FRIDAY AFTERNOON QUARTERBACK: WEEK 13

BY ADAM GREENE

Thanks to the continuing saga of the Baltimore Ravens vs COVID-19, we were without a Thursday Night Football game this week. Instead, we’ll be blessed with not one, but two Monday games and then those same Ravens will host the Dallas Cowboys in a special Tuesday Night Football contest if they can keep from rubbing every handrail in Maryland across their gums for the next few days.

This late in the season we have another weak Featured/Prime Time slate, with the Kansas City Chiefs hosting the Denver Broncos Sunday night, the Pittsburgh Steelers welcoming the Washington Football Team Monday afternoon and the aforementioned Ravens-Cowboys debacle Tuesday. The only good game in the bunch is the Buffalo Bills at San Francisco 49ers, the official MNF game.

What that means is the Sunday afternoon selection is loaded with potential playoff match ups and games that could have postseason implications.

DETROIT LIONS AT CHICAGO BEARS (-3, O/U: 44.5)

Nothing gives an underperforming team a boost like sending a horrible head coach out the airlock. It also doesn’t hurt that Chicago is starting Mitchell Trubisky again. Lions 31, Bears 17

CINCINNATI BENGALS AT MIAMI DOLPHINS (-11.5, O/U: 42.5)

Tua Tagovailoa might be held out of Sunday’s game as he’s still dealing with a thumb injury. You know what that means? Another classic Brandon Allen vs Ryan Fitzpatrick quarterback duel. NFL Red Zone’s Scott Hansen going to have to break out the thesaurus to find new ways to apologize for showing this one when the other early games are in commercial breaks.  Dolphins 20, Bengals 13

INDIANAPOLIS COTLS AT HOUSTON TEXANS (+3.5, O/U: 50)

The Colts are holding onto a playoff spot by the skin of their hooves. It would be a shame for a team with more superstar talent, but serious coaching deficiencies to mess that up for them. Texans 23, Colts 20

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS AT MINNESOTA VIKINGS (-10.5, O/U: 50.5)

Some day in the far future a horrible team will enter the season without Mike Glennon on their roster, ready to start in the event their No. 1 QB goes down. How far? I don’t know. Maybe like 100 years or so. At some point you have to believe this dude is going to keep a roster spot somewhere until the sun burns to embers. Vikings 33, Jaguars 10

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS AT NEW YORK JETS (+9, O/U: 47)

The Raiders supposedly traveled to Atlanta to face the Falcons, but from their measly six points scored it’d be hard to prove they actually showed up at all. They have another long trip to New York Sunday, but I have a feeling the Jets, with Sam Darnold at quarterback, will be much more hospitable. Raiders 34, Jets 13

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS AT ATLANTA FALCONS (+2.5, O/U: 45)

Speaking of the Falcons, Atlanta finally discovered its offense about 12 weeks too late. What they can still do is mess up New Orleans’ home field advantage hopes. Honestly, if you can’t beat a team with Taysom Hill completing less than 10 passes in a game, you should just hang up this whole football thing altogether. Falcons 24, Saints 16

CLEVELAND BROWNS AT TENNESSEE TITANS (-6, O/U: 53.5)

In year’s past, the Titans would see Cleveland coming up on the schedule and just go ahead and count the dub. Not anymore. While Mike Tomlin likely has the Coach of the Year award sewn up, the Browns’ Kevin Stefanski deserves an honorable mention. If anything, now, Cleveland has shown these other teams that have either recently fired coaches (or hired guys that are obviously garbage – we’re looking at you, Cowboys), that they should keep trying until they get it right. There’s no reason to ride it out with someone who’s obviously the wrong choice. In spite of saying all that I’m still picking Tennessee. Titans 27, Browns 24

NEW YORK GIANTS AT SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (-10, O/U: 47.5)

By my accounting, if the Giants win two more games they should make the playoffs by winning the NFC East with a 6-10 record. Unfortunately for New York, this week isn’t bringing one of them. Seattle may not be the team they were back in September, but they’re still two scores better than NY. Seahawks 27, Giants 17

LOS ANGELES RAMS AT ARIZONA CARDINALS (+3, O/U: 48)

Jared Goff says he’s put his turnover problems behind him after serving the ball up 10 times over his last four games. If he keeps that pledge, LA will make a long playoff run. As for Arizona, their road to the postseason is not so clear with not one, but two games against Los Angeles on the schedule and one against a 49ers team that’s not hanging it up just yet. Rams 37, Cardinals 23

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES AT GREEN BAY PACKERS (-9, O/U: 47.5)

Three years ago, as Philadelphia was on its way to its first ever Super Bowl championship as a franchise, Carson Wentz was the frontrunner for the NFL’s MVP award. Needless to say, his career has taken a weird trajectory since. Aaron Rodgers saw his own team draft his replacement in Jordan Love, then uncorked his own potential MVP campaign. The battle for the NFC East may be the only real drama in the NFC playoff race, even with five games to go. Philly will do nothing to help their case in this contest and Rodgers’ MVP quest will continue. Packers 30, Eagles 21

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS AT LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (pk, O/U: 47.5)

The fact that New England could still finish with not only a winning record, but a playoff spot should frighten everyone. Their lack of consistency could just be the first part of a strategy to get everyone overlooking them. They’re not out of it until the math says they are, is what I’m saying. As for Los Angeles, they might have the better team, but the coaching match up is thoroughly in NE’s favor. Patriots 23, Chargers 21

LAST WEEK

Straight up: 12-4

Against the spread: 8-8

SEASON

Straight up: 117-58-1

Against the spread: 90-86

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