NFL Week 16 -- Football overload

Saturday is going to be an absolute batshit insane day of football. It might even be too much ... or maybe not.

Thursday night
Denver at L.A. Chargers (-3/42.5), 815, PRIME

Saturday
Houston (-2/39.5) at Kansas City, 1, NBC
Pittsburgh at Baltimore (-6/44.5), 430, FOX

Sunday early
Philadelphia (-3.5/45.5) at Washington, FOX
N.Y. Giants at Atlanta (-10/41.5), FOX
Detroit (-6.5/47.5) at Chicago, FOX
Cleveland at Cincinnati (-7/47.5), CBS
Tennessee at Indianapolis (-4/42.5), CBS
L.A. Rams (-3.5/46.5) at N.Y. Jets, CBS
Arizona (-4/46.5) at Carolina, FOX

Sunday late
Minnesota (-3/43.5) at Seattle, FOX
New England at Buffalo (-14/46.5), CBS
Jacksonville (-1.5/39.5) at Las Vegas, CBS
San Francisco at Miami (-1.5/45.5), CBS

Sunday night
Tampa Bay (-4/49.5) at Dallas, NBC

Monday night
New Orleans at Green Bay (-13.5/41.5), ESPN/ABC

Playoff picture (x-clinched playoffs; z-clinched division)
AFC
#7 L.A. Chargers (8-6) at #2 Buffalo-z (11-3)
#6 Denver (9-5) at #3 Pittsburgh-x (10-4)
#5 Baltimore (9-5) at #4 Houston-z (9-5)
#1 Kansas City-z (13-1)
Still alive ... Indianapolis, Miami, Cincinnati (all 6-8)

NFC
#7 Washington (9-5) at #2 Philadelphia-x (12-2)
#6 Green Bay (10-4) at #3 Tampa Bay (8-6)
#5 Minnesota-x (12-2) at #4 L.A. Rams (8-6)
#1 Detroit (12-2)-x
Still alive ... Seattle (8-6), Atlanta (7-7), Arizona (7-7), San Francisco (6-8), Dallas (6-8), New Orleans (5-9)

Thoughts
* That Sunday late window seems like it'll be a good time to wrap holiday gifts or make a late shopping run. Some brutal watches there.
* I guess New Orleans is technically alive because there's a far-fetched scenario where the Saints, Bucs and Falcons all finish 8-9 and the Saints would win the tiebreak? Anyway, Spencer Rattler at Lambeau should put that scenario to rest.
* Commies-Eagles the clear best game on Sunday. Tampa-Dallas could be interesting just because the Cowboys continue to play hard for McCarthy.
* Jacksonville-Vegas WOOF.

 

As it turns out, Sunday at 4;30 is the time when I will be at the mall watching my grandson (18 months) get his picture taken with Santa. His mom and dad planned well.

 

So I can't spitefully burn my Saints Super Bowl winner bet ticket just yet?
I'd say I can at least recoup the cost by betting against them during their downward spiral, but they keep fucking me over. Blew a lead (against the spread at least) against the even shittier Giants, then didn't have the common decency to stay dead against the Commandskins. I didn't realize how weirdly angry this team is making me until just now.

 

Does Fox truly not have a late Sunday game?

Methinks the NFL selected this Saturday slate specifically to send a shot across the bow of college football. Don’t want to run the risk of a network broadcast game ever finishing as runner up in a time slot.

 

Is 39.5 the lowest o/u of the season?

 

My bad. Forgot Minnesota-Seattle. It's been added.

 

Also, Commanders-Falcons flexed to Sunday night in Week 17. Original was Dolphins at Browns.

 

The Saturday slate was chosen so those four teams could play on Christmas Day. They will just switch opponents. The teams had to have at least three days off between games. It is all about that Netflix deal. As usual with the NFL, they think there is money to be made, so they are diving after it like a fumble in the end zone.

Of course, this means the four teams are stuck playing on short rest in consecutive weeks late in the season, which is also a reminder that despite its lies to the contrary, the league does not care about player safety.

There are multiple posters on a Steelers message board I frequent arguing that the Steelers should bench most of their starters for that Christmas Day game and treat it like a bye week. Of course, they can't do that, but I wouldn't be shocked to see them sit everyone with so much as a hangnail if they beat the Ravens Saturday, which would clinch the AFC North for them.