1. Drew Brees

Not only does he lead the NFL in passer rating, passing touchdowns, and yards per attempt, but he also leads the league’s best offense and probably its best team at 12-0. As of now, Brees is probably the favorite to win the MVP award.

2. Peyton Manning

Peyton leads the league in passing yards, and also has a passer rating above 100. In addition, he is the undisputed leader of the undefeated Colts and has led them to multiple late 4th quarter comebacks. Manning is superb every year, but this season he has really taken it to a whole new level.

3. Brett Favre

Second to only Brees in passer rating, Favre, who is usually known for his gunslinging style, has thrown just 5 interceptions this year. Although he had a poor game Sunday night against the Cardinals, Favre is still having a tremendous season and leads one of the top teams in the league.

4. Chris Johnson

With over 1500 yards so far in just 12 games, Chris Johnson is on pace to top 2000 yards this season. He is averaging a STUNNING 6.2 yards per carry this season and has rushed for over 113 yards in 7 consecutive games. If he had a better supporting cast and a team with a good record, he would be #1 on my list.

5. Philip Rivers

The Chargers are one of the best teams this year after having some disappointing seasons in the past. A huge part of that is their quarterback, Philip Rivers, who is third in passer rating and second in yards per attempt. The Chargers’ offense is also third in the league in terms of scoring, despite a weak rushing game. These impressive stats all attest to Rivers’ tremendous season, and this is why he belongs in the MVP discussion.

Wow, that was a stunning first half. The Packers are up 17-0 on a very very strong first half. Although the Ravens’ defense played solidly, their offense was atrocious, as they were barely able to move the ball and had two fumbles. Aaron Rodgers is playing superbly as always, and the Pack have dominated this game thus far. I still think the Ravens will make a surge in the second half, so we’ll see what the final outcome of this game is.

DLEV says: Ravens +3.5 over Packers

The Ravens seem to always step up in big games on national television – and this should be no different. Ray Lewis is probably the best motivator in the league and he certainly pumps up his Ravens for primetime just like he did last week against the Steelers. While the Ravens have an excellent pass defense, their run defense is weak and the run game is the Ravens’ strength as they have a stud in Ray Rice. The Ravens defense is excellent, even with Terrell Suggs out, so they should limit the explosive passing game of Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. Ravens will win or get within three of the Pack.

ZAKET says: Packers -3.5 over Ravens

BigBaller says: Ravens win straight up

At +165 Moneyline for Baltimore, the odds aren’t great to bet against the favorites in terms of value. Still, I’m going with the Ravens on this one. Honestly, I think Green Bay has the best chance to win this game, but my strong performance over the weekend gives us an opporatunity to gamble a little. The stats are tough to ignore, but I think the Ravens will fight hard to keep their winning record. Even though the Ravens are only +165, the risk/reward still points towards them. Look for the Ravens to score early, Packers will even it up or maybe even take the lead in the 2nd quareter. But the final half will be owned by the Ravens. Look for both teams to have a solid time-of-posession, but a relatively low-scoring game overall. If you followed my picks, and actually profited >$400, it’s worth the bet. If you’re only borderline, or worse in the red, save your money and wait till next week.

So, there’s your advice for tonight’s game. Check back later tonight for analysis of the game and GOOD LUCK!!!

My lock of the week Bears didn’t have much trouble handling the underdog Rams, though such terrible odds almost make this bet not worth placing.  Still, a win’s a win, and I’ll take the $20 profit anyday.  Also, keep in mind that strong picks with bad odds can still be used in parlays.

Note: Winners certainly exceeded the losers, and overall I went 10-4 (7-1 acutal bets).  Three of my four losing bets were excluded from moneyline odds, and therefore no-bets, however, so were three other winning bets.

Monday’s Outlook: At +165 Moneyline for Baltimore, the odds aren’t great to bet against the favorites in terms of value.  Still, I’m going with the Ravens on this one.  Honestly, I think Green Bay has the best chance to win this game, but my strong performance over the weekend gives us an opporatunity to gamble a little.  The stats are tough to ignore, but I think the Ravens will fight hard to keep their winning record.  Even though the Ravens are only +165, the risk/reward still points towards them.  Look for the Ravens to score early, Packers will even it up or maybe even take the lead in the 2nd quareter.  But the final half will be owned by the Ravens.  Look for both teams to have a solid time-of-posession, but a relatively low-scoring game overall.  If you followed my picks, and actually profited >$400, it’s worth the bet.  If you’re only borderline, or worse in the red, save your money and wait till next week.

Giants(6-4) at Broncos(6-4)

Unfortunately, this is the only Thanksgiving day game that is really worth watching. Although the Giants were able to hold off the Falcons in overtime last week, they have still been experiencing a rough stretch after an excellent start. Likewise, the Broncos have lost 4 in a row after their 6-0 start and have now fallen behind in the division after getting massacred by the Chargers 32-3 last week. Kyle Orton is expected to start in this game, so that should give a much needed boost to the Broncos. This is obviously a huge game for both teams, as not only will it be on national television, but also the loser will be a longshot to make a playoffs after a tremendous start.

Steelers(6-4) at Ravens(5-5)

Look for another hard hitting contest in this rematch of last year’s AFC championship game. These are two divisional rivals with very stingy defenses and they have similar styles of play on offense, although the Steelers have become more of a passing team recently. Once again, this game is on Sunday Night Football, so the atmosphere will be electric. Joe Flacco has struggled recently after a great start, and his prospects don’t look any brighter facing one of the best defenses in the league – and one that is known for bringing pressure on the qb. Look for the defending champs to march into Baltimore and win this game in a close, hard-hitting affair.

Patriots(7-3) at Saints(10-0)

And now we come to the best game of the week – and perhaps the best game of the season. The Patriots have been very impressive in recent weeks, although they lost to the Colts in a game they dominated. Many people think the Patriots are the best team in the league right now with the return of their passing game. On the other side, of course, is Drew Brees and the undefeated Saints. Despite a couple close games going into the 4th quarter, the Saints have managed to win every game this season. That could change monday night. We have maybe the two best passing games in the league, amazing receivers, and two defenses that are great at forcing turnovers. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if Tom Brady and the Pats came out and made a statement by beating the Saints in a high scoring contest.

Prediction:

Titans win 27-24