NFL: 10 Bold Predictions for Week 10 and Beyond

Any writer can take stats, matchups, and history, roll it into one tight “I want to be just like Clark Judge” ball, and throw it at the public. But that’s not my style.

Well, it could be, but not today.

With two undefeated teams marching into Week 10, Peyton Manning chasing Dan Marino’s single-season yardage record, and Brett Favre clinging to the hope of one last shot at a Super Bowl, there is an endless list of story-lines for any writer to be busy for weeks.

Let’s shorten that workload. Let’s cut the time-line in half. Here’s my 10 bold predictions, starting in Week 10 and leading all the way up to the Super Bowl, listed in no particular order:

 

1. The New Orleans Saints Will Go 16-0

It’s hard not to think about it. After all, it’s only been two season since the New England Patriots almost stopped the 1972 Dolphins’ from cracking open more bottles of champagne.

The New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts are both 8-0, and the way they’ve been playing, it’s at least arguable that they both could finish the season undefeated, especially considering they don’t face each other in the regular season.

However, NFL Soup is already calling an upset with the New England Patriots ending the Colts’ streak this week, and even if they do get past Tom Brady and Co., the pile-up of injuries and a tough schedule doesn’t leave a ton of optimism for Indianapolis.

New Orleans, however, has a bunch of cakewalk games with two stellar opponents, the aforementioned Patriots and the Dallas Cowboys, sandwiched in between.

Both of those teams will give them a run for their money, but in the end, the Saints will do what no one thought they would: remain perfect.

An absolutely ridiculous average of 37.9 offensive points and 427 yards per game suggest that it’s a very real possibility.

 

2. Chris Chambers Will Make the Chiefs Watchable

Not all by himself, of course. In fact, I’d even go as far as saying new slot receiver Lance Long will make a name for himself, as well. Call it “jumping the gun” or whatever you want, but even in their loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, that Chiefs’ passing attack did some pretty exciting things.

If Chambers can score two touchdowns and rack up 70 yards in a debut with a team he was with for less than a week, imagine what Todd Haley can help him do for the rest of the season. And you all thought he was washed up…

 

3. Peyton Manning Will Make Dan Marino Cry

Marino will officially say good-bye to his last important NFL record by the time the 2009 regular season wraps up, I’m predicting.

Peyton Manning has passed for over 300 yards in seven of eight appearances this season, and only needs to maintain a few yards under his torrid average to eclipse Marino’s single-season record for passing yards. With a poor rush offense, Manning will undoubtedly be relied upon to produce in every game from here on out.

 

4. There Will Not Be a Late-Season Fade for Brett Favre

You can cross your fingers and shake the crystal ball all you want, Favre-haters, but it’s not going to happen. He may be 40 years old and playing with a partially torn rotator cuff, but nothing of what we have seen suggests Favre will slow down.

Besides, we haven’t even begun to see Adrian Peterson take over for this offense, and once that finally happens, it could be full coast-mode for the Vikings, quite possibly all the way to the Super Bowl. But that’s another prediction all in itself.

 

5. The Denver Broncos Will Miss the Playoffs

Their shaken, losing confidence, and if they somehow fall to Washington, they’ll be just about crushed. Kyle Orton can’t play “Captain Comeback,” well, ever, so if this offense doesn’t get and sustain leads down the road, they’re going to have some serious issues.

That amazing defense all you Broncos fans were ranting and raving about just got severely exposed in two straight games. The real question is, which part of this season is the trend, and which is the aberration? My guess is the most recent streak is closer to the truth.

 

6. The Tennessee Titans Will Finish 8-8 or Better

Yeah, sounds crazy, doesn’t it? But knowing Vince Young and how his confidence has got to be booming after two straight wins, it’s a real possibility.

That formerly horrid pass defense has looked sharp the past two weeks, and Albert Haynesworth or no Albert Haynesworth, Jeff Fisher still has this team playing great against the run.

With Indianapolis, San Diego, and Arizona as the only three bona fide contenders remaining on Tennessee’s schedule, it’s not too unrealistic to think this team can turn the corner and gain some momentum back for next season.

