NFL Week 12 -- Spaghetti Western

There's a very real scenario in which all teams in the NFC West are tied at 6-5 after this week. All it takes is a San Fran win at Lambeau, a Seattle win over the Cardinals at home, and the Rams beating Philly at home. That said...

Thursday night
Pittsburgh (-3.5/36.5) at Cleveland, PRIME

Sunday early
Dallas at Washington (-10.5/45.5), FOX
Minnesota (-3.5/39.5) at Chicago, FOX
Detroit (-7.5/50.5) at Indianapolis, FOX
New England at Miami (-7/46.5), CBS
Tampa Bay (-5.5/41.5) at N.Y. Giants, CBS
Kansas City (-11/41.5) at Carolina, CBS
Tennessee at Houston (-7.5/41.5), CBS

Sunday late
Denver (-5.5/41.5) at Las Vegas, CBS
San Francisco at Green Bay (-2.5/47.5), FOX
Arizona at Seattle (-1/47.5), FOX

Sunday night
Philadelphia (-3/50.5) at L.A. Rams, NBC

Monday night
Baltimore (-3/50.5) at L.A. Chargers, ESPN/ABC

Bye
Atlanta, Buffalo, Cincinnati, New Orleans, N.Y. Jets, Jacksonville

Playoff picture
AFC
#7 Denver at #2 Buffalo
#6 Baltimore at #3 Pittsburgh
#5 L.A. Chargers at #4 Houston
#1 Kansas City

NFC
#7 Washington at #2 Philadelphia
#6 Green Bay at #3 Arizona
#5 Minnesota at #4 Atlanta
#1 Detroit

Thoughts
* I was a touch worried that with the bye, Dallas might get its shit together and look OK last night. Nope. Rivalry aside, would be a catastrophic loss for Washington. Need to take care of business in that one and get Daniels back on track. I think the 10 days off will do him well.
* Also, if you don't have a dog in the hunt, that early schedule is WOOF bad. Good time to do some early Christmas shopping.
* Looking a bit bleak for a second NFC West team to emerge and steal a wild card. I've documented Washington's schedule here quite a bit. Two against Dallas, one against Tennessee, Philly at home, at New Orleans, Atlanta at home. I can't see the Commies going any worse than 3-3 in that stretch, and 4-2 is more likely, as long as Daniels is upright. Strength of remaining schedule: 28th. Meanwhile, San Fran's is 4th, Seattle's is 9th and the Rams is 11th. And the Niners still have to play Detroit, Green Bay, Buffalo, Arizona and the Rams.
* Tampa has to be kicking itself for losing twice to Atlanta. The Bucs are essentially three games back with seven to play and finish with the Giants, Raiders, Carolina twice, Dallas, New Orleans and the Chargers. There's a world where they go 6-1 and Atlanta goes 3-3 down the stretch and the Bucs steal the South. Also, there's a world where Washington fucks around enough and only goes 3-3, Tampa goes 6-1, and Tampa gets the wild card due to its Week 1 win over Washington. Not ready to count the Bucs out.
* I'm ready to cross off a ton of teams at this point, including the Bengals and Bears. Chicago has the toughest remaining schedule and has taken two of the toughest gut-punch losses you can take. The Bengals are just in too deep of a hole and I don't like some of the chatter that's coming out of that locker room.

 

Based on what we've seen in the last two games. Washington or any team would have to commit a minimum of five turnovers to have a chance of losing to Dallas.

 

That is a grim looking early window for CBS. I’m not so sure a bunch of markets back east aren’t going to roll with infomercials for timeshares and arch supports and then take their chances with Denver-Vegas after that.

 

Not that I shed tears for the Cowboys, but three games in 9 or 10 days (depending on how you count)? Two short weeks back to back, including a road trip?

 

I assume they'll show the Chiefs to most of the neutral markets.

 

We'll probably get Tampa-Giants here, being an NFC East-ish market.

 

Keep firing people, Super Genius Woody Johnson! It’s not you! It’s them!

 

All you need to know about the NFL in LA. One thing I do is check the ticket resale market for each game as listed on ESPN.com. Sunday night is Eagles at Rams, big opponent,almost must win for playoffs. Tcikets as low as $167. Monday night is Ravens at Chargers. Big name opponent, very important playoff implications for Chargers and of course same exact stadium. Tickets as low as $67.
BTW the best deal on ESPN is Steelers at Browns, Tickets can be had for $35. I suppose I'd have given up too if I were a Browns fan, but that still surprised me.

 

I know I am showing my age but I still find the sentence 'Tickets as low as $167" to be shocking.