All lines according to official LVH SuperContest lines
Bears +1 @ Browns
It’s a complete shame that Josh McCown isn’t starting this week for the Bears. Yes, it is fair for the Bears to start Jay Cutler. The Bears don’t want to send a bad message to the rest of their team. They don’t want players to feel like if they get injured they’re going to lose their jobs. Also, the Bears need to make an important decision on Cutler’s future with the franchise, as he is a free agent after the season. However, McCown has been playing out of his mind and the combination of Marshall and Jeffrey has flourished with McCown under center. The Bears are tied for the NFC North lead and, in my opinion, should be riding the hot hand into the playoffs. If your organization really cares about winning then you must determine which player gives you the best chance to succeed right now. Based on the last month it would seem clear to me, and most, that Josh McCown would give the Bears the best chance to win.
However, that doesn’t mean that Jay Cutler can’t beat the lowly Browns on the road this weekend. The Browns have lost four straight contests and it seems like everyone except for the one and only JOSH GORDON has given up on this season. Perhaps that is the best thing for the Browns organization right now. Just give up on this season, grab a top 5 pick and a top 25 pick and build the organization from within. I’m sure Mike Lombardi, the Browns GM, is just fine with that plan. Tank City! The Bears need a win to keep themselves in the playoff race and a game against the Browns is a must win situation. Jay Cutler gets it done….this week. But what about next week against the Eagles? I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
Prediction: Bears 31 – Browns 23
Packers +7.5 @ Cowboys
Both the Packers and Cowboys are in desperate need of a win on Sunday in Dallas in order to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Cowboys, after a loss to the Bears on Monday night, are 7-6 and are 1 game behind the Eagles in the NFC East. If the Cowboys fail to win in Week 15 or 16 and the Eagles beat the Vikings and Bears then the Week 17 matchup in Dallas won’t mean a thing for the Cowboys. The Packers are a game behind the Lions and Bears in the NFC North and have looked shaky, to say the least, without Aaron Rodgers.
The real question in this game is whether or not Rodgers will play. IF Rodgers is able to go on Sunday I would lean towards taking the Packers to win outright. However, due to the uncertainty of that decision, take the Packers against the spread. My feeling is that Rodgers will end up playing in this game and that, at the very least; the Packers will keep this game close throughout.
Prediction: Cowboys 30 – Packers 27
Jaguars +2.5 v. Bills
Ride the Jags!
Ride the Jags!
Ride the Jags!
Ride the Jags!
Ride the Jags!
Prediction: Jaguars 34 – Bills 23
Chiefs -4.5 @ Raiders
The Chiefs, when they’re not playing the Broncos or Chargers, have been dominant defensively and have eaten up less than stellar opponents. The Raiders have hit the skids hard, as the Raiders usually do around this point in the season. Do the Raiders actually employ a Quarterback? When was the last time they employed a legitimate Quarterback? Do they have any running backs? Who plays Wide Receiver for them?
For one of the most historic franchises in the NFL they sure do have a bunch of scrubs playing on their team. I don’t get the Raiders at all. What I do know is that the Chiefs are going to pummel the Raiders in the Black Hole on Sunday. Remember what the Chiefs did to the Redskins last weekend? Oh yea. That was just a primer for what is going to happen this weekend to the Raiders.
Prediction: Chiefs 43 – Raiders 10
Eagles -5 @ Vikings
1. Are the Eagles the hottest team in the NFL?
2. Is Chip Kelly the NFL’s coach of the year?
3. Is Nick Foles an MVP candidate?
4. Is LeSean McCoy awesome?
I think that the answer to at least three of the four of those questions is an emphatic YES. You can make up your own mind on which three you would answer in the affirmative. The Eagles are headed to Minnesota to face the reeling, yet competitive, Vikings this weekend. The Vikings may be without star RB Adrian Peterson, but I’m not sure that much matters. The Eagles offense has been run to perfection over the last four weeks and Philadelphia keeps winning games that they are suppose to win. That is one of the ways you can go from a 4-12 team to a playoff team in a heartbeat. Just win the games you’re supposed to win. Chip Kelly has the Eagles believing in his system and thinking that they are going to win every game. The Eagles should certainly take care of the Vikings this weekend. Like I said, they take care of business.
Prediction: Eagles 30 – Vikings 20
Jason Gold is the Founder and Co-Editor in Chief of SportsMoneyLife.com. Follow Jason on Twitter @TheSportsGuy33.
