NFL Teams on Upset Alert in Week 16

Find out which NFL teams are on upset alert in Week 16.

After sleeping through a Thursday Night Football snoozer that had absolutely no impact on the playoff picture, NFL fans are craving the rest of the games that are on tap for Week 16 of the 2014 NFL season.

Looking at the slate of games for this weekend, there aren’t many matchups that jump out at me as potential upset picks, but there are two games that do interest me, and that’s the Pittsburgh Steelers vs. the Kansas City Chiefs, and the St. Louis Rams hosting the New York Giants.

The Steelers-Chiefs game should especially interest NFL fans, as both squads are currently in second place in their respected divisions, meaning that this game has huge playoff implications for both sides.

With that, we dig into these two games.

Pittsburgh Steelers (-3.0) vs. Kansas City Chiefs

There’s no doubt that the Steelers enter this Week 16 matchup playing better football as of late, but Pittsburgh’s inconsistency is what makes me think the Chiefs have a great chance on Sunday.

The Steelers have surrendered nine rushing scores this season, and the way Jamaal Charles is playing here in 2014, I expect that number to go up following this weekend. Charles has nine TDs of his own this season—best for No. 3 in the league—and had one of his best games against a premiere rushing defense.

You’ll remember that Charles shredded the Seattle Seahawks’ defense to the tune of 159 yards and two scores, so forgive me if I don’t foresee Pittsburgh’s No. 11 D against the rush doing much better.

One thing that the Steelers do have going for them is that they boast the league’s second-best passing offense, but the Chiefs will be able to combat that with their No. 2 ranked pass defense.

Kansas City is currently on the outside looking in on the playoffs—they’re currently No. 7 in the seeding—and I think that’s the driving force behind the Chiefs’ win this weekend.

Also, for you bettors out there, the Chiefs are 11-5 against the spread in their last 16 road games.

Call me ballsy. I’m going with the Chiefs.

St. Louis Rams (-5.0) vs. New York Giants

This matchup may not have any playoff implications, but it’s certainly a game that you won’t want to miss.

I was at the Giants’ game last weekend, and believe me when I say this: Odell Beckham Jr. is the real deal.

In a mere 10 games played this season, Beckham has already garnered 71 receptions for 972 yards and nine touchdowns—including three trips to the end zone against the Washington Redskins last weekend.

This tweet from the NFL says it all:

In regards to the matchup against the St. Louis Rams, the Rams have a solid pass defense, but even some of the best passing defenses in the league (Seattle) couldn’t contain the dynamic rookie receiver.

Also, the G-Men’s defense has really amped it up in the last three games, racking up 22 sacks during that time, which means Shaun Hill should be on the lookout. Jason Pierre-Paul has been the driving force behind the Giants’ defensive resurgence, amassing six sacks in his last three games.

If New York can contain Tre Mason and continue its torrid pace of haunting opposing quarterbacks, all signs point to a three-game win streak for Big Blue.

Count on it.

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