Hello all, as mentioned, I'm bored at work and away this weekend, and Week 14 kicks off with an absolute must watch game tonight (then a genuinely pretty decent looking weekend).

THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL *GAME OF THE WEEKEND*
HOUSTON TEXANS (2-10) @ JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (3-11)
SKY SPORTS, 1:25AM

OH NFL Network schedulers, how you have blessed us. After a season of truly incredible Thursday night matches, you saved the best for the week following a lackluster Thanksgiving Day, people across the globe will be staying up for this one, you truly are king among kings.

Joking aside though, geez, what a stinker. What will save this match from complete irrelevance is: a)the loser will pretty much lock down the no.1 pick in the NFL 2014 Draft (is this a good thing?) and b)The Jags, out of nowhere, are actually on quite a run of form and have been playing some, dare I say it, decent football(!) recently. What is of course amusing about this is that in classic Jags form, they are hitting their stride way too late, eliminating themselves from both playoff and top draft pick contention. Tonight I fully expect this to continue, they are at home against a catastrophic Texans team who put up a valiant fight against the Patriots on Sunday but must see this short-week trip as punishment for their horrendous season. It will also be quite funny to see NFL network try and pretend to get excited about what will surely be their lowest watched match in history (if the Jags can't even avoid local blackouts what good is them being on national primetime television going to be?!) (JAX by 3 in a game of 0 offensive yards on both sides)

SUNDAY, 6PM, SKY SPORTS
DETROIT LIONS (7-5) @ PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (7-5)
To make up for the utter train wreck tonight will be, thank goodness Sky have a real treat in store on Sunday kicking off with this sure to be very compelling match-up. Many complained that Philly's fascinating match with Arizona should have been flexed by NBC ahead of the fairly damp squib (but still marginally entertaining) Redskins/Giants match. No complaints on NBC's choice this week (which was flexed) but this is easily the pick of the early games with two teams having highly impressive years looking to make a statement for the playoffs (i.e sort out who the number 3 and 4 seed is, much like a certain AFC game this week). There is still much to play for in the NFC however compared to the AFC's pretty much already locked 5 out of 6 spots, as the Eagles still need to overcome the Cowboys, and/or better their closest wildcard rivals in San Francisco and Arizona (something they took great strides to last week) and they look in excellent condition to do it, led by a fantastic Nick Foles. The Lions meanwhile will probably lock their division by default, though that still depends on if Aaron Rodgers can get healthy for this weekend. Both teams are coming off excellent and important wins and will look to solidify their place in the playoffs here. Expect a potential shoot out, but I see Philly at home and needing the win slightly more stealing this one (by 4-5)

9:25PM, SKY SPORTS
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (11-1) @ SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (8-4)
Congratulations on Seattle for a) becoming the first team to claim their playoff birth, and b) causing a small minor earthquake on the Richter scale on the way to once again breaking the world record for loudest crowd. The Seahawks were utterly dominant in their demolition of the number 2 seed (!) New Orleans, giving them a two game advantage and a tie-breaker (so effectively 3 game adv) to securing that the NFC Playoffs will go through FORTRESS QWEST. Therefore, the SEA CAN afford to lose in San Francisco without much trouble or worry as they are pretty much secured in the #1 seed. But can you really see them letting their division rivals and potential playoff opponents an easy ride? I sure can't. So yes, San Fran will be playing hard to try and right the wrongs of their earlier humiliation at the hands of Seattle back in September, because they need the win much, much more with Philly and Arizona peering just over their shoulder. So despite Seattle's berth, there will still be a lot to play for and thus this should be a highly entertaining game. At the moment though, it is difficult to see who can beat the Seahawks (I would say full strength, but scarily they aint even that right now), compared to SF's spottiness, it just should be a lot closer than last time. (SEA by 3)

1:30AM, CHANNEL 4
CAROLINA PANTHERS (9-3) @ NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (9-3)
Big, big match this, made all the more crucial by the Saints' decimation on Monday. The winner obviously will lead the NFC South, but the loser can be safe in the knowledge they will have another chance to square things up in a couple weeks time. It would be easy to say on current form that the Panthers should win this, and though I agree to some extent and think it will be mighty close, I am, like with Seattle on Monday, going to have to go to go with home advantage. I just can't see a pissed off Saints team losing to a division and playoff rival after a humbling defeat to their chances of getting home-field advantage, especially now they are competing for the division or to be in the playoffs at all. The Panthers certainly have a great chance with the way they have been playing, if Super-Cam can keep firing bullets, and their huge D maintain pressure like Seattle did, then they will certainly be in contention, but the Superdome is almost as important to the Saints as QWEST is to Seattle, and this I feel will make the difference (NO BY 4-5 but I do think Carolina will win the return, so worry not Newerwaves)

