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Andy Iskoe
SUNDAY
Tennessee +11½ at GB (47): The Packers have not been explosive on offense this season and the Titans’ offense has been below average, suggesting less scoring than might be expected, something that may only be enhanced by the potential for cold or inclement weather. UNDER.
Oakland +8½ at Carolina (46): It’s hard to see Oakland having much interest in this cross country trip. Carolina will try to follow up an impressive effort in San Diego with a third straight win against an Oakland team not likely to match that intensity or enthusiasm. CAROLINA.
Buffalo +4½ at Miami (41½): The Bills’ pathetic effort in their loss to Seattle all but assures the Chan Gailey era will come to an end next week. Miami still has a chance to finish 8-8. QB Ryan Tannehill will not be required to much more than hand off if the Fish can establish a ground game early. MIAMI.
Cincy +4½ at Pittsburgh (43½): The Bengals have played well for more than a month, especially on defense. Getting more than a FG is very tempting, especially with their 5-2 SU road record which includes 3 outright wins as dogs. CINCY.
N. England -14 at J’ville (48½): Pats Coach Bill Belichick will not want his team headed to the playoffs with negative momentum and is more prone to have his team place emphasis on this game if he wants to give his starters some rest before starting the playoffs without a break. Jacksonville presents the ideal foe to get back. NE.
Indy -6 at KC (42): The Colts need just one win to clinch a Wild Card. The Chiefs are just waiting for the season to end. The Colts likely will play a conservative game, taking relatively few risks and emphasize ball control once they gain a lead. UNDER.
N.Orleans +3 at Dallas (51½): The Saints played their best game of the season last week in shutting out Playoff contender Tampa Bay 41-0. Dallas has now won 3 straight and 5 of 6. The Saints continue to play hard with nothing on the line and this should be one of the week’s more entertaining games. OVER.
Wash -4½ at Philly (44½): Even if RG III gets an extra week of rest, fellow rookie QB Kirk Cousins showed last week he can more than hold his own at this level. Bottom line – one team is playing with intensity and the other is playing for a lame duck coach. WASHINGTON.
St. Louis +3 at Tampa Bay (43½): The Rams play the much better defense and are well coached. They also have a win and a tie over perhaps the NFL’s best team, San Francisco. Tampa Bay’s best win came two months ago at Minnesota. The Rams have played the better overall football and passed more tests. ST. LOUIS.
NY Giants -1½ at Balt (47): Baltimore’s defense continues to suffer from injuries and the firing of their offensive coordinator prior to last week’s game was a surprise and seemed to have little positive impact. The Giants have shown an ability to perform in similar spots in the past and are a bit more trustworthy. NY GIANTS.
Minn +7½ at Houston (43½): The Texans bounced back from their humiliating loss at New England with a win over the Colts but the offense stalled often, settling for 5 field goals. Minnesota has played solid defense and will bring the greater intensity, which makes getting more than a TD attractive. MINNESOTA.
Cleveland +12½ at Denver (44½): Denver has won 9 in a row and while QB Peyton Manning gets most of the attention, the Broncos’ defense has excelled. Cleveland is limited offensively, relying more on the run than pass which makes this a bad matchup, especially for a team playing out the string. DENVER.
Chicago -5½ at Arizona (36½): The Bears are on the outside looking in and needing help to make the Playoffs. The Cardinals finally snapped a 9 game losing streak. The five recent Bear losses have all been to winning teams, four having clinched playoff spots. CHICAGO.
SF +1 at Seattle (40½): The marquee game of the week and a rematch of a midseason Thursday night affair won at home by the 49ers 13-6 with the controversial decline of a late safety affecting the ATS outcome. This should be a physical contest with both defensive the best units on the field. UNDER.
San Diego +3 at NY Jets (41): The Jets still have an ineffective offense that struggles to score. San Diego’s inability to run the football makes them too one dimensional and the Jets can still play defense. UNDER.
