***SWAMPY SUNDAY - MUCK 5 - WEEK 15***
***PITTSBURGH STEELERS @ CINCINNATI BENGALS***
Revenge, how sweet it is baby. Revenge will be the theme featured in today's game in Cincinnati will when the Bengals host their division rival the Pittsburgh Steelers, but revenge for whom? After last year's debacle in Cincy during the playoffs where a controversial hit by LB Vontaze Burfict on Steelers' WR Antonio Brown changed the entire game, one could argue a case for both sides. However, I believe the Steelers got their fix when these two met the first time around in week 2 and defeated the Bengals at home 24-16. Now with their playoff hopes all but dead, I believe the Bengals and their fans will get some satisfaction at home today against Big Ben Rothlisberger and the boys. Cincy has now rattled off two wins in a row and look to be getting in a groove even though those wins came against the Eagles and Browns. I have noticed this team playing much better with their stud TE Tyler Eifert back in the mix for QB Andy Dalton to work with. Since their top WR AJ Green went out with an injury, the Bengals offense has struggled but RB Jeremy Hill has held down the running game as of late and it seems to have helped open up things through the air. Rookie WR Tyler Boyd has begun to come into his and help out as well. The Steelers went into Buffalo in a blizzard and RB LeVeon Bell ran wild to pull out a win against the Bills and put Pittsburgh win streak to 4 games. PItt has a HUGE game on deck when they will faec off against Baltimore on Xmas who is one game back and hold the better end of tie-breaker over them by beating the Steelers earlier this season. I think Cincy's defense is healthier than its been all year and playing well. I like them to be locked in today at home and hold Bell and Brown to limited production, and I think Dalton will be able to find success against the Pittsburgh secondary. Although the Steelers have now won 3 straight road games, I am still not a believer in them away from home as I think that is when Big Ben struggles a bit. Those last three road W's came against the Browns, an Andrew Luckless Colts team, and the Bills in a snow storm where they had the clear advantage with a mudder of an RB in Bell. I believe the Steelers offense will stall more often than not today in Cincy and the Bengals and their 5-7-1 record will keep their slim playoff hopes alive for another week. BENGALS+3
***DETROIT LIONS @ NEW YORK GIANTS***
Big time game here between two likely NFC playoff teams when the 5 win streak Lions head into MetLife Stadium to take on the New York Giants who are coming off a HUGE home win against the first place Dallas Cowboys on SNF last week for the second time this season. I believe the Giants are now finding their stride and will continue to peak here at the perfect time, the end of the season. It is still possible for NY to steal the division from Dallas now that they own the tie breaker as long as Dallas drops a couple games here in these next three, and with a tough schedule ahead, it could happen! It is no secret how clutch QB Matthew Stafford and the Detroit Lions have been this season. I believe they have trailed in all but one game during the 4th quarter this season and have managed to squeak out 8 of those games for wins and currently sit at the top of the NFC North with a 9-4 record. No doubt this is extremely impressive but today's game will be played outdoors, on the road, and in the elements as MetLife will be cold and most likely rainy. With Stafford injuring his middle finger on his throwing hand last week, he may find it difficult to hold onto a wet ball and find his targets against what has become a Big Blue Blanket of coverage for the Giants. NYG spent a ton of money this past offseason to help bolster up the defense and as we saw on SNF last week, these guys look to be coming into their own and playing like a complete unit, and in my mind are looking like one of the best defenses in the league. CB Janoris Jenkins AKA "Jack-Rabbit" has proven to be a true shutdown CB and I believe Stafford will be under duress today from NY's defensive front. The loss of DE Jason Pierre-Paul is a big one of course, but it looks like the Giants found another diamond in the rough with replacement the young Romeo Okwara taking full advantage of the opportunity and wasting no time with making a name for himself last Sunday Night. DT Damon "Snacks" Harrison has also proven to be arguably the best run stuffing DT in the league and with the addition of DE Olivier Vernon, and a secondary with Jack-Rabbit, CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, the Sophomore Safety Landon Collins having himself a Pro-Bowl season, and the Rookie CB Eli Apple finally all healthy and on the field, I don't see the Lions being able to score much in this one. As well as Detroit's defense has been playing lately with impressively shutting down Saints QB Drew Brees on the road recently, I think the Giants WRs will prove to be too quick for them to handle and that Odell Beckham Jr, and Rookie Sterling Shepherd will eventually get theirs. With the Packers now putting together a late season surge, I feel as though the Lions are due to regress here on the road today and next week in Dallas and it is almost destiny that the last game of the season in Detroit between the Packers and Lions will be for all the marbles in the NFC North, which would be awesome. GIANTS-4
***JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS @ HOUSTON TEXANS***
The first matchup between the lowly Jaguars and Texans was pretty close if not for Jacksonville QB Blake Bortles turning the ball over and helping Houston to an eventual road win in week 10. The Jags lost that game 24-21 and even though they have now lost 8 games in a row and essentially have nothing to play for, I believe they get up for this road game today up against a rival they know they can hang with and will find motivation in the fact that they can potentially hinder Houston's playoff hopes. Despite losing every week, I have noticed the Jags playing much better in recent games where they have competed and given their clear better opponent's a scare. In their last two games while facing some of the NFL's top defenses in Denver and Minnesota, they hung in the game throughout and were able to show me some life left in them this season. Losing gets realllll old after awhile and I think a game like today's where the Jags know they actually have a chance of winning, they will come prepared and focused to get the job done. After stealing a win in Indy last week, Houston suffered some key injuries to their defense and will be without LB Whitney Mercilus and CB Jonathan Joseph. They also lost a key target and safety blanket for QB Brock Osweiler in CJ Fiedorowicz which I believe will limit the already struggling Texans passing game. In a nutshell, Houston is wounded and have everything to lose, and the Jags smell blood baby! In a dreadfully losing season, small triumphs like a road upset over a playoff hopeful division rival mean a great deal to an organization with nothing to celebrate. I like the Jaggies to steal one here and get the win. JAGURAS+3.5
***GREEN BAY PACKERS @ CHICAGO BEARS***
After a road win on MNF in Philadelphia a few weeks ago, Green Bay QB Aaron Rodgers declared that the Packers will "run the table" the rest of the season and so far, he is not wrong. The Pack have now rattled off three straight wins and are in hot pursuit of the NFC North Title and with nothing but division games left to play, it is entirely possible for them to complete Rodgers' mission. Next up on the hit list is a road game in Chicago against a walking wounded Bears team who have played hard and competed every week despite having nothing to play for. The Bears are gritty and have been playing with third string QB Matt Barkley and it is clear they are not laying down for any body. With hosting the red hot Packers today, I fully expect Head Coach John Fox to throw the book at Green Bay in an attempt to road block the Packers path to the playoffs. Soldier Field will provide classic Chicago Bear weather with frigid temperatures and while in most cases this would provide an edge for da Bears, I don't think it makes a difference for Green Bay who is no stranger to the cold having played their last two games in snow storms at home. By no means will today be easy for the Pack but I am not one to get in the way against Rodgers and a team who have seemed to of come together and playing how we all know they are capable of. I expect a hard fought classic division battle here but think the battle tested and motivated Packers will eventually prove to be too much for the young USC QB Matt Barkley to keep up with on the scoreboard. Green Bay keeps rolling here and as I mentioned above, I believe they are destined to play for the division title the last week of the season in Detroit. PACKERS-4.5
***NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS @ DENVER BRONCOS***
The afternoon slate provides us with an excellent AFC rivalry game when the mighty New England Pats head into Denver to take on the Broncos who hope to keep their playoff hopes alive as well. The Super Bowl Champs have fallen on some hard times with their offense struggling and currently sit with an 8-5 record, two back of both the Oakland Raiders and the Kansas City Chiefs who are both 10-3. It is unfamiliar territory to say the least for the Ponies and they have now gone 2-3 in their last 5 games after dropping a tough road game in Tennessee last week. That being said, Denver cannot afford to lose any games as they aim to stay alive in the hunt for that final Wild Card spot, especially with the Dolphins slaughtering the lowly Jets last night. It will be tough sledding for the Broncos as their remaining three games are against those two leading division rivals and the first place AFC Patriots today. However the Broncos are no strangers to beating QB Tom Brady and the Pats, especially at home in Denver. New England is coming off of a short week after dismantling the Baltimore Ravens on MNF in Foxborough. Brady clearly took out some pent up deflate-gate frustrations on the Black Birds and while comfortably ahead in the AFC East, I think they are caught in a bad spot here today while LB Von Miller and the Broncos defense will be out for blood. I believe Miller and Ware will fuel this Broncos defense by getting to Brady in this one and letting their ball-hawking secondary do what they do best, getting turnovers. The young Broncos QB Trevor Siemian has been inconsistent to say the least this season but has shown glimpses of being a solid NFL QB and after a rough road outing last week since coming back from a week off with an injury, I like him to settle in and rise to the occasion with having himself a nice game today. Kickoff is near, so I will shutup now, good luck everyone! BRONCOS+3
