Welcome back to Game Day View! We kick off Week 15 by previewing the Saturday Showdown, starting with Vikings vs. Bengals. While the Vikings' defense may be legit, do they have an answer for Jake Browning? Cynthia and Greg share their picks and score predictions.
Next up, we have the Colts vs. the Steelers. Despite the Steelers dropping 4 of their last 6, Greg explains why this will be an organizational win.
In the Saturday night primetime spot, we're previewing Broncos vs. Lions in Mo Town. The Lions seem to have hit a snag in their impressive season, while the Broncos are hitting their stride. We'll explore why Patrick and Greg don't see eye to eye on game picks and score predictions.
Moving into Sunday's battles, we preview one of the games of the week as Dallas heads to Buffalo to take on the Bills. Despite the Bills being beat up and having players on the injury report, Dallas comes in red hot, but our hosts like the Bills for the win.
The Eagles are on the struggle bus, having been outscored 75-32 in their last four games. They face the Seahawks in the Battle of The Birds. The Seahawks' red-hot receiving corps against the beat-up Eagles secondary could spell disaster.
The Browns play host to Justin Fields and the Bears. The Bears have won 3 of their last 4, but will this make it 4 of their last 5? Although the Browns come in with a really good defense, the Bears have a statistically strong defense too. We'll explain why Greg and Patrick are calling for the Chicago upset.
Tune in for these games and the rest of the NFL Week 15 schedule on NFL GameDay View.
NFL Game to View is a production of the NFL in partnership with iHeartRadio.
Hey, everybody, welcome to Game DEVIU, presented by Mercedes Mins, Patrick Claibon here with Greg Rosenthal and Cynthia Freeland celebrating being together, not necessarily celebrating what happened last week because we were in such a good spot and then Greg just goes on a tear.
Hey.
You know, it's just more intrigued to the end of our season. Like we're not we're not mailing anything in, We're not like not in it for the playoffs.
But we're here.
Okay, But I've been holding all about holding that lead, you guys, catch hold back ahead, let's go and two years ago, I won last year.
What are you talking about?
Ye?
But well, yeah, so Greg currently is holding onto that crown one hundred and thirty two at seventy six. But we are looming as we were prior to again, Greg taking I mean three losses going going courtesy of me and Cynthia.
But okay, I'm not worried.
Wait.
The Saturday Showdown is beck with an exclusive triple header live on NFL Network. Watch Vikings Bengals at one o'clock Eastern, followed by the Steelers, Colts, and Broncos lines in prime time Saturday only on NFL Network, also streaming on NFL Plus. So why don't why don't we get right into Saturday's matchups because we're.
Looking forward to these guys. Start with the Vikings and the Bengals.
Nick Mallins gets to start at quarterback from Minnesota, Justin Jefferson is expected to play Greg Do you expect the Vikings to win?
I do not, because I expect that Jake Browning express to continue to roll Bengals win this one twenty to sixteen. I can't believe how well Jake Browning is playing, how well Zach Taylor is coaching. And it's partly because they're changing who they are. You're looking at Chase brown get one of the fastest miles per hour all year on next Gen Stats with effective screen passes, and I know it's helping Jake Browning get the job done throwing these screens. But what it's also doing is letting this offensive line get out in space. They've been playing really well. The running backs and Joe Mixon are making bigger plays in space. Jake Brownie is getting rid of the ball more quickly. And it's partly kause Zach Taylor is dialing up effective plays. It's a totally different offense. It's a dropback offense. It's play action. I give them a ton of credit. I think they're playing better all around the quarterback now that Joe Burrow is out.
I says a little frustration for the Jake Browning fast, Oh, Greg is about to give us the jake and it's like a bunch.
Of screen pass.
But it's working.
It's working, It is working. This would be the way the Vikings defense is legit.
I'm not really sure what's going on with the Vikings offense at the moment, though. Kurt Warner did confirm my priors this week when he was looking at the game last week and said.
Mate, why is Josh Dobbs going to the bench?
At this point, Nick Mullens comes in, he immediately almost has a turnover worthy play. I'm not sold on Nick Mullins in this one. I have the Cincinnati Bengals winning seventeen to thirteen.
How dare you not be sold on Nick Mullins coming out of the gate with the prime number?
Okay, give it to me.
Bakings.
I've got twenty one to nineteen in favor of the Vikings in this matchup. Why because let's remember Nick Mullens wasn't their backup, backup option. He was actually their first backup option, but he was just hurt when they needed a backup. That's a lot of saying the word backup all in a row, but I'm very good at it.
Apparently I nailed it.
Look Mullens to Howkinson that actually was working. Now you factor in jj being back, you factor in a lot of interesting looks when it comes to how they're gonna be able to use Jordan Addison, and things.
Are going to be fun to watch. And this defense is legit all right.
