Last-Minute Remarks on SNF Week 13 (And Saturday Week 15) Picks

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Week 13 (December 5):

  • Tentative game: San Francisco @ Seattle
  • Prospects: 5-5 v. 3-7. These teams have officially started moving in opposite directions, and while the Seahawks have played good teams since getting Russell Wilson back, there’s some sense that the most recent loss represented the door shutting on their playoff chances.
  • Likely protections: Ravens-Steelers (CBS) and Cardinals-Bears, Bucs-Falcons, or nothing (FOX).
  • Other possible games mentioned on last week’s Watch and their records: Chargers (6-4)-Bengals (6-4), Broncos (5-5)-Chiefs (7-4), Bucs (6-3)-Falcons (4-6).
  • Impact of Monday Night Football: None.
  • Analysis: There’s less of a sense that these are the wrong two teams in the NFC West than there was before, but only because the Niners are starting to make the game look lopsided. Against a better opponent the tentative game bias might favor the Niners, but as it stands Chargers-Bengals has a pair of pretty good records and a decent storyline with two hot young QBs squaring off. I wouldn’t be too surprised if Broncos-Chiefs was picked or even if the game kept its spot, but there’s a clear favorite for me here.
  • Final prediction: Los Angeles Chargers @ Cincinnati Bengals.

Week 15 (December 18):

  • Tentative game: None (2 games to be moved to Saturday).
  • Possible games: Jets (2-8)-Dolphins (4-7), RedHogs (4-6)-Eagles (5-6), Raiders (5-5)-Browns (6-5), Panthers (5-6)-Bills (6-4), Patriots (7-4)-Colts (6-5).
  • Impact of Monday Night Football: None.
  • Analysis: Two of the 5-5 teams won to create two matchups of teams at or above .500, and they were the games I had thought had the most name value. The Panthers are not a terrible team and the quality of their game might be close to on par with Raiders-Browns, but I’m not sure how compelling they’ll be for the league.
  • Final prediction: New England Patriots @ Indianapolis Colts and Las Vegas Raiders @ Cleveland Browns.

19 thoughts on “Last-Minute Remarks on SNF Week 13 (And Saturday Week 15) Picks”

  1. Do agree on Bengals-Chargers being what goes in Week 13. With both teams winning last night, and likely wanting to keep Al Michaels on the west coast as much as possible, it would make sense.

    As for the two Saturday Week 15 games, I suspect those will now be:
    Football Team-Eagles (4:30 PM)
    Panthers-Bills (8:15 PM)

    I also think Pats-Colts will be moved to Sunday Night Football since that game could not be protected by CBS. Saints are in free-fall and given the surge by the Pats, I can see the Saints falling all the way out of wild card contention at 5-7 when that decision has to be made.

  2. We all seem to agree Chargers @ Bengals, but I actually agree with Morgan on the 2 Saturday games in Week 15. We should know soon.

  4. Here’s my take on things so far. (Reposted from Week 9 SNF Flex Scheduling Watch)

    Week 13

    # 1 – Chargers(6-4) @ Bengals(6-4)
    # 2 – Ravens(7-3) @ Steelers(5-4-1)
    # 3 – Broncos(5-5) @ Chiefs(7-4)

    Tentative – 49ers(5-5) @ Seahawks(3-7) – 3 better alternatives at the moment and with the Seahawks lethargic looking loss this past week, let’s hope that the NFL has some sanity.

    Week 14

    # 1 – Bills(6-4) @ Buccaneers(7-3)
    # 2 – Ravens(7-3) @ Browns(6-5)
    # 3 – 49ers(5-5) @ Bengals(6-4)
    # 4 – Raiders(5-5) @ Chiefs(7-4)

    Tentative – Bears(3-7) @ Packers(8-3) – looking like my Pack could lose this SNF game at home due the Bears.

    Week 15

    #1 – Packers(8-3) @ Ravens(7-3)
    #2 – Saints(5-5) @ Buccaneers(7-3) <—the tentative
    #3 – Titans(8-3) @ Steelers(5-4-1)
    #4 – Bengals(6-4) @ Broncos(5-5)

    Tentative – Saints(5-5) @ Buccaneers(7-3) – might still be the game that stays due to protections and the fact that the Saints be the Buccaneers earlier and hold the tiebreaker, but this game has definitely leveled off and isn't quite the LOCK I once thought it was

    Also of note for this week’s games: 2 of a pre-selected 5 games will be played on Sat. 12/18/21 on NFL Network exclusively

    Panthers(5-6) @ Bills(6-4) – now my # 3 choice to move to Saturday
    Raiders(5-5) @ Browns(6-5) – now my # 2 choice to move to Saturday
    Patriots(7-4) @ Colts(6-5) – now my # 1 choice to move to Saturday
    Jets(2-8) @ Dolphins(4-7) – 5 cities in the whole USA will see this game on Sunday 12/19/21
    Redskins(4-6) @ Eagles(5-6) – hmmm…….potentially

    The decision has to be made by the conclusion of the Week 11 games at the latest. I haven't checked nflcommunications.com to see if they've made the change, but if not, we'll know tomorrow.

