henderson, who took a third-quarter handoff, rounded the edge and sprinted toward the pylon. Scurrying away from Seattle’s line, Henderson evaded one defender — but not the man who raced clear across the formation to drag him down from behind, 2 yards short of the goal line.“There was no way I was going to let him walk into that end zone,” said Jamal Adams, a Seattle safety.By preventing a touchdown, Adams preserved the Seahawks’ lead and embodied a smothering defensive effort that fueled their fifth victory in six games, 20-9, over Los Angeles, clinching their first N.F.C. West title since 2016.Back then, Seattle’s identity revolved around its defense, around a fierce pass rush, formidable secondary and the colorful personalities who powered both. This group doesn’t surpass the lofty standard set by the Legion of Boom. But over the last five weeks, as the playoffs draw near, no team has allowed fewer points (61) than the Seahawks.“There were times during the season where everybody had enough statistics to go ahead and blow us out, that we weren’t worth anything on defense,” Coach Pete Carroll said. “This defense is good. And they’ve shown it and they’ve declared it. This is the kind of defense that we’ve played in years past.”Even though the Rams ran more plays and held the ball six minutes longer than Seattle did, they managed only nine points, on three field goals, stifled in moments big and small. The Seahawks (11-4) sacked Jared Goff three times and intercepted him once, and were at their mightiest near their own end zone, stuffing the Rams on four chances inside the Seattle 4-yard line after Adams’s tackle.Right before that stand, the Rams (9-6), trailing by 13-6, faced second-and-5 from the 7. Adams tore into the backfield as soon as the ball was snapped, pursued Henderson as if powered by rocket fuel and then yanked him down shy of what could have been the tying touchdown. The next four plays went for minus-2, 3, 0 and 0 yards, and after the Seahawks knocked back Malcolm Brown on fourth down, they galloped away together.“Give us a blade of grass, and we’ll defend it,” said Carroll, who added that he’ll remember that goal-line sequence forever. “We were in full-on attack mode.”That attack mode did not materialize on offense to the extent it did earlier in the season, when Russell Wilson was flinging touchdown passes at will. But after a desultory first half, Wilson led Seattle on an 80-yard scoring drive, then secured victory with a 13-yard pass to Jacob Hollister with 2 minutes, 51 seconds remaining.In clinching the division title, Seattle assured itself of earning at least the No. 3 seed in the N.F.C. It also denied the Rams of a playoff berth that seemed certain eight days ago, when they prepared to host the winless Jets.Even in this week-to-week league, the Rams are as trustworthy as an email from a Nigerian prince. Just as they were approaching stability, winning four of five in a stretch that began with a Week 10 victory against Seattle, they collapsed against Jets. Put another way, after beating Bill Belichick on a short week, Sean McVay had 10 days to out-coach Adam Gase and could not.Against teams with winning records — teams like the Seahawks — the Rams had won their last four until Sunday.The stands at Lumen Field, one of the N.F.L.’s rowdier venues, normally would have been shaking for such a critical game, heaving with boisterous fans. The Seahawks yearn for that ambience. So does McVay, who last week said how much he had expected to miss being yelled at. “I kind of like it in a messed-up way,” he said.Maybe so, but McVay would have preferred seeing evidence that last week’s defeat was an aberration instead of, perhaps, the start of an unsettling trend.The first half unfolded as an extension of both teams’ recent fortunes, all middling offense and suffocating defense with a modicum of scoring. Had the field been shortened to 60 yards, Seattle and Los Angeles might not have noticed: Neither ran a play in the red zone.The Rams’ forays into Seahawks territory produced two field goals and an interception that defied justification. On first-and-10 from the 29-yard line, Goff, flushed right, tottered toward the sideline, where a sliver of open space welcomed him. Instead of running, he floated a pass across his body into an area the size of a city park but absent any receivers.One of a few Seattle defenders nearby, Quandre Diggs swooped in for the interception, Goff’s 13th of the season, and Seattle converted the turnover into the field goal that sent the game sputtering into halftime at 6-6.When asked what he saw on the interception, Diggs said: “I couldn’t tell you. I mean, my coaches always told me in high school when I was a quarterback, never throw the ball across your body.”With their stingy defense and excellent coaching, the Rams need not brilliance from Goff, just competence. He does not have to be the reason the Rams win, just not a reason they lose. In a league loaded with dazzling quarterbacks, the term game manager seems to wield a pejorative connotation, but it shouldn’t.Performing elemental tasks of the position, like making smart decisions quickly and not turning the ball over, is something Goff has done before. But when he fails, it makes Wilson’s capability ever more noticeable.Reliable quarterback play separated Seattle from the Rams on Sunday. But so did something else: Its defense, once maligned but now, just when the Seahawks needed it, was an asset.AdvertisementContinue reading the main story More