We got another team in the wildcard race. That's the Pittsburgh Steelers. They started the season six and three. They've lost three of their last four games. Pittsburgh dropped two straight to the Cardinals and the Patriot, the first team in NFL history with a winner record to lose consecutive games against teams that entered eight plus games under five hundred in a single season. Considering all that, the Steelers face the Colts Saturday in Indy. Both teams were seven and six clinging to wildcard spots here, Cynthia, what do you see taking place?
Who lots of stuff? I hear lots of stuff.
We see lots of stuff, But I think the Colts win this one twenty one to twenty. Michael Pittman Junior, let's talk about him.
He has the fourth most receptions with ninety five in the league.
He is tied for thirty to for second with thirteen contested catches this season. Let's just take a look at anyone who's looking to get the bag, and that would be something Michael Pittman Junior is.
In the running for.
Meaning this offseason he could get paid. Yeah good, He's going to show you what he's got. And this is actually a very playoff relevant game. So big players, big spots, big money.
Everybody likes money.
That true words have never been said on this show. Everybody likes money.
Yeah, money is good. Shout out to the folks who haven't. We're trying to get like you. I heard something from a brilliant football mind a couple of weeks ago, and.
That was Gardner Minshew. Can't keep getting away with this.
Greg Rosenbal said that he promptly went out and did not go get away with it. Mitchell Trubisky hasn't gotten away with anything since twenty eighteen. Last week, he had a negative twenty EPA against seven or more defenders. They were looking at Mitchell Trubisky and saying, yeah, you want to throw the ball.
That's completely fine.
I am completely fine picking the Pittsburgh Excuse me, the Indianapolis cults here considering just how much of a struggle the pass the game looked for Pittsburgh last week.
Yeah, I don't trust either of these two teams. I don't trust either of these two quarterbacks, but I do trust the coaching staff in Pittsburgh running back in Pittsburgh. Give me a just Greg for Jalen Warren. I'm feeling it nailed to just Greg's last week. And Jalen Warren has turned into one of the best running backs in the league full stop. He is second overall in the league this year in rush yards over expected. He has the most yards after contact per carry of any running back in the league with over seventy five carries. He forces a lot of misstackles as a runner and as a receiver. He's top ten in the league and yards per out run this dude just gets it done.
And when I saw TJ.
Watt and alex I Smith are back for this game, it just feels like an organizational win. Pittsburgh Steelers get it done and Gardner Minshew cannot keep getting away.
Somebody's gotta get away with the Somebody gets away with it game. Looking forward to seeing that one coming up this weekend. The Saturday Nightcap features a Broncos team that's won six of the last seven games. The acrobatics of Courtland Sutton a big reason for Denver's big turnaround. Brush takes the snap, steps up, now, froze a deep ball he wants Cortland Sutton in the an zone.
Courtland goes up.
And makes the touch touchdown Denver.
As Cortland, much like an NBA power forward, just blocked out Davis caked the ball from here, it looked like with one arm.
The Broncos Lions Saturday Night in Motown, Denver rolling lately, Detroit losing two of their last three. Cynthia, your belief in Detroit ebbs and flows mostly flowing away?
Is it flowing back towards the Lions on Saturday?
This is where my stomach and my model do not agree. My stomach says that the Broncos win my model has actually a pretty significant win for Detroit with four points twenty six to twenty two.
Why because of the O line.
You know, I studied My master thesis was on O line play. So it turns out it makes like a big difference, and I'm still paying for that. So I feel like, if I shout out Northwestern, do you think they'll going to be some sort of discount. Probably not sure, you know whatever, Frank ragnow turns out really important center when he wasn't there. Look at what that defense did to the Lions offense. Not good things like That's not a fun situation for Jared Goff to be And as much as we like to say that indoor outdoor splits are a big deal for him, probably more important that the O line be intact. So Frank Ragnow being there. They use six O linemen quite a bit. That's the normal center to quarterback handoff. Even just like a half a second more is a huge deal when it comes to like the minuscule amount of time that you have in the NFL to.
Pass the ball.
I'm kind of in the same place as you, My head says, one thing, my heart says they Oh, the heart's with the Lions.
I just want to roof.
I want my heart is always with all it has been, even when they went winless in an entire seat.
And this is gonna be the night cap on Saturday. It's NFL never Look, I don't want to be a company man here. There's five games this week that have two winning teams playing each other, Three of them are on NFL Network in a row. And the Lions aren't gonna let us down in primetime. They're too good. Twenty seven to twenty six. I love what Dan Campbell did this week. He said he thought it was a positive that his best players weren't showing up in a big way because he knows those players will respond. You see Jared Goff, you see aman Ross Saint Brown. They had a rough game last week, some drops from aman ra Aiden Hutchinson, some mental errors last week against the Bears. When he said best players, I think he was talking about his tackles too. Pina Sewell and Taylor Decker, all these guys. They've been through the process in Detroit, getting better and better, and Denver's a beatable team.
Four and a half points is too much for me.
But this just feels again like an organizational win where everything they've been building is enough to get it done against a flawed Broncos team one point win.
I don't like them by much, but I like them to win.
You both mentioned the flaws for the Detroit Lions.
