The Shenoa Report Conference Championship '23

The Shenoa Report

January 29, 2023

CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP

We’ve made it to Championship Sunday. There are just 4 teams left, I can get behind 3 of them. There will only be two games today. I miss the Redzone and fantasy football already. Next week there will be no football unless you count the Pro Bowl which isn’t really football. 

I must say I am looking forward to Pro Bowl week because Peyton and Eli Manning will be the coaches of the AFC and NFC flag football game respectively. It should be entertaining. 

*Disclaimer* I’ll be dropping some four letter words in this report. It’s the only way to convey how I actually feel. 

I don’t know about you, but after last week I’m not really excited about the postseason moving forward. Both of the teams I was pulling for shit the bed. I didn’t do well on picks, 2-2 (because my teams played like shit), and worst of all the Eagles are still in the postseason. Cool. I don’t even want to write this report, but I will, for the fans that want to grieve with me. 

Before I recap last week’s debacle let’s talk about some other teams that didn’t even make it into the playoffs. For instance, the Panthers just hired Frank Riech as their head coach. Did you know that Frank was also the Panthers very first quarterback in 1995 and threw their first touchdown pass? Well, now you do!  Meanwhile, Colts fans are signing a petition to NOT have Jeff Saturday as their head coach. The Jets hired Nathanial Hackett as their new OC and they may try to bring in Aaron Rodgers. The Cowboys (yes I know they made the playoffs, I’m making an exception) let go of six assistant coaches after their playoff loss. Joe Judge is not liked in Patriot land. There are many reports saying that Judge was not liked by players, specifically Mac Jones, and other coaches as well. I am shocked! The real question is, were there golf clubs in the locker room? 

Jaguars @ Chiefs 20-27

For the first time in Trevor Lawrence’s football career he has finally lost a game on a Saturday. The game started off with a Travis Kelce touchdown from Patrick Mahomes, real shocker. The Jags answered back with a Christian Kirk touchdown from Lawrence. The second quarter was a little scary for Chiefs fans. Mahomes was pulled from the game due to an ankle injury and Chad Henne had to take over. Henne was able to connect with Kelce for a touchdown late in the quarter. Then with less than a minute to go Riley Patterson kicked a field goal to put the Jags within 1 score going into half time. Jacksonville fans found a glimmer of hope. But Mahomes came back in the game and managed to throw another touchdown pass to MVS in the fourth quarter, and the Jags had two fourth quarter turnovers. Now the Jags Super Bowl dreams have come to an end. Chiefs fans are just glad that they are still in it. Mahomes could have easily lost this game for them. Playing on a bad ankle, he made some bad decisions that could have led to some turnovers and a Jags win. Kansas City got lucky and they’ll need to carry that luck with them if they are going to make it to the Super Bowl.

NY Giants @ Eagles 7-38

This game was a shit show. It was embarrassing. It was hard to watch. It was like Danny Jones had never thrown a football before or even ran in cleats. It was awful. A terrible way to end the season. I have zero good things to say about this game. So I am just going to be done. The only thing that gave me hope after this humiliating loss was, at least I still have the Bills…

Bengals @ Bills 27-10

Watching this game was like reliving the Giants game the night before. Awful. Buffalo found themselves down 14-0 after the first quarter, just like the Giants. Unlike the Giants, the Bills were able to score a touchdown in the second quarter and hold the Bengals to a field goal. This gave Bills fans hope. They’d been down before and they had Damar Hamlin at the game to cheer them on, that should’ve totally been enough. But it wasn’t. The snow continued to fall throughout the game as did the hopes of Bills fans. The Cincinnati Bengals played and executed better than Buffalo. Like I said, it was tough to watch. Congrats to Bengals fans, you’ll get to go to Kansas City to play for a spot in the Super Bowl, again. Maybe next year Buffalo. 

Cowboys @ 49ers  12-19

Finally, a game I’m actually excited to talk about. How ‘bout them Cowboys? More like, Mr. Irrelevant is Purdy good! San Francisco’s quarterback, Brock Purdy was the very last player picked in this season’s draft and he’s an unbeaten rookie! The whole game was very defensive heavy, those guys were really doing their job. The 49ers defense didn’t allow any points in the first quarter and the Cowboys held the 49ers to a field goal. Dallas had a touchdown in the second quarter but you’ll never guess who missed the extra point?!? Again?!?! Yup, Brett Maher missed another one. It wasn’t his fault this time, it was a blocked kick. Robbie Gould had two made field goals to put SF ahead by 3 going into the half. The Cowboys tied the game in the third quarter with a field goal, yes Maher finally got the boys some points. Then Christian McCaffrey scored a touchdown in the fourth for the 49ers while Maher added another field goal for Dallas. The last team to score was the 49ers with a Robbie Gould field goal to win the game. The 49ers head to Philly next and the Cowboys just head home. 

CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP

Sunday, January 29th

49ers @ Eagles (3pm FOX)

Dear football gods, Please, please, please help the 49ers win this game. Love, Shenoa and all other NFL fans minus Philly fans. This should be a good game. The Eagles hold no injury designations while the 49ers come in a little banged up but nothing too bad. Obviously I’m pulling for San Francisco. My head says the Eagles will win this game, they are the higher seed and have the home field advantage. The 49ers are starting a rookie quarterback and are the underdogs for the first time this season. To hell with getting this pick right for picks sake. I’m picking the 49ers to win this game! GO ‘9ERS!!!!!!!

Bengals @ Chiefs (4:30pm CBS)

I really don’t care who wins this game. I’ll be happy either way. I think that the Chiefs are way more banged up than the Bengals. Mahomes is definitely not 100% even though he doesn’t hold a designation going into this game. The troubling designation is Travis Kelce with a back injury. He’ll play for sure, it’s just not good timing. Wide receivers Mecole Hardman and Justin Watson are also questionable for this game. The Bengals will be without guard Alex Cappa and OT Jonah Willams. I just want this to be a good game. Last year the Bengals upset the Chiefs in the Championship game and I think they’ll do it again. I’m picking the Bengals to win this game, but really I won’t be sad or surprised if I’m wrong. 

Those are my picks, I guess that means that if I am right it’ll be a 49ers - Bengals Super Bowl. That matchup hasn’t happened in decades, but it has happened once in 1981 and again in 1988. The 49ers won both games, the Bengals have never won a Super Bowl. 

GO 49ERS!!!!!!!!!! 

Thanks for the edit Eric!

The Shenoa Report Divisional Round '23

The Shenoa Report

January 21, 2023

Divisional Round

There are just 8 teams left, three of which are from the NFC East. This weekend is the divisional round and there are only games on Saturday and Sunday. We are nearing the end. Is your team still in it? Mine is! I’ve not been able to say that since 2011! Fingers crossed I’ll be able to say it again next week! 