    Week 16

    Tentative – Redskins(4-6) @ Cowboys(7-3) – unless this game is a total mismatch and a much better alternative game is found, this stays put. And after Week 11, it's now looking likely to stay put.

    Week 17

    Tentative – Vikings(5-5) @ Packers(8-3) – time will tell, but the up and down Vikings keep this game going back and forth on the keep it/ditch it meter and after last week's matchup of these 2 it's on the keep it part of the meter

    Week 18 (sounds so weird to say that)

    2 games will be moved from their preliminary Sunday slot to Sat. 01/08/22 and they’ll both be aired on ESPN/ABC. This is an interesting move to me. These 2 games and the SNF game will both be announced with the rest of the Week 18 schedule, at the conclusion of the Week 17 schedule (at the latest).

    Tentative – none of course

    Current Games and Records of each team

    Jets(2-8) @ Bills(6-4)
    Patriots(7-4) @ Dolphins(4-7) – if the Dolphins keep winning???
    Steelers(5-4-1) @ Ravens(7-3) – looking good for a Nationally televised game, maybe
    Bengals(6-4) @ Browns(6-5) – currently looking good for a Nationally televised game, uh maybe…..hmmm…..Bengals fading? and Browns fading?…..who the hell knows
    Titans(8-3) @ Texans(2-8)
    Colts(6-5) @ Jaguars(2-8)
    Chiefs(7-4) @ Broncos(5-5) – I still believe the Broncos will keep this from being a Nationally televised game and yep……..that's my reasoning still
    Chargers(6-4) @ Raiders(5-5) – Raiders might be crapping out this matchup being a Nationally televised game
    Redskins(4-6) @ Giants(3-7)
    Cowboys(7-3) @ Eagles(5-6) – getting closer to a Nationally televised game
    Packers(8-3) @ Lions(0-9-1)
    Bears(3-7) @ Vikings(5-5)
    Saints(5-5) @ Falcons(4-6)
    Panthers(5-6) @ Buccaneers(7-3) – gaining on a chance for a Nationally televised game and I don't know…..will the real Panthers please stand up (in my Eminem voice)
    Seahawks(3-7) @ Cardinals(9-2)
    49ers(5-5) @ Rams(7-3) – gaining quickly on a chance to be a Nationally televised game

    I currently have 3 games looking decently good(maybe) for the 3 Nationally televised games in Week 18. We’ll see how that progresses.

    Any thoughts anyone?

    Go Pack Go this week at Lambeau vs. the Rams. 🙂

  6. Brian:

    I think Bears-Packers will be flexed out with most likely 49ers-Bengals (a game very likely NOT protected) flexed in (especially if 49ers-Seahawks is flexed out in Week 13 AND if the 49ers beat the Vikings this weekend).

    Jeff:

    I think they go with Football Team-Eagles, the game I originally predicted for the 4:30 Saturday slot when I thought that was an Amazon Prime exclusive. That game, especially now seems to be perfect and it could be a case where the Eagles are 7-6 going into that game (their next two games are bus rides to the Meadowlands to play the Giants this week and the Jets next week and then get their bye, one of the last byes) and the Football Team could be no worse than 6-7 (their next three are all winnable: This week on Monday Night against the Seahawks, in Vegas against a Raiders team that could be in free-fall and then home against a Cowboys team that could actually stumble and blow the NFC East with if either the Football Team or Eagles sweep the two games against each other winning the NFC East). That game fits the 4:30 Saturday slot.

    I suspect Panthers-Bills will be at 8:15. That game could have significant implications in both conferences. Also think as noted Patriots-Colts gets flexed into SNF, especially if the Saints lose Thursday to the Bills and next Thursday to the Cowboys.

  7. Adding:

    If I’m at the NFL, I’d be holding off announcing the Saturday Week 15 games until Friday morning. Especially if the Saints lose Thursday, I think the NFL may want to hold Pats-Colts in reserve for a flex to SNF that week as the Saints could be 5-7 and headed for 6-11 or 5-12 with what is happening there.

  8. So far it’s crickets at nflcommunications.com

    The noise is deafening. Lol

    And yeah Brian, the Bears 🐻 could hose the Packers out of a SNF game. 🙄

  14. Jacky:

    I would NOT have moved Pats-Colts to Saturday. I would have specifically “saved” that game to be moved to Sunday night in the event the Saints falter badly this and next Thursday night in two games they could easily lose.

    As for Week 13, is it possible CBS protected Bengals-Chargers, or did NBC see the crowd that was there for the Steelers-Chargers game and was concerned of that game being in a half-empty SoFi stadium?

  15. Oops., we all had Chargers-Bengals at SoFi, it’s in Cincinnati:

    I suspect it’s possible either CBS protected the game or local officials told the NFL: that game could not be moved to Sunday night because they didn’t have security available for the later kickoff.

  16. Hey Walt,

    I had it in Cincinnati and I’ll go with your 1st reasoning, that it was protected. Not due to security. Where in the hell did you come up with that? Kinda like holding a potential Saturday game in reserve for a SNF game. No logic in either of these sir.

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