NFL Rankings and Weekend Predictions

With Denver falling in New England, the #1 spot became available for the first time in months, and Seattle stepped in to fill the void during a bye week, as the Seahawks now stand alone with the best record in the NFL and play in the toughest division. Here are my full rankings, along with each team's predicted final record and playoff seeding:

Rank	LW	Team	Rec	Rating	Pred	Ch	Seed
1	3	Seattle	10-1	-11.0679	13-3		N1
2	2	Carolina	8-3	-10.9364	12-4	+1	N2
3	1	Denver	9-2	-10.9035	13-3	-1	A1
4	4	New Orleans	9-2	-9.51035	12-4		N5
5	5	San Francisco	7-4	-9.05834	10-6		N6
6	8	New England	8-3	-5.66289	12-4	+1	A2
7	6	Kansas City	9-2	-5.46946	12-4	-1	A5
8	7	Cincinnati	7-4	-4.35095	10-6		A3
9	11	Arizona	7-4	-4.02741	9-7
10	10	Dallas	6-5	-2.34464	9-7		N3
11	16	Saint Louis	5-6	-1.81348	7-9	+1
12	9	Indianapolis	7-4	-1.23043	10-6	-1	A4
13	13	Philadelphia	6-5	-0.38389	9-7
14	18	San Diego	5-6	-0.07988	7-9
15	19	Miami	5-6	0.202091	8-8		A6
16	12	Green Bay	5-5-1	0.318099	8-7-1	-1
17	17	Baltimore	5-6	0.530888	8-8	+1
18	14	Detroit	6-5	0.587546	9-7	-1	N4
19	20	Tennessee	5-6	0.744984	7-9
20	15	Chicago	6-5	1.514612	9-7
21	22	Tampa Bay	3-8	2.270564	5-11	+1
22	21	Buffalo	4-7	2.716715	7-9
23	25	Pittsburgh	5-6	3.360174	7-9	+1
24	27	Atlanta	2-9	4.076146	4-12
25	24	NY Giants	4-7	4.755624	6-10
26	23	Cleveland	4-7	5.937113	6-10	-1
27	30	Minnesota	2-8-1	6.770894	4-11-1
28	26	Washington	3-8	6.962444	5-11
29	29	Oakland	4-7	7.012454	5-11	-1
30	28	Houston	2-9	7.410209	3-13
31	31	NY Jets	5-6	8.160614	7-9
32	32	Jacksonville	2-9	13.5084	3-13	+1

Carolina came through in a close game yet again, winning by 4 at Miami to set a franchise record for longest winning streak, which has now hit 7. The Panthers have yet to play the Saints, their biggest division rival, and those two games in December will likely determine which gets a first-round bye and which has to play on the road as a Wild Card.

New England's huge comeback win over the #1 Broncos helped them jump 2 spots in the rankings and put them in line for the #2 seed in the AFC, a full game ahead of the Bengals and Colts, the other current division leaders. The Patriots don't have a winning team left on their schedule, so they just may be able to jump Denver and Kansas City and get home field throughout the AFC playoffs.

Saint Louis is closing in on the top 10 despite having a losing record, but 4 of their 6 losses have come against the top 10 teams. The problem is that the Rams still have 4 more top 10 teams left to play this season, and playing in the strongest division in the league will keep Saint Louis out of the playoffs yet again.

Predictions

Upset picks are in italics.

Football

Tuesday

Western Michigan at (14) Northern Illinois - Huskies by 37

Thursday

Texas Tech at Texas - Longhorns by 6
Ole Miss at Mississippi State - Bulldogs by 3

Green Bay at Detroit - Lions by 2
Oakland at Dallas - Cowboys by 12
Pittsburgh at Baltimore - Ravens by 5

Friday

Iowa at Nebraska - Cornhuskers by 2
Southern Methodist at Houston - Cougars by 24
East Carolina at Marshall - Thundering Herd by 4
Toledo at Akron - Rockets by 10
Miami (OH) at Ball State - Cardinals by 37
Bowling Green at Buffalo - Falcons by 2
Massachusetts at Ohio - Bobcats by 21
Eastern Michigan at Central Michigan - Chippewas by 19
Texas State at Troy - Trojans by 14
Arkansas at (17) LSU - Tigers by 33
FIU at FAU - Owls by 41
(16) Fresno State at San Jose State - Bulldogs by 8
Miami at Pittsburgh - Hurricanes by 3
Washington State at Washington - Huskies by 19
Oregon State at (13) Oregon - Ducks by 31
South Florida at (19) UCF - Knights by 32