    • 113 Shares149 Views

      in Football

      NFL Week 16 Predictions: Our Picks Against the Spread

      by

      AdvertisementContinue reading the main storySupported byContinue reading the main storyN.F.L. Week 16 Predictions: Our Picks Against the SpreadThe Colts are favored on the road in Pittsburgh, the Rams will try to stay alive in Seattle and a frozen matchup between Tennessee and Green Bay should still have plenty of offense.Linebacker Darius Leonard is one of the game’s best defenders. The Colts finally surrounded him with enough talent for that to matter.Credit…AJ Mast/Associated PressDec. 24, 2020, 12:01 a.m. ETThe N.F.L. playoff picture should come into sharp focus this weekend, with several division titles and wild-card spots likely to be decided. There will be games on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, and while a few of them are irrelevant, most can have an impact on the standings.Here is a look at N.F.L. Week 16, with all picks made against the spread.Last week’s record: 8-6-2Overall record: 110-107-7A look ahead at Week 16:Sunday’s Best GamesFriday’s MatchupSaturday’s MatchupsSunday’s Games That Matter (a Little)Sunday’s Games That Don’t MatterMonday’s MatchupHow Betting Lines WorkSunday’s Best GamesIndianapolis Colts at Pittsburgh Steelers, 1 p.m., CBSLine: Colts -1.5 | Total: 44.5The Colts (10-4) have seemed better than the Steelers (11-3) for much of this season — and the team’s records are getting closer to reflecting that.Indianapolis has won five of its last six games, getting contributions from newcomers (the rookie running back Jonathan Taylor, quarterback Philip Rivers, defensive tackle DeForest Buckner) and mainstays (linebacker Darius Leonard, wide receiver T.Y. Hilton). A tiebreaker has the Colts trailing Tennessee in the A.F.C. South, but there is no question Indianapolis did a fine job of rebuilding its team in the last off-season.Pittsburgh, on the other hand, is falling apart. There was a sense during the team’s 11-0 start that the Steelers (11-3) were being overrated, but no one expected three straight losses. Before this year, only nine teams had opened with an 11-0 record in the 16-game era, and just one of those — the 2009 New Orleans Saints — lost three of its final five games. That Pittsburgh matched that ignominious feat with two games remaining is humiliating, but the Steelers can take solace in the fact that the Saints won the Super Bowl that season.Being a favorite on the road in Pittsburgh this late in the season is unusual territory for the Colts, but based on what we have seen in recent weeks, it seems justifiable. Pick: Colts -1.5Green Bay’s Davante Adams has a career high in touchdowns (14) and a chance to set a personal best in receiving yards despite missing two games.Credit…Benny Sieu/USA Today Sports, via ReutersTennessee Titans at Green Bay Packers, 8:20 p.m., NBCLine: Packers -3.5 | Total: 56Only three teams are averaging more than 30 points a game, and two of them face off here. Oddsmakers are expecting it to be the highest-scoring game of the week, and while 56 is a respectable number, you have to wonder how much higher that would be if the forecast in Green Bay didn’t call for temperatures in the 20s and a chance of snow.The Titans (10-4) have been on a roll, with Derrick Henry running roughshod over all comers and Ryan Tannehill making opponents pay for stacking the box by stretching the field with the passing game. That recipe has led to five straight games in which Tennessee had at least 420 yards of total offense and 30 points.The Packers (11-3) have been enjoying an M.V.P.-level season from Aaron Rodgers and a career year from wide receiver Davante Adams, leading to Green Bay’s being held to fewer than 30 points just three times. And while Aaron Jones has fewer rushing touchdowns than he did last season, he is on track to surpass last year’s rushing total while averaging 5.4 yards a carry.Both teams have a great deal of motivation to win, with Tennessee trying to fight off Indianapolis for the A.F.C. South title and Green Bay on the verge of securing the N.F.C.’s first-round bye. But the Packers’ experience in poor weather could be what decides this one. Pick: Packers -3.5Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks, 4:25 p.m., FoxLine: Seahawks -1.5 | Total: 47.5You have to assume the Rams (9-5) squandered their chance at an N.F.C. West title with last week’s abject failure against the Jets. Los Angeles could have come into this game with the same record as the Seahawks (10-4). Instead, Seattle can clinch the division with a win at home. The Rams are still overwhelmingly likely to make the playoffs — a win for them or a loss by Chicago will be enough to get them there — but it is hard to be enthusiastic about a team that allows itself to be beaten by the Jets, who had a talent deficiency at every position. Pick: Seahawks -1.5Atlanta Falcons at Kansas City Chiefs, 1 p.m., FoxLine: Chiefs -10.5 | Total: 54There is little at stake in this game. The Falcons (4-10) have been eliminated from playoff contention, and while the Chiefs (13-1) can clinch the A.F.C.’s lone first-round bye with a win, they would still have a 98 