Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-9) @ Atlanta Falcons (13-2)
Tampa Bay head to Atlanta to face the playoff bound Falcons hoping to end their five game losing streak. The Falcons are 7-0 at home this year but with the number one seed already wrapped up they will most likely have a lot of backups in the game. I have mixed feelings about the Falcons resting players in this game. I understand that they want to give their players rest and they don't want to pick up injuries but I worry about teams who have a first round bye resting players. If the Falcons rest their starters, it will be three weeks since their last game by the time they take to the field in the playoffs. Personally I think it's too long although I do appreciate that teams want to avoid injuries. If a team is good enough to earn a bye in the playoffs, the likely hood is they will be coming into the playoffs with a lot of momentum. Would a three week break take that momentum away? I think it would but it will always be a cause for debate.
Prediction - The Falcons starters to play a quarter/half and then sit the rest out and the Bucs to win it.
New York Jets (6-9) @ Buffalo Bills (5-10)
The Jets and Bills meet in Buffalo in a game that will only decide draft picks. Both teams have losing records and their playoff hopes died a few weeks ago. The New York Jets have had quarterback issues and Rex Ryan is proving himself to be an even bigger idiot than we already suspected he was by once again overlooking Tim Tebow. He benched Mark Sanchez last week in favour of Greg McElroy. McElroy has a concussion and won't play so Ryan has said that Sanchez will start at quarterback. I just don't understand that decision. Tebow is far from a top quarterback but he would suit the New York Jets. They have had injuries at receiver this year and have had to rely on their running game. Tim Tebow is very capable of playing that role but for some reason, Ryan hasn't even given him a chance to show what he can do. The Bills are 5-10 for the year and they have now gone four years in a row with at least ten losses. The quarterback situation in Buffalo isn't much better and Ryan Fitzpatrick hasn't had a great season. Fitzpatrick is 30 now and it may be time for Buffalo to look for a new quarterback. The one bright spot for the Bills has been the emergence of CJ Spiller at running-back. He has had a great season and has set career numbers in almost every category. Spiller looks like being the future of the franchise and if they can get him some support, then the Bills could push towards a .500 finish next season.
Prediction - I'm not taking Mark Sanchez to win on the road, Bills win.
Baltimore Ravens (10-5) @ Cincinnati Bengals (9-6)
These two are playoff bound and there's even a chance that they could meet again next week in Baltimore. The Ravens have the division wrapped up and the Bengals have a wildcard secured. I expect there to be a lot of backups in this game as both teams will be involved in the wildcard round next weekend. The Ravens know there opponents will be either the Bengals or the Colts. For the Bengals, things are a little more complex and there is still a chance they could face any of the four divisional winners. Games like this one are hard to judge. Both coaches are talking as if they are here to win but I'd be very surprised to see the likes of Ray Rice, Joe Flacco, AJ Green and Andy Dalton battling it out for the win in the fourth quarter.
Prediction - Coin toss, Bengals win.
Chicago Bears (9-6) @ Detroit Lions (4-11)
Isn't football a funny old game. The Chicago Bears need to win this one and then rely on some help from their hated rivals, the Green Bay Packers. If Green Bay can do the Bears a favour and beat the Minnesota Vikings, then the Bears destiny will be in their own hands. I'm sure there hasn't been many occasions over the years when Bears fans were hoping for a Packers win but given the circumstances, Bears fans all over the world will be praying for a favour. Favours aside, the Bears have a tough enough task to do their own part of the bargain. Detroit are a dangerous team with a lot of talent all over their roster and if it clicks, Chicago could be in trouble. The Lions have nothing to lose at this stage of the season. They are 4-11 and their playoff hopes died a long time ago so they can afford to spend all day lumping the ball towards Calvin Johnson and he's not the easiest guy in the league to cover. Johnson has already broke the record for most receiving yards in a season and I would be very surprised if he doesn't pick up the 108 yards he needs to take him to 2000 yards for the season.
Prediction - I don't think it matters what the Packers do as the Lions will end the Bears hopes with a win.
Jacksonville Jaguars (2-13) @ Tennessee Titans (5-10)
The Jacksonville Jaguars will most likely pick second in the 2013 NFL Draft. They still have a chance of picking first but it is unlikely as the Kansas City Chiefs would need to beat the Broncos in Denver. The Broncos are the hottest team in the NFL and there is next to no chance that the 2-13, Kansas City Chiefs will go to Mile High and win. Jacksonville played well last week against the Patriots and if they bring that performance to Tennessee, they have every chance of winning. The Titans have had a bad year and will be glad to see the off season. At 5-10 they are well outside the playoff places. The Titans have had quarterback issues in recent years and they still exist. Jake Locker doesn't look like he is the right man and until they address it, it is highly unlikely they will be threatening the playoff places.
Prediction - I think the Jags could nick this one.
Houston Texans (12-4) @ Indianapolis Colts (10-5)
These two have already wrapped up their playoff places and the Colts know they will be going on the road next week in the wildcard round of the playoffs so I expect they may rest some starters. No matter what happens, Indianapolis are the number five seed in the AFC. The same can't be said of Houston though and it is still possible that they could finish in any of the top three seeds. A win would secure the number one seed and home advantage right to the Superbowl. If they lose though and the Patriots and Broncos both win they would take the three seed, meaning they would host the Cincinnati Bengals in the wildcard round next week. The biggest thing about this weeks game for the Colts is the return of Coach Pagano to the sideline after his successful battle with leukemia. It's great to see him back on the sideline and there's no doubt his return will give the Colts a huge lift.
Prediction - This game means something to the Texans and nothing to the Colts so I will go with a Houston win.
Carolina Panthers (6-9) @ New Orleans Saints (7-8)
These NFC South rivals square off in New Orleans in a game that means little more than pride and draft picks. Both sides started poorly and left it too late to make a playoff push. The Panthers have won four of their last five and the Saints have won seven of their last eleven. Form like that would merit a playoff place but the bad starts had put them in too deep a hole. The Saints have struggled on defense all year and are giving up 434 yards per game. They will need to sort that out in the off season and if they do, Drew Brees will do his part on offense to lead them toward a playoff place. The Panthers will try to run the ball with Cam Newton and if fit, DeAngelo Williams.
Prediction - The Saints should have too much fire power and will finish on a high.
Philadelphia Eagles (4-11) @ New York Giants (8-7)
This game will most likely be the last time we will see Michael Vick and Andy Reid as part of the Philadelphia Eagles. Vick had a good year in 2010 when he led the team to the playoffs but he has been poor since then. Andy Reid gave us a lot of success in his early years, leading the Eagles to four NFC East titles in a row but he was never able to bring a Superbowl to Philly and in recent seasons, we haven't even been close. The time is right to part company and hopefully the Eagles can move forward in the near future. This game means a lot more for the Giants than the Eagles. If the Giants win and the Bears, the Vikings and the Cowboys all lose then the Giants will squeeze into the playoffs. It's not as unlikely as it sounds and when I look at the games on paper, I think it will happen.
Prediction - The Giants should win easily.
Cleveland Browns (5-10) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (7-8)
Pittsburgh loss to the Cincinnati Bengals last week means that this game is another dead rubber and there are no playoff places at stake. The Browns have been out of the race for a while but if anything it has made them play with a sense of freedom and their performances have picked up. Pittsburgh looked certainties for the playoffs when they reached 6-3 but an injury to Ben Roethlisberger in their next game hit the team hard and they have won just one of their last six games. Roethlisberger has been back for the last three but he has been unable to change the teams fortunes. These teams appear to be heading in different directions, with the Browns a young team who are improving and the Steelers an older team who seem to be a downward path. However, if I've learned anything in my time following this league, it's that the Browns will most likely find a way to regress and the Steelers will find a way to get back on the upward curve.
Prediction - The Steelers should win.
Kansas City Chiefs (2-13) @ Denver Broncos (12-3)
In this game, both sides have something at stake, although both will be in a better position if the Broncos win the game. As things stand, the Chiefs will have the number one pick in next years draft and the only way that can change is if they win here and Jacksonville lose to Tennessee. The Broncos have already secured their playoff place but I can't see them taking things easy as a win would guarantee them a bye in the first round of the playoffs. The Chiefs haven't been a bad team this year but they have been absolutely killed by turnovers. They have turned the ball over 37 times this season which is the worst record in the league. It doesn't matter how good you are, if you don't take care of the football, you won't win in this league. Denver have got to this stage thanks to a ten game winning run. The Broncos had a good side last year but the addition of Peyton Manning has turned them into a genuine contender and I wouldn't be surprised to see them make the trip to New Orleans for the Superbowl.
Prediction - The Broncos should win this one easily.
Green Bay Packers (11-4) @ Minnesota Vikings (9-6)
This looks like being one of the most intriguing games of the weekend. If Minnesota win, they are in the playoffs. If they lose, it opens things up for Chicago, New York and even the Washington Redskins to secure the final wildcard place. Green Bay have plenty to play for and a win here would give them the NFC's number two seed and a bye in the first round of the playoffs. Add to that the fact that Minnesota's running-back, Adrian Peterson needs 208 yards to break the record for most rushing yards in a season. I hope I am wrong but I don't think he will break that record although I can see him getting the 102 yards needed to reach 2000 yards for the season. The biggest problem Peterson has is the team still have it all to play for and if he's struggling on the ground, the team will resort to Plan B rather than handing him the ball all day and let him push for the record. Having said that, the Vikings need Peterson to have a big day as I can't see them winning the game with their Plan B.
Prediction - I think this game will be tight but the Packers should be able to edge it and secure a bye.
Miami Dolphins (7-8) @ New England Patriots (11-4)
The New England Patriots are in the playoffs for the ninth time in the last ten seasons and once again they will be many peoples favourites to reach the Superbowl. On their day, they are capable of beating anyone but it looks as though at some stage they will have to go to Denver to face Peyton Manning and the Broncos which will be a very difficult game for them. Miami have had a decent season and at 7-8, it is better than I expected they would do. They can certainly take some positives from the season and look to build on it for next year. If Houston win in the early games, I expect the Pats to be keeping an eye on the score in Denver and if Denver look like winning easily, the Pats will pull their starters and let them rest up before next weeks wildcard round.
Prediction - The Patriots should win the game.
Oakland Raiders (4-11) @ San Diego Chargers (6-9)
These AFC West rivals do battle in another of Sunday's "Nobody Cares Bowls". The Raiders will be well used to being involved in these sort of games and it's becoming a habit for the Chargers too. This is the third year in a row they have missed the playoffs and it should be the final game of the Norv Turner era. There's a lot of talk that Andy Reid will be next in line, if/when the Eagles fire him. As an Eagles fan I'm not sure whether it would be a good move for the Chargers or not. I guess only time will tell whether Andy has lost touch with modern football or things have just gone stale for him in Philly. Either way, if he gets the job, I wish him well.
Prediction - The Chargers should have too much for a poor Raiders side who are giving Terrelle Pryor his first NFL start.
Arizona Cardinals (5-10) @ San Francisco 49ers (10-4-1)
The 49ers need this one to win the NFC West and after their defeat to the Seahawks last week, they will want to secure the division and guarantee that they won't have to go back to Seattle and face that atmosphere. The Cardinals have lost ten of their last eleven games and if the 49ers can't beat them in such an important game then they don't deserve to win the division. I tipped San Francisco to win the Superbowl at the start of the season but I have gone cold on them as I don't think they have helped themselves by creating a quarterback controversy. I will wait and see who they play in the playoffs before making a call but there is quite a few teams in the NFC who I would take to beat them and they might not even make it out of the wildcard round.
Prediction - The 49ers should win this one.
St Louis Rams (7-7-1) @ Seattle Seahawks (10-5)
Ultimately I think this game will end up being a dead rubber as I think the 49ers will beat the Cardinals in San Francisco to win the division and send the Seahawks to a wildcard place but the Seahawks will still want to keep their momentum going and I am sure they will want to finish the season with an 8-0 home record. The Rams have had a decent season too. They have improved a lot from last season and they look like a franchise heading in the right direction under Jeff Fisher. Seattle are the team heading to the post season in the best form and will fancy their chances of making progress. As a neutral fan I would have liked to see them host a playoff game as the atmosphere generated in that stadium is second to none. It doesn't look as though it will happen this year but with Russell Wilson doing so well in his rookie year, I expect him to improve and their will be plenty of home playoff games in the next few years in Seattle.
Prediction - Seattle are the better team and should win.
Dallas Cowboys (8-7) @ Washington Redskins (9-6)
This looks like being the best game of the weekend and it is an old fashioned winner takes all battle. Some of the edge could be taken out of it depending on the earlier results and it is possible that the Redskins could have a wildcard guaranteed by the time they take to the field on Sunday night. As a neutral, I hope results go against that outcome and this game is a straight knockout. These two looked dead and buried earlier in the season but they have both went on great runs and at least one and possibly both of them will be in the playoffs. These two met at Thanksgiving and it was a cracker. The Redskins got off to a great start and led 28-3 at half-time but the Cowboys came back well in the second half but fell short and lost by 38-31. If this game is as good as that one, we are in for a treat.
Prediction - The Redskins will finish the job and reach the playoffs.
Sunday 30 December 2012
Thursday 27 December 2012
NFL Power Rankings - Week 17
1 (1) Denver Broncos (12-3) - The Denver Broncos are the NFL's form team heading into the playoffs. They have won their last ten games in a row and a win on Sunday at home to the Kansas City Chiefs would guarantee them a first round bye in the playoffs. It could get even better for the Broncos if the Texans lose to the Indianapolis Colts. If that happens the AFC playoffs will go through Denver and Peyton Manning would have home field advantage right to the Superbowl. Manning threw for 339 yards, 3 touchdowns and an interception. Demaryius Thomas had another good game, catching 9 passes for 102 yards and a touchdown. Knowshon Moreno led the rushers with 78 yards on the ground.
2 (4) Green Bay Packers (11-4) - The Packers put in another good display to get their ninth win in their last ten games. This Packers team is hot and the only thing that could stop them in the playoffs is the offensive line. Rodgers has been sacked 46 times this year but they are still getting the results. If they protect him, the Packers WILL win the Superbowl. They remind me a lot of last years New York Giants team. The Giants had some issues and struggled a lot with injuries. This Packers team have their own issues and have also suffered with injuries. The Giants got their injured players back around this time and the Packers seem to be getting their full roster back now. The 49ers defeat in Seattle means the Packers now hold the second seed in the NFC and if they win next week they will get a bye in the first round of the playoffs. Aaron Rodgers threw for 342 yards and 3 touchdowns. James Jones led the receivers with 7 catches for 100 yards and a touchdown. Ryan Grant had a good day on the ground, rushing for 80 yards and 2 touchdowns.
3 (5) Atlanta Falcons (13-2) - The Falcons secured the number one seed in the NFC playoffs with a comfortable win over the Detroit Lions. The Falcons got off to a quick start and led 21-6 at half-time. The Lions got back to within five points early in the fourth quarter but the Falcons responded with a touchdown and a field goal to secure the win. The road to the Superbowl for NFC teams will go through Atlanta and in their current form, the Falcons won't be easy to beat. They have the best record in the NFL and are 7-0 at home this year so it will take a good team to beat them. Matt Ryan was excellent, throwing for 279 yards and 4 touchdowns. Roddy White was the star receiver and he caught 8 passes for 153 yards and 2 touchdowns.
