1:00 PM EST
Cincinnati Bengals vs. Miami Dolphins
This game was once thought to possibly feature two winless teams, however, they enter the real thing with four combined wins. Most believed that it would be the Miami Dolphins that had the worst record in the NFL at this stage of the season but it is the Cincinnati Bengals (1-13) that are at the bottom of the league’s standings currently. After mysteriously benching Andy Dalton for four games, Zac Taylor has gone back to the veteran to close out the season. AJ Green is unlikely to play a game this season but Joe Mixon has been on fire as of late. In Miami, the Dolphins have been a much tougher opponent over the course of the second half of the year. DeVante Parker and Ryan Fitzpatrick have been in sync and their chemistry bolsters what was previously a lackluster offense to adequate levels. Brian Flores put any questions about his coaching skills to bed simply by getting this team to three wins this season, the offseason will hopefully bring high-impact talent and a fresh start for 2020. This game is more about draft positioning than anything that has to do with the 2019 season.
PREDICTION: DOLPHINS 27 , BENGALS 21
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. New York Jets
After starting the season 1-4, the Pittsburgh Steelers have a chance to make it into the playoffs thanks to an outstanding stretch of play over the last nine weeks. Mike Tomlin is well on his way to potentially taking home the coach of the year honors. The team is likely to have James Conner and Juju Smith-Schuster back on the field together once again and that tandem will be a big boost against a struggling New York Jets team. Devlin “Duck” Hodges has been good enough to keep this team’s neck above water but he’s more game-manager than game-winner at this point. Pittsburgh will need to rely on their defense to carry them into a potential postseason birth. Thanks to the star power at all three levels–TJ Watt, Devin Bush, and Minkah Fitzpatrick–the defense has been the leader of this team’s resurgence over the past nine games. The Jets have run hot or cold for the majority of the season after getting Sam Darnold back on the field following his bout with mononucleosis sidelined him earlier in the year. That inconsistency has resulted in a 5-9 record for a team that had hopes of competing for the AFC East title at the beginning of the year.
PREDICTION: STEELERS 28 , JETS 17
New York Giants vs. Washington Redskins
The Eli Manning era has likely come to an end and his 118-118 career win/loss record his the perfect encapsulation of his time with the New York Giants. Rookie Daniel Jones is back at starting quarterback after missing two weeks with an ankle injury and Manning will either retire at the end of the season or look to find a new team in the offseason. For the Giants, their attention has been on the 2020 season ever since they decided to swap quarterbacks and let the rookie learn on the fly. After bringing in Jones and running back Saquon Barkley in back-to-back drafts, the team could have a shot at bringing in the most talented prospect in the 2020 NFL Draft class, defensive end, Chase Young. But to get there, they are going to need to lose this game as they are currently tied with the Washington Redskins and Miami Dolphins with a 3-11 record on the year. A rebuild is on the horizon for the Redskins and depending on whom they select as their next head coach, they might have their quarterback of the future in Dwayne Haskins. One rumor is that former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer has a shot to land the job and he knows Haskins about as well as any coach that will be available on the market. Getting another win will be big for the young quarterback’s development and it will be a nice response to the team that decided to pass him up in the draft last year.
PREDICTION: REDSKINS 20 , GIANTS 17
Carolina Panthers vs. Indianapolis Colts
This is a meeting between two teams that failed to meet expectations this year and also lost their starting quarterbacks (and former number one overall pick) early in the year. Indianapolis was caught by complete surprise as Andrew Luck decided to retire during the preseason as he did not want to face another stretch of rehab after dealing with injuries on and off throughout the duration of his career. Jacoby Brissett was a stellar backup in both New England and Indianapolis and has been a serviceable starter this year but in the end, the Colts will be on the outside looking in. Carolina tried to ride out with Cam Newton who was playing through a foot injury he suffered in Week 3 of the preseason but after two games he’s been forced to the sideline with a Lisfranc injury. Kyle Allen initially got off to a roaring start for the Panthers but things have gone off course of late and the team is limping into the end of the season.
PREDICTION: COLTS 33 , PANTHERS 21
Baltimore Ravens vs Cleveland Browns
The Baltimore Ravens are likely on their way to securing their first-ever number-one seed in the AFC as long as they are able to defeat the Cleveland Browns today. While it might seem like a pretty easy thing, the Browns are one of the two teams that the Ravens have lost to this season and on top of that, Cleveland won in Baltimore. Lamar Jackson is one more signature performance away from clinching the MVP honors for himself and it would be nice to do it while getting revenge on a divisional foe as well. There are several offensive milestones on the line for Baltimore as Mark Ingram is just 37 yards away from a 1,000-yard season and Marquise “Hollywood” Brown is one touchdown reception away from setting the Ravens’ rookie receiving touchdown record. Cleveland remains in the race for a playoff spot but they need to win out in order to keep that slim hope alive going forward. The offense has been a letdown for the team as Baker Mayfield and Odell Beckham have been unable to get on the same page all season and Freddie Kitchens seems to want to force the passing game despite them having one of the more formidable rushing attacks in the NFL led by Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt. A disappointing season continues as Cleveland is unlikely to finish with a .500 record.