Before we get into the divisional round let’s recap the games from last week. I went 5-1 in my picks, thanks a lot Tom Brady. 

Seahawks @ 49ers 23-41

At the end of the first half I was questioning my pick. The Seahawks didn’t look bad and actually had the lead going into half time. Then the second half started and the 49ers put the pedal to the floor and never let off the gas. This was more of what I expected during the first half. Next up the 49ers will host the Cowboys and the Seahawks will host things from their living rooms. 

Chargers @ Jaguars 30-31

This game was a tale of two halves. The Chargers led the Jags 27-0 in the first half and Trevor Lawrence threw 4 interceptions. It was down right ugly. I thought for sure I got the pick wrong. I was also upset because I wanted the Chargers to lose after the way their head coach messed up coaching the last two games. For the Jags, this was the most improbable win. Even though they were discouraged they didn’t give up. With less than a minute to go before halftime Lawrence started to turn his team around with a touchdown pass to Evan Engram.  In the second half Trevor added three more touchdowns and the Jags defense held the Chargers to just a field goal. It was pretty incredible. I was happy because I went 2-0 on Saturday with my picks. The Jags are heading Kansas City next, and they’ll need all the luck they can muster. 

Dolphins @ Bills 31-34

I’m pretty sure the Bills looked past this game, and hopefully they’ve learned from this mistake. Yes, they still won the game but they didn’t look great doing so. The Dolphins had to start their third string rookie QB Skylar Thompson because Tua Tagovailoa and backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater were ruled out due to injury. Skylar’s dad drove 15 hours from Missouri to Buffalo to see his son’s first start. The Dolphins kept pace the entire game and the Bills struggled. Josh Allen had 3 turnovers, one of which was a fumble returned for a touchdown by Zach Sieler 61 seconds into the third quarter to put the Dolphins up 24-20. I think that was actually the Bills wakeup call. After that Allen threw two touchdown passes over a span of 3 minutes and 11 seconds which put the Bills up by 10. The Dolphins did their best to come back with a touchdown in the fourth quarter to put the game within 3 points. But that’s where it ended. The Bills defense stopped Miami as they turned the ball over on downs on their final possession to give the Bills the win. The Bills advance to the divisional round and host Cincinnati on Sunday. 

 

NY Giants @ Vikings 31-24

I knew we could do it! And we did! The Giants beat the Vikings! Woot!  The Vikings started off strong, scoring on their first drive. This did not sit well with me. Alright boys, answer back, is what I thought. They did. Saquon Barkley had his first touchdown of the postseason. On the Vikings next possession they did not score, in fact they didn’t score again until the end of the second quarter! The Giants scored 3 times in the first half and led going into half time. In the first half Danny had a passing touchdown to Isaiah Hodgins and Graham Gano had a field goal. We got the ball first in the second half and marched down the field.  Daniel Bellinger caught a 9-yard pass from Danny Jones to score a touchdown on the opening drive. Midway through the quarter the Vikings answered back with another touchdown. In the fourth quarter the Vikings tied the game with a field goal. So, of course, the Giants answered back with Barkley’s second rushing touchdown of the day. After that the defense stepped up and put Minnesota’s playoff advancement to bed  by swarming tight end T.J. Hockenson at midfield on fourth-and-8 to force a turnover on downs with 1:44 to go and no timeouts left for the Vikings. Danny was able to kneel it out to end the game. Speaking of Jones, he became the first quarterback in NFL history to hit these thresholds in a postseason game: 300-plus yards passing, two-plus passing touchdowns, and 70-plus yards rushing. That is quite the accomplishment. Next the Giants head on down to Philadelphia to take on division rival Eagles. 

Ravens @ Bengals 17-24

The Bengals got super lucky or the Ravens got super unlucky. This game was back and forth and by the fourth quarter it really looked like the Ravens were going to win the game. With 12 minutes left in the game the Ravens were facing third-and-goal at the 1 yard line. QB Tyler Huntley tried to go over the top of the line for the go-ahead score but fumbled the ball which went right to defensive end Sam Hubbard. Hubbard returned Huntley's fumble 98 yards for a tie-breaking touchdown. Baltimore tried to tie the game up once more late in the 4th but Huntley threw incomplete to the end zone on the final play. So the Ravens are done with the post season and the Bengals travel to Buffalo to continue their hopes to another Super Bowl run. 

Cowboys @ Buccaneers 31-14

This game was dumb. The Cowboys are dumb and the Bucs receivers are also dumb. 

Obviously, I wanted the Bucs to win this game. It’ll probably be the last time we see Tom Brady in a Bucs uniform and perhaps on the field of play at all. Nothing went right for Tampa Bay and almost everything went the right way for the Cowboys. About the only thing that went wrong for them was their kicker.  Brett Maher missed his first four extra points, becoming the first player in NFL history to miss that many in a game. Maher finally converted on his fifth attempt after coach Mike McCarthy decided against sending him out to try a field goal from roughly the same distance as a PAT. The Cowboys are now heading to San Francisco to take on the 49ers.

DIVISIONAL WEEKEND

Saturday, January 21st

Jaguars @ Chiefs (4:30pm NBC)

After last week I am not going to say that the Jags have no chance at winning this game. I mean, they came back from a 27 point deficit. I will say that the Chiefs aren’t the Chargers so if the Jags do fall down 27 they probably won’t come back and win this game. The Chiefs are fresh off their bye and ready to win. Andy Reid, Chiefs head coach, is historically really good after a bye and I don’t see that ending against the Jags. Hopefully Reid didn’t share many of his winning secrets as the Jags head coach Doug Pederson used to coach with Reid when they were both in Philadelphia. I am picking the Chiefs to win this game, I’m just hoping it's a good one. 

NY Giants @ Eagles  (8:15pm NBC)

First of all, considering the last two seasons, I’m still in shock and amazement that the Giants won more than 3 games this season. Now, to see that we are still in the playoffs is pretty mind blowing. Brian Daboll has truly changed this team for the better and should absolutely be coach of the year. Anyway, I’m going to preface this by saying, I’m a delusional Giants fan. I think the Giants can and will win this game. There I said it. I’m picking the Giants to win this game. Philly can bring on the double birds, we’re ready! I’m not going to say much else, as I don’t think there is much else that needs to be said. GO G-MEN!!!

