WEEK 17

• Against Spread: 9-7
• Straight Up: 8-8
• Over/Under: 16-0 (That's right, 16-0)

SUNDAY EARLY

ATL 20, TB 10 [ATL 23, TB 17 (Pick: Atlanta -2.5, under 41.5) fantasy]

The Falcons waited over 40 years to have back-to-back winning seasons, but if you don't make the playoffs, does it detract from the accomplishment? I guess it depends on how you look at it. I suppose Atlanta can take solace in that they were a much better team with a healthy Matt Ryan. Their playoff hopes were dashed in Week 12, when Ryan came down with a bad case of turf toe. He missed the next two weeks, in which Atlanta went 0-2. Ryan returned to the lineup in Week 15 and went into the Meadowlands and defeated the fraudulent Jets. If Ryan can stay healthy, next year will be when the Falcons realize the expectations bestowed upon them this season.

CHI 37, DET 23 [CHI 28, DET 14 (Pick: Chicago -3, over 45) fantasy]

Is Jay Cutler the fantasy MVP? There was no one more valuable over the season's last two weeks (549 yards, 8 TDs) when most play their fantasy Super Bowl. The problem is, if you were playing Jay Cutler all season long, chances are you weren't in anything besides a consolation championship. With two straight wins to end the year, the Bears finished the year at a respectable 7-9. I watch and write about every week of the NFL season but I do not remember the Bears winning seven games. The image that will perpetually exist in my head of the 2009 Bears will be some sort of poorly-timed Jay Cutler turnover causing the Bears to lose by 20. But, at 7-9, Lovie Smith will probably keep his job.

BUF 30, IND 7 [BUF 13, IND 10 (Pick: Indianapolis +8, under 38) fantasy]

What did Bills coaching staff win for a beat down of the Colts? The freedom to pursue other vocational avenues. Buffalo's entire coaching staff was relieved of their duties Monday morning (hopefully) caused by the arrival of new coach Bill Cowher. I can only hold out hope. Winning really did the Bills no favors, as a loss would have given them a decent shot at drafting Sam Bradford in 2010, but that honor seems like it will go to the now Zornless Redskins. 

CLE 23, JAC 17 [JAC 25, CLE 15 (Pick: Jacksonville +1.5, over 38.5) fantasy]

It seems like Cleveland (well, Josh Cribbs and Jerome Harrison) has played well enough to convince new President Mike Holmgren to give coach Eric Mangini another season to turn this ship around. And why not? The Mangini-led Browns have put together their first four game winning streak in a almost two decades, and 5-11 seems very respectable when you were 1-11.   

HOU 34, NE 27 [NE 31, HOU 28 (Pick: New England +8, over 46) fantasy]

Poor Houston. They could have been this year's version of the Cardinals if Charlie Frye didn't get hurt or the Bengals decided to show up. Houston finally posted their first winning season, after eight year of existence, and seems ready to finally take the next step that was predicted for them this year. Three areas of improvement that could make them an instant contender immediately: 1) A shutdown corner, 2) better offensive tackles, and 3) some stability at running back. Even if they upgrade two of these, they'll be playoff bound in 2010.

CAR 23, NO 10 [CAR 25, NO 16 (Pick: Carolina +7, under 41) fantasy]

Jonathan Stewart is an absolutle monster. I think the Panthers have some real questions on their hands heading into next year about what to do at running back. It seems likely that one of the two (Stewart or DeAngleo Williams) will be shipped out in the off-season. Williams appears more likely. 

MIN 44, NYG 7 [NYG 30, MIN 27 (Pick: New York +8, over 48) fantasy]

Smart move by the Giants. Resting their players for next season. Wouldn't want to get too many people injured. And what was Brett Favre still doing in the game, going for it 4th and goal, up 30 points in the third quarter? I'm starting think football was better when teams would just go out and end your career for this type of shaming.

PIT 30, MIA 24 [PIT 28, MIA 24 (Pick: Pittsburgh -3, over 46.5) fantasy]

Memo to Pat White: you're far too little to run over people in the NFL. Playing the Steelers is a step up from annual clashes with Boston College and quartet of terrible Carolina based schools. Luckily for everyone, we got a glimpse of 2008 fantasy superstar Tyler Thigpen. And you know what? He actually looked better than anyone Miami had started at QB ahead of him this year.

SF 28, STL 6 [SF 20, STL 13 (Pick: St. Louis +7.5, under 40.5) fantasy]

I spent 10 minutes watching this game. I would like those ten minutes back.

SUNDAY LATE

BAL 21, OAK 13 [OAK 17, BAL 10 (Pick: Oakland +10.5, under 38) fantasy]

Stupid Charlie Frye. My upset of the week was looking very good, it was 14-10 and Frye was completing passes all over the field. Chaz Schillins would be embrassing Ed Reed on the left, Johnny-Lee Higgins must have had a forcefield around him (or smelled really bad) because no one was in 10 feet of the guy. So what happened? Frye tweeked his back, leaving Oakland's real Black Hole, Jamarcus Russell to enter the game. Stupid Charlie Frye.

GB 33, ARI 7 [ARI 20, GB 17 (Pick: Green Bay +3.5, under 43) fantasy]

I wouldn't read too much into this game as a way to predict next week's contest. Arizona was flat-footed and seems hell bent on convincing the league that they're terrible. This season is setting up, very eerily, like last season. Don't sleep on the Cardinals. 

KC 44, DEN 24 [DEN 25, KC 20 (Pick: Kansas City +13, over 38) fantasy]

Jamaal Charles as a top 5 fantays pick next year? If you've got some balls. There's been no running back in football as productive as Charles since he took over for Larry 'Grandmama' Johnson in week 10. He's basically a mini-Chris Johnson. Charles has Usain Bolt-like burst and the power of a man 10 times his size (maybe he's of ant heritage?). Watch out for the Chiefs in the coming years -- it's beginning to look like they're starting to figure out all their pieces. 

DAL 24, PHI 0 [PHI 40, DAL 3 (Pick: Philadelphia +3, under 47.5) fantasy]

Didn't see that one coming. I'm still taking Philly next week though.

TEN 17, SEA 13 [TEN 39, SEA 3 (Pick: Tennessee -4.5, under 43.5) fantasy]

Congrats to the most under-appreciated 2000 yard season that will ever happen. How fitting is it that a chase that no one really seemed to care about came to its anticlimactic finale in a game that the parents of players involved had no interest in watching. 

SD 23, WAS 20 [SD 31, WAS 10 (Pick: San Diego -3, over 39) fantasy]

Another late 'who cares' game. Zorn was fired this morning, meaning he'll now have tons of time to work on his beloved tan.

SUNDAY NIGHT

NYJ 39, CIN 0 [NYJ 13, CIN 10 (Pick: Cincinnati +10, under 40) fantasy]

A few theroies on this game... I think Cris Collinsworth was right when he said the Bengals would tank the game so they could face a rookie QB in the playoffs. And, more importantly, you won't be seeing much of Brad Smith next week. He'll get 2-4 touches tops. Smart idea by Rex Ryan though -- make Cincy scheme for stopping a package that you won't use. Just make them waste time.

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