PREDICTION: RAVENS 35 , BROWNS 20
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Atlanta Falcons
The Gardner Minshew versus Nick Foles debate has resulted in another lost season for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Foles was lost early to injury in Week 1 and never was able to get into a rhythm. Minshew had his moment but in the end, it was fleeting and Jacksonville is once again on the bottom of the totem pole in the NFL. Leonard Fournette has had a big turnaround this season but it wasn’t enough to get the Jaguars back to the top of the AFC South. Meanwhile, things didn’t go much better for the Atlanta Falcons this year. Dan Quinn’s job was routinely on the line but a strong finish will likely keep him on the sidelines for another season. Matt Ryan and Julio Jones have been good but aside from that there really isn’t much memorable about this season for the Falcons. They’ll need to regroup this offseason and come back ready to attack the 2020 NFL season head-on. In this game, they likely have the talent advantage and that will be enough to get them their sixth victory.
PREDICTION: FALCONS 27 , JAGUARS 13
New Orleans Saints vs. Tennessee Titans
In an odd schedule quirk, with five of the six spots already secured in the AFC playoff race, this game that features one team attempting to get the final spot (Tennessee Titans) actually doesn’t have an impact on what will play out in the long run. With that being the case, the Titans have taken the opportunity to get one of their top players, Derrick Henry, some needed rest as he has gotten banged up from the toll the season has done to his body. Ryan Tannehill will still be out there and besides Henry, he has been the team’s MVP. The New Orleans Saints on the other hand need all the wins they can get as they jostle with other top NFC contenders for a first-round bye in the playoffs. Drew Brees is already on a record-setting streak but it’s another Saints player that could break a record today, Michael Thomas. The All-Pro wideout is just 11 catches away from breaking Marvin Harrison’s single-season reception record of 143 catches.
PREDICTION: SAINTS 30 , TITANS 20
4:05 PM EST
Oakland Raiders vs. Los Angles Chargers
The Oakland Raiders looked to be on the brink of turning things around all year but losing their final game in Oakland a week ago was the straw that broke the camel’s back this year. With the playoffs out of reach the team is choosing to let Offensive Rookie of the Year front runner, Josh Jacobs sit out this game. Without him the team is going to need a big game from Derek Carr if they hope to win. The Chargers also don’t have a shot at making it into the postseason but they too are playing for pride at this point and given how this year has turned out it might be the final season that Philip Rivers is the team’s guaranteed starting quarterback.
PREDICTION: CHARGERS 28 , RAIDERS 17
Detroit Lions vs. Denver Broncos
This game is an afterthought for the people that are not fans of either team playing in the contest. For Matt Patricia he got a a vote of confidence from management when it was announced that he would be returning for another season next year. Losing Matthew Stafford for the year a few weeks back was the final nail in the coffin for this team but they weren’t necessarily setting the NFL world on fire with Stafford on the field either. Offensively, the team might have something with their aerial attack as Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones Jr. have been great, yet after bringing in a defensive-minded coach a few season’s ago that side of the ball has failed to meet expectations. In Denver, Vic Fangio’s first season has been a roller coaster but as of late the team is riding high after the impressive play from rookie quarterback Drew Lock. Doing his best Stafford impersonation, Lock has been slinging the ball all around the field and developing chemistry with his own big-bodied target in Courtland Sutton.
PREDICTION: BRONCOS 24 , LIONS 20
4:25 PM EST
Arizona Cardinals vs. Seattle Seahawks
When rookie quarterback Russell Wilson beat out free agent signing Matt Flynn for the starting job in Seattle in 2012 there was a changing of the guard across the league. By Wilson becoming an effective quarterback despite his lack of height, it opened the door for other players six feet or shorter to get a real chance at playing quarterback at the highest level. The most recent beneficiary of this change is Arizona Dardinals rookie, Kyler Murray. Wilson wasn’t taken until the 3rd round, Murray was the number one overall selection just a year ago. Their teams are going in opposite directions. With a win Seattle would reclaim the number one spot in the NFC and the Cardinal fans only check the standings in regards to how it relates to their potential draft positioning.
PREDICTION: SEAHAWKS 38 , CARDINALS 27
Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles
This game could decide the winner of the NFC East and lock all six teams from the conference in. However, that only happens in the Dallas Cowboys are able to win on the road. These teams are both 7-7 and since the Cowboys one the first matchup of the season they have the advantage over the Eagles. Philadelphia would need to win their final two games and have Dallas lose both of theirs in order to secure their playoff spot. Despite an inconsistent year, don’t sleep on the Eagles if they are able to sneak in, they’ve made noise as an underdog in each of the previous two seasons. For Dallas, Jerry Jones has let it be known it’s Super Bowl or bust for Jason Garrett’s coaching tenure with the franchise. That doesn’t seem like a likely outcome for this talented but underperforming group but it would be an even bigger black mark on Garrett if they miss the postseason entirely. This will be a close game that comes down to whichever team can make less mistakes.
PREDICTION: COWBOYS 28 , EAGLES 27
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