The Denver Broncos, of course have. Therefore, I am taking the Denver Broncos here twenty four to twenty one, because let's look at the Detroit defense. They're at the bottom of the league when they do get pressure, when they do blitz, they're also at the bottom of the league. And maybe you might think the Broncos aren't the team to exploit this. What my pick presupposes is that they are. Russell Wilson has completed a two point three percent over expectations since Week seven, the fifth highest in the league. Of course, you just saw in that music video we played before the game, Courtland Sutton has been on fire. I think they take the shots deep and expose this Lion's defense that has been exposable. And if you look at the Detroit Lions losses this season, they scored the thirty one and one loss, but since then they haven't scored more than twenty two points in a single loss. There's been problems on offense. I think Denver gets to win here coming up the game.
Yep, boo away, I'll take this.
I'm glad we're not meminga.
Yeah.
Super confident in that press guy and the red Hot Cowboys versus Josh Allen and the Bills. Picks for this monster matchup coming up next on game.
Debut, Avon, we got a prime number.
We gotta just screg all in the A block all of.
The new company.
Man, We're back on game debut.
Let's flash back.
Thirty years to Super Bowl twenty seven between the Cowboys and the Bills. Troy Aikman threw four touchdowns on his way to Super Bowl MVP. Our colleague Michael Irvin had himself a day one hundred and fourteen receiving yards two touchdowns. The Cowboys crushed the Bills fifty two to seventeen. They would also beat Buffalo the following.
Year in Super Bowl twenty eight. Some time has passed.
They used to be bad, Tom from the.
Drawn to Excellence presented bon Mercedes Been. The stakes not quite as high as when they met in the Super Bowl, but Sunday's Cowboys Bills matchup huge, especially for Buffalo. Dallas has his eyes on the top seed in the NFC. Buffalo just wants to get into the dance what happens in the game.
I struggled all the week because I've picked the Cowboys game correctly for nine straight week.
Humble, But I've also bet their Bills to win.
It's not humble, the Bills to win every time this season, all thirteen weeks, and I thought something has to give. And what's gonna give is the Bill's defense trying to stop my guy, Jake Ferguson. Jake Ferguson is an upgrade from Dalton Saltz. I didn't expect this coming into the year. They've done such a good job finding different elements to this passing attack outside of CD Lamb. And I look at this Bill's defense right now, and I actually think Sean McDermott is doing a good job considering all the pieces that they're missing, but they keep adding those pieces that are gone. Micah Hyde out this week, aj Epanessa probably out this week.
It's too much.
He starts off the game well, really game planning, showing a lot of different things and then eventually talent wins out. And there is no more talented offense right now than the Cowboys, especially upfront. I think they give Dak a ton of time and they went in a score fest. It should be a lot of fun.
Yeah, I'm looking over at the Dallas Cowboys defense, So dan Quinn squad. It's been spectacular this season, but there was kind of a festival of turnovers during the middle of part of the season.
That hasn't really been in town the last few weeks.
But what they have been able to do is show how good and coverage they can be, especially Stefan Gilmore Deron Bland. We don't really need to talk a lot about what he has done this season, but I look at Buffalo and the way that they're utilizing Stefan Diggs. A lot of balls around, a lot of scrimmage, not a lot of deep shots to Stefan Diggs. They can't find a way to target Gabe Davis. Everything's running through Dalton Kate. There's so much wrong with Buffalo. That's also solved by the fact that Josh Allen is a mechanized defense destroyer. But I think Josh Allen's going to give the ball back to Dallas A couple times in this when I have the Cowboys, Synthia.
Well, give me another number, and I'm glad to take the Bills in a prime number.
Do I feel great about it?
Not?
Really.
It's a two point win, twenty seven to twenty five. What's the difference between this Buffalo team and a couple of weeks ago. Well, James Cook catching balls, that's the difference. And we saw him reach the end zone last week. It was a big deal, especially early in the game. The scripted portion of the game, meaning the first fifteen to twenty plays of the game, looked really good, like, oh, look at that. I don't think they told him to do that. Probably not in the script. However, look at how the different alignments he's line of it, and those shorter passes to a very wide open receiver actually running back turned receiver. That will help Josh Allen from turning the football over. You can also target the linebacker level of this defense. They were thinking about it too. They wanted to go get Jack Leonard. The Eagles beat him to the punch. They know they got some missing pieces there too. They're missing their digs. The Bills have their digs. So I think this is a situation where the team that's.
Like a little hungry or in the cold.
This is a sneaky game. The Cowboys don't really need it. The Bills are clawing at it. I don't love it.
I'm kind of with I don't know. I don't feel good about.
This, but there it is.
Is gonna put aso the mountains when you're right, so.
Well, I'm happy with that anytime any of us are right my feelings. Last week's Rams Ravens match up one of the best games of the year. Thailand Wallace had a walk off score in overtime.
Just a spectacular finish for the fans that stayed in the rain.
Finding the Thailand, Wallace thinks hang to wobblin.
