NFL Predictions – Week 14

It's time for predictions for Week 14 of the 2020 NFL season.

I had a really solid week last week, going 11-4.

That week pushed my overall record to 129-62-1 for the year, as I look for a strong finish.

Let's try to keep it going this week.

Week 14 looks like another great week with a number of interesting games on the schedule, but I want to focus on three before I get to all of my predictions for this week.

Cardinals at Giants---The Giants are 5-7 and tied for first place in the NFC East, while the Cardinals are 6-6 and still in the playoff mix. Compare those respective records to four weeks ago; the Giants were 1-7 and maybe in the mix for the top pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, while the Cardinals were  5-3, and were one of the trendy picks in the NFL. My how things change quickly. The Giants were probably better than their 1-7 record at the time though. They have won four straight, and five of their seven losses have been by eight points or less. Last week, New York went on the road and beat the Seahawks, with their back up quarterback, handing Seattle its first home loss of the season. The Cardinals' high-octane offense hasn't been clicking on all cylinders as of late, and they've dropped four of their last five as a result. I think the Cardinals will approach this like a playoff game, play with a lot of energy, and will be tough to beat. Still, I think the long road trip, plus the way the Giants are playing will be too much to overcome. I'm taking the home team.

Vikings at Buccaneers---The Vikings were 1-5 after their first six games, but have won five of their last six to improve to 6-6 and have moved into playoff contention. With games remaining against the likes of the Bears and Lions, a win over Tampa Bay could help vault Minnesota into the playoffs, which will feature seven teams in each conference this year. On the other hand, the Buccaneers have dropped three of their last four, and have gone from being a trendy Super Bowl pick to being a team who will have to finish strong to just make the playoffs. Still the Bucs host the Vikings, followed by three games against teams under .500 (Falcons twice and Lions), so they have the opportunity to close strong. Do you see the Bucs losing their fourth-straight home game? I don't.

Washington at 49ers--Washington has been one of the best stories in the NFL this season. From the incredible comeback of quarterback Alex Smith, to the recovery from cancer by head coach Ron Rivera, to the organization getting positive press after a tumultuous offseason, they have some positive momentum right now. Washington, who handed the Steelers their first loss of the season last week, has won three of their last four, and are now tied for first place in the NFC East with the New York Giants. The 49ers, who have been hurt by injuries, are only 5-7 one year after a Super Bowl appearance. This is a long trip for Washington, but I'm going to say they extend their current win streak to four games.

Now, enough with the talking; here are the picks for Week 14:

Patriots at Rams---Rams
Texans at Bears---Texans
Cowboys at Bengals---Bengals
Chiefs at Dolphins---Chiefs
Cardinals at Giants---Giants
Vikings at Buccaneers---Buccaneers
Broncos at Panthers---Panthers
Titans at Jaguars---Titans
Colts at Raiders---Raiders
Jets at Seahawks---Seahawks
Packers at Lions---Packers
Saints at Eagles---Saints
Falcons at Chargers---Chargers
Washington at 49ers---Washington
Steelers at Bills---Bills
Ravens at Browns---Ravens