The final NFL week of regular season we may as well flip a coin for some of these week 18 match ups.

LAST WEEK’S RECORD: (12-4)

WEDNESDAY ACTION: (1-1)

THURSDAY SEASON RECORD: (11-8)

FRIDAY’S RECORD: (1-1)

SATURDAY WHAT A DAY RECORD: (5-0)

MONDAY NIGHT RECORD: (15-5)

SEASON RECORD: (172-84)

NFL WEEK 18 STRAIGHT PICK-EM

THE SATURDAY GAMES

CLEVELAND BROWNS (3-13) AT BALTIMORE RAVENS (11-5)

Only Myles Garrett for the Browns will show up in this first match up of week 18. Garrett and Trey Hendrickson are tied for the league in sacks with 14. I can see Garrett being amped up for that title, the sack master. The Ravens wrap up the AFC North with a win here. The Browns have checked out as a team several weeks ago. Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry will run the Ravens their 4th AFC North title in the last 7 seasons.

OUR PICK: RAVENS

CINCINNATI BENGALS (8-8) AT PITTSBURGH STEELERS (10-6)

The second game on the docket for Saturday has two teams that have something to play for. The Bengals have won 4 straight and need this win over the Steelers. They hope the Dolphins lose and the Broncos to get into the playoffs. If the Ravens win, the Steelers will know they can’t win the division as they have a playoff berth clinched coming in. The Steelers want to win and perhaps face a banged up Texans team over a rematch against a very talented Ravens team. The first time Bengals and Steelers met, Pittsburgh won 44-38. The Steelers were 10-3 sitting pretty until they lost 3 straight games. Joe Burrow and the Bengals could be a dangerous team if they find their way into the post-season. The Bengals offense has been clicking and their bad defense has found ways to create turnovers. This is a divisional game & these teams dislike each other. I like Mike Tomlin and that Steeler defense to find a way and make a statement while stopping the bleeding and win this one. Bengals will make several changes in the off-season hoping not to dig themselves an early grave in the beginning of the season.

OUR PICK: STEELERS

THE SUNDAY SLATE

NEW YORK GIANTS (3-13) AT PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (13-3)

This game could have had some interest as the former Giant running back now Eagle was going for Eric Dickerson’s single season record for rushing yards. Saquon Barkley just needed 101 yards to break the former Rams record. Barkley sees the grand scheme of things as Philadelphia wants to make a playoff run to the Superbowl representing the NFC. This game really means nothing to either team. I’m not buying what the Giants did last week versus the Colts. The Eagles will rest several players, but Philadelphia will still prevail over this New York team that is no good.

OUR PICK: EAGLES

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (5-11) AT TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (9-7)

Could the New Orleans Saints win one for their city here? After the tragic event that took place on Bourbon Street in the wee hours of the morning on New Year’s Day could this Saints team rally and find a way to beat the Buccaneers? The Buccaneers need this win to clinch the NFC South and they have been playing some solid football over the last several weeks. The Saints team in the past came out clicking on all cylinders after Hurricane Katrina. That was a different Saints team. This Saints team in present day is decimated by injuries. Baker Mayfield has looked unstoppable for weeks as their offense exploded last weekend with a beat down of the Panthers. Saints play well in this one to start with emotions at a high level. The Buccaneers prevail in the second half as they are the better team and the division is on the line.

OUR PICK: BUCCANEERS

HOUSTON TEXANS (9-7) AT TENNESSEE TITANS (3-13)

The Texans already have the number 4 seed in the AFC locked up, winning the South division. The Titans have lost 5 straight as they will go with dueling QB’s in this one. Will Levis will get another look along with Mason Rudolf. The Texans have lost two straight, this team has struggled, and everyone will play even though this game means nothing. The Texans looking to go into post-season with a high note with a win. The last time these two teams met was only a few weeks ago as the Titans upset the Texans. For the Titans, if they lose this one and Patriots win, they have the number one pick. Maybe use that pick for a Quarterback. I like the Texans cleaning up their act here and taking this final game because of the challenge by their head coach.

