BETCRUSHERS PREVIOUS WEEKS RESULTS
Yanni – 10-4-1
JJ – 6-8-1
BETCRUSHERS SEASON RESULTS TO DATE
Yanni – 95-79-2
JJ – 88-86-2
PREVIOUS WEEK RECAP:
The second half of the NFL season really seems to fly by as everything starts to fall into a routine and the games take on more importance for teams jockeying for playoff positions. We had another solid week with our analysis and hit several of the games about as closely as you can. The three games that hammered us both were first taking the points with Denver on the road against the Bills as the Broncos were completely shut down and never really in the game. Banking on the Falcons to continue their solid play was our second group mistake, and lastly laying too many points with New England in a rainstorm ended up getting the best of us. Outside of that it was a pretty strong week as Yanni turned in a nice 10-4-1 for the weekend.
vs. 
CHICAGO BEARS (5-6) at DETROIT LIONS (3-7-1)
Thursday – November 28th – 12:30pm
Spread: Chicago Bears -4
Over/Under: 38.5
Public Money Percentage: Chicago 64%
The Breakdown:
Thanksgiving Day means family, turkey and the usual jokes about how we can get the Lions off of the Thanksgiving NFL schedule. No luck of that happening so we’ll be stuck watching the really poor offense of the Chicago Bears pushing against the equally as poor Detroit Lions defense to see who flinches first. The Lions will remain without Matthew Stafford at quarterback, and the question here is actually whether or not they’ll have the services of backup Jeff Driskel?
Let’s get started taking a look at the Bears offensive situation, which can be broken down in one descriptive adjective, “blah”. If Chicago were matched up with almost any other team on Thursday we’d be subjected to watching quarterback Mitchell Trubisky look inaccurate and struggle to complete passes on third down. Thankfully, against the Lions Trubisky should actually look like a starting NFL quarterback as he did tossing three touchdowns against them just a couple of weeks back. There really isn’t a way to sugarcoat what the Bears do on offense, this game is strictly about the fact that the Lions will get run on and thrown on despite having that home-cookin. Even with missing linemen Bobby Massey, running back David Montgomery should produce on the ground and Allen Robinson will have a big game through the air which should lead to 20+ points for the Bears, which is basically an explosion for them. And with the Bears defense, getting 20 points will almost always lead to a victory.
It’s disappointing to see the Lions offense in its current state as this group was really productive early in the season and Matt Stafford was having a great start to the season with his old and new weapons. Detroit is hopeful that backup Jeff Driskel will be able to go as he has played pretty well in his limited opportunities. If Driskel is unable to go, that would mean a start for David Blough the former Purdue Boilermaker against that Chicago defense. Yikes. The Bears defense has not been quite as formidable as it was a season ago but they still rank fourth in scoring allowing just 17 points per game in a division with a lot of scoring. The Lions will want to get newly anointed starting running back Bo Scarbrough going as the run defense for Chicago is not as strong as their pass defense. Scarbrough is a tough runner who will be motivated playing on the national stage and how well the Bears can control Scarbrough could dictate whether this game is close or a possible blowout. Whether it’s Driskel or Blough going at QB they are going to struggle finding good matchups despite having three fantastic wide receivers in Golladay, Jones and Amendola.
The public is all over the Bears driving this line from -2 up to as high as -5 as beating the Lions just seems too easy. If Blough has to make the start this game could really get out of hand. Even if Driskel is able to play, it’s hard to imagine the Lions being able to do enough to get this win or cover.
Yanni’s Pick – Bears -4 (Bears 24, Lions 13)
JJ’s Pick – Bears -4 (Bears 23, Lions 17)
vs. 
BUFFALO BILLS (8-3) at DALLAS COWBOYS (6-5)
Sunday – November 28th – 4:30pm
Spread: Dallas Cowboys -6.5
Over/Under: 45
Public Money Percentage: Buffalo 54%
The Breakdown:
Sandwiched in between (no turkey pun intended) a couple of games that don’t have a ton of playoff ramifications is a late afternoon contest between the Bills and Cowboys that could have major impact at the end of the season. The Bills had a convincing win against an uninterested Denver Bronco team while the Cowboys couldn’t overcome the elements or mistakes in a tight loss at New England, prompting owner Jerry Jones to put the coaching staff and team “on notice”. Both teams have taken some criticism of the fact that they have not been able to beat a “quality” opponent this season, which when you look strictly at the records is a fair assessment. One of these teams will be feeling pretty good after this game, while the other is going to be left hearing those exact same sentiments heading into the final quarter of the season.
The Cowboys defense played pretty well for the most part against the Patriots, and would have likely held them to single digits had it not been for a short field on a special teams miscue. It sounds a little crazy, but when you really break down their matchup against the Bills they’ll have a tougher time for the simple fact that Josh Allen presents a different set of challenges compared to Tom Brady. The Cowboys have been good off the edges getting to opposing quarterbacks which is obviously a necessity against Brady, but Allen’s mobility and scrambling will make things a little more challenging. Before we tackle that, let’s first start with the battle to control the line of scrimmage for the Bills offensive line and their ability to run the football which will be crucial to any offensive success that they have. This team is a run-first club that is at its best when it doesn’t have to get into a shootout or play from far behind. Rookie Devin Singletary is coming off of his first 100 yard game as a pro and the ageless Frank Gore also had a nice day as he passed the great Barry Sanders for third all-time on the NFL’s rushing hierarchy. The Cowboys have been a middle of the pack team stopping the run and will need to make it a point to do that against Singletary and Gore. Not having linebacker Leighton Vander Esch doesn’t help that cause so their safeties which are generally considered more of coverage safeties will need to support the run defense. Going back to Josh Allen, he is going to have opportunities to win this football game through the air as he has had all season. Last week he put the game out of reach connecting on a deep ball over the top to the underrated speedster John Brown with a throw he has missed more often than he’s hit this year. It’s pretty simple, if Allen can hit those type of throws, the Bills are a really tough team to beat, when he misses them, it makes them a lot more vulnerable. Another quiet but interesting player to watch this week is Cole Beasley as he’s returning to Dallas playing some really good football as a slot target. The one receiver that was able to find success last week against the Cowboys was Julian Edelman in the slot. Look for the Bills to try to keep the chains moving through Beasley in the short passing game.