4 (7) Seattle Seahawks (10-5) - Seattle look very, very good. They seem to have hit top form at the perfect time and are averaging fifty points a game in the last three weeks. Their defense is excellent and the offense are picking up big yards on the ground. Rookie quarterback, Russell Wilson has really grew into the role as the season has progressed and it took me a while to come round to him but he certainly looks like the real deal. As a neutral I am looking forward to seeing the Seahawks in the playoffs but it is just a pity that they won't host a game. The atmosphere on Sunday night looked intense and I would have loved to see how pumped up that crowd could get for a home playoff game. Russell Wilson threw for 171 yards, 4 touchdowns and an interception. Doug Baldwin was the leading receiver, catching 4 passes for 53 yards and 2 touchdowns. Marshawn Lynch led the running game, rushing for 111 yards and a touchdown.
5 (6) New England Patriots (11-4) - The Patriots picked up the win on Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars but they made hard work of it. The Jags took a 10-0 lead but the Patriots came back and won by a score of 23-16. The Patriots currently hold the third seed in the AFC but depending on this weeks results, they could finish anywhere in the top four. At their best, the Patriots will be a threat to anyone in the playoffs but they will have to improve on Sunday's display. Tom Brady threw for 267 yards, 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Wes Welker was the leading receiver, catching 10 passes for 88 yards and a touchdown. Stevan Ridley also had a decent game, rushing for 84 yards.
6 (8) Baltimore Ravens (10-5) - The Baltimore Ravens saved their best performance of the season until Sunday and they picked up a blowout win over the New York Giants. I haven't been slow to criticise the Ravens this season so it's only fair that I give them credit when they deserve it. They completely dominated the Giants and fully deserved the win. The defense done well and held the Giants to 186 yards. As good as the defense was, the offense was even better. They picked up 533 yards to run out 33-14 winners. Joe Flacco threw for 309 yards and 2 touchdowns. Anquan Boldin and Torrey Smith had good games. Boldin caught 7 passes for 93 yards. Smith caught 5 passes for 88 yards and a touchdown. The Ravens also had two men who had one hundred yard rushing days. Bernard Pierce ran for 123 yards and Ray Rice ran for 107 yards.
7 (3) Houston Texans (12-3) - The Texans lost at home to the Minnesota Vikings to leave them needing a win next week over the Indianapolis Colts to secure home field advantage in the playoffs. Houston never got going on offense and the Vikings restricted them to just 187 yards. The Texans have hit a bad run of form at the worst possible time. At 12-3 they have a very good record but their level of performance has dropped considerably and I can't see them beating Denver or New England in the postseason. Matt Schaub threw for 178 yards and his leading receiver was Andre Johnson who caught 7 passes for 97 yards. The running game was restricted to 2.1 yards per carry but more worrying for Houston will be the news that Arian Foster had to leave the game with an irregular heartbeat.
8 (9) Indianapolis Colts (10-5) - The Indianapolis Colts sealed their playoff place with a road win over the Kansas City Chiefs. The Colts had to work for the win and credit to the Chiefs, they didn't look like a team who had give up on the season. The big difference was turnovers. The Colts defense forced three turnovers which won them the game. The Colts will have to improve on their run defense as they gave up over 350 yards on the ground in this game. Luckily for the Colts, two of the Chiefs turnovers came in the red zone or else the final outcome could have been very different. Andrew Luck threw for 205 yards and a touchdown. Reggie Wayne led the receivers again with 5 catches for 81 yards and a touchdown.
9 (2) San Francisco 49ers (10-4-1) - The 49ers got beat up on Sunday night in Seattle and ended up losing 42-13. The 49ers should still win the NFC West as they host the Arizona Cardinals next week and a win would secure the division. The 49ers will do all they can to win that game as there's no way they want to risk going back to Seattle in the postseason. I've had plenty to say on the quarterback situation in San Francisco and still believe that Coach Harbaugh got it wrong by benching Alex Smith in favour of Colin Kaepernick. However, the decision has been made and the only thing crazier than changing the whole identity of your team during the season would be changing it back again a week before the playoffs. The 49ers will live or die by that decision and I personally believe it will be the latter. Kaepernick threw for 244 yards, a touchdown and an interception. The leading receiver was Michael Crabtree who caught 4 passes for 65 yards.
10 (11) Washington Redskins (9-6) - The Redskins extended their winning run to six in a row with a win over divisional rivals, the Philadelphia Eagles. A win in their last game against the Dallas Cowboys would secure a playoff place and the Redskins would be NFC East champions. They have come a long way this year and even as an Eagles fan, I am quite looking forward to seeing Robert Griffin III in the playoffs. RG3 had a quiet game on Sunday and done most of his work in the pocket. He ran just twice but completed 16 of his 24 passes for 198 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception. Alfred Morris ran for 91 yards and a touchdown. Pierre Garcon was the leading receiver and caught 7 passes for 89 yards.
11 (12) Minnesota Vikings (9-6) - The Minnesota Vikings kept their playoff hopes alive with an excellent win on the road over the Houston Texans. The Vikings are now up to 9-6 for the season and a win over the Green Bay Packers would see them secure a wildcard. It won't be easy for the Vikings as the Packers also need the win to secure a first round bye in the playoffs but they have won their last three games against decent teams to get this far and they will be feeling confident. I would be happy to see the Vikings make the playoffs as they have beat some good teams this year and the playoffs would be a better place if Adrian Peterson was involved. Peterson needs another 208 yards to break the single season rushing record. It will be a big ask but not out of the question. Christian Ponder threw for 174 yards and a touchdown. Peterson ran for 86 yards at just 3.4 yards but I'm sure the Vikings will be prioritising their playoff push over Adrian Peterson's record.
12 (15) Cincinnati Bengals (9-6) - The Bengals picked up a great win in Pittsburgh to seal their place in the playoffs. The Bengals have a lot of young talent on their roster and although I can't see them making much of an impression in this year's playoffs, they are definitely a team to look out for in the years to come. The divisional winners have all been confirmed so the Bengals will have to go on the road in the playoffs and as things stand, they would be playing the New England Patriots. Playoff games don't get much harder than that but I'm sure Cincinnati would rather be going there than studying film of potential draft picks. The game was as tight as expected and it was the defenses who came out on top but in the end, Josh Brown kicked the game winning field goal in the dying seconds. Andy Dalton threw for 278 yards and 2 interceptions. AJ Green led the receivers as usual with 10 catches for 116 yards.
13 (14) Chicago Bears (9-6) - The Chicago Bears kept their playoff hopes alive with a comfortable win over the Cardinals in Arizona. The Bears need to win and hope the Vikings slip up against the Packers to secure a wildcard shot. The Bears won't get it easy though as they have to go to Detroit to face a Lions side with a point to prove. On their day, the Lions can beat anyone and the Bears offense will have to show up if they are to outscore a Lions offense that will be throwing everything to Calvin Johnson. Jay Cutler threw for 146 yards and a touchdown. Brandon Marshall was the leading receiver, catching 6 passes for 68 yards and a touchdown. Matt Forte was very good on the ground, running for 88 yards and a touchdown from 12 carries.
14 (17) New Orleans Saints (7-8) - The New Orleans Saints picked up a good win in Dallas over the playoff chasing Cowboys to improve to 7-8 for the season. Unfortunately for the Saints they results didn't go their way and they are officially eliminated from the playoff race. The Saints looked to have the game won when they led by fourteen with less than four minutes to play but the Cowboys scored two quick touchdowns to send the game to overtime. Credit to the Saints, their defense held firm in overtime and they were able to drive into Cowboy territory. They had a stroke of luck when Marques Colston fumbled the ball. The loose ball rolled down the field toward the end zone and Jimmy Graham recovered it at the 2 to set up the game winning field goal. Drew Brees threw for 446 yards and 3 touchdowns. Colston and Darren Sproles both had 100 yard receiving games. Colston caught 10 passes for 153 yards and Sproles caught 7 passes for 104 yards.
15 (13) Dallas Cowboys (8-7) - The Cowboys lost to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday but their destiny is still in their own hands. If the Cowboys beat the Washington Redskins they will win the NFC East and enter the playoffs. After a 3-5 start, the Cowboys have won five of their last seven games to give themselves a chance of reaching the post season. Dez Bryant has been outstanding in those seven games and has ten touchdowns. He is also averaging 115 receiving yards per game in that seven game stretch. Bryant had his best game in the run on Sunday, catching 9 passes for 224 yards and 2 touchdowns. Tony Romo also played very well, throwing for 416 yards and 4 touchdowns but it wasn't enough as the Saints sealed the win in overtime.
16 (10) New York Giants (8-7) - The New York Giants have had a nightmare in recent weeks, losing five of their last seven games. The Giants looked to have the NFC East in the bag at 6-2 but they now require a minor miracle to get a playoff place. The Giants would need four results to go their way and such an outcome is a very long shot. The game always looked like the Ravens were going to win if and the Giants can have no excuses, they were simply outplayed. The Giants offense was restricted to just 186 yards and the Ravens managed 533 yards of offense, so the scoreline was a fair reflection on the game. Eli Manning threw for 150 yards and a touchdown. Ahmed Bradshaw led the rushers with just 39 yards. The Giants done well on the ground, picking up 4.8 yards per carry but they had to put the ball in Eli Manning's hands as they fell behind early.
17 (18) St Louis Rams (7-7-1) - The Rams picked up a good win in Tampa Bay to reach 7-7-1 for the season but other results did not go their way and they are now officially eliminated from the playoffs. The Rams have improved a lot from last season's 2-14 finish and if they continue to improve, they will find themselves back in the playoffs within the next year or two. The Rams started the year well and have finished well, winning four of their last five. They weren't a million miles from being in the playoffs this year but a mid season run of five games without a win killed off their chances. Sam Bradford threw for 196 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception. Lance Kendricks caught 4 passes for 119 yards and a touchdown. Steven Jackson ran for 81 yards and a touchdown.
18 (16) Pittsburgh Steelers (7-8) - The Steelers lost their do or die clash against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday and they have been eliminated from playoff contention. The Steelers were looking good after four successive wins that took them to 6-3 for the season. In the next game, Ben Roethlisberger got injured and the Steelers have only won once in their six games since. The Steelers host the Cleveland Browns next week so they have a good chance of getting back to .500 for the season. In Sunday's game, Roethlisberger threw for 220 yards, a touchdown and 2 interceptions. Antonio Brown led the receivers with 5 catches for 97 yards and a touchdown. The Steelers coaching staff got the running game wrong. They kept giving the ball to Jonathan Dwyer who ran for 39 yards from 14 carries. Rashard Mendenhall was the hot rusher and picked up 50 yards from 11 carries. In such a tight game, these things can be the difference between winning and losing.
19 (20) Miami Dolphins (7-8) - The Miami Dolphins picked up their seventh win of the season at home to the Buffalo Bills. At 7-8 the Dolphins are out of the playoffs but they can take a lot of positives from this season and they aren't too far away from being a playoff team. They travel to Foxboro next week to take on the New England Patriots so it will be very difficult to finish with a .500 record. The Dolphins won't be too worried though and will be looking at how they can take that next step to make the playoffs. Ryan Tannehill threw for 130 yards and 2 touchdowns. Reggie Bush was the best player for the Dolphins, picking up 107 yards from scrimmage and 3 touchdowns.
20 (23) San Diego Chargers (6-9) - The Chargers beat the Jets in New York to get to 6-9 for the season. If the Chargers had performed as well at home as they did on the road, then they might have made made the playoffs. They have gone 4-4 on the road and as things stand they are 2-5 at home. San Diego used to be a hard place to go but it certainly hasn't been this year. Philip Rivers threw for 165 yards and 2 touchdowns. Danario Alexander caught 3 passes for 69 yards and a touchdown. The running game was restricted to just 2.9 yards per carry.
21 (22) Carolina Panthers (6-9) - The Panthers won again on Sunday to take their strong finish to the season to three wins in a row and four wins in their last five. Carolina have found their form too late in the season and they have already been eliminated from the playoffs. It's nice to finish the season well but the off season is too long in the NFL to carry momentum into next season. The Panthers do have some very talented players on their roster though and if they can add a few more players for next year, they could be a playoff contender. Cam Newton threw for 170 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Newton also led the rushers, running for 60 yards and a touchdown. Greg Olsen led the receivers with 6 catches for 53 yards.
22 (19) New York Jets (6-9) - The New York Jets lost on Sunday to drop to 6-9 for the year. The Jets matched the Chargers in every area but once again their quarterback cost them the game. Greg McElroy threw an interception and also fumbled for another turnover. He was also sacked eleven times which the offensive line has to accept some responsibility for but the quarterback has to get rid of the ball quicker too. I've made my feelings clear about this Jets team. They have three quarterbacks at the franchise and the best one they have has been overlooked all year. McElroy threw for 185 yards an an interception. Clyde Gates led the receivers with 3 catches for 65 yards.
23 (21) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-9) - Tampa Bay lost at home to the St Louis Rams on Sunday to drop to 6-9 for the season. It has been a strange year for the Bucs. They got off to a poor start and were 2-4 but won four games in a row to reach 6-4 and at that stage they looked like genuine playoff contenders. Unfortunately for Tampa Bay they had another dramatic turnaround and they have now lost five in a row to leave themselves way out of the playoff picture. Josh Freeman had a mixed game. He threw for 372 yards and a touchdown but he also threw 4 interceptions which played a big part in the defeat. Mike Williams and Vincent Jackson both had 100 yard receiving days. Jackson caught 7 passes for 108 yards and Williams caught 7 passes for 132 yards and a touchdown. The Rams done a good job on Doug Martin, restricting him to 62 yards at 3.4 yards per carry.
24 (24) Cleveland Browns (5-10) - The Browns became the latest team in the NFL to be overcome by the juggernaut, better known as the Denver Broncos. The Broncos have now won ten in a row so the Browns shouldn't beat themselves up too much. Cleveland are 5-10 for the season and their playoff hopes have long since gone. I have spoke in recent weeks about the direction this Browns team are going in and I still believe that within a few seasons and with another strong draft, there is enough talent to be a playoff team. I am a big fan of Trent Richardson and believe he will be a very good running-back in this league in the next few seasons. On Sunday, he ran for 53 yards from 9 carries.
25 (25) Detroit Lions (4-11) - Calvin Johnson broke the record for receiving yards in a season with a huge game on Saturday against the Atlanta Falcons. Johnson caught eleven passes for 225 yards to set a new mark. He still has another game to play so by this time next week, the record will have been well and truly smashed. Unfortunately for Johnson and the Lions, the record is the only positive in what has been a very disappointing season for them. They have lost seven in a row and in my opinion the franchise needs to figure out what has gone wrong and address it quickly. They have the best receiver in the NFL and he is being wasted in a team who haven't even been close to the playoffs. Quarterback, Matthew Stafford, threw for 443 yards and an interception. The running game was restricted to 3.6 yards per carry but was led by Mikel Leshoure who ran for 46 yards and a touchdown.
