Black Monday & NFL Playoffs Loom! Week 18 Preview & Predictions

We have finally made it to the final regular season Sunday of the 2021 NFL season, and what a wild and strange trip it has been!

For many there is still a lot to be determined as far as playoff seeding is concerned. Others are thinking about what's next which begins on what has been termed "Black Monday" in the NFL, or better known as the the day head coaches and GM's unfortunately lose their jobs with underachieving teams.

The New York Giants (4-12) look like one of those teams, although nothing is a certainty. General Manager David Gettleman is expected to either step down or retire after the Giants season finale against the Washington Football team. The latest confirmation comes from WFAN and CBS Sports Radio Host Chris Moore, although this rumor has been out there for a while.

Since his hiring at the end of the 2017 season, Gettleman's Giants are 19-45, and have not had a winning season in five years. The Giants enter the off-season with plenty of questions, not only about who will replace Gettleman, but what will happen with head coach Joe Judge and quarterback Daniel Jones.

Somehow Judge has avoided the griddle despite a 10-23 record as Giants head coach. Last week he gave an impassioned 11-minute speech on how his team hasn't quit. The Giants have scored only 46 points in their last four games, and are down to their fourth quarterback due to injuries to Daniel Jones, Jake Fromm and Mike Glennon.

We should learn more Sunday night into Monday about what's next for Big Blue.

Meanwhile the playoffs are upon us. 11 of the 14 spots in the tournament have already been stamped, although there is still the question of seeding.

In the AFC, the LA Chargers (9-7), Las Vegas Raiders (9-7), Indianapolis Colts (9-7) and Pittsburgh Steelers (8-7-1) are battling for the final two spots in the AFC playoffs. The Chargers and Raiders square off Sunday night.

The NFC is pretty much locked up. Green Bay (13-3) is the top seed. The LA Rams (12-4) would be the two seed with Tampa Bay and Dallas following suit. The only question is the final playoff slot which could go to either San Francisco (9-7) or New Orleans (8-8).

Mike Cohen's Week 18 FOX SPORTS NEW JERSEY PICK SIX

Last Week: 4-2

Season: 48-24

NY Jets (4-12) @ Buffalo Bills (10-6) - 4:25, CBS. Moved to a late game due to the fact that Buffalo could clinch the AFC East with a win or a New England Patriots loss to Miami. The Bills are looking to for their second straight division title, and it is hard to imagine them laying down to the pesky Jets. The Jets have played well in recent weeks. They should have won last week against Tampa Bay were it not for a horrendous play call on fourth down at the end of the game. Zach Wilson has shown more growth in recent weeks. And the Jets have something cooking with Michael Carter and Braxton Berrios. That said... PICK: BILLS 27 - JETS 17. 

Washington (6-10) @ NY Giants (4-12): 1 p.m. FOX.  Yeah. This game. The last time we call the Washington Football Team, THE Washington Football Team, (thankfully!) Look forward to calling them the Admirals? Commanders? Armada? The Congressman? The Tax-men? Who knows? It will be better than WFT. As for Big Blue, it's the last stand for Joe Judge and David Gettleman. And they go into battle with not much going for them. PICK: Washington 20 - GIANTS 16.

Dallas Cowboys (11-5) @ Philadelphia Eagles (9-7) - Saturday, 8:15, ESPN. Not much at stake in this one. Both teams are going to the playoffs. Will be interesting to see how long the starters play in this game, however Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy said his starters will play. Expect the Boys to play hard here before the playoffs, especially after last week's flatliner against the Cardinals. PICK: COWBOYS 23 - EAGLES 13.

Cincinnati Bengals (10-6) @ Cleveland Browns (7-9) - 1 p.m. Sunday. Neither Joe Burrow, nor Baker Mayfield will start this game. The Bengals are resting Burrow for the playoffs, and will likely sit a lot of their starters for this game. They are focused on their wild card game. The Browns are left wondering what if. Baker Mayfield is not playing as he focuses on off-season surgery to his shoulder, and there is legit discussion that he has played his final game as a Brown. PICK: BROWNS 20 - BENGALS 17.

Pittsburgh Steelers (8-7-1) @ Baltimore Ravens (8-8): 1 p.m. Sunday.  This is a bigger game for the Steelers. They know that if they win and get losses by the Colts (who play the Jaguars) and of course a loss by either the Chargers and Raiders in their AFC West battle, they could sneak into the playoffs. Highly unlikely because Indy face the lowly Jags, but that possibility exits. Could be Big Ben's final game.

The Ravens have been snake bit this season. Injuries keep piling up, and they keep losing close games. Last week's 20-19 loss to the Rams was the fourth loss in their last five that was decided by two points or less. That is brutal. Lamar Jackson will not start with an ankle injury, and Tyler Huntley will start. He has been decent. Just a feeling like Pittsburgh's highlight of the year came last week in Roethlisberger's final home game against Cleveland. Plus, after five straight losses, the Ravens are more than due for a win. PICK: RAVENS 23 - STEELERS 20.

LA Chargers (9-7) @ Las Vegas Raiders (9-7): 8:20 NBC, Sunday night. Game of the Week. The winner goes to the playoffs. It's been a year of starts and stops for both teams. At times, the Chargers and their young quarterback Justin Herbert have been the talk of the league. Other times their defense is giving up too many big plays. The Raiders went through the Jon Gruden drama, and the Henry Ruggs III drama. Quarterback Derek Carr isn't exactly Mr. Consistent either. Will the Raiders actually fire interim head coach Rich Bisaccia if this team makes the playoffs? PICK: CHARGERS 29 - RAIDERS 28.