Assuming the Cowboys can hold the Bills to a manageable point total, the real key to this game is going to come down to how well their offense can play. The good news right off the cuff is that they have fared much better at home and in particular wide receiver Amari Cooper. Cooper will draw Tre’Davious White in coverage and that will be one of the individual matchups to keep an eye on. The Cowboys don’t necessarily need a huge day from Cooper but he has to at least be a factor in the passing game, which he wasn’t a week ago against Stephon Gilmore. Unfortunately for the Bills, despite having a very good defense, that is really the only area that they seem to have an advantage and or can hold their own depending on how that goes. Teams that can spread the ball around have been able to take advantage of some much weaker coverage on the opposite side of their number one receivers. Look for Michael Gallup and Randall Cobb to be heavily involved in this week’s passing game and expect both to finish with nice stat lines. While the Cowboys have a slight advantage in that area, their real strength needs to come from their heaviest investments in their offensive line and running back Ezekiel Elliott. The Bills are also middle of the pack against the run, but where they have struggled is against big and physical offensive lines and running backs. In case you haven’t follow the Cowboys, that’s exactly what their offense is built around. Buffalo’s defense is a fast and athletic group but has been unable to really stop the teams that want to muscle up and get physical with them.
KEY STATS: The Cowboys are 10-3 straight up in their last 13 games
following a loss
Based on the records alone, this spread seems a little high and the public agreed as it opened as high as Dallas -7.5 and has moved down to -6.5. The Buffalo Bills are a very solid football team, but they are in a really unenviable spot in this game. Having a short week playing their only national TV game against a team that is better at home and used to playing both on prime-time and Thanksgiving is tough. More importantly. the type of team that Dallas is will prove troubling as it’s built to exploit the weaknesses of a team designed like the Bills.
Yanni’s Pick – Cowboys -6.5 (Cowboys 29, Bills 19)
JJ’s Pick – Cowboys -6.5 (Cowboys 27, Bills 17)
vs. 
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (9-2) at ATLANTA FALCONS (3-8)
Sunday – November 28th – 8:20pm
Spread: New Orleans Saints -7
Over/Under: 49
Public Money Percentage: New Orleans 66%
The Breakdown:
The only other team playing on Thanksgiving with a legitimate focus on the playoffs are the New Orleans Saints as they’ll head to Atlanta to take on a Falcons team that gave them their worst beating of the season just a couple of weeks ago. The Saints enter as a touchdown favorite despite their recent loss and some big injuries upfront to their offensive line. The Falcons have undoubtedly improved over the past month of the season and will be ready to go toe-to-toe with their division rivals.
In the previously mentioned game between the Falcons and Saints, Atlanta completely dominated the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball forcing Drew Brees to hold the ball and taking a season high six sacks. New Orleans was already down Andrus Peat on their offensive line before losing Terron Armstead their solid left tackle last week. The obvious question in this game is will the Falcons be able to control that line again, particularly with the Saints offensive line injuries? If you can answer that definitively you most likely know the outcome of this game. The challenge is we don’t know for sure how things will shape up in that battle so we’re left to try to decipher that with our best guess and focus on the numbers. Sean Payton is one of the top scheming offensive minds the game has ever seen and we have to put some faith in the fact that he’ll adjust his game plan this time around. Last week he really made sure that his team started strong in the run game in order to loosen things up in the passing game. The Falcons rank near the bottom stopping the run, but they are actually allowing a pretty impressive 3.9 yards per carry, well below the league average this season. Despite that, it’s always a little easier for backup offensive linemen to run block than it is to pass block so look for New Orleans to run it often even if they’re not having great success early in the game. If they can run the ball, they should have no trouble controlling and winning this game, if they cannot, it will become a lot more interesting. In the passing game we know Michael Thomas will find his receptions so as has been the case with this team, it’s who can compliment and make big plays? Jared Cook has played well the past couple of weeks and that’s a really good sign for the Saints if they can get Cook going down the stretch run of the season. Ultimately, this breakdown comes full circle as it can’t be stated enough that the battle of the linemen is going to be huge here. Grady Jarrett, Takk McKinley and gang have to stand up tall and be disruptive to give the Falcons a chance.
When Matt Ryan’s X-rays came back negative and it was confirmed he had a mild ankle sprain there wasn’t much to pay attention to with that story. A few weeks removed from that, it’s fair to wonder just how much that ankle is bothering him as his play has fallen off drastically since that injury. Playing against a Tampa Bay defense that hadn’t been able to stop anyone throwing the football, Ryan and the Falcons had relatively limited success moving the ball consistently and putting points on the board. Although they’re at home, they won’t have an easy road to improving that against the Saints defense that continues to play at a high level both stopping the run and the pass. Atlanta has not been able to find a lot of success running the football all season and it’s doubtful that they’ll be able to do much Thursday night with their banged up corp of backs. That will put a lot of stress on Ryan and his skill positions to carry the burden of sustaining offense. One loss the Falcons have to deal with that is a little under the radar is tight end Austin Hooper as it looks as though he probably won’t be able to go on Thursday. If he can suit up it would be a big boost as Ryan and Hooper have been on the same page all season, but again it doesn’t look like he’ll be in the lineup. With a shaky running game and Hooper unavailable, it suddenly becomes a lot easier to defend the talented wideouts of the Falcons. The Saints hope to have Marshon Lattimore available in the secondary, which would be a big boost against Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley. If Lattimore can’t go, look for New Orleans to play more zone coverage as they did last week.
KEY STATS – The Saints are 6-3 ATS in their last 9 games against the
Falcons
When you look at this game as a whole there are trends and matchups that favor each team. Being a prime-time game in their home stadium, you have to believe that the Falcons will be hyped up and ready to go as this is really their last “meaningful” game of the season. That being said, the Saints are a better football team with a lot more to play for including that factor of wanting to redeem their performance against Atlanta two weeks ago. The spread seems about right based on all of the dynamics in this game, so if you’re feeling the Saints, you have to ask yourself how much you like them in this spot? If you want to take the touchdown with the Falcons, well, you have some courage.
Yanni’s Pick -Saints -7 (Saints 26, Falcons 14)
JJ’s Pick – Saints -7 (Saints 29, Falcons 21)
vs.
TENNESSEE TITANS (6-5) at INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (6-5)
Sunday – December 1st – 1:00pm
Spread: Indianapolis Colts -2.5
Over/Under: 43.5
Public Money Percentage: Tennessee 51%
The Breakdown:
Not a lot of fanfare for this ballgame, yet it’s one of the most important and potentially most competitive games of the entire weekend as evidenced by it’s low point spread. The Colts and Titans have played some rugged games, and if the past is any indication this will be another tight meeting of teams that know each other well.