Sunday, January 22nd

Bengals @ Bills (3pm CBS)

This game is going to be emotional. It’s going to be tense. It’s going to get chippy. I don’t have to recap what happened the last time these two teams met up. I will say that the actions that followed gave the Bengals a chip on their shoulder. Because the game was canceled, the best the Bengals could rank in the AFC was the 3rd seed even though they beat the Chiefs during the regular season. They were beating the Bills too before the game was canceled. The Bengals are also the underdogs coming into this game; the Bills are favored according to Vegas. Last week I think that both teams looked past their opponent. This week I don’t think that’s the case. I’m picking the Bills to win this game and I am cheering for them as well. I’m pretty sure Damar Hamlin will be at the game which could be the added boost the Bills need to secure the W. GO BILLS! 

Cowboys @ 49ers  (6:30pm FOX)

The Cowboys looked pretty dominant last week, but I think this is where the road ends for them. The 49ers are a different kind of beast and I am picking them to win this game. 

GO G-MEN!!!!!!!!!!!!! (isn’t it cool I still get to type this!)

Thanks for the edit Eric!

At the end of the first half I was questioning my pick. The Seahawks didn’t look bad and actually had the lead going into half time. Then the second half started and the 49ers put the pedal to the floor and never let off the gas. This was more of what I expected during the first half. Next up the 49ers will host the Cowboys and the Seahawks will host things from their living rooms. 

Chargers @ Jaguars 30-31

This game was a tale of two halves. The Chargers led the Jags 27-0 in the first half and Trevor Lawrence threw 4 interceptions. It was down right ugly. I thought for sure I got the pick wrong. I was also upset because I wanted the Chargers to lose after the way their head coach messed up coaching the last two games. For the Jags, this was the most improbable win. Even though they were discouraged they didn’t give up. With less than a minute to go before halftime Lawrence started to turn his team around with a touchdown pass to Evan Engram.  In the second half Trevor added three more touchdowns and the Jags defense held the Chargers to just a field goal. It was pretty incredible. I was happy because I went 2-0 on Saturday with my picks. The Jags are heading Kansas City next, and they’ll need all the luck they can muster. 

Dolphins @ Bills 31-34

I’m pretty sure the Bills looked past this game, and hopefully they’ve learned from this mistake. Yes, they still won the game but they didn’t look great doing so. The Dolphins had to start their third string rookie QB Skylar Thompson because Tua Tagovailoa and backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater were ruled out due to injury. Skylar’s dad drove 15 hours from Missouri to Buffalo to see his son’s first start. The Dolphins kept pace the entire game and the Bills struggled. Josh Allen had 3 turnovers, one of which was a fumble returned for a touchdown by Zach Sieler 61 seconds into the third quarter to put the Dolphins up 24-20. I think that was actually the Bills wakeup call. After that Allen threw two touchdown passes over a span of 3 minutes and 11 seconds which put the Bills up by 10. The Dolphins did their best to come back with a touchdown in the fourth quarter to put the game within 3 points. But that’s where it ended. The Bills defense stopped Miami as they turned the ball over on downs on their final possession to give the Bills the win. The Bills advance to the divisional round and host Cincinnati on Sunday. 

 

NY Giants @ Vikings 31-24

I knew we could do it! And we did! The Giants beat the Vikings! Woot!  The Vikings started off strong, scoring on their first drive. This did not sit well with me. Alright boys, answer back, is what I thought. They did. Saquon Barkley had his first touchdown of the postseason. On the Vikings next possession they did not score, in fact they didn’t score again until the end of the second quarter! The Giants scored 3 times in the first half and led going into half time. In the first half Danny had a passing touchdown to Isaiah Hodgins and Graham Gano had a field goal. We got the ball first in the second half and marched down the field.  Daniel Bellinger caught a 9-yard pass from Danny Jones to score a touchdown on the opening drive. Midway through the quarter the Vikings answered back with another touchdown. In the fourth quarter the Vikings tied the game with a field goal. So, of course, the Giants answered back with Barkley’s second rushing touchdown of the day. After that the defense stepped up and put Minnesota’s playoff advancement to bed  by swarming tight end T.J. Hockenson at midfield on fourth-and-8 to force a turnover on downs with 1:44 to go and no timeouts left for the Vikings. Danny was able to kneel it out to end the game. Speaking of Jones, he became the first quarterback in NFL history to hit these thresholds in a postseason game: 300-plus yards passing, two-plus passing touchdowns, and 70-plus yards rushing. That is quite the accomplishment. Next the Giants head on down to Philadelphia to take on division rival Eagles. 

Ravens @ Bengals 17-24

The Bengals got super lucky or the Ravens got super unlucky. This game was back and forth and by the fourth quarter it really looked like the Ravens were going to win the game. With 12 minutes left in the game the Ravens were facing third-and-goal at the 1 yard line. QB Tyler Huntley tried to go over the top of the line for the go-ahead score but fumbled the ball which went right to defensive end Sam Hubbard. Hubbard returned Huntley's fumble 98 yards for a tie-breaking touchdown. Baltimore tried to tie the game up once more late in the 4th but Huntley threw incomplete to the end zone on the final play. So the Ravens are done with the post season and the Bengals travel to Buffalo to continue their hopes to another Super Bowl run. 

Cowboys @ Buccaneers 31-14

This game was dumb. The Cowboys are dumb and the Bucs receivers are also dumb. 

Obviously, I wanted the Bucs to win this game. It’ll probably be the last time we see Tom Brady in a Bucs uniform and perhaps on the field of play at all. Nothing went right for Tampa Bay and almost everything went the right way for the Cowboys. About the only thing that went wrong for them was their kicker.  Brett Maher missed his first four extra points, becoming the first player in NFL history to miss that many in a game. Maher finally converted on his fifth attempt after coach Mike McCarthy decided against sending him out to try a field goal from roughly the same distance as a PAT. The Cowboys are now heading to San Francisco to take on the 49ers.

DIVISIONAL WEEKEND

Saturday, January 21st

Jaguars @ Chiefs (4:30pm NBC)

After last week I am not going to say that the Jags have no chance at winning this game. I mean, they came back from a 27 point deficit. I will say that the Chiefs aren’t the Chargers so if the Jags do fall down 27 they probably won’t come back and win this game. The Chiefs are fresh off their bye and ready to win. Andy Reid, Chiefs head coach, is historically really good after a bye and I don’t see that ending against the Jags. Hopefully Reid didn’t share many of his winning secrets as the Jags head coach Doug Pederson used to coach with Reid when they were both in Philadelphia. I am picking the Chiefs to win this game, I’m just hoping it's a good one. 

