Last Week: Ethan Katz: 8-4 Brevin Fleischer: 8-4

Overall: Ethan Katz: 47-33 Brevin Fleischer: 49-31

Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears

Scouting Report: Two games in a row the Bears have been absolutely embarrassed. 80-7. The Bears have been outscored 80-7 in the first halves of their last two games. That would even be embarrassing for the Jaguars. It’s safe to assume they won’t be outscored 40-0 at halftime against the Vikings, and it’s also safe to assume that the Bears won’t jump out to a huge lead here. It’s going to be a close one, but the Bears will come out on top in a low scoring, sloppy affair, and if they don’t get the win here, then there’s no hope for the Chicago Bears.

Pick: Chicago-24 Minnesota-17  EK

Scouting Report: It’s now or never for Jay Cutler and the Chicago Bears. Do you remember back in early September when folks in Chicago were thinking Super Bowl? Can you believe that? Well, looking a this team and the talent they have at the skill positions, it wasn’t that hard to believe. Even after their opening game loss to the Bills, I thought they would turn it around. Obviously, they haven’t and my predictions record has suffered because it. Well, this is the last time I’m picking them to win. Mark my words: if they don’t win this week at Soldier Field against rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, I won’t pick them again for the rest of the year. Make me proud, Chicago.

Pick: Chicago-31 Minnesota-20 BF

Houston Texans at Cleveland Browns

Scouting Report: The Cleveland Browns have been a team on a mission this year. Most experts wrote this team off at the beginning of the season, and now they are 6-3 and first in the AFC North. Brian Hoyer has just 4 interceptions in 275 attempts, and has been a key for Cleveland’s success. The Texans are coming off a bye week, and their first overall draft pick Jadaveon Clowney is questionable for this one. Even if he plays, he and J.J Watt can’t cure their defensive struggles just yet. Houston has a weak secondary, and could be exposed by Hoyer. Cleveland is the better team and will show Houston what they’re all about this Sunday.

Pick: Cleveland-27 Houston-14 EK

Scouting Report: I, for one, am not a believer in the Browns. I think Brian Hoyer is overrated and is nothing more than a game manager. I think their running backs carousel does more harm than good, and I think that they’ve squeaked by on an easy schedule. They lost to the Jaguars, beat the Titans by one, and beat the Buccaneers by five. They’re not that good. That being said, I can’t pick Houston this week as they will probably be without their superstar running back, Arian Foster and are breaking in a new quarterback this week in Ryan Mallett.

Pick: Cleveland-17 Houston-14 BF

Seattle Seahawks at Kansas City Chiefs

Scouting Report: Two 6-3 teams going up against each other in what should be one of the games of the weeks. Both of these teams have been on hot streaks lately. Since dropping two in a row to Dallas and St. Louis, Seattle has won 3 in a row, and Kansas City has won their last four. These teams have similar styles of play, more focused on running the ball along with having great defensive units. Not much will separate these two teams, and when it comes down to it, the more dynamic Seattle defense will be able to lock up Alex Smith and Jamaal Charles, and a few big plays from the explosive players Russell Wilson and Marshawn Lynch should give Seattle the edge and the victory here.

Pick: Seattle-24 Kansas City-20   EK

Scouting Report: To put it simply, if Marshawn Lynch plays this week and is healthy, the Seahawks will win. Nobody has stopped Lynch this year when he’s gotten his touches and that trend will continue. The Seahawks run into trouble when they try to get too cute on offense and get away from what works.

Pick: Seattle-27 Kansas City-13 BF

Atlanta Falcons at Carolina Panthers

Scouting Report: After a bye week coming off a five-game losing streak, the Falcons beat Tampa Bay last week, a much needed win for a poor team. Similarly to Atlanta, Carolina is on a four- game losing streak, and this is their last game before heading into their bye week. The good news for both of these teams, however, is that they are both just one game behind New Orleans for the divisional lead. They should both be thankful that they still have a chance this late into the season, and both of these teams are going to want to take advantage of that and will come out with intensity and the will to win. It’s going to come down to which team can play the better football and want it more, and that team is going to be the Carolina Panthers, who, with a win here, will have a lot of confidence going into the bye week in hopes of turning their season around.

Pick: Carolina-31 Atlanta-21 EK

Scouting Report: Matt Ryan is not the same quarterback on the road, Cam Newton is not the same quarterback period, and this Carolina defense is not nearly the same group as last year. With all of these problems, this is a tough game to pick. I HATE picking the Falcons on the road, but I HATE picking this Carolina defense against Julio Jones and Roddy White. This puts me in a bit of a quandary.

Pick: Atlanta-30 Carolina-24  BF

Cincinnati Bengals at New Orleans Saints

Scouting Report: It’s evident that, since week 5, the Bengals haven’t been the team they are capable of being. Dalton and A.J. Green have struggled, and the defense has not been up to par all season. Unfortunately for Cincinatti, going into New Orleans is not the easiest game to get back on track with. Drew Brees has been doing Drew Brees things this season, and tight end Jimmy Graham has been a force to be reckoned with. The Bengals might be able to put up some points here, but not enough to outscore this high octane New Orleans offense.

