Week 16’s late game
slate is full of enticing matchups. The
Monday night game between Denver and Cincinnati will give fans a chance to
gauge where the Bengals actually rank in the AFC pecking order. Sunday night’s contest will decide the winner
of the NFC West. It will be an upset if
Seattle does not defeat Arizona.
However, it is the Sunday afternoon (4:25 P.M.) showdown between
Indianapolis and Dallas that is the most intriguing game. This Super Bowl V re-match ideally will not
be as sloppy as the original. Super Bowl
V saw Baltimore boot a 32-yard field goal with five seconds remaining in the
game to win the “Stupor Bowl.” Baltimore
accounted for seven of the eleven turnovers in the game, while Dallas chipped
in ten penalties for 133 yards. However,
Andrew Luck’s current ball security issues and Tony Romo’s love of the
ill-advised throw could turn this game into a mirror image of Super Bowl V.
1) Seattle-
The race for the NFC’s top seed is wide open.
If the Seahawks once again claim home field advantage, then Seattle will
be the first franchise to repeat as Super Bowl champions since New England in
2003 and 2004.
2) New
England- It is fitting that Rex Ryan’s
last home game as head coach of the Jets will be played against the Patriots.
3) Green
Bay- Losing to Buffalo was not unforeseen but it wounds Green Bay’s title
aspirations.
4) Denver- If Peyton Manning had not left Sunday’s game
briefly due to injury the Broncos, who are quietly piecing it all together,
would have leapt over the Packers.
5) Indianapolis-
The Colts are the NFL’s playoff enigma.
Plausible scenarios exist for Indianapolis to go on a Super Bowl run or
for Indianapolis to lose on Wildcard Weekend.
6) Dallas-
Dallas wrenched control of the NFC East from Philly with a 38-27 win. Now the Cowboys must follow that success with
a win against the Colts in Dallas, where they are 3-4 this season.
7) Detroit- Rookie tight end, and number ten
overall draft pick, Eric Ebron has 23 receptions for 210 yards and one touchdown. Detroit will need production from the tight
end position during the stretch run.
8) Arizona-
It does not take Miss Cleo’s psychic powers to know that starting Ryan Lindley
at quarterback against Seattle will result in lengthy periods of offensive
inefficiency.
9) Philadelphia-
Perhaps Chip Kelly is effusive in his praise of Oregon quarterback and Heisman
winner Marcus Mariota because he is proud of his former player. Or perhaps it is because Kelly watches Mark
Sanchez practice every day.
10) Pittsburgh- If the
Steelers beat the Chiefs this week; Pittsburgh will host Cincinnati in Week 17
with a division title on the line.
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