FRIDAY AFTERNOON QUARTERBACK: NFL WEEK 16

BY ADAM GREENE

By the time this article runs, we’ll already be in the midst of Week 16’s NFL action as the Minnesota Vikings take on the New Orleans Saints on Christmas Day. And, you know what? That’s pretty remarkable.

The NFL is two weekends away from completing a regular season without once game cancelled during a global pandemic. We’ve had some games pushed around and teams like the Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens that tried to screw it up for everybody, but, so far, it didn’t happen. And, really, if they get this week in completely, they’re golden.

Does that mean the playoffs will go off without a hitch? Nope, but the league has more schedule flexibility with those games if it has to use it. It’s easier to move six games around the calendar than 16 and each week, the number of teams and players that can send it all over the cliff goes down by half.

Like I say to myself as I mask up before stepping into the grocery store, let’s not muck it up now so close to the finish line.

CLEVELAND BROWNS AT NEW YORK JETS (+10, O/U: 47.5)

The Browns can take over the AFC North with a win against the Jets and a Steelers loss to the Colts. So you did it, whoever ended up with the 2020 monkey’s paw. Browns 27, Jets 13

CINCINNATI BENGALS AT HOUSTON TEXANS (-7.5, O/U: 46)

Sure, we’re all excited about the potential of a Ryan Finley vs Deshaun Watson quarterback dual, but let’s not forget that the Bengals are still in a pitched battle… for the No. 3 overall NFL Draft pick. Fun fact, the Texans won’t even get to capitalize on the awfulness of this season in next year’s draft because Bill O’Brien traded away their first round selection. Texans 31, Bengals 16

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS AT PITTSBURGH STEELERS (+1.5, O/U: 44.5)

We’ve spent the last month hyping up the Colts as they’ve gone on their tear and making fun of the Steelers for losing three straight after starting 11-0. We all know what that means. Steelers 24, Colts 21

CHICAGO BEARS AT JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (+7.5, O/U: 47)

The Jaguars have the No. 1 pick locked up and Trevor Lawrence’s jersey already printed. Mitchell Trubisky has put together some of his best games of the season and there’s even talk about the Bears keeping him in 2021. The NFL can be cruel sometimes. Jaguars 17, Bears 13

NEW YORK GIANTS AT BALTIMORE RAVENS (-10.5, O/U: 43.5)

Are the Giants really bad or just “NFC bad,” which is mostly just mediocre and considerably worst than the top teams? We’ll find out by exactly by how much Baltimore beats them by Sunday. Ravens 31, Giants 19

ATLANTA FALCONS AT KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (-3.5, O/U: 49)

Realistically, the Chiefs have AFC home field locked up and need to worry more about coming into the playoffs healthy. Atlanta is just playing out the final weeks, looking for the offseason and a new direction after suffering the same old humiliations Sunday after Sunday. Which is to say, this is prime shocker upset territory. The Chiefs don’t need this game at all and, as a loss, it would barely dent their Super Bowl run. They’ve toyed too much with everyone and make every game close, even contests that look like blowouts in the first half. It’s a recipe for betting disaster and one the books prepared for by keeping this line low. I’m picking KC to cover for the first time in two months, but that’s only because I haven’t picked a Falcons game correctly since the Great Pumpkin stood up Linus Van Pelt back in October. Chiefs 33, Falcons 27

DENVER BRONCOS AT LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (-3.5, O/U: 49)

You might look at the eventual 6-10 record the Chargers post as respectable for a team fielding a rookie quarterback until you realize that Justin Herbert has had one of the Top Five rookie QB seasons of all time. Don’t be fooled. As for Denver, it’s back to the drawing board at QB for them, I think. Luckily for the Broncos, there could be some surprises on the market this offseason. Chargers 24, Broncos 20

CAROLINA PANTHERS AT WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM (pk, O/U: 47.5)

This week the Panthers fired their general manager Marty Hurney. Meanwhile the Washington Football Team was once again laid low not by events on the football field, but off it as Dan Snyder once again proved himself to be the herpes simplex two of all NFL owners. On top of that, Dwayne Haskins went to a strip club after last week’s loss to the Seahawks in an attempt to catch his own STD and infect the entire team with COVID-19 on the brink of a playoff berth. There’s a good chance Alex Smith will play, even if he doesn’t start, and that’s pretty much the only reason I’m making this pick. WFT 23, Panthers 21

LOS ANGELES RAMS AT SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (pk, O/U: 47.5)

So I think I’ve finally figured out the Rams. They look good for exactly two weeks then stink it up in the third, regardless of who they’re playing. That means they’ll win this game, the next and then lose in the opening round of the playoffs. Rams 27, Seahawks 24

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES AT DALLAS COWBOYS (+2.5, O/U: 49.5)

Jalen Hurts is making the Eagles offseason more interesting by the minute. And the fact that Philadelphia, with its “back up” quarterback is about to beat Dallas with its back up quarterback should be one more piece of proof to Jerry Jones that Mike McCarthy’s hire was the second biggest mistake of his life after what he paid a plastic surgeon to do to his face. Eagles 30, Cowboys 23

LAST WEEK

Straight up: 12-4

Against the spread: 8-8

SEASON

Straight up: 148-75-1

Against the spread: 117-107

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