New York Jets Vs Miami Dolphins
The (7-9) New York Jets will be traveling to Hard Rock Stadium to take on their Division Rivals the (8-8) Miami Dolphins. The Jets season is all but over but the Dolphins still have a chance to qualify for the playoffs.
The Jets had a great first half of the season but the second half of their season is a completely different story. They had only lost 3 games heading into week 11 of the NFL season but ultimately went on a five game losing streak and found themselves out of the playoff picture. The Jets have a lot of things to address on offense heading into next season, as of recently the Jets offense has not been able to put up points and the quarterback position has been a roller coaster ride. The Jets defensive however is top five in the league and have been able to hold it down but haven’t had help on offense.
The Dolphins head into this game needing a win and a New England Patriots loss to make it into the playoffs. The Dolphins have a difficult situation on their hands as rookie Skylar Thompson would make the start at quarterback with Tua Tagovailoa sidelined with a concussion and Teddy Bridgewater listed as questionable. Their playoff hopes may be up to how the offense plays, as for the defense they’ve allowed costly mistakes in crunch time and will have to be more aggressive down the stretch if they want to have a shot at playoff contention. If the Dolphins qualify for the Playoffs it will be interesting to see if Tua will be made available for the playoffs and see if they could make a legitimate run for a Super Bowl.
Score Prediction: Dolphins Win (20-17)
Minnesota Vikings Vs Chicago Bears
The (3-13) Chicago Bears will be hosting their division rivals the (12-4) Minnesota Vikings. The Bears are currently at the bottom of the division not having won a division game this season.
The Vikings came off a 41-17 loss to the Green Bay Packers, a game in which Kirk Cousins struggled heavily when he had three interceptions and a fumble lost. The Vikings have had a great season but when it comes to playing good teams they tend to struggle. Many NFL critics are wondering if the Vikings are contenders or pretenders only time will tell when they are playing in the playoffs. From the Looks of it the Vikings will secure the third seed in the playoffs but could grab second seed if the Cardinals win their matchup. A Vikings win against the Bears could be what they need to have momentum heading into the playoffs.
The Bears come off a blowout loss 41-10 against the Detroit Lions. The Bears season is all but over and if they lose and the Houston Texans win their matchup the Bears could potentially have the first overall draft pick in the 2023 NFL draft. Quarterback Justin Fields will not play as he’s been dealing with hip injuries since last week and hasn’t been at practice. Heading into the offseason the Bears have a lot to fix on the defensive side of the ball as well as the offensive side of the ball. The Bears defense is going up against Justin Jefferson and they have not been able to stop the passing game.
Score Prediction: Vikings Win (41-21)
Houston Texans Vs Indianapolis Colts
The (4-11-1) Indianapolis Colts will be hosting the (2-13-1) Houston Texans as last time they faced each other it ended in a tie. Maybe this time around someone can walk away with a victory.
The Texans look forward to next season with potentially having the first overall pick if they lose to the Colts. But if they win and the Chicago Bears lose then the Bears have the right to the first overall pick. So it’ll be interesting to see if the Texans will come out to play against their division rivals. It has been a long year for the Texans as nothing has gone their way this season and could potentially be in the market for a quarterback through the Draft. To conclude their season they’ll face a struggling Colts team so it could very well be an interesting matchup.
The Colts have had a roller coaster of events this season with firing their Head Coach Mid season and hiring Jeff Saturday as a replacement. The Matt Ryan era in Indianapolis could be all but over after one season, with the Colts having one of the league’s worst records they could potentially be looking for a quarterback in the draft with a top 5 pick. Jonathan Taylor is ruled out for this game and are without any other options on the offensive end. The Colts defense is strong but has struggled at times due to injuries but they are playing a soft Texans offense which could potentially be beneficial for the Colts.
Score Prediction: Colts Win (17-3)
Cleveland Browns Vs Pittsburgh Steelers
An AFC North showdown between The (7-9) Cleveland Browns will be taking on the (8-8) Pittsburgh Steelers will be taking place Sunday Afternoon.
The Browns are eliminated from playoff contention but that doesn’t necessarily mean they want to throw in the towel just yet. The Steelers, their division Rivals have a shot at making the playoffs, the Browns would like to potentially spoil their playoff hopes. The Browns will be leaning towards the run game in this matchup as Deshaun Watson has struggled since he came back from his suspension and Amari Cooper is out with an injury. With their season coming to an end it’ll be interesting to see what steps they take in the offseason.