26 (27) Buffalo Bills (5-10) - The Buffalo Bills picked up another loss to drop to 5-10 for the year. This time it was the Miami Dolphins who beat them and it was the Bills seventh loss in their last nine games. The Bills matched the Dolphins in most key areas but they turned the ball over four times and also gave away eleven penalties which cost them 93 yards. The turnovers were costly and led to two Miami touchdowns and a field goal. I'm sick of saying it and people are sick of hearing it, but if you do that in the NFL, your going to be adding to your loss column. Ryan Fitzpatrick threw for 240 yards, a touchdown and an interception. CJ Spiller had another good game for the Bills, rushing for 138 yards.
27 (28) Arizona Cardinals (5-10) - The Cardinals lost their tenth game in their last eleven games to fall to 5-10 for the season. After their 4-0 start they looked playoff bound but they never recovered after Kevin Kolb's injury. Arizona have fallen a long way in recent years and they have never really replaced Kurt Warner at quarterback. The franchise have an elite receiver in Larry Fitzgerald so it shows just how bad their quarterback situation is. Fitzgerald is having one of the worst seasons of his career and his numbers are the worst they have been since his rookie year. Fitzgerald is 29 now and he is wasting his career at a franchise who are unable to get the best out of him. Arizona need to either sort their quarterback situation or I can see Fitzgerald making a push for a trade to a team who can help him push for a Superbowl ring. Fitzgerald had one of his best performances of the season on Sunday, catching 8 passes for 111 yards.
28 (26) Tennessee Titans (5-10) - The Titans were beat up on Sunday by a rampant Green Bay Packers. The Titans are 5-10 for the season and they have looked poor. There's a lot of room for improvement. Chris Johnson has had another decent year but he is a long way from the running-back who ran for over 2000 yards back in 2009. We have had a better chance to look at Jake Locker this season and to be honest, I don't think he's the answer. In his ten games, he has throw ten touchdown passes and eleven interceptions. His completion percentage for the season is 56.2%, which isn't good enough. I expect the Titans to have a good look at themselves in the off season and there is definitely a lot they could change. On Sunday, Locker threw for 140 yards, a touchdown and 2 interceptions. The Packers done a good job of shutting down Chris Johnson and restricted him to just 28 yards from 11 carries.
29 (29) Oakland Raiders (4-11) - The Raiders dropped to 4-11 for the season with a defeat to the Panthers in Carolina. The Raiders have a lot of work to do in the off season if they want to end their long absence from the playoffs. I've mentioned it before but I think the Raiders would be wise to trade down in the draft as they have a lot of issues that they need to address. On Sunday, they had three quarterbacks who made at least one pass. Matt Leinart got the majority of the snaps but he was poor, throwing for just 115 yards and an interception. The running game wasn't much better and the Panthers defense restricted the Raiders rushers to just 2.1 yards per carry.
30 (30) Philadelphia Eagles (4-11) - The Eagles lost again on Sunday, this time to the Washington Redskins. The Eagles are 4-11 for the year and will finish their season with a trip to New York to face the Giants. The Eagles are playing for nothing more than pride now but they do have a good record against the Giants and will hopefully go there and make the Giants work hard for the win. The Giants still have a small chance of reaching the playoffs and it looks like Michael Vick will start at quarterback for the Eagles as Nick Foles has a hand injury and Vick will want to show Andy Reid that he made a mistake by sticking with Foles when Vick returned from injury. Vick has been poor in the last two seasons but he usually saves his best displays for the Giants. On Sunday, Foles threw for 345 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Jeremy Maclin led the receivers with 8 catches for 116 yards and a touchdown. LeSean McCoy came back from injury and played well, picking up 122 yards from scrimmage.
31 (31) Jacksonville Jaguars (2-13) - The Jaguars lost on Sunday to go to 2-13 for the season. They deserve a lot of credit as it would have been easy for them to give up on the season and take one of the top two picks in the 2013 draft but they done their best against one of the best teams in the NFL and fell just short. The results on Sunday mean that the only way the Jags can get the first pick is if the Chiefs win their last game. The Chiefs finish with a trip to Denver so it's unlikely that they will win as the Broncos need to win to secure a bye in the first round of the playoffs. Chad Henne threw for 348 yards, a touchdown and 3 interceptions. Justin Blackmon was the best receiver, catching 7 passes for 79 yards and a touchdown.
32 (32) Kansas City Chiefs (2-13) - The Chiefs put in a very good display and lost narrowly to the playoff bound, Indianapolis Colts. It was the same old story for the Chiefs. They played very well but once again it was turnovers that cost them. They turned the ball over three times and two in particular were costly. The Chiefs were in the red zone and turned the ball over twice. Mistakes like that are more often than not, the difference between winning and losing in this league. Brady Quinn threw for 162 yards and 2 interceptions. Jamaal Charles and Peyton Hillis both had big days on the ground. Hillis ran for 101 yards but Charles was the star of the show, rushing for 226 yards and a touchdown.
2 (4) Green Bay Packers (11-4) - The Packers put in another good display to get their ninth win in their last ten games. This Packers team is hot and the only thing that could stop them in the playoffs is the offensive line. Rodgers has been sacked 46 times this year but they are still getting the results. If they protect him, the Packers WILL win the Superbowl. They remind me a lot of last years New York Giants team. The Giants had some issues and struggled a lot with injuries. This Packers team have their own issues and have also suffered with injuries. The Giants got their injured players back around this time and the Packers seem to be getting their full roster back now. The 49ers defeat in Seattle means the Packers now hold the second seed in the NFC and if they win next week they will get a bye in the first round of the playoffs. Aaron Rodgers threw for 342 yards and 3 touchdowns. James Jones led the receivers with 7 catches for 100 yards and a touchdown. Ryan Grant had a good day on the ground, rushing for 80 yards and 2 touchdowns.
3 (5) Atlanta Falcons (13-2) - The Falcons secured the number one seed in the NFC playoffs with a comfortable win over the Detroit Lions. The Falcons got off to a quick start and led 21-6 at half-time. The Lions got back to within five points early in the fourth quarter but the Falcons responded with a touchdown and a field goal to secure the win. The road to the Superbowl for NFC teams will go through Atlanta and in their current form, the Falcons won't be easy to beat. They have the best record in the NFL and are 7-0 at home this year so it will take a good team to beat them. Matt Ryan was excellent, throwing for 279 yards and 4 touchdowns. Roddy White was the star receiver and he caught 8 passes for 153 yards and 2 touchdowns.
4 (7) Seattle Seahawks (10-5) - Seattle look very, very good. They seem to have hit top form at the perfect time and are averaging fifty points a game in the last three weeks. Their defense is excellent and the offense are picking up big yards on the ground. Rookie quarterback, Russell Wilson has really grew into the role as the season has progressed and it took me a while to come round to him but he certainly looks like the real deal. As a neutral I am looking forward to seeing the Seahawks in the playoffs but it is just a pity that they won't host a game. The atmosphere on Sunday night looked intense and I would have loved to see how pumped up that crowd could get for a home playoff game. Russell Wilson threw for 171 yards, 4 touchdowns and an interception. Doug Baldwin was the leading receiver, catching 4 passes for 53 yards and 2 touchdowns. Marshawn Lynch led the running game, rushing for 111 yards and a touchdown.
5 (6) New England Patriots (11-4) - The Patriots picked up the win on Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars but they made hard work of it. The Jags took a 10-0 lead but the Patriots came back and won by a score of 23-16. The Patriots currently hold the third seed in the AFC but depending on this weeks results, they could finish anywhere in the top four. At their best, the Patriots will be a threat to anyone in the playoffs but they will have to improve on Sunday's display. Tom Brady threw for 267 yards, 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Wes Welker was the leading receiver, catching 10 passes for 88 yards and a touchdown. Stevan Ridley also had a decent game, rushing for 84 yards.
6 (8) Baltimore Ravens (10-5) - The Baltimore Ravens saved their best performance of the season until Sunday and they picked up a blowout win over the New York Giants. I haven't been slow to criticise the Ravens this season so it's only fair that I give them credit when they deserve it. They completely dominated the Giants and fully deserved the win. The defense done well and held the Giants to 186 yards. As good as the defense was, the offense was even better. They picked up 533 yards to run out 33-14 winners. Joe Flacco threw for 309 yards and 2 touchdowns. Anquan Boldin and Torrey Smith had good games. Boldin caught 7 passes for 93 yards. Smith caught 5 passes for 88 yards and a touchdown. The Ravens also had two men who had one hundred yard rushing days. Bernard Pierce ran for 123 yards and Ray Rice ran for 107 yards.
7 (3) Houston Texans (12-3) - The Texans lost at home to the Minnesota Vikings to leave them needing a win next week over the Indianapolis Colts to secure home field advantage in the playoffs. Houston never got going on offense and the Vikings restricted them to just 187 yards. The Texans have hit a bad run of form at the worst possible time. At 12-3 they have a very good record but their level of performance has dropped considerably and I can't see them beating Denver or New England in the postseason. Matt Schaub threw for 178 yards and his leading receiver was Andre Johnson who caught 7 passes for 97 yards. The running game was restricted to 2.1 yards per carry but more worrying for Houston will be the news that Arian Foster had to leave the game with an irregular heartbeat.
8 (9) Indianapolis Colts (10-5) - The Indianapolis Colts sealed their playoff place with a road win over the Kansas City Chiefs. The Colts had to work for the win and credit to the Chiefs, they didn't look like a team who had give up on the season. The big difference was turnovers. The Colts defense forced three turnovers which won them the game. The Colts will have to improve on their run defense as they gave up over 350 yards on the ground in this game. Luckily for the Colts, two of the Chiefs turnovers came in the red zone or else the final outcome could have been very different. Andrew Luck threw for 205 yards and a touchdown. Reggie Wayne led the receivers again with 5 catches for 81 yards and a touchdown.
9 (2) San Francisco 49ers (10-4-1) - The 49ers got beat up on Sunday night in Seattle and ended up losing 42-13. The 49ers should still win the NFC West as they host the Arizona Cardinals next week and a win would secure the division. The 49ers will do all they can to win that game as there's no way they want to risk going back to Seattle in the postseason. I've had plenty to say on the quarterback situation in San Francisco and still believe that Coach Harbaugh got it wrong by benching Alex Smith in favour of Colin Kaepernick. However, the decision has been made and the only thing crazier than changing the whole identity of your team during the season would be changing it back again a week before the playoffs. The 49ers will live or die by that decision and I personally believe it will be the latter. Kaepernick threw for 244 yards, a touchdown and an interception. The leading receiver was Michael Crabtree who caught 4 passes for 65 yards.
10 (11) Washington Redskins (9-6) - The Redskins extended their winning run to six in a row with a win over divisional rivals, the Philadelphia Eagles. A win in their last game against the Dallas Cowboys would secure a playoff place and the Redskins would be NFC East champions. They have come a long way this year and even as an Eagles fan, I am quite looking forward to seeing Robert Griffin III in the playoffs. RG3 had a quiet game on Sunday and done most of his work in the pocket. He ran just twice but completed 16 of his 24 passes for 198 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception. Alfred Morris ran for 91 yards and a touchdown. Pierre Garcon was the leading receiver and caught 7 passes for 89 yards.
11 (12) Minnesota Vikings (9-6) - The Minnesota Vikings kept their playoff hopes alive with an excellent win on the road over the Houston Texans. The Vikings are now up to 9-6 for the season and a win over the Green Bay Packers would see them secure a wildcard. It won't be easy for the Vikings as the Packers also need the win to secure a first round bye in the playoffs but they have won their last three games against decent teams to get this far and they will be feeling confident. I would be happy to see the Vikings make the playoffs as they have beat some good teams this year and the playoffs would be a better place if Adrian Peterson was involved. Peterson needs another 208 yards to break the single season rushing record. It will be a big ask but not out of the question. Christian Ponder threw for 174 yards and a touchdown. Peterson ran for 86 yards at just 3.4 yards but I'm sure the Vikings will be prioritising their playoff push over Adrian Peterson's record.
12 (15) Cincinnati Bengals (9-6) - The Bengals picked up a great win in Pittsburgh to seal their place in the playoffs. The Bengals have a lot of young talent on their roster and although I can't see them making much of an impression in this year's playoffs, they are definitely a team to look out for in the years to come. The divisional winners have all been confirmed so the Bengals will have to go on the road in the playoffs and as things stand, they would be playing the New England Patriots. Playoff games don't get much harder than that but I'm sure Cincinnati would rather be going there than studying film of potential draft picks. The game was as tight as expected and it was the defenses who came out on top but in the end, Josh Brown kicked the game winning field goal in the dying seconds. Andy Dalton threw for 278 yards and 2 interceptions. AJ Green led the receivers as usual with 10 catches for 116 yards.
13 (14) Chicago Bears (9-6) - The Chicago Bears kept their playoff hopes alive with a comfortable win over the Cardinals in Arizona. The Bears need to win and hope the Vikings slip up against the Packers to secure a wildcard shot. The Bears won't get it easy though as they have to go to Detroit to face a Lions side with a point to prove. On their day, the Lions can beat anyone and the Bears offense will have to show up if they are to outscore a Lions offense that will be throwing everything to Calvin Johnson. Jay Cutler threw for 146 yards and a touchdown. Brandon Marshall was the leading receiver, catching 6 passes for 68 yards and a touchdown. Matt Forte was very good on the ground, running for 88 yards and a touchdown from 12 carries.
14 (17) New Orleans Saints (7-8) - The New Orleans Saints picked up a good win in Dallas over the playoff chasing Cowboys to improve to 7-8 for the season. Unfortunately for the Saints they results didn't go their way and they are officially eliminated from the playoff race. The Saints looked to have the game won when they led by fourteen with less than four minutes to play but the Cowboys scored two quick touchdowns to send the game to overtime. Credit to the Saints, their defense held firm in overtime and they were able to drive into Cowboy territory. They had a stroke of luck when Marques Colston fumbled the ball. The loose ball rolled down the field toward the end zone and Jimmy Graham recovered it at the 2 to set up the game winning field goal. Drew Brees threw for 446 yards and 3 touchdowns. Colston and Darren Sproles both had 100 yard receiving games. Colston caught 10 passes for 153 yards and Sproles caught 7 passes for 104 yards.
15 (13) Dallas Cowboys (8-7) - The Cowboys lost to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday but their destiny is still in their own hands. If the Cowboys beat the Washington Redskins they will win the NFC East and enter the playoffs. After a 3-5 start, the Cowboys have won five of their last seven games to give themselves a chance of reaching the post season. Dez Bryant has been outstanding in those seven games and has ten touchdowns. He is also averaging 115 receiving yards per game in that seven game stretch. Bryant had his best game in the run on Sunday, catching 9 passes for 224 yards and 2 touchdowns. Tony Romo also played very well, throwing for 416 yards and 4 touchdowns but it wasn't enough as the Saints sealed the win in overtime.
16 (10) New York Giants (8-7) - The New York Giants have had a nightmare in recent weeks, losing five of their last seven games. The Giants looked to have the NFC East in the bag at 6-2 but they now require a minor miracle to get a playoff place. The Giants would need four results to go their way and such an outcome is a very long shot. The game always looked like the Ravens were going to win if and the Giants can have no excuses, they were simply outplayed. The Giants offense was restricted to just 186 yards and the Ravens managed 533 yards of offense, so the scoreline was a fair reflection on the game. Eli Manning threw for 150 yards and a touchdown. Ahmed Bradshaw led the rushers with just 39 yards. The Giants done well on the ground, picking up 4.8 yards per carry but they had to put the ball in Eli Manning's hands as they fell behind early.
