NFL Week 14 Picks w/Holiday Cornucopia
The HOTPO has had a full dance card of coverage all fall and finally ran into a throughput issue over the Thanksgiving holiday. Had to take a blog bye week. That just means you get a “double-issue” of sorts this week.
Army Football Team Is Bowl Eligible
Army earned their sixth win of the season (6-5) and bowl eligibility with a thrilling comeback victory at the University of Texas San Antonio, Saturday. Quarterback Cale Hellums threw the game-winning touchdown pass to TE Parker Poloskey – the first Army TD pass to a tight end since 2008. The win snapped a UTSA 25-game home winning streak.
The HOTPO was on-hand to get a pulse of the Army team the week prior at Michie Stadium on West Point. Unfortunately, Army blew an 11-point lead, allowed Tulsa to score 12 unanswered points in the fourth quarter and eventually lost 26-25. It is good to see Army bounce back from the loss to Tulsa with a win over a decent UTSA team.
More importantly, the HOTPO staff was also there to participate in the 30-year reunion for the West Point Class of 1995 – "With Honor We Strive." I figured (30-plus years ago), if I made it through West Point, that I would have some close friends upon graduation. I probably would not have predicted or even hoped for the magnitude of connectivity I feel with people in this particular group – an absolutely incredible weekend.
Thanks to those that put together the reunion. The Army team is moving on to the biggest game of the year in Baltimore. Hope to see many of the same folks there. BEAT NAVY!
Today are the remaining conference championship games. Keep an eye on Duke and BYU. If either of those two teams wins, there will be some heart-wrenching entropy added to the final decision on the college football playoff slate.
Washington Capitals Are Hot
Last time we checked in on the Washington Capitals, they were off to a hot start and got thumped by the Ottawa Senators, 7-1, at Capital One Arena in late-October.
That game initiated a swoon that saw them lose eight of their next 10 games. On November 17, the Capitals beat the Los Angeles Kings, 2-1, beginning a run in which they won nine of their next 10. The HOTPO was in the house, Nov. 19, to see the second win of those nine over the Stanley Cup-contending Edmonton Oilers, 7-4.
In that Oilers game, Ryan Leonard scored twice and Alex Ovechkin scored once. Connor McMichael and John Carlson both had three assists. Goalie Logan Thompson put in another good performance stopping 24 shots. The home team looked excellent.
Adding confetti to the evening was a highly successful pre-game at Clyde’s of Gallery Place which is the best place to pregame, but gets crowded early. My partner for the evening texted me as I was walking up out of the Metro with “Got two stools in that narrow back bar.” That elicited an audible “F#ck yeah” from me as I was walking alone up the Metro escalator looking at my phone.
Great pregame, excellent game by the home team – the Capitals have turned this Hoosier ex-pat into a legitimate hockey fan. The environment outside and inside the arena is excellent. The HOTPO staff always looks forward to covering the local hockey team.
As of this copy, Washington is tied for first in the Metropolitan Division with the Carolina Hurricanes at 34 points, which also ties them with the Tampa Bay Lightning for tops in the Eastern Conference. The Central Division in the Western Conference looks to have the strongest teams in the NHL with the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild all with more points, 44, 39 and 35, respectively.
While Dom Luszczyszyn of the New York Times sees Washington as the “real deal,” he predicts Tampa Bay, Carolina, Colorado, Dallas and the Vegas Golden Knights will be the teams at the top come playoff time. The Capitals will have to cool down before too long and it is a grind of a season. The HOTPO plans to get back to Capital One for coverage in early-January.
Let’s do the picks.
