Updated at 09.15
LAST WEEK, BOTH Eoin Murphy and TheScore.ie finished with a respectable 4-2 record, not bad after the Oakland Raiders win in the Thursday night game surprised everyone.
This week, it’s the turn of former Dublin star Mossy Quinn who is currently playing a crucial role in trying to guide St. Vincent’s to back-t0-back All-Ireland club football titles.
Quinn has been a fan of the NFL for over a decade and started following the Tennessee Titans around 2003.
“They always seemed to be on TV when I first got into American football and I really liked watching their quarterback Steve McNair. I think the first three or four games I watched had the Titans playing and – with everyone else supporting the Patriots or Giants – it made sense to to support somebody else.”
Here are Mossy’s picks this week:
Chicago Bears @Detroit Lions
Mossy Quinn: I’m going to go with the Lions at home. They’re coming off a bad loss last week but I think they’ll bounce back tonight. I actually like Jay Cutler but it’s getting harder and harder to defend him the way he’s been playing. I just think the Detroit defensive line will get to him early and often. I also think tonight we could finally see the real Megatron this season.
TheScore.ie: Like Mossy, I’m a Jay Culter fan too but he’s been shocking this season and is incredibly lucky to have as versatile a running back as Matt Forte behind him. With the Packers playing the way they are, Detroit may well need to win out to reach the postseason. With that in mind, I’m going for the Lions.
Philadelphia Eagles @ Dallas Cowboys
Mossy Quinn: This is a huge game in the division. It’s hard not to be impressed with Dallas this season. Their offensive line is so impressive in the way they create time for Tony Romo to throw the ball and gaps for DeMarco Murray to run through. The Eagles are a good team but I find it hard to trust Mark Sanchez even in a Chip Kelly offence. I think it’ll be close but the Cowboys will win.
TheScore.ie: Had any team not named Dallas complied the following record over the last few weeks – losses to Arizona and Washington, a narrow win over the Giants and victory over the Jags – you’d dismiss them as potential Super Bowl contenders. For me, Philly have the better defence and special teams and, even with Sanchez at quarterback, the Eagles should still win.
Seattle Seahawks @ San Francisco 49ers
Mossy Quinn: This is developing into one of the best rivalry games in the NFL over the last few years. Usually, in tight games, the home side would swing it for me but I think the Seahawks will win. Colin Kaepernick has a lot of weapons around him but he’s not using them. The Seahawks run game will get at the 49ers in an entertaining but low scoring game.
TheScore.ie: The 49ers aren’t scoring enough points to justify their 7-4 record never mind reach the playoffs. I think far too many people are sleeping on Seattle with three of their four losses coming by single digits. San Francisco have already lost twice in their new multi-billion dollar stadium and I think the Seahawks will make it three tonight in this probable playoff eliminator.
New Orleans Saints @ Pittsburgh Steelers
Mossy Quinn: Pittsburgh had a couple of really good performances and then the Jets come out and beat them so it’s hard to know what you’re going to get with them. That said I don’t believe the saints will be able to stop Le’Veon Bell. With far superior playmakers, the Steelers will win.
TheScore.ie: I’m not sure how Sean Payton, Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints have managed to amass seven losses and still avoided anything like the criticism and Tom Brady and the New England Patriots took after back-to-back losses earlier this season. The NFC South is blight on the NFL and the Steelers should win by twenty points or more.
New England Patriots @ Green Bay Packers
Mossy Quinn: I think everyone would love this to be a Super Bowl preview but it doesn’t always work out like that. Teams that are hot now are not necessarily going to be in form in February. They are probably the two best offences in the NFL at the moment. I’m going to just lean with the Packers but it has the feel of whatever quarterback has the ball in his hands at the end will win it.
TheScore.ie: Despite the fact that quarterbacks don’t face off against each other, this is being billed as Tom Brady v Aaron Rodgers as the two have never started the same game. However, while Mossy is right about the high-powered offences of both, I have more faith in the Patriots defence and that could be everything in a close game.
Denver Broncos @ Kansas City Chiefs
Mossy Quinn: The Chiefs will be hurting from last week. That’s one of those games where you look at the fact it was a Thursday night and it was only the Raiders and maybe they took the win for granted. Losing Eric Berry is massive for the Chiefs as he is a defensive leader and you don’t want to lose him when Peyton Manning is coming to town. Kansas has one of the strongest home fields advantages in the NFL but I still think Manning has enough to get a win for the Broncos.
TheScore.ie: Kansas City has now lost to the Titans and Raiders, two teams who have only won three games combined. However, having one of the meanest defences and best home records in the NFL – not the mention the chance to make up for last week’s humiliation on prime time TV – should be enough to see the Chiefs over the line on Sunday night.
Pick Six leaderboard
Dan McFarland 6-0
Jackie Tyrell 5-1
Daniel Goulding 5-1
TheScore.ie 5-1
Eoin Murphy
Kevin Cadle 4-2
Shane Jennings 3-3
First published at 11.21 on 27 November