17 (18) St Louis Rams (7-7-1) - The Rams picked up a good win in Tampa Bay to reach 7-7-1 for the season but other results did not go their way and they are now officially eliminated from the playoffs. The Rams have improved a lot from last season's 2-14 finish and if they continue to improve, they will find themselves back in the playoffs within the next year or two. The Rams started the year well and have finished well, winning four of their last five. They weren't a million miles from being in the playoffs this year but a mid season run of five games without a win killed off their chances. Sam Bradford threw for 196 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception. Lance Kendricks caught 4 passes for 119 yards and a touchdown. Steven Jackson ran for 81 yards and a touchdown.
18 (16) Pittsburgh Steelers (7-8) - The Steelers lost their do or die clash against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday and they have been eliminated from playoff contention. The Steelers were looking good after four successive wins that took them to 6-3 for the season. In the next game, Ben Roethlisberger got injured and the Steelers have only won once in their six games since. The Steelers host the Cleveland Browns next week so they have a good chance of getting back to .500 for the season. In Sunday's game, Roethlisberger threw for 220 yards, a touchdown and 2 interceptions. Antonio Brown led the receivers with 5 catches for 97 yards and a touchdown. The Steelers coaching staff got the running game wrong. They kept giving the ball to Jonathan Dwyer who ran for 39 yards from 14 carries. Rashard Mendenhall was the hot rusher and picked up 50 yards from 11 carries. In such a tight game, these things can be the difference between winning and losing.
19 (20) Miami Dolphins (7-8) - The Miami Dolphins picked up their seventh win of the season at home to the Buffalo Bills. At 7-8 the Dolphins are out of the playoffs but they can take a lot of positives from this season and they aren't too far away from being a playoff team. They travel to Foxboro next week to take on the New England Patriots so it will be very difficult to finish with a .500 record. The Dolphins won't be too worried though and will be looking at how they can take that next step to make the playoffs. Ryan Tannehill threw for 130 yards and 2 touchdowns. Reggie Bush was the best player for the Dolphins, picking up 107 yards from scrimmage and 3 touchdowns.
20 (23) San Diego Chargers (6-9) - The Chargers beat the Jets in New York to get to 6-9 for the season. If the Chargers had performed as well at home as they did on the road, then they might have made made the playoffs. They have gone 4-4 on the road and as things stand they are 2-5 at home. San Diego used to be a hard place to go but it certainly hasn't been this year. Philip Rivers threw for 165 yards and 2 touchdowns. Danario Alexander caught 3 passes for 69 yards and a touchdown. The running game was restricted to just 2.9 yards per carry.
21 (22) Carolina Panthers (6-9) - The Panthers won again on Sunday to take their strong finish to the season to three wins in a row and four wins in their last five. Carolina have found their form too late in the season and they have already been eliminated from the playoffs. It's nice to finish the season well but the off season is too long in the NFL to carry momentum into next season. The Panthers do have some very talented players on their roster though and if they can add a few more players for next year, they could be a playoff contender. Cam Newton threw for 170 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Newton also led the rushers, running for 60 yards and a touchdown. Greg Olsen led the receivers with 6 catches for 53 yards.
22 (19) New York Jets (6-9) - The New York Jets lost on Sunday to drop to 6-9 for the year. The Jets matched the Chargers in every area but once again their quarterback cost them the game. Greg McElroy threw an interception and also fumbled for another turnover. He was also sacked eleven times which the offensive line has to accept some responsibility for but the quarterback has to get rid of the ball quicker too. I've made my feelings clear about this Jets team. They have three quarterbacks at the franchise and the best one they have has been overlooked all year. McElroy threw for 185 yards an an interception. Clyde Gates led the receivers with 3 catches for 65 yards.
23 (21) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-9) - Tampa Bay lost at home to the St Louis Rams on Sunday to drop to 6-9 for the season. It has been a strange year for the Bucs. They got off to a poor start and were 2-4 but won four games in a row to reach 6-4 and at that stage they looked like genuine playoff contenders. Unfortunately for Tampa Bay they had another dramatic turnaround and they have now lost five in a row to leave themselves way out of the playoff picture. Josh Freeman had a mixed game. He threw for 372 yards and a touchdown but he also threw 4 interceptions which played a big part in the defeat. Mike Williams and Vincent Jackson both had 100 yard receiving days. Jackson caught 7 passes for 108 yards and Williams caught 7 passes for 132 yards and a touchdown. The Rams done a good job on Doug Martin, restricting him to 62 yards at 3.4 yards per carry.
24 (24) Cleveland Browns (5-10) - The Browns became the latest team in the NFL to be overcome by the juggernaut, better known as the Denver Broncos. The Broncos have now won ten in a row so the Browns shouldn't beat themselves up too much. Cleveland are 5-10 for the season and their playoff hopes have long since gone. I have spoke in recent weeks about the direction this Browns team are going in and I still believe that within a few seasons and with another strong draft, there is enough talent to be a playoff team. I am a big fan of Trent Richardson and believe he will be a very good running-back in this league in the next few seasons. On Sunday, he ran for 53 yards from 9 carries.
25 (25) Detroit Lions (4-11) - Calvin Johnson broke the record for receiving yards in a season with a huge game on Saturday against the Atlanta Falcons. Johnson caught eleven passes for 225 yards to set a new mark. He still has another game to play so by this time next week, the record will have been well and truly smashed. Unfortunately for Johnson and the Lions, the record is the only positive in what has been a very disappointing season for them. They have lost seven in a row and in my opinion the franchise needs to figure out what has gone wrong and address it quickly. They have the best receiver in the NFL and he is being wasted in a team who haven't even been close to the playoffs. Quarterback, Matthew Stafford, threw for 443 yards and an interception. The running game was restricted to 3.6 yards per carry but was led by Mikel Leshoure who ran for 46 yards and a touchdown.
26 (27) Buffalo Bills (5-10) - The Buffalo Bills picked up another loss to drop to 5-10 for the year. This time it was the Miami Dolphins who beat them and it was the Bills seventh loss in their last nine games. The Bills matched the Dolphins in most key areas but they turned the ball over four times and also gave away eleven penalties which cost them 93 yards. The turnovers were costly and led to two Miami touchdowns and a field goal. I'm sick of saying it and people are sick of hearing it, but if you do that in the NFL, your going to be adding to your loss column. Ryan Fitzpatrick threw for 240 yards, a touchdown and an interception. CJ Spiller had another good game for the Bills, rushing for 138 yards.
27 (28) Arizona Cardinals (5-10) - The Cardinals lost their tenth game in their last eleven games to fall to 5-10 for the season. After their 4-0 start they looked playoff bound but they never recovered after Kevin Kolb's injury. Arizona have fallen a long way in recent years and they have never really replaced Kurt Warner at quarterback. The franchise have an elite receiver in Larry Fitzgerald so it shows just how bad their quarterback situation is. Fitzgerald is having one of the worst seasons of his career and his numbers are the worst they have been since his rookie year. Fitzgerald is 29 now and he is wasting his career at a franchise who are unable to get the best out of him. Arizona need to either sort their quarterback situation or I can see Fitzgerald making a push for a trade to a team who can help him push for a Superbowl ring. Fitzgerald had one of his best performances of the season on Sunday, catching 8 passes for 111 yards.
28 (26) Tennessee Titans (5-10) - The Titans were beat up on Sunday by a rampant Green Bay Packers. The Titans are 5-10 for the season and they have looked poor. There's a lot of room for improvement. Chris Johnson has had another decent year but he is a long way from the running-back who ran for over 2000 yards back in 2009. We have had a better chance to look at Jake Locker this season and to be honest, I don't think he's the answer. In his ten games, he has throw ten touchdown passes and eleven interceptions. His completion percentage for the season is 56.2%, which isn't good enough. I expect the Titans to have a good look at themselves in the off season and there is definitely a lot they could change. On Sunday, Locker threw for 140 yards, a touchdown and 2 interceptions. The Packers done a good job of shutting down Chris Johnson and restricted him to just 28 yards from 11 carries.
29 (29) Oakland Raiders (4-11) - The Raiders dropped to 4-11 for the season with a defeat to the Panthers in Carolina. The Raiders have a lot of work to do in the off season if they want to end their long absence from the playoffs. I've mentioned it before but I think the Raiders would be wise to trade down in the draft as they have a lot of issues that they need to address. On Sunday, they had three quarterbacks who made at least one pass. Matt Leinart got the majority of the snaps but he was poor, throwing for just 115 yards and an interception. The running game wasn't much better and the Panthers defense restricted the Raiders rushers to just 2.1 yards per carry.
30 (30) Philadelphia Eagles (4-11) - The Eagles lost again on Sunday, this time to the Washington Redskins. The Eagles are 4-11 for the year and will finish their season with a trip to New York to face the Giants. The Eagles are playing for nothing more than pride now but they do have a good record against the Giants and will hopefully go there and make the Giants work hard for the win. The Giants still have a small chance of reaching the playoffs and it looks like Michael Vick will start at quarterback for the Eagles as Nick Foles has a hand injury and Vick will want to show Andy Reid that he made a mistake by sticking with Foles when Vick returned from injury. Vick has been poor in the last two seasons but he usually saves his best displays for the Giants. On Sunday, Foles threw for 345 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Jeremy Maclin led the receivers with 8 catches for 116 yards and a touchdown. LeSean McCoy came back from injury and played well, picking up 122 yards from scrimmage.
31 (31) Jacksonville Jaguars (2-13) - The Jaguars lost on Sunday to go to 2-13 for the season. They deserve a lot of credit as it would have been easy for them to give up on the season and take one of the top two picks in the 2013 draft but they done their best against one of the best teams in the NFL and fell just short. The results on Sunday mean that the only way the Jags can get the first pick is if the Chiefs win their last game. The Chiefs finish with a trip to Denver so it's unlikely that they will win as the Broncos need to win to secure a bye in the first round of the playoffs. Chad Henne threw for 348 yards, a touchdown and 3 interceptions. Justin Blackmon was the best receiver, catching 7 passes for 79 yards and a touchdown.
32 (32) Kansas City Chiefs (2-13) - The Chiefs put in a very good display and lost narrowly to the playoff bound, Indianapolis Colts. It was the same old story for the Chiefs. They played very well but once again it was turnovers that cost them. They turned the ball over three times and two in particular were costly. The Chiefs were in the red zone and turned the ball over twice. Mistakes like that are more often than not, the difference between winning and losing in this league. Brady Quinn threw for 162 yards and 2 interceptions. Jamaal Charles and Peyton Hillis both had big days on the ground. Hillis ran for 101 yards but Charles was the star of the show, rushing for 226 yards and a touchdown.
Sunday 23 December 2012
NFL Week 16 - Preview and Predictions
New Orleans Saints (6-8) @ Dallas Cowboys (8-6)
The Saints and Cowboys go head to head in Dallas in what could be a big game in the NFC's playoff race. The Saints are technically still alive although there is too long a list of things they need to go their way for their playoff chances to be seriously considered. The Cowboys on the other hand, have a very good chance of a playoff spot. They are part of a three way tie at the top of the NFC East, so they may even win the division. As things stand they are outside the playoffs but two wins would most likely be good enough to see them into the playoffs. Both sides will look to throw the ball on offense. The Saints are 2nd in passing and the Cowboys are 4th. The Cowboys are better in pass defense, ranking 14th compared to the Saints who are 31st. Ultimately the game will be won by whichever quarterback does a better job of taking care of the football. Tony Romo has 22 touchdown passes and 16 interceptions. Drew Brees has 36 touchdowns and 18 interceptions.
Prediction - I can't side with Tony Romo against Drew Brees and think the Saints will win this one.
Tennessee Titans (5-9) @ Green Bay Packers (10-4)
This game won't have a huge impact on the season other than deciding what seed the Packers have in the NFC playoffs. The Packers are just behind the San Francisco 49ers in the race for the number two seed. The 49ers face a tough trip to Seattle this week and if they slip up, I expect the Packers to pounce and secure the first round bye. The Titans have had a poor year and I expect we will see changes in the franchise before too long. Green Bay had a bad start but they have come good and have won eight of their last nine games. They clinched the division last week and they should be too strong for the Titans this week. Green Bay will try to pass the ball and if the offensive line holds up, Aaron Rodgers can beat any team in the NFL. The Packers offensive line has been the weakness all year and Rodgers has been sacked 45 times, which is more than any other NFL quarterback. Chris Johnson has had a good year after a slow start and is now averaging 4.8 yards per carry. If Johnson can get the running game going, he can trouble the Packers.
Prediction - The Packers should have enough to win this one.
Indianapolis Colts (9-5) @ Kansas City Chiefs (2-12)
The Colts can clinch a wildcard place with a win in Kansas City over the struggling Chiefs. Kansas have had a bad season and are currently in position for the number one draft pick in 2013. The number one pick will be between the Chiefs and the Jaguars who are both 2-12 at present. The Chiefs strength of schedule is currently weaker and they will therefore get the first pick but it is very close and subject to change. The Colts have got this far thanks to rookie quarterback, Andrew Luck, who has linked up very well with Reggie Wayne. The Colts are 8th in passing but will need to be at their best as the Chiefs are good against the pass and rank 7th. The Chiefs will look to win the game on the ground. They rank 7th in rushing and should be able to get some joy against the Colts who are 23rd against the run.
Prediction - The match ups in this one suit the Chiefs but I would think they are at the stage of the year were they want the number one pick. If the Chiefs put 100% into this one they can win it but I expect they will be half hearted and the Colts will win.
Buffalo Bills (5-9) @ Miami Dolphins (6-8)
The Bills and Dolphins look to be battling it out with the New York Jets for the positions in the AFC East behind the New England Patriots. The Dolphins still have an outside chance of the playoffs but it is a very long shot and I can't see it happening. Miami have struggled with inconsistency this year. They have had some big wins over good teams like the Seahawks and the Bengals. The trouble is the defeats to the likes of the Jets, the Bills and the Titans. A bit more consistency and the Dolphins could have been in the playoff mix. Both sides will look to win the game on the ground. The Bills are 6th in rushing and the Dolphins are 16th. The Dolphins are better in defending the run and rank 8th. The Bills have struggled against the run and rank 30th in the NFL.
Prediction - Miami should win this one.
San Diego Chargers (5-9) @ New York Jets (6-8)
This game is a dead rubber between two teams who will have had high hopes at the start of the season but they have underachieved. The Chargers are a bad team and they have not beat anyone with a winning record. The best win they have had came against the Steelers who are 7-7 for the season. The Jets have also had a bad year. I've made no secret of the fact that I don't think Mark Sanchez is a good quarterback. He has had a terrible season and Rex Ryan has finally decided to bench him. However, he still hasn't got it right and for some reason he has decided to overlook Tim Tebow and pick Greg McElroy at quarterback. I can't understand why Tebow is being treated this way. He's not the conventional NFL quarterback but he could do a job for the Jets. From what I can see, it appears that Rex Ryan has wasted draft picks on him as he hasn't used him and the media are reporting that he will be released at the end of the year.