Wallace settles under it to twenty five, gets a block, comes.
Out at the air side, thirty spins out of one tackle thirty five along with air sideline Cony.
He's in the field, Wallas in a thirty telling us Hey thirty.
Twenty ten celebration time, no foight wan.
Us of the ends old Hay's in the board.
When the Ravens wint it in over.
Time what Tiland Wallas says is a moment he'll never forget. Has the Ravens in the top seed in the AFC. They faced the Jags Sunday night in Jacksonville, losing two straight. Are the folks in Douvall? What do you see happening in this game?
I see a beat down with the Ravens winning this game thirty one.
Funny.
Maybe it'll be worse, but I don't want Jaguars fans coming at me. Lamar Jackson is so comfortable right now in the pocket, and he's also scrambling sometimes. His offensive coordinator is also dialing up wide open plays, which is nice our you know, green Room, Patrick, we were watching Jaguars Ravens from a year ago. I've never seen Patrick so upset watching the game that ended a year ago. But it was because their offensive coordinator is just running Lamar Jackson into a brick wall and running like a nineteen twenties offense. Now we've updated it with Todd Munkin. We're throwing open receivers and we're doing it against a very flawed Jacksonville defense which is missing Andre Cisco, which is missing Tyson Campbell, two of their best players in the secondary. Their linebackers have struggled, and Lamar, along with Monkin and all the weapons around him, really pick on those mismatches.
The Ravens role.
Well, I'm with you in the Ravens.
I'm thinking it's a little bit closer for game. I just have a three point win twenty five to twenty two in this one. But I do want to point out that it could get out of hand. The reason I think it won't I'll tell you at the end. But the linebackers for the Jags are liability. It hasn't been good. This is a situation where it's kind of a I'm meeting up like this is my strength and that's your weakness, and they're kind of exploiting each other here. I do think if you look at like, look at what happens with play action passing not great, right, You're just gonna kind of eat their lunch every single time. So I'm looking at the Jags defense and saying, you gotta figure it out. However, I will say on the other side, just so to tell you why it's gonna be a little bit closer, I think they're gonna watch that film of the Rams because the Jags they like to steal other people's plays, and they're gonna watch the Rams film and they're gonna get the run game going a little bit better with travisytn.
That's the reason why it's closer.
Okay, yeah, there's some issues up front throughout the season for Jacksonville.
I have surprised, surprise, will take the Baltimore Ravens.
Have you ever not picked them?
We have to go back to Tyler Huntley games.
Okay here, yeah, okay, I did not pick the.
Baalimore Ravens, but I asked the folks at home, what's the game this year where I should have not picked the Baltimore Ravens. Coming off to Cynthia's point, I do want to honor two off ball linebackers for the Baltimore Ravens.
In fact, let's honor all of them because there was a conversation in the previous years about ah off ball linebacker. You know you're a Domond, doesn't.
Patrick Queen and Rokwan Smith have been so good, especially in the run game and the screen game, just shutting so many things down so fast to the ball.
They have been spectacular.
And again, teams that don't have those guys who can make those plays have had a lot.
Of issues on defense like Daguars. Yeah, Mike Jacksonville, I just want to highlight that and me eve Away, we are all on the Baltimore.
I feel good about this one too.
I'm worried still to come. The Eagles are on the struggle bus.
They've been outscored seventy five to thirty two of the last two games.
Will they write the shift Monday Night in Seattle? Are picks for that matchup coming up next on game debut.
If you want even more NFL action this season, get access to NFL Plus Premium and stream live games on mobile, NFL red Zone, US on NFL Network, game replays, and more. It is all in one place. Sign up today at plus dot nfl dot com. Terms and conditions apply. Monday Night football the Eagles and the Seahawks in Seattle. After starting the season ten to one, Philly has been crushed in their last two games by the Niners and the Cowboys.
Do the Eagles stop the bleeding on Monday Night Greek?
I don't think they do it.
I think the Seahawks get it done in an upset thirty three to thirty. Remember the last time we saw Geno Smith. By the way, this pick goes away if Gina Smith doesn't play. But I think he's gonna play. Is a practice. The last time he played Monday night football, Thursday night football, whatever night it was, it was beautiful. He was throwing dives. He was out of his mind really against this Dallas team. There were five or six throws in this game that were just outrageous. And I look at this Eagles defense since Week eight, thirty first in the league in EPA per play allowed.
There's only thirty two teams.
DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, Jackson, Smith and Jigba. I think they're the perfect matchup right now. They also struggle the Eagles do against tight ends. No a fan can get it done. Darius Slay missed two days of practice. We don't even know if he's going to play. I think Seattle at home, who needs this game just as badly as Philadelphia gets it done. They played the forty nine ers better than the Cowboys. They I mean, then the Eagles. They play the Cowboys better than the Eagles did.
