The Philadelphia Eagles host the Carolina Panthers at Lincoln Financial Field on Monday November 26th in a key NFL showdown. The Eagles are in the middle of a bad slump and the home crowd might not be too friendly with them when they take to the field. Head coach Andy Reid and his team is under a lot of pressure to produce in this game with the entire nation looking on in the weekly Monday Night football game. Luckily for Reid and the Eagles, Carolina is currently one of the worst clubs in the NFL, but a loss to them would make the fans even more upset than they are now.

With a 3-7 record the Eagles aren’t really much better than the 2-8 Panthers though. Philadelphia went into the season as one of the favourites to reach the Super Bowl, but the wheels have fallen off since then. The season started well enough with the Eagles going 3-1 after four games and beating the Super Bowl champion New York Giants, but they’ve now lost six games in a row for one of the club’s worst-ever losing streaks. The past four losses have all been by a minimum of 13 points. The most games the club has lost in a row is seven, which they managed to do back in 1994 when they lost the last seven contests of the season.

Reid, who took over the coaching duties in 1999, said his team realizes it’s letting the city and its fans down and he understands exactly how they feel right now. He admitted that there aren’t any excuses and the team simply has to start winning games. He said last year’s 8-8 record would look good right now, but the team wanted to improve greatly on those numbers.

It looks like Reid might not last much longer as the fans are losing patience with him. However, the coach has said that he won’t quit. He added that he’ll try to turn things around on the field and will battle until the end. The Eagles are coming off of a 31-6 loss in Washington last week and will have to play this game without LeSean McCoy, who suffered a head injury in that game. His place will be taken by Bryce Brown and another rookie, Nick Foles, will play for injured quarterback Michael Vick. It will be the second consecutive start for Foles. The fans are hoping he’s not as nervous as last week though when he threw interceptions the first two times his team had the ball. He finished the game at 21 for 46 and gained 204 yards. However, he didn’t get much protection as he was sacked four times.

Carolina’s head coach Ron Rivera could also be on his way out of town after the season as the Panthers seem to be stuck in neutral. They’ve lost some close games though as six of them have been by six or fewer points. Also, they led four of those games in the fourth quarter. Their last game came against Tampa Bay a week ago and they had an 11-point lead with just five minutes to go before blowing the game 27-21 in overtime. Quarterback Cam Newton is disappointed with the team’s record and is hoping to get back on track against the Eagles’ defence.

In their last three games against each other, Philadelphia has won them all, and it looks like they’ll make it four in a row here at home. Carolina is 1-3on the road and the Eagles are 2-3 at home this season.

Sportsbook William Hill has the currents odds of a Carolina win at 5/8 with an Eagles victory at 7/5.

New England Patriots vs. New York Giants Sun. Feb. 5, 2012 6:29 p.m. EST

The biggest and most-watched football game of the year is finally upon us with the New York Giants and the New England Patriots ready to square off in what could be an epic Super Bowl rematch in Indianapolis. There is no question that everyone is talking about the revenge factor between these two teams as the Patriots would love to avenge the loss to the Giants from a few years ago in the Super Bowl, but this game also breaks down to a classic showdown between an elite offense and a lockdown defense.

With that being said, Super Bowl XLVI will be a must-see matchup for any avid football fan. It seems that no matter who would’ve won in the NFC Championship game between the San Francisco 49ers and the New York Giants, the AFC champion New England Patriots would have their work cut out for them as they will have to face arguably one of the best defenses in the league.

Even though the Giants are arguably the hottest team in the NFL over the past month or so with impressive wins over the Dallas Cowboys, Atlanta Falcons, Green Bay Packers and the San Francisco 49ers in consecutive weeks, Tom Coughlin’s squad will have a tough task ahead against Tom Brady’s potent offense.

The one thing that might give the Giants a slight advantage in this game is the fact that the Patriots’ best offensive threat is banged up and probably won’t be anywhere near 100% on Super Bowl Sunday. With Pro Bowl tight end Rob Gronkowski fresh out of a walking boot that was supporting a high ankle sprain, there is a lot of doubt surrounding the up-and-coming tight end’s health coming into this matchup.

Despite the ankle injury to Gronkowski, the New England Patriots are still -3 point favorites to come out on top and win the fourth Super Bowl in the Bill Belichick era.

My Pick: Take the Patriots at -3.

New York Giants @ San Francisco 49ers Sun. Jan. 22, 2012 6:30 p.m. EST

Perhaps the most anticipated matchup of the NFL Conference Championships this weekend will be the New York Giants traveling to the Bay Area to take on the red-hot San Francisco 49ers at Candlestick Park. With both of these defenses stepping up over the past month or so, the Giants and the 49ers have surprised everyone and now both teams have an opportunity to advance to the Super Bowl.

