Week 14 picks


Bill Parcells said you are what your record says you are, but the Hall of Fame coach might agree to amend that statement when talking about these Jets. That's because it's nearly impossible for a team to have a 5 7 record when it has a minus 121 point differential and minus 18 turnover ratio.


Compare that first stat, point differential, to the other 5 7 teams: Titans (minus , Steelers (minus 15), Chargers (plus 2), Giants (minus 60), Rams (plus 1). With the exception of the Giants, those are numbers you'd expect to see from teams that are maybe one lucky play from being .500. Also, bad turnover trends are hard to turn around in season, particularly when the biggest culprit (Geno Smith) is handed back his job.


The record says the Jets are better than the 4 8 Raiders. The internals (Raiders are "only" minus 3 in turnovers and minus 63 in points) say Silver and Black.


CHARGERS ( over Giants: Part of the answer here is written above San Diego's vastly superior point differential suggests these 5 7s are not equal. And as Paul Schwartz pointed out in Wednesday's Post, the Giants have taken a lot of bows for not quitting, sugarcoating what a disaster this season has been.


Chiefs ( over REDSKINS: What a bargain price on the 9 3 Chiefs, who have [url=http://www.officialnflvikingsjerseys.com/Nike-Teddy-Bridgewater-Jersey.html... Bridgewater 2X Jersey lost three in a row, two to the Broncos. Andy Reid knows this former NFC East rival well, and Alex Smith will patiently pick apart the Skins, while his defense pounds gimpy Robert Griffin III.


Vikings (+6/) over RAVENS: Eight of the Ravens' last nine games have been decided by six points or fewer seven of those by three points or fewer. So that alone makes it too hard to give the touchdown to the Vikings, who have covered four of their to move a December outdoor game in Orchard Park against a dome team, into a dome in Toronto. Ya think?! Bucs won three and covered four in a row before no disgrace loss at Carolina.


BRONCOS ( 12) over Titans: Broncos lose the tiebreaker to Patriots and need to stay ahead of them to get top seed. Cold and snow may affect Peyton Manning's downfield passing game, but Broncos have won 12 in a row at home in all weather, the last eight by double digits.


Rams (+6/) over Cardinals: Nice price on Rams, who had won two in a row against Colts and Bears before respectable 23 13 loss at San Francisco.


49ERS ( 2/) over Seahawks: Double revenge game for Niners, who lost last two in Seattle by combined [url=http://www.officialnflvikingsjerseys.com/Nfl-Teddy-Bridgewater-Mens-Elite-B... Men's Teddy Bridgewater Elite L Jersey 71 16. Bit of a letdown spot for Seahawks off rousing Monday night home win against the Saints. Sehawks may be the best team in NFL, but this isn't their week.


Panthers (+3) over SAINTS: Some will pick the Saints simply because they are home, and usually that's good enough reason. But they may have met their match this time against the NFL's No. 2 yardage defense, after a cross country Monday nighter. Panthers are a "better" 9 3 based on the point differential and turnover ratio criteria mentioned earlier.


MONDAY NIGHT


BEARS ( 1) over Cowboys: Josh McCown is a mini Foles with 9 touchdowns and 1 interception. Helps to have Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery, with Matt Forte to run it. Close call, but tough spot for Cowboys in the Chicago chill.