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Dan Leach's 2014 NFL Locks: Week 16 'Believe In The Dream' Edition

By Dan Leach
@dtmleach

I've been here for you all season long, helping you win your pick-em-pool, embarrass your friends, and just become a more whole football fan and human being. I take a look at five games each week with the best value and rate them on a sliding lock of the week 1-10 scale. As we enter the home stretch, I have been on fire for you all season long and do not expect to slow down anytime soon. And....Here....We....Go!

DTM Song Of The Week: "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" U2 Live in East Lansing 2011

The biggest band in the world recently announced a worldwide arena tour, but they're not coming to the Motor City -- you'll have to go to nearby Chi Town to catch them in all their glory. This gem is from their epic show at Spartan Stadium in June 2011 with the boys doing one of their best live songs that evokes great Batman memories from the 90's. If you have not seen this band live, buy your tickets and buy them NOW! #lifechanging

Buffalo Bills at Oakland Raiders 4:25 p.m. Sunday TV CBS 62 (Bills -6.5)

The Bills come off their season saving epic win against the Packers and now have to travel to the west coast to face a brutal raiders team. As bad as the Raiders have been all year this will not be an easy trip for the fighting Marrone/Schwartz's. The Black Hole has given the Raiders zero advantage this year though and this is a spot where Buffalo can really circle their playoff wagons. It will be a slow start for both teams, but in the end the Bills will find a way to get it done and move a step closer to a possible postseason berth.

5.5 on DTM Lock of the Week Meter – Bills -6.5

Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints 1pm TV Fox (Saints -6.5)

This basically the de-facto game for the absurd NFC south which has a legitimate chance to be football's first division to have a 6-10 champ. The Saints win last week over Chicago gave the division, which has decided to defect from the NFL as a whole this year, to possibly have a mildly respectable 8-8 team be crowned champ, but the trust level with all three contenders is so low you just never know. Atlanta is playing decent football and they know they have to win this game or their season is over. Look for the Dirty Birds to be in this one all the way and could be leading late, giving Drew Brees another chance to throw a game away. That is something Lions fans know all too well about.

6.5 on DTM Lock of the Week Meter – Falcons +6.5

Indianapolis Colts at Dallas Cowboys 4:25 PM EST Sunday TV CBS 62(Cowboys -3)

One of the juiciest games all season long in the NFL. The Boys come off a thrilling come from ahead and behind win in Philly last week, which was one of the more impressive NFC wins in the second half of this season. Andrew Luck and the Colts already wrapped up the AFC South and now have their sights set on a top two seed, so there will be no let down for them in this one. The Colts were my preseason Super Bowl pick and they will make the #DTMPREDICTIONMACHINE proud by showing the football world they are playing some of the best football in the NFL when it matters most.

7.1 on DTM Lock of the Week Meter – Colts +3

Detroit Lions at Chicago Bears 1 p.m. EST Sunday TV CBS 62 RADIO 971 The Ticket (Lions -8)

Well the Lions got an early holiday present as beleaguered Bears QB the $126 million man Jay Cutler has been benched for Santa Clausen just in time for Christmas. Whether it was Cutler, Clausen or 80's Jim Harbaugh at the helm for the Bears, it wouldn't have mattered as Chicago is just simply a bad football team that does not like each other.....AT ALL. Now, they have to face the leagues best defense with a guy that hasn't really started a game even close to as important as this one since he was at Notre Dame.

This game could get ugly really quickly and will be a great chance for the Lions to get their offense going after having two weeks of two steps forward with it and one week of a step back in its struggles against the Vikes last week. Look for Matt Stafford and company to get all Detroit fans in the holiday spirit with a dominating win at a divisional rival on the road, setting up an epic game for the North title next week at Lambeau Field.

DETROIT 35 BEARS 10

7.4 on DTM Lock of the Week Meter – Lions -8 (Heck, take it if it goes to 10 like I thought it would have Clausen was named the starter)

Denver Broncos at Cincinnati Bengals 8:30 p.m. EST Sunday TV ESPN (Broncos -3.5)

This is one of those late season games that could truly get one team primed for a run towards the Super Bowl. Denver is still many people's fave to get to Glendale, but too many are sleeping on this Cinci team that has all the makings of giving Marvin Lewis his best chance since he came to the Queen City to make a serious playoff run. The Bengals do it on both sides of the ball and have a front 7 that has been giving QB's fits. Look for Peyton to struggle for large swatch of this game and for Cinci to be in it until the better end and have a great chance to win this one outright, showing the nation they are ready to make a move.

8 on DTM Lock of the Week Meter – Bengals +3.5

ODDS TIDBIT -- Lions currently 20-1 to win Super Bowl XLIX, same odds as before last weeks win over the Vikes and are 9-1 to win NFC (4th selection behind Seattle, Green Bay, and Dallas) Detroit now +$300 to win NFC North after being +$500 before last week with Packers the fave at -$400 way down from -$1000 from before their loss last week to the Bills.

Last week 2-2-1
DTM'S 2014 Record ATS:48-29-1

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