FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011
Who I like this weekend
It should be a very interesting weekend in the NFL with all but a handful of games being meaningful in some way, shape or form.
Of course, here in Pittsburgh, the games everyone will be keeping an eye on will be at 4:15 p.m.
That's when Cleveland will host the Steelers, Cincinnati hosts Baltimore, Denver hosts Kansas City and Oakland hosts San Diego.
The Steelers will be as healthy as they've been in quite some time with only LaMarr Woodley sitting this one out.
Pittsburgh should be plenty motivated and the Browns are, let's face it, not very good. Cleveland will be inspired by the idea of helping to put a bump in Pittsburgh's playoff road, but the Browns are 4-11 for a reason - they earned it.
Take the Steelers, who are favored by 7, 23-13.
In Cincinnati, Marvin Lewis owns a 10-7 record against the Ravens as the Bengals' head coach and they probably would have won the game in Baltimore if not for the league's silly rule about receptions in the end zone.
The Bengals match up well against the Ravens and will have a full house for only the second time this season. The other was in a seven-point loss to the Steelers when they were driving late before being stopped by Pittsburgh.
Baltimore is a 3-point favorite but is just 3-4 on the road.
I like Cincinnati, 21-17
In Denver, Kyle Orton returns and will exact some revenge on the Broncos for cutting him to go with Tim Tebow.
The Chiefs also seem to be inspired to play for interim coach Romeo Crennel.
Kansas City is getting three points and I like the Chiefs to win, 16-14
Finally, the Raiders can win the AFC West with a win and a Denver loss.
They are three-point favorites over San Diego, which will be playing what is surely the last game of the Norv Turner era.
I like the home team in this one, 24-20.
That will leave the AFC playoff seeds as so: 1. New England 2. Pittsburgh 3. Houston 4. Oakland 5. Baltimore 6. Cincinnati
posted by Dale Lolley
[url="http://www.observer-reporter.com/or/sidelines/"]http://www.observer-reporter.com/or/sidelines/[/url]
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