NFL Game Predictions: Week 13

Honestly, I think the Broncos will go 5-0 to finish the season 10-6. Case Keenum is limiting mistakes (basically what he did in Minnesota) and Phillip Lindsay is a F’ing badass!!! How is this dude not even in the top 5 RBs for fan voting in the Pro Bowl? For shame Broncos Country, for shame!!! Get him in there!

Part of me wants to fly out to Cincy to watch this beatdown, but honestly, I need to pack. I haven’t even started yet. Thank goodness I’m a party of one and don’t have a lot of stuff. But fear not, predictions and power rankings will continue.

Last week I nailed a few good games but honestly, who saw Baker Mayfield going off on Cincy? And you know what? If Baker can do it, can’t Keenum and the Broncos? I tell you one thing, they’ll need to get Courtland Sutton more involved. But I love how the Broncos are trending. It feels great to be a fan again. I was finding myself emotionally checking out for a while there, but I’m back baby! And so should you!

For the last few weeks, I’ve touched on the topic of our coaching staff and why Vance Joseph might be worth retaining. Let me pose this question to you: Something changed these last few weeks. We went from losing a few close games to winning the games. Something happened. Something clicked. What is that something? Could it maybe be our coaching staff gaining the experience we say players need to gain by playing? Could it be our coaching staff getting better at their jobs? Could it be our coaching staff pulling this team together and getting them hungry again?

Because if that’s what happened, then is that not worth retaining and building on instead of blowing up? Maybe Vance Joseph simply needed time on the job and experience. Players need time and experience, and I’d argue that coaches do as well. What would another offseason with the same coaches and coordinators look like in 2019? From the dumpster fire sh*t show of a team we saw last year, we are about to double our wins. Going from a 5-11 team to a *hopefully* 10-6 team. That’s what continuity and familiarity and growth looks like. So what if we keep this train going? Could we be an 11-13 win team next year?

I’ve said for years with rookie players (such as QBs) that you need to play them, because you’re gonna have pain, and it can either be growing pains or just pain. So lets make it growing pains so we see if we can be good. Well, that’s what this looks like with our coaches. It looks like we went through growing pains and we just might be seeing some real growth for current and future success. That’s what the plan needs to be for every franchise. It’s just that Elway seemed to be far too “knee jerk, instant gratification” for his and our own good. I guess that’s what Peyton Manning will do for you when he falls in your lap. But now that we are living in the real world again, Elway needs to chill out (as do the fans) and realize that growing pains are real and that the players and coaches should be given that chance. Again, Peyton Manning was both a tremendous blessing and an amazing curse. The blessings were everything we witnessed, the curse was the last 3 years as it created a false expectation of how good the team was ran and coached.

We’ve suffered that pain for two years. So let’s start seeing the growth from that pain and not blow it up. Something good is happening right now, let’s keep it going and see how much better we can be after yet another year together!

Last Week: 11-4
Overall: 109-64-2

New Orleans Saints (10-1) at Dallas Cowboys (6-5) 6:20pm FOX/NFLN TNF
The Cowboys are surging and heading in the right direction. Amari Cooper is meshing just fine in Dallas, and win, lose, or draw, they’ll exit the week leading the NFC East, meaning they just might make the playoffs. Meanwhile Drew Brees, Alvin Kamara, and Michael Thomas are shredding defenses up like it’s nobody’s business. Hell, Thomas already has over 1,000 yards and they’ve only played 11 games! I’ll stop gushing about the Saints long enough to take a breath and get a prediction out, I promise. Prediction: Cowboys 19, Saints 37

Baltimore Ravens (6-5) at Atlanta Falcons (4-7) 11:00am CBS
Lamar Jackson isn’t exactly lighting the NFL world on fire, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that he’s undefeated (2-0) as the starter. Meanwhile the Falcons are a hot mess who I just don’t trust to do much of anything whether at home or on the road. Prediction: Ravens 17, Falcons 20

Denver Broncos (5-6) at Cincinnati Bengals (5-6)11:00am CBS
These two teams have the same record but are going in the opposite direction. The Bengals are pretty awful, and the Broncos seem to be finding themselves. Their offense is starting to make some noise, and their defense is bending but not breaking, which is almost all you can ask for anymore in today’s NFL where every single rule is made to cripple defenses. Emmanual Sanders, Phillip Lindsay, Von Miller, Bradley Chubb, and Chris Harris Jr. are anchoring this team and straight willing the Broncos to victory. Special shout out to the Broncos Offensive Line. Who’d have thought that all the backups and third stringers were the answer? The only bad thing is that this is an early game on the east coast, which is kryptonite to the Broncos. Prediction: Broncos 27, Bengals 9

Los Angeles Rams (10-1) at Detroit Lions (4-7) 11:00am FOX
Fresh off their bye week and looking to dominate. They might not be fully healthy (Talib), but they’re getting there. Who’s their next victim? The Detroit “try hard, but only kinda” Lions. Prediction: Rams 24, Lions 10