 

7. Alex Smith Will Lead the San Francisco 49ers into the Playoffs

How, you might ask? Oh, with a colossal meltdown by the now 5-3 Arizona Cardinals, and a return appearance by a 49ers defense that looked dominant in a 10-6 victory over the Chicago Bears on Thursday night.

Sure, the Bears aren’t an elite offense by any means, but that’s a big win, both for Smith and the franchise, and it’s going to be the turning point they needed.

At 4-5, the 49ers could easily pull right back into the division talk with a win over Arizona the next time the two teams square off. Having Philadelphia as the only other tough opponent on the rest of their schedule could put the 49ers at 10-6 and in the driver’s seat for the division if they play their Cards’ right. (Pun intended.)

 

8. Chris Johnson Will Top 2,000 Yards Rushing

After all, if the Titans are going to make a furious run back to respectability, they have to score and move the ball somehow, right?

Johnson is on an amazing tear and has a nice enough schedule that one could easily see him breaking the NFL single-season yardage record. Well, maybe not easily, but he can still get it done.

 

9. The Green Bay Packers Will Start Over

And by “start over,” I mean they’ll be lucky to win two more games and match last season’s pathetic 6-10 record. That, and Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy have breathed their last frozen breath in Wisconsin.

At least, they will have done so when the season ends. They simply have not put together the right pieces over a four-year tenure together, and outside of Aaron Rodgers, make it very difficult to find anything “right” they’ve done with this roster.

 

10. Brett Favre Will Complete His Comeback

He’ll stay in top form the whole way, proving all his doubters wrong, officially making Ted Thompson and the Packers look like even bigger fools than they already have made themselves, and he will leave the game on top. Maybe.

He’ll win the Super Bowl, that much I’m certain of. But I’m not about to commit to him retiring. Or not retiring. Or whatever. Oh, and he’ll add Comeback Player of the Year to his award case.

Who ever saw that coming?

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NFL Fantasy Football Match-Up Issues: Correcting the Myths

It all starts with two bad games of lazy tackling and facing two elite running backs, and then all of a sudden the Houston Texans have one of the worst run defenses in the league.

But for the entire season?

Something I’ve been noticing lately, and luckily some of my opponents in fantasy haven’t, is that owners get far too caught up in defense rankings and match-ups, without actually taking a close look for themselves .

The trouble is, if you hear that the Tennessee Titans defense is “horrible” in Week Six, you’re bound to start any quarterback against them, no questions asked, from that point on.

But this philosophy doesn’t work.

The Houston run defense got better. It got much better.

The Tennessee Titans got Cortland Finnegan back and played more controlled offensive football with Vince Young in the line-up, and now their pass defense is, you guessed it, better .

But it doesn’t stop at these two defenses. Here are two more 2009 Urban NFL Legends that were begotten early in the season and are still living in the minds of many.

 

The Arizona Cardinals Pass Defense Stinks

Yeah, it can. But take this week for instance. They’re facing Matt Hasselbeck and a Seattle Seahawks offense that they destroyed four weeks ago, 27-3. They went after Hasselbeck all day, sacking him five times, picking off a pass, and forcing him to complete just 10 of 29 passes.

He and Seattle still might get the last laugh in a revenge game, but even if they do, Arizona’s pass defense will have still played its part in allowing 21 or less points in six of their eight contests this season.

 

That Great Green Bay Packers Run Defense

Well, I’m not so sure anyone is calling it “great”, but it’s solid. Sort of. I mean, if you consider stopping the likes of Jamal Lewis, Kevin Smith, Matt Forte (this season, anyways), and Carnell Williams, then yes, the Packers run defense is solid .

But like with most things, a closer look exposes the truth:

To find out what we’re saying about the Packers and for the rest of this piece, head over to NFLSoup.com

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The Red Zone Report’s NFL Quick Hits: Nov. 12

Justin Gage Out With Fractures in Back

He hasn’t technically been ruled out yet, but this is as close as it gets without confirmation. Gage reportedly suffered multiple fractures in his back after a very impressive catch against the 49ers last week.

While the catch made him a hero for a day, the fall may have brought his fantasy stock back down to where it was prior to week nine.