Prediction - This is a tough one to call but I'll side with the Chargers to win this one.
Washington Redskins (8-6) @ Philadelphia Eagles (4-10)
The Redskins need to win this one to keep their place at the top of the NFC East. They should be boosted by the return of Robert Griffin III at quarterback. He is listed as probable but the Redskins are saying that there is a very good chance he will play. The Eagles have had a horrible year. I am looking forward to this game though to see what way the Eagles line up. Most of the players who have missed out in recent weeks are fit again so I am very interested in seeing how much action LeSean McCoy will see. The Eagles have already made it clear that Michael Vick is third on the depth chart behind Nick Foles and Trent Edwards. I think this will be Andy Reid's last game in charge of the Eagles in Philadelphia and I would like to see him receive a positive reception but I do hope that it isn't misinterpreted as a show of support for him getting another year. As an Eagles fan, we have two games left and if I'm totally honest I wouldn't mind losing this one and winning next week to knock the Giants out of the playoffs. Not all Eagles fans will agree but in my time following the NFL, the Redskins have had a bad side so I don't feel the same level of rivalry with them as I do wit the Giants and Cowboys.
Prediction - If RG3 plays he'll have a big day and the Redskins will win.
Cincinnati Bengals (8-6) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (7-7)
This game is technically a playoff game as it is do or die time for both sides. If the Bengals win, they are in the playoffs. If the Steelers win this one, they will need to beat the Cleveland Browns next week to secure a playoff place. The Steelers have been on a bad run and have won just one of their last five games. The Bengals are in much better form and have won five of their last six games. This will be the best game to watch in the early games and it should be a cracker. The Steelers will be looking to pass the ball as they are 10th in passing and 26th in rushing. The Bengals defense are 12th in pass defense and 9th against the run so they should be able to match the Steelers offense. The Bengals have quite a balanced offense, ranking 17th in passing and 11th in rushing. The Steelers have a good defense, ranking 1st against the pass and 4th against the run. It looks like the game will be quite low scoring and in my opinion will come down to one play. It could be a vital interception, a missed tackle etc. The game is on a knife edge and every play could be the difference in winning and losing.
Prediction - They don't come any tighter than this. My heart says Cincinnati but my head says Pittsburgh. I'm going with my heart and will be rooting for the Bengals.
St Louis Rams (6-7-1) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-8)
These two face off in a game that won't effect playoff places. The Rams are still alive but there are too many teams ahead of them in the race for a wildcard. At one stage the Bucs looked likely to reach the playoffs but four straight defeats has killed off their playoff hopes. Both of these franchises are stuck in the middle of the league in the bracket were they aren't quite good enough for the playoffs but they are too good to be getting an early draft pick. There is potential in both franchises though and I have no doubt they will both be looking forward to next season with high ambitions.
Prediction - The Bucs will officially end the Rams playoff hopes with a win.
Oakland Raiders (4-10) @ Carolina Panthers (5-9)
I would imagine the only people who care about this game are people in Fantasy leagues. Neither side got close to the playoffs and both will have relatively early picks in the draft. Oakland have gone backwards this year after consecutive 8-8 finishes. The franchise has been giving away draft picks in recent years but they will have their first rounder this year so I am quite interested in seeing what they do with it. I wouldn't be surprised if they decided to trade down to try and get a few extra picks. The Panthers have been disappointing. I expected more from them as they have some good talent on offense but it took them a while to click. They have won three of their last four games and oddly the defeat came against the 2-12, Kansas City Chiefs.
Prediction - The Panthers should have too much for the Raiders.
New England Patriots (10-4) @ Jacksonville Jaguars (2-12)
The Patriots travel to Jacksonville in the penultimate game of the regular season, needing a win to keep themselves in contention for a bye in the first round of the playoffs. It doesn't look good for the Patriots as the Broncos and Texans have favourable schedules to get the job done but two wins from the Pats would at least put the pressure on them. Jacksonville have had another bad year and are only playing for a draft pick now. As things stand they would pick second as the Chiefs have had an easier schedule but it is tight and still subject to change. The match ups are all favourable for New England and the only place Jacksonville could get some joy is against their pass defense. Having said that I can't see the Jaguars passing game being good enough to trouble the Pats. The Pats offense could win this one in the air or on the ground. They are 3rd in passing and 8th in rushing. The Jags defense are 24th against the pass and 32nd against the run so it's hard to see how they will stop New England.
Prediction - The Patriots should be too good.
Minnesota Vikings (8-6) @ Houston Texans (12-2)
On paper this looks like another very good game. The Vikings need the win to keep their playoff hopes alive. It doesn't get much tougher than going to Houston to face the Texans who need the win to secure the top seed in the AFC. The Texans are very good on the ground and rank 5th in the NFL. As good as the Texans running game is, they aren't as good as the Vikings who have been led by Adrian Peterson. Peterson has a chance of breaking the single season rushing yards record. He needs 294 yards in his last two games to break the record but he won't get it easy as the Texans are 5th against the run. We have already saw Calvin Johnson break the receiving yards record but for me, this record would be more impressive. The league has moved more towards a passing league which accommodates receivers but there has never been a tougher time to run the ball than now. Defenses are bigger, stronger and faster than they ever were but this hasn't stopped Peterson and he has took it in his stride and I for one would love to see him break the record.
Prediction - Peterson to get less than 100 yards and the Texans to win easily.
Cleveland Browns (5-9) @ Denver Broncos (11-3)
The Browns travel to Denver to take on Peyton Manning's Broncos in their penultimate game of the season. It has been another mixed year for the Browns. They are 5-9 and won't be in the playoffs but there has been some positives. They picked up good wins against divisional rivals, the Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers. Rookie running-back, Trent Richardson has also had a good year. He needs just 103 yards to get 1000 yards in his rookie season and he has 11 touchdowns which is a good return. The Broncos have built on last year's divisional win and with Peyton Manning at quarterback, the franchise has gone from strength to strength. If they win their last two games they will get a bye in the first round of the playoffs and will host a game in the divisional round of the playoffs.
Prediction - The Broncos should have too much on offense for the Browns and will go a step closer to that playoff bye.
Chicago Bears (8-6) @ Arizona Cardinals (5-9)
These two both started well but have since suffered huge collapses. The Cardinals were 4-0 but lost nine in a row before beating the Detroit Lions last week. The Bears were 7-1 but have lost five of their last six to drop to 8-6 and as things stand they are outside the wildcard spots. The Bears have a lot of talent but they have been very poor recently and they need a quick turnaround or they will miss the playoffs which seems remarkable after such a good start. The Bears will aim to run the ball with Matt Forte and Michael Bush sharing the load. The Cardinals are very poor against the run so the Bears should be able to have some success in that area. The Bears will also be hoping that receiver, Brandon Marshall is fit to play. He has been struggling with a hamstring injury but they will need to be at full strength in what is a must win game.
Prediction - The Bears will win this one.
New York Giants (8-6) @ Baltimore Ravens (9-5)
Just like the Bears and Cardinals game, this game is also between two teams who have suffered a collapse in form. The Giants were cruising towards another NFC East title at 6-2 but they have gone 2-4 in their last six and the Redskins and the Cowboys have put together winning runs to reach 8-6. The Giants are currently outside the playoff places and this game is must win for them. The Ravens have hit their own slump and have lost their last three in a row. Luckily for them, they had already done enough to guarantee a playoff spot but they are now in serious danger of losing the divisional title and therefore having to start their playoff campaign on the road. I've made no secret of the fact I don't really fancy this Ravens team and think they are not using Ray Rice to his full potential. If they give Rice 20-25 carries a game, he could win them games but it's almost as if Coach Harbaugh is scared to play him and wants to keep him under wraps for the playoffs.
Prediction - It all depends on Harbaugh, if he gives Rice the ball, he will put up big numbers and win the game. If not, Eli will throw the deep bomb and Victor Cruz will catch enough of them to win the game for the Giants. I'm going with the latter and a Giants win.
San Francisco 49ers (10-3-1) @ Seattle Seahawks (9-5)
This game had the potential to be a cracker and it still might be but a little of the edge was taken out of it with the 49ers win in New England last week. It now means that the 49ers can afford to lose this game and as long as they win next week at home to the Cardinals they will win the division. Seattle have been one of the surprises of the season. When they signed free agent quarterback, Matt Flynn from Green Bay, I didn't know what to expect. He had done well in his few appearances in Green Bay but so had Kevin Kolb for Philadelphia and he is far from a good quarterback. I didn't expect the rookie, Russell Wilson to step in and take the starting job and actually do a very good job of it. Wilson has been very good and obviously time will tell how good he really is but he has certainly shown all the signs of being a top player. San Francisco have their own issues at quarterback. I still don't think they have done the right thing by benching Alex Smith in favour of Colin Kaepernick. Smith isn't a great quarterback but he is a better fit than Kaepernick in the 49ers offense. Kaepernick is a totally different style of player and he changes the identity of the team. The 49ers were doing well with Smith and I don't think it was a good idea to change the team's identity midway through the season.
Prediction - I'm going with Russell Wilson and the Seahawks to get the win here.
Saturday 22 December 2012
Atlanta Falcons (12-2) @ Detroit Lions (4-10)
At the start of the season in my NFL Preview (http://gjsportsblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/nfl-2012-season-preview.html) I predicted these two would be playoff teams. I'm happy with my prediction for the Falcons as most people were taking the Saints in the NFC South but I went with Atlanta and they have done the job. Unfortunately, I was way off with the Detroit Lions. I projected a 12-4 season for the Lions and a wildcard place. I was miles off and they will be closer to a 4-12 finish than 12-4.
Atlanta have had a good year and a win here would secure the NFC's number one seed which would mean someone would have to come to Atlanta and beat them or the Falcons will be in the Superbowl. They are 7-0 at home this season, so they won't be beaten easily. A lot of doubters will say that Matt Ryan has never won in the playoffs which is true but when you look at it, the record isn't as bad as it sounds. In his first year in the NFL, Ryan guided the Falcons to a playoff place and lost to the Arizona Cardinals who went on to narrowly lose in the Superbowl. That's not bad for a rookie. They missed the playoffs the following year with a 9-7 record. The next year they won the NFC South with a 13-3 record and opened their playoff campaign against the Green Bay Packers. In that game, Aaron Rodgers played one of the best games I have ever saw and the Falcons lost to a Packers side who went onto win the Superbowl. Last year, the Falcons reached the playoffs again with a 10-6 record and went to New York in the wildcard round and suffered a heavy defeat to the Giants. That same Giants team went onto win the Superbowl. The fact that most people want to talk about is that Matt Ryan is 0-3 in the playoffs but when it's looked at further, he is actually 0-3 against the teams who went on to represent the NFC in that years Superbowl, two of which won the whole thing. That is more about bad luck than a bad quarterback.
This year's Falcons have a very strong passing game. Matt Ryan is a very good quarterback and with targets like Julio Jones, Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez his job is made easy for him. White and Jones have already passed 1000 receiving yards for the season and Gonzalez needs 120 yards from the last two games to pass 1000 yards for the fifth time in his career and for the first time as a Falcon. The running game isn't great but it's doing enough to keep defenses honest which creates space for their trio of receivers to exploit. On defense, they are giving up a lot of yards. They are giving up an average of over 350 yards per game which is 19th in the league. However, they are making up for that by keeping teams out of the end zone. They are conceding an average of 18.5 points per game which is the 4th best record in the NFL. If the Falcons can carry those sort of numbers on defense into the playoffs, they will have every chance of being in the Superbowl as their offense is capable of troubling any team in the league.
The Lions have been the most disappointing team in the league this season. They finally ended their long slump by reaching the playoffs for the first time since 1999 but they have not built on that success. They have a lot of very good players but it just hasn't worked out for them this season. Matthew Stafford is a good quarterback. His numbers last year were excellent. He threw for over 5000 yards, 41 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. This year he has 4252 yards and could very well end the year with another 5000 yard season. His interception numbers are similar as he is currently on 15 interceptions for the year. The one big difference is touchdown passes. He has only got 17 touchdowns this year which is way below his record last year. With two games remaining he is 24 touchdown passes behind his record from last year. That is a massive difference and it is without doubt the reason why the Lions are heading for an early draft pick instead of the playoffs.
The big plus for the Lions has been the form of superstar receiver, Calvin "Megatron" Johnson. Megatron has emphatically dismissed the "Madden Curse" and is just 182 yards away from breaking the record for most receiving yards in a regular season. The record has stood for 17 years and is currently held by Jerry Rice who had 1848 receiving yards in 1995. I expect Megatron to break that record and there's every chance it might even happen tonight.
The match ups in this game are quite tight. Both sides will look to pass the ball. The Lions are 1st in passing and the Falcons are 5th. On defense, the Lions are 11th against the pass and the Falcons are 17th. Neither side are particularly good on the ground. The Lions are 23rd and the Falcons are 28th. On defense the Lions are 18th against the run and the Falcons are 24th.
Prediction - If this game was between two 8-6 teams who were chasing a playoff place, I would take the Detroit Lions based on the match ups. However, with the records as they are, I have to side with the Atlanta Falcons as they need this one to secure the NFC's number one seed.
Thursday 20 December 2012
NFL Power Rankings - Week 16
1 (2) Denver Broncos (11-3) - The Denver Broncos have now won nine in a row to put themselves at 11-3 and as things stand in position for a first round bye in the playoffs. Their last two games are at home to the Browns and the Chiefs so it looks likely that they will secure the number two seed in the AFC. Peyton Manning has done great things in Denver and the team have come a long way since that 2-3 start when Manning was being written off as finished. On Sunday, Peyton Manning threw for 204 yards and a touchdown. Eric Decker led the receivers with 8 catches for 133 yards and a touchdown. Knowshon Moreno had a good day on the ground, rushing for 118 yards and a touchdown.
2 (5) San Francisco 49ers (10-3-1) - The 49ers picked up a huge win in New England on Sunday night and in my opinion, that win will secure the NFC West title for them. A defeat in Foxboro would have turned next weeks trip to Seattle into a must win game but the win gives them some wiggle room and I expect they will do enough to win the division. They almost threw the game away in the fourth quarter, allowing a 21 point lead to slip away but they responded well with 10 quick points of their own to secure a massive victory. Colin Kaepernick threw for 216 yards, 4 touchdowns and an interception. Michael Crabtree caught 7 passes for 107 yards and 2 touchdowns. Frank Gore ran for 83 yards.
3 (3) Houston Texans (12-2) - Houston sealed the AFC South title on Sunday with a victory over divisional rivals, the Indianapolis Colts. With the division in the bag, the Texans know they will host a game in the playoffs but one more win would guarantee them the number one seed and home field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Texans have had a few blips through the season but they were impressive on Sunday and their offense picked up 417 yards. Matt Schaub threw for 261 yards and a touchdown. Andre Johnson was the best receiver with 11 catches for 151 yards and a touchdown. Arian Foster was also back on form and ran for 165 yards at 6.1 yards per carry.
