2016 NFL Picks Week 10: Los Angeles Rams Square Off Against New York Jets

Nov 6, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Tavon Austin (11) rushes against the Carolina Panthers during a NFL football game at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Here’s a look at the 2016 NFL Picks Week 10, with the Los Angeles Rams taking on the New York Jets.

After another tough loss to the Carolina Panthers, what should fans expect from the Los Angeles Rams in the 2016 NFL Picks for Week 10?

The Rams will travel across the country for a tough road matchup against the New York Jets in a game that will feature two teams in desperate need of a win. While Los Angeles is looking to put an end to their four game losing streak, New York hopes to get back on the winning track after letting a win slip away against the Miami Dolphins last Sunday.

In a battle of three-win teams, the Rams may be playing with a little more motivation when considering the next few games could end up determining the fate of Jeff Fisher with the team. For a head coach that’s been under the microscope over the last few weeks, Fisher simply can’t afford to see Los Angeles lose a fifth game in a row as Case Keenum will need to do whatever it takes to help this offense show any signs of life.

Along with the matchup between the Rams and the Jets, take a look at what to expect from the other 13 games on schedule in the latest edition of NFL Picks for Week 10.

`Sep 18, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Terrance West (28) is wrapped up by the Cleveland Browns defense during the second half at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Ravens Over Browns

Remember at the beginning of the season when the Baltimore Ravens overcame a 20-point deficit to defeat the Cleveland Browns? Well, let’s just say the Ravens may have an extra advantage this time around since they will be playing at home against their division rivals.

After losing four in a row, Baltimore came up big in Week 9 with a victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers to move up into first place in the AFC North. For a team that wasn’t receiving much respect from the rest of the league, the Ravens defeating the Steelers shows they deserve to be labeled contenders in the AFC.

With a matchup against Cleveland, there’s a good chance Baltimore will hold on to that division lead with a win on Thursday. Unfortunately for the Browns, there’s a good chance their winless streak continues as it’s tough to imagine Hue Jackson picking up his first win in this one.

Then again, Cleveland always finds a way to take their game to a new level when these teams square off, so Baltimore should be extra cautious. Otherwise, the glory of being in first place could quickly disappear for the Ravens if they fail to come up on the winning end against the Browns.

Nov 6, 2016; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) reacts following a play during the second quarter against the Indianapolis Colts at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Packers Over Titans

Throughout his career, Aaron Rodgers has always been the type of quarterback that seems to bounce back strong when the Green Bay Packers are in a funk. With three losses over their last four games, the frustration is beginning to pile up for Rodgers and the Packers as they head into another tough matchup on the road against the Tennessee Titans.

Not every team is going to come up on the losing end when scoring 35 points, but that was the case for the Titans after falling to the San Diego Chargers last weekend. At 4-5, there’s nothing Tennessee would love more than to come up with a huge win at home against the Packers to get back to .500, but it certainly won’t be easy.

As everyone knows, Green Bay’s offense is loaded with weapons for Rodgers to throw the football to, which means Tennessee’s defense will need to give everything they have if they’re going to have any chance of winning this game. With that being said, don’t be surprised if Rodgers has another one of those monster performances to get the Packers back on the winning track while continuing to stay close in the hunt for the NFC North lead.

Oct 30, 2016; London, United Kingdom; Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) scrambles during the third quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Wembley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Flynn-USA TODAY Sports

Redskins Over Vikings

After starting off the season as one of the hottest teams in football thanks to a 5-0 start, the Minnesota Vikings may need to hit the panic button after losing three games in a row, with the latest collapse coming on Sunday against the Detroit Lions. As bad as it sounds, the struggles may continue for the Vikings in Week 10 with a tough road matchup against the Washington Redskins.

Not only are the Redskins going to be well rested coming out of their bye week, but this team is coming off two disappointing contests of their own against the Detroit Lions and Cincinnati Bengals. One week after allowing the Lions to rally for a touchdown in the final seconds for the win, the Redskins were forced to settle for a tie in London against the Bengals in Week 8.

