With the final week of the NFL regular season stretching into January, it’s no surprise to see winter weather this weekend.
I dive into the extended forecasts for Saturday and Sunday and see how the rain, snow, and wind will impact the NFL Week 18 odds and outcomes.
Here is the weather to watch when making your NFL picks for the season finales.
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The Washington Commanders take on the New York Giants in their first home game of the season on Sunday.
Washington is a slight home favorite but our Giants vs. Commanders predictions are happy to fade these two offenses that combined for just 26 points in Week 1. Read more in our free NFL picks below.
Giants vs Commanders prediction
My best betNeither team to score 3+ unanswered times (+115 at BetMGM)
My analysisThe New York Giants only scored twice in Week 1 — both field goals — and the Washington Commanders scored in each of the final three quarters with two Bucs scores in between. In fact, the Commanders’ final score came in the final minutes of the game with Jayden Daniels running for his second touchdo…
Anyone who has spent the best part of an hour just waiting to cross a supermarket threshold in the past few weeks will be aware how quickly the outlandish becomes the new normal. Yet even in these strange days it was still odd to hear Gordon Taylor pop up on the radio with the suggestion that shortened games might be the solution to finishing the Premier League season sometime before the clocks go back.
How that would have helped maintain the integrity of the competition or assisted those clubs worried they might be relegated in less than optimum circumstances remained unclear, for the Premier League was pooh-poohing the idea proposed by the Professional Footballers’ Association’s leader as ridiculous and unfounded within hours.
Premi…
It is almost 18 months since Rhys Norrington-Davies’s name was up in lights in the headmaster’s weekly newsletter at Royal Russell school in Croydon, celebrating his first call-up to the Wales senior squad. It was there that he achieved A-levels in maths, physics and geology, and was accepted into Southampton University to study civil engineering and architecture, at a time when being part of a Premier League promotion push felt rather unlikely.
“Education was my main focus and the thought of getting back into football was a bonus,” he says. “I was preparing to go to uni. Growing up I used to like structures, building sandcastles on the beaches, so I always had an interest for it.”
But then Sheffield Uni…
Claudio Ranieri had a 2016 to remember, with Leicester City winning the Premier League to shock the world.
The Italian has different goals in mind for 2017, with the need to secure top-flight safety his main priority, while overcoming Sevilla in the last 16 of the Champions League would be a dream .
Ranieri is in no doubt of the LaLiga side s strength, though, after they won three consecutive Europa League crowns since 2014.
For the Champions League, a lot of people say, Oh, Sevilla. That s a good draw why do they say this? the Foxes boss told Sky Sports.
They won three titles in a row. Is not easy for us, but it is okay. It is a little dream.
For the Premier League, you know me 40 points. We must be safe and I hope the game against Stoke …
Luton Town s hopes of avoiding relegation from the Premier League are all but over after they squandered a 1-0 lead in a 3-1 defeat to West Ham at the London Stadium on Saturday.
In their final home game under departing boss David Moyes, the Hammers fell behind to Albert Sambi Lokonga s header, as Rob Edwards side looked to pull level with 17th-placed Nottingham Forest.
However, fine second-half finishes from James Ward-Prowse and Tomas Soucek turned the game around, then teenager George Earthy marked his return from a head injury with his first Premier League goal.
While Moyes was able to enjoy his London Stadium swansong, Luton will see their return to the Championship confirmed if Forest avoid defeat to Chelsea later on Saturday.
If Forest are beaten, …
Marseille winger Florian Thauvin is expected to miss the rest of the first half of the season as he prepares to undergo keyhole surgery to correct an ankle problem he sustained in April.
Thauvin was injured during Marseille s 3-1 victory at Guingamp on April 20 and exacerbated the problem in training, although he recovered in time to help his side finish the 2018-19 season with back-to-back victories as they claimed fifth place in Ligue 1.
However, the issue continued to hamper the France international, who has played just 10 minutes as a substitute in the top flight this term, and he has made the decision to go under the knife in order to return to full fitness.
A statement on the club s official website said: Florian Thauvin suffered an accidental ankle injury …
Tottenham s 5-2 win over Southampton saw Harry Kane surpass Alan Shearer and Lionel Messi as well as setting two Premier League hat-trick records.
Kane s second treble in four days inspired Spurs to a resounding success at Wembley, securing the 24-year-old a place in the history books.
The England international overtook Shearer s 22-year record for Premier League goals in a calendar year, while also usurping Messi as Europe s top scorer for club and country in 2017.
With Spurs not in action again until January 2, we take a look at Kane s sensational year in front of goal, with the help of Opta data.
2017:
— Harry Kane (@HKane)
39 Kane scored 39 Premier League goals in 36 games in 2017, beating the previous record hel…
Germany captain Michael Ballack is not expected to play football again in 2010 after it was revealed on Wednesday his knee injury is worse than first thought.
The 34-year-old fractured the tibia just below his left knee in a Bundesliga match against Hanover last month, but a further examination has revealed more bad news.
The defensive midfielder now needs to wear a protective cast for the next four to six weeks to allow the injury to heal.
The injury is more serious than thought and as a result Michael will be unavailable until the end of the year, said his club Bayer Leverkusen in a statement.
Ballack picked up the injury on only his third game back after damaging ligaments in his right ankle last May which kept him out of the World Cup finals.
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Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang once again lit up an empty Wembley Stadium as his brace ensured FA Cup final victory over 10-man Chelsea on this day three years ago.
The striker, who downed Manchester City with two goals in the semi-final, equalised with a penalty he had won himself to cancel out Christian Pulisic’s early opener.
Chelsea then lost Cesar Azpilicueta and Pulisic to injury before Aubameyang brilliantly added his second to secure a 2-1 victory and then lifted a record 14th FA Cup for the Gunners.
His only false move of the day was dropping the trophy in front of his team-mates before eventually raising it above his head.
For head coach Mikel Arteta, this was a first piece of silverware just eight months after taking charge of the …