percent chance of the top seed even if they lost both of their remaining games, according to The Upshot.With stakes that low, there is no reason to rush the return of running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, and Kansas City should be considering resting other key players as well. That could open the door for Atlanta to cover, but the Chiefs should still win. Pick: Falcons +10.5Friday’s MatchupJustin Jefferson, right, and Adam Thielen, center, are frequent dance partners in the end zone, but Minnesota’s defense tends to let the team down.Credit…Brace Hemmelgarn/USA Today Sports, via ReutersMinnesota Vikings at New Orleans Saints, 4:30 p.m., Fox, NFL Network and Prime VideoLine: Saints -7.5 | Total: 51.5Even with consecutive losses, the Saints (10-4) can secure their fourth consecutive division title simply by beating the Vikings (6-8) or having Tampa Bay lose.Will Minnesota put up much resistance? Probably not enough to matter. The Vikings have an incredibly talented offense, with Dalvin Cook, Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen putting on a show even in losses. But Minnesota’s defense is still so young and inconsistent that the team typically gives up just enough points to lose.Drew Brees looked rusty last week, and wide receiver Michael Thomas is out for the rest of the season with an ankle injury. So while a New Orleans win is likely, this game could be close. Pick: Vikings +7.5Saturday’s MatchupsRather than throwing within 10 yards of Miami’s Xavien Howard, opponents should consider punting the ball away. The net result would be preferable.Credit…Isaiah J. Downing/USA Today Sports, via ReutersMiami Dolphins at Las Vegas Raiders, 8:15 p.m., NFL NetworkLine: Dolphins -3 | Total: 47.5At this point it is ridiculous that opposing quarterbacks are challenging Xavien Howard of the Dolphins (9-5). He is the top-rated coverage cornerback, according to Pro Football Focus, but teams have thrown in his direction often enough that he is leading the N.F.L. with nine interceptions and has produced a takeaway in 10 of Miami’s 14 games.If the Raiders (7-7) want to win this game, they should give Howard the old Darrelle Revis “island” treatment. But it shouldn’t matter much if Derek Carr (injured groin) or Marcus Mariota starts at quarterback for Las Vegas, as the Dolphins are a better team and have more motivation to win thanks to their dogfight with Baltimore for the A.F.C.’s last wild-card spot. Pick: Dolphins -3Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Detroit Lions, 1 p.m., NFL NetworkLine: Buccaneers -9.5 | Total: 54When Matthew Stafford inevitably makes a run at Drew Brees’s record for career passing yards, stretches like the final three weeks of this season will be a big reason. Stafford sustained a rib injury in Week 14; it was serious enough that he struggled to walk. He surprised everyone by starting in Week 15, and threw for 252 yards in a loss to Tennessee. Detroit is eliminated from playoff contention, and Stafford’s ribs are still extremely sore, but the team’s interim coach, Darrell Bevell, said there were no plans to shut down the veteran quarterback: “To be honest with you, I don’t think he’ll let that happen.”So what should people expect from this game? Between hard hits from the fierce pass rush of the Buccaneers (9-5), Stafford will probably throw for 250 to 300 yards and the Lions (5-9) will lose anyway. Because a win or a tie will put Tampa Bay in the playoffs for the first time since 2007, that series of events will be acceptable to the Buccaneers. Covering the spread will be harder, though, with running back Ronald Jones out after a positive test for the coronavirus. Pick: Lions +9.5San Francisco 49ers at Arizona Cardinals, 4:30 p.m., Prime VideoLine: Cardinals -5 | Total: 49Both teams should feel at home since the 49ers (5-9) have relocated to Arizona as a result of coronavirus regulations in California. That’s the most interesting subplot of a game between San Francisco’s injury-riddled team and the Cardinals (8-6), an up-and-coming squad that can clinch its first playoff berth since 2015 by winning Saturday and having Chicago lose to or tie Jacksonville. With Nick Mullens requiring elbow surgery, San Francisco will start C.J. Beathard at quarterback. Quarterback record is an overrated statistic, but Beathard has lived up to his last name with a career mark of 1-9. Pick: Cardinals -5Sunday’s Games That Matter (a Little)Lamar Jackson and Marquise Brown have had fun beating up on lesser teams in the last few weeks. That trend could continue.Credit…Rob Carr/Getty ImagesGiants at Baltimore Ravens, 1 p.m., FoxLine: Ravens -11 | Total: 45The Giants (5-9) are clinging to a shred of a chance at winning the N.F.C. East, but they are running into the Ravens (9-5) at the wrong time. Baltimore is through its tough patch and appears to have its offensive issues worked out — at least against the league’s lesser teams — and that takes this game from potentially interesting to a comical mismatch.The Ravens need to keep winning if they want to overtake Miami for the A.F.C.’s last playoff spot, and a home game against a team that is coming apart at the seams is an excellent