The Steelers playoff hopes are on the line in this game as they must win this game to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Steelers need a Buffalo Bills victory against the New England Patriots and a New York Jets victory against the Miami Dolphins. So the Steelers season isn’t over just yet. Najee Harris will be the main guy on offense as he will need to provide a spark for this Steelers offense. Kenny Pickett has not been super efficient but he’s gotten the job done. The Steelers defense will have to shut down Cleveland’s run game if they want a shot at victory.
Score Prediction: Steelers win (20-14)
Baltimore Ravens Vs Cincinnati Bengals
The (10-6) Baltimore Ravens will be going up against their division rivals the (11-4) Cincinnati Bengals in the week 18 NFL regular season finale.
The Ravens came off a loss last week to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Ravens defense will have to do a much better job at protecting the lead in the fourth quarter as last week they allowed the Steelers to win the game on the Steelers final drive. As for the Ravens offense they will be without Lamar Jackson but there’s some talent on that ravens offense that they should be putting up more points than they have been. With the Ravens headed to the playoffs it will be interesting to see if Jackson will be ready to go.
The Bengals have won the AFC North and already have a playoff spot but they could potentially get the second spot if the Buffalo Bills lose. The Bengals are one of the league’s hottest teams heading into the playoffs and their offense has been a scary sight for NFL defenses. The Bengals defense has been average and getting the job done. A win for the Bengals could prove to be beneficial heading into the playoffs as they could potentially get home field advantage later down the line.
Score Prediction: Bengals Win (30-21)
New England Patriots Vs Buffalo Bills
The (12-3) Buffalo Bills will be hosting the (8-8) New England Patriots in a AFC East Divisional matchup. This game will be an emotional one for the Bills. They will be playing this game for teammate Damar Hamlin who had a severe injury which led to cancellation of the Bills vs Bengals game. (Hamlin is still in the hospital but his health has been improving. Source Via NFL)
The Patriots do find themselves fighting for a spot in the playoffs and they need to win to guarantee their playoff spot. The Patriots are very much playing to win and have no intention of throwing away this game and risk being sent home at the hands of the rivals. Mac Jones played a great game last week when he led his team to a 23-21 victory against the Miami Dolphins. The Patriots offense will have to be sharp against a tough Bills defense. The Patriots control their own destiny and a win would solidify their playoff position.
The Bills currently hold the second seed in the AFC playoff race with a victory they still remain in the second spot. A loss however could put them at the third seed. The Bills are also very much in it to win and have no intention of throwing this game away. The Bills offense has been electrifying and on a roll and they’ll need to continue their dominance against the patriots. As for the defense they’ve been one of the league’s best and also not allowing that many points to opposing offenses.
Score Prediction: Bills win (23-14)
Carolina Panthers Vs New Orleans Saints
The (7-9) New Orleans Saints will be hosting the (6-10) Carolina Panthers in a NFC South showdown. This game has no outcome in the playoff picture as both teams wrap up their season in Week 18.
The Panthers came off a 30-24 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week and that ended their playoff hopes. The Panthers have a lot of thinking to do heading into the offseason and are probably going to be looking into getting a quarterback or more talent on the offensive side of the ball. A win for them would help them heading into the offseason and bring some positive energy heading into the next season. The Panthers will need to play better on defense as they blew a lead last week.
The Saints have had a roller coaster season and find themselves outside of the playoff picture. They’ve rode with Andy Dalton all season but still have Jameis Winston as backup. He was their starting quarterback until an injury happened. It will be interesting to see if the Saints stick with Dalton next season. As for the Saints offense they’ll look to gain some momentum with Taysom Hill and Alvin Kamara leading the way. The Defense did their job against a Philadelphia Eagles team that had no Jalen Hurts and they’ll look to repeat that again against the Panthers.
Score Prediction: Saints win (13-10)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Vs Atlanta Falcons
The (6-10) Atlanta Falcons will be hosting the (8-8) Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a NFC South matchup that will conclude the Falcons season.
The Buccaneers are headed to the playoffs as they’ve won the NFC south last week in their comeback victory against the Carolina Panthers. The Buccaneers found a rhythm on offense last week and could potentially have momentum moving forward as they will try to make a legitimate playoff run. But first things first they have to play their final regular season matchup with the Falcons. If the Buccaneers are able to get a big lead in the first half they’ll likely take out their starters to avoid injuries heading into the playoffs.
The Falcons actually had themselves a nice start to the NFL season but things went south during the course of the season. They once were division leaders but lost that title along the way and will not be attending the playoffs. They do have a lot to fix during the Offseason but for now they look to spoil the Buccaneers momentum heading into the playoffs. Offensively they’ve struggled and can’t get anything going on offense. But their run game has been one of the league’s Best but it takes more than running the ball to win games.
