Fikkle Fame’s NFL Predictions for January 3rd, 2021

Here we are at the last game of the NFL regular season, and there are still playoff slots and seedings yet to be decided. Each conference has yet to crown one division champion, and only one of the six Wild Cards has been decided. The Kansas City Chiefs are the #1 seed in the AFC (and winners of the AFC West) and will get a first round bye. It’s still a three way race between the Packers, Seahawks, and Saints for the #1 seed in the NFC, although if Green Bay beats the Bears on Sunday, the Packers will get the top slot. There will be no New England Patriots in the post season for the first time since 2008, but Tom Brady will be in the playoffs anyway with Tampa Bay having clinched a Wild Card. We will also have a sub .500 team not only reaching the post season, but hosting a playoff game as the division champ of the NFC East. Washington (6-9), Dallas (6-9) and the New York Giants (5-10) all have a chance to win the East, or Least, if you prefer.

All the games this week are on Sunday, January 3rd, and all involve matchups between teams in the same division.

Miami (10-5) at Buffalo (12-3). Bills favored by 2. O/U: 44.5. Buffalo beat Miami 31-28 in Week 2. The Dolphins win a Wild Card with a victory, but they can also get in with a loss by either one of Baltimore, Cleveland, or Indianapolis. The road got tougher as a report from ESPN indicated that Miami QB Ryan Fitzpatrick has tested positive for Covid-19 and will miss the game. Buffalo has won eight of nine, and will close out the regular season with a sweep of the Dolphins. Bills 31 Dolphins 21.

Baltimore (10-5) at Cincinnati (4-10-1). Ravens favored by 12. O/U: 44.5. The Ravens beat the Bengals 27-3 earlier this season, and have won four in a row. They’ll beat Cincinnati again and clinch a Wild Card. Ravens 31 Bengals 17.

Pittsburgh (12-3) at Cleveland (10-5). Browns favored by 10. O/U: 42.5. The Steelers won the first game between the two. The Browns had four wide receivers out due to Covid protocol last week, and for some reason decided to keep passing despite having some good running backs. The end result was a loss at the Jets. The Steelers beat the Colts to end a three game winning streak and win the AFC North, and have announced that Ben Roethlisberger will rest and Mason Rudolph will start at QB; other regulars may rest as well. The Browns will clinch a Wild Card with a win, and should prevail if Pittsburgh goes on cruise control. Browns 20 Steelers 14.

Minnesota (6-9) at Detroit (5-10). Vikings favored by 6 1/2. Vikings running back Dalvin Cook will miss the game because of the death of his father, but Minnesota has enough other offensive weapons to compensate against a Lions team they beat earlier in the season by 14 points. Vikings 28 Lions 23.

New York Jets (2-13) at New England (6-9). Patriots favored by 3 1/2. O/U: 40. Can the Jets, who have upset two good teams (Rams and Browns) after opening the season 0-13 end the year with a third straight upset? Sure, why not? Jets 24 Patriots 22.

Dallas (6-9) at New York Giants (5-10). Cowboys favored by 2 1/2. O/U: 45. Dallas beat the Giants earlier this year. The Cowboys can win the NFC East with a win, but they also need Washington to lose at Philadelphia since the Washington beat the Cowboys in both meetings. The Giants can actually win the East if they win and Washington loses. Dallas has won three straight (against sub-500 teams) and the Giants have also lost three straight, by big margins, to good teams. Nonetheless, the Cowboys seem to have found themselves. Cowboys 27 Giants 23.

Atlanta (4-11) at Tampa Bay (10-5). Buccaneers favored by 6 1/2. O/U: 50. Tampa Bay is trying to secure the top Wild Card, and can guarantee that with a 2nd win over the Falcons in three weeks. Buccaneers 31 Falcons 24.

Green Bay (12-3) at Chicago (8-7). Packers favored by 5 1/2. O/U: 51.5. The Packers beat the Bears to begin their current five game winning streak. Green Bay, the NFC North champion, will clinch the #1 seed in the NFC with a victory. The Bears can clinch a playoff berth with a victory; if they lose, they can still get in if Arizona loses. Aaron Rodgers is 19-5 in regular and post season play against the Bears, and both he and the rest of the Packers know the importance of that first round bye and home field advantage throughout the playoffs. Packers 28 Bears 21.

Las Vegas (7-8) at Denver (5-10). Raiders favored by 2. O/U: 50.5. The Raiders beat Denver earlier this season, but have lost five of six since then; the Broncos have lost four of six since then. The Raiders are 5-2 on the road, while the Broncos are 2-5 at home. Raiders will sweep the season series before both teams go home for the off season. Raiders 30 Broncos 27.

Jacksonville (1-14) at Indianapolis (10-5). Colts favored by 14. O/U: 49.5. The Colts are tied with Tennessee for 1st in the AFC South at 10-5, and can win the title with a victory and a Titans loss or tie. If the Titans win, it gets more complicated, but the Colts will have to win to get in. Somehow, Jacksonville beat the Colts in Week 1, but they’ve lost 14 straight since then. The Jaguars will go home and contemplate how the first overall draft pick, probably Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence, will improve the team after this year’s debacle of a season. Colts 34 Jaguars 14.

Los Angeles Chargers (6-9) at Kansas City (14-1). Chargers favored by 3 1/2. O/U: 44. The Chiefs have locked up the top seed in the AFC and will rest Patrick Mahomes and probably quite a few others. The Chargers had a disappointing season of blown leads and losses, but they will close it out with their fourth straight win. Chargers 23 Chiefs 20.

Arizona (8-7) at Los Angeles Rams (9-6). Cardinals favored by 3. O/U: 40.5. Both are in the running for a Wild Card, but both teams have cooled off late in the season. The Rams beat the Cardinals on December 6th, but QB Jared Goff is out with a broken thumb and WR Cooper Kupp is on the Covid list so we’ll go with Arizona. Cardinals 30 Rams 23.

Seattle (11-4) at San Francisco (6-9). Seahawks favored by 6. O/U: 46.5. The Seahawks beat the 49ers earlier this season and have clinched the NFC West. Seattle still has a chance at the #1 seed in the NFC, but must win, Green Bay must lose, and New Orleans must lose or tie. Seahawks 31 49ers 24.

New Orleans (11-4) at Carolina (5-10). Saints favored by 6 1/2. O/U: 48. New Orleans has clinched the NFC South and there is a scenario where the Saints could still get the #1 seed in the NFC. They have to win, the Packers have to lose, and the Seahawks have to win for that to happen. The Saints beat the Panthers earlier this year, and will sweep the series. Saints 37 Panthers 28.

Tennessee (10-5) at Houston (4-11). Titans favored by 7 1/2. O/U: 56. The Titans are in decent shape for making it to the post season. If they win, or the Colts lose, they clinch the AFC South. If they lose, and the Ravens or Dolphins lose, the Titans are a Wild Card. Tennessee beat Houston earlier this year and will sweep the series and win the South. Titans 35 Texans 24.

Washington (6-9) at Philadelphia (4-10-1). Washington favored by 1 1/2. O/U: 43. If Washington beats the Eagles, they win the NFC East. If they lose, they’re out and the winner of the Giants–Cowboys game wins the East. Washington beat the Eagles in Week 1, and will pull this one out. Washington 27 Eagles 24.