opportunity for them to flex their muscles. Pick: Ravens -11Carolina Panthers at Washington Football Team, 4:05 p.m., CBSLine: Footballers -2.5 | Total: 44.5The late-night escapades of Dwayne Haskins resulted in the young quarterback being fined, but he wasn’t suspended. That leaves the Footballers (6-8) with a decent enough option should Alex Smith be unable to return from a calf injury. Smith is the team’s best option, and gives Washington its best chance of making the playoffs, but his health casts doubt on this game against the Panthers (4-10) that wouldn’t be there if he were 100 percent.The combination of a Washington win and a loss by the Giants would secure the N.F.C. East title for the Footballers, and having that decided this week would be welcome for a team that is trying to get healthy. Pick: Footballers -2.5Cleveland Browns at Jets, 1 p.m., CBSLine: Browns -9.5 | Total: 47The Jets (1-13) had no motivation to beat the Rams last week beyond avoiding a winless season, but that was enough to power them to the most surprising result of the year. The victory, however, splashed cold water on their future. Combined with tiebreaker scenarios, the win meant the Jets were no longer in line for the No. 1 pick in next year’s draft.Now they will host the Browns (10-4), who are significantly better than them in every facet of the game. Cleveland can clinch its first playoff berth since 2002 by winning and having Baltimore, Miami or Indianapolis lose. Pick: Browns -9.5Chicago Bears at Jacksonville Jaguars, 1 p.m., CBSLine: Bears -7.5 | Total: 47Despite a recent surge, the Bears (7-7) are on the outside of the playoff picture looking in. While a win over the Jaguars (1-13) is certainly attainable — if Jacksonville loses out, it will have the No. 1 pick in next year’s draft — Chicago’s only real shot at the playoffs is to have Arizona fall apart. It’s still nice to see the Bears right the ship, even if it leads to nothing, as the team’s defense deserved much better than it got from its offense during a six-game losing streak. The Bears should win, but there are too many variables to assume they will cover. Pick: Jaguars +7.5Sunday’s Games That Don’t MatterThe Eagles have been doing a lot of celebrating since Jalen Hurts took over at quarterback.Credit…Joe Camporeale/USA Today Sports, via ReutersPhiladelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys, 4:25 p.m., FoxLine: Eagles -2.5 | Total: 49.5The ridiculous nature of the N.F.C. East means that neither of these teams has been officially eliminated. But the Eagles (4-9-1) have only a 10 percent chance of capturing the N.F.L.’s worst division, according to The Upshot, and the Cowboys (5-9) have a 6 percent chance. The game is worth watching to see Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts continue to grow into his role as a starting quarterback, and Dallas’s skill players are good enough to make Andy Dalton serviceable on a good day. Pick: Eagles -2.5Denver Broncos at Los Angeles Chargers, 4:05 p.m., CBSLine: Chargers -3 | Total: 48.5Come for the meeting of promising young A.F.C. West quarterbacks. Stay if it is your local broadcast and you don’t have access to out-of-market games. The Broncos (5-9) and the Chargers (5-9) have been eliminated from playoff contention, but these will be teams to watch for next season. Pick: Chargers -3Cincinnati Bengals at Houston Texans, 1 p.m., FoxLine: Texans -8 | Total: 46The Bengals (3-10-1) are fresh off an upset of Pittsburgh, and thanks to Deshaun Watson, the Texans (4-10) can often do an impression of a competent team. There isn’t a lot of motivation to go around, which makes a hefty point spread a bit curious. Pick: Bengals +8Monday’s MatchupIn his first season with the Bills, Stefon Diggs has career highs in receptions and receiving yards.Credit…Jack Dempsey/Associated PressBuffalo Bills at New England Patriots, 8:15 p.m., ESPN and ABCLine: Bills -7 | Total: 46How you feel about this game probably comes down to how petty you believe the Bills (11-3) are. After years of abuse at the hands of the Patriots (6-8), Buffalo has clinched its first A.F.C. East title since 1995. The team has a 1 percent shot at overtaking Kansas City for a first-round bye, so there’s little reason for the Bills to go all out. But Coach Bill Belichick will be standing on the opposite sideline, and watching him squirm might be reason enough for Josh Allen, Stefon Diggs and the rest of Buffalo’s stars to try to put on a show in Foxborough, Mass.A season-ending injury to New England’s best defender, Stephon Gilmore, complicates things further and pushes a full touchdown spread into reasonable territory. Pick: Bills -7How Betting Lines WorkA quick primer for those who are not familiar with betting lines: Favorites are listed next to a negative number that represents how many points they must win by to cover the spread. Colts -1.5, for example, means that Indianapolis must beat Pittsburgh by at least 2 points for its backers to win their bet. Gamblers can also bet on the total score, or whether the teams’ combined score in the game is over or under a preselected number of points.All times are Eastern.AdvertisementContinue reading the main story More