NY Giants @ Eagles  (8:15pm NBC)

First of all, considering the last two seasons, I’m still in shock and amazement that the Giants won more than 3 games this season. Now, to see that we are still in the playoffs is pretty mind blowing. Brian Daboll has truly changed this team for the better and should absolutely be coach of the year. Anyway, I’m going to preface this by saying, I’m a delusional Giants fan. I think the Giants can and will win this game. There I said it. I’m picking the Giants to win this game. Philly can bring on the double birds, we’re ready! I’m not going to say much else, as I don’t think there is much else that needs to be said. GO G-MEN!!!

Sunday, January 22nd

Bengals @ Bills (3pm CBS)

This game is going to be emotional. It’s going to be tense. It’s going to get chippy. I don’t have to recap what happened the last time these two teams met up. I will say that the actions that followed gave the Bengals a chip on their shoulder. Because the game was canceled, the best the Bengals could rank in the AFC was the 3rd seed even though they beat the Chiefs during the regular season. They were beating the Bills too before the game was canceled. The Bengals are also the underdogs coming into this game; the Bills are favored according to Vegas. Last week I think that both teams looked past their opponent. This week I don’t think that’s the case. I’m picking the Bills to win this game and I am cheering for them as well. I’m pretty sure Damar Hamlin will be at the game which could be the added boost the Bills need to secure the W. GO BILLS! 

Cowboys @ 49ers  (6:30pm FOX)

The Cowboys looked pretty dominant last week, but I think this is where the road ends for them. The 49ers are a different kind of beast and I am picking them to win this game. 

GO G-MEN!!!!!!!!!!!!! (isn’t it cool I still get to type this!)

Thanks for the edit Eric!

The Shenoa Report Super Wildcard Weekend '23

 The Shenoa Report

January 14, 2023

Super Wild Card Weekend

The Postseason is here! Did your team make it? Mine did! And I’m pretty stoked about it too!  It’s been so long since my team has made it. I really don’t know what to expect, but I am excited and cautiously optimistic. 

There are new playoff overtime rules. Just in case a game goes into overtime this postseason, know that the rules will be different. The main difference from last year is that a touchdown on first possession doesn’t end the game, the other team will still have a chance to go down and score. There will also be 15-minute periods instead of the 10-minute overtime period in the regular season. If the team that got the ball first doesn't score a touchdown, or if the score is tied after each team has possessed the ball, the next score would win. (If the team that possesses the ball first commits a safety on the initial possession, the kickoff team would win.) The rules changed after last season’s playoffs that included Buffalo’s divisional playoff loss at Kansas City when the Bills never got to possess the ball in overtime. 

Now for some postseason fun facts. Patrick Mahomes will be the oldest AFC quarterback to start this postseason, he is only 27. We all know that the oldest quarterback in the NFC is Tom Brady at the age of 45. All four starting quarterbacks in Saturday’s wild-card games – Seattle’s Geno Smith, San Francisco’s Brock Purdy, Los Angeles’ Justin Herbert, and Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence - are making their NFL postseason debuts.

I’m so excited for the playoffs! But before we talk more playoffs, let’s recap the final week of the regular season. 

Last week all 32 teams had the option to show their support of Damar Hamlin. The NFL distributed a public address announcement that clubs were encouraged to read prior to the national anthem as a unified show of support for Damar, the first responders, and the medical caregivers. The announcement, accompanied by a scoreboard graphic of Damar was, "Throughout this week, the entire NFL family has been praying for Damar Hamlin of the Buffalo Bills as he continues his recovery, and we thank the first responders and medical professionals involved in his care. The [CLUB NAME] ask you to join us in a moment of support and love for Damar, and cheer for him and his family as they continue their fight."

Teams were also allowed to outline the "3" in each 30-yard line number on the field in either Buffalo Bills Red or Buffalo Bills Blue. During warm-ups, players had the option to wear black Nike t-shirts displaying "Love for Damar 3" on them.

In Buffalo, During warm-ups, Bills players wore a similar Nike shirt but in the team's royal blue. Bills personnel got New Era hats embroidered with a "3" on them. "3" jersey patches were also worn by the Buffalo Bills in Week 18. 

Week 18 was an amazing showing of support throughout the NFL for Damar and all the medical staff. It was touching and showed that there is still humanity in this world. 

I went 11-5 in my picks. Here’s the recap of week 18. 

Chiefs  @ Raiders 31-13

The Chiefs had no problem dominating the Jarrett Stidham led Raiders. Patrick Mahomes was able to spread out the ball and keep the Raiders guessing. The Chiefs run game was the focus this week as there were 3 rushing touchdowns and only one passing. With this win the Chiefs locked up the number one seed, home field advantage, and a first round bye in the playoffs. The Raiders threw away their season when they benched Derek Carr. 

Titans @ Jaguars 16-20

I really thought that the Titans were going to pull off an upset, and they almost did. The Titans were driving at the end of the game, needing a touchdown to take the lead but their inexperienced quarterback, Joshua Dobbs, was on a 3rd and 6 in which he fumbled the ball. Josh Allen picked it up for the Jags and ran it back for a defensive touchdown. And that ended the game for all practical purposes. The Jags squeaked into the playoffs with this win and the Titans playoff hopes vanished with the loss. Next up the Jags will host the LA Chargers. 

Buccaneers @ Falcons 17-30

Tampa Bay already had everything locked so it really didn’t matter if they won or lost this game. So, they lost it.  It wasn’t a pretty game, nor was it very entertaining. I think that the Bucs should’ve rested their starters, but what do I know? The Bucs will host the Cowboys next and the Falcons will potentially host the neutral site playoff game. Not the Falcons players, just the stadium.  

Patriots @ Bills 23-35

There was an energy and buzz in Buffalo before the kickoff. Everyone was nervous, but excited about this game. There was a beautiful tribute for Damar and the medical personnel before the game, and the Bills knew that Damar was watching from his hospital bed in Cincinnati. The opening kickoff set the tone for the rest of the game. Nyheim Hines took the ball 96 yards for a touchdown. I don’t think there was a dry eye in Buffalo. I checked twitter to see if Damar Hamilin had commented on the first score. “OMFG!!!!!!” is all he said.  Later we would find out that after that first score Damar had set off every alarm in the ICU. But not to worry, he was just excited for his team. 

The game was back and forth, and the Patriots stayed in it as long as they could, but it was Buffalo that came out on top, kicking the Pats out of the postseason for only the 4th time in Bill Belichick’s 23 seasons of coaching New England. 

