Not a great slate of Sunday NFL games, with only one contest featuring teams with winning records. One game that should have been a marquee match-up, Green Bay at Pittsburgh, is now a dud, due to the absence of Packers QB Aaron Rodgers (broken collarbone).
The Steelers have bounced back nicely from their early-season dysfunction, to emerge as the best team in the AFC outside of New England. The Steelers were a house divided early in the season, trying to figure out how to handle the Colin Kaepernick-created anthem mess, and actually lost to the lowly Chicago Bears in September. However, their coach, Mike Tomlin smoothed things over and now they’re all standing and the team is rolling.
Here is a preview of the Packers-Steelers game and the rest of Sunday’s action:
Green Bay Packers (5-5) at Pittsburgh Steelers (8-2)
Steelers have the NFL’s #4 defense, and face a Green Bay team starting backup QB Brett Hundley on the road. The Packers will be without starting nose tackle Kenny Clark which could help the Steelers’ running attack. Green Bay is coming off a shutout loss to the Ravens, and the Steelers are a tough team to get your offense going against.
This probably won’t be a pleasant homecoming for Packers coach Mike McCarthy, a Pittsburgh native. The Steelers should win this game.
New Orleans Saints (8-2) at Los Angeles Rams (7-3)
This is the only game on tap between two teams with winning records. The Saints have the NFL’s #1 offense and the Rams are ranked fourth, so this could be a shoot-out.
While the Rams’ offense was underwhelming last week in a loss to Minnesota, they should be able to get back on-track this week against a Saints defense without both starting cornerbacks. New Orleans also lost pass rusher Alex Okafor to a torn achilles tendon last week.
The Rams have some injury concerns as well, with their leading receiver Robert Woods sidelined, along with key cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman.
This game is a toss-up.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-6) at Atlanta Falcons (6-4)
Tampa Bay has the 31st-ranked pass defense, which is far from ideal when you face Atlanta QB Matt Ryan and receivers Julio Jones, Mo Sanu, and Taylor Gabriel. Not helping their pass defense either is the fact that they will be without their best cornerback Vernon Hargreaves (hamstring) and pass rusher Robert Ayers (concussion).
Third-down defense is also an issue for Tampa Bay and the Falcons offensive is terrific on third down, converting 44 percent.
Atlanta should win this game.
Cleveland Browns (0-10) at Cincinnati Bengals (4-6)
The Cleveland offense is dragging their team down.
The Browns have the 29th-ranked offense and the 8th-ranked defense. If they didn’t have a developmental league mindset about their QB position, starting a raw rookie not ready for prime time, they would probably have some wins by now.
Believe it or not, the Bengals at 4-6, are very much in the AFC Wildcard race, so they have much more to play for, and should prevail at home.
Tennessee Titans (6-4) at Indianapolis Colts (3-7)
In the Titans last game, QB Marcus Mariota had a terrible game, throwing four picks in a blowout loss to Pittsburgh. But his coach doesn’t think it’s fair to focus on the interceptions.
“Nobody ever talks about how accurate (Mariota) is with some of the throws that he does make,” Titans coach Mike Mularkey said. “All (the media) keeps asking are about the throws he doesn’t. There’s a lot of good throws that he makes every Sunday in very, very tight window throws.”
This isn’t T-Ball. There is nothing to praise after a four-interception game. Mariota needs to take the next step as a quarterback in Year Three. He’s still too inconsistent. Mariota’s Titans tend to beat bad teams, and struggle when they step up in competition.
So they should be able to beat the 3-7 Colts, featuring the NFL’s 30th-ranked defense.
Buffalo Bills (5-5) at Kansas City Chiefs (6-4)
The Bills’ players are a little confused about what the team’s mission statement is this season.
Last week, at 5-4, in the thick of the AFC Wildcard race, Coach Sean McDermott benched veteran QB Tyrod Taylor replacing him with fifth-round rookie Nathan Peterman for road game against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Peterman threw five interceptions and was benched at halftime in a 54-24 loss.