As is the case with this game, the Titans and their offense has largely flown under the radar since the insertion of Ryan Tannehill at quarterback. Tannehill has not only revived the Titans shot at the playoffs, he’s also likely played himself into a role with this team in the future. He’ll have a big opportunity to make a statement if he can play well and lead the Titans to a win on the road in Indy. The Titans offense always starts with the big guys upfront and if you happen to enjoy smashmouth football, the battle of the bigs on both sides will be one to watch here. Speaking of under the radar, Derrick Henry has been a top three or four back in the league going back to mid way through last season and continued his assault on the Jaguars last week. Indianapolis has really been good stopping big backs so we’ll have to see if Henry can get those legs moving and into the secondary past Darius Leonard and gang in the front seven. Tannehill has done a nice job spreading the ball around on offense which is good as there isn’t a clear advantage for them at the skill positions against a good Indianapolis secondary.
A lot of the same for the Colts on offense as they face a similar defense in the Titans. Jacoby Brissett will need to take care of the ball as usual, but needs to find some plays in the passing game when they’re available. T.Y. Hilton was obviously hampered in their last game against the Texans so we’ll have to see how much of a factor he can be on Sunday. Speaking of injuries, the Colts will also be with Eric Ebron at tight end as the team had to shut him down on IR for surgery on both ankles. Jack Doyle has always proven a capable target and actually had some nice games against the Titans in the past. His importance in this game can’t be understated, especially if Hilton is not going at full speed. And further looking at the impact of injuries, Marlon Mack is still recovering from his hand injury which means Jonathan Williams will get the nod at starting running back again. Williams delivered with a 100 yard game against the Texans and the Colts will need another strong performance from him to keep the team in manageable third down situations. As tough as Mike Vrabel’s defense is, the Colts do have a slight advantage with their offensive line and those guys are going to need to prove it if they want to win.
This is one of the toughest games to handicap this week as it will likely be really close and a few bounces could determine the outcome. Seems nuts to think this, but could Adam Vinatieri sway the advantage of those bounces in the favor of the Titans? Best of luck if you’re betting this one, we’re staying far away.
Yanni’s Pick – Titans +2.5 (Titans 21, Colts 17)
JJ’s Pick – Colts -2.5 (Colts 23, Titans 20)
vs. 
NEW YORK JETS (4-7) at CINCINNATI BENGALS (0-11)
Sunday – December 1st – 1:00pm
Spread: New York Jets -3.5
Over/Under: 41
Public Money Percentage: New York Jets 73%
The Breakdown:
Similarities are plenty between the Jets and Bengals as they square off Sunday in a game that means little other than resume building and momentum for next season. Sam Darnold and Andy Dalton both wear number 14, struggled early in the season, are back taking the reigns for their respective teams, and have that glorious ginger hair. While the Jets are clearly trending upward, the Bengals re-installed Dalton in an effort to simply try to avoid going 0-16 in 2019.
Who are these suddenly explosive and dominant New York Jets on offense? You can start with the obvious, and that is the improved play of Sam Darnold at the quarterback position. Granted he hasn’t exactly been lining up against the top defenses in the league, but you have to give the guy a lot of props for rebounding from what many were ready to label bust material into one of the highest performing QBs over the past month. Darnold has benefited from recently paid Ryan Griffin’s solid play at tight end and the equally quality performances of his receivers Jamison Crowder and Robbie Anderson. The one constant all season for the offense despite not having the best statistics in the league has been the play of Le”Veon Bell at running back. Bell will be the tone setter in this matchup with the Bengals who continue to struggle stopping the run. In reality, they’ve struggled to defend the pass as well, but the Jets key to victory Sunday will be Le’Veon Bell’s ability to control the time of possession and score in the red zone. The Bengals have been susceptible to big plays against opposing offenses and Darnold and the Jets have proven that they can take advantage when the opportunity presents itself.
Having Dalton renamed as the starting quarterback in Cincinnati makes very little sense other than the fact it gives the Bengals the best chance to score points and win. In order for the Bengals to have a shot Dalton is going to need to play a good game, not just clean, but he’ll need to make some plays. The Jets quietly have the number one rushing defense in the league so even though RB Joe Mixon has put up some solid numbers the last few games, it’s unlikely he’ll be able to do much against the Jets front. It’s no secret that the Bengals offensive line is horrible and the Jets are going to spend a good amount of time in the backfield. This obvious advantage for the Jets is the reason why Cincinnati needs Dalton to make some plays in the passing game. Dalton’s return should help wideout Tyler Boyd and he could see a lot of targets on Sunday. With Mixon likely limited, how well Dalton and crew can convert on third down will be another storyline. And the redzone touchdown versus field goal dynamic will also be pivotal.
KEY STATS: The total has gone over in 4 of the last 5 Jets games
This has the feel of a “must-win” for the Bengals if they want to avoid futility, even though they do have a game with the Dolphins in week 16. If the Jets can get off to a fast start the Bengals could pack it in, however if they don’t this game could end up being very interesting. We’re expecting a fair amount of points in this game as the Jets offense has really been rolling and the Bengals flat out cannot stop anyone. The re-insertion of Andy Dalton at quarterback should help the Bengals stay in the game as he’ll be eager to prove himself and is a large upgrade over Ryan Finley.
Yanni’s Pick – Jets -3.5 (Jets 27, Bengals 18)
JJ’s Pick – Jets -3.5 (Jets 30, Bengals 13)
vs. 
WASHINGTON REDSKINS (2-9) at CAROLINA PANTHERS (5-6)
Sunday – December 1st – 1:00pm
Spread: Carolina Panthers -10
Over/Under: 40
Public Money Percentage: Carolina 57%
The Breakdown:
Carolina hosts the Redskins as they make what looks like a final stand toward salvaging a run at the playoffs. Washington is coming off of a much needed win against a beat up Lions team, and Carolina is still stinging from letting what would have been a huge win against the Saints get away from them in the kicking game.
Lost in the news story of Dwayne Haskins taking selfies with time still on the game clock against the Lions was the fact that he made some really timely plays to help guide them to their second win of the season. If you’re a Redskins fan it had to feel good to see Haskins make some big league throws, albeit against a Lions defense that can’t stop anyone. Carolina’s defense has not been fantastic, but they have been able to get after opposing quarterbacks which could spell big trouble for Redskins. Haskins has not handled pressure well, as many rookies do not, and it’s very possible that there could be more than a couple of turnovers for the young QB Sunday. The Panthers placed DT Dontari Poe on injured reserve this week which will loosen up the interior of that defense and put additional pressure on Luke Kuechly in the running game. The Redskins worked Derrius Guice back into the lineup last week and with Adrian Peterson and Chris Thompson back they’ll have their full compliment of running backs which is the are they’ll need to work if they want to have any success. If the Redskins can keep the game close, they can use the playbook to their advantage. If they fall behind and have to get into a dropback throwing game, this will be an absolute rout.
