NFL Players have finally made a stand against the NFL

I want to start these predictions out by saying “Bravo” to the Chiefs and Rams. Far too many times the NFL has cited player safety, only to do nothing for player safety. Well, it took multiple players for both teams, apparently big named players to boot, to say “NO!!! Enough is enough, we won’t play in these conditions!” when it came to the awful field conditions in Mexico City.

While it’s laughable that the NFL was going to allow them to play and completely ignore player safety yet again, and it wasn’t until the players were going to boycott the game and render the NFL a laughing stock and cause them to lose millions in revenue streams that the they moved the game back to Los Angeles, but the NFL finally did the ultimate “right thing.” Regardless of the motivation and reason behind the move, they did the right thing. But make no mistake, it isn’t a kudos to the NFL, it’s a kudos to the players for standing up for what is right, even though the NFL will take all the unearned credit.

This week I’m going to try something different... I’m going to let stats decide the outcomes. Seeing everyone is so damn “but the stats!” when trying to make arguments, I’ll give them what they want and let stats, in a vacuum like people tend to do, tell the whole story. And even though I’ve always stood by the fact that stats are the frame, not the entire painting, I’m going to do this just to see. Call it curiosity killing the cat. Basically I’ll use points for and points against cancel each other out and see what the final score will be.

Example: If Seattle averages 24 points scoring and Green Bay averages giving up 24 points, it’s likely Seattle scores 24 points. Meanwhile, if Green Bay averages to score 25 points and Seattle averages giving up 21 points, then that four point difference is likely the difference in raw score that Green Bay scores. I’ll have to use creative rounding and possible ineptitude, but I’ll get it done without a single tie being predicted.

Following me? Good. Now lets stuff this pig.

Last Week: 8-6
Overall: 89-56.2

Green Bay Packers (4-4-1) at Seattle Seahawks (4-5) 6:20pm FOX/NFLN TNF
Green Bay Offense PPG: 24.8 Green Bay Defense PPG: 24
Seattle Offense PPG: 24.3 Seattle Defense PPG: 21.3
Prediction: Packers 23, Seattle 24

Dallas Cowboys (4-5) at Atlanta Falcons (4-5) 11:00am FOX
Dallas Offense PPG: 20.1 Dallas Defense PPG: 19
Atlanta Offense PPG: 27.1 Atlanta Defense PPG: 28.2
Prediction: Dallas 23, Atlanta 24

Cincinnati Bengals (5-4) at Baltimore Ravens (4-5) 11:00am CBS
Cincinnati Offense PPG: 26.1 Cincinnati Defense PPG: 32
Baltimore Offense PPG: 23.7 Baltimore Defense PPG: 17.8
Prediction: Cincinnati 19, Baltimore 31

Carolina Panthers (6-3) at Detroit Lions (3-6) 11:00am FOX
Carolina Offense PPG: 26.8 Carolina Defense PPG: 25.8
Detroit Offense PPG: 22.4 Detroit Defense PPG: 27.1
Prediction: Carolina 27, Detroit 23

Tennessee Titans (5-4) at Indianapolis Colts (4-5) 11:00am CBS
Tennessee Offense PPG: 18.7 Tennessee Defense PPG: 16.8
Indianapolis Offense PPG: 28.9 Indianapolis Defense PPG: 26.6
Prediction: Tennessee 22, Indianapolis 23

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-6) at New York Giants (2-7) 11:00am FOX
Tampa Bay Offense PPG: 25.8 Tampa Bay Defense PPG:32.3
New York Offense PPG: 19.7 New York Defense PPG: 25.3
Prediction: Tampa Bay 25, New York 26

Houston Texans (6-3) at Washington Redskins (6-3) 11:00am CBS
Houston Offense PPG: 24 Houston Defense PPG: 20.4
Washington Offense PPG: 19.6 Washington Defense PPG: 19.4
Prediction: Houston 23, Washington 20

Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2-1) at Jacksonville Jaguars (3-6) 11:00am CBS
Pittsburgh Offense PPG: 31 Pittsburgh Defense PPG:23.2
Jacksonville Offense PPG: 17.8 Jacksonville Defense PPG: 22.1
Prediction: Pittsburgh 27, Jacksonville 23

Oakland Raiders (1-8) at Arizona Cardinals (2-7) 2:05pm CBS
Oakland Offense PPG: 16.3 Oakland Defense PPG:30.2
Arizona Offense PPG: 13.8 Arizona Defense PPG: 25
Prediction: Oakland 21, Arizona 22

Denver Broncos (3-6) at Los Angeles Chargers (7-2) 2:05pm CBS
Denver Offense PPG: 22.8 Denver Defense PPG: 23.7
Los Angeles Offense PPG: 26.7 Los Angeles Defense PPG: 20.7
Prediction: Denver 22, Los Angeles 24

Philadelphia Eagles (4-5) at New Orleans Saints (8-1) 2:25pm FOX
Philadelphia Offense PPG: 22 Philadelphia Defense PPG: 20.3
New Orleans Offense PPG: 36.7 New Orleans Defense PPG: 25.8
Prediction: Philadelphia 24, New Orleans 29

Minnesota Vikings (5-3-1) at Chicago Bears (6-3) 6:20pm NBC SNF
Minnesota Offense PPG: 24.6 Minnesota Defense PPG: 22.7
Chicago Offense PPG: 29.9 Chicago Defense PPG: 19.4
Prediction: Minnesota 23, Chicago 26

Kansas City Chiefs (9-1) at Los Angeles Rams (9-1) 6:15pm ESPN MNF
Kansas City Offense PPG: 35.3 Kansas City Defense PPG: 24
Los Angeles Offense PPG: 33.5 Los Angeles Defense PPG: 23.1
Prediction: Kansas City 29, Los Angeles 30