SUNDAY
Tennessee +11½ at GB (47): The Packers have not been explosive on offense this season and the Titans’ offense has been below average, suggesting less scoring than might be expected, something that may only be enhanced by the potential for cold or inclement weather. UNDER.
Oakland +8½ at Carolina (46): It’s hard to see Oakland having much interest in this cross country trip. Carolina will try to follow up an impressive effort in San Diego with a third straight win against an Oakland team not likely to match that intensity or enthusiasm. CAROLINA.
Buffalo +4½ at Miami (41½): The Bills’ pathetic effort in their loss to Seattle all but assures the Chan Gailey era will come to an end next week. Miami still has a chance to finish 8-8. QB Ryan Tannehill will not be required to much more than hand off if the Fish can establish a ground game early. MIAMI.
Cincy +4½ at Pittsburgh (43½): The Bengals have played well for more than a month, especially on defense. Getting more than a FG is very tempting, especially with their 5-2 SU road record which includes 3 outright wins as dogs. CINCY.
N. England -14 at J’ville (48½): Pats Coach Bill Belichick will not want his team headed to the playoffs with negative momentum and is more prone to have his team place emphasis on this game if he wants to give his starters some rest before starting the playoffs without a break. Jacksonville presents the ideal foe to get back. NE.
Indy -6 at KC (42): The Colts need just one win to clinch a Wild Card. The Chiefs are just waiting for the season to end. The Colts likely will play a conservative game, taking relatively few risks and emphasize ball control once they gain a lead. UNDER.
N.Orleans +3 at Dallas (51½): The Saints played their best game of the season last week in shutting out Playoff contender Tampa Bay 41-0. Dallas has now won 3 straight and 5 of 6. The Saints continue to play hard with nothing on the line and this should be one of the week’s more entertaining games. OVER.
Wash -4½ at Philly (44½): Even if RG III gets an extra week of rest, fellow rookie QB Kirk Cousins showed last week he can more than hold his own at this level. Bottom line – one team is playing with intensity and the other is playing for a lame duck coach. WASHINGTON.
St. Louis +3 at Tampa Bay (43½): The Rams play the much better defense and are well coached. They also have a win and a tie over perhaps the NFL’s best team, San Francisco. Tampa Bay’s best win came two months ago at Minnesota. The Rams have played the better overall football and passed more tests. ST. LOUIS.
NY Giants -1½ at Balt (47): Baltimore’s defense continues to suffer from injuries and the firing of their offensive coordinator prior to last week’s game was a surprise and seemed to have little positive impact. The Giants have shown an ability to perform in similar spots in the past and are a bit more trustworthy. NY GIANTS.
Minn +7½ at Houston (43½): The Texans bounced back from their humiliating loss at New England with a win over the Colts but the offense stalled often, settling for 5 field goals. Minnesota has played solid defense and will bring the greater intensity, which makes getting more than a TD attractive. MINNESOTA.
Cleveland +12½ at Denver (44½): Denver has won 9 in a row and while QB Peyton Manning gets most of the attention, the Broncos’ defense has excelled. Cleveland is limited offensively, relying more on the run than pass which makes this a bad matchup, especially for a team playing out the string. DENVER.
Chicago -5½ at Arizona (36½): The Bears are on the outside looking in and needing help to make the Playoffs. The Cardinals finally snapped a 9 game losing streak. The five recent Bear losses have all been to winning teams, four having clinched playoff spots. CHICAGO.
SF +1 at Seattle (40½): The marquee game of the week and a rematch of a midseason Thursday night affair won at home by the 49ers 13-6 with the controversial decline of a late safety affecting the ATS outcome. This should be a physical contest with both defensive the best units on the field. UNDER.
San Diego +3 at NY Jets (41): The Jets still have an ineffective offense that struggles to score. San Diego’s inability to run the football makes them too one dimensional and the Jets can still play defense. UNDER.
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