4 (4) Green Bay Packers (10-4) - Green Bay secured their second NFC North title in a row with a win over divisional rivals, the Chicago Bears. Green Bay now have the luxury of knowing that they will host a playoff game but I would imagine they will continue to play hard and try to earn the first round bye. A lot of people don't fancy this Green Bay team this year but I think they will be very tough to beat and right now, they'd be my pick to represent the NFC in the Superbowl. Aaron Rodgers threw for 291 yards and 3 touchdowns. The leading receiver was Randall Cobb who caught 6 passes for 115 yards.
5 (6) Atlanta Falcons (12-2) - Anyone else woke up and realised that the Falcons are 12-2 and pretty much everyone is still writing them off as also rans? The NFC side of the playoffs is going through Atlanta and the Falcons are 7-0 at home. Nobody is going to go to Atlanta and get it easy. They have had a soft schedule but they are 4-0 against teams with winning records. Why is nobody taking this team seriously? They have a quarterback with over 4000 yards and two receivers with over 1000 receiving yards. Things like that don't just happen by accident and I am slowly coming round to the fact that this Atlanta team, might just be the real deal. Matt Ryan threw for 270 yards and 3 touchdowns. Julio Jones had a good game, catching 6 passes for 74 yards and 2 touchdowns. Michael Turner ran for 52 yards and a touchdown.
6 (1) New England Patriots (10-4) - The Patriots seven game winning streak came to an end on Sunday night when they lost in a thriller to the San Francisco 49ers. The Pats looked well beat and were 31-10 down as the fourth quarter started but they fought back to 31-31 midway through the quarter. The 49ers responded well though and scored ten points to seal the win. The Patriots offense had 520 yards but they had four costly turnovers that swung the game in the 49ers favour. Tom Brady threw for 443 yards, a touchdown and 2 interceptions. Brandon Lloyd had a huge game, catching 10 passes for 190 yards. Danny Woodhead led the running game, rushing for 61 yards and 2 touchdowns.
7 (10) Seattle Seahawks (9-5) - Seattle kept their playoff march going on Sunday with a dominant display over the Buffalo Bills in Toronto. The Seahawks appear to have hit form at just the right time although they still have work to do to even secure a playoff place. Next week they face the San Francisco 49ers in a big clash in the NFC West. This game had the potential to be one of the games of the year but the 49ers win last week takes a little of the edge from it. If the 49ers had lost to New England this game would have decided who wins the NFC West but as it is, the 49ers can afford to lose in Seattle and a win at home to the Cardinals would win the division. I expect Seattle and San Francisco to both win their games in week 17 so this week is probably a bigger game for the Seahawks as 11-5 would guarantee a playoff but 10-6 could put them out of the wildcard places. On Sunday, Russell Wilson had a fantastic game. He threw for 205 yards and a touchdown but it was his running that gave the Bills the most problems. He picked up 92 yards and 3 touchdowns from 9 carries and if he keeps that up he might just hijack the RG3/Andrew Luck battle for Rookie of the Year. Marshawn Lynch also had a good day on the ground, running for 113 yards and a touchdown.
8 (7) Baltimore Ravens (9-5) - The Ravens have now lost three in a row after a defeat at home to the Denver Broncos. I've made no secret of the fact that I don't really like this Baltimore team and at 9-2 I felt their record didn't reflect the team’s performances. Baltimore are 9-5 now and although they are guaranteed a playoff place, they still haven't secured the divisional title. They have two tough games remaining against the Giants and the Bengals so there is every chance they may have to rely on a wildcard. Joe Flacco threw for 254 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception. Dennis Pitta led the receivers with 7 catches for 125 yards and 2 touchdowns.
9 (9) Indianapolis Colts (9-5) - The Colts lost on Sunday to kill off their hopes of winning the AFC South but they are still in pole position to reach the playoffs as a wildcard. They face a trip to Kansas City this week and a win would guarantee them a playoff place. The Colts have been one of the surprise packages of the season and it has been a remarkable turnaround from being the worst team in the NFL last season. Andrew Luck threw for 186 yards and 2 touchdowns. TY Hilton was the leading receiver, catching 3 passes for 78 yards and a touchdown. Vick Ballard had a good day on the ground, rushing for 105 yards.
10 (8) New York Giants (8-6) - The Giants must be the most inconsistent team in the NFL. I've never saw a team who jump from a good performance to a bad performance and vice versa, as often as the New York Giants do. Right now, they need to take a long hard look at themselves because they are no longer a playoff team. As things stand, they are 8-6 but the Washington Redskins are leading the NFC East and the wildcard places belong to Seattle and Minnesota. I have to be honest and say I did not expect this to happen but with their remaining games, a trip to Baltimore and home to Philadelphia, I genuinely don't think the Giants will make the playoffs. Eli Manning threw for 161 yards and 2 interceptions. Domenik Hixon caught 5 passes for 80 yards. David Wilson led the rushers with 55 yards.
11 (12) Washington Redskins (8-6) - The Redskins have now won five in a row and this week they done it without RG3. Kirk Cousins stepped into the void left by RG3 and there was no knock on effect. The Redskins are now top of the NFC East with an 8-6 record and currently hold the tie breaker with the Cowboys and the Giants. They have a huge chance of winning the division and if they win their last two against Philadelphia and Dallas they will be NFC East winners for the first time since 1999. Cousins threw for 329 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception. Alfred Morris led the running game, picking up 87 yards and 2 touchdowns.
12 (13) Minnesota Vikings (8-6) - The Vikings picked up a good win in St Louis to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Vikings are currently in the sixth seed in the NFC playoff race but it is very tight and one mistake could change everything. If the Vikings make the playoffs, they will have to do it the hard way. Their last two games are a trip to Houston and then they host the Packers in week 17. The Texans and Packers have both secured their respective divisions but they do still need wins to secure first round byes in the playoffs so I can't see them doing the Vikings any favours. The main man for the Vikings was once again running-back, Adrian Peterson. He picked up another 212 yards and a touchdown, to take him just 294 yards short of Eric Dickerson's single season rushing record. If anyone can do it, Peterson can but 294 yards is a big ask against Green Bay and Houston.
13 (15) Dallas Cowboys (8-6) - Dallas kept themselves in the mix for a playoff spot with a hard earned win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Both sides needed the win to boost their playoff chances and it was Dallas who dug that little bit deeper to earn an overtime victory. The Cowboys face the Saints at home this week and a win would set up a potential winner takes all showdown with the Washington Redskins. Tony Romo threw for 341 yards and 2 touchdowns. DeMarco Murray led the ground game, rushing for 81 yards and a touchdown. Miles Austin had a good game, catching 7 passes for 79 yards.
14 (11) Chicago Bears (8-6) - This Chicago Bears team are right in the middle of one of the biggest collapses in recent seasons. The Bears were playoff bound and it looked like they were simply playing for a first round bye but five defeats in their last six games has them outside the playoff places and in a dog fight to try to earn a wildcard. In the Bears defence, the schedule has been hard on them and each of their last six games has been against teams with winning records but if the Bears want to be in a Superbowl, then they have to beat winning teams and right now, a Superbowl is miles off. Their last two games are trips to Arizona and Detroit. They are both winnable games but the Bears won't get it easy as the players will be low in confidence and it's hard to win on the road in this league. On Sunday, Jay Cutler threw for 135 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Brandon Marshall caught 6 passes for 56 yards and a touchdown but Chicago's best player was Matt Forte. Forte picked up 133 yards from scrimmage but it wasn't enough to stop the Packers picking up the NFC North title.
15 (16) Cincinnati Bengals (8-6) - The Bengals picked up a comfortable win in Philadelphia on Sunday night to take pole position in the race for the sixth AFC playoff spot. Pittsburgh lost to the Cowboys on Sunday and this week's game, between the Steelers and the Bengals will go a long way to deciding who gets the final playoff place. A Steelers win would have the team’s level at 8-7 and Pittsburgh would hold the tie breaker courtesy of the head to head record. A Bengals win would secure a playoff place for Cincinnati. Andy Dalton threw for 127 yards and a touchdown. BenJarvus Green-Ellis had another good day on the ground, running for 106 yards and a touchdown.
16 (14) Pittsburgh Steelers (7-7) - The Steelers have slipped out of the AFC playoff spots after Sundays overtime defeat to the Dallas Cowboys. The Steelers now must beat the Cincinnati Bengals this week, if they are to reach the playoffs. If the Steelers can beat the Bengals, they will then have to beat the Cleveland Browns to secure a wildcard. Pittsburgh had a fourth quarter lead in this game but the Cowboys levelled midway through the fourth and the game went to overtime. On the second play of overtime, Ben Roethlisberger was intercepted and the Cowboys were able to kick the game winning field goal from the 3 yard line. Roethlisberger ended the game with 339 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception. Mike Wallace, Heath Miller and Antonio Brown all had big receiving days. Wallace caught 4 passes for 95 yards and Miller had 7 catches for 92 yards and a touchdown. Brown caught 8 passes for 76 yards and a touchdown.
17 (21) New Orleans Saints (6-8) - The New Orleans Saints bounced back from their defeat to the Giants last week with a dominant victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Statistically, the game was tight enough, although the Saints had the edge in most key areas but not by a margin of 41-0. The key difference was turnovers and the Saints defense forced five, and the offense managed to take care of the football and not give any away. Those turnovers led to 3 touchdowns and 2 field goals for the Saints and it made the game look more one sided than it actually was. Drew Brees threw for 307 yards and 4 touchdowns. Mark Ingram also had a good game, rushing for 90 yards and a touchdown.
18 (17) St Louis Rams (6-7-1) - The Rams are technically still alive at 6-7-1 but their defeat to the Minnesota Vikings has killed off any realistic chance they had of a playoff place. The Rams like so many before them were unable to come up with a response to Adrian Peterson and he almost single handedly beat the Rams. Peterson ran for over 200 yards and the Rams defense had no answers. The Rams offense had a decent game and picked up over 400 yards. They had two costly turnovers which resulted in the Vikings getting ten points and if they had avoided those, the final outcome may well have been different. Sam Bradford threw for 377 yards, 3 touchdowns and an interception. Brandon Gibson was his leading receiver, catching 6 passes for 76 yards. Steven Jackson also had a good game and picked up 146 yards from scrimmage.
19 (18) New York Jets (6-8) - The Jets playoff hopes were finished on Monday Night Football after a performance from Mark Sanchez that was bad even by his standards. Sanchez was responsible for five turnovers in the game and I can't understand how Rex Ryan let it get this far. I know Ryan is a defensive coach but surely he can see how bad Sanchez is and I can only imagine it is a pride thing and he didn't want to admit he had got it wrong by drafting up to take Sanchez in the 2009 draft. Sanchez ended the game with 131 yards, a touchdown and 4 interceptions. Shonn Greene ran for 68 yards and Jeff Cumberland led the receivers with 4 catches for 53 yards and a touchdown.
20 (26) Miami Dolphins (6-8) - The Dolphins beat the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday to reach 6-8 for the year. Miami aren't quite dead yet but it would take a lot of results going their way for the Dolphins to reach the playoffs. The most unlikely would be the Dolphins going to the Patriots and winning. On Sunday, Ryan Tannehill had a good game, throwing for 220 yards and 2 touchdowns. Brian Hartline led the receivers with 5 catches for 77 yards. Reggie Bush had a good day on the ground, rushing for 104 yards.
21 (19) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-8) - The Bucs dropped to 6-8 for the year after a heavy defeat to the New Orleans Saints. The Bucs turned the ball over five times in the game, which led to 27 points for New Orleans. When your offense plays as badly as that, there's very little chance of winning a game and the Bucs were unable to get anything going and the game ended 41-0. The Bucs can take a lot of positives from this season and if they can hang on to their key players, I expect a push for the playoffs next season. Josh Freeman threw for 279 yards and 4 interceptions. Vincent Jackson was the leading receiver, catching 6 passes for 81 yards. The Bucs struggled to get their running game going and Doug Martin ended up with 16 yards from 9 runs.
22 (25) Carolina Panthers (5-9) - The Panthers got their second win in a row with a blow out victory over the Chargers in San Diego. I expected a bit more from the Panthers this year but they got a bad start and only now are they starting to enjoy the sort of success I anticipated from their running game. On Sunday, Cam Newton had a good game in the air, throwing for 231 yards and 2 touchdowns. The running game was very effective and picked up 155 yards on the ground. DeAngelo Williams led them with 93 yards on the ground and also caught 2 passes for 51 yards and a touchdown. Former Charger, Mike Tolbert also done well, running for 40 yards and 2 touchdowns.
23 (20) San Diego Chargers (5-9) - After a big win over the playoff chasing Pittsburgh Steelers, the Chargers responded in a fashion that only they can, a heavy home defeat to a team who came into the game with a 4-9 record. The Chargers have suffered with inconsistency in recent years and this year’s team are embracing that. There's a lot of talent in San Diego but something’s not quite right in the franchise and in my opinion it's the head coach, Norv Turner. Turner's job has been under threat for a few years now and I think this will be the year they finally get rid of him. In the game, Philip Rivers threw for 121 yards and a touchdown. Curtis Brinkley led the running game with 42 yards.
24 (23) Cleveland Browns (5-9) - The Browns winning run came to an end with a defeat to the Washington Redskins. The Browns have shown some good signs of progress this year and if they can continue to go in the right direction, I can see a playoff place in the near future. There is some good talent in Cleveland and another strong draft could have them pushing for a wildcard place next year. Brandon Weeden threw for 244 yards, a touchdown and 2 interceptions. The Redskins done a good job on Trent Richardson, restricted him to 2.5 yards per carry. Greg Little caught 5 passes for 74 yards.
25 (22) Detroit Lions (4-10) - The Lions are 4-10 now after a heavy defeat at the hands of the Arizona Cardinals. The Lions created a lot of their own problems by turning the ball over four times which led to 28 points for the Cardinals. The Lions have been a huge disappointment this year. I expected a lot more from them but it hasn't been a good year and it's maybe time for a change in the franchise. Matthew Stafford threw for 246 yards and 3 interceptions. Calvin Johnson caught 10 passes for 121 yards. Mikel Leshoure ran for 55 yards and a touchdown.
26 (27) Tennessee Titans (5-9) - The Titans picked up the win on Monday Night Football over a poor New York Jets team. For as long as the Jets have Mark Sanchez at quarterback, they'd be as well playing with seven players on offense. Credit to the Titans, they had a lot of luck but they took the chances that were presented to them and they got another notch in their win column. Jake Locker threw for 149 yards. Nate Washington caught 4 passes for 62 yards. Chris Johnson led the rushers, picking up 122 yards and a touchdown.
27 (24) Buffalo Bills (5-9) - The Bills are the latest team to suffer a heavy defeat to the Seattle Seahawks, after Sunday's 50-17 defeat in Toronto. The Seahawks raced into a 31-7 lead but the Bills got it back to 31-17 before half-time. Unfortunately for the Bills that was as close as they got and Seattle scored 19 unanswered points in the second half. Bills quarterback, Ryan Fitzpatrick, had another poor day, throwing for 217 yards, a touchdown and 2 interceptions. He also fumbled the ball and his turnovers led to Seattle getting 17 points. Yet again the only positives for Buffalo were the performances of Steve Johnson and CJ Spiller. Johnson caught 8 passes for 115 yards and a touchdown. Spiller ran for 103 yards and a touchdown.
