If we ever needed proof that NFL games are hard to pick then last week was another great example. Who saw Washington beating the undefeated Steelers? Or the Browns racking up 41 points in a win over the Titans? Well I did get one of those two correct!
Here are my NFL 2020 Week fourteen predictions:
New England Patriots @ Los Angeles Rams
The Patriots appear to be hitting some kind of form as they push for a play-off spot. An impressive 45-0 win over the Chargers last week was their fourth win out of five and puts them at 6-6 for the season. Thanks mainly to the poor form of the Seahawks recently, the Rams have jumped up to the top of NFC West with a 8-4 record for the year so far. I feel for this one, the Patriots need the win more and will have the edge.
Patriots 31 Rams 28
Tennessee Titans @ Jacksonville Jaguars
On their day the Titans have one of the most explosive offense lines in the game. Unfortunately they also have one of the weakest defensive lines at the moment. This was highlighted in last weeks defeat to the Browns where they gave up 41 points. Sure they still top AFC South at 8-4 for the season but 5 of those wins were the first 5 games they played. They should however get back to winning ways against a Jaguars side who have lost 11 straight. They are starting to push teams close though so this is no walk in the park for Tennessee.
Titans 21 Jaguars 16
Minnesota Vikings @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Vikings have picked up some form in recent weeks and sit second top of NFC North largely down to the Bears collapse in form. The Buccaneers have had a similarly inconsistent season as their opponents this week but might be heading in the different direction after 2 straight losses. I feel the Vikings are in a better place right now and will lose this one out.
Vikings 26 Buccaneers 20
Kansas City Chiefs @ Miami Dolphins
Patrick Mahomes and Tyreek Hill have lit up the league this season there can be no doubt about that. But the Chiefs haven’t hit perfection yet and stumbled past the Broncos in last weeks match up. They will have to pick it up this week as they face a Dolphins team who all of a sudden look the real deal on 8-4 for the season. This could be a good one with the Chiefs to just edge it.
Chiefs 34 Dolphins 30
Denver Broncos @ Carolina Panthers
Neither team still has any real play-off hopes at this stage and that will probably mean both teams will just go for it here. In saying that, the Broncos have one of the worst scoring records in NFL this season and the Panthers have lost 6 of their last 7 outings. Confidence will be low for both teams but the Panthers will suffer again I think.
Broncos 19 Panthers 16
Houston Texans @ Chicago Bears
The Bears continued to fall down the rankings after suffering a sixth defeat in a row last week against the Lions. The Texans also lost last week against the Colts to put them 4-8 for the season. Overall the Texans have looked the better of the two teams and should add further misery to the Bears coaching staff this week.
Texans 23 Bears 14
Arizona Cardinals @ New York Giants
Kyler Murray and his Cardinals team mates really have dropped the ball in recent weeks. 3 defeats in a row has them in real trouble as they sit 3rd in the tough NFC West division. The Giants meanwhile are on an amazing run with 4 straight wins that puts them top of NFC East. Surely they can’t go 5-0? can they?
Cardinals 23 Giants 30
Dallas Cowboys @ Cincinnati Bengals
The Cowboys looked done last week as they went down 34-17 to the Ravens. But let’s be honest, the Cowboys looked done for the season weeks ago. That’s 9 defeats now for the year. The Bengals as we all know are not the same team without Joe Burrow and even with him they were not exactly great! Both teams are on bad losing streaks but I have a feeling the Bengals will win this one.
Cowboys 21 Bengals 30
Indianapolis Colts @ Las Vegas Raiders
Both teams won last week but didn’t really impressive much in doing so. The Colts edged out a poor Texans team while the Raiders scraped past NFL’s worst team, the Jets. A win is a win though and both teams look good for a play-off spot. This is a big game for these teams and I think the Raiders will handle the pressure better.
Colts 30 Raiders 34
New York Jets @ Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks have gone from being tipped as potential Super Bowl champs to a team who will be lucky to go far in the play-offs. They only managed 12 points in last weeks loss to the Giants with Russell Wilson suffering badly against a charged up defense. Surely they can’t be as bad against the 0-12 Jets who aren’t even coming close to finding any kind of form.
Jets 10 Seahawks 31
Green Bay Packers @ Detroit Lions
The Packers are sitting comfortably at the top of NFC North with a 9-3 record and look like real contenders to go the whole way. The Lions are bottom of the division and have sacked their coach. They are not a terrible team though and do know how to win games. Not this one though.
Packers 34 Lions 16
Atlanta Falcons @ Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers are now at a disappointing 3-9 for the season and their head coach Anthony Lynn surely can’t survive much longer at the helm. The Falcons are not fairing much better at 4-8 but they did push the Saints close last week and look the more competitive out of these two teams.
Falcons 34 Chargers 20
Washington Football Team @ San Francisco 49ers
Did anyone see Washingtons victory over the undefeated Steelers coming last week? I certainly didn’t! You have to take your hat off to this team who are now on a 3 game win streak and sitting in second place in NFC East. The 49ers went back to losing ways last week, going down 34-24 to the Bills. Too many injuries has been the problem this year and they sit 5-7 going into this tough match up.
Washington 24 49ers 17
New Orleans Saints @ Philadelphia Eagles
The Saints will be hoping to have Drew Brees back for this one. They are just not the same offensive threat without the veteran quarterback even if they have continued their winning streak to 9 without him. The Eagles nightmare season continues with star quarterback Carson Wentz benched and head coach Doug Pederson’s job on the line. It’s now 4 defeats in a row and that won’t improve against one of the Super Bowl contenders.
Saints 30 Eagles 16
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Buffalo Bills
It’s top of AFC East versus top of AFC North as two heavyweights go head to head. The Steelers unbeaten run came to a shocking end last week against Washington and they will be looking to bounce back quickly here. I don’t fancy their chances though as the Bills are riding high at the moment with 5 wins from their last 6.
Steelers 17 Bills 22
Baltimore Ravens @ Cleveland Browns
I could never imagine saying this at the start of the season but this is a tough one to call. This is a must win game AFC North as the Ravens (7-5) sit below the Browns (9-3). Lamar Jackson looked back to form in last weeks win over the Cowboys and that could be bad news for the Browns. Many still doubt this Cleveland team but they showed they can beat the big boys in last weeks win over the Titans. Tough one to call here but Ravens might just nick it. They need it more.