When taking all of these factors into consideration, all signs point to Washington coming out firing against Minnesota. If the Lions and Chicago Bears can have their way against the Vikings’ defense like they did over the last two weeks, there’s every reason to believe the Redskins can do the same to keep up with the rest of the teams in the NFC East.

Nov 3, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (13) celebrates with quarterback Jameis Winston (3) after scoring a touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons during the first quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Buccaneers Over Bears

How happy were the Chicago Bears to see Jay Cutler return to the lineup in Week 8? Let’s just say having Cutler at quarterback helped the Bears pull off the shocking win against the Minnesota Vikings to earn their second win of the season.

Now, Chicago prepares for an upcoming matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the road, but it certainly won’t be easy as the Bears’ defense could be in trouble facing off against Mike Evans. The star wide receiver had a field day against the Atlanta Falcons last week after catching 11 passes for 150 yards to go along with two touchdowns.

If Evans can figure out a way to post a similar performance against the Bears, the Buccaneers will have an excellent shot at putting an end to their two game losing streak.

At the beginning of the season, Tampa Bay was considered potential sleeper team in the NFC when it comes to making a run at the postseason. They may be coming off two tough losses against playoff caliber teams, but this is the perfect chance for the Buccaneers to earn their first win at home after failing to do so the first four attempts.

Nov 6, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) hands off to running back Jonathan Stewart (28) in the first half of the game against the Los Angeles Rams at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Panthers Over Chiefs

Don’t look now, but the Carolina Panthers are starting to turn their season around after a disastrous 1-5 start by winning two straight games against the Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Rams. Now, the Panthers face one of their toughest challenges of the season with a home matchup against the red-hot Kansas City Chiefs.

Just like the Panthers, the Chiefs didn’t get off to the best start after going 2-2 over their first four games of the season, but Andy Reid‘s squad did manage to turn things around fast as they head into Week 10 as winners of four games in a row. Defense has been one of the main reasons behind the success of Kansas City’s impressive winning streak, but they may be overwhelmed against a Panthers’ offense loaded with weapons in the passing game.

Not only does Carolina have an advantage with the size and strength of Cam Newton, but players like Greg Olsen and Kelvin Benjamin are capable of taking off at any time. With the Panthers needing every win they can get in the second half of the season, don’t be surprised if they come out firing to give the Chiefs their first loss since Week 4.

Oct 23, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones (11) prepares for a game against the San Diego Chargers at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Falcons Over Eagles

How good have the Atlanta Falcons been this season? The fact that Matt Ryan is emerging as one of the top candidates to take home MVP honors shows just how high the Falcons are flying heading into Week 10 against the Philadelphia Eagles.

After losing back-to-back games against the Seattle Seahawks and San Diego Chargers, many wondered if Atlanta was heading towards another collapse, similar to the one suffered by this team last season when they failed to reach the playoffs despite a 6-2 start. Instead, the Falcons have proven over the last two weeks why they deserve to be seen as one of the top teams in the NFC with impressive wins over the Green Bay Packers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

With the way the defense of the Eagles looked against the New York Giants, Ryan could be in for another big day while playing in a very hostile environment in Philadelphia. Any quarterback can be successful with reliable weapon in Julio Jones, but Ryan has seen other key players like Mohamed Sanu and Taylor Gabriel step up in the passing game.

The Falcons have scored 76 points over the last two games, and don’t be surprised if that success carries over into Sunday’s game against the Eagles as this team looks to hold on to their division lead.

Oct 16, 2016; Detroit, MI, USA; Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald (99) during the first quarter against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Lions won 31-28. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

Rams Over Jets

Just when it seemed like the Los Angeles Rams couldn’t hit a new low to the 2016 season, they return from the bye and continue their struggles on offense after falling to the Carolina Panthers at home. With four straight losses, the Rams hit the road for a game against the New York Jets in Week 10.

The good news for Los Angeles, New York has arguably been struggling just as much as Jeff Fisher’s squad this season.

For a team that fell just shy of the playoffs last year, the Jets have become one of the biggest disappointments of the 2016 season as Ryan Fitzpatrick has turned out to be a complete waste of money at quarterback. If the Rams’ defense managed to record five sacks against Newton in Week 9, just imagine what kind of day they could have against a quarterback like Fitzpatrick.

