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Twelve have become eight, and the bye-teams step up this week. The #1 seeds in both conferences ambled into the playoffs with successive losses but will be fresh and raring to go.

Craig aside, we embarrassed ourselves last week, with me going 1-3 and Graham an impressive 0-4. Let’s hope we can step up this week…

In the AFC

Baltimore Ravens @ Indianapolis Colts
A – The Ravens ran the Patriots something stupid last week. Whatever they did on the ground, the Pats just couldn’t stop. That’s how they won so comfortably despite Flacco completing only 4 passes for a total of 34 yards.
The Colts will be a different prospect, and you have to expect that they’ll be able to score points.

The teams met earlier this season, where the Colts scraped a narrow win. In 2008, they dominated them 31-3, and in 2007 it was 44-20 so that puts some pressure on the Ravens. Whilst resting some key players, the Colts have shown that they’re lacking in depth in certain areas and will need their four-time MVP to show up. I think he will, and I think the rest of the team will too. I can’t see the Ravens getting away without a passing game, they won’t be able to rack up the yards they did last week and the Colts. Despite their post-season woes of the last two years, they’ll get it done here. I suspect the dreaded Chargers will be coming to town the week after…
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A surprising three of these four games are repeats of week 17, so we’ll see if the momentum from last week carries over. However, all four remain very tricky games to call that could go either way.

New York Jets @ Cincinnati Bengals
A – It’s hard to read too much into last week’s 37 point shutout by the Jets: they had everything to play for and the Bengals had nothing of consequence. However, they’ve been giving up rushing yards at an alarming rate and seemed to have lost the ’spark’ that saw them sweep their division.
The Jets will look to their running game and strong defensive unit, and as much as I like the Bengals I think they’ll probably have enough here… despite the flak I’ve given them recently.

C – Last week was total domination from the Jets, and to be honest i’m expecting the same again. The Bengals just couldn’t muster anything from anywhere. Palmer looked like he’d never played the game before in his life. If the Jets defence keeps up its performance and the running game keeps hitting hard then i can see the Jets getting to the divisional final. Jets win.

G – I am going to start off by going against the grain now. All of these games could go either way so they are tricky picks. Who knows what the plan was at the weekend, but I can’t see Bengals taking it again. I am going with a Bengals win here.

Official MAC Prediction:

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Week 17 is always a difficult week to predict, as many teams will be resting starters and preparing for the playoffs and others have little to play for, meaning it’s hard to judge who’ll really be ‘up’ for a game.

The six playoff bound NFC teams are all decided, though there are seedings to play for. The top 4 AFC teams are set, and the Jets and Ravens are set to ‘win and in’ but have a bunch of teams chasing them.

So… predict we must, as that’s what we’re here to do! Here we go…

Indianapolis Colts @ Buffalo Bills
A – The Colts are sure to rest players as they literally have nothing to play for. Don’t be surprised to see Painter in the first half, and all but the Line on the side. The Bills too, have nothing to play for in real terms but will want to end the season strongly. I can see them taking this one.
C – As the guys have said, the Colts will surely be resting people and i’d think that the Bills team are better than the Colts secondary. Bills are at home too, and will be looking to finish strong so i’m going for a home win.
G – The Bills will be looking for a win here as Fewell looks for a good ending for his impressive stint as head coach. I am not sure if it will be enough, but it looks like the safer pick here.

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It’s Christmas!

Not too much from us this week, but the table reflects our picks even though we’ve not given our thoughts.

(Craig’s picks will be up soon… give him a break, it’s Christmas Day! – Sorry for the delay fellas, been a hectic Xmas so far. I’ve used italic to highlight my pics this week, i’m still a noob at the whole HTML thing so i couldn’t figure out how to get the picture in the table!!)

Sunday December 27th

Tampa Bay Bucaneers @ New Orleans Saints
Buffalo Bills @ Atlanta Falcons
Houston Texans @ Miami Dolphins
Seattle Seahawks @ Green Bay Packers
Carolina Panthers @ New York Giants
Oakland Raiders @ Cleveland Browns
Jacksonville Jaguars @ New England Patriots
Kansas City Chiefs @ Cincinnati Bengals
Baltimore Ravens @ Pittsburgh Steelers
St. Loius Rams @ Arizona Cardinals
Detroit Lions @ San Francisco 49ers
Denver Broncos @ Philadelphia Eagles
New York Jets @ Indianapolis Colts
Dallas Cowboys @ Washington Redskins
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The Christmas day game! It’s great that there is sports to watch at the end of Christmas.

San Diego Chargers @ Tennessee Titans
A – Mathematically, the Titans are competing for a playoff spot. That’s one heck of an achievement after starting 0-6. The Chargers have quietly and efficiently gone about their business of wrapping up the AFC West on the back of a 9 game winning streak and I fancy them to make it 10 here (and 11 next week )

C – A tough call indeed. Both teams can win this game, and i like the way both teams have gone about the season (bar the Titans start to the season >_>). I think it will be a good game. A close game, but good non-the less. I’m going to stump for the Chargers though. Sorry Titans fans.

