FOOTBALL NFL ARTICLES

The negative streaks surrounding the Jacksonville Jaguars continued, reaching comically new levels of futility. For a team that had so much promise entering the year, it’s hard to imagine things could’ve gone much worse. The Jags were officially eliminated from playoff contention for a ninth straight season with last week’s loss and in the process guaranteed themselves a sixth straight season with double-digit losses. The Jags will try to end a seven-game losing streak when they host the Minnesota Vikings in a Week 14 tilt.... 

Given how bad the AFC South is, this meeting for first place is likely to end in a tie. The Houston Texans have owned or shared the division lead since the season began, but that once comfortable cushion has evaporated, and now the Texans must avoid a four-game losing streak to keep their streak alive. The Indianapolis Colts made it a three-way tie in the division with Monday’s night’s victory and could knock the Texans from their pedestal with a Week 14 win.... 

After playing themselves out of the playoff picture with a four-game losing streak, the Green Bay Packers have turned things around with consecutive victories and are back trying to join the party. It might be too little too late for them, but at least the Pack is going out fighting trying to keep their streak of seven straight postseason trips alive. They can remain in the hunt with a victory over the Seattle Seahawks in Week 14.... 

The New England Patriots seem to bring out the best in Joe Flacco, and the Baltimore Ravens will need that greatness to surface if they are to get an upset road win and keep pace in the AFC North. The division will likely have just one representative in the postseason and that’ll be the winner. The Ravens and Steelers have a showdown in two weeks, but there are games to be played in the meantime, and Baltimore has a huge one in Week 14.... 

Near the end of a horrendous season, New York Jets fans finally got their wish. Todd Bowles, possibly in an attempt to deflect criticism hurled at him, announced that Bryce Petty will start the final four games beginning at the San Francisco 49ers in Week 14, essentially ending the tenure of Ryan Fitzpatrick in the Big Apple. It’s time for Petty to prove he can be the future quarterback, but at least the Jets have one. The San Francisco 49ers continue to search for answers at the most important position after their duo did nothing in the team’s 11th straight loss.... 

We could say that the Dallas Cowboys are two points away from having a perfect season three-quarters of the way into it. Not bad for a team that had so many questions to be answered once the bell rang. And it wasn’t the best of starts to the year for the Boys either. They dropped the opener to the New York Giants but have since won 11 straight to stake their claim as the best team in the league. Dallas gets a chance to avenge that early season loss and clinch the NFC East in this Week 14 confrontation.... 

A second half meltdown last Sunday pretty much guaranteed the Buffalo Bills playoff-less streak would reach 17 seasons. With little margin for error, the Bills squandered a 15-point lead and gave up the game’s final 29 points in a disheartening loss. In a Week 14 matchup the Bills have to deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers, who have seemingly corrected the wrongs from a four-game losing skid to win three straight, and need a victory to remain atop the AFC North.... 

It’s been a fruitful run for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who caught division-leading Atlanta at the top of the NFC South standings by winning four straight games. Nobody saw this coming after three ugly losses at the start of the year had the Bucs floundering at 1-3. But, it’s not how you start it’s how you finish, and the Bucs are hoping to finish off the New Orleans Saints in Week 14 in the first of two meetings between the clubs in the final four weeks.... 

When the Philadelphia Eagles soared to a perfect record through the first three weeks, Doug Pederson was being hailed as coach of the year. The only problem is that the season is 16 games not three, and after a lackluster effort in a loss at Cincinnati, their seventh loss in nine games, the Philly faithful are calling for Pederson’s head. Philly fans should be grateful that Chip Kelly isn’t roaming the sideline when the Eagles take on NFC East rival Washington Redskins in a Week 14 tilt.... 

The AFC West might be the strongest division in the NFL and the top two teams will square off with first place on the line in a Week 14 Thursday night matchup. The Oakland Raiders lead the division by a game and haven’t lost since dropping a 26-10 decision to the Kansas City Chiefs at home nearly two months ago. The Raiders have already guaranteed themselves a winning record for the first time since 2002, but they’ve been unable to shake the Chiefs, who can take the division lead with a victory.... 

If you’re an organization that wants to finish the season with six or seven wins, Jeff Fisher is the guy for you. So, I guess that’s what the Los Angeles Rams want to be. News of a contract extension for the coach came out before last Sunday’s game and the Rams promptly went out and laid an egg in a loss to New England. Losers in seven of their past eight games, the Rams will be hard pressed to reach that lofty win total, but they have the soon-to-be losingest coach in league history on the sidelines for their Week 14 battle with the Atlanta Falcons.... 

The Carolina Panthers have a lot more than Cam Newton’s wardrobe to be concerned about. In a Sunday night gut-check game, the Panthers hurled all over themselves in a loss to Seattle and will play out the string trying to avoid a last place finish in the NFC South, just one season after producing 15 regular season victories and a Super Bowl appearance. The San Diego Chargers aren’t going anywhere either, so we’ll see which team shows up in this Week 14 contest.... 