Well depending on the final injury report. Because I only have a one point win for the Philadelphia Eagles twenty three to twenty two depending on some missing pieces. With Darius Slay and of course Gino Smith's status, this could flip, so I we'll have to be monitoring that. But I want to point out Jackson Smith and Jigba Why because, just like Greg mentioned, there are some interesting areas where like tight ends have looked weird, but then you go back and you map out what routes are tight ends running that this team runs. So not just No a fan who is a tight end, but also Jackson Smith and jag but on those tight end routes. So other teams use tight ends, they can use a wide receiver just because they have three. That's where he could be really impactful. Remember we had a game where Jake Bobo scored a touchdown. This team's not afraid to come out. Shane Waldron. He sees some of these job openings. He's like, Hey, my offense is good. Don't just talk about Ben Johnson. Keep Cynthia having her lions Ocie come take me instead.
That's what we need from you, Shane Waldron. We need to keep Ben Johnson in Detroit.
Gets your grubby buzz up of him.
I'm looking back, I'm thinking back to the Thursday Night game where the Seattle offense was so good. I mean, GINO and DK up and down the field against the COUMP. But it's not the offense. That's not the reason I'm picking the Philadelphia Eagles. It's the defense and the Eagles ground game. If you've been waiting for that big DeAndre Swift game late this season, I think this is it. The number thirty one defense in the entire league in defending outside tackle runs, number twenty nine defense and overall rush efficiency. And it's just it's been a rough stretch for the Seattle defense and a rough stretch for the Philadelphia offense on the ground. I think they get back on track on Monday Night football, another big prime time game for DeAndre Swift, Greg.
And another just Greg, let's go.
I mean you think with the lead that I'm gonna get scared, No, just scrag nation. We're hitting off two wins last week. Give me that graphic. I'm being so obnoxious. My parents one said, if you're ever winning something, enjoy it while you can.
It might not last. So I'm enjoying it right now.
Also that I've gone by myself more than anybody else.
Yeah, Patrick is the bold Shooters Shooter shoot as well. Get to quick Picks presented by Zillo Jets and Dolphins. Dolphins, coming off of shocking Monday Night, lost one of the first in NFL history, at least that we've seen losing with that lead at that point in the game. Zach Wilson coming off the best game of his career, Tyreek is questionable.
Does that mean you're thinking Jets, Greg.
I am. I am taking the Dolphins up. I'm not that bold.
Let's not get crazy. It's eight and a half points, but I only have a one point victory. And if Tyreek Hill doesn't play, I'm telling you Zach Wilson coming off in the rain, his career in the rain. The offensive line right now, the Dolphins are down to one starting offensive lineman.
I'm just asking.
It's iron arms setting mind everyone that it's going.
To be raining.
Okay, that to me maybe even helps the Jets. Okay, defensive game, it's ugly.
The Dolphins don't need to blitz anyone to get pressure.
Dolphins are really good defensively, and ultimately I don't trust the Jets enough.
But that was a great Zach Wilson game. Player of the Week.
We will see.
I mean, we'll see if the Agil Hackett twenty twenty four forty nine Ers Cardinals San Francisco has won five straight since coming off their bye week, how do you see this playing out, Cynthia.
I think they win six straight.
So I'm looking at this game twenty nine to seventeen, and I'm thinking about my fantasy friends because it's your playoffs, and you need to know what do I do with Kyler Murray? And the answer is you probably still start him. There are a lot of backup quarterbacks playing. You're not going to find the better kind of output here. He does throw the deep ball really well. And if there is one area of the San Francisco defense that you can exploit, it is deep passes in the secondary from a mobile quarterback. So I think that this could be a situation where for fantasy only because of the game scripting and what should be a big come from behind situation or attempt to come from behind situation.
If I'm a fantasy.
Player or I like DFS or whatever whatever I do with my Sunday, I'm going to be looking at Kyler Murray as a potential upside candidate.
All right, upside game for Kyler.
I will take one of Kyler's division opponents, the Rams in their game against the Washington Commanders, and I think Sean mcvay's team, currently sitting at six and seven, they need to win, and I think they get the win here against a kind of struggling well, let's erase the kind of struggling Commander's defense and looking at Pooka Nakua, who has seven or more targets in every single game that he's ever played. Paua is on the field, he is getting seven or more targets. He got nine last week eighty four yards in a great catch against the Baltimore r I think the way Matthew Stafford is playing right now, this one not close. Twenty eight twenty three for me with the Rams winning pizza pizza pregame predictions delivered by Little Caesars, Bucks and Panthers, excuse me. Packers in Lambeau Tampa, currently atop the NFC Southwall Green Bay clinging to the final wild card spot in the NFC?
Did they maintain that cling?
I don't think they do.
I'm gonna have the Packers win this game twenty four to twenty one, but I think it's close because I want to take you to the future.
The year is twenty thirty seven.
Ai is actually running a few different teams as football coaches, but Joe Berry is still the defensive coordinator for the Packers and they're still giving up huge rushing yards every week.
This week it's Rashad White. The Bucks have a running game that's kind of.
Fun that wasn't happening early in the season. Every week I watch or Shod White, and I gotta say I was wrong about you.
