The presidential race is over. The race for the playoffs is just beginning. So, I’m making my picks this week, and the mailbag just wasn’t as full as I had hoped. Probably everyone was paying attention to more important things. So, my picks this week will have an Electoral College twist. I’m looking at each division and determining which way it will go at the end of the season.
Heavy Favorites-
San Francisco 49ers in the NFC West
Atlanta Falcons in the NFC South
Houston Texans in the AFC South
These are three heavy favorites that are going to carry their division title without much of a fight. No matter how the rest of the season plays out, it looks like we could call these divisions now. There won’t be any divisional drama the rest of the year for these teams. They are just fighting for the overall crown in each conference. The Texans look to be the favorite for home-field advantage in the AFC. The NFC will come down to be a little closer, however, as the 49ers and Falcons are just two horses in a very deep race.
Leaning-
New York Giants in the NFC East
New England Patriots in the AFC East
Denver Broncos in the AFC West
These teams hold advantages over their division foes with both record and talent. The Patriots would have been a lock if it wasn’t for their shaky defense and the Dolphins looking like a tough team. The Giants are the only ones holding themselves back from being favorites as Dallas, Washington, and Philadelphia can’t help but screw themselves over. The Broncos also lack competition. The Chargers are a team that looks beaten, the Raiders can’t put it together, and the Chiefs, well, they’re the Chiefs.
Battleground-Divisions-
Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers in the NFC North
Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC North
If these broke either way I wouldn’t be surprised. The Ravens defense is in shambles, and Pittsburgh looks to build momentum after picking up a huge win against the Giants. The Ravens’ game this week is a huge one. They are coming off of a bye and look to stabilize their freefall like Denzel in Flight. Hopefully, this one doesn’t have a crash at the end. The Steelers are looking to take advantage of the triage unit that is now the Ravens. They have been hanging around all season, stuck being bad and great. Now they look to move into first place. The injury to Antonio Brown last week is one to watch, though, as he has quickly turned into Roethlisberger’s favorite target.
This is the Florida of the divisions. It’s going to be so close that by the time everything else has been decided we will still be waiting on this one. The Bears and Packers are both top teams, not just in their division, not just in the conference, but in the NFL. The Bears’ offense can be a little mercurial, but their opportunistic defense is one of the best in the NFL. The Packers are the opposite, they have a great offense, but their defense can have its good days and its bad days. So, this one will depend on if the Bears can step up and separate themselves as the season goes on. If I had to bet, this one will come down to a photo-finish.
Colts @ Jaguars-
Pick: Colts
Chargers @ Buccaneers-
Pick: Buccaneers
Titans @ Dolphins-
Pick: Dolphins
Bills @ Patriots-
Pick: Patriots
Raiders @ Ravens-
Pick: Raiders
Broncos @ Panthers-
Pick: Panthers
Giants @ Bengals-
Pick: Giants
Lions @ Vikings-
Pick: Vikings
Falcons @ Saints-
Pick: Saints
Jets @ Seahawks-
Pick: Seahawks
Cowboys @ Eagles-
Pick: Cowboys
Rams @ 49ers-
Pick: 49ers
Texans @ Bears-
Pick: Bears
Chiefs @ Steelers-
Pick: Steelers
