Saxon Scope reporters Alex De Thier, Abdullah Jamil and Cayhan Movaghari made their predictions for NFL Week 13. What do you think about their predictions? Let us know in the comments section below.
New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons
This is definitely a strong divisional matchup; both teams are full of talent and the Saints are playing for their last hope at a division title while the Falcons are looking to avenge their lone loss. However the Saints are coming off a momentum-killing loss against the 49ers, while the Falcons have once again proved their ability to come out on top in a close game. We think they’ll do it again, as they beat the Saints 28-24.
Jacksonville Jaguars at Buffalo Bills
Despite the Jaguars’ backup quarterback Chad Henne lighting it up the past few weeks, the Bills defensive line’s pressure will be too much for him to handle. Expect to see a lot of carries as the Bills have a solid running back duo in Fred Jackson and CJ Spiller and are going against a woeful Jacksonville run defense. Buffalo’s home field advantage will likely also play a role as the Bills beat the Jags 21-16.
Seattle Seahawks at Chicago Bears
The Seahawks, despite being a talented team, have a mediocre 1-5 record while on the road. The Bears are looking better with previously injured Jay Cutler back in form, but will definitely suffer from the loss of elite halfback Matt Forte. We expect a low scoring game as the Bears pull out the home win 17-10.
Indianapolis Colts at Detroit Lions
The Colts are currently 2-1 against what is arguably the strongest division in the league (they beat the Packers and Vikings, lost to the Bears), and will be looking to keep this winning record and control their position as the AFC’s 5th seed. The Colts have an explosive offense with rookie quarterback Andrew Luck and receivers Reggie Wayne and T.Y. Hilton, but the 4-7 Lions are definitely better than their record shows; they tend to underachieve and even get unlucky (poor officiating against the Texans last week cost them the game). We think the Lions will please the Ford Field faithful as they get the home win, 24-17.
Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers
This is another strong divisional matchup between two NFC playoff contenders; if the Vikings win, the teams will fall even at 7-5, and they will overtake the Packers for second place in the NFC North. This prospect will spur a hard fought game by the Vikings, and we think that they will contain the Packers high powered offense and pull an important upset. The Packers will greatly miss the defensive presence of linebacker Clay Matthews and this will show as the Vikings win late 34-28.
Houston Texans at Tennessee Titans
Houston has not been living up to their 10-1 record as of late, as they have been scraped by with a few unimpressive wins. However, the Titans do not pose a very difficult task with one of the weakest defenses in the league and their only offensive threat coming in the form of running back Chris Johnson. The Texans will win with ease, winning 24-10 on the road.
Carolina Panthers at Kansas City Chiefs
Two teams with their seasons already over are meeting here. The Chiefs and the Panthers are both mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, but the talent on one team is much higher than the other. The Panthers have more depth in their overall line up and plenty of talent in their young quarterback Cam Newton. We expect a relatively unexciting game as the Panthers win 24-9.
San Francisco 49ers at St. Louis Rams
These divisional rivals met recently in Week 10 and the game resulted in a rare tie. Since then,the 49ers have won both their games and are on a hot streak, leading the NFC West by a healthy 3 games. The Rams on the other hand are essentially out of playoff contention. This game will not be as close as the first, assuming rookie San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick plays like he has done lately and Frank Gore continues his excellent season. 49ers win 31-17.
New England Patriots at Miami Dolphins
New England will be coming off a Thanksgiving beat down against the New York Jets, and have maintained their title of the best offense in the league. The Dolphins have been inconsistent throughout the season, with a few bad losses giving them a very thin playoff chance; this is a must-win game for them. They have a solid defense, but Tom Brady and Co will likely run them over as they end the Dolphin’s playoff hopes in a 31-13 victory.
Arizona Cardinals at New York Jets
The Cardinals and Jets both started this season with plenty of promise but have been disappointed with their 4-7 records; the Cardinals started at a stunning 4-0. No one expected what would come next, as the Cardinals are yet to win a game since their hot start. Although the injury stricken Jets are far from good, they will walk away from this game with a 27-9 victory.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Denver Broncos
This is likely to be an exciting matchup. Buccaneers running back Doug “Muscle Hamster “Martin is making his case for rookie of the year but has a tough task at hand against the tough Broncos’ defense. The Broncos also have a high powered offense under veteran Peyton Manning, and he will likely continue his case for MVP. However Broncos RB Willis McGahee is hurt and it’ll be interesting to see how backup Knowshon Moreno will step up. After a nail-biting loss to the Falcons last week, the woes continue for the Bucs in a 31-28 loss.
Cleveland Browns at Oakland Raiders
Both of these teams are 3-8 and have next to nothing going for them offensively. However, the Browns defense is on a hot streak, forcing an incredible eight turnovers against Pittsburgh last week while the Raiders have given up an average of 42 points per game in the last three weeks. This will be an ugly game, but the Browns defense, along with some firepower in rookie running back Trent Richardson, will pull out a 29-13 win.
Cincinnati Bengals at San Diego Chargers
The Bengals are on a 3-game winning streak and will look to continue this as they visit the West Coast and compete for an AFC Wildcard spot. Quarterback Andy Dalton has been clicking with AJ Green all season long and this will likely be the case for a touchdown or two against San Diego. Both teams have solid defenses, but the letdown for the Chargers is their ineffective offense, seemingly unable to make things happen. Bengals win 17-10.
Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens
Despite being one of the better rivalries in the league, this shouldn’t be too close of a game. The Steelers are worn with the injuries of Ben Roethlisberger (and backup Byron Leftwich), elite safety Troy Polamalu, and a banged up offensive line. They are left with third-string quarterback Charlie Batch, who has shown to be quite weak. It doesn’t help that the Ravens are having a fantastic 9-2 season and are 5-0 at home, and they will advance to 6-0 with a 24-13 victory over the Steelers.
Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys
This is a bad week for Pennsylvania football teams. If there was one word to describe the Eagles this year, it would be mediocre. In fairness, they are banged up with injuries (explosive players Michael Vick, Lesean McCoy, and Desean Jackson are all out), but it is not excuse for their season. Last week was disappointing as backup quarterback Nick Foles looked like the rookie he was and backup running back Bryce Brown lost a few costly fumbles as the Eagles lost to the 2-8 Panthers. The Cowboys have been wildly inconsistent throughout the season, but their offense will tear the Eagles secondary apart and their defense will easily contain Nick Foles as they pull out a big 23-10 home win.
New York Giants at Washington Redskins
It is very fitting that this NFC East matchup will be in the national spotlight as the Monday Night Football game; both teams are on hot streaks, and the Redskins are fighting for a shot at overtaking the Giants for the division title. The Giants were incredible last week, handily beating a usually strong Green Bay Packers, and the Redskins are coming off of two big division wins, led by an exceptional Robert Griffin III. This will be a shootout, and if the Redskins want to make the playoffs for the first time in 5 years, this is the game that they need to win. Redskins pull an upset with a 38-34 win.