Between Jeff Fisher fighting for his job as head coach to Case Keenum also fighting for his job at quarterback, Los Angeles is in desperate need for a win. Hopefully, a game against a team like the Jets is just what the Rams need to put an end to their losing streak.

Otherwise, the frustration is only going to get worse over the next few weeks for Los Angeles.

Nov 6, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Denver Broncos outside linebacker Von Miller (58) dances on the field before the start of the game against the Oakland Raiders at Oakland Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Broncos Over Saints

Even if the New Orleans Saints have won four of their last five games, this team still has one of the league’s worst defenses as they prepare to host the defending Super Bowl champions in the Denver Broncos. Nothing is more exciting than watching one of the league’s top offenses square off against one of the top defenses as will be the case when these two teams hit the field in Week 10.

It’s amazing to see the Saints on a roll after an 0-3 start to the season, but they realize Sunday’s game against the Broncos will be no easy task as defending champions are coming off a frustrating loss to the Oakland Raiders that dropped them to third in the AFC West standings. New Orleans may be playing at a high level over the last couple of weeks, but Denver realizes this is a game they can’t afford to lose when seeing how their division is turning out.

In other words, the last thing the Broncos want to do is end up playing catch up to the other three teams.

Denver’s defense has been their main strength all season, but the difference maker will be Trevor Siemian running the offense. If the Broncos quarterback can’t effective against a terrible defense like the Saints, there may not be much hope for Siemian in the second half of the season.

Oct 27, 2016; Nashville, TN, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) passes against the Tennessee Titans during the first half at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports

Jaguars Over Texans

Over the last few weeks, Gus Bradley has been the unfortunate victim of seeing his name on the head coach’s hot seat as the Jacksonville Jaguars head into Week 10 with a 2-6 record. With the way this season has been going, a game against the Houston Texans would normally seem like a disaster, but this is also the perfect opportunity for Bradley’s squad to come through with a statement win.

Houston may currently be in first place, but the argument can be made they haven’t even come close to looking like a playoff caliber team when looking at how much this offense has struggled this season, especially with Brock Osweiler at quarterback. When looking at how much money the Texans invested in Osweiler, it’s safe to say he’s turned out to be one of the biggest disappointments of the 2016 season, which is why the Jaguars’ defense will be a key factor in this one.

Plus, there’s nothing the Jaguars would love more than to see Blake Bortles display impressive numbers with the team winning instead of in garbage time. If Jacksonville can figure out a way to make all of these factors work, Houston could end up struggling against their division rivals.

Nov 6, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Chargers tight end Antonio Gates (85) celebrates after a touchdown catch with teammates center Matt Slauson (68) and wide receiver Tyrell Williams (16) and running back Melvin Gordon (28) during the first quarter against the Tennessee Titans at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

Chargers Over Dolphins

After a rough start to the season with a 1-4 record, the San Diego Chargers deserve plenty of credit for how quickly they’ve turned their season around to earn some respect in the AFC. In fact, with three wins over their last four games, the argument can be made the Chargers are the last team anyone wants to play at the moment, which means the Miami Dolphins could be in trouble once Sunday rolls around.

Then again, the Dolphins have put together a nice win streak of their own over the last three games Adam Gase has finally found a way to get through to this team as they should give the Chargers a run for their money. With this game featuring two of the hottest teams from the last couple of weeks, there’s a good chance this one could go down to the wire, but San Diego may have the upper advantage over Miami.

Not only do the Chargers have the advantage of the Dolphins having to fly across the country, but these are the games Philip Rivers lives for. As one of the league’s most competitive quarterbacks, expect Rivers to help San Diego pull off their fourth win in five games while continuing to sneak up in the AFC.

Nov 6, 2016; Baltimore, MD, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) throws on the run during the second quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Steelers Over Cowboys

Don’t be fooled by what happened to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 9 against the Baltimore Ravens as this team has a history of bouncing back after disappointing performances. Even if the Steelers are facing off against arguably the best team the NFC has to offer in the Dallas Cowboys, Mike Tomlin will do everything in his power to help his players get back on track with a win on Sunday.