Bills receiver John Brown, who scored on a 42-yard touchdown, honored assistant trainer Denny Kellington by handing him the game ball. Kellington is credited for his quick on-field response in performing CPR to get Hamlin’s heart beating again. Hines had another kick return for a touchdown in the second half, only the 11th player in NFL history to do so twice in a game. The last punt return for a touchdown for Buffalo was 3 years and 3 months ago. That stat really got to Josh Allen in the post game conference. He had to hold back tears. It’s been a stressful emotional week for that whole team. I’m just glad Damar is ok, and also that Buffalo got the win. Buffalo will host the Dolphins next week in the playoffs, and the Pats will watch from their couches. 

 

Vikings @ Bears 29-13

The Vikings won this game, as I knew they would, and the Bears,by losing, get the first pick in the draft next season. So, a win for both teams? The Vikings will host the New York Football Giants during the first round of the playoffs. 

Ravens @ Bengals 16-27

The Ravens had four turnovers in this loss to the Bengals. With this win the Bengals don’t have to worry about a coin flip to determine where they play next. (Up to this point, due to the cancellation of the Bills / Bengals game, the next game’s location would have been determined based on a coin flip.) Next week they will play the Ravens again at home. It’ll probably be a little like deja vu. 

Texans @ Colts 32-31

I love Lovie Smith. I think he knew he was going to be fired after this game so why not screw the Texans out of the number one draft pick and actually win the game. Good call coach Smith! With less than a minute left in the game the Texans scored a touchdown and decided to go for the two point conversion and get the win. That’s exactly what they did. A touchdown pass from Davis Mills to Jordan Akins and then another pass from Mills to Akins for the two point conversion and the win. Also, the Colts lost. HAH!

Jets @ Dolphins 6-11

The Jets ended their season on a six game losing streak and the Dolphins won on a 50+ yard field goal. Their kicker, Jason Sanders, had just one successful field goal of 50-plus yards all season, it was only fitting that the Miami Dolphins' playoff hopes came down to a 50-yard kick and tacked on a safety for good measure. The Dolphins clinched a postseason berth for the first time since 2016. It’s not going to get any easier for the Dolphins as they head to Buffalo for Wild Card Weekend. 

Panthers @ Saints 10-7

This game was boring and doesn’t warrant a recap. 

Browns @ Steelers 14-28

The Steelers won the game but did not make it into the playoffs because the Jets couldn’t get the win. This win did help Coach Mike Tomlin keep his winning record streak alive. This was his 16th straight non-losing season with the Steelers. That’s a pretty impressive record. 

NY Giants @ Eagles 16-22

OK. I knew we were going to lose. I knew that we were resting most of our starters and we’d play our 2nd and 3rd string players. I also knew that this was a must win for the Eagles and that Jalen Hurts, as well as all their other starters, would play and play for the win.  I had my recipes all ready to go. I made King Arthur’s Cinnamon Crunch Coffee Cake and Claire Saffitz’s Apple Cake. What I didn’t anticipate was not being disappointed after the game. I mean, we didn’t look bad at all! Even Kenny Golladay got in the game AND scored a touchdown on a pass from Davis Webb?!?! The Eagles, on the other hand, were only 1 of 5 in the red zone — and their starters played the entire game. Yeah, we lost to the Eagles, but really, if you’re a Giants fan, you should be proud of the way the backups handled this game. Kudos to them. Go G-Men! 

With this win the Eagles locked up the number one seed, home field advantage, and a first round bye in the playoffs. The Giants will head to Minnesota next for their first playoff appearance this decade. 

Cowboys @ Commanders 6-26

The Cowboys got walloped! It was great to see! Sorry not sorry. The Cowboys are heading to Tampa Bay next and the Commanders are done for the season. 

Chargers @ Broncos 28-31

The Chargers knew they were in the playoffs before the game even started, so why they decided to play their starters for so long is beyond me. Head coach Brandon Staley's decision to keep his players sharp in an otherwise meaningless game was the wrong decision in my opinion. Wide receiver Mike Williams was carted off the field with a back injury and linebacker Kenneth Murray Jr. suffered a stinger.  Joey Bosa, who just returned from a groin injury last month, was limping along the sideline after a sack he made. He was also out for the rest of the game. 

On the other side of the field Russell Wilson and the Broncos had their best game of the season. Wilson had three touchdown passes and was throwing bombs throughout the game. It was good to see Russell look like vintage Wilson again. Although the Broncos season is over they ended on a high note. The Chargers will travel to Jacksonville next to see if they can win a game in the postseason. 

Cardinals @ 49ers 13-38

The 49ers are dangerous. Brock Purdy had three passing touchdowns in this massacre over the Cardinals. It was  J.J. Watt’s last NFL game. He had two sacks on Purdy so it was a good day for him, but it wasn’t a good day for the rest of the Cardinals. Kliff Kingsburry was relieved of his head coaching position after the loss. The 49ers will host the Seahawks next and the Cardinals will be working on rebuilding, for awhile.  

Rams @ Seahawks 16-19 OT

The Seahawks were the lucky S.O.B.’s this week and they had a lot of help from the officiating. Adam Schefter has a whole article about the missed/blown/and non calls from this game that gave the win to the Seahawks. If you are interested, you should check it out. 

To have any chance at the postseason the Seahawks needed a win and Green Bay to lose. Both things, as unlikely as it seemed, happened. Seattle’s kicker Jason Myers missed a game winning field goal on the final play of regulation which sent the game into overtime. But he got redemption when he kicked a 32-yard field goal midway through overtime to give Seattle the win. The Seahawks head to San Francisco next and the Rams are just glad the season is over. 

Lions @ Packers 20-16

Although the Lions didn’t get into the postseason, neither did the Packers and I’ll take that as a win. The Packers were up by 3 and had all the momentum heading into the 4th quarter and it looked like they would win the game. Until, midway through the fourth quarter when the Lions put together a long drive. With 7:55 left in the game, Jarred Goff threw a short pass to  D’Andre Swift. Swift was injured during the play and the medical staff came onto the field. Green Bay’s linebacker Quay Walker decided to shove one of the Lions’ medical personnel instead of just moving out of the way so he could do his job. I thought to myself, what in the world?! After this past week when all medical staff were highlighted for saving the life of Damar Hamilin on the field  you are going to shove one of them?! Needless to say Walker drew a penalty that put the Lions on GB’s 4 yard line and gave them first and goal. Walker was also ejected from the game, and rightfully so.  Jamaal Williams then scored a rushing touchdown to put the Lions ahead by 4. When the Packers got the ball back they did start to drive to keep their playoff hopes alive. With 3:37 left in the game on a 3rd and 10 Aaron Rodgers dropped back and threw a deep pass intended for Christian Watson. Only it was INTERCEPTED by Lions defender Kyle Joseph. And that my friends pretty much ended the game and crushed the hopes of an Aaron Rodgers postseason run. Hooray for the Lions. 