Saturday

Rutgers at Connecticut - Scarlet Knights by 5
(2) Florida State at Florida - Seminoles by 30
Minnesota at (11) Michigan State - Spartans by 15
(3) Ohio State at Michigan - Buckeyes by 15
(24) Duke at North Carolina - Tar Heels by 5
Temple at Memphis - Tigers by 16
Kansas State at Kansas - Wildcats by 19
Wake Forest at Vanderbilt - Commodores by 14
Maryland at North Carolina State - Wolfpack by 3
Southern Miss at UAB - Blazers by 22
Air Force at Colorado State - Rams by 23
Colorado at Utah - Utes by 26
Wyoming at Utah State - Aggies by 32
South Alabama at Georgia State - Jaguars by 14
North Texas at Tulsa - Mean Green by 8
Tulane at Rice - Owls by 9
BYU at Nevada - Cougars by 20
(1) Alabama at (4) Auburn - Crimson Tide by 4
Georgia at Georgia Tech - Yellowjackets by 8
Purdue at Indiana - Hoosiers by 28
Idaho at New Mexico State - Aggies by 3
Boston College at Syracuse - Orange by 3
Virginia Tech at Virginia - Hokies by 13
Penn State at (15) Wisconsin - Badgers by 32
Northwestern at Illinois - Fighting Illini by 1
(9) Baylor at TCU - Bears by 27
Louisiana Tech at UTSA - Roadrunners by 22
UTEP at Middle Tennessee - Blue Raiders by 27
Arkansas State at Western Kentucky - Hilltoppers by 2
Iowa State at West Virginia - Mountaineers by 8
(25) Notre Dame at (8) Stanford - Cardinal by 22
Tennessee at Kentucky - Volunteers by 3
Louisiana-Monroe at Louisiana-Lafayette - Ragin Cajuns by 18
(6) Clemson at (10) South Carolina - Gamecocks by 1
(21) Texas A&M at (5) Missouri - Tigers by 15
(22) UCLA at (23) USC - Trojans by 3
Arizona at (12) Arizona State - Sun Devils by 14
New Mexico at Boise State - Broncos by 32
San Diego State at UNLV - Rebels by 5
Army at Hawaii - Warriors by 7

Sunday

Arizona at Philadelphia - Eagles by 1
Jacksonville at Cleveland - Browns by 10
Tennessee at Indianapolis - Colts by 4
Chicago at Minnesota - Bears by 3
Miami at NY Jets - Dolphins by 5
Tampa Bay at Carolina - Panthers by 16
New England at Houston - Patriots by 11
Atlanta at Buffalo - Bills by 6
Saint Louis at San Francisco - 49ers by 10
Denver at Kansas City - Broncos by 3
Cincinnati at San Diego - Bengals by 4
NY Giants at Washington - Redskins by 1

Monday

New Orleans at Seattle - Seahawks by 6

Most Confident vs the Spread

(Spread is in parentheses)

College Football

1. Houston (-10)
2. Baylor (-13)
3. Florida Atlantic (-29)
4. Utah State (-20.5)
5. Georgia Tech (+3)
6. Missouri (-4.5)
7. Oregon (-21)
8. Utah (-17)
9. UNLV (+3.5)
10. Colorado State (-14.5)

NFL

1. Carolina (-8)
2. Miami (+2)
3. Cincinnati (+1)
4. Cleveland (-7)
5. New England (-8)

NBA

Brooklyn at Toronto - Raptors by 11
LA Lakers at Washington - Wizards by 1
Orlando at Atlanta - Hawks by 7
Golden State at New Orleans - Warriors by 5