The Panthers organization got a good look at how Kyle Allen would respond to adversity as he bounced back with a really nice game after having his worst game as a pro the week prior. Allen looks to string another good outing together against a Redskins defense that has played hard despite generally being outclassed at several positions. The easiest play calling in the world belongs to Panthers offensive coordinator Norv Turner as if he can simply get the ball in the hands of Christian McCaffrey, good things will continue to happen. It’s been a while since there has been such a sure thing at the running back position as CMC is pretty much a lock for 150 yards and at least a score each week. Assuming McCaffrey has his way on the ground and in the short passing game, that should make things pretty comfortable for Allen throwing the ball. He’s really developed a nice rapport with wide receiver D.J. Moore and utilized veteran Greg Olsen in the intermediary routes. The Redskins will look to pressure Allen in the passing game for the same reasons that the Panthers want to get after Haskins. The difference here will be Allen’s decision making and the best running back in the league.
It’s hard to fathom that the Carolina Panthers are giving 10 points to any team based on the egg they dropped two weeks ago at home against the Falcons. This line is more about the futility of the Redskins than it is about the superiority of the Panthers. It’s a shame that this like wasn’t around the 8.5 mark as it would be a prime teaser candidate. With the line sitting at 10, we’ll probably be passing on this one, although no chance we’re taking the Redskins at this point.
Yanni’s Pick – Panthers -10 (Panthers 27, Redskins 10)
JJ’s Pick – Panthers -10 (Panthers 28, Redskins 17)
vs. 
SAN FRANCISCO 49ers (10-1) at BALTIMORE RAVENS (9-2)
Sunday – December 1st – 1:00pm
Spread: Baltimore Ravens -6
Over/Under: 46
Public Money Percentage: Baltimore 60%
The Breakdown:
All that anyone is talking about with the 49er and Ravens game this Sunday is how this is a lock as a Super Bowl preview. It very well could be as these two teams are balanced, talented, and hungry. San Francisco needs a win to stay ahead of the Seahawks in the NFC West, while Baltimore wants to stay in the hunt for homefield advantage in the playoffs.
What’s got to be really scary for the rest of the NFC is the fact that Jimmy Garappollo is playing the quarterback position at a very high level. There are still some skeptics hanging out there and Jimmy G can put that all to rest with a strong performance against the Ravens in Baltimore. As anticipated, the Baltimore defense is getting better as the season goes along and they’ve gotten healthier. That was also expedited with the addition of Marcus Peters which gives the Ravens the ability to lock down even teams with multiple receiving weapons. Add in the fact that Baltimore is it’s usually tough self against the run and this defense is shaping up really nicely for their postseason run. San Francisco hopes to have Matt Breida back in the lineup and they could really use him as they’ll need to be a little more creative than usual against this Baltimore defense. Kyle Shanahan will not back down from a challenge as he trusts his offensive scheme as much as anyone. If the Niners don’t have initial success they’d better have a backup plan as the Rams learned that going with their straight game plan was doomed from the start. If any team can bang heads with the Ravens it’s the 49ers, who will play tough in the trenches and with George Kittle who returned from injury to have an immediate impact.
What more can be said about what Lamar Jackson and the offense for the Ravens is doing both from production and a “wow” standpoint? The show they put on against a quality Rams defense was nothing short of amazing firmly positioning Jackson as the front runner for MVP of the league. Jackson has already proved he can shred some of the best defenses in the league including the Patriots so far be it from us to tell you he won’t continue to do so on Sunday. Although the Pats are the number one ranked defense in the league, this test against the Niners will be his toughest to date due to their athletic defensive line and linebackers. LJ has proven he can throw the ball accurately and Greg Roman has been a master at setting him up to be successful, and all of that will be on display this weekend. Expect the 49ers to finally slow Jackson and the running game down at least a bit and force him to throw more than he has previously.
If the Ravens make short work of the 49ers this Sunday it will really make a statement regarding who the top team in the league is. At this point, we can’t even consider making a formal play against Jackson and the Ravens, and apparently the rest of the world can’t either as this line quickly shot from -3.5 to -6 in hours. The sharp play seems to be taking 6 points with a 10-1 team that’s damn good, but if you want to ride the Raven wave, we understand.
Yanni’s Pick – 49ers +6 (Ravens 24, 49ers 20)
JJ’s Pick – 49ers +6 (Ravens 24, 49ers 22)
vs. 
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (4-7) at JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (4-7)
Sunday – December 1st – 1:00pm
Spread: Tampa Bay Buccaneers -2.5
Over/Under: 47.5
Public Money Percentage: Tampa Bay 74%
The Breakdown:
Perhaps the best part of sports betting is you can find reason to tune into a week thirteen game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Jacksonville Jaguars. The most interesting piece of this contest is how the respective quarterbacks will play as they look to cement their status with their teams for the 2020 season. After the Thanksgiving weekend and with very little to play for, will either of these teams be really focused on the game on Sunday?
If you’re a fan of the Buccaneers you’re obviously not thrilled with their record and missing the postseason (not officially yet). However, this team is exciting to watch as Jameis Winston continues to drop back and sling it all over the yard. Last week he torched the Falcons as Chris Godwin put up a monster stat line for you fantasy gurus. Earlier in the season the Jaguars might have been one of the teams that could matchup well against TB by locking Mike Evans up with Jalen Ramsey and sliding A.J. Bouye on Godwin forcing Winston to look elsewhere. With Ramsey now taking his baggage to the Rams, the Bucs’ should find their way to yet another successful day throwing the football. If there is one thing you can say about Winston as a quarterback it’s that he’s really never scared and thinks he can make any throw. While that often blows up in his face, it also helps his team score a lot of points. We pretty much know what we’re going to get from Winston, it’s the running game that might make the difference in this ballgame. Jacksonville has been absolutely gashed in recent weeks on the ground as this team is built as a pass rushing group and cannot stand up against physical runners. Ronald Jones and Peyton Barber have been a true committee in recent weeks and both have the strong downhill style of running that can give the Jags’ fits. When you get to this point in the season, you can kinda figure out who’s still playing and who isn’t based upon who wants to stick their neck in there and try to make a tackle on a 200 plus pound back running through the hole. Don’t be surprised if the Jags get down early for Jones and Barber to each have some nice days running.