    • 113 Shares149 Views

      in Football

      NFL Week 15 Predictions: Our Picks Against the Spread

      by

      AdvertisementContinue reading the main storySupported byContinue reading the main storyN.F.L. Week 15 Predictions: Our Picks Against the SpreadAn empty calories matchup between the Chargers and the Raiders gets things started on Thursday in a week dominated by a potential Super Bowl preview between the Saints and the Chiefs.Drew Brees hasn’t played since Week 10. Can he come back from a rib injury to lead New Orleans in a crucial matchup against Kansas City?Credit…Tyler Kaufman/Associated PressDec. 17, 2020, 12:01 a.m. ETA Thursday matchup between teams that can stretch the field. A pair of entertaining games on Saturday. A potential Super Bowl preview on Sunday. This is shaping up to be an excellent week of football, and we dug in on each team’s playoff chances using The Upshot’s playoff simulator.Here is a look at N.F.L. Week 15, with all picks made against the spread.Last week’s record: 8-8Overall record: 102-101-5A look ahead at Week 15:Sunday’s Best GamesThursday’s MatchupSaturday’s MatchupsSunday’s Other GamesMonday’s MatchupHow Betting Lines WorkSunday’s Best GamesKansas City Chiefs at New Orleans Saints, 4:25 p.m., CBSLine: Chiefs -3 | Total: 51.5New Orleans should be extremely happy with the job Taysom Hill has done filling in for the injured Drew Brees, but last week’s loss to Philadelphia — which knocked New Orleans out of the top spot in the N.F.C. playoff seedings — illustrated how much the team needs Brees back if it wants to compete for a championship.The Saints (10-3) are hopeful that Brees, who hasn’t played since Week 10, can make his triumphant return this week so he can lead them in a potential Super Bowl preview against the Chiefs (12-1). The Upshot gives the Chiefs a 23 percent chance of repeating as champions, while the Saints, at 16 percent, are considered the most likely winner out of the N.F.C.At their best, both teams have explosive offenses and opportunistic defenses. If the Chiefs have a fatal flaw, it is their boredom, but a road game against a top competitor should keep their attention.So where does that leave this game? It depends on Brees’s health. If he plays, and is close to 100 percent, you have to give the Saints a decent chance of an upset. Anything less than that, and a motivated Chiefs team could romp. Pick: Chiefs -3Seattle Seahawks at Washington Football Team, 1 p.m., FoxLine: Seahawks -6 | Total: 44.5If you were to go back to Week 6 and explain to the 5-0 Seahawks and the 1-5 Footballers that they’d be meeting in Week 15 with Washington (62 percent) having a better chance of winning its division than Seattle (39 percent), few would believe you. But the Seahawks (9-4) have leveled out, and were caught from behind by the Rams in the N.F.C. West, while the Footballers (6-7) have improved by leaps and bounds since installing Alex Smith at quarterback and are alone in first atop the N.F.C. East.Seattle has a 99 percent chance of making the playoffs, regardless of whether it wins the division, and on the Seahawks’ best days — such as last Sunday, when they throttled the Jets — it’s easy to envision them as Super Bowl contenders. But Washington’s defense is on the way up, and if Smith is able to play through a calf injury, he could keep things close or engineer an upset. Pick: Footballers +6Ndamukong Suh and the Tampa Bay defense put pressure on Kirk Cousins last week. The Buccaneers finished the day with six sacks and 12 quarterback hits.Credit…Mark Lomoglio/Associated PressTampa Bay Buccaneers at Atlanta Falcons, 1 p.m., FoxLine: Buccaneers -6 | Total: 50.5In a convincing win over Minnesota last week, the Buccaneers (8-5) showed how effective their pass rush can be in creating the disruptions necessary to win tough games. Kirk Cousins was under pressure all game, and even though the Vikings moved the ball well, they couldn’t punch the ball into the end zone. A similar script could play out against the Falcons (4-9), who are a threat in any game in which Julio Jones is active — particularly if that game is in Atlanta — but are prone to problems against Tampa Bay’s pass rush because of quarterback Matt Ryan’s lack of mobility.The Buccaneers are up to a 94 percent chance of ending their 12-season playoff drought, but the line may be too aggressive this week. Pick: Falcons +6Cleveland Browns at Giants, 8:20 p.m., NBCLine: Browns -4 | Total: 45.5Even with last week’s heartbreaking loss to Baltimore, the Browns (9-4) have matched the franchise’s best 13-game start since 1994, when Coach Bill Belichick led them to an 11-5 record and a trip to the divisional round of the playoffs. On the strength of its record, Cleveland has an 84 percent chance of making the playoffs for the first time since 2007. While the Giants (5-8) have made a remarkable turnaround from earlier this season, and have a 25 percent chance of winning the N.F.C. East, they are overmatched in this one. Pick: Browns -4Thursday’s MatchupThe Chargers’ offense hasn’t led them to a lot of wins so far, but Justin Herbert and Keenan Allen never seem more than a play away from scoring a touchdown.Credit…Adrian Kraus/Associated PressLos Angeles Chargers at Las Vegas Raiders, 8:20 p.m., Fox, NFL Network and Amazon Prime VideoLine: Raiders -3.5 | Total: 53The Raiders (7-6) somehow still have a 20 percent chance of getting a wild-card spot in the playoffs despite having lost three of their last four games, with the lone win coming courtesy of the Jets’ incompetence. Now they face the Chargers (4-9), who have a far worse record but a similar ability to alternate between thrilling and terrible.Both teams are loaded on offense, and while neither has had a good season defensively, they both feature defensive players who can make game-changing plays, like Joey Bosa of the Chargers and Maxx Crosby of the Raiders.Last week, the Falcons’ social media team poked fun at the similarities between Atlanta and Los Angeles with a play on a Spider-Man meme, and the same post could be recycled by the Raiders’ social team this week. But if the Chargers can build on last week’s solid ending, they will take a huge step in their rebuilding process. Pick: Chargers +3.5Saturday’s MatchupsGreen Bay’s Davante Adams is leading the N.F.L. in receiving touchdowns and receiving yards per game. With three regular-season games remaining, he is on a pace for career highs in every major receiving category.Credit…Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesCarolina Panthers at Green Bay Packers, 8:15 p.m., NFL NetworkLine: Packers -8.5 | Total: 51.5Carolina’s defense just got shredded by Denver’s Drew Lock, so it’s hard to imagine the pain Aaron Rodgers and the Packers (10-3) could inflict on the Panthers (4-9) if they were to go all-out. After New Orleans’s loss last week, Green Bay, which had already clinched the N.F.C. North, is in the driver’s seat for a first-round bye. This game has the potential to be a trap, with the Packers looking ahead to a tougher matchup in Week 16 against Tennessee, but Rodgers has been locked in and may trail only Patrick Mahomes in the race for league most valuable player. Pick: Packers -8.5Buffalo Bills at Denver Broncos, 4:30 p.m., NFL NetworkLine: Bills -6.5 | Total: 50It’s hard to know how the Broncos (5-8) will play from week to week, but a road game in Denver is tough for any opponent, even one as good as the Bills (10-3). Add that the Bills can relax a little considering their 98 percent chance of winning the A.F.C. East (but just a 1 percent chance at a first-round bye), and this game could be closer than oddsmakers are predicting. Pick: Broncos +6.5Sunday’s Other GamesQuarterback Lamar Jackson and cornerback Marlon Humphrey sprinted onto the field to celebrate with kicker Justin Tucker last week after Tucker won the game for Baltimore with a 55-yard field goal.Credit…Kirk Irwin/Associated PressJacksonville Jaguars at Baltimore Ravens, 1 p.m., CBSLine: Ravens -14 | Total: 47.5There were so many jokes. Lamar Jackson engineered one of the wildest wins in recent N.F.L. history, completing a 44-yard touchdown to Marquise Brown on fourth-and-5 with less than two minutes left in the game, then watching Cleveland tie the score, and then taking the Ravens far enough for Justin Tucker to kick a game-winning, 55-yard field goal. But all anyone wanted to talk about was Jackson’s brief absence and how it looked as if he might have taken a bathroom break.Laugh all you want — Jackson swears he was receiving fluids to alleviate cramping — but the win was a welcome change in what had been a difficult period for the Ravens (8-5). Jackson finally looked like himself, and the Ravens, with a 74 percent chance of making the playoffs, no longer seemed like a team in peril.This game does not figure to be nearly as entertaining. The Jaguars (1-12) haven’t won a game since Week 1, and struggle on both sides of the ball. Having Baltimore as a two-touchdown favorite when you consider the team’s recent defensive struggles seems like a bit too much. Pick: Jaguars +14Houston Texans at Indianapolis Colts, 1 p.m., CBSLine: Colts -7 | Total: 52.5In most years, this would be a key A.F.C. South matchup, but the Texans (4-9) have been eliminated from playoff contention and the Colts (9-4) have an 82 percent chance of making the playoffs and a 36 percent chance of winning their division. Houston’s Deshaun Watson will be the best player on the field, but the Texans have done a shameful job of keeping talent around him. Indianapolis, on the other hand, made crucial personnel moves in the off-season that have taken the team from mediocre to top 10 in offense and defense. Pick: Colts -7Detroit Lions at Tennessee Titans, 1 p.m., CBSLine: Titans -10.5 | Total: 51.5There are situations in which the Lions (5-8) could hold their own against the Titans (9-4), but most of them involve locking Tennessee’s Derrick Henry in a well-guarded room and insisting nobody knows where he is. Barring high jinks, Detroit seems remarkably overmatched, especially if Matthew Stafford misses the game with the rib injury he sustained last week. Tennessee is in a tough fight with Indianapolis for the A.F.C. South crown, and has a 64 percent chance of holding off the Colts, so the Titans certainly have motivation to keep winning. Pick: Titans -10.5Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings, 1 p.m., FoxLine: Vikings -3 | Total: 46Both teams are on the outside looking in, but the Bears (6-7) and the Vikings (6-7) are still alive, and both have at least a 20 percent chance of a playoff spot despite Chicago’s