College Basketball

San Diego vs. UNC Greensboro - Toreros by 4
Bowling Green vs. Presbyterian - Falcons by 17
Arkansas vs. Minnesota - Razorbacks by 1
Southern Illinois vs. Stetson - Salukis by 3
Oral Roberts vs. Georgia Southern - Golden Eagles by 6
North Carolina A&T at Ole Miss - Rebels by 18
(11) Gonzaga vs. Chaminade - Bulldogs by 40
Stillman vs. Norfolk State - Spartans by 16
UNC Asheville vs. East Carolina - Pirates by 16
Metro State vs. Canisius - Golden Griffins by 22
West Virginia vs. Old Dominion - Mountaineers by 10
Monmouth at Penn State - Nittany Lions by 15
Illinois-Chicago vs. Louisiana Tech - Bulldogs by 37
Texas Southern vs. Howard - Tigers by 6
California vs. (8) Syracuse - Orange by 1
Loyola (MD) at (13) Connecticut - Huskies by 29
Massachusetts Lowell at Cincinnati - Bearcats by 31
Longwood at Saint John's - Red Storm by 23
Bucknell at Mount Saint Mary's - Bison by 16
Sacred Heart at Boston College - Eagles by 15
Florida Gulf Coast at North Carolina State - Wolfpack by 23
Truett-McConnell at Kennesaw State - Owls by 30
Mercer at Ohio - Bobcats by 1
North Florida at Savannah State - Tigers by 1
Western Kentucky at Marshall - Thundering Herd by 10
American at Columbia - Lions by 9
Maryland-Eastern Shore at Navy - Midshipmen by 11
Yale at Lafayette - Leopards by 9
Niagara at Pennsylvania - Quakers by 9
Albany at Rider - Broncs by 4
Binghamton at St. Peter's - Peacocks by 5
Fordham at Manhattan - Jaspers by 21
Furman at Virginia Tech - Hokies by 25
Hampton at Virginia - Cavaliers by 15
Mississippi Valley State at Georgia Tech - Yellowjackets by 25
Campbellsville at UNC-Wilmington - Seahawks by 29
Oakland at Western Michigan - Broncos by 5
Robert Morris at Buffalo - Colonials by 10
Limestone at Western Carolina - Catamounts by 27
Barber-Scotia at North Carolina Central - Eagles by 46
Texas Tech vs. Houston - Cougars by 1
UTSA at Nicholls State - Colonels by 9
Georgia State at Elon - Phoenix by 11
Texas vs. DePaul - Longhorns by 2
Trinity at Charleston Southern - Buccaneers by 46
UMBC at Towson - Tigers by 25
Fairleigh Dickinson at Rutgers - Scarlet Knights by 25
McNeese State at Rhode Island - Rams by 22
Sam Houston at SMU - Mustangs by 8
Central Connecticut State at NJIT - Highlanders by 24
East Tennessee State at Tennessee Tech - Golden Eagles by 9
Incarnate Word at North Texas - Mean Green by 8
Colgate at Tulane - Raiders by 1
Evansville at Indiana - Hoosiers by 15
South Arkansas at Arkansas-Little Rock - Trojans by 25
Troy at Central Arkansas - Trojans by 3
Tennessee State at Auburn - Auburn Tigers by 13
Brescia at Belmont - Bruins by 41
Samford at SF Austin - Lumberjacks by 22
Central Michigan at Texas A&M-CC - Islanders by 5
Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Texas A&M - Aggies by 17
George Mason at Princeton - Tigers by 11
Judson College at Milwaukee - Panthers by 37
UCF at Valparaiso - Crusaders by 16
Liberty at Missouri State - Bears by 23
Saint Louis vs. (10) Wisconsin - Billikens by 5
Middle Tennessee at Murray State - Racers by 6
Western Illinois at SE Louisiana - Lions by 11
St. Bonaventure vs. Wagner - Bonnies by 9
Montana at Washington - Huskies by 8
Lehigh at South Dakota State - Mountain Hawks by 2
Cal State Northridge at Montana State - Bobcats by 5
(18) Baylor vs. Dayton - Flyers by 1
Utah State at Weber State - Aggies by 10
Pittsburgh vs. Stanford - Panthers by 11
BYU vs. (12) Wichita State - Shockers by 4
Sacramento State at UC Davis - Aggies by 1
Illinois at UNLV - Fighting Illini by 9
SIU Edwardsville at Oregon State - Beavers by 18

Pick of the Day

Georgia Tech

The Yellowjackets are my pick to make it 19 straight tonight against Mississippi Valley State.

Prediction Results

NFL: 8-5 (.615) 105-69 overall (.603)
Upsets: 4-0 (1.000) 17-23 overall (.425)
Vs. Spread: 3-1 (.750) 33-19 overall (.635)
NBA: 5-4 (.556) 135-75 overall (.643)
Upsets: 0-1 (.000) 22-16 overall (.579)
College Basketball: 34-14 (.708) 832-188 overall (.816)
Upsets: 6-3 (.667) 79-39 overall (.669)