Well, after the disappointing, one-sided game between the Steelers and Patriots last week, you may be thinking “Okay, what kind of big games can torment us this week?” Guess what? There are plenty and most of these contenders are playing for the coveted wildcard spots. In other words, if they lose this week, their postseason play is truly in jeopardy if not a mathematical impossibility.
The first big game we want to talk about is the Bills vs. Browns being played in Cleveland. Besides the uphill battle of foreign turf, the Bills are chasing those very Browns for the wildcard spot. The Browns have more than the wildcard on their minds. Cleveland is only one game behind the Steelers in the AFC North division race. This would have been a very different playoff race picture had the Steelers been able to back up Anthony Smith’s mouth and come with a win against New England. Since that did not happen, Pittsburgh has to keep a close eye on who is right behind them – the Browns.
This brings us to our next big game in the AFC, the Steelers vs. the Jaguars in Pittsburgh. We have been saying for weeks to look out for the Jaguars. This game pits two 9-4 teams against each other, and it also may be a preview of an early-round playoff game. The Jaguars can possibly avoid this playoff matchup as a win could help Cleveland steal the division from the Steelers. The Jags should approach this contest as a playoff game and use it to measure their abilities as an on-the-road team which no doubt will be their lot in the playoffs.
Now, on to the NFC! Their playoff picture is one big mess. While the division titles are pretty much decided, the wildcard race is a muddled quagmire of should-be and could-be teams. Right now, the Giants and Vikings have the upper hand with the Giants needing only one win to lock up a playoff spot. The Giants are playing at home against the Redskins – a division rival with very slim playoff hopes. The Redskins are currently sitting at 6-7, a game behind the Vikings at 7-6. However, the Lions, Cardinals and Saints are also at 6-7. A Giant win would virtually eliminate the Redskins while a Giant loss would keep the Redskin hopes alive without doing great damage to New York as they would still have two more chances to secure the playoff spot.
The Vikings vs. Bears in Minnesota is a big game but only for the Vikings. The Bears at 5-8 are starting yet another new quarterback, and their playoff hopes are as dim as the hopes of the Eagles and Panthers — the other two 5-8 teams. The Vikings have turned their season around, and their last six games were much better than their first five which is why they are in the playoff run. Our full-season statistics do not show Minnesota in a very favorable light. However, when we break it down and analyze their late-season performance vs. their early-season performance, it is obvious that the Vikings have found the bug in their program and fixed it.
The Saints vs. Cardinals in New Orleans is a matchup between two of the 6-7 teams. This is an instance where the losing team will probably stay home for the playoffs while the winner will move to a .500 record and into the thick of the playoff hunt. While Saints’ fans may have their hopes up that the Bucs are only two games in front of them at 8-5, they should not get their hopes up as the Bucs’ remaining games are against the Falcons, 49ers and Panthers – not the most difficult schedule in the league as these teams have a combined record of 11-28. We think the Bucs are pretty safe as the NFC South Champs.
If you are interested in seeing the projections of PossessionPoints.com in regard to these big games, go to our subscriber page and sign up. Special holiday pricing is available. You can also sign up for free information by giving us your name and email address located on the right side of this page. We welcome your feedback and your thoughts here on what you think are big games and why.
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