 

T.O. Misses Second Straight Practice

Owens is dealing with a hip injury and head coach Dick Jauron has made it sound as if he doesn’t look likely to play. He was quoted as saying Owens was “very uncomfortable.”

That might be with his role with the team, but who knows?

Regardless of the injury, Owens wasn’t going to be regarded as much better than a flex play or a WR3, and that’s if he was lucky. Leave him on your bench this week if you haven’t cut your losses and dropped him already.

 

Detroit LB Ernie Sims Has Hamstring Tear

Sims has what is said to be a “Grade Two” hamstring tear. The initial timetable for his return was thought to be 2-3 weeks, but now it appears neither Sims nor the Lions have any clue as to how long he’ll be out.

This is nothing but good news for Adrian Peterson and the rest of the Minnesota Vikings offense.

 

Brian Westbrook Returns to Full Practice

Yay? Westbrook seems to be completely over his concussion issues (headaches), and hopefully won’t have any lingering effects of a bum ankle.

He looks good to go for a nice matchup with a poor San Diego Chargers run defense, but considering the timeshare he’s in with rookie LeSean McCoy, we don’t see him as much more than a nice flex or a weak RB2 these days.

 

Clinton Portis Out For Week 10

Portis will sit out after sustaining a concussion last week against the Falcons. It’s just precautionary and he should be fine for Week 11. Ladell Betts will start in his place.

Go here for complete details and fantasy analysis on the Redskins’ running back situation.

 

Jamal Lewis Talks Smack About Eric Mangini, Browns

Lewis reportedly took shots at Mangini’s practice coaching style, saying the coach drives the players too hard during the week, and then they have nothing left on game days.

Oh, so that’s why the Browns are this pathetic. Okay, Jamal. Okay.

 

Brandon Marshall Fine, Returns to Practice

Wednesday was just a day of rest for Marshall, and despite a fairly unfriendly matchup with the Washington secondary, he’s a solid play for Week 10.

It’ll be hard to sit him after his 11-catch, 100+ yard performance against a good Steelers defense.

 

LT Returns to Practice, Should Play Sunday

You know his role in the NFL has lessened when his return to practice drops all the way to the bottom of this NFL news briefing. He’s still the starter and should get a decent amount of carries, but LT just isn’t producing on a high level.

That, and the Chargers are going up against a top-10 run defense in the Philadelphia Eagles. We still think LT makes for a good flex play, but you simply can’t count on him as a RB2 unless he starts to prove otherwise.

For more NFL and fantasy news, go to www.theredzonereport.com

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Washington Redskins’ RB Clinton Portis Officially Ruled Out for Week 10

Washington Redskins starting running back Clinton Portis has officially been ruled out by the team and head coach Jim Zorn. The team will go with back-up Ladell Betts as the starter against the Denver Broncos.

Portis sustained a concussion in the first quarter against the Atlanta Falcons on a helmet-to-helmet hit last week. He exited the game after reportedly being knocked unconscious, and did not return.

The team is giving him the week off as a precautionary measure, as they have a capable running back to step in, they don’t want to risk further damage to their star player.

 

Fantasy Perspective : Betts is a quality back and should be able to provide you with decent RB2 numbers this week, despite facing the normally tough Denver run-defense.

The Broncos gave up 150-plus yards and a touchdown to Pittsburgh’s Rashard Mendenhall last week, so it’s not crazy to think Betts can improve on his 70-yard, one touchdown performance against Atlanta.

For more NFL news and fantasy advice, head over to NFLSoup.com

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Thursday Night Football Preview: Fantasy Football Focus

Get ready for the first Thursday night game since the opening game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Tennessee Titans.

That game ended up being a hard-fought overtime duel, which put the Steelers on their way to a 6-2 record and being one of the better teams in the league, while it marked the first loss in a six-game losing streak to start the season for the Titans.

Fantasy owners and fans hope that tonight’s match between the Chicago Bears and San Francisco 49ers ends with more fireworks than that 13-10 game did.