28 (32) Arizona Cardinals (5-9) - The Cardinals finally ended their nine game losing streak with a blow out victory over the Detroit Lions. The game was won mainly because of errors from the Lions. The Lions turned the ball over four times and each turnover led to an Arizona touchdown. Credit to Arizona though as they took the opportunities presented to them and got the win. Ryan Lindley threw for 104 yards and an interception. The Cardinals best player was Beanie Wells who ran for 67 yards and 3 touchdowns.
29 (31) Oakland Raiders (4-10) - The Raiders got their fourth win of the season on Sunday against divisional rivals, the Kansas City Chiefs. It was the Raiders second win over the Chiefs this season, having already beaten them in week 8. Neither side managed a touchdown on this occasion and Raiders kicker, Sebastian Janikowski, was the difference between the sides. Janikowski kicked five field goals, one of which was a 57 yarder to hand the Raiders a 15-0 win. Carson Palmer threw for 182 yards. Rod Streater was the leading receiver, catching 5 passes for 62 yards. The Raiders had a good day on the ground, rushing for 203 yards. Darren McFadden had 110 yards and backup, Mike Goodson had 89 yards.
30 (28) Philadelphia Eagles (4-10) - The Eagles got back to their usual form on Thursday with a sloppy display and heavy defeat to the Cincinnati Bengals. I feel like I've said all I can about the Eagles this year. It’s time to draw a line under this year and start fresh next season. On Thursday the Eagles turned the ball over five times and they pretty much summarised the whole year in that one game. Nick Foles threw for 182 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Jeremy Maclin led the receivers with 4 catches for 73 yards. The running game had a bad day and picked up just 42 yards from 19 attempts.
31 (30) Jacksonville Jaguars (2-12) - The Jags lost again, this time in a one sided game against the Dolphins in Miami. The Jags are 2-12 and with New England at home and Tennessee away still to play, I can't see them getting any more wins on the board. The number one draft pick will be between themselves and the Chiefs, should both teams records remain the same and as things stand the Chiefs are just in pole position courtesy of strength of schedule. Chad Henne threw for 221 yards. His leading receivers were Cecil Shorts III and Justin Blackmon. They both caught 6 passes, Shorts III for 101 yards and Blackmon for 93 yards.
32 (29) Kansas City Chiefs (2-12) - The Chiefs lost again on Sunday, this time to the Oakland Raiders. The Chiefs are now 2-12 for the season and they looked every bit as bad as their record suggests on Sunday. The Raiders are far from a good side but they shut down the Chiefs and restricted them to 119 yards of offense. Brady Quinn threw for 135 yards and an interception. Dexter McCluster was his leading receiver, catching 7 passes for 59 yards. The most disappointing thing for the Chiefs was their running game. The Chiefs have done well on the ground this year but they managed just 10 yards from 10 runs. I can't see any more wins for the Chiefs so it looks like they will have the number one draft pick in 2013 as they currently lead the Jaguars on strength of schedule.
Monday 17 December 2012
New York Jets (6-7) @ Tennessee Titans (4-9)
This weeks Monday Night Football isn't a great one for the neutral. Both of these sides have had disappointing seasons and although the Jets can still make the playoffs, I don't think they will.
The Jets have had a mixed year and were hurt early on when Darelle Revis suffered a season ending injury. The defense has done well against the pass but they have really struggled against the run. On offense they have had to rely on the running game. Shonn Greene has led the team in rushing, running for 883 yards and six touchdowns. The passing game has been very poor and Mark Sanchez has had a horrible year. He has completed just 55% of his passes and is averaging just 182 yards per game this season. He has completed twelve touchdown passes and has been intercepted thirteen times. No matter how you look at those numbers, it is not good enough for a starting quarterback in the NFL.
Remarkably, they are still alive in the playoff race and if they win their last three games then they have a chance of a playoff spot. After tonight's game, their remaining schedule sees them host San Diego and then they go on the road to play the Buffalo Bills. All three games are winnable but I just don't see the Jets winning them all and even if they do I expect Pittsburgh or Cincinnati to do enough to finish above them anyway.
The Titans have had a bad year and will miss the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season. The one shining light in their season has been the form of Chris Johnson. He got off to a slow start but his form has picked up and he has now got over 1000 yards for the fifth season in a row. Johnson is listed as probable tonight and I think his presence will be critical to the outcome of the game. The Jets struggle against the run and if he plays I would expect him to have a big game.
Prediction - Chris Johnson to have a big day and lead the Titans to the victory.
Friday 14 December 2012
NFL Week 15 - Preview and Predictions
New York Giants (8-5) @ Atlanta Falcons (11-2)
This game could be the first of two meetings between these sides this year as both look to be playoff bound and they could meet again at some stage in the post season. They met last year in the playoffs and the Giants picked up a dominant win. The Giants seem to have the edge over the Falcons and have won the last four in the series. New York started the season well and looked to be running away with the NFC East but they had a bad run of results which has allowed Washington and Dallas back into the race for the division. The Falcons have guaranteed themselves a playoff place and regardless of Sunday's results will still hold the NFC's number one seed. They have a great record but the performances have been poor in recent weeks and they will need to improve if they want to give Matt Ryan his first victory in a playoff game. Both sides will prioritise the passing game but the Giants have the better backup if they need to resort to their running game.
Prediction - I like this match up for the Giants and think they will get the win.
Green Bay Packers (9-4) @ Chicago Bears (8-5)
I've been looking forward to this one for a while now. Recent results have gone against the Bears but they have a chance to get themselves equal with the Packers on Sunday. A Bears win at Soldier Field would leave both sides at 9-5 with just two games to go. Both sides should win in week 16 which would mean the Packers would have to go to Minnesota in week 17 and win as long as the Bears win in Detroit. A Bears win would be the best result for the neutral and would lead to an exciting finale. If the Packers win it would secure the NFC North and a guaranteed home game in the playoffs. The Bears would be right in the mix of the wildcard race at 8-6 and would have work to do to secure a playoff place. Two of the most important players in this game are listed as questionable. The Bears need Jay Cutler to play but he left last weeks game with a neck injury and might not be available. In most recent meetings between these teams the best player on the field has been Green Bay linebacker, Clay Matthews. Matthews has a hamstring injury and is also doubtful for this game. He would be a big loss for the Packers as he usually spends this game lying on top of Jay Cutler after yet another sack.
Prediction - If Cutler plays and Matthews doesn't the Bears have a chance but I don't think it will work out for the Bears and the Packers will get the win to clinch the division.
Washington Redskins (7-6) @ Cleveland Browns (5-8)
This game will depend on the availability of the Washington Redskins rookie quarterback, Robert Griffin III. RG3 left Sunday's win over the Ravens late on with a knee injury but thankfully it was nothing too serious and he will be back this season, although there are question marks over his status for this game. At present he is listed as questionable and it seems like the decision will be left until Sunday. The Redskins are on a four game winning streakand it has lifted them into the playoff race but they really do need RG3 to be at his best to keep the run going. The Browns are in the middle of their own winning streak and have won three in a row. It's too late for the playoffs but I do think there could be a bright future in Cleveland within the next few years. The Redskins lead the NFL in rushing and should be able to pick up yards against a Browns defense that ranks 18th against the run. The Redskins are good against the run, ranking 8th in the league but they will have their hands full with Trent Richardson. The Redskins big weakness is on pass defense and they rank 31st. The Browns are 18th in passing and can exploit the Redskins in this area.
Prediction - It's very hard to make a call on this one without knowing RG3's status. I suspect he is struggling and if he plays, he won't be at full strength so I'm going for a Browns win.
Minnesota Vikings (7-6) @ St Louis Rams (6-6-1)
The Vikings head to St Louis on Sunday needing a win to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Vikings have got themselves into this position thanks to a fantastic season from star running-back, Adrian Peterson. Peterson is just 160 yards away from his career best and with three games remaining he will be looking beyond his personal best and he will be aiming to get as close to the all-time record as he can. The Rams still have an outside chance of the playoffs but they can settle for no less than three wins. Even that probably won't be enough but the Rams will at least try to push their rivals as far as they can. The Vikings are all about the running game and they rank 32nd in passing. Their Rams defense are 13th against the run so I would expect Adrian Peterson to have another big day. The Rams will also try to run the ball and will be hoping Steven Jackson can play. He is listed as probable but will more than likely play.
Prediction - I think Adrian Peterson will lead the Vikings to a big road win and keep their playoff dream alive.
Jacksonville Jaguars (2-11) @ Miami Dolphins (5-8)
Miami and Jacksonville meet on Sunday in a game that means little more than local bragging rights and next years draft order. The Jags have had a bad year and will have an early pick in the 2013 draft. The Dolphins were in with a chance of the playoffs but they have hit a bad run and are no longer in contention. They won three in a row which got them to 4-3 for the season but they have won just one of their six games since then and it has killed off their playoff hopes. Both sides are a bit away from being serious contenders and early draft picks should help in the future.
Prediction - The Dolphins should have enough to pick up the win.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-7) @ New Orleans Saints (5-8)
This game between two NFC South rivals had the potential to be a cracker a few weeks ago but both teams have hit bad form and neither will be in this years playoffs. Tampa Bay look like a team on the up. I'm a fan of Josh Freeman and after a slow start, he finally found his form. He has linked up well with Vincent Jackson in recent weeks, who on his day, is one of the best receivers in the league. Doug Martin has also had a great year and if he can improve on his rookie season, he will be a huge asset to the Bucs. This season was always going to be tough for the Saints in the aftermath of Bountygate. They have a lot of good players though and I expect them to be competitive again next year. I like the match ups in this one. The Saints are 2nd in passing and the Bucs are 32nd in pass defense. The Bucs are 13th in passing and 12th in rushing. The Saints defense are 30th against the pass and 32nd against the run. The Bucs are 1st against the run and the Saints are 26th in rushing so it looks like the Saints will have to rely on the pass.
Prediction - This game should be high scoring but I think the Bucs are the all round better team and will win.
Denver Broncos (10-3) @ Baltimore Ravens (9-4)
A few weeks ago this looked like a must win game for the Broncos to give themselves an outside chance of a top two seed and a bye in the first round of the playoffs. The Broncos have kept winning and their streak now stands at eight wins in a row. The Ravens have lost their last two games and it leaves them needing a win here to have any chance of getting the number two seed. In my opinion, the Broncos are the real deal. They were a good side last year and won a playoff game before eventually falling to the New England Patriots in the divisional round of the playoffs. They have made a huge upgrade at quarterback by replacing Tim Tebow with Peyton Manning and right now it looks as though it may be the difference between a good team and a potential Superbowl winning team. The Ravens have not impressed me. They are 9-4 but six of those nine wins have been by a touchdown or less. They deserve credit for winning a lot of tight games but they could so easily have gone the other way. The opponents in those tight wins weren't always good sides either, with the Chiefs, the Browns and the Chargers all taking them the distance.
Prediction - The Broncos have a good defense and should find it easier to stop the Ravens than the Ravens will find it to stop Peyton Manning and the Broncos passing game. Denver will win this one.
Indianapolis Colts (9-4) @ Houston Texans (11-2)
This game will go a long way in deciding who will win the AFC South and guarantee themselves at least one home playoff game. A Texans win on Sunday would guarantee the division and would take them a step closer to the AFC's number one seed. The Colts have had a great year and I don't think there was many people outside Indianapolis who predicted they would be 9-4 at this stage of the season. The Colts have embraced new quarterback, Andrew Luck and the team seem to have a great spirit about them which I imagine has come about due to Coach Pagano's illness. Thankfully Pagano is on the mend and he will be delighted that the Colts are doing him proud. The Texans are 11-2 for the year but their form has dropped in recent weeks. They started off very well and were blowing out everything in front of them but they haven't looked as good since their big win over Baltimore in week 7. If the Texans rediscover their early season form they are Superbowl contenders, if not, then they will not get past the Patriots or Broncos in the AFC.
Prediction - The Texans will clinch the division with a win over the Colts.
Seattle Seahawks (8-5) @ Buffalo Bills (5-8)
The Seahawks head to Toronto to face the Buffalo Bills who look like missing out on the playoffs for the 13th year in a row. The Seahawks on the other hand have a great chance of a playoff place and might still be able to win the division. A win here and a 49ers defeat in New England would leave the Seahawks and the 49ers on nine wins each. The teams meet in Seattle next week and the NFC West would be very much up for grabs. The Seahawks have one of the best defenses in the league and their biggest challenge on Sunday will be stopping the Bills running game. The Bills are 6th in rushing and could be even higher if they decided to go with CJ Spiller instead of splitting carries between him and Fred Jackson. Spiller has 6.6 yards per carry and Jackson has 3.8 yards per carry. The Bills defence will also have to deal with a good running game. The Seahawks are 4th in rushing and Marshawn Lynch has been having a great year. He has ran for 1266 yards this season which is 2nd in the league.
Prediction - The Seahawks will take another step closer to the playoffs with a win in Toronto.
Detroit Lions (4-9) @ Arizona Cardinals (4-9)
Arizona have set an NFL record by becoming the first team to lose nine games in a row after a 4-0 start to the season. Things don't look like improving either if last weeks 58-0 defeat in Seattle is anything to go by. Quarterback, Kevin Kolb has been placed on injured reserve and I would be surprised if they win any of their remaining games. The Lions have been a huge disappointment. They have drafted well in recent years and I thought this would be the year that they moved up the next level and became a serious competitor in the NFC. It hasn't materialised though and they are heading towards another top ten draft pick. The Cardinals offense is very poor and the only thing they do well is turnovers. The Lions lead the NFL in passing but when required Mikel Leshoure is capable of carrying the offense. He might have to do it this week as the Cards are 5th in pass defense and 30th in run defense so it may be in the Lions best interests to try to win this one on the ground.
Prediction - The Lions will extend Arizona's misery to ten defeats in a row.
Carolina Panthers (4-9) @ San Diego Chargers (5-8)
Neither of these teams will be in the playoffs this year but they have both shown glimpses of being good teams. They have both lacked the consistency required to be a playoff contender though. The Panthers have had good wins against potential playoff teams, like Washington and Atlanta but defeats to teams like Kansas City has cost them. The Chargers had a big win last week over the Steelers but the damage had already been done with the seven defeats in eight games that went before it. I expect this to be Norv Turner's last year in charge and if the rumours are true, Andy Reid could be heading to San Diego next year.
Prediction - I think the Chargers are a better team if both play to their potential and they will win this one.
Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6) @ Dallas Cowboys (7-6)
The Steelers and the Cowboys face off in Dallas on Sunday in a game both sides need to win. Both sides are just outside the playoffs as things stand and can't afford many slip ups if they are to push on and clinch a spot in the post season. The Steelers were in the sixth seed in the AFC until the Bengals beat the Eagles in Philadelphia on Thursday. A win would put them back in a playoff spot ahead of a meeting between the two in Pittsburgh next week. The Cowboys are 7-6 and just a game behind the Giants in the NFC East. They are also just one win behind the Bears and Seahawks in the wildcard race. Both sides will look to pass the ball, with the Cowboys ranked 3rd and the Steelers ranked 11th. Pittsburgh's numbers have suffered a little due to Ben Roethlisberger's injury and they should be higher. Both sides also have decent pass defenses, with the Steelers the best in the league and the Cowboys ranked 10th. It promises to be a tight game and neither side will find it easy to get the win.
