As COVID-19 hits the NFL again, the schedule marks Week 16 and that means Playoff tickets will quickly start to sell out.
So, with or without coronavirus outbreaks, it’s time to win when it matters most.
So far, only the Green Bay Packers have secured a postseason spot. Five teams are inside with a win this weekend: Kansas City, Arizona, Dallas, Rams and Tampa Bay.
Patriots qualify if they beat Buffalo and Miami loses Monday at New Orleans.
The Titans are the AFC South Division champion if they beat San Francisco on Thursday and Indianapolis lose in Arizona.
Shall we go to the picks?
GAME OF THE WEEK
Buffalo and New England (-2.5)
What the Patriots did on the night of Monday, December 6, is one of the most insulting and humiliating things I have seen in more than 40 years of following the NFL.
Just in case you didn’t see it or you already forgot it (which I don’t think so), let me refresh your memory: the team of Bill Belichick defeated the Bills 14-10 at Buffalo; in that game, New England threw the ball three times; the Patriots rushed 46 times for 22 yards, and at some point in the game they ran the ball 31 consecutive times.
The reason? The strong winds that blew that night and that complicated the aerial game.
Belichick decided to write a monologue and the Bills defense was his best audience.
Just two weeks after that humiliation in Orchard Park, Buffalo (8-6) and New England (9-5) meet again, now in Foxborough and with the East Division title at stake.
The same game plan as Belichick? Of course not. This Sunday we will see a more “traditional” game of a rivalry that begins to be relevant again in the NFL.
Obviously, the Bills defense has to do a better job against the run. In the game of Week 13, Damien Harris he was the Patriots’ leading rusher with 111 yards and a touchdown; Rhamondre Stevenson he added another 78 on 24 carries.
The problem is not new to Buffalo. In the most recent five, the Bills have allowed an average of 163.6 yards rushing.
And it’s not the only bad thing about the Bills.
El wide receiver Cole Beasley The game will be lost after testing positive for COVID-19. The guard Jon Feliciano He posted on Twitter on Tuesday that he ended up in the ER on Sunday, after the team placed him on the COVID-19 list that same day.
Buffalo also listed left tackle. Dion Dawkins, al defensive end AJ Epenesa and the linebacker Tyrel Dodson.
“All that business [del COVID], for me they are minutiae, “he said Josh Allen. “I try to pay as little attention as possible.”
“Every game from now on is like a playoff game, the kind of atmosphere that will be there. I mean, the energy is going to be extremely high, we know the fans are going to be very loud, ”added the Bills quarterback. “We know that, so we have to prepare as best we can and be prepared as possible before setting foot in that stadium on Sunday and not letting it get to us and just doing our job.”
If the Bills want to win two straight division titles for the first time since they won four in a row between 1989 and 1991, they have to find a way to win at Foxborough.
To do this, Allen (five touchdowns, no interceptions in the most recent two against New England) has to raise his bar.
The Patriots come into this game after seeing a seven-win string broken in Indianapolis, where Belichick’s team was dominated from start to finish by the Colts. In that game Mac Jones he suffered two costly interceptions and Buffalo needs more of the same from the rookie.
Plus, New England is 3-4 at home this season, where Jones has thrown five of his 10 interceptions.
Pick: Belichick’s dominance against the Bills is absurd; the coach is 36-8 against Buffalo, including a 7-2 against coach Sean McDermott. The Bills defense has to find a way to stop the race and I don’t know if that disease will find a cure in Foxborough. Patriots 20-16 Bills
SURE PICK
Cleveland en Green Bay (-7)
After this loss, you can safely say that the Browns are the disappointment of the year. Green Bay 28-20 Cleveland
UPSET
Indianapolis and Arizona (-1)
Arizona’s defense, which allowed 126 rushing yards in the loss to Detroit, is not going to have a good time with Jonathan Taylor. Colts 27-23 Cardinals
TWO MINUTE DRIVE
San Francisco (-3.5) en Tennessee
The Titans lost the compass at the worst time of the season and the Niners are going just in the opposite direction. San Francisco 28-24 Tennessee
Detroit and Atlanta (-4)
The Lions only win the ones they aren’t supposed to win. Atlanta 31-21 Detroit
Tampa Bay (-10.5) at Carolina
Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell to the rescue. Buccaneers 31-17 Panthers
Baltimore en Cincinnati (-2.5)
Between injuries and John Harbaugh’s decisions, the Ravens aren’t what they used to be. Cincinnati 27-26 Baltimore
Los Angeles Chargers (-9.5) en Houston
The Chargers missed an opportunity to take control in the AFC West. Now there is no margin for error. Los Angeles 38-21 Houston
Los Angeles Rams (-3) en Minnesota
Duel between two good defenders in Minneapolis, but I trust Matthew Stafford more than Kirk Cousins. Rams 30-23 Vikings
Jacksonville en New York Jets (-2)
The Jaguars are not going to let anyone take the first pick of the 2022 Draft from them. New York 20-17 Jacksonville
New York Giants en Philadelphia (-10)
The Eagles are the second NFC East team that we could see in the Playoffs. Philadelphia 24-17 New York
Chicago at Seattle (-6.5)
These two are virtually eliminated from the Wild Card race, but Russell Wilson wants to make a good impression in his final games in Seattle. Seahawks 26-14 Bears
Pittsburgh en Kansas City (-10)
If Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce (both on the COVID-19 list at the time of writing these picks) don’t play, the Steelers will have a chance to surprise Arrowhead. Kansas City 19-16 Pittsburgh
Denver at Las Vegas (-1)
Broncos and Raiders, both 7-7, still dream of a playoff berth. I’m going with the team that has won the most recent three in this rivalry. Las Vegas 30-20 Denver
Washington en Dallas (-10.5)
It’s time for the Cowboys to take that well-deserved Eastern Division crown. Dallas 31-21 Washington
Miami en New Orleans (-3)
Thanks to the Saints defense, the Dolphins’ winning streak ends here. New Orleans 24-20 Miami
OVER UNDER
Cleveland vs. Green Bay OVER 44.5
Buffalo vs. New England UNDER 43.5
Pittsburgh vs. Kansas City UNDER 46
In the past week: 10-6
In the season: 136-89
Ariel: 144-82
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