Nick Foles is taking a lot of heat in the local Jacksonville media as the fanbase clearly favors Gardner Minshew and his backyard style versus the button upped and more cautious Foles. Look for Foles to be a little freer with his passing as he’ll likely need to air it out to both keep up with the Tampa offense, but also to win over the support of the organization after his huge payday in the offseason. He’ll also be forced into passing mode as Leonard Fournette will struggle against what has been a stout TB running defense all season. Head coach Doug Marrone wants to be a run-first team, except the game script and matchups Sunday are really going to make that a tough task. It’s not all doom and gloom in this game for Jacksonville as they have their own advantages with the skill positions versus the Bucs’ secondary that has been exposed repeatedly. If you haven’t paid attention to the Jags you’ve missed the fact that D.J. Chark has been performing at a Pro Bowl level at wide receiver with both Minshew and Foles under center. Chark’s great play has also helped relieve some of the pressure off of complimentary receivers Dede Westbrook and Chris Conley who both could be in line for a lot of targets. One bright spot in an otherwise disappointing season for Jacksonville has been the play of their offensive line which has graded out above average in a season where that was thought to be a weak spot. If they can keep the pressure off of Foles he will have his best game so far as a Jaguar.
KEY STATS – The total has gone over in 4 of the last 5 meetings
between the Buccaneers and Jaguars
– The total has gone over in 9 straight Buccaneer games
The Jacksonville Jaguars organization is a bit of a mess and it sure seems that their focus is more towards the offseason and shaking things up than winning football games. The public is all over Tampa Bay as 70+% of the cash is currently on the Bucs which we can’t argue with. However, with that big of a margin, we’re hesitant to wager directly on TB despite the fact they should win this game. Instead we’re opting to play the over basing that on the trend of TB being the best over team of the season and the total has gone over in nine straight games. Yes, like flipping a coin and landing on heads 9 times, tails is due to hit, but we’re going to ride this streak for another week based on the matchup. The weather looks like it will be perfect in Jacksonville so throwing the ball won’t be a problem. The Jags have struggled against the run and pass since shipping off Jalen Ramsey so Tampa should be able to throw up their usual 30ish points offensively. Nick Foles has his compliment of wide receivers for the Jaguars and a soft matchup is exactly what he needs to get some throws into the end zone. If you want to take Tampa Bay, you’ll likely get an easy win, we’re just mixing it up a little simply to avoid being on such a high bet public game.
Yanni’s Pick – Buccaneers -2.5 (Buccaneers 33, Jaguars 24)
JJ’s Pick – Jaguars +2.5 (Jaguars 24, Buccaneers 23)
vs. 
GREEN BAY PACKERS (8-3) at NEW YORK GIANTS (2-9)
Sunday – December 1st – 1:00pm
Spread: Green Bay Packers -6.5
Over/Under: 45.5
Public Money Percentage: Green Bay 77%
The Breakdown:
Aaron Rodgers is coming off of one of, if not the worst game of his storied career doing absolutely nothing against the very tough San Francisco 49er defense. Rodgers is not the type of quarterback that will get rattled or lose confidence easily and a date with the New York Giants will make certain that things get back on track for the QB and Green Bay. For starters get used to seeing a lot of Aaron Jones and Jamal Williams as the Packers will look to wear down the very soft Giants defense. Even with right tackle Bryan Bulaga potentially out, the Green Bay offensive line thrives in matchups like this one against softer interiors. As much as the Packers could probably just run their way to a victory, it’s also a good opportunity for Rodgers to get the passing game going so plan for a rebound for the Pack receiving corp. Every game is tough in the NFL, but this game has more of the feel of a preseason contest than it does a week thirteen regular season game.
It seems like forever ago that the Danny Dimes hysteria was alive and well in New Jersey as the Giants have lost their last five games by an average of 11 points. Daniel Jones is certainly not the only reason for their losing streak, but he has definitely played a lot like a rookie making some bad mistakes and looking confused at times. Jones will be dealing with the usual mix and match parts at receiver/tight end as Golden Tate is a question mark to play this weekend. As is the case with many rookie quarterbacks Jones has had trouble reading through the progressions and dealing with the blitz and pressure. The Packers pressure off the edges is going to cause Jones some more problems and potentially some bad mistakes again. Their tackles have under-performed to expectations and they’ll have their hands full again Sunday. The Giants really have one chance to make this game offensively and that is to feed Saquon Barkley, a lot. The Packers have had trouble slowing down running backs so NY really needs to go to that well as much as they possibly can. Barkley has looked very average since his early season ankle injury and this could be a test to see how healthy and effective he can be when put into a good situation.
If it weren’t for the fact that Aaron Rodgers and the Packers are substantially worse in road games than at Lambeau Field this would be a good spot to load on on Green Bay. They should cover the roughly touchdown spread so if you’re wanting to lay the points no argument from us on that. We’re going to play it a little safe however by teasing them down so they simply need to win the game. There seems to be almost no scenario short of Rodgers exiting early with injury that could prevent the Packers from getting back into the win column.
Yanni’s Pick – Packers -6.5 (Packers 30, Giants 21)
JJ’s Pick – Packers -6.5 (Packers 31, Giants 23)
vs. 
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (5-6) at MIAMI DOLPHINS (2-9)
Sunday – December 1st – 1:00pm
Spread: Philadelphia Eagles -10
Over/Under: 45
Public Money Percentage: Philadelphia 63%
The Breakdown:
Needing a win in the worst way the Philadelphia Eagles are hoping that a date with the Miami Dolphins will heal what ails them. It’s hard to believe that only three games separate these teams as one had Super Bowl aspirations while the other was in obvious rebuilding mode before the season even started.
The last thing we thought we’d be reading at this point in the NFL season are articles talking about how Carson Wentz is not an elite or maybe even franchise quarterback. If you’ve caught any recent games, it’s fair to raise that question as Wentz has looked absolutely terrible. Throw in the fact that comments were made about the coaching staff still needing to explain to him where to throw the ball in certain coverages and it’s scary times in Philly. Before we push the panic button on Wentz let’s make sure we at least discuss the reality that he was playing without his top three receivers, starting running back and two offensive linemen. That’s an uphill battle for any quarterback, so let’s see how things go as he’s set to get some of his key pieces back this weekend. What will be even more helpful than that is the opponent they’ll be facing Sunday is the Miami Dolphins who have the leagues lowest rated defense against the pass. With Lane Johnson returning on the offensive line that should help the Eagles pound on the ground with Miles Sanders and Jordan Howard who is trending to return from injury. The Dolphins lack of a pass rush will allow Wentz to find his targets in what will be great weather in South Florida. At least for a week, the chatter about Wentz and the Eagles offense should quite down a bit.