Score Prediction: Buccaneers Win (28-14)
Los Angeles Rams Vs Seattle Seahawks
The (5-11) Los Angeles Rams will take on the (8-8) Seattle Seahawks in a NFC west matchup. The Rams are out of playoff contention but the Seahawks remain in the hunt.
The Rams season is over and they have not had the season they had hoped for. This team has been dealing with injuries all season long but most notable injuries Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp. Baker Mayfield was brought in via free agency mid-season and has provided a bit of spark for this Rams offense. Heading into the offseason it will be interesting to see if the Rams stick with Stafford or Mayfield next season. Aaron Donald is also injured and will unlikely play the season finale.
The Seahawks are fighting for a playoff spot and need a victory and a Green Bay Packers loss. Unfortunately they won’t know the outcome till the conclusion of Sunday night football, but regardless the Seahawks have to play to win in order for them to have a shot at the playoffs. The Seahawks offense has been surprisingly strong with Geno Smith leading the way and Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf as his wideouts. A lot is at stake for this Seahawks team; they’ll need to be at their best on both offense and defense.
Score Prediction: Seahawks Win (35-17)
New York Giants Vs Philadelphia Eagles
The (9-6-1) New York Giants will be going up against their division rivals the (13-3) Philadelphia Eagles. Both teams have a secured playoff spot but are battling for seeding purposes.
The Giants are in the playoffs but could be benching some of their starters to avoid injuries and keep the team fresh for a playoff run. Daniel Jones has done his job this season along with Saquon Barkley, they’ll need to continue their efficient playing style in the playoffs. As for the defense it’s been the bright spot for this team as they’ve been one of the league’s best defenses and have been able to hold their own.
The Eagles have the first seed to play for and the NFC East title to play for. Luckily for them they’ll be playing a Giants team that is resting their key players so it could be a possible victory for the Eagles. If the Eagles do lose they could risk falling to the 5th seed despite having a 13-4 record if the Dallas Cowboys Win. The Eagles however do have one of the league’s best rushing attacks so if Gardner Minshew struggles they could lean towards the run game. As for the Eagles defense they are one of the league’s best when it comes to defense.
Score Prediction: Eagles Win (28-17)
Dallas Cowboys Vs Washington Commanders
The (7-8-1) Washington Commanders will be hosting the (12-4) Dallas Cowboys in an interesting NFC west matchup.
The Cowboys are playing to win, if they win they could potentially see themselves winning the NFC east division and possibly having the first seed. The defense was one of the league’s best but as of recently they’ve struggled and will have to find a way to find their old selves before the start of the playoffs, the cowboys offense has been effective and Dak Prescott looks to lead this offense to victory and possibly win the NFC East.
The Commanders season is all but over. Many things to consider moving into the offseason, specifically who will be under center at quarterback for the Commanders and maybe a new Head Coach. The Commanders defense is not to blame for their losses as they’ve been the bright spot for this team and will only continue to get better heading into next season. Despite not being in the playoff picture maybe the Commanders will want to spoil the Cowboys chances at winning the division.
Score Prediction: Cowboys win (38-10)
Los Angeles Chargers Vs Denver Broncos
The (4-12) Denver Broncos will be hosting their divisional rivals the (10-6) Los Angeles Chargers in a AFC west matchup.
The Chargers do hold a playoff spot but with a victory they’d hold the highest wildcard spot at the 5 seed. The Chargers beat the Los Angeles Rams last week in a dominant performance. The Chargers defense will have to step up their play in the playoffs if they want to make a legitimate run. This game against the Broncos could provide some momentum heading into the playoffs and learn from their mistakes.
The Broncos are ready to close out the season after a disappointing season. This was not what the Broncos expected and have much to address this offseason, they’ll want to forget about this season. The offensive struggles continue for the Broncos as they just cannot get anything going, and the Broncos defense was good but just have to be on the field so much that they are bound to give up big plays and allow scoring opportunities.
Score Prediction: Chargers Win (17-14)
Arizona Cardinals Vs San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (12-4) will host the Arizona Cardinals (4-12) in a NFC west divisional matchup to close out the Sunday evening games.
A disappointing season for the Cardinals and they are wrapping up their season with a tough opponent the 49ers. JJ Watt will be playing his final game of his NFL career which will be the storyline to this game. Really not much to say about this cardinals team as they’ve been struggling all season even while Kyler Murray was under center. The Defense has also been struggling.
The 49ers with a victory could have the number one seed along with an Eagles loss. So they indeed do have something to play for on Sunday evening. Brock Purdy has been holding it down for the 49ers and could potentially be starting in his first playoff campaign. The 49ers offense has been dominant as well as their defense. If they are able to catch a big lead early on they’ll likely pull out their starters.
Score Prediction: 49ers win (28-10)
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