Sunday, December 21

Cincinnati Bengals (-5.5, 47.5) at Miami Dolphins 1:00 pm - It’s that time of year that produces truly meaningless games and this is one of them. Both QBs are either mentally or physically damaged, Joe Burrow for the Bengals wants to be traded and Tua Tagovailoa will be benched. Rookie Quinn Ewers will start for the Dolphins.

Burrow looked way off in last week’s 24-0 loss to the Bengals. Home team getting points. Take ‘em.

Coin Flip: Miami

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Dolphins 21 Bengals 17

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-3, 45.5) at Carolina Panthers 1:00 pm - Both teams are 7-7, both have lost to New Orleans in the past two weeks and whichever wins this game may win the division.

Tampa Bay managed to lose to the Falcons last Thursday, and have won just once in their last six starts. The defense has allowed an average of 29.3 points per game over that six-game span. While the Bucs may have an experience edge, the Panthers probably smell blood. These two meet again in two weeks so this game may not decide anything.

Coin Flip: Carolina

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Panthers 30 Buccaneers 21

Buffalo Bills (-10, 43) at Cleveland Browns 1:00 pm - Buffalo rallied from a 21-point first half deficit to defeat the Patriots in New England, ending their 10-game winning streak and preventing NE from clinching the division.

Heading towards the playoffs, Buffalo remains the class of the division and are just one game back. A win here and a loss by the Pats at Baltimore Sunday night would put the Bills back in first place. The Browns don’t really pose a threat to anybody at this point in the season other than their fans.

Coin Flip: Cleveland

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Bills 34 Browns 13

Los Angeles Chargers at Dallas Cowboys (-2.5, 49.5) 1:00 pm - Hard to figure why the Cowboys are favored here, given their odds of making the playoffs are roughly zero. Not counting division leaders, there are five teams ahead of them and just three wild cards available.

The Chargers are in a solid position for a wild card and they have Houston and Denver the next two weeks. A win here makes life a lot easier. LA’s offense may not be lights out, but their defense can deliver.

Coin Flip: Los Angeles Chargers

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Chargers 24 Cowboys 17

New York Jets at New Orleans Saints (-4.5, 41) 1:00 pm - Uh, no. Neither team will make the playoffs, but, at least the Saints have shown signs of life since Tyler Shough took over at QB (3-3).

The Jets’ defense does not exist. They lost, 34-10, to Miami two weeks ago and last week were swamped, 48-20, at Jacksonville. Brady Cook at QB?

Coin Flip: New York Jets

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Saints 38 Jets 14

  Minnesota Vikings (-3, 43.5) at New York Giants 1:00 pm - Another nothing game. If anything, Minnesota still needs to get J.J. McCarthy lots of reps for next year. The Giants have dropped eight in a row and are tied with the Titans and Raiders for the #1 draft pick. Why screw that up by winning?

This might be the easiest pick ever. Than again, it’s the Vikings.

Coin Flip: New York Giants

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Vikings 31 Giants 10

  Kansas City Chiefs (-3.5, 37.5) at Tennessee Titans 1:00 pm - Well, now that Kansas City has been eliminated from playoff contention, Patrick Mahomes looking at nine months of rehab and Mr. Taylor Swift likely to retire, most of the Chiefs are probably making vacation plans rather than paying attention to game plans.

Tennessee is 0-7 at home, but this is an opportunity to give the fans hope of next season. They have one more home game next week, vs. New Orleans, but this may be their best shot, as the Chiefs have lost five of their last six and are probably not very motivated. Gardner Minshew starts for KC.

Coin Flip: Tennessee

Fearless Rick’s Pick: Titans 24 Chiefs 7