It’s been overlooked with the conversation about the offense, but this Philadelphia defense has actually been playing pretty good football the past month or so. The return of Ronald Darby in the secondary and now Nigel Bradham at linebacker make this unit solid again. The Dolphins offensive line is going to really struggle against Brandon Graham, Fletcher Cox and company at the line of scrimmage. Miami has been unable to run the ball all season and that won’t change this week as they’ll be shut down no matter who they throw in the backfield. The gritty Ryan Fitzpatrick will continue to sling it around as best as he can, but he’ll be under pressure as usual, and with Preston Williams on IR, Davante Parker is simply not enough to get it done in the passing game.
Much like in the Panthers game, should this 5-6 Eagles team be giving 10 points to anyone, on the road no less? That’s a pretty big number that seems like it would be best to avoid. The Dolphins could scrap their way to a close contest as they’ve done in a few of their games this year, but no chance we’re putting our hard earned cash on Miami.
Yanni’s Pick – Eagles -10 (Eagles 31, Dolphins 17)
JJ’s Pick – Eagles -10 (Eagles 31, Dolphins 20)
vs. 
OAKLAND RAIDERS (6-5) at KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (7-4)
Sunday – December 1st – 1:00pm
Spread: Kansas City Chiefs -10
Over/Under: 51.5
Public Money Percentage: Kansas City 58%
The Breakdown:
The Raiders and Chiefs tangle looking for first place in the AFC West as a Chiefs win would give them a firm advantage, while a Raiders win would knot things up at 7-5. Oakland is coming off their worst loss of the season getting blown out at the hands of the Jets and Kansas City is fresh off a bye, a situation that Andy Reid has fared well in throughout his coaching career.
Oakland has been one of the top stories this season and Jon Gruden deserves to at least be in the conversation for coach of the year. Looking at the past couple of weeks with a close win against the Bengals and the beating they took in New York it’s apparent that some reality is creeping back in for Oakland in their final season in the bay. The Raiders offense has overachieved all season long and they should be able to have a decent day against the Chiefs underperforming defense. Kansas City is happy to get their defense mostly healthy and rested after the bye so Steve Spagnuolo will be expecting his unit to play as well as they have all season. Josh Jacobs will test the Chiefs on the ground as the Raiders game plan will focus on keeping Patrick Mahomes and his offense on the sideline as much as possible. The lack of weapons on the outside for Oakland will be a liability as Jacobs will be facing a lot of loaded boxes forcing Derek Carr to throw more than what they’d ideally like. Tight end Darren Waller will be locked up with Tyrann Mathieu for much of the afternoon taking away Oakland’s best receiving threat. The best opportunity the Raiders have against KC is for their very good offensive line to have their best day of the year and hope they can overpower their way with the running game against those loaded eight man fronts.
Two weeks ago Patrick Mahomes had his quietest game of the year and looked very mortal for the first time in his young career. With an extra week to rest and prepare, that doesn’t line up well for the Oakland defense as Mahomes could be in line for a very big game. Getting their own offensive line healthy at the right time is another big advantage for KC as they’ll need their tackles to play well against the young edge rushers for the Raiders. Maxx Crosby and Clelin Ferrell are a pass rushing tandem that Raider fans should be really excited about and we’ve said it before, that GM Mike Mayock deserves a lot of credit for grabbing this duo in the draft. The big problem for Oakland is that Mahomes has feasted against edge pressure this season. The word for Mahomes Sunday is patience as he’ll need to take what the defense gives him if he is under pressure. Checkdowns and short throws are not the worst thing in the world for a team that loves to take chances down the field. Travis Kelce has had some great games against the Raiders and we’d expect him to have another big one Sunday.
At first glance this seemed like a great spot to take 10 points with a 6-5 Oakland team in a divisional game. After giving it some additional thought, the BetCrushers are split as Yanni is looking at more of a two touchdown type Chiefs win, while JJ thinks the Raiders can keep it relatively close. One thing is consensus, and that’s that Andy Reid off of a bye should figure out a way to win this game at home.
Yanni’s Pick – Chiefs -10 (Chiefs 33, Raiders 20)
JJ’s Pick – Raiders +10 (Chiefs 28, Raiders 21)
vs. 
LOS ANGELES RAMS (6-5) at ARIZONA CARDINALS (3-7-1)
Sunday – December 1st – 4:05pm
Spread: Los Angeles Rams -3
Over/Under: 47.5
Public Money Percentage: Arizona 55%
The Breakdown:
It’s not surprising that the Arizona Cardinals aren’t playing for much at this point in the season, but it’s a little bit of a shock that the Los Angeles Rams are basically finished this early in the season. In less than 365 days the Rams have ventured from the talk of the league to an organization in a bit of chaos with a lot of question marks moving forward. Can the Rams keep their slim playoff hopes alive or will their disappointment continue against an energetic Cardinals offense?
Speaking of a doing a 180 how quickly has Jared Goff gone from potentially elite level talent to a bottom of the barrel quarterback in the eyes of the national media? Goff takes the show on the road and faces a team that has had their own issues on the defensive side of the ball in particular. After a nice game by their offensive line, two weeks ago, the Rams big men were overmatched and beaten badly against the Ravens on Monday night. If their tackles can hold up against Terrell Suggs and Chandler Jones on the outside, they should handle the interior of the Cardinals line as that has been a weak spot for them all season. Generally speaking the Rams prefer to run outside the tackles with a lot of stretch plays and motion however against Arizona their best path to success for Todd Gurley and the running game is to hit them right up the middle. The passing game is where the Rams should really find some success against this Arizona team as they have been torched throughout the season, and especially against teams with multiple receiving weapons. LA finally has it’s wide receiver trio together and even though they weren’t able to do much against the Ravens, a week to knock the rust off for Brandin Cooks and Robert Woods should help them and free Cooper Kupp back up to regain the form we saw from him earlier in the season. The Rams should be able to get some offense in gear against this Arizona defense, and if they can’t, there needs to be a huge “oh no” for this organization.
It’s slightly surprising to many who haven’t follow the Arizona Cardinals much to recognize that this team has really been able to put points on the scoreboard. Initial thoughts were that they may struggle against this Rams defense when you look at some of the matchup problems they could have, specifically with Aaron Donald and the defensive line. That may not end up being the case though as Kyler Murray could be the eraser with his athleticism. We watched what Lamar Jackson and the Ravens roll right over LA with a game plan that utilized their quarterbacks unique and dynamic skill set. Let’s not get too ahead of ourselves in the sense that Murray is nowhere near where Lamar Jackson is at this point and his offensive line is far inferior to the line in Baltimore. It is feasible that Murray can at least replicate some of the successes of Jackson, particularly if David Johnson, Kenyan Drake and whoever else Kliff Kingsbury decides to throw into the backfield mix can get their own wheels going. Murray and the Cardinals have done an ok job even when they’ve trailed and been in catch up mode, but this is not the type of game where they’ll be able to do that so scoring early and staying competitive will be important.