Pick: New Orleans-35 Cincinnati-21 EK

Scouting Report: Coming into the year, both of these teams were trendy Super Bowl picks, and while neither team has lived up to the preseason hype, both still have a chance to right the ship and make a deep playoff run. There is a lot at stake in this game. The Bengals got embarrassed last week against Cleveland, but I don’t expect Dalton to play that badly in the dome against New Orleans. Now that Jimmy Graham is healthy and fully functional, this New Orleans offense is once again a force to be reckoned with. Going up against a defense that gave up 24 to the Browns, they’ll put up a ton of points on Sunday.

Pick: New Orleans-34 Cincinnati- 20  BF

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Washington Redskins

Scouting Report: No one is ever quite sure who will start at the QB position for these Redskins. One thing that is sure for this Redskins team, however, is that they will beat Tampa Bay this Sunday, most likely in dominant fashion. Washington is coming off a bye week, allowing their players to heal any minor injuries and get their mindsets ready for this one. Tampa Bay keeps on losing and can’t seem to find an end to their poor ways. Nothing is working for them on both sides of the ball, and Washington will be sure to take advantage of their low confidences along with their weaknesses.

Pick: Washington-27 Tampa Bay-10 EK

Scouting Report: I believe in Robert Griffin III. I believe in his legs, I believe in his arm, and I in his decision-making. I expect RGIII to come out firing this week after a bye, and I expect DeSean Jackson to find the endzone more than once.

Pick: Washington-31 Tampa Bay-17 BF

Denver Broncos at St. Louis Rams

Scouting Report: St. Louis has shown that they are able to beat some good teams and play up to the level of their opponents; they beat Seattle and San Francisco and kept it close with Dallas and Philadelphia this season. Their record of 3-6, however, is not an eye-opening record by any means, and the playoffs are surely out of reach for these guys. That doesn’t mean that the Rams won’t give it their all every game though. Peyton Manning and this explosive Broncos team will prove to be too much for the Rams here. Expect the Rams to keep close to the Broncos and lose by less than double digits, however.

Pick: Denver-30 St. Louis-24 EK

Scouting Report: The St. Louis Rams are a tough team to figure out. They’re 3-6, but they save their best for the best, and I don’t expect that to change against Denver this week. However, I don’t think that they’re best will be enough against a Denver team that got exposed against the Patriots last week. There’s nothing scarier than an angry Peyton manning.

Pick: Denver-42 St. Louis-24 BF

San Francisco 49ers at New York Giants

Scouting Report: Another year, another struggle for the New York Giants. This team hasn’t made the playoffs since their 2011-12 Super Bowl campaign, and this year will continue the trend for the Giants. On the bright side, since week 3 Eli Manning has thrown for 16 touchdown passes and just 2 interceptions. The offense has been able to produce decent numbers thus far, but the defensive play for New York has been abysmal this year. The matchup this weekend points in San Francisco’s direction. San Francisco’s great defensive stats and middle of the pack offensive stats are going to be a matchup nightmare for this Giants team as the 49ers will get the much needed win here.

Pick: San Francisco-28 New York-17 EK

Scouting Report: News this week. For the 49ers, Patrick Willis is out for the year. For the Giants, Rashad Jennings, the running back averaging 101 yards per game before he got hurt, is back from injury. Hmm. I’d say the news favors the Giants this week, and so does the cold weather. Also, in case you didn’t see New York’s game against Seattle last week, Odell Beckham Jr. is a star! Just ask Richard Sherman.

Pick: New York-24 San Francisco-21  BF

Oakland Raiders at San Diego Chargers

Scouting Report: No one has struggled more this year than the Oakland Raiders. They are the last winless team in the league, and for a reason. They’re young, inexperienced, and don’t have the talent to compete with most teams. The Raiders are capable of putting up a fight, however, and although we haven’t seen it yet, they are a team that can pull off an upset if they catch a team sleeping. The last time these two teams matched up, San Diego took it in a close 31-28 win. These two teams have similar styles of play, it’s just that San Diego has more talent than Oakland. With San Diego’s struggles on offense lately along with riding a three-game losing streak, this might in fact be the week that the Oakland Raiders pull off the upset and get their first win of the season.

Pick: Oakland-27 San Diego-21 EK

Scouting Report: The Raiders are the oldest and least-talented team in the league, and they will lose once again this week against a San Diego team whose number-one running back, Ryan Matthews, is finally back and healthy. Couple that with the matchup of Philip Rivers and one of the weakest secondaries in the NFL, and you have a recipe for disaster if you’re a Raider. Don’t look too much into the close game these two teams had earlier in the season. It was a fluke, and this Oakland team might actually be worse than it was when these two teams first matched up in week six.

Pick: San Diego-27 Oakland-13 BF

Philadelphia Eagles at Green Bay Packers

Scouting Report: This has the potential to be the game of the week. From what we saw last week, Mark Sanchez can play some football. The question is, can he play some football against one of the top pass defenses in the league? The Packers have been clicking on all cylinders lately, as shown by their dominating performance against the Bears. Their great play recently along with homefield advantage is going to be too much for the Eagles to handle, as Green Bay will continue their undefeated home record.