recent struggles and Minnesota’s rough start. Assuming the Bears’ offensive resurgence last week was more than a blip would probably be generous, but they certainly have looked their best with Mitchell Trubisky at quarterback. Even accounting for that, Minnesota should be fine, provided the team gives quarterback Kirk Cousins more time to work than he had in a loss to Tampa Bay. Pick: Vikings -3Odell who? Miami’s Xavien Howard stepped in front of Kansas City’s Tyreek Hill to make an incredible one-handed interception last week. Credit…Mark Brown/Getty ImagesNew England Patriots at Miami Dolphins, 1 p.m., CBSLine: Dolphins -2.5 | Total: 41.5The Patriots (6-7) have missed the playoffs just twice since 2001, but even with a recent hot streak they are down to a 4 percent chance at qualifying this year, and that number will drop to zero with a loss to the Dolphins (8-5), who have a 43 percent chance at a wild card. The tables appear to have turned in this rivalry, with New England being the scrappy underdog that could spoil things for the seemingly superior team. Miami’s style of play doesn’t lead to many mistakes, so unless Coach Bill Belichick has something up his sleeve, the Patriots can start making vacation plans for early January. Pick: Dolphins -2.5Jets at Los Angeles Rams, 4:05 p.m., FoxLine: Rams -17 | Total: 44Sam Darnold feels like the Darkest Timeline version of Jared Goff. Instead of developing under the tutelage of an era-defining offensive genius like Coach Sean McVay, Darnold has been saddled with Coach Adam Gase, and the Jets (0-13) seem to have little chance of avoiding a winless season. The talent imbalance in this game — reflected accurately in the point spread — is extreme, and a win for Los Angeles (9-4) should help the team increase its 60 percent chance of winning the competitive N.F.C. West. A 17-point spread is absurd, but so are the Jets. Pick: Rams -17San Francisco 49ers at Dallas Cowboys, 1 p.m., CBSLine: 49ers -2.5 | Total: 45When the schedule came out, this was supposed to showcase Jimmy Garoppolo leading the defending N.F.C. champions into Dak Prescott’s house to rekindle a classic rivalry. Backup quarterback Nick Mullens facing off against Andy Dalton doesn’t really live up to that advanced billing. Technically, neither team has been eliminated from playoff contention, with the 49ers (5-8) having a 9 percent chance at a wild-card spot and the Cowboys (4-9) having a 1 percent chance of winning the N.F.C. East. With San Francisco running back Raheem Mostert uncertain to play and wide receiver Deebo Samuel expected to be out, the Cowboys have a decent chance at a second straight win. Pick: Cowboys +2.5Philadelphia Eagles at Arizona Cardinals, 4:05 p.m., FoxLine: Cardinals -6.5 | Total: 49.5Oklahoma Coach Lincoln Riley will love this one. Kyler Murray of the Cardinals (7-6) transferred to Oklahoma to play for Riley in 2017 and won the Heisman Trophy in 2018. Jalen Hurts of the Eagles (4-8-1) transferred to Oklahoma to play for Riley in 2019 and was a Heisman finalist. Hurts’s promotion to starting quarterback for Philadelphia last week set up this matchup between two of Riley’s star pupils, and while the over-under on this game isn’t particularly high, you can expect plenty of highlight reel plays. Hurts has a chance to keep following in Murray’s formidable footsteps, but right now Murray is a more complete player and the Cardinals are a better team. With Arizona’s chance at a wild card around 50 percent, the team should be motivated to win at home. Pick: Cardinals -6.5Monday’s MatchupMike Hilton contributed an interception for Pittsburgh last week, but injuries to that team’s defense have helped lead to two straight losses.Credit…Jeffrey T. Barnes/Associated PressPittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals, 8:15 p.m., ESPNLine: Steelers -11.5 | Total: 40.5Be it injuries, an offensive slump or regression to the mean, the Steelers (11-2) went from 11 straight wins to two consecutive losses. There was a sense, particularly toward the end of the win streak, that Pittsburgh was overrated, but the shift in circumstances has been extreme, especially when you consider it has dropped to the No. 2 seed in the A.F.C., with just an 11 percent chance of overtaking Kansas City for a first-round bye, according to The Upshot.The Bengals (2-10-1), who have been eliminated from playoff contention, are likely to bear the brunt of Pittsburgh’s frustration. It is not that a blowout win over a bad, injury-riddled team would do much for the Steelers’ fortunes, but it might help them wash away the bad taste in their mouths from the last few weeks.There should be no surprises in this one, even if the point spread is a bit large for a team that is struggling offensively. Pick: Bengals +11.5How Betting Lines WorkA quick primer for those who are not familiar with betting lines: Favorites are listed next to a negative number that represents how many points they must win by to cover the spread. Dolphins -2.5, for example, means that Miami must beat New England by at least 3 points for its backers to win their bet. Gamblers can also bet on the total score, or whether the teams’ combined score in the game is over or under a preselected number of points.All times are Eastern.AdvertisementContinue reading the main story More

