Brads NFL Picks Week Seven 2016
Brads Picks was 11 – 4 last week and is 55 – 37 on the season. Here’s the g, b and u from last week. (Off last week were Minnesota and Tampa Bay.)
the good:
Cowboys 30, Green Bay 16 – Packers had the best run defense in the league but the Cowboys ran for 191 on 32. Aaron Rodgers missed a wide open receiver in the end zone. Both QBs threw an INT but Dak Prescott had 3 TDs while Rodgers had one.
Tennessee 28, Browns 26 – Browns made a game of it – Titans 21, Browns 13 at the end of the third.
Buffalo 45, 49ers 16 – Colin Kaepernick got booed for his national anthem protests but went 13/29/187/0 and a TD. But the Bills got 312 yards on the ground, on 43 carries.
Detroit 31, Rams 28 – Matt Prater kicked a 34 yard FG with a minute and a half left in the game and two plays later Rafael Bush intercepted a pass from Case Keenum to ice the win.
New Orleans 41, Panthers 38 – Drew Brees threw for 465 yards and 4 TDs but the Saints needed a 52 yard FG with 11 seconds left to win the game.
New England 35, Bengals 17 – You expected different?
Jaguars 17, Chicago 16 – Bears led 13 – 0 at the end of the 3rd. A 51 yard TD from Blake Bortles to Arrelious Benn with 29 seconds left in the game gave the Jags the win.
Chiefs 26, Oakland 10 – In the 3rd quarter, Chiefs 346 pound NT Dontari Poe came in when the Chiefs had the ball on Oakland’s one yard line. He lined up in the backfield but shifted to the right, caught a lateral from Alex Smith, and bulled into the end zone. 13 – 10 at the half, the Chiefs dominated the second half. Chiefs had 183 yards on the ground to 63 for the Raiders.
Seattle 26, Falcons 24 – Maybe the best game of the week. Sqwacks scored 9 in the 4th (to none for the Falcons) to win the game. Give the Falcons credit – after a game in Denver the week before, they had to fly all the way to Seaqwackville and almost pulled it out.
Houston 26, Colts 23 (OT) (SNF) – Texans were trailing 23-9 in the 4th. Two TDs in the last three minutes sent the game to OT. A 33 yard FG 7 minutes into OT gave Houston a win.
Arizona 28, Jets 3 – Jets got a FG in the 2nd quarter. Arizona got a TD in each of the quarters. Pretty much the game, huh? Oh, and the Jets QBs threw 2 INTs. Cardinals none.
the bad:
San Diego 21, Broncos 13 (TNF) – It wasn’t that close. Or was it? Score in the 4th quarter was Broncos 10, San Diego 2. Was that a big rally by the Broncos or the Chargers giving some ground to eat clock? Some of both, really, and the Broncos had a 20 yard catch and run for a TD called back because of a holding penalty.
Washington 27, Eagles 20 – 24-14 after three. Reds gained 493 yards, 230 on the ground against an Eagles D that had been playing vey good.
New York Giants 27, Ravens 23 – Ravens 23, Giants 20 with 3:50 to go. Then Odell Beckham caught a 66 yard TD pass from Eli Manning with 40 seconds left.
the ugly:
Miami 30, Steelers 15 – Ben the R left the game for a series with a knee injury in the 2nd quarter. He returned after one series but clearly wasn’t the same (he’ll have surgery for a torn meniscus and will miss a few games). But that doesn’t explain how Miami gained 471 yards.
this weeks games: off this week are Carolina and Dallas.
The TNF game:
Chicago (1-5) at Green Bay (3-2) – Division game. Brian Hoyer vs Aaron Rodgers. Guess what? Over the last 12 starts, Hoyer has been better. TDs to INTs – 20 & 5 vs 20 & 9. Passer rating – 94.1 vs 83.3.
Packers had the best run D in the league until last Sunday when Dallas ran for 191 yards on 32 rushes.
Packers RB Eddie Lacey probably won’t play (ankle) and with James Starks out (knee) the only other backfield guy they had was Aaron Ripkowski, a FB. Riprkowski has three carries in his two years in Green Bay, for 17 yards. They traded for Knile Davis (from the Chiefs) but how ready will he be after arriving on Tuesday?