With that thought in mind, here’s a quick recap of all the player participating in tonight’s game that you may want to consider dropping into your line-ups for Week 10:

San Francisco 49’ers

QB Alex Smith

Smith looked a bit shaky in his last two starts, but still has six touchdowns in his last three games and is a decent source for yardage, as he’s brought a more explosive dynamic to the 49ers’ previously anemic offense.

Look for him to take advantage of a Bears defense that has gotten torched by Carson Palmer and Kurt Warner for five touchdowns on separate occasions.

RB Frank Gore

Gore was held in check against the Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans the last two weeks for the most part, but still broke a nice run in both games, and finished with solid yardage and a score in both contests.

The Cardinals used a two running back system to show the world Chicago isn’t an elite defense anymore against either the run or pass. So Gore makes a fine play this week, as usual.

WR Michael Crabtree

Crabtree has been targeted a decent amount in his first three games, and despite getting shut down a bit (only 30 yards) against the Titans last week, there’s plenty of hope for him against a sketchy Bears pass defense.

Look for Alex Smith to open things up over the middle with Vernon Davis, and once Frank Gore gets it going, expect Crabtree to get his too.

TE Vernon Davis

Make that four for four in this contest for 49ers offensive players that are suggested starts. The Bears aren’t living in 1985 anymore, and without Brian Urlacher, have turned into a very average unit.

They are particularly poor against elite tight ends, and with the huge amount of action Davis has been getting, he should be primed for another big day.

Chicago Bears

QB Jay Cutler

We’re laying the “disrespect” on thick for the Bears defense, but it’s likely to go both way in this game.

The 49’ers started the season with what looked to be an elite group, but have been shaky ever since getting trounced by the Atlanta Falcons.

Cutler scored three touchdowns last week against a poor Arizona Cardinals secondary, so it’s fair to assume he can do the same against a very average 49’ers secondary that is missing Nate Clements.

RB Matt Forte

The Niners’ run defense received a heavy dose of humility, especially after getting lit up by Chris Johnson last week. But considering Forte’s only elite (or respectable) outings have come against teams with one win, this match-up doesn’t bode well for him .

WR Devin Hester

Hester made a name for himself as a legit No. 1 NFL receiver, as he’s turned into Jay Cutler’s go-to guy, and hauled in at least six receptions in four straight games. Don’t count on his involvement in the offense stopping now.

TE Greg Olsen

Olsen finally broke-out and connected with Cuter for three touchdowns last week, and you can finally start to hope for some real benefits from drafting him higher than he was valued at.

Olsen is incredibly fast and athletic for a tight end, but opposing defenses have done a solid job containing him as far as yardage goes.

Still, if Chicago makes a habit of getting inside the 20 against San Francisco, he’s clearly made it known that he’s a threat to score every time.

If you’re looking for who is going to win this match, go here .

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Week 10 Fantasy Football Versus: Coin Flip

After you’ve scoured the waiver wire , found nothing worth your time, and then failed to pull off the trade that may have rescued your team, what’s left for you to do? Well, it’s times like these where you have to suck it up and look within.

Even the best fantasy owners with rosters loaded with talent can run into unlucky stretches of bad matchups for their players, ridiculous performances by opponents, or facing the highest scoring team every week.

Regardless, it’s up to you to do everything in your power to put the best team up against your opponent, and like it or not, sometimes it starts with pitting your own players against each other.

Here’s a look at three positions with two players facing off, with only one earning the right to take a place in your starting lineup:

Tony Romo , QB, DAL (@GB) vs. Brett Favre, QB, MIN (vs. DET)

Romo threw his first pick in four weeks against the Philadephia Eagles, and connected with Miles Austin for his ninth touchdown during that span. That’s pretty impressive for a guy that many were starting to write off early in the season as Dallas was struggling a bit offensively.

It gets bette r with a friendly matchup against the Green Bay Packers, a team his fantasy opponent this week, Brett Favre , destroyed twice this season.

Green Bay doesn’t get consistent pressure on the quarterback and doesn’t have the speed or talent to keep up with Romo’s downfield shots, as well as the emerging Miles Austin.