SUPER WILDCARD WEEKEND

Saturday, January 14th

Seahawks (9-8) @ 49ers (13-4) (4:30pm FOX)

Weather might just be a factor for this game. In the past couple of weeks California has gotten all the rain. There has been major flooding and mudslides and there isn’t an end in sight. San Francisco is supposed to get another ½ inch of rain on Saturday. It’s a good thing the 49ers have such a good run game.  Fun Fact: the Niners will be the 25th team in the Super Bowl era to sweep two games against an opponent in regular season and play them again in playoffs. Those previous teams went 14-10 in the third meeting in the playoff, including the loss by the 49ers to the Rams last season on the road. But teams that hosted the third game had a 13-6 record. The 49ers are so much more dangerous this season and the Rams aren’t even in the picture this time around. I am picking the 49ers to win this game. I think that’s a no brainer. 

Chargers (10-7) @ Jaguars (9-8) (8:15pm NBC)

I think the Chargers are pretty banged up (Mike Williams has already been ruled out with a back injury and will not play) and the Jags seem to be firing on all cylinders. I’m picking the Jags to win this game. 

Sunday, January 15th

Dolphins (9-8) @ Bills (13-3) (1pm CBS)

Well, the Dolphins have lost nine straight games when playing outdoors in temperatures lower than 40 degrees. It’s supposed to be a high of 31 on Sunday in Buffalo. Also, Tua Tagovailoa will not play and backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is dealing with a dislocated finger. I really don’t think the Dolphins have a chance at winning this game. The Bills will continue to rally around Damar Hamlin and dedicate each game to him.  I’m rooting for and picking the Bills to win this game. GO BILLS! Special shoutout to the biggest Bills Fan I know, Uncle Steve!

 

NY Giants (9-7-1) @ Vikings (13-4)  (4:30pm FOX)

The NY Football Giants have made it to the playoffs for the first time since 2016!!!!! They haven't had a postseason victory since their Super Bowl championship 11 years ago. They are the underdogs in this game and that’s how I like it. I think that’s how they like it too. That underdog mentality worked for them in ‘07 and again in ‘11 when we went and won the Super Bowl! The Giants know the Vikings well, having just played them in week 16. The Giants should’ve won that game, but they will win this game and I am picking them to do so. GO G-MEN!!!!!!

Ravens (10-7) @ Bengals (12-4) (8:15pm NBC)

The Bengals and Ravens will play for the second consecutive week — and third time this season. The Ravens will be without Lamar Jackson who is still out with a knee injury and backup Tyler Huntley is dealing with a sore shoulder, so rookie Anthony Brown will get his first NFL start. All that said I think that the Bengals are clearly the better team and I am picking them to win this game. 

Monday, January 16th

Cowboys (12-5) @ Buccaneers (8-9)  (8:15pm ABC/ESPN/ESPN+)

The Cowboys are favored to win this game but Dallas hasn’t won a postseason game on the road since the 1992 playoffs. And the Cowboys have never beaten Brady, who is 7-0 against them, including wins with Tampa Bay in the past two season openers. If I were a betting person my money would be on Tom Brady. I am picking the Bucs to win this game, mostly because I don’t want to see the Cowboys win anymore this season. 

GO G-MEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for the edit Eric!

The Shenoa Report Week 18 '23 #theshenoareport

 The Shenoa Report
January 7, 2023
Regular Season Week 18

Happy New Year!!!! The first week of 2023 was loaded with emotion and uncertainty in the NFL family. Players, coaches, announcers, commentators, medical staff, and fans alike felt like they were in an episode of the twilight zone. This can’t be real life. This can’t be happening. 

It all started Monday night during the Bills/Bengals game.

The game started later than usual because the Rose Bowl, where Penn State wallopped Utah, was on ESPN and didn’t conclude until after 8:30pm. When the game finally kicked off the Bengals marched down the field and scored a touchdown on their first possession. The Bills answered back with a field goal on their next drive. On Cincinnati's next drive Tee Higgens caught the ball near the 50 yard line and was immediately tackled by safety Damar Hamlin. Hamlin jumped up after the tackle and then collapsed. I gasped, as I’m sure everyone else did who was watching. Within 10 seconds medical personnel were on the field and the game went into a commercial break.  When the broadcast came back from the break the scene on the field was down right scary. Both teams seemed to be huddled around Damar so that the camera’s couldn’t get a good look into what was going on. There was another commercial break. Joe Buck and Troy Aikmin were calling the game and I remember the tone of their voices when they brought the ambulance on the field. When Buck said that they were administering CPR I knew this wasn’t good, or normal. Another commercial break. The players' faces were heartbreaking. Grown men openly weeping, hugging, and praying. The game was suspended at roughly 9:16 p.m. with 5:58 remaining in the first quarter. Damar was transported by ambulance to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center at roughly 9:23 p.m. After Hamlin was removed from the field, it was reported that play would resume and teams would be given a warm up period for five minutes. That did not happen, and of course, the NFL denied the reports that the game would resume that evening. Both teams went into their respective locker rooms and waited for any news. The broadcast went to in-studio with Suzy Kolber, Adam Schefter, and Booger McFarland. Booger said it best, “cancel this game now and figure out what that means later.”  The game was ultimately postponed for the night shortly after 10 p.m. while Damar was reported to be in critical condition and was intubated. Later that night at 1:48 a.m. local time, the Bills reported that Hamlin had initially suffered cardiac arrest and his heartbeat was restored on-field. No other update was given that night. Tuesday morning there was still no update. Damar remained in critical condition, sedated, on a ventilator. The NFL announced that the game would not be resumed that week. 

In 2020 Damar has started a GoFundMe Charity Campaign for a toy drive in his local community. His goal was to raise $2,500. By Tuesday morning his campaign had already raised over a million. 

There were no significant updates on Wednesday, only that the doctors had flipped Damar onto his stomach to take stress off of his lungs. 

On Thursday the NFL decided to cancel the Bills/Bengals game entirely and not reschedule it. Damar also woke up! When he did, he was able to follow commands and had full control and feeling in his extremities. He also started to communicate by writing on paper or by nodding and shaking his head because he still had a breathing tube. One of the first things he asked was, “Did we win?” The answer the doctor gave, “Yes, Damar, you won. You won the game of life.”

On January 6, Hamlin was able to breathe on his own, at which point his breathing tube was removed, allowing him to speak. Later that day, he FaceTimed into the Bills team meeting, which I’m sure made everyone’s day.