Prediction - I trust Roethlisberger more than I trust Tony Romo so I will side with the Steelers.
Kansas City Chiefs (2-11) @ Oakland Raiders (3-10)
This battle between the AFC West's weakest teams will play a big part in deciding the order of the 2013 draft. These two will be picking early and as things stand, they would both be picking in the top three. Obviously one of them will pick up a win on Sunday which could change the order but I can't see either of them winning their week 16 or week 17 fixtures so they should still be in the first few picks. I expect the Chiefs to have a good day on the ground. They rank 5th in rushing and the Raiders are 26th on the ground. If the Chiefs can take care of the ball, there's no reason why they can't pick up a win against an Oakland team who have been struggling this year. The Chiefs have the worst record in the league but I don't think they are the worst team in the league. Their numbers are pretty good in all areas except turnovers. They have turned the ball over 33 times this year and their defense has only forced 11 turnovers so their differential stands at -22 which is tied with the Eagles as the worst in the league.
Prediction - I'm going to take a punt on the Chiefs having a turnover free day and getting the win.
San Francisco 49ers (9-3-1) @ New England Patriots (10-3)
The television companies haven't always got it right this year but on this occasion they are bang on the money. This game will be shown nationally on Sunday Night Football and it looks like being an absolute cracker. These two are polar opposites in terms of style. Sometimes it ruins games but on this occasion I think it will make it one not to be missed. The Pats are an explosive offense and although they will try to pass first, they can also give the ball to Stevan Ridley and attack on the ground. The 49ers are a run first offense and rank 2nd in the league behind the Washington Redskins. Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter were doing a good job. Hunter has since gone down with a bad ankle sprain and the 49ers seem to have changed styles in recent weeks. Since Alex Smith got injured against the Rams in week 10, they have gone with Colin Kaepernick at quarterback. He has had his good moments but I don't think he is the man for the job. I believe if it's not broke, don't fix it. The 49ers offense was fine but Kaepernick is a mobile quarterback and the style of play has changed because of it. The 49ers are still run heavy but Kaepernick is taking carries away from Frank Gore and his passing isn't as good as Alex Smith's so in my opinion, the 49ers are worse off because of it.
Prediction - The Patriots will get another comfortable win over a potential Superbowl rival.
This game could be the first of two meetings between these sides this year as both look to be playoff bound and they could meet again at some stage in the post season. They met last year in the playoffs and the Giants picked up a dominant win. The Giants seem to have the edge over the Falcons and have won the last four in the series. New York started the season well and looked to be running away with the NFC East but they had a bad run of results which has allowed Washington and Dallas back into the race for the division. The Falcons have guaranteed themselves a playoff place and regardless of Sunday's results will still hold the NFC's number one seed. They have a great record but the performances have been poor in recent weeks and they will need to improve if they want to give Matt Ryan his first victory in a playoff game. Both sides will prioritise the passing game but the Giants have the better backup if they need to resort to their running game.
Prediction - I like this match up for the Giants and think they will get the win.
Green Bay Packers (9-4) @ Chicago Bears (8-5)
I've been looking forward to this one for a while now. Recent results have gone against the Bears but they have a chance to get themselves equal with the Packers on Sunday. A Bears win at Soldier Field would leave both sides at 9-5 with just two games to go. Both sides should win in week 16 which would mean the Packers would have to go to Minnesota in week 17 and win as long as the Bears win in Detroit. A Bears win would be the best result for the neutral and would lead to an exciting finale. If the Packers win it would secure the NFC North and a guaranteed home game in the playoffs. The Bears would be right in the mix of the wildcard race at 8-6 and would have work to do to secure a playoff place. Two of the most important players in this game are listed as questionable. The Bears need Jay Cutler to play but he left last weeks game with a neck injury and might not be available. In most recent meetings between these teams the best player on the field has been Green Bay linebacker, Clay Matthews. Matthews has a hamstring injury and is also doubtful for this game. He would be a big loss for the Packers as he usually spends this game lying on top of Jay Cutler after yet another sack.
Prediction - If Cutler plays and Matthews doesn't the Bears have a chance but I don't think it will work out for the Bears and the Packers will get the win to clinch the division.
Washington Redskins (7-6) @ Cleveland Browns (5-8)
This game will depend on the availability of the Washington Redskins rookie quarterback, Robert Griffin III. RG3 left Sunday's win over the Ravens late on with a knee injury but thankfully it was nothing too serious and he will be back this season, although there are question marks over his status for this game. At present he is listed as questionable and it seems like the decision will be left until Sunday. The Redskins are on a four game winning streakand it has lifted them into the playoff race but they really do need RG3 to be at his best to keep the run going. The Browns are in the middle of their own winning streak and have won three in a row. It's too late for the playoffs but I do think there could be a bright future in Cleveland within the next few years. The Redskins lead the NFL in rushing and should be able to pick up yards against a Browns defense that ranks 18th against the run. The Redskins are good against the run, ranking 8th in the league but they will have their hands full with Trent Richardson. The Redskins big weakness is on pass defense and they rank 31st. The Browns are 18th in passing and can exploit the Redskins in this area.
Prediction - It's very hard to make a call on this one without knowing RG3's status. I suspect he is struggling and if he plays, he won't be at full strength so I'm going for a Browns win.
Minnesota Vikings (7-6) @ St Louis Rams (6-6-1)
The Vikings head to St Louis on Sunday needing a win to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Vikings have got themselves into this position thanks to a fantastic season from star running-back, Adrian Peterson. Peterson is just 160 yards away from his career best and with three games remaining he will be looking beyond his personal best and he will be aiming to get as close to the all-time record as he can. The Rams still have an outside chance of the playoffs but they can settle for no less than three wins. Even that probably won't be enough but the Rams will at least try to push their rivals as far as they can. The Vikings are all about the running game and they rank 32nd in passing. Their Rams defense are 13th against the run so I would expect Adrian Peterson to have another big day. The Rams will also try to run the ball and will be hoping Steven Jackson can play. He is listed as probable but will more than likely play.
Prediction - I think Adrian Peterson will lead the Vikings to a big road win and keep their playoff dream alive.
Jacksonville Jaguars (2-11) @ Miami Dolphins (5-8)
Miami and Jacksonville meet on Sunday in a game that means little more than local bragging rights and next years draft order. The Jags have had a bad year and will have an early pick in the 2013 draft. The Dolphins were in with a chance of the playoffs but they have hit a bad run and are no longer in contention. They won three in a row which got them to 4-3 for the season but they have won just one of their six games since then and it has killed off their playoff hopes. Both sides are a bit away from being serious contenders and early draft picks should help in the future.
Prediction - The Dolphins should have enough to pick up the win.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-7) @ New Orleans Saints (5-8)
This game between two NFC South rivals had the potential to be a cracker a few weeks ago but both teams have hit bad form and neither will be in this years playoffs. Tampa Bay look like a team on the up. I'm a fan of Josh Freeman and after a slow start, he finally found his form. He has linked up well with Vincent Jackson in recent weeks, who on his day, is one of the best receivers in the league. Doug Martin has also had a great year and if he can improve on his rookie season, he will be a huge asset to the Bucs. This season was always going to be tough for the Saints in the aftermath of Bountygate. They have a lot of good players though and I expect them to be competitive again next year. I like the match ups in this one. The Saints are 2nd in passing and the Bucs are 32nd in pass defense. The Bucs are 13th in passing and 12th in rushing. The Saints defense are 30th against the pass and 32nd against the run. The Bucs are 1st against the run and the Saints are 26th in rushing so it looks like the Saints will have to rely on the pass.
Prediction - This game should be high scoring but I think the Bucs are the all round better team and will win.
Denver Broncos (10-3) @ Baltimore Ravens (9-4)
A few weeks ago this looked like a must win game for the Broncos to give themselves an outside chance of a top two seed and a bye in the first round of the playoffs. The Broncos have kept winning and their streak now stands at eight wins in a row. The Ravens have lost their last two games and it leaves them needing a win here to have any chance of getting the number two seed. In my opinion, the Broncos are the real deal. They were a good side last year and won a playoff game before eventually falling to the New England Patriots in the divisional round of the playoffs. They have made a huge upgrade at quarterback by replacing Tim Tebow with Peyton Manning and right now it looks as though it may be the difference between a good team and a potential Superbowl winning team. The Ravens have not impressed me. They are 9-4 but six of those nine wins have been by a touchdown or less. They deserve credit for winning a lot of tight games but they could so easily have gone the other way. The opponents in those tight wins weren't always good sides either, with the Chiefs, the Browns and the Chargers all taking them the distance.
Prediction - The Broncos have a good defense and should find it easier to stop the Ravens than the Ravens will find it to stop Peyton Manning and the Broncos passing game. Denver will win this one.
Indianapolis Colts (9-4) @ Houston Texans (11-2)
This game will go a long way in deciding who will win the AFC South and guarantee themselves at least one home playoff game. A Texans win on Sunday would guarantee the division and would take them a step closer to the AFC's number one seed. The Colts have had a great year and I don't think there was many people outside Indianapolis who predicted they would be 9-4 at this stage of the season. The Colts have embraced new quarterback, Andrew Luck and the team seem to have a great spirit about them which I imagine has come about due to Coach Pagano's illness. Thankfully Pagano is on the mend and he will be delighted that the Colts are doing him proud. The Texans are 11-2 for the year but their form has dropped in recent weeks. They started off very well and were blowing out everything in front of them but they haven't looked as good since their big win over Baltimore in week 7. If the Texans rediscover their early season form they are Superbowl contenders, if not, then they will not get past the Patriots or Broncos in the AFC.
Prediction - The Texans will clinch the division with a win over the Colts.
Seattle Seahawks (8-5) @ Buffalo Bills (5-8)
The Seahawks head to Toronto to face the Buffalo Bills who look like missing out on the playoffs for the 13th year in a row. The Seahawks on the other hand have a great chance of a playoff place and might still be able to win the division. A win here and a 49ers defeat in New England would leave the Seahawks and the 49ers on nine wins each. The teams meet in Seattle next week and the NFC West would be very much up for grabs. The Seahawks have one of the best defenses in the league and their biggest challenge on Sunday will be stopping the Bills running game. The Bills are 6th in rushing and could be even higher if they decided to go with CJ Spiller instead of splitting carries between him and Fred Jackson. Spiller has 6.6 yards per carry and Jackson has 3.8 yards per carry. The Bills defence will also have to deal with a good running game. The Seahawks are 4th in rushing and Marshawn Lynch has been having a great year. He has ran for 1266 yards this season which is 2nd in the league.
Prediction - The Seahawks will take another step closer to the playoffs with a win in Toronto.
Detroit Lions (4-9) @ Arizona Cardinals (4-9)
Arizona have set an NFL record by becoming the first team to lose nine games in a row after a 4-0 start to the season. Things don't look like improving either if last weeks 58-0 defeat in Seattle is anything to go by. Quarterback, Kevin Kolb has been placed on injured reserve and I would be surprised if they win any of their remaining games. The Lions have been a huge disappointment. They have drafted well in recent years and I thought this would be the year that they moved up the next level and became a serious competitor in the NFC. It hasn't materialised though and they are heading towards another top ten draft pick. The Cardinals offense is very poor and the only thing they do well is turnovers. The Lions lead the NFL in passing but when required Mikel Leshoure is capable of carrying the offense. He might have to do it this week as the Cards are 5th in pass defense and 30th in run defense so it may be in the Lions best interests to try to win this one on the ground.
Prediction - The Lions will extend Arizona's misery to ten defeats in a row.
Carolina Panthers (4-9) @ San Diego Chargers (5-8)
Neither of these teams will be in the playoffs this year but they have both shown glimpses of being good teams. They have both lacked the consistency required to be a playoff contender though. The Panthers have had good wins against potential playoff teams, like Washington and Atlanta but defeats to teams like Kansas City has cost them. The Chargers had a big win last week over the Steelers but the damage had already been done with the seven defeats in eight games that went before it. I expect this to be Norv Turner's last year in charge and if the rumours are true, Andy Reid could be heading to San Diego next year.
Prediction - I think the Chargers are a better team if both play to their potential and they will win this one.
Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6) @ Dallas Cowboys (7-6)
The Steelers and the Cowboys face off in Dallas on Sunday in a game both sides need to win. Both sides are just outside the playoffs as things stand and can't afford many slip ups if they are to push on and clinch a spot in the post season. The Steelers were in the sixth seed in the AFC until the Bengals beat the Eagles in Philadelphia on Thursday. A win would put them back in a playoff spot ahead of a meeting between the two in Pittsburgh next week. The Cowboys are 7-6 and just a game behind the Giants in the NFC East. They are also just one win behind the Bears and Seahawks in the wildcard race. Both sides will look to pass the ball, with the Cowboys ranked 3rd and the Steelers ranked 11th. Pittsburgh's numbers have suffered a little due to Ben Roethlisberger's injury and they should be higher. Both sides also have decent pass defenses, with the Steelers the best in the league and the Cowboys ranked 10th. It promises to be a tight game and neither side will find it easy to get the win.
Prediction - I trust Roethlisberger more than I trust Tony Romo so I will side with the Steelers.
Kansas City Chiefs (2-11) @ Oakland Raiders (3-10)
This battle between the AFC West's weakest teams will play a big part in deciding the order of the 2013 draft. These two will be picking early and as things stand, they would both be picking in the top three. Obviously one of them will pick up a win on Sunday which could change the order but I can't see either of them winning their week 16 or week 17 fixtures so they should still be in the first few picks. I expect the Chiefs to have a good day on the ground. They rank 5th in rushing and the Raiders are 26th on the ground. If the Chiefs can take care of the ball, there's no reason why they can't pick up a win against an Oakland team who have been struggling this year. The Chiefs have the worst record in the league but I don't think they are the worst team in the league. Their numbers are pretty good in all areas except turnovers. They have turned the ball over 33 times this year and their defense has only forced 11 turnovers so their differential stands at -22 which is tied with the Eagles as the worst in the league.
Prediction - I'm going to take a punt on the Chiefs having a turnover free day and getting the win.
San Francisco 49ers (9-3-1) @ New England Patriots (10-3)
The television companies haven't always got it right this year but on this occasion they are bang on the money. This game will be shown nationally on Sunday Night Football and it looks like being an absolute cracker. These two are polar opposites in terms of style. Sometimes it ruins games but on this occasion I think it will make it one not to be missed. The Pats are an explosive offense and although they will try to pass first, they can also give the ball to Stevan Ridley and attack on the ground. The 49ers are a run first offense and rank 2nd in the league behind the Washington Redskins. Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter were doing a good job. Hunter has since gone down with a bad ankle sprain and the 49ers seem to have changed styles in recent weeks. Since Alex Smith got injured against the Rams in week 10, they have gone with Colin Kaepernick at quarterback. He has had his good moments but I don't think he is the man for the job. I believe if it's not broke, don't fix it. The 49ers offense was fine but Kaepernick is a mobile quarterback and the style of play has changed because of it. The 49ers are still run heavy but Kaepernick is taking carries away from Frank Gore and his passing isn't as good as Alex Smith's so in my opinion, the 49ers are worse off because of it.
Prediction - The Patriots will get another comfortable win over a potential Superbowl rival.
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