There is no question coming into this NFC Championship game that the Giants are the more experienced team. With a veteran head coach in Tom Coughlin and a Pro Bowl quarterback in Eli Manning that has already won a Super Bowl title a few years ago against the New England Patriots, the New York Giants like their chances of getting the playoff win on the road.

Back in Week 10 of the NFL regular season, the Giants and the 49ers went head-to-head in one of the better regular season games of the year. Despite playing well, the Giants fell to the 49ers after failing to convert on a late fourth down. Ultimately, the Giants lost 27-20 in San Francisco, but that game did show just how even a matchup this is on both sides of the football.

As of right now, the San Francisco 49ers are the favorites to advance to the Super Bowl with a -3 point spread in their favor. The Giants may be the better battled tested football team coming into this playoff game, but I believe the 49ers are the better all-around team and should get the win at Candlestick Park on Sunday.

My Pick: Take the 49ers at -3

New York Giants @ Green Bay Packers Sun. Jan. 15, 2012 4:30 p.m. EST

The defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers will be back in action once again this Sunday at Lambeau Field with the resurgent New York Giants coming to town to try and pull off the upset in Wisconsin. Even though tragedy has struck the Packers after the son of offensive coordinator Joe Philbin was found dead this week, Green Bay will be more motivated and ready than ever this weekend in order to defend their Super Bowl title.

Without Joe Philbin on the sidelines for the Packers, Green Bay could struggle on offense this weekend, but chances are they could be just as sharp and as dominant as they have been all season long. Head coach Mike McCarthy will take over the duties of his offensive coordinator and the team seems confident that they will have no trouble on that side of the football against the Giants.

As for the New York Giants, Eli Manning and company will look to keep up their winning ways as they have been one of the better teams in the league over the last month or so. With such a dominant defensive performance against the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Wild Card (24-2) last weekend, the New York Giants are on their game and ready to pull off the upset this weekend at legendary Lambeau Field.

As of right now, the defending Super Bowl champions are heavily favored to get the win with a -9 point spread. With everything that has gone on in Green Bay and with how well the New York defense is playing, I believe taking the Giants would be the wise decision.

My Picks: Take the Giants at +9

Houston Texans @ Baltimore Ravens Sun. Jan. 15, 2012 1 p.m. EST

Coming into their first playoff game in franchise history, the Houston Texans had to depend on a rookie quarterback in T.J. Yates to get them through to the Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs. Fortunately, Yates was up to the task as the rookie threw for 159 yards and one passing touchdown with no interceptions in order to lead his team to a first playoff win in franchise history over the Cincinnati Bengals.

Even though T.J. Yates was impressive in his first playoff start, the Texans really got the best of the Bengals in the ground game with Pro Bowl running back Arian Foster stepping up and rushing for 153 yards and two touchdowns. With Foster playing up to his ability and Yates getting the job done, the Texans were able to move on in the playoffs, but now will have to face off against arguably their toughest challenge of the season in the form of the Baltimore Ravens.

With a week to heal up and get ready for their first playoff game, the Baltimore Ravens should be at 100% when they defend their home field against the Houston Texans on Sunday. Despite being somewhat streaky throughout the season, it would be hard to argue that the Ravens are one of the league’s elite teams and should be able to advance to the AFC Championship game as a result.

As of right now, the Baltimore Ravens are the favorites to advance with a -9 point spread. This is too high in my opinion.

My Pick: Take the Texans at +9

Denver Broncos @ New England Patriots Sat. Jan. 14, 2012 8 p.m. EST

One of the more intriguing matchups of the Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs will take place on the East Coast this Saturday night with Tim Tebow and the upstart Denver Broncos taking on the AFC Conference heavyweight New England Patriots. Not only will this be an epic showdown between two good football teams in the postseason, but this will also be a game to watch with two of the most polarizing figures in sports going head-to-head with two-time NFL MVP Tom Brady and fan favorite Tim Tebow.

Even though it would hard to argue that the New England Patriots aren’t the better football team in this contest, the Denver Broncos do pose a threat on defense. With Elvis Dumervil and Pro Bowl rookie Von Miller leading the way, the Broncos are a force to be reckoned with on defense this season and will look to put constant pressure on Tom Brady and the Patriots’ offense.

That will almost certainly be the key battle in this AFC Divisional Round playoff game as whoever wins between the Patriots’ offense and the Broncos’ defense will most likely come out on top. If the Broncos can contain Brady, chances are good that Denver gets the win.

As of right now, the New England Patriots have been favored to get the win over the Denver Broncos with a -14 point spread. This is way too big a margin in my opinion.

