LAST WEEK RECORD: 12-4

OVERALL RECORD: 138-86

MERRY CHRISTMAS WEEK 16 STRAIGHT PICK-EM

THE THURSDAY NIGHT GAME

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (7-7) AT LA RAMS (7-7)

We start week 16 off with A big game for two teams trying to make it to the post-season. The Rams have been playing their best football of the year. The Saints have been up and down pretty much all year. Derek Carr has still not won over his locker room. The Rams thrive when Matthew Stafford is healthy and upright. This game comes down to Stafford versus Saints defense that has allowed only a pair of field goals to the opposing team the last two weeks. The Saints defense also tallied up 11 sacks in their last two games. I like a great defense any day suffocating any offense in the league. Saints slow down the Rams and win a close one on the road.

OUR PICK: SAINTS

SATURDAY GAMES

CINCINNATI BENGALS (8-6) AT PITTSBURGH STEELERS (7-7)

The story is of Rudolph the Red Nosed quarterback beating Bumble the snow monster right before Christmas Eve.

The Steelers will be starting Mason Rudolph, their third string quarterback who is a number two guy anywhere else. The Bengals will be without Ja’Marr Chase in this one. Steelers defense has played well all year. I like Mason being able to spark the Steelers’ dormant offense and get a win at home. The Bengals still have not won a game in the division. It’s Christmas, and Rudolph will guide the Steelers to a big much needed win over, yes Bumbles does bounce.

OUR PICK: STEELERS

BUFFALO BILLS (8-6) AT LA CHARGERS (5-9)

This game looks easy for Buffalo as the Chargers are in shambles giving up 63 points to the Raiders. Bills murdered the Cowboys so it should be a wham bam thank you ma’am type of a game. These games are trap games which the BIlls have walked right into this year with games vs the Patriots, Broncos, and when barely beating the Giants. Bills will win this one. The Chargers fired Brandon Staley. Usually interim coaches do well in their first game because they relax the rules, dummy down the play book, and let it whirl. Close game will be too close for comfort, but Bills escape LA with a win.

OUR PICK: BILLS

THE SUNDAY AFFAIRS ON CHRISTMAS EVE

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (8-6) AT ATLANTA FALCONS (6-8)

The Falcons lost to the Panthers and are still in the playoff hunt as they play in the worst division in football. The Colts will have Jonathan Taylor back in the fold coming off his thumb injury. The Falcons lost two in a row & will lean on their back-up quarterback, the former Commander Taylor Heinicke, for any kind of spark. Gardner Minshew versus Taylor Heinicke are two quarterbacks you’d like to have as your number two guys. The Colts are playing better football than Atlanta right now. Heinicke does not have the Christmas magic to spark this Falcon one-dimensional offense.

Heinicke will be the turkey sacrifice to the Colts dogs on defense.

OUR PICK: COLTS

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (7-7) AT TENNESSEE TITANS (5-9)

Seattle pulled off a remarkable upset on Monday night versus the Eagles with Drew Lock behind center. The Titans laid an egg versus the Texans in a game they could not close as they blew a late lead. Titans will be at home in this match-up where they are 4-3 and play better in music city. Will Levis has a bum ankle. Could Ryan Tannehill see some action? Seattle gets Geno Smith back. With the win last week, Seattle broke a losing streak that knocked the Seahawks out of the playoff picture. The win, though, may have resurrected this team.

You know the old Grinch, Pete Carol, thrives when his team is at the bottom of the barrel of his season. He does not stay there that long and will steal Christmas away from the Whos in Nashville as the Seahawks are on the rise.

OUR PICK: SEAHAWKS

DETROIT LIONS (10-4) AT MINNESOTA VIKINGS (7-7)

The Vikings should and could have knocked the Bengals last Saturday more than once to win that game. The Lions unloaded their grievances on the Broncos last week under the Festivus Pole.

Both Vikings and Lions need this game. Vikings to stay alive in the playoff picture. The Lions need to wrap up the division with the Cowboys on deck. This should be a well-fought game. I think the Lions clean up their act and find a way to get this road win as they play like they did to start the season.

OUR PICK: LIONS

WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (4-10) AT NEW YORK JETS (5-9)

In match ups like this, you remember why you drink on the Holidays. Washington fans and New York fans will be sauced during this contest. Why not on the field? The Jets defense, Sauce Gardner, gets saucy in a good way, steals the show, and gives head coach Ron Rivera for the Commanders a bow on that box to be opened later. The gift that keeps on giving a pink slip on Black Monday.

OUR PICK: JETS

GREEN BAY PACKERS (6-8) AT CAROLINA PANTHERS (2-12)

The Packers are a team that needs to be beaten with a stick. Like Ralphie in A Christmas Story storing up that anger and unleashing it all on this cheese ball team. One week they beat the Chiefs. Then they lose two in a row and get manhandled by the Buccaneers at home. The Packers never do what they are told to do. I’m picking them to win this week as they will suddenly lose to the Panthers. Don’t get me wrong, I want to see the Packers lose every week as they are always on the naughty list.