Rashad White.
You're running the ball well, you're nice as a receiver, and this matchup is great. So maybe we'll hear decker off touchdown Tampa Bay.
I love it.
I agree.
I've got Green Bay winning this one twenty three to twenty. Because let's go back to Monday Night. Love was good in certain situations on Monday Night Football. He continued his hot stretch, but things were a little gusty in MetLife, and he does like to throw these.
In fact, he may be fading.
Away in all these completions that we're seeing. He loves the dart Novitsky one leg fade away when the wind is gusting and up to twenty miles an hour.
That's not necessarily the thing that you like to do.
But three of ten for seventy six yards and a pick on passes over ten air yards.
Monday, I don't think he duplicates that. I think the Packers win it.
Green Bay all across for us go ahead and mem away, I have twenty three to nineteen, Meme alert twenty three to nineteen in this matchup. I want to dial into what Jordan leve is starting to show us. Like we talk about quarterbacks going from the one hundred to two hundred level, two hundred three hundred, what's going on with the blitz. Well, Jordan Love has actually been really good against blitz eight touchdowns, just one interception, ninety four point five passer rating. But I did see last week against the Giants that's when that interception happened.
And some of the blitzes, especially.
When you have an even more interesting type of Blitz that's gonna be in the future where we see some things with him that we're gonna have to overcome, meaning teams that are really good. But that's not necessarily the case against the Bucks. It's just something to watch out for. Buck's secondary is not their strongest point in this team. But I do want to say, like some of those those tricky blitz is, the things that are disguised blitzes, the things that ahead of the snap look different. He's starting to get there, but he's like three hundred level, not like five hundred level.
Not Master's thess No, he's defensive one.
Not Masters Northwestern. You can send that, yeah way, some of that some of that money bag go fund.
You know, an offense which we're all picking where the average age is under twenty six for the Browns, who are currently the five seed in the AFC, and thirty eight year old Joe.
Flacco has the dog pound believing third and.
One takes it, turns, bootlegs it out to the right. He's got a man wide open head, junkers got it.
Hit the food going up.
Touchdown, checking and five fleco back looks middle and juke a.
Wide open Toney fifteen corner, ten five touchdown.
He's got two two they do. He rolls right, he throws a bit on a.
Fine open down at the twenty five hit the twenty fifteen ten five touchdown hitch.
David do.
Look at a screen from Joe Black on the Browns play host of Justin Fields and the Bears Chicago, winners of three of their last four.
Greg do they make it four of their last five?
I think they do. I like the upset.
I like the Bears nineteen to seventeen. It's a defensive game, and yet the Browns defense is great. But the Bears defense is great too. I regret to inform all the Bears fans who never want to believe that their team is good. I think your team is good right now. You're the berserker. You're the berserker that beats some good teams down the stretch. Jakwan Brisker, Jalen Johnson, these young players in the secondary, Yeah, that's my friend Mark Sessler's word for like, who's gonna go crazy at the end of the year. They're out of the mix, really, but they're gonna mess up your playoff game. And at this secondary's really communicating well. They pass off the receiver as well. It was kind of the vision for Matt Eberflus And look, it took like a year and a half to get here, but it's here.
I think they have a really good defense.
Yeah.
Shout out to Ryan Pace who made the call go back to week nine. The Bears have the lowest passer rating allowed in the entire NFL since week nine. I am taking the Chicago Bears as well, because you bring in Montes sweat, and all of a sudden, the pass.
Rush looks a little bit better.
People start to believe, the field position gets a little bit better, the offense comes out there, Justin Field starts making plays. He's looking down the field. To DJ Moore, everything is coming up Chicago right now. Greg mentioned like fatalistic Bears fans. We got one in our ear right now who doesn't necessarily want to believe.
But I believe in Chicago.
I like the fact that the defense is getting better, But like, can we stop forgetting that Cleveland's defense is certifiably awesome? Like the number one scoring evens. It's not like we're talking about any old defense here.
Twenty four to nineteen.
The Brownies take this one. I'm sorry hythem. It's not personal. Clearly it's a prime number. Why well, I want to talk about something that Justin Fields does. He takes a long time before he throws, In fact, the longest per next gen stats three point one to three seconds. He also has a top four sacks taken rate three point six per game. Miles Garrett hasn't registered a sack in three games. Never in his career has he gone four games without registering a sack. This is a situation where, especially if Denzel Ward comes back, both Denzel Ward and Emerson, there guys who are ranking the top five in terms of corners in limiting passer rating of their opponents.
I like the improvement that the Bears.
Defense has had Ryan Poles we went to college together, love him, but this is still a defense that the Browns is like a really like historically good, like very very good defense.
So just am I crazy?
Make me feel like, No, you're not crazy. I just feel like Browns fans they're expecting some misery too. Now is the time of year it usually comes.
