NFL Picks, Week 16: Titans vs. Chargers in Battle of Hottest Teams

The NFL Network rules the world, which mean that folks with the wrong cable system get to miss the Christmas night game between the league's two hottest teams.

That's the one between San Diego, winners of nine straight, against Tennessee, which has won seven of eight since starting 0-6. There are ramifications -- the Chargers can wrap up the second seed in the AFC and a first-round bye; the Titans are still looking for a playoff berth, remarkable considering their start.

The Titans are favored by three points -- home field. That's as it should be considering that they have more to play for -- San Diego needs a win or a loss by New England in the final two weeks to accomplish its goal; the Titans are fighting for a postseason berth.

Given the wacky nature of the last few weeks (I'll admit that I picked the Redskins over the Giants last week) I'm tempted to pass. But since the Titans have Chris Johnson, they should be tempted to run -- Johnson has nine straight 100-yard games, but his quest for a 2,000-yard season has been slowing lately with 113, 117, 104.

Oh yeah, the Titans might make the playoffs if they win this then win at Seattle the final week. Some other things have to happen too and I'm not about to get out my abacus and figure them all out because at 7-7, they're tied with about half the AFC.

Team	Point Spread	Projected Score
San Diego Chargers		23
Tennessee Titans	-3	24

Stay away STAY AWAY!! Jim Caldwell isn't tipping his hand, but who knows who plays for the Colts and for how long. They've been saying all along that they don't care much about an unbeaten season, so I guess you should take them at their word. This is normally Jim Sorgi's time of the season, but Jim's hurt so it's Curtis Painter. Curtis Painter? Just when we were getting used to Sorgi.

Team	Point Spread	Projected Score
New York Jets		8
Indianapolis Colts	- 5.5	9

The Eagles (Iggles to the locals) are another hot team: five straight wins. The Broncos just managed to lose at home to the Raiders and JaMarcus Russell in relief. That means if the Eagles only win by the seven-point spread, the locals will boo Donovan McNabb and Andy Reid. Out of general principles because that's what they do.
Come to think of it, they once booed Santa Claus. And this game is only two days after Christmas.

Team	Point Spread	Projected Score
Denver Broncos		13
Philadelphia Eagles	- 7	31

One 7-7 team gets eliminated and the other goes on. Lardarius Webb returns a kickoff for a TD when Jeff Reed declines contact that would knock him out of bounds.

Team	Point Spread	Projected Score
Baltimore Ravens		17
Pittsburgh Steelers	- 3	13

Carolina is 6-8 so it's eligible to lose to New York, whose two wins over Dallas are its only victories over a team with a plus-.500 record. Assume the wind will blow, which will help both defenses.

Team	Point Spread	Projected Score
Carolina Panthers		20
New York Giants	- 7	24

The Redskins try a little harder this week because it's the Cowboys.

Team	Point Spread	Projected Score
Dallas Cowboys	- 8	22
Washington Redskins		12

Team	Point Spread	Projected Score
Jacksonville Jaguars		17
New England Patriots	- 8	24

Team	Point Spread	Projected Score
Tampa Bay Buccaneers		12
New Orleans Saints	- 14	38

Team	Point Spread	Projected Score
Minnesota Vikings	- 7	27
Chicago Bears		22

Team	Point Spread	Projected Score
Seattle Seahawks		6
Green Bay Packers	- 14	31

Team	Point Spread	Projected Score
Houston Texans		23
Miami Dolphins	- 3	27

Team	Point Spread	Projected Score
Oakland Raiders		18
Cleveland Browns	- 3	19

Team	Point Spread	Projected Score
Kansas City Chiefs		10
Cincinnati Bengals	- 14	27

Team	Point Spread	Projected Score
Buffalo Bills		14
Atlanta Falcons	- 9	24

Team	Point Spread	Projected Score
St. Louis Rams		13
Arizona Cardinals	- 14	24

Team	Point Spread	Projected Score
Detroit Lions		9
San Francisco 49ers	- 12	28

Last Week: 6-9-1 (spread); 8-8 (straight up)

Season: 115-105-4 (spread); 143-81 (straight up)