The last two seasons haven’t gone as expected for Robert Griffin IIII. Regardless, what the Redskins are doing doesn’t make sense. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
I went 3-0 on Thanksgiving. It’s all down hill from here.
Season: 115 – 60 – 1
Last Week: 13 – 2 – 0
Early Games (1:00PM ET)
Redskins at Colts
Robert Griffin III has been awful, and I mean Ryan Leaf-esque. Still, going to a veteran with little to no upside like Colt McCoy makes absolutely no sense. If the goal is to trade RGIII, sitting him on the bench won’t increase his value. If the goal is to keep RGIII, embarrassing him won’t do much either. COLTS If I were Charles Barkley; Colts -10
Titans at Texans
Ryan Fitzpatrick refuses to go away. He’s back under center for the Texans after Ryan Mallett’s season-ending injury. Can you believe Fitzpatrick has been around for a decade? A decade! TEXANS If I were Charles Barkley Texans -7
Browns at Bills
Record wise, the Bills are in the thick of the playoff race. However, losses to the Chiefs and Chargers will make things difficult if/when the race boils down to tiebreakers. Even worse, Buffalo currently owns the worst conference record of all AFC teams with a winning record. BILLS If I were Charles Barkley; Bills -3
Chargers at Ravens
The Chargers put their center on injured reserve this past week. FYI: That’s the third time that sentence has been written this season. Given all the injuries San Diego has sustained this year, and the strength of their remaining schedule, I expect an ugly last month for the Chargers. RAVENS If I were Charles Barkley; Ravens -6.5
Giants at Jaguars
If 30,000 fans attend this game I’ll be shocked. JAGUARS If I were Charles Barkley; Jaguars +3
Bengals at Buccaneers
The Bengals have seven wins. The Buccaneers have two. This game is critical to both of their playoff lives. How does that sentence make sense? The NFC South, that’s how. BENGALS If I were Charles Barkley; Bengals -3.5
Raiders at Rams
This would never happen, but how fantastic would it be if Jeff Fischer traded a 4th round pick for Robert Griffin III? If you’re wondering, that would mean the Redskins, over a three year stretch, surrendered three 1st round picks, a 2nd round pick and Robert Griffin III in exchange for a 4th round pick. Good times. RAMS If I were Charles Barkley; Rams -7
Saints at Steelers
The Saints are worse than expected but better than their record. I get it, bad teams give away victories, and that’s true. However, losing four games by a total of nine points means at some point things are going to turn in your favor. Even outside, I trust New Orleans’ offense more than Pittsburgh’s poor defense. SAINTS If I were Charles Barkley; Saints +6
Panthers at Vikings
I’m not one to fire folks, but if Ron Rivera can’t finish the season 3-2 it’d be hard to make the case for him staying. Injuries or not, the 2014 Panthers have been one of the hardest teams to watch. Losing is bad enough. Losing while boring fans makes the hot seat even hotter. PANTHERS If I were Charles Barkley; Panthers +2.5
Afternoon Games (4:05PM ET)
Cardinals at Falcons
I’ve been against the Cardinals all season. Makes no sense to abandon my post now. FALCONS If I were Charles Barkley; Falcons +2.5
Patriots at Packers
Combined, the Packers and Patriots have won 15 of their last 16 games. Someone’s hot streak is going to end this week. I’m taking the Packers because Aaron Rodgers is the most dangerous person in football. Well, once you exclude Adrian Peterson and Ray Rice. (Too soon?) PACKERS If I were Charles Barkley; Packers -3
Sunday Night (8:30PM ET)
Broncos at Chiefs
I have absolutely no proof of this, but I believe outcomes of earlier games impact later games. For example, my instinct is to pick the Chiefs here. Arrowhead is a nightmare for visiting teams. The Chiefs were embarrassed last week and that’s been gnawing at them for 10 days. Andy Reid is at his best after a bad loss and the media and fans doubting his team. However, if New England loses in Lambeau earlier in the day, there’s no way Peyton Manning and the Broncos blow that opportunity to get back in the race for the top seed in the AFC, right? Since I picked the Packers earlier, I’m taking the Broncos here. BRONCOS If I were Charles Barkley; Broncos -1.5
Monday Night (8:30PM ET)
Dolphins at Jets
No thanks, ESPN. Remember, when you bench your starting quarterback and ultimately go back to him, it doesn’t mean you made a mistake in benching him. It means you made a mistake when building your team. DOLPHINS If I were Charles Barkley; Dolphins -7
*****
If I were Charles Barkley…
Season: 94 – 80 – 1
Last Week: 10 – 5 – 0