I’m off to Chicago. I’ll be in Section 108 Sunday, taunting the Seahawks bench.

Picks Contest:

(Home Team in CAPS)

CHICAGO -3.5 Seattle

To read my game preview, including my prediction of a 20-13 Bears win, click here.

GREEN BAY -8 Minnesota

Huge game for both teams. If Minnesota loses their playoff hopes are essentially down the drain without a miracle table run. If Green Bay loses they are thrust head first into the wild card field and would actually have a tricky tiebreaker situation with a certain club in Seattle. I think Green Bay routs em. Packers 38, Vikings 14

San Francisco -7.5 ST. LOUIS

Have we ever seen so precipitous a kicker decline as David Akers? Last year Akers was the best kicker in football, making everything including the Pro Bowl. This year he’s Doug Brien.  Niners 21, Rams 10

NEW YORK JETS -4.5 Arizona

You see Ryan Lindley play against the Rams? Jets don’t need Fireman Ed for this one.  Jets 17, Cardinals 6

Carolina -3 KANSAS CITY

With the first pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Kansas City Chiefs select… Panthers 27, Chiefs 16

DETROIT -4.5 Indianapolis

Here’s how you know a team is poorly coached. Every week when you’re looking at the slate of games you say, “You know Detroit should win this game. But they won’t.” Well Detroit should win this game. And I say they do in what might end up being the most entertaining game of the day. #SchwartzStrong  Lions 33, Colts 30

BUFFALO -5.5 Jacksonville

I can’t quit the Bills. Fighting Chans 17, Henne & Co. 14

New England -7 MIAMI

The unit to watch in the NFL over the final five weeks is the Pats pass defense. If they can move from 29th in the league to say…20th or so…I think this team has a good shot to make the Super Bowl. Pats 28, Dolphins 14

Houston -6 TENNESSEE

Can’t figure out why this line isn’t higher. Texans are one of the best teams in football and I personally witnessed the Bears drop a 50 spot on the Titans in Nashville. Texans 51, Titans 22

DENVER -7 Tampa Bay

Points. Lot of points. I’m not quite on board with the surging Denver defense yet. Broncos 40, Bucs 37

Cincinnati -1.5 SAN DIEGO

Oh, who cares. One of the Teams 17, The Other Team 14

DALLAS -10 Philadelphia

Great job, NFL and NBC. Just keep forcing this grotesque Eagles thing down our throats until we vomit. If you ever doubted the value the networks place on having Dallas in prime time, this should put those doubts to rest. Cowboys 106, Eagles 12