OUR PICK: PACKERS

CLEVELAND BROWNS (9-5) AT HOUSTON TEXANS (8-6)

The Browns went out to the graveyard and dug up Marley, as in Joe Flacco, the quarterback that saved the Browns’ Christmas. The Texans will welcome back CJ Stroud, who missed last week due to a concussion. This recipe sounds terrible serving up the lamb to the DAWGS on that Browns defense. Then Marley Flacco just does enough to get the Browns closer to locking up a wild card spot.

OUR PICK: BROWNS

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (8-6) AT TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (7-7)

I know Florida is not an island, but the Jaguars and Buccaneers are the misfit toys from there. Who wants a Baker Mayfield, a cowboy that rides an ostrich? Is Trevor Lawrence in the box popping out to play in this one, or is he out of this game? The Buccaneers played well last week but are a team I don’t get. They play well, then play poorly, and on any given Sunday they could be a gun shooting jelly. The Jaguars’ season looks like it’s melting away like the dolly named Sue that will not have a date to the prom. I’m not buying what Baker is selling as the Jaguars play better on the road and find a way to win this one.

OUR PICK: JAGUARS

ARIZONA CARDINALS (3-11) CHICAGO BEARS (5-9)

Remember when the Cardinals played in Chicago where they are originally from? I don’t. In Chicago we still have pockets of Cardinal fans who still have interests in that Arizona team. I like the Bears defense chasing Kyler Murray all over the field in a good way for the home team. I thought the Bears should have won last week versus the Browns. They dominated that game. The Cardinals play well in waves all season. This game will be close which is not good for Justin Fields. Cardinals have not played well on the road as they no longer can call Chi-town home. Bears defense find a way in this one.

OUR PICK: BEARS

DALLAS COWBOYS (10-4) AT MIAMI DOLPHINS (10-4)

The Dolphins and the Cowboys are linked/cuffed together as these two teams have so much in common. Both teams have a hard time winning games versus teams with winning records. Does this game end in a tie? Both teams play better at home than on the road. I know Miami is a tough place to win. The Cowboys were humiliated last week and I feel they will play their best game of the season this week versus the Dolphins. Tyreek Hill is still banged up for Miami, a game in which I like the Cowboys to break the cuffs off in this one and leave South Beach with a win.

OUR PICK: COWBOYS

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (3-11) AT DENVER BRONCOS (7-7)

Nothing like the Holidays throwing head coach Bill Belichick off the building. I like the Broncos prevailing in this one after being pummeled by the Lions last week. The Patriots and Broncos defense has played well in recent weeks except last week for Denver. The Patriots offense should be easy for the Broncos to handle. I think Russell Wilson will have a better game and get back on the same page as head coach Sean Payton. I think the Patriots team would like to throw Belichick off the tower.

OUR PICK: BRONCOS

THE CHRISTMAS GAMES

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (6-8) AT KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (9-5)

Can Ernest save Christmas? I think the entire nation would love to see the Raiders save Christmas and beat the hated Chiefs. Could the Raiders score 63 points like they did last week? The Chiefs offense has not been scary as the Raiders defense has played very well lately, especially after they fired Josh McDaniels. The Chiefs are 1-2 in their last three games. Do you believe in Christmas miracles? Let’s hope and see if it happens as Raiders save Christmas knocking off the Chiefs at their place. Now that’s a loaded stocking stuffer.

OUR PICK: RAIDERS

NEW YORK GIANTS (5-9) AT PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (10-4)

I can’t see the Eagles losing 4 games in a row. The Giants can be a pain in the rear for the Eagles as they play in the same division. Jalen Hurts, the little drummer boy, will drum this one into one of his masterpieces. Look for the Eagles defense to step up in a big way and prevent the Giants from opening any gifts they had planned in the game plan.

OUR PICK: EAGLES

BALTIMORE RAVENS (11-3) AT SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (11-3) 

Is this the Superbowl preview as the Ravens square off versus the 49ers? The 49ers have the best record in the NFC. While the Ravens have the best record in the NFC. The Ravens beat the 49ers in Superbowl XLVII. Lamar Jackson and Brock Purdy you can throw into the MVP of the Year conversation. This game is on Christmas and that wraps up Week 16. This could be the Clash of the Titans must see television. Or it can be Bad Santa 2 as the original is much better. From my vision, the 49ers look like the better team as they are destroying the competition and playing their best at this time of the year. The Ravens are winning. That Ravens defense is now a liability. That’s why I’m going 49ers as on both sides of the ball they are playing well.

OUR PICK: 49ERS