NFL Week 14 Picks
Seattle Seahawks (-7) at Atlanta Falcons: Most people are sleeping on the 9-3 Seahawks. Those three losses came against winning teams by a total of nine points. Seattle also has the greatest point differential in the league (133). – SEAHAWKS
Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens (-5.5): These teams are tied atop the AFC North yet both teams have significant warts. Brooke Pryor of ESPN recently pointed out that although Pittsburgh knew their run defense was their Achilles heal last year and made major moves to address that weakness in the offseason, their run defense is worse this year. Baltimore has the fifth best rushing offense in the league. – RAVENS
Tennessee Titans at Cleveland Browns (-4): These are the two worst offenses in the NFL. The Titans have given up the most quarterback sacks in the league (48) and Browns DE Myles Garrett leads the NFL in sacks. Tennessee QB Cam Ward should consider calling in sick this Sunday. – BROWNS
Indianapolis Colts (-1.5) at Jacksonville Jaguars: Indianapolis has lost three of four and are now attempting to prevent a late season collapse. Unfortunately, the Colts have become adept at executing the last season collapse, as reported by James Boyd of the The Athletic. Oh, the Colts also have a nine-game losing streak in Jacksonville that started back in 2015 – they are in the same division, they play there every…single…year (minus one Jaguars “home game” played in London). – JAGUARS
Washington Commanders at Minnesota Vikings (-2): These are two teams that have failed to meet lofty preseason expectations. Both teams are starting quarterbacks from the heralded 2024 draft class. There is a huge difference between these two quarterbacks (Daniels > McCarthy). – COMMANDERS
Miami Dolphins (-3) at New York Jets: This is a game between two teams that failed to meet low preseason expectations. The Dolphins are on a three-game winning streak and the Jets have won three of five, so neither team has totally quit on the season. Bert Bainbridge of the Bergen Record thinks Miami RB De’Von Achane, third in rushing yards and sixth in yards from scrimmage, will be the difference. – DOLPHINS
New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-8.5): It was looking like Tampa Bay was going to coast to the NFC South title a month or so ago, but now they are struggling to beat bad teams (see: 21-17 over Arizona Cardinals last week) and have only a half game ahead of the surging Carolina Panthers. This is a good time for them to host a miserable New Orleans team. The Buccaneers need to win this game. – BUCCANEERS
Cincinnati Bengals at Buffalo Bills (-6): This is a heavyweight matchup between two of the best quarterbacks in the game. Cincinnati is clinging to slim playoff hopes that were boosted by the return of QB Joe Burrow from injury. Buffalo and QB Josh Allen look to have lost the AFC East Division race, but should be a lock for a wild card spot and are a better team, top-to-bottom. – BILLS
Denver Broncos (-7.5) at Las Vegas Raiders: This is the “trappiest” trap game that ever did trap. The Broncos are on a short week coming off a thrilling OT victory over the Commanders in Maryland with hopes of securing the #1 playoff see in the AFC. The Raiders, division rivals at home, got nothing to lose, but are just not a good team. – BRONCOS
Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers (-6.5): This game will determine who is the NFC North Division leader on Monday morning. Chicago currently leads the division, but aren’t getting a ton of respect due to stacking wins on one of the league’s weakest schedules. Kole Noble of A to Z Sports thinks Green DE Micah Parsons will be the difference maker in this game. – PACKERS
Los Angeles Rams (-8.5) at Arizona Cardinals: Los Angeles is considered one of the better, if not the best, team in the NFC. They dropped one last week to the Panthers, 31-28, in Charlotte. Arizona will face a more “locked-in” Rams team this week. – RAMS
Houston Texans at Kansas City Chiefs (-3.5): There is a lot on the line in this game and I can’t emphasize A LOT enough. The Chiefs are fighting for their playoff lives and the Texans have a shot at winning the AFC South, but both teams remain just outside the current playoff picture. The Houston defensive line is excellent and the Kansas City offensive line is dealing with multiple injuries, according to Tyler Everett of Newsweek. – TEXANS
Philadelphia Eagles (-2.5) at Los Angeles Chargers: Philadelphia has lost two in a row and has been stewing over it for nine days. Chargers QB Justin Herbert has a broken left hand and is questionable for this Monday night matchup. Just when you think the Eagles have been buried, they rise from the grave. – EAGLES
Enjoy the games!
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