This has been one of the most surreal weeks in the NFL that I can remember. Seriously, this week has been so crazy it's ridiculous. From the Browns-Steelers brawl to the publicity whore of a quarterback proving just how much of a clown he actually is.
The length of all three suspensions was appropriate (although I wouldn't be surprised if Pouncey's is reduced by a game). And I'm not dedicating any more space than I already have to that idiot. His latest stunt proved his real motives. He'd rather champion his "cause" and be a martyr than actually play in the NFL again (which he isn't good enough to do anyway).
At least now we can finally shift our focus back to the actual games. And I've gotta rebound after a tough week last week. Although, every team not named the Patriots has an off week during the course of the season. I guess last week was my off week.
Thursday Night: Pittsburgh (Loss)
Cowboys (5-4) at Lions (3-5-1): Dallas-Dallas really seems like two completely different teams depending on the week. Sometimes they look like Super Bowl contenders. And sometimes they lose to the Jets. So which Cowboys team will show up in Detroit? The Lions, by the way, have had similar issues. They started 2-0-1, but have only beaten the Giants since. With the Eagles playing New England, here's the Cowboys' chance to regain the edge in the NFC East.
Jaguars (4-5) at Colts (5-4): Indianapolis-Things are getting tight in the AFC South. All four teams are separated by just two games, and a Jaguar win here creates a three-way tie behind the Texans. An Indianapolis win, meanwhile, could potentially move the Colts into a tie for first heading into their Thursday night showdown in Houston. So, yeah, it's a big game for both teams. And in big games, especially division games, Indianapolis usually steps up.
Bills (6-3) at Dolphins (2-7): Buffalo-All the craziness of the past week actually worked out for Buffalo. Even after losing to the Browns, the Bills still have a one-game lead for the top AFC wild card. They need to take advantage of a matchup against the Dolphins, though. Because they've got some tough ones coming up. That win over the Jets seemed to breathe some new life into Miami, too. Although, all the Dolphins are doing there is giving themselves a worse draft pick.
Broncos (3-6) at Vikings (7-3): Minnesota-That's what I'm talking about! The Vikings didn't just look like a playoff team on Sunday night. They looked like a team that actually wants to make the playoffs. (Unlike last year when they looked completely disinterested late in the season.) This is their first time hosting the Broncos since Tim Tebow was Denver's quarterback. It's been that long. Minnesota's even thinking a division title is possible. But for that to happen, they can't lose to Denver.
Saints (7-2) at Buccaneers (3-6): New Orleans-Well, that sure was a surprise last week in Atlanta, wasn't it? The Saints laid their annual egg, and it might end up costing them come playoff time. Another division loss could be just as costly, especially against a Bucs team that is gaining momentum. And, don't forget, Tampa Bay beat New Orleans in Week 1 last year. I think New Orleans straightens things out and go to 8-2.
Jets (2-7) at Redskins (1-8): Jets-We have a game that only a mother could love as two bad teams face each other. That, unfortunately, seems to be a common theme with the AFC East (which has two bad teams) playing the NFC East (which also has two bad teams) playing each other this season. Both of the Jets' wins have come against NFC East teams, in fact. Why not make it three?
Falcons (2-7) at Panthers (5-4): Carolina-I'm shocked by what I saw last week in New Orleans. The Falcons went into that game 1-7 and dominated the 7-1 Saints from the start. It doesn't mean this isn't a lost season in Atlanta. But it was nice to see them look like an actual NFL team, if only for a week. As for the Panthers, they're sitting at 5-4, so they need as many wins as they can get if they have any hope of stealing one of the wild cards away from Minnesota or Seattle.
Texans (6-3) at Ravens (7-2): Baltimore-Without a doubt, this is the biggest game of the week in terms of playoff positioning. The winner here has the inside track at the other AFC bye. And, don't forget, the Ravens already beat the Patriots, so they're thinking 1-seed. Houston, meanwhile, has a division race to worry about, too (with Indianapolis and New England coming up). So, yeah, this is a big one. Count on Baltimore to show up big time.
Cardinals (3-6-1) at 49ers (8-1): San Francisco-San Francisco fought like hell to remain undefeated, but the Seahawks made that field goal as the clock expired in overtime and the '72 Dolphins popped the champagne. Of course, another loss (or two) seems in the offing for the 49ers, who have a brutal three-game stretch after this (Green Bay, at Baltimore, at New Orleans). And they've got the Seahawks breathing down their necks. So, slipping up against an Arizona team they should beat isn't a good idea.
Bengals (0-9) at Raiders (5-4): Oakland-In year two of Gruden 2.0, the Raiders look like they might actually have a shot at the playoffs! They could even challenge the Chiefs in the AFC West. (Wouldn't that be something, the last game in Oakland coming in the playoffs.) Either way, they're in good shape for when they head to Vegas next season. As for the Bengals, the only realistic goals they have are not finishing winless and making sure they hang on to the No. 1 overall pick. The win might be an issue here, but that helps on the No. 1 pick front.
Patriots (8-1) at Eagles (5-4): Philadelphia-New England rarely loses, so the prospect of the Patriots dropping two in a row seems really strange. Especially coming off their bye. But the Eagles are coming off a bye, too, and they've shown that they can step it up in big games. Take their Thursday night victory over the previously undefeated Packers as an example. And who can forget what happened the last time these two franchises faced each other? Nick Foles plays for the Jaguars now, so he won't be catching any touchdown passes. But are the Eagles the new Giants in that they're the one team that actually has New England's number?
Bears (4-5) at Rams (5-4): Rams-What happened to the Rams? I don't think it's Super Bowl hangover. But that offense is nowhere close to what it was last season. And now they're in desperation mode if they want to have any chance at defending their NFC title. Fortunately their Sunday night opponent is the Bears. So, even if Chicago's defense gives them trouble, the Bears' lack of an offense should work in their favor.
Chiefs (6-4) vs Chargers (4-6): Kansas City-Last season, the Chiefs were supposed to play in Mexico City, but the game was moved because of field conditions and we ended up with the game of the year being played at the LA Coliseum. This year, there are no such field issues at Estadio Azteca, so the game will be played as scheduled. And the Chiefs find themselves in a position where they suddenly have to worry about the division. Especially if they don't win it. They've had some stumbles this season, but the Chargers have had their share of stumbles, too. So it could simply come down to the fact that Kansas City's the better team.
This Week: 0-1
Last Week: 5-8
Overall: 84-64-1
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