NFL Picks: For the Upcoming Week 14 NFL

If the mighty haven’t fallen yet, they’re teetering.

Perennial pre-season favourites Pittsburgh and New England aren’t at the centre of the playoff discussion with just four weeks of regular-season football remaining. It’s certainly not the type of claim — regarding these two organizations — we’re used to hearing at this time of year.

Much can change in a short period of time, but you can mark this one down: if the Steelers (at 6-6) don’t guzzle the Browns on Thursday, their season is done.

Tom Brady and his Patriots (7-5) have a little more rope, but not a full coil. New England’s advantage could be the schedule. In the final two weeks, the Patriots face Jacksonville and Houston, two teams they’ll likely need to beat out to land a wild-card slot if they can’t harness the AFC East title.

• THURSDAY

Pittsburgh (6-6) at Cleveland (1-11) (+9.5)

The Steelers surrendered 396 yards-combined to Oakland last week. Defensive co-ordinator Dick LeBeau is legendary at making the right adjustments and history tells us to ride his coattails and QB Ben Roethlisberger’s arm when the season’s on the line. Take the Steelers.

• SUNDAY

New Orleans (12-0) at Atlanta (6-6) (+10.5)

How bad does Drew Brees have it? He takes his air show onto the immaculate carpet and conditions at the Georgia Dome seven days after ripping up the turf in Washington with 419 yards. Can we at least hit 500 this week? Brees leads the NFL in passer rating (111.3) and TDs (29) and faces the fourth-worst pass defence in the league. Take the Saints.

Green Bay (8-4) at Chicago (5-7) (+3)

Wasn’t it Chicago that was supposed the have the dominating defence? The Packers are fourth against the run and fifth against the pass. Since the Bears can’t do either (watch the logic kick in here folks …), take the Packers.

St. Louis (1-11) at Tennessee (5-7) (-12.5)

According to Accuscore, a simulator that forecasts the probability of teams winning games, the Titans have a nine per cent chance of making the playoffs. Miraculous comebacks don’t come around often and that loss to Indy last week likely ended things for Tennessee. They’ll take it out on the Rams this weekend. Take the Titans.

Denver (8-4) at Indianapolis (12-0) (-7)

Nice bounce-back shown by the Broncos the past two weeks after dropping four in a row. Denver faces a Colts team that astounds, given the injuries. Indianapolis has Peyton, but they’ve also dug up a good running attack led by Joseph Addai (two TDs last week). Take the Colts.

Buffalo (4-8) at Kansas City (3-9) (+1)

How meaningful is this one? Well for one participant, not really. Terrell Owens signed with a modelling agency this week to go with his reality show and breakfast cereal. "When you’ve got some good looks like myself, you’ve got to take full advantage of it," the sometime focused Bills receiver said. There’s no catwalk in KC. Take the Chiefs.

Cincinnati (9-3) at Minnesota (10-2) (-6.5)

The Bengals have underwhelmed lately. The Vikings need a rebound game after losing convincingly to Arizona. Take the Vikings.

Carolina (5-7) at New England (7-5) (-13)

Pats have dropped three of four and might be reeling, but Carolina is one soft spot New England can land on. Take the Patriots.

NY Jets (6-6) at Tampa Bay (1-11) (+3)

Rookie QB Mark Sanchez (sprained knee) sits and Kellen Clemens takes his spot. Tough break for the Jets, who’ve won two straight but the offence has dried up. Expect to see a lot of RB Thomas Jones, which should be enough against the league’s second-worst run stop. Take the Jets.

Miami (6-6) at Jacksonville (7-5) (-3)
Huge win for the Jags last week against Houston; ditto for Miami against the Pats. The Jags’ schedule down the stretch (Indy, at New England) is a brute and any hope for a wild card rests with a must-win at home this week. Take the Jaguars.

Detroit (2-10) at Baltimore (6-6) (-13)

The Ravens move forward after a trio of tough games (Indianapolis, Pittsburgh and Green Bay). There’s no chance of a letdown Sunday with an opportunity to improve the playoff chances. RB Ray Rice is a great fantasy play. Take the Ravens.

Seattle (5-7) at Houston (5-7) (-6)

Rumblings have Houston coach Gary Kubiak in trouble and this is desperation time for a Texans team that should be playing better. Neither team has much of a run game, meaning Matt Schaub versus Matt Hasselbeck. Take Schaub; take the Texans. Read More!

NFL Sunday Night Football Betting - Indianapolis Colts Vs. Baltimore Ravens

NFL Sunday Night Football Betting - Indianapolis Colts Vs. Baltimore Ravens

In the NFL Football betting lines, Few bookies listed the Colts a one-point favorite, with a posted total of 44.5 points.

Here are some NFL football betting trends as they relate to this matchup:

* IND has won its last 18 regular season games SU
* IND has covered five of its last six road games
* IND has won eight of its last nine road games SU
* BALT has covered 17 of its last 23 games
* BALT has won 16 of its last 23 games SU
* BALT has lost four of its last six games SU
* BALT has played four of its last five games UNDER the total
* BALT has won and covered four of its last five home games
* BALT has played six of its last seven home games UNDER the total

Also...

* IND has won the last six meetings SU
* IND has covered the last five meetings
* Five of the last six meetings have gone UNDER the total
* Five of the last seven meetings in Baltimore have gone OVER the total


Last year it got ugly for this Ravens team, when it visited Lucas Oil Stadium. Peyton Manning threw for 258 yards, Joe Flacco threw three interceptions, and the Ravens turned it over five times overall as they were smashed by a 31-3 count.

Certainly they are seeking revenge, and they have favorable scheduling conditions too. Indianapolis Colts is coming off that dramatic 35-34 victory over the Patriots, aided by the bonehead call by Bill Belichick to go for a first down on fourth-and-one from his own 28-yard line.

That was quite a draining game for Manning and the Colts, while on the other side, Baltimore Ravens may have had one eye on this one as it coasted to a 16-0 win over the hapless Browns.

The offense was choppy for the Ravens on Monday night, but it's been part of a pattern. They gained only 274 yards, which makes it three straight games that they have tallied less than 300 yards. That would seem to make it difficult to trade points with the Colts, although interestingly enough, in the yards-per-point category, Indianapolis is at 14.3, while Baltimore has shown itself to actually be more efficient overall, at 14.1.

There was no question that Tom Brady was able to exploit the holes in the Indianapolis secondary, which was missing three of its starters Sunday night due to injury. Brady threw for 375 yards and three scores. Matt Schaub had 311 yards the week before. Is Joe Flacco that capable, and does he have the set of receivers to make it happen? Flacco has thrown for over 300 yards three times this season, though of course, he hasn't done in any of the last three games. There wasn't a lot of sharpness out there against the Browns.

Indianapolis, a team that has pulled off big victories plenty of times in the recent past, and Manning, who is as cool a customer as exists, aren't as likely to suffer the "letdown" as most teams would, especially with an undefeated record and home field advantage in the playoffs well within their sights. Read More!