With almost all of the playoff slots for both the AFC and NFC having already been settled, there are only a few games that hold any importance this weekend. New England/New York has to be the one with the most national interest (@ Tiki Barber - no, not because the Giants are in that game, you girlish dope). Seeing if the Patriots can wrap up a perfect 16-game regular season is probably worth watching.

But like the government can snatch grandma’s house in the name of infrastructure, the NFL has commandeered this game for it’s cable-access quality NFL Network.

Seems counterproductive to pull all the best games, only to show them on your soviet-state run network where the color and play-by-play guys are given a “No-no” sheet before each game of the things they can’t speak of on the air, lest their families end up doing hard labor in northern Minnesota.  Then again, if you can improve the on-air talent and chemistry and get on as a standard cable channel, in a few years we could be pledging allegiance under the flag of the United World States of Football.

Ok, ok.  To the picks.  Winners are bold.

NE @ NYG - The Pats don’t want anything left to chance - Brady’s replacement will come in when it’s 47-0 with 8 minutes left in the 3rd.
SEA @ ATL
DET @ GB - The Packers have nothing to gain except some emergency practice for the second-stringers.  The Lions can’t even be spoilers, and I have my doubts that they’ll buck up and play for Rod in freezing temps with nothing hanging in the balance.  But they could surprise us.
SF @ CLE
JAC @ HOU
CAR @ TB
BUF @ PHI
NO @ CHI
CIN @ MIA
DAL @ WAS The equation here is pretty simple - win and you’re in.  Dallas also has nothing to gain with this game, so look for them to treat it like a preseason game.
KC @ NYJ
STL @ ARI
SD @ OAK
MIN @ DEN - If Washington loses and the Vikings win, the Vikings are in.  I wouldn’t mind having the Packers pull the Vikings over their lap for one more good spanking this season (if they meet in the playoffs).
PIT @ BAL
TEN @ IND-There are some crazy betting lines this week - hard to decide who’s going to show up and who isn’t when there is little but pride on the line.

I’ll tally my season totals after this week - they suck generally, and I’ve missed the last few weeks, so don’t plan on being impressed.

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