    • 163 Shares169 Views

      in Football

      Russell Wilson Throws Four Touchdowns in Three Quarters in Win Over the Jets

      by

      AdvertisementContinue reading the main storySupported byContinue reading the main storySeahawks 40, Jets 3Russell Wilson Throws Four Touchdowns in Three Quarters in Win Over the JetsThe Seahawks rebounded from a loss to the Giants last week, while the Jets’ losing streak reached a franchise record 13 games.Seahawks receiver DK Metcalf had six catches for 61 yards and a touchdown, which he celebrated with one of the TV cameras.Credit…Ted S. Warren/Associated PressDec. 13, 2020Updated 8:51 p.m. ETSEATTLE (AP) — Russell Wilson threw four touchdowns passes to give him a new career-high with 36 for the season before resting in the fourth quarter, leading the Seattle Seahawks to a 40-3 rout of the Jets on Sunday.Seattle (9-4) rebounded exactly as it had hoped after its surprisingly poor offensive performance last week in a loss to the Giants. They stayed even with the Los Angeles Rams (9-4), who beat the Patriots (6-7) on Thursday, on top of the N.F.C. West.Wilson threw touchdowns to Freddie Swain and DK Metcalf in the first half and added touchdown tosses to Will Dissly and David Moore in the third quarter. It was his fifth game this season with at least four touchdown passes. His previous career high in touchdown passes came in 2018.Metcalf commandeered a TV broadcast camera as part of his celebration after catching a 5-yard scoring pass in the second quarter, his 10th of the season.Wilson finished 21 of 27 for 206 yards and checked out late in the third quarter, giving way to the former Jets quarterback Geno Smith for his first action since joining Seattle last season. Wilson’s only mistake was a forced throw in the first half that the Jets’ Marcus Maye caught for a terrific juggling interception.Wilson had played every snap of the previous 49 games for Seattle. The last time he wasn’t under center was Week 15 of 2017 when Seattle lost 42-7 to the Rams. It was also a rare blowout for Seattle. The Seahawks had just one win by more than 14 points in the past two seasons. “We took on the challenge, kept our heads down to just stay focused on what we need to do and our execution,” Wilson said. “It was a great day today.”For the Jets, it was another miserable day in their forgettable season. Days after firing defensive coordinator Gregg Williams after a collapse at the end of last week’s loss to Las Vegas, the Jets (0-13) showed little resistance on defense and little excitement on offense as they lost their 13th consecutive game, a franchise record.And even when the Jets had chances to score, kicker Sergio Castillo struggled. After converting a 45-yard attempt on the Jets’ opening drive, Castillo missed attempts of 37, 41 and 43 yards in the first half. Quarterback Sam Darnold was 14 of 26 for 132 yards.“This one got away from us very quickly and when you have chances against a team like this, you’ve got to take advantage of them or this is what the outcome’s going to be,” Jets Coach Adam Gase said.In just about the only bright spot for the Jets, they extended their streak of scoring on their opening drive to seven straight games, the longest active streak in the N.F.L. and the longest in franchise history.The Jets became the ninth team since the A.F.L.-N.F.L. merger to start a season with 13 straight losses. Three of those teams had winless seasons.“Losing’s not fun. We’ve just got to be better,” Darnold said.Seattle’s Jamal Adams, the former Jets safety, set a record for most sacks by a defensive back in a single season, breaking the previous mark of eight by Adrian Wilson in 2005. He had been credited with a sack after forcing Darnold to run out of bounds for a loss in the second quarter, giving him 8 1/2 for the season.“I’m trying to shatter it, to be real with you,” Adams said. “This is just a start.”Adams spent a significant amount of time postgame in a receiving line of hugs and handshakes with his former Jets teammates and coaches, including Gase.“Seeing so many guys, it just brings back a lot of memories because I do miss those guys,” Adams said. “This is bigger than football. It goes back to just relationships.”The Jets will be back on the West Coast next Sunday to face the Rams.Seahawks will make the last of its East Coast trips next week, traveling to play Washington (6-7) on Sunday.AdvertisementContinue reading the main story More

    • 88 Shares149 Views

      in Football

      Giants Outmuscle Seahawks in Season’s Biggest Upset

      by

      AdvertisementContinue reading the main storySupported byContinue reading the main storyGiants 17, seahawks 12Giants Outmuscle Seahawks in Season’s Biggest UpsetFacing Seattle on the road without their starting quarterback, the Giants picked up their fourth straight win behind a stout defense, a lot of running and no trickery.Lineman Leonard Williams had 2.5 sacks Sunday, bringing him to a career-high 8.5 for the season, as the Giants’ defense sent the Seahawks scattering.Credit…Larry Maurer/170943 Associated Press, via Associated PressBy More