OUR PICK: TEXANS

CAROLINA PANTHERS (4-12) AT ATLANTA FALCONS (8-8)

The Falcons are not in control of their own destination as they once were. The Falcons need to win against these Panthers. They need the Buccaneers to lose to the Saints to win the NFC South. This game they should win as Panthers QB Bryce Young is 0-12 in his young career on the road. Michael Penix has so far played pretty good in his first two career starts in the NFL. He should be licking his chops because the Panthers defense gave up over 500 yards of offense last week to the Buccaneers including 5 touchdowns through the air. The Panthers will have several defenders out in this one. The Falcons will certainly use the running game to set up the pass and come away with a winning record this season but will be home for the playoffs. The signing of Kirk Cousins meant the team was clicking there for awhile until the wheels fell off the veteran QB. Penix has provided a spark. Too little too late for the Falcons as the Buccaneers have been one of the hotter teams right now in the NFC.

OUR PICK: FALCONS

WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (11-5) AT DALLAS COWBOYS (7-9)

The Cowboys stunned the Commanders in their first meeting of the season. At the time the Cowboys were looking awful, the Commanders had a winning streak. The Cowboys were blown out of the water by the Eagles last week. The Cowboys may start Trey Lance in this contest. The Commanders are in the post-season and have won 4 straight games. The Commanders could get a better seed as a wild card with a win and a Packers loss by the Bears. I don’t see the Cowboys sneaking up on the Commanders this go-around. Look for Jayden Daniels to finish the regular season strong and earn those Rookie of the Year honors.

OUR PICK: COMMANDERS

CHICAGO BEARS (4-12) AT GREEN BAY PACKERS (11-5)

The oldest rivalry in the NFL, the Packers and Bears, seems to have been one sided for decades in Green Bay’s favor. The Head Coach of the Packers, Matt LaFleur, has never lost to the Bears and is 11-0 all-time versus Chicago since he arrived. The Bears Interim Head Coach, Thomas Brown, finally got something from his defense last week holding the Seahawks to 6 points. The Bears offense only scored three. The Bears have not won a game in a very long time. They have lost ten straight. Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams is trying to avoid being sacked the most in NFL history as a rookie quarterback that was set by David Carr who was brought down to the turf 76 times his first season. Williams has 67. The Packers want to stay ahead of the Commanders in seeding as they have a playoff berth clinched but don’t want to fall to the bottom of the totem pole in the NFC brackets. Packers are at home and I like their defense, and Jordan Love will do well. The Bears are one of the bottom feeders in the NFL and the Packers have done well dispatching those kinds of teams.

OUR PICK: PACKERS

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (4-12) AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (7-9)

How did the Colts lose to the Giants last week? Joe Flacco and that Colts team blew that game and were ousted out of the playoff picture. The Jaguars have given some teams some battles, but they did nothing special in a Raiders loss last week. I think Joe Flacco is better than Mac Jones. Jonathan Taylor has been running through and around opposing teams’ defenses with big games the last few weeks. The Jaguars should just take a knee and go with a better draft pick. The Colts blew a playoff chance last season in their last game of the season. They check that box already. Watch them have a big day against the worst pass defense in the league to close out their season.

OUR PICK: COLTS

BUFFALO BILLS (13-3) AT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (3-13)

It seems like yesterday when the Patriots with Tom Brady were not playing for anything in the last game of the season versus the Bills. The script has been flipped indeed. The Bills have the number seed locked down in the AFC. Josh Allen will start the game to keep a consecutive streak of 104 games intact. Look for the Bills to go with Mitch Trubisky very quickly. The Patriots should just kneel down in this one to get the number one pick overall in next season’s draft. I think the Patriots have found their QB in Drake Maye so the Pats could cash in on the number one pick by trading teams in need of a QB. They’d get extra draft capital out of it. The Bills will rest guys. I think the Bills young players will blossom in this game due to the performance the Patriots had versus the Chargers last Saturday. Look for Ray Davis to have a big game running the ball. Trubisky has won some games in the NFL, so he will try to defeat the Patriots in relief of Allen and have success doing it. Give me the Bills to get that 14th win and feel good going into the playoffs with certain guys rested for the post-season

OUR PICK: BILLS

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (6-10) AT ARIZONA CARDINALS (7-9)

Rookie wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. needs only 14 yards receiving to beat his father’s 1st season of 836. Junior coming into the last game of the season has 822 yards and may want to have a big day and perhaps find that 1,000 yard club in receiving. The 49ers will be without their starting QB Brock Purdy who was injured on Monday night. The 49ers will go with Josh Dobbs, a former Cardinal. The Cardinals played well against a good Rams team last week with nothing to play for holding them to only 13 points. The Cardinals know what to expect from Dobbs. Kyler Murray will end the season with a bang to keep this organization thinking he’s a number one guy behind center for years to come.