Yeah, somebody's gonna be said, most teams to be said. But if the playoffs started today, one, that would be very scary and we'll be concerned. But two, Cleveland will be in the tournament. Let's check out the rest of the playoff picture in the AFC. Baltimore holding onto that one seed, but looking down in the hunt is everybody except for a few teams. Sorry, but literally everybody speaking of the playoffs you want in the Hunt graphic, it's featured on Saturday here on NFL Network or Triple Head. Are six teams all in the postseason Hunt Vikings Bengals at one o'clock Eastern, followed by the Steelers, Colts, and the Broncos Lions in prime time Saturday only on NFL Network, also streaming on NFL Plus. In fact, let's dive into some player props for the Saturday games, including starting off with some rushing yards seventy six and a half. Justin Jefferson will cash ball, We'll we have seventy six and a half receiving yards.
You have more than that.
I really need Greg to just keep throwing his little thing and not catching it. I like the opportunity here. I like the Bengals defense, but they're not at full.
Either.
Justin Jefferson get right situation for him to kind of get his sea legs back under him.
And we know Nick Mallin's like, okay, I was trying to spin it like you do like a tennis racket.
Look at that.
Let's go.
Let's go hop on, Mr Chase.
That's what I'm doing.
I'm just gonna lead right into it. Jeff Chase has more catches this year, by the way, than he's ever had in his career.
It's like, even though Joe burrows Er, Jake Brown and Jamar Chase against this defense. Look, they're a great defense, the Vikings this year, but I still think they can give up some big plays.
Yeah they can.
And also Naji Harris has had more than fifty one and a half rushing yards in a few games this season. I think this will be another one of these games for Naji Harris. I don't know how much Pittsburgh is gonna put the ball in the air with Mitchell Trubisky. I think they keep it on the ground. Good games for both Jalen Warren and Naji Harris. Let's go back to you, Cynthia Gardner. Minshew more or less than one and a half paste touchdowns?
Whoa two?
But he could turn the ball over because I think that it's going to come down to kind of the final possession here two passing touchdowns. I don't think it'll be him rushing in the football like he did.
In some pass games all right.
Jared Golfgreg more or less than two hundred and fifty one and a half passing yards.
I actually think they get in trouble when he throws too much.
I'm going less. I have the Lions winning. We relax.
I have the Lions winning this feisty When I look at the matchup, I look at.
The running game.
That's to me where Detroit needs to get back to dominating their beer. Gibbs good David Montgomery against this Broncos defense not great against the run.
So I'm going less in that game.
Russell Wilson more or less than one and a half passing touchdowns Saturday night, and I think it's more, and I think the people see you to my left also agreed with me, despite the fact that they picked the Detroit Lions. The Lions defense occasionally prone to some problems. Cynthia's got ear muffs, but they're they don't work.
Not listening anymore, I'm done, But see, you.
Wouldn't be able to acknowledge that if you anyway.
Tommy Cutlets and the Giants have won three straight games, the g Men taking on the Saints in New Orleans. Saints can still win their division. Everybody can't except you Panthers. Sorry, what do you see taking place at the I think.
No Orlan was this one, but just by two twenty to eighteen, I really like, I want to pick the.
Giants is so much fun. I love like all of this going on.
You know, not a lot of US Italian folk get like you know, we're not typically very tall, so it's not a big football situation.
But I love this one.
But Alvin Kamara unfortunately plays for the Saints, and when I'm looking at what he does to the outside, the run away from the best part of where that Giants front has been operating. Caveon Thibodeau took a huge step forward this season. There's a lot of good things going on, but Alvin Kamara, especially when he runs to the outside, he's just going someplace that they don't have a great answer for.
And now we get Taysom Hill back, which means there's.
Going to be tricks, and we know what happens with tricks tricks, and then Alvin Kamara tends to lend to a Saints win.
I do like it when Taysom Hill is back on the field and Taysom tricks, I like, I haven't known what to do all week in this game. I don't feel good about either. I have the Saints winning this game by one point. And sometimes when you count on like one thing is your pillar as a team, I'm not doing it right now. You know, when you count on one pillar as a team, it's your run defense in New Orleans. That's the thing you build on, and then the one thing that you've been great year after you. Hey, we got to keep Dennis Allen. Can't mess with this great defense, especially this run defense. When that starts to fall apart, and they've been a bad run defense for a while, that does worry me that the foundation of the whole thing is falling apart. So I don't feel good. Like this is a vibes off. The Saints have the worst vibes in the league. The Giants have the best. I don't know what I'm doing here. Flip Okay, I want to do something we've never done in the history of this show. I will flip my pick, but only if one of you comes with me. And I know you haven't even made your pick, but I know where you're leending. But if you come with me to the Giants side, I will I will flip it.
Why don't we all go to Giants? So then we go down as a unit.
We can all really think it's the States, but I will go if we all pick the same and we all kind of think it's more fun, and I'm Itallian.
Let's do it. I'm flip flip.
Well, now I've been peeriod. We'll have to into this. I will say, uh.
Before we'll get the final picks out, they total social media to figure out what we're picking.
Cars of this game.