Chicago’s not very good (neither is Green Bay) and the Packers won’t have a running game (unless Knile Davis surprises). Also, Aaron Rodgers is having a poor year – he’s on pace for his worst year ever in passer rating, completion percentage, yards per game and INTs. TakeDa Bears.
the 11:00 MDT games:
New York Giants (3-3) at Los Angeles (3-3) (in England) – Two 3-3 teams I’m taking theGiants for no particular reason.
Cleveland (0-6) at Cincinnati (2-4) – Division game. Both teams are 0-2 the last two weeks. Take the Bengals at home. Browns are playing tough but their QB is a little banged up.
Washington (4-2) at Detroit (3-3) – The Lions (3-3) have won two straight games with Prater making the winning kick and a defensive back following up with an interception on the ensuing possession. Two weeks ago, Prater’s kick and Darius Slay‘s interception gave Detroit a win over previously unbeaten Philadelphia.
Washington has won 8 of their last 1o, and Detroit is looking pretty good. Tough call here, and I expect a close game. I’ll take the Lions at home.
Oakland (4-2) at Jacksonville (2-3) – Raiders are 4-0 on the road but I think the Jaguarspull out a win at home.
New Orleans (2-3) at Kansas City (3-2) – Drew Brees and the Saints are great offensively but the Saints D is weak (31st in the league by one measure). And Brees is better in a dome. Take the Chiefs at Arrowhead.
Buffalo (4-2) at Miami (2-4) – Division game. Both teams had strong games last week. But the Bills are averaging 212 rushing yards a game over the last 4 games. Look for LeSean McCoy to have a big game. Take the Bills.
Baltimore (3-3) at New York Jets (1-5) – Jets were at Arizona last Monday night. Ravens were at the Meadowlands last week (a 4 point loss to the Giants) and now return to the Meadowlands to face the Jets, who will start Geno Smith at QB instead of Ryan Fitzpatrick. Take the Ravens.
Minnesota (5-0) at Philadelphia (3-2) – Sam Bradford returns to Philadelphia after they traded him to the Vikings early in the season. I doubt Sam was ever upset about the trade but I’m sure he wants to do well this week. Meanwhile, Carson Wentz has cooled off after his hot start. Vikings are off a bye. Vikings defense is the best in the league right now. They’re only giving up 13 points per game. Eagles D has been real good too, but have lost a little edge lately. Take the Vikings.
Indianapolis (2-4) at Tennessee (3-3) – Division game. Titans have won 2 in a row, first time since 2013, Their O line is playing good, and their run game is very good. Colts have been in all their games but haven’t been good at closing them out (up 23-9 at Houston in the 4th, only to blow the lead). Hard call – I’m taking Tennessee.
the 2:05 MDT games:
San Diego (2-4) at Atlanta (4-2) – I see lots of points here. Take Atlanta to win.
Tampa Bay (2-3) at San Francisco (1-5) – Tampa had a bye last week. Bucs are the better team.
the 2:25 MDT game:
New England (5-1) at Pittsburgh (4-2) – Ben the R had surgery on his knee after last week’s game so Landry Jones will be the Steelers QB. Too bad for Cheatriots despisers.
the SNF game:
Seattle (4-1) at Arizona (3-3) – Division game. Arizona played on MNF, whupping the Jets. Seattle had to eke out a 2 point win at home. I think the Cardinals are putting it together and I’ll pick the home team. David Johnson is probably the best RB in the league right now – in his last 11 starts, he’s gained 1,010 on the ground, plus 481 in the air, and he’s scored 13 TDs.
the MNF game:
Houston (4-2) at Denver (4-2) – Brock Osweiler, who played really good for the Broncos last season in his 7 starts, is back at Mile High. Gary Kubiak gets to face his old team – he was fired during the 2013 season after 8 years as the HC.
Broncos have lost two in a row but Kubiak was ill during the first (Falcons) and missed last week’s game at San Diego. Broncos will get back on track this week. Broncos last played on TNF while the Texans needed 7 minutes of OT on Sunday night to get a come from behind win over the Colts.