I was worried going into this week about my picks. There were several very good matchups and a few close matchups between very bad teams. FOr those teams, it’s hard to predict who is still going to put in a winning effort at the end of the season. But the hot streak continues, 12 – 2 on the week with Atlanta and Minnesota the picks for tonight’s games.

This week presented a new twist – road teams went 10 – 4 for the week. Home field advantage be damned. It’s interesting because other than playing for a playoff spot, teams are playing for playoff positioning. The division winners get home playoff games. The number one seed is guaranteed a home game in each playoff game. But does it really matter? What are teams sacrificing in order to get a home playoff game?

If you look at teams like the Chiefs and Steelers, who both lost possibly their best players to an ankle injury yesterday, do they continue to push for wins or let their stars rest? What about the Lions? They are getting decimated with injuries. Can they afford to rest players for the playoffs, or do they need the number one seed? Buffalo is pushing hard. Why? Because they have failed so often against the Chiefs in the playoffs they absolutely believe they have to have home field advantage to make the Super Bowl.

So it’s interesting to look at. For my part, I imagine we’re going to see four or five games where the road team wins in the playoffs. We’ll see if I’m right. But entering the playoffs healthy seems more important than entering with the best record.

Ok, on to the other mistakes I’ve made!

Hit
AJ Brown and Deebo Samuel. Both players complained before their games that they weren’t getting the ball enough. At the time I said AJ Brown had a legitimate concern and Deebo Samuel did not. AJ Brown was playing hard, he was open, and he was being overlooked. He got the ball yesterday and the Eagles offense soared. For Deebo, I said he was looking slow, he wasn’t doing much with the ball, and there were better options for the offense. Well, against the Rams, they fed Deebo the ball. And he did nothing with it. The Niners offense continued to be sluggish and they lost a low scoring game.

Miss
Buffalo and Detroit. I had a hard time picking this game, but I leaned toward Detroit. They have been in the top two or three of the power rankings for weeks. Now, I have real concerns about both of these defenses. Injuries are piling up for both. Can these teams win shootouts in the playoffs? Sure, they have the offenses to do it. But I wouldn’t want to count on it.

Hit
Rams having the inside track to the NFC West. With the win against San Francisco and Seattle’s loss last night, the Rams now control their own destiny. Win out against the Jets, Cardinals, and Seahawks and they win the division.

Miss
Carolina. Hey Bryce Young is still allowed to have a bad game from time to time without calling for him to be benched. I thought they had a great chance to win against Dallas, but it fell apart as fast as Bryce Young’s game. But what this showed me is just how far this roster is behind the rest of the league. There are no 1s on the team, just a bunch of 2s and 3s. Like they don’t have a number one receiver. Or a top pass rusher. Or a top corner. Chuba Hubbard is a good running back, but he’s not a number one like Jacobs, Henry, or Barkley. When Young has a bad game, there is no one that can step up and keep the team moving forward.

Hit
Tampa Bay and Los Angeles Chargers. I knew Tampa Bay was a hot team on the rise, and they proved it. I also said the Chargers just haven’t proven themselves against top talent. This is a team that is full of fool’s gold. Number one defense? Look at the competition. Top Quarterback? Look at the competition. Coaching prowess? Look at the competition. They are beating up the weak teams and falling apart against the good ones.