NFL

Bob McManaman's NFL Week 16 picks

Bob McManaman
azcentral sports

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.



SUNDAY'S LINEUP

azcentral sports NFL writer Bob McManaman offers a rundown of today's NFL schedule:

TV games

Chiefs (8-6) at Steelers (9-5)

Time/TV: 11 a.m./Channel 5.

Announcers: Greg Gumbel, Trent Green, Evan Washburn.

Key players/story lines: Pittsburgh will lock up a playoff spot with a win and can still capture the AFC North, as the Steelers trail the first-place Bengals by half a game. The Chiefs are one game out of a wild-card position, trailing both Pittsburgh and Baltimore. Steelers WR Antonio Brown leads the NFL with 115 receptions and is the fourth NFL player to post consecutive seasons with at least 100 catches. Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles has scored 14 touchdowns in his past 11 games. In his past eight games, Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger has thrown 21 touchdown passes and been intercepted only five times. Kansas City still hasn't had a wide receiver catch a touchdown pass this season. Steelers RB Le'Veon Bell has set a franchise single-season record with 2,043 scrimmage yards.

Line: Steelers by 3.

Mac says: Steelers 27, Chiefs 20. When the chips are down in December and the Steelers are in the hunt, they don't lose at home.

Lions (10-4) at Bears (5-9)

Time/TV: 11 a.m./Channel 10.

Announcers: Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews.

Key players/story lines: The Lions can clinch the NFC North with a win and a loss by Green Bay. They can also earn a first-round bye under that same scenario as long as the Cowboys lose to the Colts. It's already over for the Bears, who are benching QB Jay Cutler for Jimmy Clausen and are expected to clean house after the season. Clausen has thrown nine passes this season for 42 yards, his first NFL action since 2010 with Carolina. Detroit has won the past three meetings, including a 34-17 rout in November when WR Calvin Johnson went off for 11 receptions, 146 yards and two touchdowns. The Lions are a plus-8 in takeaways/giveaways; the Bears are a minus-8. Detroit QB Matthew Stafford needs 203 passing yards for his fourth consecutive 4,000-yard season.

Line: Lions by 7.

Mac says: Lions 26, Bears 16. Detroit should win going away, but make sure you tune in just to catch Cutler's facial expressions.

Colts (10-4) at Cowboys (10-4)

Time/TV: 2:25 p.m./Channel 5.

Announcers: Jim Nantz, Phil Simms, Tracy Wolfson.

Key players/story lines: The Colts have won the AFC South for a second consecutive year and for the ninth time in the past 12 seasons. Andrew Luck joins Seattle's Russell Wilson as the only quarterbacks in the Super Bowl era to lead their teams to at least 10 wins in each of their first three seasons. With a win, coupled with a loss by the Eagles on Saturday, the Cowboys will win the NFC East for the first time since 2009. Dallas can clinch a playoff spot with a win along with losses by Green Bay and Detroit. Colts WR T.Y. Hilton ranks third in the AFC with 1,345 yards and needs 55 more to join Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne as the only Colts to record a 1,400-yard season. Dallas QB Tony Romo has thrown 28 touchdown passes with just five interceptions in his past 11 games. Cowboys RB DeMarco Murray, the league's leading rusher with 1,687 yards, was expected to play despite undergoing surgery on his hand Monday.

Line: Cowboys by 3.

Mac says: Cowboys 30, Colts 27. Expect this one to go back and forth and not get settled until the final minute or two.

The rest

Ravens (9-5) at Texans (7-7)

Time: 11 a.m.

Line: Ravens by 41/2.

Mac says: Ravens 24, Texans 13.

Packers (10-4) at Buccaneers (2-12)

Time: 11 a.m.

Line: Packers by 10.

Mac says: Packers 34, Buccaneers 10.

Falcons (5-9) at Saints (6-8)

Time: 11 a.m.

Line: Saints by 51/2.

Mac says: Saints 33, Falcons 27.

Vikings (6-8) at Dolphins (7-7)

Time: 11 a.m.

Line: Dolphins by 61/2.

Mac says: Dolphins 23, Vikings 16.

Patriots (11-3) at Jets (3-11)

Time: 11 a.m.

Line: Patriots by 10.

Mac says: Patriots 24, Jets 17.

Browns (7-7) at Panthers (5-8-1)

Time: 11 a.m.

Line: Pick'em.

Mac says: Browns 20, Panthers 17.

Giants (5-9) at Rams (6-8)

Time: 2:05 p.m.

Line: Rams by 5.

Mac says: Rams 21, Giants 20.

Bills (8-6) at Raiders (2-12)

Time: 2:25 p.m.

Line: Bills by 6.

Mac says: Bills 24, Raiders 20.