That was a great game last Sunday in Kansas City.  Two young quarterbacks playing their hearts out, but only one could win and it wasn’t Lamar.  Patrick Mahomes threw a sidearm fifty yard pass on fourth and nine that you just had to shake your head and say how in the hell did he complete that pass. All I can say is the kid is good.  The Chiefs got the best of us last week but we will get them when we meet up in the playoffs.

The Baltimore Ravens announced the backup quarterback for this week will be Joe Flacco.  Joe has been the starter in every regular season and playoff game he has every played, it wouldn’t be easy for him to suite up and stand on the side line.  We will witness the end of an era Sunday.  Thanks Joe-it’s been a fun ride.

So the season moves on and Lamar Jackson will be under center to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at M&T Stadium Sunday.  The Buc’s 5-8 record does not reflect how good a team they are.  Tampa Bay is one of those teams were the Defense can give up 40 points one week and only give up 10 points the next, the offense is the same way.  So the stats are hard to use as a prediction of how Tampa Bay will play on Sunday.  What we do know is that Jameis Winston who was benched for a couple of weeks earlier in the season has stepped back into the starting roll and has played much better.  Sometime it just take a swift slap to the side of the head to straighten somebody up.  But Winston is no Patrick Mahomes and it took Mahomes everything he had to beat the Ravens defense last week.  The two areas where the Buccaneers are consistent, they throw the ball a lot and the turn the ball over a lot, this plays right in to the Ravens defensive strengths. We love to blitz and go after the ball.  It’s going to be a long afternoon for Winston.  Tampa’s defense can’t stop the run so nothing will change for the Ravens offense.  Look for Gus Edwards and Ken Dixon to get plenty of calls to run the ball.  The Ravens bounce back from the loss in KC with a big win over Tampa.

GO RAVENS!!!

 

Online Christmas shopping is a wonderful thing because you would have time for shopping at the Mall this week there’s NFL football on Saturday now!  There’s also online sports betting so remember don’t wager on my picks they are who we want to win not who we think will win.

Thursday night 8:00

Charger 29 Chiefs 28
I understand this was another slug feast for the Chiefs,  I fell asleep at halftime when the Chiefs were cruising with a 14-21 lead.

Saturday

4:30

Jets over Texans
I think Houston’s practice squad gives the Texans a harder test than what the Jets will on Saturday.

8:00

Browns over Broncos
The Broncos are only one game behind the Ravens.  I can’t believe the Browns with a 5-7-1 record are still in the payoff picture in week 15.

Sunday

1:00

RAVENS over Buccaneers
So the pressure on Lamar got jacked up a little bit more when the Ravens announced he would be the starting quarterback ahead of Joe Flacco who will be watching from the sideline as a backup for the fist time.  I’m anxious to see how Lamar handles the added pressure of being the full time starter.  Even though the offensive line is still shuffling players around they have looked much better with Lamar as QB and not allowing the defenses to stack the box which has opened up the Ravens run game.  The Buccaneers defense will look to shut down the Ravens run game but they wouldn’t look for Edwards and Dixon to have good games.  The weather may be an issue Sunday, we could be playing with a wet ball and with Lamar’s ball security not the best, so I hope as Marty Mornhinweg calls the plays to Lamar helmet Marty ends with three words each time   ” PROTECT THE BALL”.   The Defense will have fun blitzing Winston all day long.  It’s going to be another ball control run out the clock win for the Ravens.

GO RAVENS!!!

Packers over Bears
The Packer’s playoff hopes are hanging on by a thread, if they lose Sunday the thread will break.

Bills over Lions
It’s all about the draft and keeping the early picks in the NFC.

Falcons over Cardinals
Another draft pick game

Raiders over Bengals
This would completely knock the Bengals out of the playoffs.

Giants over Titans
The Titans have the same record as the Ravens.

Viking over Dolphins
Dolphins are another teams with the same record as the Ravens.

Redskins over Jaguars
The Redskins still have a glimmer of Playoff hope.

Cowboys over Colts
The Colts are the third team with the same record as the Ravens.

4:00

Seahawks over 49ers
It’s all about the draft.

Patriots over Steelers
Don’t go anywhere  after the Ravens beat the Bucs,  you will want to stick around to watch the Patriots beat the Steelers in Pittsburgh.  The Patriots lost last week and they don’t lose two weeks in a row, so lets hope this holds true.  We would be in first place in the AFC North with a Ravens win and a Steelers loss.  Go Pats Go!

Sunday Night 8:00

Eagles over Rams
The Eagles are another team hanging on the playoff hopes.

Monday Night 8:00

Saints over Panthers
Hoping to keep the early draft picks in the NFC.

Enjoy the games knowing you have plenty of Christmas stuff to do but there’s NFL football on Thursday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.  Life doesn’t get any better than this!

Shout out to Mary Ellen who will be rocking the purple at M and T Bank Stadium Sunday.

And that’s just The View From 151.

GO RAVENS!!!