Ben Roethlisberger deserves some slack in his first game back from injury as the quarterback looked a bit rusty against the Ravens, who currently own the first place tiebreaker in the AFC North. PIttsburgh realizes losing a fourth game in a row simply isn’t an option at this point, as a win over Dallas would certainly give this squad a much needed confidence boost.

At the beginning of the season, the Steelers’ offense had the potential to break numerous records thanks to key weapons like Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown. Dallas’ defense has looked phenomenal as of late, but between playing in the tough conditions of Heinz Field along with shutting down a high-powered offense, don’t be surprised if Pittsburgh escapes with the win, just like the tend to do after an embarrassing loss.

Oct 30, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Arizona Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians motions to his players during the fourth quarter against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. The Panthers defeated the Cardinals 30-20. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

Cardinals Over 49ers

After falling just short of representing the NFC in last year’s Super Bowl, the Arizona Cardinals were considered one of the favorites to play in Houston at the beginning of the season. Instead, the Cardinals will be lucky if they even earn a Wild Card spot at this point, but a home matchup against the San Francisco 49ers should be an easy win for Bruce Arians and company.

These two teams may not be living up to their preseason expectations, but from a talent perspective, the 49ers don’t even come close to the Cardinals when looking at what each of them brings to the table. While San Francisco’s offense has struggled over the last few games without Carlos Hyde, it’s ridiculous to see the amount of weapons Carson Palmer has to work with in Arizona’s offense.

Palmer knows it’s up to him to lead the Cardinals in the second half of the season if they’re going to have any shot at making a run at the playoffs in the NFC, and it starts on Sunday against the 49ers. Hopefully, David Johnson manages to find similar success against San Francisco like did earlier in the season when he rushed for 157 yards to go along with two touchdowns.

Oct 23, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) celebrates a touchdown by spiking the ball against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second half at Heinz Field. The Patriots won 27-16. Mandatory Credit: Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports

Patriots Over Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks have established a reputation for having one of the league’s toughest defenses over the last couple of years, but for some reason they just haven’t been as dominant this season. With that being said, even if the Seahawks’ defense hasn’t looked like themselves, it’s safe to say they will be fired up for their tough road matchup against the New England Patriots.

Whether they want to admit it or not, Seattle would love nothing more than to march into Foxborough and hand New England their second loss of the season. Of course, with the way Tom Brady has been playing since his return from suspension, it’s tough to imagine the future Hall of Fame quarterback leading his team to victory on Sunday night.

What Brady has done in four games has been simply amazing as the quarterback has already thrown 12 touchdowns and zero interceptions. It’s ridiculous to even think about the possibility of Brady eventually taking home MVP honors despite missing the first four games of the season, but it certainly seems possible.

When looking at the high competitive level of Brady, don’t be surprised if the Patriots come out firing against the Seahawks while cruising on the way to their eighth win of the season.

Oct 16, 2016; Foxborough, MA, USA; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton (14) celebrates after a touchdown during the second quarter against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

Bengals Over Giants

Will the Cincinnati Bengals finally come through with a win against a playoff caliber team in the New York Giants. For the sake of Marvin Lewis, let’s hope the Bengals can finally live up to the hype so they can keep their playoff hopes alive.

Just like Arizona, expectations were high for Cincinnati at the beginning of the season as they were considered one of the top teams to beat in the AFC. Instead, this season has been filled with plenty of frustrations for the Bengals as this team is coming off a surprise tie in London back in Week 8.

While the Giants’ defense has been playing better over the last three games, they could be in trouble on Monday night when it comes to shutting down one of the league’s top wide receivers in A.J. Green. The former first-round pick is always capable of going off in the passing game at any given time, and there’s a good chance it will happen against New York as Green has recorded 17 catches over the last two games.

For a team that’s still somehow in the hunt for their division, here’s to hoping Cincinnati finally begins to play like the team that’s reached the playoffs in each of the last five seasons.