Thankfully, the NFL had the right protocols in place for this emergency situation. I learned this week that the NFL has an Emergency Action Plan. There is one lead person at every game that is in charge to delegate and to make sure everything that needs to happen, happens. There is an airway management physician on site, an ambulance at each stadium, and a Level 1 trauma center in each city. All medical personnel and game officials also meet an hour before kickoff to coordinate and review the plan. 

There has been an outpouring of love, prayer, and support for Hamlin and the Bills community. You’ll see it displayed before every game this weekend. 

Damar continues to move in the right direction. I’m hoping and praying that Damar makes a full recovery. Oh, and as of yesterday, his GoFundMe has raised over 8 million dollars. 

I went 13-2 in picks last week.

Here are the recaps of the rest of the games in week 17

Cowboys @ Titans 27-13

The Cowboys didn’t look too good doing it, but they got the win. It helped that Tennessee didn’t start most of their players including Ryan Tannehill and Derrick Henry. It also helped that it was a meaningless game for the Titans. But the Titans did manage to keep the game fairly close picking off Dak Prescott twice in the first half. 

Cardinals @ Falcons 19-20

For not being great teams at least they were evenly matched as it was a very close game. It was a Koo field goal at the end of the game that gave the Falcons the win. 

Bears @ Lions 10-41

The Lions are playing really good football as of late. Jared Goff hasn’t thrown an interception since October! The Bears have a great quarterback but are otherwise terrible. With this win the Lions still have a chance at the post season. 

Jaguars @ Texans 31-3

The Jags definitely didn’t look past the Texans even though they are at the top of their division. The Jags are playing tough ball and want to continue to keep their playoff hopes alive, without having a winning record. 

 

Broncos @ Chiefs 24-27

The Broncos kept this game entertaining and Russell Wilson now has more touchdowns this season than bathrooms in his house. What man needs 12 bathrooms in a house? The Chiefs need to tighten things up if they want to dominate in the postseason. 

Dolphins @ Patriots 21-23

The Dolphins had a chance to clinch a postseason berth with a victory and loss by the New York Jets at Seattle. Instead, Miami lost its fifth straight game and gave the Patriots a chance at the postseason. With this win the Pats are still technically alive but have to beat the Bills next week. 

Colts @ NY Giants 10-38

The NY Football Giants are in the playoffs!!!!!!!!! (for the first time since 2016) What a great game. An epic game. Brian Daboll for president! Or at least coach of the year. Danny Jones, had zero turnovers, threw two touchdown passes, and ran for two more. Landon Collins, one of two players from the '16 team, broke the game open late in the second quarter with a 52-yard pick-6. Rookie Kayvon Thibodeaux was all over Nick Foles, one of his knockdown sacks took Foles out of the game. Thibodeaux celebrated the sack making snow angels on the ground, little did he know that Foles was laying next to him in agony. We routed the Colts and now we are playoff bound!!!!! Side note boys, no boats this week! Stay sharp!

Saints @ Eagles 20-10

The one time I was legitimately rooting for the Eagles and they couldn’t get it done against the stupid Saints! Ugggg!!!! Despicable! 

Panthers @ Buccaneers 24-30

The Bucs clinched a playoff spot with this win. It wasn’t pretty but they got it done. The Panthers, not so much. At least D.J. Moore had a decent game. 

Browns @ Commanders 24-10

Fans booed Carson Wentz and chanted for Taylor Heinicke but Ron Rivera didn’t listen. Wentz threw three interceptions and in part lost the game for the Commanders. Rivera didn’t even know they could be eliminated after their loss. We learned this when he was asked in the post game conference. If you have time, look up the clip. It’s hilarious. I mean, if you aren’t a Commanders fan. If you are, it’s about as embarrassing as starting Carson Wentz, losing, and being eliminated from postseason play. 

49ers @ Raiders 37-34 OT

This game shouldn’t have been that close but I am glad the 49ers got it done. Screw the Raiders organization and what they did to Derek Carr.  

Jets @ Seahawks 6-23

The Seahawks keep their playoff hopes alive and eliminate the Jets from the post season with this win. Geno Smith also showed the Jets that he can be a winning quarterback, something he didn’t do very often when he played for NY. 

Vikings @ Packers 17-41

Aaron Rodgers fully believes in the power of positive affirmations. He said after the win, “I do believe in the power of manifestation and I do believe in momentum and I believe very strongly in the force of the mind. And when you start to believe something strongly, some miraculous things can happen.” I’m gonna have to say, yeah the score says it all. With this win the Packers are still alive in hopes of reaching the playoffs. The Vikings are already in but aren’t looking too good right now. 

Rams @ Chargers 10-31

Austin Ekeler rushed for 122 yards, scored two touchdowns and became the fifth running back with 100 receptions in a season and he helped the Chargers win the game. The Chargers are already in the playoffs and the Rams had already been eliminated so it was like, huh, let’s see what Ekeler can do.

Steelers @ Ravens 16-13

The Steelers needed the win and a lot of help to stay alive and those lucky sons of B’s got it! The Steelers won on a Kenny Pickett touchdown pass to Najee Harris with 56 seconds remaining in the game to give them the win. The Steelers also needed the Dolphins and Jets to lose and they did as well. Like I said, lucky sons of Bs! 

Bills @ Bengals 3-7 Canceled

 

WEEK 18

NFL owners approved a resolution Friday during a Special League Meeting to potentially adjust the AFC postseason, including possibly playing a conference championship game at a neutral site, the league announced on Friday.

Friday's resolution consists of two main elements:

1) The AFC Championship Game will be played at a neutral site if:

Buffalo (12-3) and Kansas City (13-3) both win or tie in Week 18 + both teams advance to the AFC title game.

Buffalo (12-3) and Kansas City (13-3) both lose + Cincinnati (11-4) also loses or ties in Week 18 + Buffalo and Kansas City advance to the AFC title game.

Buffalo (12-3) and Kansas City (13-3) both lose + Cincinnati (11-4) wins + the AFC title game is either Bills-Chiefs or Bengals-Chiefs.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell will determine the neutral site of the title game, if one is required.

2) If the Ravens (10-6) defeat Cincinnati in Week 18 and the Chargers (10-6) beat the Denver Broncos, and if Baltimore and Cincinnati are scheduled to play a wild-card game against one another, the site for that game would be determined by a coin toss. If Cincinnati wins the Week 18 game or if Baltimore and Cincinnati are not scheduled to play one another in the wild-card round, the game sites would be determined by the regular scheduling procedures.

Taken from: https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-owners-approve-resolution-to-adjust-afc-postseason-including-potential-neutr

It’s a good article and a good read if you are interested. 

