The Loser fully embraces the NFL’s Playoff Push, which begins Saturday with three NFL games, followed by a full slate Sunday and the Monday night contest.
Two of these games can be considered elimination games.
The Giants and Commanders come in with identical 7-5-1 records. The two teams tied, 20-20, two weeks ago at MetLife Stadium. But the NFC East rivals are heading in opposite directions.
Washington is 6-1-1 in its last eight games to turn a disaster of a season into a possible playoff appearance. New York is 1-4-1 over its last six and has gone from being one of the feel-good stories to a team on the precipice of going from 6-1 to not making the postseason.
In a scheduling quirk, the Giants are coming off a bye week, meaning they’ll play back-to-back games against Washington. Giants get an edge by having a week to heal this late in the season. Washington gets an edge by playing at home in a prime-time game.
NFC SOUTH – The Falcons (5-8) and Saints (4-9) meet in the Big Easy. Atlanta can still catch the Bucs (6-7). The Saints (4-9) must win to have a sliver of a chance to make the postseason. How bad is the NFC South? All four teams have given up more points than they’ve scored. The Bucs and Panthers (5-8) are -30. Atlanta is -24 and New Orleans is -32. They’re all equally bad.
SATURDAY NIGHT
VIKINGS -4 over Colts – The Jeff Saturday Coaching Clinic isn’t working. Bottom line, Vikes are in the playoff seeding hunt; Colts are not. Memo to Minny – that Lion in the rearview mirror is closer than it appears.
Ravens +3 over BROWNS – The Loser can definitely see the Browns winning and Deshaun Watson giving Mistake on the Lake fans reason to be cautiously optimistic about next season, assuming The Masseuse doesn’t find any massage parlors in the off season. But the Ravens are fighting for the division lead and J.K. Dobbins sure looked good in his return from IR. Browns are 22nd in rushing defense. We like former Ute Tyler Huntley, a lot. He’s not Lamar Jackson. No one is. But the kid has moxie.
+BILLS -7 over Dolphins – This is the game the Fish have been cheating, uh, itching for. All that money spent in free agency. All that tampering. Memo to Stephen Ross. You can’t buy chemistry and tenacity and you don’t have a mafia.
SUNDAY
SAINTS -4 over Falcons – Falcons giving rookie QB Desmond Ridder his first start.
PANTHERS -3 over Steelers – If Kenny Pickett can’t go, it’s Mitch Trubisky at QB for the Steelers. ‘Nuff said.
BEARS +9 over Eagles – It’s going to be Great Lakes cold in Chicago and Philly is due for a hiccup. Birds win but get gnarled on by Bears
+Chiefs -14 over TEXANS – Chiefs were reminded about no letdowns last week when they almost blew a win over Denver. Texans shot their emotional load in Dallas. That last-minute loss is a crusher.
JAGUARS +4 over Cowboys – Trevor Lawrence is starting to get it. Five straight games without throwing a pick. If he can keep that up against the ball-hawking, QB-harassing ‘Boys then surfs up in Jax.
JETS +1 over Lions – No sensible reason to make this pick. Zach Wilson starts again and waiting for rumors of him having once flirted with Jared Goff’s fiancé, Christen Harper, to surface. Goff has been great of late but the last three have been in the cozy confines of Ford Field. Welcome to MetLife, where the winds come rushing down the tunnel.
BRONCOS -3 over Cardinals – Everyone is calling this the HOT SEAT BOWL. Everyone is correct. We think Kliff Kingsbury’s seat is much hotter than Nathaniel Hackett’s. Both teams going with backup QBs. What does that tell you? Take the under.
Patriots at RAIDERS Pick ‘Em – We pick the teacher, Bill Belichick, over the student, Josh McDaniels.
CHARGERS -3 over Titans– Watching the Chargers sideline is like watching the contestants when Jeopardy goes to the final question and it’s a tough one – lots of serious looks camouflaging no clue.
+Bengals -3.5 over BUCCANEERS – Parlay time – Buccaneers have lost that MOJO and Tom Brady will go 2-for-3 on tossing tablets – meaning, two hit the ground.
REDSKINS -5 over Giants – That Washington defense is going to put a hurt on Daniel Jones. We take no pleasure in writing that. Jones is good people.
THURSDAY
49ers -3.5 over SEAHAWKS – The Loser almost NEVER goes against a Thursday night home dog. Almost never. But the Seahawks have been outrushed, 838-240, in their last four games, losing three.
The Loser took the 49ers, gave the 3.5 points and paired that with Christian McCaffrey rushing for more than 94.5 yards. We did the same parlay but swapped the points line (3.5) for the moneyline (49ers win regardless of score) because we chickened out.
We got +300 at BetMGM and placed a $20 wager for an $80 payout, which means we netted $60. On the moneyline bet we got +240 and put $10 on that parlay for a payout of $34, meaning we netted $24. The Loser won $84 on the night. Bartender, a round on The Loser, if you please.