NO STOPPING TANNESSEE
QB can lead 'wild' upset of Ravens
TITANS (+3.5) over Ravens; Under 54.5: Only in an NFL season like this could we give significant credence to a (virtually literally) defenseless outfit such as Tennessee without a more generous head start, but here we are. The Ravens’ defense failed to subdue the Titans in a track meet in late November in Nashville, Tenn.
We became enamored of QB Ryan Tannehill while he was still flying under the radar, quietly doing quality work for a lesser edition of the Dolphins ... but since he has settled into his present role with the relentless, aggressive Titans, he has raised his profile markedly and is no longer a state secret.
The Ravens have allowed better teams to score four touchdowns — including the Chiefs, Eagles, Steelers and Browns, as well as the aforementioned Titans.
These Ravens have long been a popular outfit, and a Baltimore win would not be shocking ... but the Ravens haven’t flashed sustained good form against multiple quality sides since September, barring their win at Indianapolis. Take the points. Pick: Titans , 27-24 SAINTS (-10) over Bears; Under 47.5: Don’t misconstrue — we don’t regard this fat favorite as anything resembling a mortal lock, given the handicap — but Chicago has been a consistent disappointment (even given the Bears’ frustrating defense) when games boil down to Mitchell Trubisky stepping up in big spots, battling against better sides.
Presuming Saints RB Alvin Kamara will be good to go and passes his COVID-19 tests with the grace of the added recovery time, unsure the Bears will be able to cope with the multiplicity of the Saints’ scoring threats.
Still, the Bears could make a game of this, especially given the underrated and overlooked effectiveness of their special teams. They’ve already demonstrated as much on their home field, losing by a mere field goal in their midseason engagement. This is likely Drew Brees’ last roundup, and however deep he leads these Saints into the postseason, can’t envision his enduring a defeat this early, given his bountiful supporting cast.
This is a proper spot for New Orleans’ opportunistic defense to be on its best behavior. The Bears’ only chance here would seem be within the structure of a minuet, rather than a gallop. Pick: Saints, 28-13 Browns (+6) over STEELERS; Under 47.5: Given a stuffed wildcard schedule which granted byes only to the No. 1 conference seeds, you’re seeing bizarre situations. The beleaguered Browns haven’t been able to practice prior to Friday, given virus issues. An overriding Steelers consideration is their lopsided offensive pass/run play ratio, which broadly invites opposing defensive gurus to treat any Pittsburgh rushing “threat” as an afterthought.
The Browns’ narrow escape against these Steelers last week in Cleveland may have been facilitated by Pittsburgh giving some regulars the week off. The market has stoutly and relentlessly driven this Steelers number upward ... understandable, given the Steelers’ instant revenge opportunity. Also a factor are grave Cleveland O-line issues, a circumstance which is certainly going to present Browns QB Baker Mayfield with sustained concerns.
This would appear to be the most challenging game on the Sunday card in terms of settling on a side at market, due to uncertain availability of specific talents. Obviously, the Browns don’t have a good recent history against Pittsburgh, and their lengthy absence from postseason play is not a positive ... but the price is right. Pick: Steelers, 23-20 Follow Richard Witt Twitter: @rich witt1 on