2009 Week seventeen

Predictions and Scores for 2009, Week 17:

Game: Colts (14-1) @ Bills (5-10)
Predicted score: Colts 21, Bills 17
Predicted winner: Colts by 4
Confidence of victory: 61.6%
Favorite: Bills by 8
Bet recommendation: Colts
Bet confidence: 81.9%

This is clearly a result of the expectation of few starters playing for the Colts. I'm tempted to give Predictabot a pass on this game, but that becomes a judgment call after a while.

Game: Saints (13-2) @ Panthers (7-8)
Predicted score: Saints 21, Panthers 21
Predicted winner: TIE
Favorite: Panthers by 7
Bet recommendation: Saints
Bet confidence: 69.6%

It's not hard to imagine the Panthers winning, and again the lack of anything to play for will likely make this a snoozer.

Game: Jaguars (7-8) @ Browns (4-11)
Predicted score: Jaguars 20, Browns 20
Predicted winner: TIE
Favorite: Browns by 1
Bet recommendation: Jaguars
Bet confidence: 50.2%

This one only matters for the people who want to see if Eric Mangini will have a job next year.

Game: Eagles (11-4) @ Cowboys (10-5)
Predicted score: Eagles 17, Cowboys 21
Predicted winner: Cowboys by 4
Confidence of victory: 61.6%
Favorite: Cowboys by 3
Bet recommendation: Cowboys
Bet confidence: 49.5%

Now this has potential. These two teams may well end up facing each other in the playoffs, and could even do so in the wildcard round.

Game: Bears (6-9) @ Lions (2-13)
Predicted score: Bears 23, Lions 21
Predicted winner: Bears by 2
Confidence of victory: 56.4%
Favorite: Bears by 3
Bet recommendation: Lions
Bet confidence: 47.3%

Chicago, I hope you enjoyed getting to know Jay Cutler.

Game: Patriots (10-5) @ Texans (8-7)
Predicted score: Patriots 20, Texans 20
Predicted winner: TIE
Favorite: Texans by 7
Bet recommendation: Patriots
Bet confidence: 69.6%

Ugh. The Patriots beating the Texans would be a huge boost to the Steelers playoff chances. It depends if the Patriots want to finish the regular season strongly or rest up. The Texans have been inconsistent, but are playing hard at the end of the year.

Game: Steelers (8-7) @ Dolphins (7-8)
Predicted score: Steelers 20, Dolphins 21
Predicted winner: Dolphins by 1
Confidence of victory: 51.6%
Favorite: Steelers by 3
Bet recommendation: Dolphins
Bet confidence: 56.8%

Do or die for the Steelers to get in. The Dolphins can only be spoilers, as they are eliminated from the playoffs. I think the Steelers are primed to win, but I suspect it won't be enough for them to make the playoffs.

Game: Giants (8-7) @ Vikings (11-4)
Predicted score: Giants 20, Vikings 24
Predicted winner: Vikings by 4
Confidence of victory: 61.6%
Favorite: Vikings by 8
Bet recommendation: Giants
Bet confidence: 62.9%

It's too late for the Giants, as there are already six teams with 10 wins in the NFC. The Vikings are playing to regain a bye from the Eagles.

Game: Bengals (10-5) @ Jets (8-7)
Predicted score: Bengals 16, Jets 20
Predicted winner: Jets by 4
Confidence of victory: 61.6%
Favorite: Jets by 9.5
Bet recommendation: Bengals
Bet confidence: 65.6%

A very interesting matchup here, as this is another potential playoff preview, and possibly a preview of the #4/#5 wildcard game next weekend. Steelers fans have to root for the Bengals here, as the Jets hold tiebreakers over the Steelers.

Game: 49ers (7-8) @ Rams (1-14)
Predicted score: 49ers 20, Rams 16
Predicted winner: 49ers by 4
Confidence of victory: 61.6%
Favorite: 49ers by 7.5
Bet recommendation: Rams
Bet confidence: 62.9%

Snoooooze

Game: Falcons (8-7) @ Buccaneers (3-12)
Predicted score: Falcons 20, Buccaneers 20
Predicted winner: TIE
Favorite: Falcons by 2
Bet recommendation: Buccaneers
Bet confidence: 52.5%

Snoooze pt 2.

Game: Packers (10-5) @ Cardinals (10-5)
Predicted score: Packers 20, Cardinals 21
Predicted winner: Cardinals by 1
Confidence of victory: 51.6%
Favorite: Cardinals by 3
Bet recommendation: Packers
Bet confidence: 52.2%

Another quality matchup, but only jostling for position. I don't know if either of these teams can get into a bye position, offhand.

Game: Chiefs (3-12) @ Broncos (8-7)
Predicted score: Chiefs 16, Broncos 24
Predicted winner: Broncos by 8
Confidence of victory: 73.5%
Favorite: Broncos by 10
Bet recommendation: Chiefs
Bet confidence: 55.2%

The Broncos are playing a few people down, and I hope it'll cost them. While the Steelers have a head-to-head tiebreaker over the Broncos, they do NOT have a tiebreaker over the Broncos if there is another team from the AFC East or South in the mix, as that would use conference record as the tiebreaker.

Game: Ravens (8-7) @ Raiders (5-10)
Predicted score: Ravens 20, Raiders 17
Predicted winner: Ravens by 3
Confidence of victory: 60.2%
Favorite: Ravens by 10.5
Bet recommendation: Raiders
Bet confidence: 70.1%

The Ravens are still likely to make the playoffs, but if the Raiders can pull a miracle here I'll be overjoyed.


Game: Redskins (4-11) @ Chargers (12-3)
Predicted score: Redskins 16, Chargers 24
Predicted winner: Chargers by 8
Confidence of victory: 73.5%
Favorite: Chargers by 3
Bet recommendation: Chargers
Bet confidence: 61.3%

The Chargers aren't playing for anything, as I believe they have the #2 seed locked up.

Game: Titans (7-8) @ Seahawks (5-10)
Predicted score: Titans 21, Seahawks 23
Predicted winner: Seahawks by 2
Confidence of victory: 56.4%
Favorite: Titans by 6
Bet recommendation: Seahawks
Bet confidence: 72.7%

The Titans ended up making it a respectable year after all, but what a trip for them.

For those playing along at home, here's the results we'd like to help the Steelers. There's too many combinations to go into here, but the more of this that happens, the better. Note that only the first two are early games, then two late games, and finally the evening game. The Steelers may not know until midnight if they are making the playoffs.

Steelers beat Dolphins
Patriots beat Texans
Raiders beat Ravens
Chiefs beat Broncos
Bengals beat Jets