Favre, on the other hand, has been completely on fire ever since week three, and doesn’t look like he’ll be slowing down. There’s the “late-season fade” story to worry about, as well as the possibility that the Vikings depend a bit more on Adrian Peterson going forward. I’ll buy the latter over the former, as Favre looks too sharp and determined to falter like he did last season. Facing the Detroit Lions doesn’t hurt , either.

Verdict: I love both players and both matchups this week, so no matter which way you go, you’re going to get a winner. This article is about picking the better player for the week, though, so we’re going with Romo. The Packers stop the run fairly well, so Romo should be very active against a weak Green Bay secondary. Hey, if Josh Freeman can torch them, who can’t?

Ray Rice, RB, BAL (@CLE) vs. Cedric Benson, RB, CIN (@PIT)

Rice was shut down last week against a solid Cincinnati Bengals defense, but should have his usual solid outing against the lowly Cleveland Browns in front of the nation on Monday Night Football . The Ravens keep toying with us over whether or not they’re a playoff contender, and while a win over Cleveland won’t push us one way or the other, the fashion Rice and co. do it just might.

Benson is a beast in Cincy’s backfield and had a hungry man’s feast of 30+ carries en route to 100+ yards and a touchdown last week. And considering it came against Ray Rice’s Ravens, it’s pretty impressive. Benson will be facing another tough run defense in the Pittsurgh Steelers, though, one that held Knowshon Moreno to three yards on five carries on Monday night.

Verdict: We love Benson, hell, everyone does, but the best he can probably hope for is a duplicate of his 76-yard and one touchdown peformance the first time he faced the Steelers. And while that’s not bad, it doesn’t compare to what Rice can do. That, and Rice has a mouth-watering matchup. Go with the little guy and start Rice.

Calvin Johnson, WR, DET (@MIN) vs. Santonio Holmes, WR, PIT (vs. CIN)

Megatron came back from a knee injury last week and didn’t look all that great, but that also had a lot to do with the fact that Matthew Stafford completed more passes to the Seattle defense (five) than to Johnson (two). That won’t happen this week, as CJ will be needed as the Lions fight back from behind on the road in Minnesota.

Santonio Holmes has taken the backseat to Hines Ward this season, as teams are double-teaming him and doing their finest to keep him out of the end zone (zero scores since Week One). He did have a touchdown against the Vikings a few weeks back that was called back due to a penalty, but he simply is not on the radar when the Steelers get in the red zone .

Verdict: Even a hampered CJ with an inept quarterback has to be a better option than the touchdown-starving Holmes. Last year’s Super Bowl MVP will find pay dirt again this season, and maybe even this week, but the matchup isn’t great and Johnson needs to make up for lost time. Go with Megatron, even if you know the Lions stink.

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Larry Johnson Passes Through Waivers Unclaimed

Former Kansas City Chiefs running back Larry Johnson has passed through waivers, and is now free to sign with any team he chooses. Or should we say, any team that will take him.

Johnson would have been due roughly $2.3 million for the rest of the season, which is why few were surprised he found no takers .

The Washington Redskins were rumored to be interested, but they already have two running backs in Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts that are at least as good, if not better than LJ.

The New England Patriots have also been rumored to be interested, although there are conflicting reports from different sources about their interest.

Johnson is unlikely to get any real interest from a playoff contender this year, as he carries too much of a risk and could hurt a team’s chemistry.

Stay tuned for updates on his status.

 

Fantasy Perspective: If LJ can find a team that actually wants him, has a balanced offense, and can distract defenses from how slow he is by throwing the ball, we don’t hate his chances at being reborn somewhere else. For this season, anyways.

Johnson is 29 and clearly slowing down Shaun Alexander-style, so his asking price will drop by the day if he’s still serious about playing again in 2009.

For more updates on Larry Johnson and all of your fantasy needs, go to NFLSoup.com

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Brady Quinn Expected to Start for the Cleveland Browns on Monday Night Football

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Brady Quinn will finally be inserted back into Cleveland’s starting lineup, and the horrid Derek Anderson will take his place where he belongs, back on the Browns’ bench.

After getting yanked just two and a half games into his first season as the full-time starter, Quinn is getting one more shot to prove to the franchise that drafted him that he’s still worth keeping around.