Saturday, January 7th

Chiefs (13-3) @ Raiders (6-10) (4:30pm ABC/ESPN/ESPN+)

The Chiefs control their own destiny. With a win they are the number one seed in the AFC. I’m picking the Chiefs to win this game. 

Titans (7-9) @ Jaguars (8-8) (8:15pm ABC/ESPN/ESPN+)

The Jags are in first place in the AFC South and would win the division for the first time since 2017 with a win over the Titans. The Titans have dropped six straight but could still clinch a playoff spot with a win over the Jags. The Jags are highly favored in this game but they don’t have Derrick Henry. Against better judgment I am going to pick the Titans to win this game. 

Sunday, January 8th

Buccaneers (8-8) @ Falcons (6-10) (1pm FOX)

Tampa Bay already has everything locked up and can’t advance or drop in the playoff rankings. The Falcons are out of the playoff and should probably win this game as the Bucs should rest their starters in anticipation for the playoffs. I’m picking the Falcons to win this game. 

Patriots (8-8) @ Bills (12-3) (1pm CBS)

The Patriots need this win to keep their playoff hopes alive. They aren’t going to get it. I’m picking the Bills to win. The Bills are dedicating this game to and playing for #3 Damar Hamlin and they will get the win. I am sure it’ll be one hell of emotional exclamation point to end the scariest week for all the Bills. 

 

Vikings (12-4) @ Bears (3-13) (1pm FOX)

The Vikings are already in the playoffs but lost the second seed last week. They could regain it but only if they win and the 49ers lose. Yeah, that won’t happen. The Bears are not going to play Justin Fields so I think that the Vikings will win this game, at least that’s who I’m picking to win. 

Ravens (10-6) @ Bengals (11-4) (1pm CBS)

See the above scenarios from NFL.com if the Ravens win. I don’t think they are going to. The Bengals also had a hell of a week and will most likely play for Damar and I am picking them to win this game. 

Texans (2-13-1) @ Colts (4-11-1) (1pm CBS)

Both teams are just playing for draft position. I have lost all respect for Jeff Saturday after he called Thibodeaux trash. I hope the Colts lose just because of Saturday. I’m picking the Texans for the win. 

Jets (7-9) @ Dolphins (8-8) (1pm FOX)

The Dolphins need to win this game, and Buffalo will need to beat New England, to qualify for the postseason for the first time since 2016. But, I can’t name the Dolphins quarterback because both Tua and Bridgwater will most likely be out. I’m picking the Jets to win and end the Dolphins hopes at the post season. 

Panthers (6-10) @ Saints (7-9) (1pm FOX)

Both teams are playing for pride because they have both been eliminated. I’m picking the Saints to win this game only because they have home field advantage. 

Browns (7-9) @ Steelers (8-8) (1pm CBS)

The Steelers can make it to the playoffs with a win plus a Dolphins loss plus a Pats loss. Those lucky sons of B’s might just do it again. But remember the Browns are the Steelers kryptonite. I picked the Steelers to win last time and I was wrong, but I am going to do it again. 

NY Giants (9-6-1) @ Eagles (13-3)  (4:25pm CBS) 

The Giants have already clinched a spot in the playoffs and, like the Bucs, can’t move up or down in the rankings. They are expected to rest key starters including, Leonard Williams, Azeez Ojulari, Saquon Barkley, Daniel Jones, Dexter Lawrence, Julian Love, Andrew Thomas, and Kayvon Thibodeaux. Tyrod Taylor is expected to play most, if not all, of the game.  This is totally fine because Kenny Golladay only needs one of the following to get his $750,000 bonus this weekend: 76 catches, 10 touchdowns, or 1,149 yards. In Tyrod and Golladay we trust. 

On the other hand, the Eagles are playing for a first round bye in the playoffs. Jalen Hurts is expected to play along with all the other dynomite starters.  I am picking the Eagles to win this game but obviously I am still rooting for an upset, and it would indeed be an upset. I’ve already planned what I’m baking when the game becomes unwatchable. GO G-MEN!

Cowboys (12-4) @ Commanders (7-8-1)  (4:25pm FOX)

Dallas is now playing for home field advantage and the Commanders are playing for a divisional upset after they were eliminated last week. “We could be eliminated?” Have you watched the clip yet? Anyway, the Cowboys would need help from the Giants and the Cardinals to get that home field advantage in the playoffs and I’m pretty sure neither team is going to be any help. Dallas can clinch home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs  with a Win + PHI loss + SF loss. (Yeah, that’s not going to happen)

They could get  the NFC East title with a Win + PHI loss as well. (That’s not going to happen either) I am picking the Cowboys to win but that’s where it ends. 

Chargers (10-6) @ Broncos (4-12)  (4:25pm CBS)

The Chargers control their own destiny for the most part. They just need to focus on beating the Broncos. Other scenarios include: If the Ravens lose to the Bengals on Sunday during the early games, the Chargers would lock in the No. 5 seed in the AFC. But if the Ravens beat the Bengals, the Chargers will need to defeat the Broncos in order to secure the AFC's top wild card spot. The Broncos are playing for dignity at this point, not even having a chance at the postseason. I think the best hope for the Chargers is to become Bengals fans and root for Cincinnati. I have more confidence in the Bengals winning than the Chargers winning. Long story short, I’m picking the Broncos to win this game so they avoid losing 13 games this season, which would be a franchise low for Denver. 

Cardinals (4-12) @ 49ers (12-4)  (4:25pm FOX)

This will be J.J. Watt’s last NFL game. He is retiring from football. The Cardinals were not good this year and that might have helped Watt’s decision. The 49ers are playing for home field advantage but they need help from the Giants to lock that in. First they need to win and they need to have the Giants beat the Eagles. Sorry 49ers, I’m a huge Giants fan and I’m not even delusional enough to think that the Giants can beat the Eagles this week. I’m picking the 49ers to win this game. 

Rams (5-11) @ Seahawks (8-8)  (4:25pm FOX)

The Seahawks must win and hope for a loss or tie by Green Bay against Detroit to reach the postseason. So you’re telling me there’s a chance? I think the Seahawks will win this game but I honestly don’t know if they’ll get that last wild card spot. 

Lions (8-8) @ Packers (8-8) (8:20pm NBC)

To get in the playoffs, all the Packers have to do is beat the Lions. If the Packers lose, the Seahawks would get in if they beat the Rams. If the Seahawks lose, then the Lions would get in with a win over the Packers. That seems like a lot. In this scenario I am rooting for the Lions to get into the playoffs. I know this is the most unlikely of all. My heart says to pick the Lions but my head says to pick the Packers. I’m picking the Packers to win this game, but know that I’m rooting for you Detroit! 

GO G-MEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for the edit Eric!