My Pick: Take the Broncos at +14

New Orleans Saints @ San Francisco 49ers Sat. Jan. 14, 2012 4:30 p.m. EST

This Saturday night the NFL will showcase a classic matchup between a potent offense and a lockdown defense when the New Orleans Saints travel to the Bay Area to take on the San Francisco 49ers. This matchup will be intriguing for many reasons, but none more than Drew Brees facing off against arguably the toughest defense he has faced all season.

With this season being a breakout year for the San Francisco 49ers, new head coach Jim Harbaugh and company really doesn’t have much to lose in this matchup as they have already surpassed all expectations. Not only has their season been a resounding success, but this playoff game will be played at home with all the diehard fans on hand to watch what could be the beginning of great things to come for this storied NFL franchise.

Despite the San Francisco 49ers being arguably the best defense left standing in the NFL playoffs, the New Orleans Saints could very well be the best all-around team left in hunt of a Super Bowl title. With that being said, this game could be the Saints to lose in my opinion as they just have to get going at what they do best which is scoring touchdowns.

As of right now, the New Orleans Saints are the favorites to get the win this Saturday night with a -4 point spread. The Saints will get the win, but won’t cover.

My Pick: Take the 49ers at +4

Houston Texans @ Indianapolis Colts Thurs. Dec. 22, 2011 8:20 p.m. EST

The Houston Texans have had their best season in franchise history with two milestones being set with a playoff berth and an AFC South division title. With two team firsts out of the way, the Texans will concentrate on the upcoming postseason and possibly resting their starters for the last two games of the NFL regular season.

Even though the Houston Texans are coming off a disappointing loss to the Carolina Panthers (28-13), T.J. Yates and company could quickly bounce back in Week 16 as they are set to go on the road to face off against arguably the worst team in the league in the one-win Indianapolis Colts. The Colts are coming off their first win of the season against the division rival Tennessee Titans, but they will almost certainly struggle against a very talented Texans squad at home.

The only chance I see the Indianapolis Colts coming out on top in this AFC South division showdown is if the Houston Texans rest their starters. Pro Bowl wide receiver Andre Johnson has already been listed as out for this game with that nagging hamstring injury and head coach Gary Kubiak might decide to rest rookie quarterback T.J. Yates in favor of Jake Delhomme and or Jeff Garcia.

With the chances of the Texans resting their best players due to wrapping up the division title and a playoff spot, I believe the Colts do stand a chance of at least making this game competitive.

My Pick: Take the Colts +7

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Atlanta Falcons Thurs. Dec. 15, 2011 8:20 p.m. EST

The Atlanta Falcons are on the verge of another playoff run in the Matt Ryan era if they can stay hot in the final three weeks of the NFL regular season. Despite competing with six other teams for the two playoff spots in the NFC Wild Card, the Falcons are the frontrunners to clinch one of those two spots.

With an impressive 8-5 record coming into Week 15, the Atlanta Falcons have had another season for the books, but will have a challenge of ahead of them in the form of the resurgent Jacksonville Jaguars, virtually unstoppable New Orleans Saints and the always dangerous Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Chances are that the Falcons will win two of their last three games with the potential loss coming against the division rival Saints, but anything can happen at the end of the season.

With that being said, the Atlanta Falcons will have to be firing on all cylinders in the final three weeks in order to stay in front of the other teams in contention for the NFC Wild Card.

In Week 15, Matt Ryan and company will be defending the Georgia Dome against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Even though the Jaguars have had an awful season thus far with a quarterback change and a recent firing of their head coach Jack Del Rio, Jacksonville had an inspired performance against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week in which they scored a season-high 41 points.

As of right now, the Atlanta Falcons have been given the edge with a -12 point spread. This spread is a bit high in my opinion as I believe the Jaguars will make a game of it.

My Pick: Take the Jaguars at +12

New York Giants @ Dallas Cowboys Sun. Dec. 11, 2011 8:20 p.m. EST

The NFC East division title may very well come down to just one game this weekend with the New York Giants coming to Texas to take on the arch division rival Dallas Cowboys at Cowboys Stadium. This game is something that the Cowboys might be able to rebound from if they lose to the Giants, but the fact of the matter is that this game is a must-win situation for both teams as a playoff spot could be the result of a win.

With both teams coming off losses in Week 13, the Cowboys and the Giants will try and get back to form this weekend on both sides of the football. The one team of the two that played well last week was the Giants as they gave the defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers all they could handle at New Meadowlands Stadium.

The Dallas Cowboys on the other hand struggled to put the nail in the coffin against the lowly Arizona Cardinals and lost in overtime after a bad coaching decision by Jason Garrett to call a timeout right as his kicker Dan Bailey hit was would have been the game-winning field goal. This week the Cowboys will come into this game with a chip on their shoulder and prepared to make a statement against the arch division rival New York Giants.

As of right now, the Dallas Cowboys are favored to get the best of the New York Giants this weekend with a -3 point spread.

My Pick: Take the Cowboys at -3