There had been speculation early in the season that Eric Mangini had always been a Derek Anderson supporter, albeit silently, and secretly wanted Quinn to fail, although the front office wanted their former first rounder to get the first crack at the job.

In addition to this theory, there is also speculation that Quinn was benched more due to contractual incentives, rather than his performance.

Regardless of the reason of his original benching, Quinn is back in the lineup, and can’t do much worse than Anderson has done over the last six games.

Fantasy Perspective: There isn’t a fantasy perspective. Not if we’re being honest with Cleveland fans. The only guy worth mentioning that Quinn could call a “weapon” is now a New York Jet, and Mohamed Massaquoi, a talented rookie receiver, drops too many passes to be relied upon.

It probably woudn’t matter what Quinn’s supporting cast looked like, however, as his match-up against the Baltimore Ravens is already a brutal enough “welcome back.”

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The Way Too Early NFL Playoff Picture and Super Bowl Prediction

It’s the midway point in the NFL season, which means it’s time to take a look at where the contenders stand and analyze how the playoff picture would unfold if the season ended today.

Take a look at each conference’s potential matchups with predictions and a Super Bowl winner at the halfway mark.

AFC

Bye: Colts, Broncos

Wild Card Round

Chargers @ Steelers

If the Chargers get into the playoffs get into the playoffs with Norv Turner leading the way again, we’d be impressed. If they do it with a record better than 8-8, we might be blown away. Still, they’ll be no match for the Steelers, who love to run the ball, something the Chargers have no idea how to stop.

Steelers 20, Chargers 13

Bengals @ Patriots

We like what we see in Cincinnati, and this game would likely stay close due to the Bengals’ solid all-around defense and their commitment to the ground game. However, we just can’t see Tom Brady getting more rattled than Carson Palmer. Hey, the Bengals will be happy just to make the postseason, right?

Patriots 34, Bengals 27

Divisional Round

Patriots @ Colts

Just like old times, this matchup would garner heavy TV ratings and have ESPN buzzing for the entire week leading up to the game. Oddly enough, this Sunday we’ll get a preview of this very contest, and then we’ll really know what we’re in for.

I think the Patriots might end the Colts’ winning streak in the regular season, but come playoffs, Peyton Manning will be back on top of his game.

Colts 31, Patriots 27

Steelers @ Broncos

Much to the dismay of Denver fans everywhere, the Chargers won’t somehow sneak past the Steelers, and Kyle Orton and co. will once again be faced with the task of disarming the ticking time bomb that is Pittsburgh’s defense. Orton isn’t a bad quarterback, but he’s not good enough to beat the Steelers with all the chips on the line.

Steelers 27, Broncos 16

AFC Championship Game

Steelers @ Colts

Pittsburgh is good enough to get all the way back to the AFC Championship game, but while their defense focuses on stopping the Colts’ running game, Manning will pick apart their overrated pass defense. It’ll be close, but Manning won’t be denied a return to the world’s biggest stage in 2009.

Colts 30, Steelers 21

NFC

Bye: Saints, Vikings

Wild Card Round

Eagles @ Cowboys

We just got a chance to see how heated this matchup can be this past Sunday night, and we’ll get one more look at it before this possible contest in the playoffs. Philadelphia had its time under the lights last year, however, and it’s finally time for Tony Romo to get rid of his playoff curse.

Cowboys 21, Eagles 17

Falcons @ Cardinals

A re-match of last year’s wild card showdown, and this time it will go the opposite way. The Cardinals are easily good enough to put the pieces back together and make another run at the Super Bowl, but Matt Ryan will be ready for the playoff nerves this time around.

Falcons 24, Cardinals 21

Divisional Round

Falcons @ Saints

This is where the playoffs suddenly take an interesting turn. Playoff teams with bye weeks have a history of being vulnerable after a week off, and if the Saints don’t have Sedrick Ellis and their run defense back at a top-notch level for this game, the Falcons have a decent chance of stealing an upset.

Falcons 28, Saints 27

Cowboys @ Vikings

Brett Favre is back in the playoffs, and while everyone will look for him to sling it left and right against the Cowboys, Brad Childress will play it conservative and let Adrian Peterson carry them to the NFC Championship. The season started with Favre carrying the team, but it’ll end with AD doing the hard work.