Pick: Green Bay-28 Philadelphia-24 EK

Scouting Report: This game is the definition of a toss-up. On one hand, you have the best special teams unit in the NFL led by the electrifying  Darren Sproles. On the other hand, you have one of the most potent offenses in the league led by Aaron Rodgers. Even with Mark Sanchez under center, Philadelphia has the tools to expose an average Green Bay defense. Jeremy Maclin and LeSean McCoy combine to form one of the most lethal wide receiver-running back combinations in the NFL. That duo could give the Packers fits. Speaking of the Packers, have you heard that this guy Aaron Rodgers is pretty darn good player, possibly one of the great players even? Oh, and it’s not just him. Jordy Nelson is one of the top wide receivers in the league, and second year running back, Eddie Lacy out of Alabama, is really starting to hit his stride and has even become a weapon in the pass game. Look for loads of offense in this one folks, but at Lambeau Field, the Packers have the edge.

Pick: Green Bay-34 Philadelphia-31 BF

Detroit Lions at Arizona Cardinals

Scouting Report: Another enticing matchup as two of the league’s top teams square off in what should be a low scoring defensive matchup. Arizona has just one loss on the season, to Denver, and is on a five-game winning streak in which they have not allowed more than 20 points. The news coming out of Arizona that Carson Palmer is done for the year with a torn ACL leaves Drew Stanton as the starting quarterback. Stanton has proven this season that he can be a starting quarterback, but the matchup for him this week is not too appealing. The Lions have arguably the top defense in the league, and have the ability to shut down Stanton and the passing game. The Cardinals would have to go to the run game, and that matchup does not look good either, as Detroit has the 2nd best rush defense in the league while Arizona is 29th in the league in rushing. This, mixed in with Calvin Johnson being probable for this game in a pass-heavy Detroit offense going against one of the weaker pass defenses in the league, everything points to a Detroit victory, and that’s just what we’ll be seeing here.

Pick: Detroit-24 Arizona-12 EK

Scouting Report: Arizona was a very good team with Carson Palmer, and I believe they still are a good team. As I said, they are a very good team, not a great team. When adversity hits great teams, they aren’t fazed. They stay the course and go about their business. However, when adversity hits good teams, mistakes are made and problems arise. When people saw the news about Palmer being out for the year, hearts broke across the desert. Those Arizonians know two things that most people outside of Arizona don’t know. One, Arizona had a real shot to win this thing before the injury. Two, they are not a defensive juggernaut. When fans across the country saw Palmer go down, they knew that it was a blow to the Cardinals, but many think of them as a defensive team anyway, so this kind of injury doesn’t affect them all that drastically. I’m here to dispel one of the biggest fabrications of the NFL season. Arizona is not a great defensive team! They had a solid defense but were led by their explosive receiving corps and emerging star running back, Andre Ellington. This injury will hurt them more than most expect, and a very good Detroit team is sure to take advantage.

Pick: Detroit-28 Arizona-17 BF

New England Patriots at Indianapolis Colts

Scouting Report: Both of these teams are fresh off a bye week, and both seem to be heading in the right direction lately. Two high-octane offenses led by two great quarterback in Andrew Luck and Tom Brady, it’s going to come down to which quarterback can outplay the other. It’s going to be an explosive, energizing, and passionate Sunday Night, with Tom Brady and his New England Patriots coming out victorious over the Indianapolis Colts.

Pick: New England-30 Indianapolis-27 EK

Scouting Report: In a weekend filled with exciting games, this matchup figures to be the best of them all. For the Colts, you have emerging superstar Andrew Luck, and for the Patriots, you have veteran Tom Brady who doesn’t look ready to pass the mantle just yet. Two of the best offenses in the NFL go head to head, and it’s going to be a show. The Patriots have been a force as of late, and the Colts haven’t beaten anybody really impressive thus far. I expect that to change this Sunday at home.

Pick: Indianapolis-31 New England-27 BF

Pittsburgh Steelers at Tennessee Titans

Scouting Report: Pittsburgh is coming off a loss against the New York Jets. I repeat: The Pittsburgh Steelers lost to the New York Jets. Come on! That’s flat out embarrassing. Just when things start to click in Pittsburgh, they suffer a huge loss that could cost them come playoff time. Tennessee has certainly had struggles of their own this year. They just don’t seem to have the offense that can win games. Sixth-round pick in last year’s draft Zach Mettenberger will start for them. Not much favors the Titans here, but this just seems like it can be one of those Monday Night upsets that no one expects, and so I’m going with the Tennessee Titans to pull off the upset in a low-scoring battle.

Pick: Tennessee-20 Pittsburgh-17 EK

Scouting Report: I can’t imagine that the Steelers will be embarrassed two week in a row, not if Antonio Brown can help it. Brown and the rest of this young receiving corps will have the Steelers on track to win this one….in blowout fashion I might add.

Pick: Pittsburgh-34 Tennessee-14