Arizona Cardinals (2-9) at Green Bay Packers (4-6-1) 11:00am FOX
The Cardinals are possibly the worst team in the NFL. Actually, they are the worst team in the NFL. They try to win but loose while a few other bottom feeders are trying to lose yet win every once in a blue moon. Meanwhile the Packers are just awful. Will they actually finish dead last in their division? I’m so tired of picking them simply because of Aaron Rogers, but dammit, the Cardinals are just that bad. Prediction: Cardinals 13, Packers 27

Cleveland Browns (4-6-1) at Houston Texans (8-3) 11:00am CBS
Who’d have ever thought that the Cleveland Browns would have the same exact record as the Green Bay Packers while Aaron Rogers is still in his prime? Baker Mayfield straight lit it up last week and just reminds me how badly I wanted him the entire offseason and how I was so crushed when he went #1. Anyways, the Texans are gonna win. Their offense is too good and the addition of Demaryius Thomas seems to be working out nicely for them. Prediction: Browns 20, Texans 27

Indianapolis Colts (6-5) at Jacksonville Jaguars (3-8) 11:00am CBS
Talk about two teams heading in opposite directions! Andrew Luck and his cast of characters are out scoring their opponents (because their defense still sucks), and the Jaguars just benched their best, I mean worst QB. Where is all this “Jags will make it to the Super Bowl” picks now? Step up and own this crap! Prediction: Colts 27, Jaguars 19

Buffalo Bills (4-7) at Miami Dolphins (5-6) 11:00am CBS
Josh Allen and the Bills pulled out an impressive victory last week and Ryan Tannehill and the Dolphins confirmed that they are paper tigers. But this is in Miami and the Bills just still look like they are confused by the game of football a lot of the time. I have no faith in Miami, but I have even less faith in Buffalo. Prediction: Bills 17, Dolphins 23

Chicago Bears (8-3) at New York Giants (3-8) 11:00am FOX
I keep catching hell from people for having the Bears ranked so high (3rd highest in NFC), yet they’re 8-3 and soon to be 9-3. All they have to ever say is “yeah, but they haven’t beaten anybody!” Guess what suck wads? The Patriots have 5 rings having “not beaten anybody” in their last 19 seasons! So honestly, stop with your ridiculous narrative. They’re beating the teams they’re suppose to beat. What more can be asked of them? Oh yeah, the Giants are playing. I forgot they were even an NFL team anymore. Prediction: Bears 32, Giants 17

Carolina Panthers (6-5) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-7)11:00am FOX
The Panthers need a slump buster badly, which is fortunate because the Bucs are ugly, real real ugly. Consider this an early Christmas present. Prediction: Panthers 31, Bucs 27

Kansas City Chiefs (9-2) at Oakland Raiders (2-9) 2:05PM CBS
It isn’t like the Chiefs needed any help to go into Oakland and beat the Raiders by double digits, but they are fresh off their bye week and rested and healthy. Division game be damned, this is gonna be embarrassing. Prediction: Chiefs 34, Raiders 17

New York Jets (3-8) at Tennessee Titans (5-6) 2:05pm CBS
The Titans really aren’t all that good or that impressive, but the Jets flat out suck. Maybe Tennessee can look like they’re trying this week for a change? Maybe put their stamp on the lower back of New York? Prediction: Jets 17, Titans 20

Minnesota Vikings (6-4-1) at New England Patriots (8-3) 2:25pm FOX
This one is EASY to pick... Kirk Cousins can’t beat a winner, and last I checked, the Patriots were a winning team. Whether it’s home or away, Cousins will guarantee money his way to a loss when the competition is .500 or better. Losers gonna lose, and cheaters gonna cheat. L+C carry the 2b, minus 4k and you get... Prediction: Vikings 23, Patriots 34

San Francisco 49ers (2-9) at Seattle Seahawks (6-5) 2:25pm FOX
This really shouldn’t be a contest at all, but some how, some way, Seattle will let the 49ers hang around far too long. The crowd will be hopped up on coffee because alcohol for tailgating is illegal, which is the real reason they are a loud bunch. It isn’t because they’re actual fans. Real fans stick with their team through thick and thin, not jump on the bandwagon as soon as they have success (right “Patriot Fans”)? Prediction: Niners 17, Seahawks 24

Los Angeles Chargers (8-3) at Pittsburgh Steelers (7-3-1) 6:20pm NBC SNF
This really should be a good game because they are both good teams. But Phillip Rivers will have to carry the Chargers on his own with Melvin Gordon out, and the Steelers are so much better at home than on the road. Roethlisberger should have about 350 yards and 4 TD’s. What will Rivers have? Less than that of course. Prediction: Chargers 27, Steelers 35

Washington Redskins (6-5) at Philadelphia Eagles (5-6) 6:15pm ESPN MNF
Even with the Cowboys losing at home and the Eagles playing a team without a real QB, they still won’t be in first place thanks to them getting slapped around a few weeks ago by the Cowboys. Focus Pete, Redskins vs Eagles. Ok, well, this game is in December, in Philly, so I’m sure the fans will be in all their a-hole glory. Keep it classy Philly! Prediction: Redskins 9, Eagles 24