It was a very strange coaching decision which stills has Bills players and fans perplexed. Taylor will start this week, but will be without his left tackle, Cordy Glenn, and three of his top receivers are all iffy with injuries – Kelvin Benjamin, Jordan Matthews and Deonte Thompson.
The Chiefs, coming off a disappointing loss to the Giants, should bounce back and win this game against the confused Bills.
Miami Dolphins (4-6) at New England Patriots (8-2)
The Dolphins are a house divided in need of a roster purge in the off-season.
Miami has the NFL’s 30th-ranked offense, but could get a boost from starting backup QB Matt Moore this week, who has moved the team better than starter Jay Cutler, who is currently in concussion protocol.
New England will be without starting center David Andrews and right tackle Marcus Cannon, so Miami’s talented defensive-front needs to take advantage of this, and make Tom Brady, dealing with an achilles injury, uncomfortable in the pocket.
The Patriots should win this game, but Miami might hang around for a while.
Carolina Panthers (7-3) at New York Jets (4-6)
The Jets, playing at home, with their AFC Wildcard playoff hopes hanging by a threat, must win this game. Getting back their top cornerback, Morris Claiborne, from a foot injury should help.
Also Carolina is thin at receiver, with Kelvin Benjamin (traded) and Curtis Samuel (injured) both out of the picture.
The pick here is the Jets at home, in a close one.
Chicago Bears (3-7) at Philadelphia Eagles (9-1)
Bears have the NFL’s 31st-ranked passing offense led by rookie QB Mitch Trubisky, so it’s going to be hard for them to keep up on the scoreboard with the high-flying Eagles. Trubisky, who was rushed into action before he was ready, needs a running game to function, which probably won’t happen this week against the Eagles, the NFL’s 1st-ranked rushing defense.
The Bears will be without talented inside linebacker Danny Travathan, and starting wide receiver Josh Bellamy (and they already have two other starting receivers on injured reserve).
The Eagles are better, healthier, at home and should prevail.
Seattle Seahawks (6-4) at San Francisco 49ers (1-9)
QB Russell Wilson has put the injury-ravaged Seahawks on his back keeping them in playoff contention with the NFL’s #3 passing attack.
The 49ers have the NFL’s 31st-ranked rushing defense, so this might be a good week for the Seahawks to take a little pressure off Wilson and run the ball more.
The Seahawks’ secondary is a ravaged by injuries. Not only are cornerback Richard Sherman and safety Kam Chancellor both likely out of the season, they will also be without starting cornerback Shaq Barrett this week.
But even with their secondary issues, Seattle, with Wilson under center, should prevail.
Jacksonville Jaguars (7-3) at Arizona Cardinals (4-6)
The Jaguars have the NFL’s #1 rushing offense, but the Cardinals are pretty stout against the run, so Jacksonville might need a little more from QB Blake Bortles, and their 27th-ranked passing offense, which will be without their best receiver, Allen Hurns.
The Jaguars are first in sacks (40) and passing defense, however, Jacksonville star CB Jalen Ramsey jammed his hand on Friday in practice and says he won’t play.
If Ramsey doesn’t play, don’t be surprised if Arizona pulls the upset. He might be the best cornerback in football, so his potential absence could make a difference in this game.
Denver Broncos (3-7) at Oakland Raiders (4-6)
The Broncos killed the messenger and fired their offensive coordinator this week, but the problem wasn’t the play-caller, it’s a roster loaded with backup quarterbacks.
Ironically, the Raiders fired their defensive coordinator this week.
So it will be a new offensive coordinator calling plays against a new defensive coordinator in Week 12 of the NFL season, which is rather unusual.
The Broncos will be without two key cornerbacks – Gareon Conley and David Amerson – but Denver is so pass-challenged, it shouldn’t matter.
The Raiders should win this game.
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