Week Sixteen Predictions

WEEK SIXTEEN PREDICTIONS

XENA AND TANNER CHEW ON THE WEEK’S BIG GAME

The 2012 regular season nears its close (how depressing) but there are still races to be decided and intriguing match-ups.

Saints at Cowboys - Could be the week's most entertaining game.  Dallas battling injuries and trying to hang on to make next week's game against Washington mean something.  New Orleans would like to go 8-8 and avoid a losing mark and played its best game of the year last week.  Dallas has had some success pressuring Drew Brees in the past and I look for that to be the difference -- expect a 24-21 kind of game.

Minnesota at Houston - Huge game for both teams -- Vikings seek to stay alive in wild card chase - Texans look to clinch home field in the AFC.  I do expect Adrian Peterson to go over 100 yards -- but unless he breaks a couple of long scoring runs the Texans will be in no danger.  Texans want to close the deal today rather than go to Indy next week needing a win to secure home field advantage.

Bengals at Steelers - There are a lot of scenarios that could still play out for the Steelers, Bengals, and Ravens in the AFC - both for the division and for the playoffs.  However, a loss today would eliminate the Steelers.  The Bengals got off to a lead the last time the teams met but then the Steelers locked them down and won by a touchdown.  Andy Dalton has yet to prove himself against the other two contenders in the AFC North.  I think the Steelers are the best of the three right now - though that doesn't mean they will make the playoffs.  It does mean they will beat the Bengals today.  I look for a 23-17 Steeler win.

Giants at Ravens - This game is really impossible to call.  Two teams in death spirals trying to hang on before they ooze down the drain.  Normally I would side with the home team in a match-up like this - but the poor play of Joe Flacco troubles me more than the Poor play of Eli Manning.  I think the Giants will take away Ray Rice and put the game in Flacco's hands.  My guess is that Joe will not get it done.  Plus, Ravens are in the playoffs, so Giants will have the desperation edge - Giants 17-13.

Niners@Hawks. - This has the potential to be one of the year's best games.  Carroll and Harbaugh hate each other.  Two intriguing young Qbs in Wilson and Kaepernick.  The delirious Seattle home crowd which is the best home field advantage in the NFL.  I am not convinced that the Seahawks can score big points against a defense as stout as the Niners.  The Niners are also still in a struggle with Green Bay for the first round playoff bye.  The Niners can't afford to lose if they want the bye.  If the Seahawks lose they are part of week seventeen playoff chaos.  If the Niners can ride out the Seattle emotional wave in the first quarter, I think they win the game.  My guess is they can.