Vikings 38, Cowboys 24

NFC Championship Game

Falcons @ Vikings

Call me crazy, but there’s got to be someone in the Minnesota Vikings organization that has been dreaming about this game since the Falcons beat the Vikings to get to the Super Bowl in 1998. Peterson should be able to carve Atlanta’s vulnerable rush defense as Favre enjoys another landslide victory away from cold weather.

Vikings 31, Falcons 17

Super Bowl

Vikings @ Colts

Both Peyton Manning and Brett Favre have a championship, so this game will actually (ironically) be less about them and more about the other guys on their respective teams fighting for a ring. Adrian Peterson will do the majority of the work against a fairly vulnerable Colts run defense, as the Colts’ stingy secondary will keep Favre at bay until the end of the game.

Vikings 27, Colts 24

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Week 10 NFL Picks: Have Peyton Manning and the Colts Met Their Match?

We had a brutal week at NFLSoup.com in trying to pick you some upset specials, and in our defense we were actually pretty close.

We were a Kris Brown field goal from possibly seeing our Texans over Colts pick ring true, while we narrowly missed our Giants pick.

How about those Green Bay Packers killing everyone’s season in survivor pick ’em leagues? Ouch.

Overall record: 16-10

We promise to bounce back from last week’s debacle.

Chicago Bears @ San Francisco 49ers

Both teams are reeling and are praying their defenses get their act together. I don’t think Mike Singletary will allow a fifth loss in a row for the 49ers, and Alex Smith needs a big game (and a win) to get this team behind him again.

49ers 24, Bears 20

Atlanta Falcons @ Carolina Panthers

Did you see how difficult it was for Drew Brees to pass on Carolina’s stingy pass defense in the first half? Don’t expect better production from Matt Ryan, who has been struggling. DeAngelo Williams could have a field day against a fairly porous Atlanta front line.

Panthers 17, Falcons 14

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Miami Dolphins

Josh Freeman looked great in his debut, but we just don’t trust that Tampa Bay defense enough to see them winning two weeks in a row after dropping seven straight. Besides, if it weren’t for some bad luck and stiff competition, this Miami team could seriously be talking playoffs right now.

Dolphins 31, Buccaneers 21

Detroit Lions @ Minnesota Vikings

Matthew Stafford threw five picks against the Seattle Seahawks, and the Lions still had a chance at the end of the game. That shows they have some fight in them, but if he doesn’t play a heck of a lot better against the Vikings, the Lions are toast.

Vikings 37, Lions 20

Cincinnati Bengals @ Pittsburgh Steelers

Both teams are 6-2, run the ball well, and stop the run with the best of them. Cincy’s pass defense has gotten to an almost elite status, but it’s hard to go against Big Ben and a Steelers team that has now won five straight.

Steelers 20, Bengals 13

Buffalo Bills @ Tennessee Titans

The Bills play hard and stop the pass at a high level, so if they can get to Vince Young, they could easily run away with this one. Trouble is, Chris Johnson can’t be stopped by decent run-stopping defenses, and Buffalo ranks among the league’s worst. Regardless, what we really want to know is can we see another catch like this out of Justin Gage?

Titans 30, Bills 17

Denver Broncos @ Washington Redskins

Washington is just the gift-wrapped victory Denver needs to get off the schneid and convince people they aren’t the AFC’s version of the New York Giants.

Broncos 27, Redskins 10

New Orleans Saints @ St. Louis Rams

The Saints will have no trouble with the Rams, as their offense is too sophisticated and fast for St. Louis to match up and keep up with either their run or pass offense. However, if Steven Jackson gets going against the Saints’ suddenly porous run defense, the Rams could hang around until halftime.

Saints 44, Rams 17

Jacksonville Jaguars @ New York Jets

The Jaguars won’t go away, while the Jets are trying to get back up over .500 and stay there. Mark Sanchez has looked terrific lately, as his rush offense has led the way. Don’t expect that to stop against Jacksonville, as the Jaguars have had trouble stopping any offense with any competence.

Jets 34, Jaguars 21

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