If the 2019 regular season ended today, the 10-3 Seattle Seahawks would open the postseason on the road — against the 6-7 Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys lead the dreadful NFC East, although if they keep losing, Philadelphia will take the division title. Baltimore would be the top seed in the AFC, with the Patriots taking the other bye. However, New England only leads Buffalo by a game, and the two teams play at Gillette Stadium in Week 16. Houston leads the AFC South at 8-5, but they have to play Tennessee — also at 8-5 in the same division — twice in the last three weeks. So there is still a lot of drama to come in the last three weeks of the 2019 campaign. If your NFL betting included within your wagers, take a look at some of our predictions for the remainder of the regular season.
NFL Betting Predictions for the Last Three Weeks of the 2019 Regular Season
NFL Power Rankings for Week 14: Titans jump, Patriots dive https://t.co/5HoxIciE1O pic.twitter.com/nnIfphR1tV
— New York Post (@nypost) December 10, 2019
Dallas finishes 7-9 and misses the playoffs
The Cowboys started the season 3-0, but that seems like five years ago. Since then, the Cowboys have lost to the New York Jets — as well as every opponent they have faced with a record above .500. This week they will face the Los Angeles Rams, somehow as three-point favorites. But they will lose that game too. They will lose out, with their only win down the stretch coming against Washington. Philadelphia will win the NFC East. Will Jerry Jones fire Jason Garrett? Jimmy Johnson, the last Dallas coach to win a Super Bowl, said that “everyone will be miserable” if Garrett returns in 2020 and the Cowboys don’t mount a serious playoff run.
Pittsburgh finishes 10-6 and takes the wild card
That’s right — with a third-string quarterback leading the way in Devlin Hodges. The Steelers have a stout defense this year. I don’t see Pittsburgh beating Buffalo this week, but then they take on the Jets and then head to Baltimore. The Ravens should have clinched the top seed by then and would likely rest a ton of starters, which could lead the Steelers to a Week 17 win — and that second wild card.
Seattle will win the NFC West
Yes, the Seahawks faltered against the Rams, but Seattle heads to Carolina this week, where they will win, and then they finish hosting the Cardinals and the 49ers. San Francisco had the huge win over the Saints, and now they host the Falcons and the Rams before they head to Seattle. If the Seahawks win out, they win the division — and I see Pete Carroll’s team (which dominates in Eastern time zone games — taking care of business down the stretch.
Tennessee comes back to win the AFC South
I didn’t think this would happen until the Texans lost to the Broncos last week. But Tennessee has won four in a row and six of seven, with their only loss in that stretch at Carolina (and that was when Kyle Allen was still winning games there). Since that loss, Tennessee has won at home against Kansas City and then gone to Indianapolis, winning by 14, and to Oakland, winning by 21. Ryan Tannehill is playing the football of his life, and while the Titans play the Saints between their matchups with the Texans, the Texans have Tampa Bay in between — it’s hard to argue that the Bucs are an easier matchup right now, so long as Jameis Winston doesn’t have to miss extended time. The Titans have the momentum, and I see them rolling to that division title.
Buffalo beats New England — in the divisional round
New England will beat the Bills at home in Week 16, so Buffalo will end up traveling to play in the wild-card round, probably against Tenneseee. The Bills will beat Tennessee for the second time — and then upend the Patriots in the divisional round, at Gillette Stadium. It’s hard to beat a team twice, but New England would be facing the Bills a third time in that situation, and I see the Bills’ defense rising to that challenge.