Derek Carr is actually throwing the deep ball to the third highest percentage in the entire NFL right now, and against the blitz that the intermediate ball has not been happening. It has not happened in New Orleans pretty much all season. But with Rashid Shahied back, Derek Carr is going to take some shots down the field. We know Wink is gonna blitz whether it's working or not. And I think, as of right now, the Saints win this game. But I could be peer pressure taking.
If we all take it, then it's like I didn't even think Cynthia was a possibility because this would be the first pick.
Also in the history they showed that she didn't go with the model.
If I've got both of you, I think we all got to switch it.
Come on, Okay, yeah, why not?
That's good. We're all taking a lot like that.
It's like they knew it was, but we legitimately, I have no idea what is happening on the show though I'm currently supposed to be hosting, but I do. We're trying to get you some quick picks are here coming up there. We're going to the Chiefs and the Patriots in Jellett, Kansas City, losing two in a row.
Patrick Mahomes could put on a show in New England, or does he? Grek.
I don't think he puts on a show, but I think he wins twenty three to seventeen. Look, Bailey Zappi and Patrick Mahomes very different, but they're alike in one way. How they've each thrown one touchdown that went for over twenty eight yards.
I'll see that's it.
They've each thrown one, so two quarterbacks and you just saw Mahomes this. I mean Zappi's actually went a little bit further. Look at that nice little throw. Basically the same player, they're similar in some ways.
And the Patriots defense and keep it close? Why not?
All right, we're all on the Chiefs there Texas and Titans in Nashville. CJ. Shroud unfortunately doubtful for this one. Nico Collins also, what do you see.
Taking place twenty one to eighteen in favor of the Titans due to all the injuries to the Texans.
But I'm looking at DeAndre.
Hopkins and I think Miami on some they just let him go, like get away. You're really going to give DeAndre Hopkins like more than three yards of cushion? Okay, that'll turn out well for you. But also even on those contested catches, he's been a menace.
Like his entire career. So I'm looking at this op rate.
Yeah, I mean, look at least that one was in coverage, there was a touchdown.
Look at that chure.
He's on the edge, he's run at the perimeter, but like nobody's there, they just let him go.
Well, he's in my fantasy lineup this week, so.
Already got duke and open. Why are you giving him three yards of cushion? Why are you giving him three feet of cushion?
An interesting, interesting decision considering the threats, like who's the receiving threat for the Titans. It's gonna be New Hopkins let's keep things southerly the Falcons and the Panthers. Atlanta looking to bounce back after last week's lost that came in the final minutes to the Bucks.
I think there's a chance for that big Bejon game.
Before last week, he had over twenty touches a game in the previous three weeks, and then it was.
Down to fifteen.
Why not load him up against that Panthers defense and get Bijon out in space, like football space, not like we don't want Bejeon on any rockets or anything like that.
Twenty four to seventeen is my pick.
As we've all got the Atlanta Falcons winning all right, keeping paced with the Faints. Well, apparently we all have losing looking forward to our Saturday triple header. But we need you to look forward to right now because we got some things you should write down. It is our week fifteen predictions that Greg Rosenthal leads us off.
Yeah, I had so many things. I wrote down three things, Oh some freeways. Falcon's gonna win easy, Jets keep it close. But the one I like the best is the Bears winning this game outright over the Browns and justin fields going over fifty. Nick Bards rushing. I'm just going bonuses all around. I'm gonna make it harder on myself. This team is come into their own right now. Defensively, I talked about it. Offensively, fields is doing a nice job of taking the rushing yards when they're there. Some design runs, some shots downfield that'll be tough against the Browns. I think it's a defensive game, but I think he runs. That's the weakness of this Browns defense is defending the run.
We have a sexy showdown of quarterbacks on Sunday's game day morning.
I'm gonna give you a kiss right now. Keep it simple.
On Saturday, Jamior Gibbs, his longest rush will be at least thirteen yards.
That's it. We're gonna keep it really.
Simple that a thing that can you can do, that you can write it down, will be.
At least it's going to be more than thirteen yards.
I feel like he's done that many streaks.
Correct, Why beer Gibbs fan, which is why we're gonna kiss it.
Keep it simple. Stupid or silly or well, yeah, it depends depends on the target. The prime number. People know exactly about this, Yes, you know.
Our types of folks.
Folks, Russell Wilson will pass for more than two hundred and seventeen yards on Saturday night against the Detroit Lions at something. It's a number he's hit many times this season, especially when the opponent's past defense has shown some flaws. Russ is able to step up and hit some deep shots to Courtland Sutton.
I believe that he will do that.
Where can I watch that game?
You can watch that game, Cynthia, as well as two other games in a Saturday triple header right here on NFL Number no available on the NFL plus.
Yeah.
And while you're imagine seeing Russell Wilson do that, just imagine Cynthia's reaction as it's happening.
And no Lions a win, though Lions.
A win, It'll be just like that.
Thanks a Watching Game debut presented by Mercedes Bins.
We'll see coming up next week. Enjoy the games, everybody.
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