MONDAY, 1:40AM, EUROSPORT
DALLAS COWBOYS (7-5) @ CHICAGO BEARS (6-6)
Yet another excellent TV game this weekend comes at the hands of one of those all time classic ties between two footballing powerhouses. However, as things stand these two teams are going in pretty opposite directions as of late, with an injury ridden Chicago falling and a strong Dallas squad rising in stock. Chciago's Matt McGloin has been impressive and kept them in all the games he's played in so far, unfortunately their depleted D is becoming a bit of a nightmare, meaning DeMarco Murray should have a field day come Monday night. In fairness though, the Cowboys are equally pretty pathetic against the run, so expect Matt Forte to have yet another big game (when doesn't he though, really?). Ultimately then, this will come down to Quarterbacks, and Tony Romo has been in terrific form recently, silencing his pre-December critics early, so he should have enough to take this one in what should be a pretty entertaining match-up. (DAL by 4-5)

THE REST:
Minnesota Vikings (3-8-1) @ Baltimore Ravens (6-6) - Ah, it's #purplebowl everyone! Vikings have been hilarious recently actively looking (and failing) to lose games in order to presumably get draft picks, only to be foiled by some boneheaded calls from the Bears and Packers. Baltimore have FINALLY found some form over the past couple weeks, so should be fairly comfortable at home here (BAL by 7)

Indianapolis Colts (8-4) @ Cincinnati Bengals (8-4) - Here's the AFC's version of that Lions/Eagles game, except way less interesting because these two are pretty much locked into 3rd and 4th barring some monumental collapse/last minute strike from Titans and Ravens respectively. So the battle for 3rd is on!!! (CIN by 4-5)

Cleveland Browns (4-8) @ New England Patriots (9-3) - Ah poor Cleveland, after flirting with danger and excitement they've got beaten by the Jags and their 4th QB injury (and the best consecutive receiving games ever?!). Caleb Hanie is the latest mad man to step up the mantle, and while the Pats D isn't massively imposing there is absolutely no way he gets his shit together in time to look anything other than embarrassed in Foxboro on Sunday (NE BY 7+)

Oakland Raiders (4-8) @ New York Jets (5-7) - Eugh, what a mess. If the Jets have any chance at salvaging some dignity this season (how many times have we had to say that over the years?) then this is going to be their best chance to do it. Unfortunately for them, the Raiders' well rested backup played pretty great on the national thanksgiving day stage while the less said about Geno Smith the better (really, it's just cruel) - (OAK by 3)

Miami Dolphins (6-6) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (5-7) - This is a reasonably important one; the Steelers have been knocked onto the ropes after a spirited, and obstacle laying, loss to bitter rivals Baltimore, and Miami is in an excellent position to go for the knock out on Sunday. So expect the Steelers to come out ballin' knowing a loss will end their season. Unfortunately for them, Miami are somehow still very much in the thick of the AFC Wildcard race (by thick I mean, between them and Baltimore, who own the tie-breaker) despite their internal issues, and look in a good position to continue this weekend. Mike Wallace could well come back to haunt his old team... (MIA by 3)

Buffalo Bills (4-8) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-9) - Bills have fallen apart again whereas the Bucs have found an identity behind Mike Glennon (TB by 4-5)

Kansas City Chiefs (9-3) @ Washington Redskins (3-9) - ah, #racistnamebowl lovely. KC are coming off a three loss skid, but the Skins are currently bottom of the NFC with RGIII's O-line representing a thin membrane, to KC's hurting pass rush, as things stand. (KC by 7+)

Atlanta Falcons (3-9) @ Green Bay Packers (5-6-1) - Well, this is pretty much the season for GB here. Aaron Rodgers is trying his utmost to return for Sunday, but even if he doesn't, there is a chance Matt Flynn with more time to go through reps can defeat this miserable Atlanta team at home. Either way, anything other than a win here and the Pack are done. (GB by 4-5/7+ if Rodgers is back)

LATES:
Tennessee Titans (5-7) @ Denver Broncos (10-2) - No one really expected the Titans to do anything relevant this year did they? (DEN by 7+)

St. Louis Rams (5-7) @ Arizona Cardinals (7-5) - This should be a pretty decent one. The NFC West has been fantastic this year hasn't it? I do expect the Cards to take this reasonably comfortably at home, but these two have a history of having the most batshit mental matches, so expect something crazy to happen. (ARI 4-5)

New York Giants (5-7) @ San Diego Chargers (5-7) - Jesus, who the fuck knows what will happen here. It will probably end at a 50-50 tie (by that I mean the scoreline). I'll take Chargers at home because I like living dangerous but honestly I have no idea (SD by 4-5)

*Phew* that ate up most of my afternoon, cheers lads.