We don’t expect a severe shortage of scoring between these two teams for a couple of different reasons listed. Ultimately, we lean under on this one and both feel that this game could end up being a really tight one with JJ liking the Cardinals to grab the win straight up.
Yanni’s Pick – Cardinals +3 (Rams 24, Cardinals 23)
JJ’s Pick – Cardinals +3 (Cardinals 24, Rams 20)
vs. 
CLEVELAND BROWNS (5-6) at PITTSBURGH STEELERS (6-5)
Sunday – December 1st – 4:25pm
Spread: Cleveland Browns -2.5
Over/Under: 39
Public Money Percentage: Cleveland 68%
The Breakdown:
All eyes will be peaking at what happens when the Browns and Steelers take the field just weeks removed from one of the ugliest brawls in league history. Buried behind that is the fact that these two teams are desperately trying to keep their quest for a playoff berth alive. With Myles Garrett, Mason Rudolph and Maurkice Pouncey not playing that may keep things a little calmer, yet no one will be surprised if this one gets a little nasty again.
After a couple of big wins at home, the Browns now head back on the road and will do so behind their third string quarterback Devlin “Duck” Hodges who replaced the ineffective Mason Rudolph a week ago. In the words of head coach Mike Tomlin, Hodges will get the nod as starter again as he “doesn’t kill the team”. Not exactly a ringing endorsement for a team that still expects to win despite what challenges are put in front of them. Hodges will at least have the benefit of playing against a still short-staffed Browns defense with some key missing pieces, most notably Garrett. Cleveland didn’t struggle at all defensively a week ago, except it’s hard to know how good or bad this revamped defense is when they’re playing at home against the Miami Dolphins. The ironic thing is we still may not know after this weekend as the Steelers are going to be equally if not more short with their offensive roster. Mason Rudolph may not have played great football last weekend, but it’s hard to imagine many quarterbacks doing a whole lot with the surrounding cast he had. The one area that the Steelers really need to step up with on their offense is their O-line and tight ends. This group has underperformed of late and they should absolutely be able to help make up for some of the other deficiencies on the offense.
For the first time this season the Cleveland Browns offense showed up for four quarters a painted a picture of what many thought this team would do in 2019. Baker Mayfield was accurate and made big plays to both Odell Beckham, Jr. and Jarvis Landry, who had a monster day. Nick Chubb went over 100 yards and Kareem Hunt pitched in out of the backfield and added a score. This week the team hopes to welcome back tight end David Njoku which would have the core together for the first time since the season opener. While the list of talented playmakers runs long, it wouldn’t be surprising if this Pittsburgh defense played it’s best game of the season. After all, they’re at home, fighting for their playoff lives, and face their rivals after being beaten soundly on national television. The Steelers defense was beaten by the offensive line of the Browns in their previous meeting which was a little surprising when you look at the player to player matchups. Don’t count on that happening again as the Steelers will likely change up the look of their coverage and rushes, and more importantly play with a little more pride in front of their home crowd. If you’re looking for a player to watch on Pittsburgh’s defense, keep an eye on Joe Haden on the corner who has not graded out nearly as well as this team has expected or needed him to. He’ll be tasked with slowing down the Browns receivers and how well he can do that will play a big role in how many or few points Cleveland can put up.
The officials are likely going to have an extremely fast whistle in this game so you can count on some early 15 yard penalties to set the tone and keep things under control. It’s really hard to gauge how these teams are going to execute due to a ton of variables on both sidelines. The under seems like a pretty solid play if you feel the urge to get in on this game. All things considered this seems like a perfect game to leave alone and observe what the fallout from the brawl in Cleveland will yield.
Yanni’s Pick – Browns -2.5 (Browns 19, Steelers 16)
JJ’s Pick – Browns -2.5 (Browns 23, Steelers 17)
vs. 
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (4-7) at DENVER BRONCOS (3-8)
Sunday – December 1st – 4:25pm
Spread: Los Angeles Chargers -3
Over/Under: 38.5
Public Money Percentage: Los Angeles 62%
The Breakdown:
Two AFC West squads were probably thinking this game between the Chargers and Broncos would be a crucial game when this season started. Unfortunately, these teams ended up being two of the more disappointing franchises in 2019 and this game has little importance in the grand scheme of week thirteen. Perhaps the only intrigue in this contest is the fact that Denver looks like they’re going to give rookie QB Drew Lock the keys to the offense for his first career start.
If you want to look for some other storylines of interest in this game you can also glance at embattled Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers as he’s looking to bounce back from back to back games consisting of heavy turnovers and questions about his future in the league. We mentioned a couple of weeks ago that Rivers just doesn’t seem to have it this season and it’s fair to wonder if he’ll ever have it again. Rivers can quiet critics if he can put a stronger performance together against an underrated Broncos defense. Von Miller is questionable to play so that could weaken them a bit, but this group is surprisingly been hovering around a top five group all season. Keenan Allen will draw Chris Harris, Jr. as these two have had some big battles over the past few seasons. Rivers would be wise to look for Mike Williams and Hunter Henry as teams have had far more success going away from Harris. More importantly, the Chargers need to really focus on Melvin Gordon and Austin Ekeler and not be pass happy if they don’t need to be. Denver’s biggest weakness on defense has been covering running backs out of the backfield which can be the Chargers biggest strength when they’re on their game. LA is hopeful that Russell Okung will be able to get back into the lineup at left tackle as his brief play was a marked upgrade for a line that has struggled this season.
The breakdown of the Denver offense is pretty straightforward based on what we know and what we don’t know. The unknown is how Drew Lock will handle his first start in the NFL. We’ve seen first time rookies play unbelievably well and energize their teams and we’ve seen them look completely lost and make a lot of mistakes. What we do know is the Broncos will desperately need to try to get their running game going. The Chargers can be beaten with a power running game although it’s likely that Phillip Lindsay and Royce Freeman will be seeing a lot of eight man fronts. It’s also likely that Melvin Ingram and Joey Bosa will be looking to rattle Lock with some pressure he’s never really seen. Broncos left tackle Garrett Bolles has been under fire and his assignment won’t get any easier this weekend. How he plays against the Chargers could determine what his future with the Broncos ends up being.
As the Vegas projected total suggests, this could be a really low scoring affair between two teams that know each other well. The Broncos seemed like a sharp play as the public is soundly on the Chargers, however with a rookie QB making his first start it’s really anyone’s guess on what we’re going to see. We’re split on this divisional game and not overly anxious to get any action going on it.