OUR PICK: CARDINALS

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (15-1) AT DENVER BRONCOS (9-7)

The Chiefs have nothing to play for here locking up the number one seed and first round bye. Or do they? If the Chiefs lose, that ends the Bengals season for sure if they win Saturday night. The Broncos need a win & they would be in the post-season. No Patrick Mahomes in this one. The Chiefs will rest starters and veteran Carson Wentz will get the nod as the starting QB in this one. The thing is: Is it more important for the Chiefs to knock out a division rival over another team? The thoughts of Joe Burrow are probably playing in many AFC heads this final week of the season. For the Broncos they should have won at Kansas City. It was a blocked field goal with only seconds remaining that could have been a walk off for Denver. The Chiefs have been lucky with many wins this season. That game was with Mahomes at QB. This Denver defense is talented. Bo Nix is a rookie but has played well. The Chiefs will have other guys resting in this one, not just Mahomes. I like Denver’s chances.

OUR PICK: BRONCOS

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (9-7) AT LA RAMS (10-6)

The Rams have the division wrapped up and really don’t need anything in this game. LA is starting Jimmy G. Some may have thought Jimmy Garoppolo hung up the spikes from a bad season in Vegas. The former 49er found a job as Matthew Stafford’s back-up, a guy who has a record of 43-20 as a starter in the NFL. The Seahawks crumbled like a house of cards at the end of this season. Seattle was lucky to escape Chicago only putting up 6 points and winning. Geno Smith has something to play for 6 million smackers in contract incentives. I think Seattle should be done with the Smith experiment and find a better QB for the future. The Rams will rest guys. Look for Seattle to finish strong for their rookie Head Coach, Mike Macdonald, who will look good in year one with a 10-7 record rather than 9-8.

OUR PICK: SEAHAWKS

LA CHARGERS (10-6) AT LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (4-12)

The Raiders tight end, Brock Bowers, needs 9 receptions in his last game of the season to break Zach Ertz’s record of 116 catches by a tight end in NFL history. Ertz set that tight end record in 2018. The Raiders have won two straight games with Aiden O’Connell behind center. For the Chargers if the Steelers lose their game on Saturday night, the Chargers could get the higher seed in the AFC playoffs than Pittsburgh with a win. Even if the Chargers are playing for nothing, I see a Jim Harbaugh-coached team finding a way with whoever he has out there on the field to notch a victory.

OUR PICK: CHARGERS

MIAMI DOLPHINS (8-8) AT NEW YORK JETS (4-12)

Could this be Aaron Rodgers’ last season in a Jets uniform? It may be Rodgers’ last season in the NFL. If I was a team, I would not want Rodgers and I don’t care if I was desperate at the QB position. He is a team cancer, period. He may go out a winner in this match-up with the Dolphins. Miami will be playing without their starting QB Tua Tagovailoa. That means Tyler Huntley, the former Ravens QB, will get the nod behind center. The Dolphins need a win and some help to get a wild card spot in the post-season. The Dolphins had played horribly without Tua as the starter. I hate Rodgers. He goes out in the blazing glory as the Jets kick the Dolphins to the curb in this one.

OUR PICK: JETS

THE SUNDAY NIGHT GAME

MINNESOTA VIKINGS (14-2) AT DETROIT LIONS (14-2)

The Vikings versus the Lions for all the marbles in the final game of regular season. It looked like the Lions were the runaway train for the NFC North and number one seed in the conference. The winner of this game will be the NFC North Champs. They will be the number one seed in the NFC. They will get the first round bye. The Vikings have won 9 straight games. This will be the second time the Lions and Vikings played each other as Detroit won the first meeting in a close game. I expect another close affair in this winner take all. Both teams are in the post-season, but a loss sends one of these teams to the number 5 seed in the NFC. The number 5 seed would have a road game in the first round while the winner will rest up in the first round. Sometimes being the hunter is easier than holding down the fort. The Lions will have the home field. Both teams can score. The Vikings have the better defense which may be the factor in this one. The Lions have a lot of injuries. The Vikings seem like have mastered winning the close games. The Lions have blown many teams out of the water. Sam Darnold has played well in the last several weeks as we know Jared Goff has been amazing the entire season. This is must-see game. I like the Vikings having the last laugh in this one. I like their defense able to get the better pass rush and create mistakes that will benefit Minnesota here.

OUR PICK: VIKINGS