G – The Titans have everything to play for going into this game. There is no doubt that they have really turned it around this season. The Chargers are not an easy team to face though which could make this a great Christmas game. A tough pick, but I am backing the Chargers.

So there we are, Mac’s official prediction is the San Diego Chargers.

Join us later for the rest of week 16’s picks.

Image Credit: Brent and MariLynn

After getting last night’s game right (just). Let’s see how we’re gonna fare this weekend.

Saturday 19th December

Dallas Cowboys @ New Orleans Saints
A – The Saints and the Colts are both just three games from 16-0. The Saints have the Bucs and the Panthers after this and must surely fancy their chances. As we’ve said before: when they’re not good they’ve been lucky, and that’s a winning combination.
The Cowboys are chasing a wild-card spot in a time that has proved difficult for them recently. I can see them giving the Saints a close game, but think New Orleans will be one game closer to being unbeaten.

C – I want the Saints to go 16-0, so for that reason alone i am picking them to win this week! If the Saints D can shut down the Cowboys running game and put a bit of pressure on Romo then the game is there for the taking.

G -I really want to Siants to go unbeaten now. In fact if they went on to win the Superbowl that would make them the second recent London visitors to be touched by the magic
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Indianapolis Colts @ Jacksonville Jaguars
A – The Colts have a new record for consecutive wins, they have home field advantage through the play-offs and are coasting into the post season. Whilst 16-0 will be tempting, it remains to be seen what they’ll do in the final week in terms of their starters. For this week though, I can’t look past them.
Yeah, I’m not even talking about the Jaguars.

G – The Jags have 7 wins, but just compare that to the Colts 13 wins and you begin to see what a task Jacksonville have. I would love to back the Jags, but the Colts are just too good…and for that reason I’m oooot! Colts win.

C – The Colts looked great again on Sunday. He linked up with Clark like we expect him to most weeks and they extended their unbeaten run. I almost feel silly now for thinking the Broncos could have ended the streak. (although they came within 1 TD of pulling level!). For this week I have to go for Indianapolis to go 14-0.

Mac says: Colts to win.
Our predictions for the weekend game will be up later in the week.

Image Credit: pnther60

Yet another early start this week, and they continue to catch us out.

Here are our thoughts for tonight’s AFC East matchup:

New York Jets @ Buffalo Bills
C – I’m liking the look of the Jets for this one. Fresh off a good win last week, and up against the defence ranked 32nd across the NFL. They’ll be looking at utilising the running game more this week so expect Thomas Jones to have a good game. The Bills themselves though are not to be scoffed at. TO seems to be coming into his element a little bit with some big stats finally, so the Jets D need to stay aware. I’m still gonna go for the Jets win.

A – I’m still not sure about divisional matches being played away from home like this one will be. However, as a Wembley goer perhaps I should be quiet about this!
The Bills have played well the last two weeks, but I’m reminded of so many teams who see an immediate improvement when they change coach (especially the Rams last year!). The Jets are on paper a stronger side across the board, and I think I have to fancy the Bills to fall to 0-2 in Toronto.

G – There are a lot of people in Canada who are very pleased thay are getting to see this game. Support is predicted to be strong for the Bills, but will that be enough? I am expecting a close game, but see the Jets coming out on top.

Image Credit: jrgcastro

So yet again we missed getting a prediction up for the early game. And as tempting as it is to go and revisit what I originally said, I’m going to leave it as it is.

From this week we have Craig joining us as a permanent predictor. Having three people means that we can break the deadlock that Graham and I frequently have. So as well as our individual predictions, we’ll have an overall verdict that at least two of us agree on.

So on with the picks for this week!

Thursday November 19th

Miami Dolphins @ Carolina Panthers
A – Ronnie Brown has been ruled out of the game for the Fins and the Panthers have lost Jordan Gross, so Delhomme might feel exposed during the game. A tricky one to call, but I think the Panthers should have enough here. Sorry Graham.

G – *start fan blindness* So, you probably think I will be scared off because Brown is out right? Well, no! Williams can handle that role so it is a loss, but not as big a loss as people make out. It should be a cracking game tonight and I see Miami just taking it…..no…..really.*end fan blindness*

C – This could very well be a game of 2 halves, so to speak. Miami favour the run, for obvious reasons. Carolina aren’t really a rush defence team. On the other side, Carolina do have some passing game, so against Miami i can see them attempting to utilise this againts their dire pass defence. This game will probably be about who can out score the other one. Although the Panthers generally have more of a balance between passing and rushing, my prediction goes to the Dolphins. Miami win
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