Yanni’s Pick – Chargers -3 (Chargers 23, Broncos 17)
JJ’s Pick – Broncos +3 (Broncos 19, Chargers 17)
vs. 
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (10-1) at HOUSTON TEXANS (7-4)
Monday – December 1st – 8:20pm
Spread: New England Patriots -3.5
Over/Under: 44.5
Public Money Percentage: New England 65%
The Breakdown:
The folks at NBC have another good one lined up as the Patriots take on the Texans with a lot on the line for both teams. New England needs a win to stay ahead of the Ravens for homefield advantage and Houston wants to remain in first place in the crowded AFC South standings.
CBS had a graphic up on Thursday that showed just how many quarterbacks had been putting up better numbers than Tom Brady over the past month of the season. While it’s true that there are some shocking names on that list, the stat that we all know that team cares about are wins and losses, in which case they are 10-1. Brady and team have had some tough matchups recently, including playing in basically a monsoon at home in week twelve so this should be their first opportunity to really line things up offensively. The Texans have continued to be up and and down defensively and will need to be strong to keep New England frustrated. Since JJ Watt went down with his season ending injury Houston has struggled to stop the run consistently. Look for Josh McDaniels to run the ball as much as he can with Sony Michel to try to establish the line of scrimmage. Bill Belichek has proven he doesn’t feel the need to throw the ball 40 times a game to win if his defense can hold down their opponents. That being said, despite an in-season revamped secondary and mildly improved play, the Texans have continued to have their own issues in the passing game as well. This should be an opportunity for Brady to develop some chemistry with his rotating cast of wide receivers including rookie K’Neal Harry who snagged his first NFL touchdown last week against the Cowboys. As seems to be the case in all of the Pats contests this year, seeing if their offensive line can hold up will be one of the biggest things to watch.
We’re not huge fans of Texans head coach Bill O’Brien and this weekend’s game could either change our opinion of him, or further dig him into a deeper hole. Houston has an opportunity to watch how the Ravens attacked this New England defense and made them look mortal for the only time this season. Deshaun Watson has the ability to make plays in the passing game and with his feet which he’ll need to do for them to sustain offense and score on this tough Patriots team. Can the Texans adjust their game plan with enough new wrinkles to attack New England similarly to how the Ravens were able to? Other than the obvious in quarterback Deshaun Watson, the player that most needs to have a big game for Houston is wide receiver Will Fuller V. Fuller can be a difference maker and beat even the best of coverages if Watson gets time to throw the football. With number one target DeAndre Hopkins likely to spend his evening matched up with Stephon Gilmore, Watson will need to look to the opposite side of the field and hit some plays deep.
The Patriots have had their way against the Texans in recent years although in the past it was usually by way of offensive dominance. This year’s game could be much different as the Patriots will need to rely on their defense to hold Houston down. An interesting side note is that apparently some sort of virus made it’s way through the locker room and several players missed practice this week with illnesses. Hard to know how much if any impact this will happen on the the game This is a big game for Houston as they have a golden opportunity to earn an important victory as they seem to be catching the Pats at the right time.
Yanni’s Pick – Patriots -3.5 (Patriots 24, Texans 17)
JJ’s Pick – Texans +3.5 (Patriots 24, Texans 21)
vs. 
MINNESOTA VIKINGS (8-3) at SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (9-2)
Monday – December 2nd – 8:15pm
Spread: Seattle Seahawks -3
Over/Under: 49
Public Money Percentage: Seattle 63%
The Breakdown:
A big-time Monday Night Football game as the Minnesota Vikings travel to the Pacific Northwest to take on the Seattle Seahawks in a very important NFC tilt. Kirk Cousins dispelled the myth that he couldn’t win a big road game a couple weeks back and looks to hammer that point home against Russell Wilson who continues to play the best football of his career. Playoff seeding will be determined to some extent as the winner of this game stays in the hunt for a division title at best, or wild card positioning at worst.
Somewhere along the way Kirk Cousins morphed his season from biggest free agent bust to potential MVP consideration. This will be Cousins biggest test of the season as he’ll have to battle the 9-2 Seahawks and the 12th man, and need some help from his defense to come away with a road win. Cousins will first and foremost need to be mindful of where Jadeveon Clowney is lined up for Seattle on defense. Clowney had one of the most dominant defensive games in recent memory in primetime a few weeks ago so we know he enjoys the bright lights. Cousins has been a top five QB against pressure this season so it’s not as though he can’t perform under duress, however there is a difference between feeling pressure and having Clowney disrupt the way he has the ability to do. As of Turkey Day Adam Thielen is still very much a question mark to play at receiver which will certainly have an impact on the Vikings overall gameplan on offense. While Stefon Diggs can pick up the slack, this is a game where having both would be extremely beneficial for Minnesota. As has been the key all season though, the key for the Vikings will be their ability to run the football and control the line of scrimmage. The Seahawks have been a top ten rush defense and this should be a nasty battle in the trenches between the Vikes’ O-line and Hawks’ D-line. We’re excited to check this game out on that side of the ball as it’s truly strength versus strength.
As if the Seahawks weren’t playing well enough on offense, they have welcomed Rashaad Penny into the fold in addition to Chris Carson now being able to utilize two fresh and powerful running backs. The Vikings will have DT Linval Joseph back on the defensive line just in time to try to slow down the running duo as they hope their own top rushing defense can hold up. As impressive as Carson and now Penny have been on the ground, we all know that Seattle’s offense starts and finishes with Russell Wilson, the likely second place MVP vote receiver if the award was given out today. The Vikings front seven is as strong as any in the league when they’re playing at their best which they’ll need to do against Wilson. Can the speedy linebackers of the Vikings contain Wilson when the plays break down and when he scrambles? What may be an even bigger concern for Mike Zimmer is whether or not his secondary can contain Tyler Lockett, D.K. Metcalf and newly acquired Josh Gordon? The secondary seemed like it would be a strength led by Xavier Rhodes for Minnesota, yet they have struggled all season giving up plays in the passing game. Conversely, Wilson has continued to throw the deep ball as well as any QB in the league. As was the case on the other side of the ball, it’s really good versus really good so we should see some high level play throughout.
The Vikings have been notably poor after a bye week under head coach Mike Zimmer which is not a good thing when you’re playing in Seattle. In a weird twist, the Seahawks have performed better on the road this season than at home. Even though Minnesota might be a better team from top to bottom, this is a game that Russell Wilson and the Seahawks should be able to win at home. In a nationally televised game, you have to believe the Vikings will bring their best effort and that should be enough to at least keep them competitive and within a score.