Both teams are fighting for their playoff life, which makes the Week 14 inter-conference matchup between the Arizona Cardinals and Miami Dolphins a riveting game with the loser likely eliminated from contention. The Cards are still alive in the NFC while the Fins chances took a hit when their six-game winning streak came to an end. The two are currently on the outside looking in and need some help along the way to qualify, but first and foremost, they need to win their own games.... 

The Tennessee Titans have already surpassed their win total from the previous two seasons combined and now they find themselves tied for the top spot in the AFC South. It’s been quite the renaissance for Tennessee, which has the benefit of playing in the worst division in the NFL. The Titans can quiet those nay-sayers who claim they don’t deserve to be a playoff team by collecting a victory over the defending Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos when the clubs collide in a Week 14 contest.... 

The Cleveland Browns didn’t lose last week so that has to be a positive in a season that has had very few. Of course, they didn’t win either and they are running out of opportunities to get that elusive first win of the season with the odds now in favor of them becoming the second team in NFL history to go 0-16. The Cincinnati Bengals are all but out of the playoff picture, but they don’t want to become “that” team when the clubs hookup in Week 14.... 

The Detroit Lions find themselves in a good spot heading into the final quarter of the regular season, but a flop against the Chicago Bears in their Week 14 matchup could make things interesting. Detroit has a two-game lead in the NFC North and is looking to secure its first division title since 1993. However, with some difficult contests ahead, the Lions better not overlook the Bears, a team that knocked them off back in Week 4.... 

Change she's coming for sure in the NFL. We haven't had a division leader change across the league in a few weeks, but we're at the point that we can officially start to see some madness taking place. Several teams that have been in front of their divisions have tricky matchups ahead that could either solidify said lead or blow it completely. The Week 14 odds are going to end up being bizarrely contested, and there are sure to be some thrills for bettors along the way.... 

It is an NFC Championship Game rematch on Sunday night on NBC as the Carolina Panthers visit the Seattle Seahawks in a Week 13 matchup. The Seahawks are a definite contender to return to the NFC title game as they are 7-3-1 and leading the NFC West but the Panthers are virtually out of playoff contention at 4-7 and in last place in the NFC South. The Panthers are coming off a tough loss last week as they were outscored in Oakland, losing 35-32 while the Seahawks were awful last week in a 14-5 defeat to Tampa Bay.... 

Does anybody want to win the AFC South? It’s there for the taking for the Houston Texans, but they keep trying to give it back. And if the Texans continue to squander opportunities, someone just might snatch the title from them. Houston has made the race interesting by losing two straight and visits Lambeau Field for a Week 13 contest with the Green Bay Packers. Bill O’Brien continues to stick with mega-bucks free agent Brock Osweiler, even though he may cost the coach a chance at winning a division title.... 

One of these teams has represented the NFC in each of the last three Super Bowls, but it will be up to the Seattle Seahawks to keep that streak alive. The Carolina Panthers nearly saved their season with a miraculous second half comeback in Oakland, only to have the lead evaporate late and watch the game turn into another frustrating loss that has become all too familiar. Though not mathematically eliminated from postseason contention, the Panthers are all but done heading into their Week 13 contest in Seattle.... 

Quick, guess which team has the second-best record in the NFC. If you said the New York Giants you win a gold star. That’s right folks, the G-Men are right behind Dallas in the NFC and New York is the only team to beat the NFL’s best team this season. But that means nothing heading into a Week 13 battle with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Pittsburgh doesn’t own one of the best records in the NFL but they are locked in duel for the top spot in the AFC North with rival Baltimore again.... 

I guess we can officially call it a rebuilding year for the Philadelphia Eagles. The euphoria over their 3-0 start has subsided and reality has set in. While the Eagles actually have a bright future, what does that leave for the Cincinnati Bengals? One of the biggest disappointments of the season, the Bengals played as though they had cashed it in during a sleep walk with the Ravens last week. The teams will meet in a Week 13 battle of non-playoff teams.... 

The Miami Dolphins certainly have the look of a playoff team and they’ve done things during a six-game winning streak that playoff teams do. Winning games in a variety of ways, the Fins look like a solid all-around club, which is saying something now about a team that looked hopeless after a 1-4 start. The Dolphins control their own destiny for a wild card spot, but the AFC East isn’t out of reach. The Baltimore Ravens will look to keep their share of the AFC North when the teams collide in a Week 13 tussle.... 

The Indianapolis Colts play in what might be the worst division in the NFL, and because of it they are right in the hunt for a division title despite being a game under .500. But as they proved last week, they won’t win the AFC South without a little luck. After missing the Thanksgiving loss to the Steelers, the Colts are expecting Andrew Luck to play when they visit the New York Jets for a Week 13 tilt, and the best quarterback in the division might be enough to lift Indy to a title.... 

After an exhausting overtime win on Monday night, we have to wonder just how much the Kansas City Chiefs have left in the tank for Sunday’s Week 13 matchup with the Atlanta Falcons. The fact that K.C. pulled off the stunner and remains a game behind the Raiders in the AFC West should be enough motivation to keep them playing at a high level. The Falcons are the team being chased in the NFC South and they need a victory to stay ahead of the Bucs. There’s plenty on the line in this inter-conference tilt....